2002 CLK 320 or 430: Cabrio Purchase Tips?

[Benz Mondi]

Our first choice is to replace my '91 SL with a 1st Gen (separate front headlights) CLK 320 Cabrio because it's a 2+2 seater. I used to have a 2+2 with my Ferrari and we really enjoyed being able to tote 2 more people for an open air drive to the country side at much less than freeway speeds so that the back-seaters didn't get beat up by the wind. The back seats on both the Ferrari and the CLK's are about the same so no issues with the "shoe-horned" experience.

I seem to have trouble finding enough 320 Cabrio's to consider. Almost all that I see for sale are the 8 cylinder, 430's.

Cabrio only Questions:

1. Any purchase tips?
2. Why so many 430's for sale and so few 320's?
3. Any unpleasant ownership experiences I need to be aware of?
4. Is the cost of ownership of the 6 cyl 320 less expensive than the 8 cyl 430?

Thanks.

[97 SL320]

I'm guessing that dealers stocked more 430's because buyers ( leasers ) tended to want fully optioned cars and the 320 was more of a fill in budget / teaser lease car.

You could use the fewer 320's as an advantage when buying used. In the land of R129 , the 6 cyl cars are somewhat unloved and prices are lower. However, the 6 is just fine for general use and does not run out of breath on long mountain roads. Plus is makes nice sounds when leaned on.

I don't know for sure if the CLK 320 has enough power or not but I'd expect it to be fine for your needs.

I " think " both the 320 and 430 have issues with EGR or AIR pump passages clogging in the cylinder head tripping the check engine light ( and failing emission tests )

[ps2cho]

That year is your best bet by far as it avoids the harmonic balancer issues the earlier ones have.

What you want to be looking for is valve cover oil leaks (and mentioned above the clogged passages).
If over 150k, its likely a good choice to pre-emptively just remove both valve covers, reseal and do the breather tubes, spark plugs (two plugs per cylinder) and all the rubber air hoses. Engine is bulletproof and will easily do 300k if the oils changed every 10k with 0-40w.

Other than that, get the transmission fluid + filter changed asap unless you have definitive history it has been done in the last 20k miles. Full 14qt flush via trans cooler line. Rest is normal stuff.
Our CLK320 treated us good until some idiot blindly turned across me and totaled it...Got us great mileage too -- 28mpg average. A/C can make a polar bear scream for mercy and is vastly better, especially at idle thanks to the variable displacement compressor, than any earlier models.

[Benz Mondi]

Lots of the Silver and Black combo's out there. I just couldn't rationalize why I would want a Black interior for a convertible so when I came upon the Pweter Silver and Oyster combo (somewhat similar to my 91 SL set-up), I knew I was in trouble.

I happen to find a Craigslist posting at midnight, 6 hours after it was listed by a small, out of the way used car lot. He had just purchased it from my local MB dealer. I raced on over in the morning. Surprisingly, no paint or dent issues, dealer maintained its whole life with over 50 entries in its CarFax. Already smogged. Only one code: Throttle Position Sensor- high voltage. Only four issues: Seats have the typical separation at the top of the side bolster and need to be re-sewn, passenger seat does not move forward, but otherwise moves in all the other directions, the driver's side rear window only goes 2/3 of the way up, but otherwise moves well, and the front bumper has a small crack at the bottom that needs to be mended from when the previous owner drove into a parking stone. Drives well, all electrics work, and shifts smoothly with ICE cold A/C to boot!

(Why do people feel compelled to park forward until the front tires or something hits?)

Pic's to follow when she's all cleaned up. Next project, sell the SL... busy busy