Just bought a used CLK 320

[Mike Edwards]

New car owner although have had quite a few vans and even a truck over the last eight years or so.

- Mercedes Vito 111CDI
- Mercedes Sprinter 311CDI
- Mercedes Atego 815
- Mercedes Vito 120CDI Sport

Car is a 2005 CLK 320 which will be a pleasant change although rather worrying how many parts are interchanged with the last Vito I had.

Going to be a bit of a culture shock driving at normal road level for the first time in ten years rather than the elevated position of the vans, etc.

 

[d w124]

Hi Mike and welcome to the forum.Pictures please when you can

 

[BEJ]

Hi, and welcome.

 

[Troon]

rather worrying how many parts are interchanged with the last Vito I had.

Why? Was the Vito unreliable?

I like the fact my S211 is a renowned taxi with an extremely common van engine.

 

[tanuie]

Hi welcome to the forum.

 

[Clkrichard]

Good choice of car - enjoy !

 

[trapperjohn]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Mike Edwards]

Why? Was the Vito unreliable?

I like the fact my S211 is a renowned taxi with an extremely common van engine.

The first 2.2L 4 cylinder Vito was remarkable. In 50k miles it didn't even need brake pads so I bought another.

The 3.0L V6 was a nightmare. Most of the problems were in the first year but over 130k miles it had more EGR valves than I have fingers, split turbo pipes, replacement steering rack, new torque converter, new gearbox ECU and a fair bit more.

To be fair most of the big stuff was to cure a lack of power issue under certain conditions that we eventually decided was a 'solution' by the powers that be to reduce the likelihood of repeating the EGR problems.

Towards the end it even had new shocks and front wishbones under warranty only to have the bushes replaced a few thousand miles later.

Having said all that I loved it and if I still needed a van would definitely get the latest heavily revised model.

It'll be my first foray in to the MB car world so hopefully it will be fairly pain free.

 

[Mike Edwards]

One thing I would say to anyone considering one, and they are well worth considering, is to get the tracking and wheel alignment set up for the type of load you will be carrying rather than using the base settings your dealer will have been given.

My first and last sets of tyres each did 30k - 35k but most of the middle sets, and there were a few, only managed 8k - 12k once they started messing with the tracking.

It seems the fully loaded specs. kill the outer edge of the tyres if you aren't carrying the load.

 

[tasn1]

Welcome to the forum...very nice car...enjoy!!!

 

[GD78]

Congrats! Welcome aboard

 

[Troon]

The first 2.2L 4 cylinder Vito was remarkable. In 50k miles it didn't even need brake pads so I bought another.

The 3.0L V6 was a nightmare.

You and *** are going to get on well...