My 'New' W208 Courtesy Of Clive @ Benzworx

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Nicensleazy

Active Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Messages
66
Location
Sheffield, South Yorks
Car
1998 CLK230
I’ve owned a 1998 230 CLK Elegance 5 speed manual for very nearly 2 years now and really from the first time I drove it I loved it. It originally had 88k on the clock, service history up to 76k but it had perhaps fallen on hard times slightly and was starting to show its age- courtesy of a little neglect, it was on the cusp if left too much longer of going the way of a lot of CLK's of that vintage. It had developed rust on the bonnet, both front wings and both rear ones too- all the usual places but not then that bad. It came in my favourite colour for a CLK quartz blue, electric sunroof, Orion grey leather upholstery, electric heated seats and headlamp wash so quite well specc'd. A friend who dabbles in the trade had taken it as a part-ex and after parting with £1450 it was mine.

Mechanically it was fine just needed a bloody good service, which it got replacing all filters, oil, plugs, new genuine brake pads all round (discs were and still are fine) and replaced the steering damper. All genuine parts used and sourced as cheaply as possible via Ebay. The interior was looking unloved, a bit dirty but after a good valet one weekend and the seats receiving a re-colour using Gliptone, it came up like new. Broken speaker grille on the driver’s door replaced with a second hand part, no problem. I’ll keep it for a few months I thought and see how we go! Initially slight problem with the SAM unit but got a replacement cheap enough from Dronsfields.

Well maybe it’s an OCD thing or maybe I just haven't grown up but I started doing bits to it, if I’m honest I just got the Benz bug I think- so a double DIN Alpine stereo with iPod connection was sourced cheaply from Ebay and fitted, chrome door pins added, set of chrome rings for the speedo and heater dials, LED lights throughout the interior. Decided then I much prefer the cream sports clocks, so kept my eye on good old Ebay and sure enough a set of clocks came up at the right price, followed by a cream set of heater controls. All swapped over and looking good IMO. Slight annoyance last summer when the air con packed in and a new radiator, receiver dryer and fitting added up to just over £300 but as much as I wanted to I couldn’t fall out with Max, now christened by my son after the Blue Max. I think you know that you’re losing it when you actually give your car a name but the overriding factor is the sheer pleasure, the grin factor you get from driving what was in 1998 a 35k car (I’ve still got the original sales receipt) that still drives pretty much like a new car nearly 15 years down the line- that is quality. The same however can’t be said about MB’s deplorable track record on rust through the 90’s and into the new century, which is where Clive (AKA CKL Clive) at Benzworx comes in.

I went to see Clive last year with the car at his then base near Peterborough, with a view to doing a full re-spray, looking at how much it would cost, what can be done to remedy the rust and at the end of it look if it is worth keeping. I could easily change to another newer model but then I could be getting someone else’s problems, I would have to shell out more to buy the car and then possibly more to put things right. Well figures were discussed, the original cheap purchase price, the lack of depreciation involved plus the cost of Clive’s work added into the mix and the fact that I knew I had a mechanically sound motor and I decided to go ahead. I needed to get last winter out of the way and the way things worked out, I couldn’t get it down to Clive now in Essex, (I’m 200 miles away in Sheffield) nor he fit the work in until late June.

However from our original conversation the bug had slightly took me over again. I couldn’t help thinking that the facelift 208 looked so much nicer than the original. Quick call to Clive, who was as helpful and knowledgeable as ever and found that it could be done but it could be expensive parts-wise. Well searching Ebay, Gumtree, Loot and visiting scrap yards is what I’m good at, so after a bit of detective work I came up with a pair of facelift mirrors, front and rear bumpers with the revised lower valances and a pair of facelift sill covers for the princely total of £175- new clips would be needed for the sill covers from Merc but otherwise game on. Max will not just be getting a new coat of paint but losing a few years into the bargain.

So come June 30th he went off to meet his restorer. Clive has provided photos of the work done which included rust remedy to all the wings and these are shown below and to say that I am pleased with the results is an understatement. I know that no car goes on forever but I’m sure given Clive’s handiwork and the fact that I’m fastidious with my care and servicing of all cars that I own, Max who now has over 104k on the clock, has few more years left in him yet as my daily driver.

Since getting Max back, I bought a set of 17” rims with tyres very cheaply and had them refurbished at AP Tyres in Rotherham and these show on the last photos. I’ve also added an auto dimming rear view mirror (for £16) and will be retro-fitting next weekend cruise control (parts cost less than £20 for stalk and steering column shroud). I’m sure I’ll think of some new mod to go for soon- in fact I just have, I fancy stainless steel door sills (note to self must contact CleverDicky).

The last two years have proved, I think, that given a bit of wombling and shopping round, you can run an elderly Merc on a budget and to quote Mike Brewer on Wheeler Dealers ‘enjoy champagne motoring for lemonade money’. I can honestly say that every time I drive that car, it puts a smile on my face. Ok it might have been better, some might argue, with an auto-box and the V6 320 but at the time that car was the right one, at the right price, at a time when I couldn’t afford much more- and I’ve had a lot of fun along the way.

I’ll finish by saying a big thanks to Clive at Benzworx for his work, his ‘nothing’s too much trouble’ attitude and his never complaining all the times I kept ringing him to ask stupid questions. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend his service and work to anybody.

Finally a big thanks also to contributors on this forum (and indeed the other side) for posting fantastic advice to owners like myself, it’s proved invaluable- keep it up!

Well the pictures are HERE if anybody wants to take a look.
 
Very nice,not sure about the rear tints though,would look more original without.
 
Very nice,not sure about the rear tints though,would look more original without.

What I have noticed since I had the tints put in is how much cooler the car's interior is on a very sunny day. With the original window it was like a greenhouse with the back window being so large- in fact I'm sure I could have successfully grown tomato plants on the back shelf! I went for a medium tint which in the flesh doesn't look that dark, just seems darker in the photos.Would have been nice to retro-fit electric sunblinds but that is way over my budget and capabilities. The good thing is that if I ever get sick of the tints, they are relatively easy to take out.
 
What I have noticed since I had the tints put in is how much cooler the car's interior is on a very sunny day. With the original window it was like a greenhouse with the back window being so large- in fact I'm sure I could have successfully grown tomato plants on the back shelf! I went for a medium tint which in the flesh doesn't look that dark, just seems darker in the photos.Would have been nice to retro-fit electric sunblinds but that is way over my budget and capabilities. The good thing is that if I ever get sick of the tints, they are relatively easy to take out.

I agree about the tints.

In fact on a sunny day if you leave a window half open so that the sun hitting the seat is from both the tinted window and the open poart...the seat is very noticeably cooler where it has passed through the tinted part than the bit heated by the sun coming through the open window.
 
I agree about the tints.

In fact on a sunny day if you leave a window half open so that the sun hitting the seat is from both the tinted window and the open poart...the seat is very noticeably cooler where it has passed through the tinted part than the bit heated by the sun coming through the open window.


The other thing is eventually your upholstery is going to suffer in my opinion. I regularly treat my leather with Gliptone but even that can only do do much against UV until it damages your seats and trim.
 
Wow that looks stunning and looks like a great job done on the paint, some great mods too, looks amazing and I quite like the tints just a shame your not allowed to do the front windows these days.

Darren
 
looks nice
 
Very nice.. The cars a credit to you..
As for Clive, top quality work as usual.
My car will be going the same way very soon.
 

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