W208 CLK55 - DIY Friendly?
 

I'm interested in a 2001 CLK55 with 65K miles on it. Spent its life in Palm Springs. As a DIYer, I would like to know if these cars are manageable for a good backyard mechanic. Does it require significant special tools for maintenance and repairs? I've done lots of work on Audis and VWs and have most of the special tools for them, but I'd imagine that the CLK would need a whole different set... Are these things fairly easy to work on??? Also, would buying a CLK55 that has lived in the intense sun of the desert be a concern? Does $28K sound like a reasonable price, and should I expect to be able to get as many miles out of an AMG setup as any other late model benz? I want to keep it for a long time if I buy it...

Thanks,
William

Basic service work is simple on that car OTHER than the spark plug removal.

Its one heck of a lot easier to work on than a late VW/Audi. Only the electronics needs elaborate tooling.

Glad to hear it might be easier than a late model VW/Audi. Just did the timing chains on a VR6, what a PITA. What makes the spark plug replacement so difficult?

Among other things there are 16 of them.