2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class

Convertible

4.3 L V8

Automatic

WDBLK70G11T084860

Clear

Gasoline

2001 Mercedes Benz CLK 430 with 149000 miles. Silver on Gray with a gray soft top. I have owned this car for 2.5 years and have put 32000 highway miles on it. I bought it specifically for the bulletproof V8 the CLK 430 has, and to keep the miles off of my BMW during these trips. It is smooth and fast. It has operated flawlessly, and it has been more reliable than the newer and numerous Audis and BMWs I have owned. I have only had to change the oil, put brakes on, new shocks and a pair of tires (when I first bought the car, I installed a radiator and new rims.) Normal amount of wear on the interior and exterior for the age and mileage. The car has been garaged between trips. The set of genuine AMG rims I removed comes with the car. Floor mats are about 3 months old. Seats are heated and the A/C is cold. Clear title in hand, one key only. Radiator replaced 8/13R-134a A/C refrigerant topped off 8/13Ceramic brakes and new rotors installed 5/14Front Michelin tires on 5/144 Bilstein shocks installed 5/14Oil changed every 4k with 0W-40 Mobil 1 Synthetic The car is not without its minor problems of course, and I purchased it with all of the following issues. It has not detracted from the pleasure of owning it. Exterior: The convertible top is slow to open; it needs a push to seat into the boot, and the tonneu cover needs to be pushed down in order to lock shut. The top closes completely from start to finish without issue. The top is worn and probably needs to be replaced; with that said, the previous owner advised me of the same and it’s still on the car and functional. Personally, I would leave it until it leaked. Front right fender has a dime sized dent/depression towards the headlight by the hood. The front bumper has many nicks from road kick-up, and the lower right air splitter is cracked. The left rear taillight has a small chip which is sealed with a drop of silicone. There is a small rust bubble starting by the bottom center of the passenger door (I just noticed it about a month ago – wasn’t there 2 months ago). There is an AMG logo on the right rear trunk lid that is not supposed to be there; it was there when I bought it and it never annoyed me enough to remove it. Interior: A piece of the trim around the inside rear window is cracked and hanging a bit. Steering wheel is crackly on top, I always intended to sew a leather cover on it but never got around to it. The passenger door has a patch of carpet missing by the speaker, probably from the heel of a shoe; the previous owner put a square of tape on it and it has remained that way. The wood covering the cup holder in the center console is crazed, otherwise it functions flawlessly. There is a small (1/2 “) crack or slit in the vinyl console by the cup holder. There is a tiny dent in the vinyl of the glove box. Some stitching in the seat leather has come undone. CD changer in the trunk is not working. Miscellaneous: The analog phone system that ran the Mercedes Tele-Aid service (on-star type of call center) is no longer utilized, and the systems were upgraded to new digital cellular boxes around 2006. It was a $3000 fix that Mercedes would not pay for and nobody opted for; the car shows the Tele-Aid fault on the instrument cluster on start-up (pictured). The fault light is turned off by pressing the “up” or ‘down” control button on the steering wheel. Some dealerships will re-flash the vehicle software to remove the warning light at startup. The original AMG rims are a staggered set of 7.5 width on the front and 8.5 width on the rear. The rims I installed are 8 inches wide all around, so the wheels can be alternated from front to back to even our tire wear. When cold, the right Xenon headlight doesn’t always ignite and you get a lamp warning on the dash. You have to switch it on and off a few times in the cold when it acts up. The leather on the door panels pulls away from the foam backing on most MBs prior to 2004. MB minimized this by pleating the leather inserts after 2004. To wrap it up: I believe in full disclosure, but don’t let my brutal honesty about the little problems put you off. This is a beautiful car. It is a driver, not a pampered princess. I have driven this car hard, fast and far. It still looks great and has hundreds of thousands of miles left in it, without exaggeration. I have owned 3 German cars with over 250K miles on them and this car is superior mechanically to any of them. Buy this car for worry free commuter fun, or for turn-key top down cruising. I recommend you read the KBB Consumer reviews on this vehicle to see how highly the owners of this vehicle rate ownership. Priced reasonably, priced to sell. I encourage you to come see the car in person and take it for a ride prior to purchase. Ask any questions before bidding, I can send extra photos of specific things if you need. I would also consider a trade for a 50+ year old interesting car or motorcycle which was running and driving. I would square cash for the difference either way. Buyer must pay $500 within 24 hours of auction close, or immediately if the buy it now option is selected. Balance due in 7 days of auction close via wire transfer, cashier check or cash. The vehicle will not be released until all funds have cleared and the car is paid in full. I will not arrange shipping, but I will make myself reasonably available to the pickup driver you arrange for transport. The vehicle must be picked up within 30 days of auction close, and you are responsible for the vehicle as soon as funds are cleared. It will be removed from my insurance policy as soon as payment in full is made and the title is signed. This car is for sale locally, and I reserve the right to end the auction if the item is sold outside of eBay.