Have I bought the wrong Merc? (2005 CLK350)

[Kend0]

Hello everyone, brand new to the forum and would welcome any advise.

Just acquired a 2005 CLK350 for what i thought was good money with 87k miles... That was until I noticed the "balance shaft issues due to defective sprockets/parts that wear out prematurely.

Hands up, should have done my homework first in this forum before putting down a penny!

At the moment, I have only placed a deposit on the car and go to collect on Friday (so can technically still pull out the deal - potentially losing £100 deposit in process).

I will ring the seller tomorrow and ask if there is an engine check light (as I've heard of the bulb being removed to hide issues).

I haven't yet viewed the car, so it's difficult to confirm VIN, but I do have the engine number.

Eng num. 27296030086869

If someone can confirm if this is one of the cars effected, and if it is... What do you think my next steps should be, as otherwise it looks a reasonable car for what i paid.

Kind regards, Kendo

 

[Old spanners]

Found this hope its of some use.

[FONT=&quot]http://mbworld.org/wiki/images/0/0b/...e_bulletin.pdf[/FONT]

engines up to #2729..30 468933 -- this when the gear is the problem

engines up to #2729..30 759427 -- this when the adjustment solenoids are the problem

engines up to #2729..30 895140 -- this when the adjustment solenoids leak oil

The first two scenarios cause "check engine light", the third is just an oil leak.

 

[addbuyer]

£100?? Walk away unless you have the cash to rectify what could be a nightmear. Other motors out there

 

[Kend0]

Thanks for the replies.

@AddBuyer Are they really that bad... I mean, if it runs well and service history is tight, engine light goes off as normal, surely I can still get a good few miles?

Or you talking from experience?

@Oldspanners So it looks like the engine number on the car I'm trying to acquire is in category 1? Only 5 digits not 6 086869?

Kind regards, Kendo

 

[Old spanners]

I wouldn't advise going ahead without checking it over with a code reader but by the sound of things if there's a problem £100 is nothing compared to the repairs even if you attempt them yourself.

 

[clk320x]

Thanks for the replies.

@AddBuyer Are they really that bad... I mean, if it runs well and service history is tight, engine light goes off as normal, surely I can still get a good few miles?

Or you talking from experience?

@Oldspanners So it looks like the engine number on the car I'm trying to acquire is in category 1? Only 5 digits not 6 086869?

Kind regards, Kendo

If i were you I'd go for an older 320.

 

[horatio]

No need to take the risk. Just buy an older 320 or newer model.

It's a huge engine out which costs thousands. Super common in other countries where the V6 is the bog standard engine.

 

[Codger49]

I have seen quotes of £2.2k to £3k for a complete fix. You do need someone with MB experience for this job, its not for a back street garage.

Once done, engine will last for a very long time.

Probably safest to walk away, if its otherwise a very good car, maybe possible to negotiate a significant price drop?

 

[Kend0]

I have an extremely solid Mercedes specialist next to me... But if rather not take the plunge after 5-10k miles, get hit with £2-3k to fix the problem or worse, full rebuild.

So that's a resounding "unless the car has had it changed already", don't just walk... RUN away!

Hopefully I can also get my deposit back (im sure you all know what what independent dealers can be like).

Thanks for the advise, I'll update everyone which why I go...

Kind regards, Kendo

 

[Abdul]

Mate ditch the car even if you lose £100 and buy a 500. Drinks a tiny bit more then a 320/350 but imo totally worth it.

 

[Kend0]

Cheers Abdul... I'll restart the look for a reasonable car.

Probably be at the 320 end (500 still bit out my range).

One thing to ask, everyone has mentioned if I do go for a CLK get an older model 320... What year (age range) should I go for (I ask as a 2007 clk320 has caught my eye)?

Cheers, Kendo

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Just buy a slightly newer model for a few hundred more

I have to laugh when I read these internet bogeymen stories. If the car was such a fragile bag of bolts how do you think it did 87,000 miles over the last 12 years? After 11 years less than 10% of CLK350's have been written off / scrapped - that suggests that there aren't that many major maintenance disasters out there.

But if you're that scared, just spend a bit more money to buy a slightly newer car, which will retain 50% of the extra money over a three year period, so costing you only a few hundred more in depreciation over your ownership. Maybe £200 a year more in depreciation - chickenfeed compared to one painful service bill. Buying the first year of production always means a few more minor niggles than something in the 2nd or 3rd year of production

Don't even begin to think about finding a good V8 / CLK500, they're rarer than hens teeth in the UK because of company car taxation (just over 500 cars out there compared to 2000 CLK350's) .

Just look for a CLK350 or CLK320 - a V6 will always be cheaper to buy and maintain than a V8, and 272 bhp is plenty of power for the small bodied C class underpinnings. V8's are about burbling along without pressing the pedal to the metal, surrounded by a few extra luxury items (better leather, trim, & bits)

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Just buy a slightly newer model for a few hundred more

I have to laugh when I read these internet bogeymen stories. If the car was such a fragile bag of bolts how do you think it did 87,000 miles over the last 12 years? After 11 years less than 10% of CLK350's have been written off / scrapped - that suggests that there aren't that many major maintenance disasters out there.

But if you're that scared, just spend a bit more money to buy a slightly newer car, which will retain 50% of the extra money over a three year period, so costing you only a few hundred more in depreciation over your ownership

Don't even begin to think about finding a good V8 / CLK500, they're rarer than hens teeth in the UK because of company car taxation (just over 500 cars out there compared to 2000 CLK350's) .

Just look for a CLK350 - a V6 will always be cheaper to buy and maintain than a V8, and that's plenty of power for the small bodied C class underpinnings. V8's are about burbling along without pressing the pedal to the metal.

 

[The Dude]

...for the sake of clarity...you haven't seen the car,you don't know if it has this potential issue so what advice are you actually seeking to obtain? How to buy a car or a forum member with a crystal ball ? Really...

 

[zipdip]

Look,lets face it you have scared yourself badly,no matter if this car has nothing wrong with it,you will be jumping at every little noise and rattle,so it is best you ditch the £100 and find another car,once you get the wobbles about a deal no matter what it is best to pull out.

 

[Fizzer]

Have you priced a good extended warranty? The GL I just bought does not have the greatest reliability rating. I have had it about a month and it has cost the warranty company $450 already. Its back into the dealers again Monday. Total cost to me 0 (obviously I paid for the 2 year warranty but what cost peace of mind?). I will keep it 2 years, until the end of the warranty and move on to another Merc, and another 2 year warranty,

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

If it's this one, it has a curious MoT history

I just saw the comment that you hadn't actually seen the car before putting down the deposit, so I guessed that the price might be "too low."

If it's this car from Autotrader, you need to look at its MoT history.

Mercedes-Benz CLK 3.5 CLK350 Elegance 7G-Tronic 2dr

Apologies if it's not the same car - but the "87k" description seems to match.

MoT history, which might be wrong, suggests a haircut in 2009, and a whole series of problems & issues identified in the last three MoT's. On these points alone, it would be worth avoiding.

This is how you check MoT history: https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/

 

[E55BOF]

I have to laugh when I read these internet bogeymen stories. If the car was such a fragile bag of bolts how do you think it did 87,000 miles over the last 12 years? After 11 years less than 10% of CLK350's have been written off / scrapped - that suggests that there aren't that many major maintenance disasters out there.

Nobody is suggesting that the car is a fragile bag of bolts, but we do know that the engine in that particular car is within the range to suffer a particular, expensive, problem. That was the first thing I checked before I bought my E350. Why take the risk?


If it's the car you later identify on eBay, I'd write off the £100 at once.

 

[Kend0]

Thanks for the replies gents...

@The Dude... The advise is the same as anybody would want, if they spend there hard earned on car which they personally haven't had, what am I likely to get in return from those experienced in using a similar model? is that not what a forum is to aid with?... My question would be, if not this CLK, then which one, (are you always this friendly with new owners/forum members

@ Zipdip, correct... I've just had a car that hit the pocket hard on full bottom/top end rebuild, so buying a car with an actual known defect that did effect the eng number of that car, ive defo been scared by all the above.

Current update, the independent garage is refusing to refund £100 deposit (guessed as much - I'll keep trying, a big note is a big note afterall and if that's the cost of this lesson, then so be it).

I've seen a CLK500 I like the look of and going to view.

Thanks for all the help so far!

 

[GP801]

If you have not seen it then it is probably covered by the distance selling regulations