Faults:

These were all things that were wrong when I bought the car...

Light bulbs.

Engine intake tube splitting (common issue).

Rim cracked (common issue).

Stereo was not working when I got the car (common issue).

Driver seat wouldn't unlatch for rear passengers to get in the rear.

Passenger seat motor to go forward and back not working.

LCD display pixelated and hard to read (common issue).

Driver's auto dimming mirror hazed and distorted (common issue).

General Comments:

I bought this car (on Craigslist... SMH LOL) with 196,000 miles on it in order to keep me from buying a newer E350 coupe. So yes, you have to expect some wear, tear, and general lack of maintenance on these vehicles, but so far, I love it. I've always wanted one of these models since I was in college. I love the more ridge lines of this model vs the newer 2004-2009 models.

I picked this car up in Southern MD from an middle aged couple (the wife's car). It was decently taken care of, but I could tell they started to get a little lax on maintenance. All of the issues I listed above to me were minor in comparison to the joy of driving the car, so I negotiated and bought the car.

I trailered it home, replaced the coolant with the correct coolant, brake fluid and filter changed, oil changed, cracked rim repaired, and just had the shop (shout outs to European Autowerks INC, Virginia Beach, VA) do an over all post purchase inspection.

After getting the car up to a "tared" point for evaluation by my standards, I began to explore the limits of the car. I have to say, for a 15 year old car with 200k miles, I love it. The acceleration is great, the handling is great, the traction is great, and I feel like the car is a winner. I fixed most of the issues I listed above except the seat motor and latch and the LCD display. I'm not worried about these items.

As for the nonworking radio... I could see the stations on the factory radio, but there was no sound coming out of the speakers. So I opted for an aftermarket radio.

I originally was going to use an aftermarket harness so I could just plug and play, but that idea went out the window when I realized the BOSE amp was toast!

Now as for getting an aftermarket radio in this thing... OMG what a PITA. I ended up installing a Kenwood head unit, a Dual 4 channel amp and a Kicker mono block for one 12" Pioneer low profile under-seat subwoofer. I had to splice into the OEM speaker wires on the amp harness to make things easy. The factory speakers suck, but work for my application. I'm sure the shop would have charged me $600-$1000 just to install the radio. Be prepared for expensive aftermarket installation costs for a lot of things.

Gas consumption is a pain at an average of 20 MPG (65% highway, 35% city), but I already knew what I was getting into.

Had to replace the small H6 lights around the same time. Most auto stores don't carry them. Had to go to NAPA at $10/bulb. Order them online for half of that for two bulbs.

The ac blend door is broken, which is a common issue, and I have no plans on fixing it. Just a minor issue

The ride can be a little harsh over bumps and roads that are not smooth, but if I wanted smooth, I would have bought a Cadillac.

Overall I have had no major mechanical issues (I've only put 4,000 miles on it so take this review with a grain (or lump) of salt). I'll try and update later on.

CLK purchase price $2800 + radio $110 + Amp1/kit $125 + Amp2/Sub $100 + Service A $480.

I feel like I have a decent ride for the price. If you pick one up, just make sure the sellers have kept up with maintenance because it can bite you if they haven't. Parts seem to be about 20-30% more depending on what you order.

Make sure to keep a spare crankshaft position sensor in the glove box as well... they seem to go out at the most inopportune time without a real warning and it will take a few cranks to start the car.

Faults:

Right brake light out.

Interior parts worn out or breaking.

Brake job in near future.

General Comments:

This car isn't exactly my style. I came upon it by happenstance, so I have to struggle to be objective here. I love looking at it. I have the light green shade, almost like an olive green. I can look at it all day, minus the headlights, they need to be re-finished. It's truly an attractive car.

The 6 cyl engine has plenty of life, and although I'm not an aggressive driver, I feel like this car would do whatever I asked of it. A friend of mine has one, and he said he got it up to 119 mph, and he still had pedal left. I wouldn't disagree with that at all considering my experience.

The interior is the worst part. First of all, it's 15 years old, and it seems like no one really went out of their way to take care of it. Having said that, I've owned plenty of 15 year old cars, and normally things don't break the way they have on this car. Glove box broken, had to wire it shut. Seats broken, won't move up or back to allow someone to get into the back seat. Rear seats won't latch in the up position. This doesn't bother me much, but just yet another minor annoyance how the cheap plastic parts break in this car. Center console lid broken. Key fob is not reliable. Sometimes I have to stand there for a minute and keep pressing the button to get the doors to lock or unlock. The battery in the fob was just replaced, so I know it's not that. If you have to unlock the door by key, the alarm goes off, so you have to put the key in the ignition right away to silence it.

I find it odd there is no warning to let you know if your door is ajar. I guess the designers figured if they have to tell you that your door is open, you're stupid anyway, so why bother. Thing is, it's a coupe, and the doors are heavy, and it's 15 years old, so there were a couple of times the door wasn't completely closed, but I didn't know it until I finished the trip and went to exit the car.

I have a brake light out, and it's not the bulb. I haven't taken it in to have it looked at due to the general feeling that I don't want to pay someone $200 to chase down the wiring. It could be something simpler, but I haven't had much luck with mechanics.

I can't really complain considering what I paid for the car. I almost feel like it should belong to someone who would appreciate it, and love it more. I've put about 2,000 miles on it so far. I live in a very hot environment, and I can say this car has the strongest A/C I've yet seen. It takes premium fuel only. That took a little getting used to, but it's no big deal.

Overall I feel positive about it for now. It's fast, sporty, comfortable in the front seats. It does sit low. The insurance is pretty cheap if you have a good driving record, like me. I pay less than $100 a month for full coverage and roadside assistance.

Don't hesitate to purchase if you want one. As always, just have it looked over by a competent mechanic first. That goes no matter what you're buying.

Faults:

All things I consider 'normal' repairs:

Motor mounts and tranny mount.

Rear diff seal.

Shocks.

Tranny seal leak.

Brakes.

Tires.

Flex disc (front).

And of course on these cars, regular fluid changes wherever there are fluids.

General Comments:

This is a heck of a car that has waaaaay too much motor. The braking is amazing, the power is borderline obnoxious, and the overall ride is great.

The car is by far, hands down, the most expensive car to maintain if you wish for it to be a daily driver. Mercedes didn't screw around when they released this car onto the road. My wife owned a CLK 320 and that was a great car and much more civilized when driving it. It had plenty of power and suited its purpose well. This CLK 55 is just a beast. It drinks gas like it was going out of style.

Would I swap this car for another one? Heck no. Once I had the maintenance done to keep it going for a while, I had no intentions of letting it go. This is a blast to drive, and it puts a smile on my face, whether going cross country or to the store.

Faults:

The sunroof when closed squeaks and the rear headrest also squeaks when going over firm bumps.

General Comments:

The car is fast and strong. The instrumentation is functional and straight forward. The steering wheel does not tilt and therefore does not afford the most comfortable driving position. Interior is clean, but lacks some of the finer touches such as leather on side doors or in the center console.