mercedes benz clk 320 review

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Average Ratings
Performance8.5/10
Practicality7.8/10
Reliability9.2/10
Value for Money8.1/10
Reviewer Rating8.5/10
Overall Rating7.6/10 Based on 25 ratings
91% Recommended10 out of 11 Reviews

expert review of Mercedes Benz CLK 320

By Colin. Rank: Lance Corporal on 7th Aug 2002

Colin.'s Ratings
Performance7/10
Practicality5/10
Reliability9/10
Value for money3/10
Overall value5/10
no Colin.'s recommendation

Good Points

Styling, er, er, er ? Styling...
On reliability, things don't go wrong with the car because the faults are designed in and meant to be there.

Bad Points

Seats, pedal positions, vague steering, climate control system, switchgear ergonomics, juddering electric windows,

General Comments

This is a very desirable car but once in ownership it has numerous irritating features and doesn't deliver a pleasure of ownership one would expect. After 12 months it has still not "grown on me" and it's not a car that you can ever feel at one with when driving.
Poor brake and accelerator pedal relationship/offset, excessive accelerator pedal travel/response and deep seat squab result in leg cramp and lower back ache regardless of seat and steering wheel positioning (which is not adjustable for height). No lumbar adjustment on the seats either. I expected some basic driver comfort to come as standard but my advice would be to have the full ergonomically adjustable seats.

The optional fully automatic climate control system option is a waste of money. It just does not work and needs more development. It doesn't wait until the engine is up to temperature in cold weather before turning on the blower so you freeze even more. Once a temperature is set it cannot maintain it constant. When reported to Mercedes Benz their answer was that the system should be permanently set to the "optimum" 22 degrees! A bit pointless then, giving the owner the opportunity to adjust the temperature to what he/she wants. No OFF button.

Respect given for Colin.'s review.
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Total Respect: +4

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3 Comments on Review by Colin. for Mercedes Benz CLK 320

  1. Tillar. on 16th Aug 2002

    In "good points", the reviewer writes that the car is reliable "because"(?) of its designed-in faults. This makes no sense.

    Also, if he wants to turn the blower down or off, he needs to push the fan button several times. Each time he pushes, the fan blows less and less until it is off. Not as simple and convenient as a dial, but this is how it's done.

  2. kip. on 29th Jul 2003

    I agree with this review, my Merc had nothing but irritating problems since I bought it, I now have a 330ci. The steering was my main gripe, for a car to be this price, you expect good steering. Instead it felt like i was wearing my jelly driving gloves.........still I'm sure those owners who have never driven cars with good steering won't notice the problem. It did look quite prettey though, and at least it wasn't a BMW, still I tried my best not to own one, but what else is there with four seats- don't mention Saab (who said wobbly Vauxhall floorpans) ot Vulva please, I'm still young.

  3. pinhorn Rank: Lance Corporal on 16th Oct 2005

    I am in total agreement with this review. I have had ongoing backache since I boight this car. I prefer to drive my girlfriand's Mini bewcause it is more comfortable. My CLK had faults with the auto seat positioning, rattling speakers, a falutly track rod which were eventually sorted but on a £40,000 car I should have had to put up with it. Mercedes failed to offer compensation or an exchange even though the problems occured within weeks of purchase. I wanted to move away from BMW but wonder if I should have stayed.



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