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  #1  
Old 03-13-2009, 10:04 PM
rickg's Avatar
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CLK question(s)

Ok. So I'm FINALLY considering another Benz. (No, I'm not selling the Lexus)
I see the circa 2000 CLK 320's are down in the price range I'd spill for, and I love the model. My main concern, considering where I live, are these things worth a damn in the snow? (With decent winter tires of course) I'm a pretty devoted fan of front or AWD cars in the snow(hence the Subie). But the little Subie is getting damn boring. And it just won't die!! There's couple CLK's close by in the $8k to $9k range, with 90k to 100k miles on them. And I see M-B has finally owned up to that harmonic balancer issue, which has kept me way away from Benz for awhile now.

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past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)
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  #2  
Old 03-13-2009, 10:33 PM
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I think that ground clearance would be the primary impediment to deep snow driving. Furthermore, in my opinion, FWD/AWD spoils winter drivers from returning to RWD. Last time there was a bit of snow in my neighborhood, I drove my Tahoe for about a mile in 2WD. Sucked.

Audi A4 w/AWD? Audi TT w/AWD? BMW 3-series AWD?
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  #3  
Old 03-13-2009, 10:56 PM
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Yeah, was afraid of that. That's one reason the Lexus goes in the garage for the winter. That and I want to keep it out of the salt. Only time I had it in the snow, it had terrible tires on it, fresh from Las Vegas where I bought it. Even with the traction control, I got stuck in my own driveway. It has good Michelin tires now, but haven't ventured out in the white stuff with it.
Audi's are REAL popular around here, but I don't need a money pit like those. I've known just enough folks with Audis to know to stay the heck away from one without a factory warenty. Love the cars otherwise.
And I haven't heard much encouraging news about the reliability of M-B's AWD system, whatever it's called, at least on that vintage car. Maybe the newer ones have it sorted out.
Oh well. I guess it's back to a Subie. Did look at the new ones at the car show a few months ago. Pretty nice cars! And I can pick up a decent used one for not much more than the CLK's I've been eyeing.
__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)
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  #4  
Old 03-14-2009, 09:50 AM
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Moreso than handling, you'll destroy the front air dam in the winter! Heck, I have trouble not messing it up in Texas!

Prevalent with these models is the failure of the LED displays on the gauge cluster...check for that when you look for your CLK...
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  #5  
Old 03-14-2009, 01:37 PM
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Thanks! That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for, to look for. After I bought the Lexus, I learned that the LCD display on the stereo dies, which mine has. Why can't they design these kind of things to last?
__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)
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  #6  
Old 03-14-2009, 01:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rickg View Post
Thanks! That's the kind of stuff I'm looking for, to look for. After I bought the Lexus, I learned that the LCD display on the stereo dies, which mine has. Why can't they design these kind of things to last?
*GASP* A Lexus with problems?
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91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.
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  #7  
Old 03-14-2009, 01:45 PM
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I see people around here drive R129's in the snow. Just go slow, and if the streets are unplowed don't drive it. Its not a truck.
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  #8  
Old 03-14-2009, 08:03 PM
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That would be a BIG issue here. I can go out, clear the driveay, and 10 minutes later a snow plow will go by and push a big snow berm right across my driveway.
So, I guess a Benz is out of the picture for now. Bummer. I ALMOST justified it!
__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)
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  #9  
Old 03-14-2009, 08:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iwrock View Post
*GASP* A Lexus with problems?
Yeah, shocking, huh?!

But, so far, it's been the only thing.
__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)
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  #10  
Old 03-14-2009, 08:32 PM
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Drive the Lexus in the winter and the CLK in the summer. Toyota's are good in the snow.
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1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200
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  #11  
Old 03-14-2009, 10:13 PM
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roflmonster
 
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I seconds Hatties idea.



If the MB breaks, you would have all winter to work on it.
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91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.
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  #12  
Old 03-14-2009, 11:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hatterasguy View Post
Drive the Lexus in the winter and the CLK in the summer. Toyota's are good in the snow.
You just want me to rust it out, don' ya?!
__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)
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  #13  
Old 03-15-2009, 12:15 AM
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What are you saving it for??
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2007 Tiara 3200
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  #14  
Old 03-15-2009, 02:50 AM
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Not getting sucked down THIS path again!
But honestly, the GS is a great car despite what anyone says, it's got serious low miles, and is in nearly mint condition. So I'm preserving it that way as long as I can. I'm not some over-paid ledger-head desk-jockey making six figures a year like alot of folks on this forum, so can't run out and buy a new Benz every year. I actually work for a living, and have to be somewhat practical with my cars. They HAVE to have a decent dependability rating first. And I have to take good care of them.
I've owned at least one of almost everything thru the years, except a BMW. And what I haven't owned, I've probably worked on at least once somewhere along the way. Up until the last few years, I've always done all my own repairs and maintenance. So I do have lots to compare a car to. I got accused of not being a "car guy" by some ignorant soul last time we had a discussion like this. Let's dig up one of those "What cars have you owned" threads, and see who's the "car guy" between him and I.
__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 03-15-2009, 09:42 AM
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Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 286
Get some snow tires for the CLK. What's the big deal?

Is the car that low to the ground? I've driven a few before and never thought of them as summer only cars.

Shoot, people drive newer Mustangs year 'round in Minneapolis. A CLK in the snow can't be that bad.

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