Will be looking at 01 CLK320 with 22,000 miles. Appeciate some feed back on what issues this model year may have had and what do current owners like about the CLK. Thanks

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95 E420 ( 76K) SOLD
85 380SE(125k)
95 SL500(72k)

Good car, make sure it's been maintained. Make sure the harmonic balancer has been looked at or taken care of.

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Ali Al-Chalabi

2001 CLK55
1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel
2002 Harley-Davidson Fatboy
Merlin Extralight w/ Campy Record

call a local dealership and give them the vin # and ask them to run a vehicle master inquiry, it will tell you all the dealership work it had documented.
If you were local, i would inspect it for you at your location.

Check underneath really good for transmission leaks, check the one touch window operation.

look at the engine compartment for oil , coolant leaks.

Check the seat functions and make sure all positions are working right.

How is the idle, oil color-condition, has it been maintained regularly.

Does it make noise flexing up hills,around bends?

You should have a reputable shop go over any car like that before purchasing it, make sure they are familiar with mercedes.

Those are VERY low miles for an '01...by contrast, mine had about 42K when purchased last summer.

Is this a one-owner purchase, or are you buying from a dealer? It's low enough mileage to be starmarked.

I will add though that the 5-year warranty on this car is probably expired...any issues from then on will be out-of-pocket!

Still, at 22K, I wouldn't expect any issues at all. Enjoy!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Gary, if you're buying this car privately have a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) done by a technician intimately familiar and trained to work on MB automobiles so you find out the condition of all the electrical/mechanical systems and whether the car has had any paint/bodywork done. If a MB dealer is selling the 2001 CLK320 it should have passed their Starmark Certification before it went on the pre-owned lot. In that case inquire about a Starmark Component Warranty for 3 or 4 years, or up to 100,000 miles whichever occurs first. In either case ask to review all available service records.

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Fred Hoelzle

It's actually at the BMW dealership. They do not have the records but told me I can get all service info from the MB dealer here in town where it was serviced. I can get my indie, who works on y 380SE and did on my E420 to do the inspection for free since I have given him a lot business, like the $3000 for the evaporator on my E420. Its red and they are asking $23.5

You can see it on www.bmwstore.com

I'm hesitant to buy an MB younger than 1995-say 1997 due to the quality issues I have reviewed here and elsewhere. If I buy it I will have to sell my 380SE which I have looking and running like it was back in 85. We'll see.

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95 E420 ( 76K) SOLD
85 380SE(125k)
95 SL500(72k)

My 99 CLK430 has gone thru tires. The front and back are not the same size so rotating them is not an option and therefore they wear out sooner. But as others have said...have a pre inspection...that's money well spent. I really like my CLK...handles like it's on rails.

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1999 CLK 430
W208
113. Engine
105,000 Miles
Raptor 245/40/17

I would also run it by a good body shop to see if it had ever been repaired, but a good benz tech would most likely be able to spot that.

a good telltale sign that your car may have been rear ended is if the emblems on the rear of the trunk lid are crooked, or maybe even on the wrong side, I have seen that before many times.

And I thought my '01 C320 at 43000 miles hadn't been driven much.

A friend has a '99 CLK430 and it has been uncharacteristically reliable, for an MB of any year. Good thing, since it's price new was over $60K. The only repair of significance in nearly 50K miles was a mass airflow sensor. In any case, that's a different engine, but I only mention it because my car has had a lot more dealer "warranty attention".

First, the engine and trans have been around since the first MLs and have been quite reliable, particularly compared to engines like the M103 and M104, just as two examples. And keep in mind that the car in question is based on the W202 and so has none of the electronic hiccups that have plagued the W203, W211 and W220. The main thing to know about the V-6 is that it has had the MB mandated approved synthetic oil in it since day one. And at 22000 miles, the minimum number of changes would be three, but since this car looks like a short-trip car, it should have had four, at each 5000 mile point. I also think I heard last week the the formerly permanent trans fluid idea has been backed off to about 50K miles by MB but I have yet to verify that. Won't effect you.

You will not be thrilled by the fuel mileage. My own C320, which has a lower drag number, gets about 19mpg around town and it's highest highway mileage was 26.1. Premium fuel.

I hope it isn't silver with a black interior.

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Roger E.

Drove the car on Saturday. Great shape, one owner, serviced regularly on time.
Taking it to my indie on Tuesday for inspection. Based on Autotrader and other sites the price is in line for condition and miles but if it checks out ok I'll have to see if they can "give" a little more. Appears the car has been on their lot since late November.

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95 E420 ( 76K) SOLD
85 380SE(125k)
95 SL500(72k)

Nice car, but you WILL have little bugs. Warning lights are the least of them/ Be prepared to buy tires every 20-25k. ALWAYS use premium (or at least mid grade) gas. Overall it's a VERY nice dependable ride that's worth the little annoyances.

Yeah, I was a little surprised that the CLK320 uses premium but no problem :I had to use it on my 95 E420.
This is the nice thing about my 380SE using regular.

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95 E420 ( 76K) SOLD
85 380SE(125k)
95 SL500(72k)