The Mercedes-Benz CLK Cabriolet is a very stylish product. Build quality and equipment levels are impressive and the car has a great feeling of strength. Handling is composed and well mannered rather than exciting but performance is impressive, particularly from the 500. The AMG model is super fast but not the most satisfying drive. Still, one of the finest premium convertibles money can buy.
The CLK 200 Kompressor badge on this Cabriolet is a little decieveing as it is actually powered by a supercharged 1.8 litre petrol engine. The good news is that it produces enough power to make it entertaining to drive despite this being the bottom of the range. The handling is good and it makes a great long distance cruiser.
Mercedes CLK 280 Cabriolet is fast and sleek with a smooth running 3 litre V6 engine. The styling is subtle yet attractive and far prettier than the cars that have replaced it. It remains a classy and desirable car that is as enjoyable to drive as it is to look at.
The CLK cab is a great car; comfortable, stylish and when necessary pretty pacey, but as the critics never tire of pointing out it’s not a sharp sports car, with hard suspension and race track handling. But where, may I ask, in the UK do you find these roads with no police, no mums and kids, no cameras, no cows in the road, no pot holes, no cyclists? The kind of roads that May, Clarkson et.al drive on are actually mythical. In the real world the CLK is an ideal car; excting when the opportunity permits, but equiped to deal with the constraints that even boy racers now face. But if you buy one prepare to be hated. My wife had an accident in a CLK a couple of years ago and was jeered at and booed by passing Bristolian motorists. We are a jealous lot us Brits.
I have owned Mercedes for the last 28 years and have to say they are the best…the only thing you have to replace is the tyres! I have owned: E Class, C Class, S Class, CLK 200 (which I have had for the last 9 years) but now have replaced it with a 2009 CLK convertible just recently. Now need to part with my beloved CLK 2000 model…any takers ?
in 2000 i met a friend anthony parsons cool kid we drove around in this bad ass. long story short his grandfather shot him at age 21 dead. very cool car. rip anthony parson houston texas. check it out true story. sad
I’m now on my third Mercedes CLK. The first was a MK1 230 Kompressor coupe, the second a MK2 240 coupe and my current car is a MK2 2003 Mercedes CLK320 convertible with a factory fitted AMG body and wheel option. All three CLKs have been extremely reliable, however, the Mk2 with the more complex multi link suspension, have both needed the suspension overhauled at around 12 years old or 70,000 miles purely due to wear and age. From my experience, go directly to a Mercedes dealer for the suspension work and any non service items. Twice I went to non Mercedes garages who both failed to sort the suspension out, whereas the Mercedes garage sorted it out on first attempt. The cost for all four corners is around £1,000 but other than that, the cars are superb. My CLK240 coupe was sadly written off when a car drove into my rear at 30mph. The CLK was so strong, allowing me to just open the door and get out, whereas the car that hit me was very badly crunched up. Luckily the driver was OK. Immediately I went and bought another CLK. In a few years these cars will start climbing in value, so get one whilst they are still inexpensive. Coupe or convertible, a fabulous car.
Funny isnt it..you can drive one of these nice elegant convertibles and everyone thinks you are rich and resent you…then you tell em you paid about the same as you paid for your top of the line racing bicycle and they look at you like youare taking the mick…a lot of car for the money…as far as im concerned you get as much bang for you buck as a car costing 100K more…walked past a Bentley with the top down recently and to be honest cant see where the extra money has gone on the Bentley (ehem VW)….electric roof tick., sat nav and phone conn…tick leather wood and brushed metal ..tick tasty V8 motor…tick ect..save your money , buy a CLK and nice little light aeroplane for the cost of the VW Bentley
Bought our CLK 240 cabriolet avantgarde in 2012 for £7,000 when it was 9 years old we’ve kept it
for summer use for the last 8 years .
Very very good , smooth, quiet .
Odd minor fault , and tyres and brakes.
This year I decided to get to grips with it during lockdown and fitted 4 new front suspension arms myself following a you tube video. Had a new windscreen in blue to match the avantgarde blue glass , tightened the wheel bearings a smidgen, repaired and refitted little bits and pieces resealed the engine breathers , fed the lovely hide interior with “hide food and polished the headlights as after 17 years and 128,000 miles they had gone yellow.
I have been rewarded for my efforts with a car that looks and feels like new to drive.
My wife and I love this car and will keep it till the petrol runs out or we are too old to drive.
To go out for a cruise in this with the roof down is an absolute delight. It is quite true that the kind of person who goes down to the dealer and spends £12,000 on an “econobox” treats you with envy,
More fool them!
I have had many cars over the years, probably circa 50+, of the cars I have owned, the Fords were good, the BMW always leaking oil or water. I then purchased my first Mercedes which is the CLK auto 320 petrol Advantgarde Cabriolet. I have now owned this car for just over 2 years, what a great car to drive and own, the only things I have changed is brakes and Tyres, which I don’t mind doing on a new second hand purchase, to date it has only done 60,000 miles (2005 Model, purchased 2018). They really are under estimated and look far more expensive than they currently are to purchase. I am sure they will go up in value, I have no intention of selling mine. Word of advice the 280/350 engines can suffer with balance shaft issues, which is really expensive to put right circa £2k. Go get one before they are all gone.
I have a 2007 CLK350 Avantgarde Cabrio. What a magnificent stylish car. Its comfortable, handles well and has plenty of smooth power. Top up its as quiet as coupe, top down and you’ve got access to anywhere. Shame I can’t post a pic.
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The CLK cab is a great car; comfortable, stylish and when necessary pretty pacey, but as the critics never tire of pointing out it’s not a sharp sports car, with hard suspension and race track handling. But where, may I ask, in the UK do you find these roads with no police, no mums and kids, no cameras, no cows in the road, no pot holes, no cyclists? The kind of roads that May, Clarkson et.al drive on are actually mythical. In the real world the CLK is an ideal car; excting when the opportunity permits, but equiped to deal with the constraints that even boy racers now face. But if you buy one prepare to be hated. My wife had an accident in a CLK a couple of years ago and was jeered at and booed by passing Bristolian motorists. We are a jealous lot us Brits.
I have owned Mercedes for the last 28 years and have to say they are the best…the only thing you have to replace is the tyres! I have owned: E Class, C Class, S Class, CLK 200 (which I have had for the last 9 years) but now have replaced it with a 2009 CLK convertible just recently. Now need to part with my beloved CLK 2000 model…any takers ?
in 2000 i met a friend anthony parsons cool kid we drove around in this bad ass. long story short his grandfather shot him at age 21 dead. very cool car. rip anthony parson houston texas. check it out true story. sad
I’m now on my third Mercedes CLK. The first was a MK1 230 Kompressor coupe, the second a MK2 240 coupe and my current car is a MK2 2003 Mercedes CLK320 convertible with a factory fitted AMG body and wheel option. All three CLKs have been extremely reliable, however, the Mk2 with the more complex multi link suspension, have both needed the suspension overhauled at around 12 years old or 70,000 miles purely due to wear and age. From my experience, go directly to a Mercedes dealer for the suspension work and any non service items. Twice I went to non Mercedes garages who both failed to sort the suspension out, whereas the Mercedes garage sorted it out on first attempt. The cost for all four corners is around £1,000 but other than that, the cars are superb. My CLK240 coupe was sadly written off when a car drove into my rear at 30mph. The CLK was so strong, allowing me to just open the door and get out, whereas the car that hit me was very badly crunched up. Luckily the driver was OK. Immediately I went and bought another CLK. In a few years these cars will start climbing in value, so get one whilst they are still inexpensive. Coupe or convertible, a fabulous car.
Funny isnt it..you can drive one of these nice elegant convertibles and everyone thinks you are rich and resent you…then you tell em you paid about the same as you paid for your top of the line racing bicycle and they look at you like youare taking the mick…a lot of car for the money…as far as im concerned you get as much bang for you buck as a car costing 100K more…walked past a Bentley with the top down recently and to be honest cant see where the extra money has gone on the Bentley (ehem VW)….electric roof tick., sat nav and phone conn…tick leather wood and brushed metal ..tick tasty V8 motor…tick ect..save your money , buy a CLK and nice little light aeroplane for the cost of the VW Bentley
Bought our CLK 240 cabriolet avantgarde in 2012 for £7,000 when it was 9 years old we’ve kept it
for summer use for the last 8 years .
Very very good , smooth, quiet .
Odd minor fault , and tyres and brakes.
This year I decided to get to grips with it during lockdown and fitted 4 new front suspension arms myself following a you tube video. Had a new windscreen in blue to match the avantgarde blue glass , tightened the wheel bearings a smidgen, repaired and refitted little bits and pieces resealed the engine breathers , fed the lovely hide interior with “hide food and polished the headlights as after 17 years and 128,000 miles they had gone yellow.
I have been rewarded for my efforts with a car that looks and feels like new to drive.
My wife and I love this car and will keep it till the petrol runs out or we are too old to drive.
To go out for a cruise in this with the roof down is an absolute delight. It is quite true that the kind of person who goes down to the dealer and spends £12,000 on an “econobox” treats you with envy,
More fool them!
I have had many cars over the years, probably circa 50+, of the cars I have owned, the Fords were good, the BMW always leaking oil or water. I then purchased my first Mercedes which is the CLK auto 320 petrol Advantgarde Cabriolet. I have now owned this car for just over 2 years, what a great car to drive and own, the only things I have changed is brakes and Tyres, which I don’t mind doing on a new second hand purchase, to date it has only done 60,000 miles (2005 Model, purchased 2018). They really are under estimated and look far more expensive than they currently are to purchase. I am sure they will go up in value, I have no intention of selling mine. Word of advice the 280/350 engines can suffer with balance shaft issues, which is really expensive to put right circa £2k. Go get one before they are all gone.
I have a 2007 CLK350 Avantgarde Cabrio. What a magnificent stylish car. Its comfortable, handles well and has plenty of smooth power. Top up its as quiet as coupe, top down and you’ve got access to anywhere. Shame I can’t post a pic.
Hi Greg I am thinking of buying a 2008 clk 350 convertible only 50k miles . In your opinion should I ? Regards Peter