Bump, because the forum software hid my post. Thank you, Marsden!

 

I have never considered my CLK a "classic" vehicle. I have it because I enjoy driving a vehicle that is pleasing on the eyes, fun to drive, built well, and does not suck fuel! The term classic is often a subjective opinion. I have owned in the past vehicles like a 1939 MG-WA, a 1953 MG-TD, a 1967 MGB-GT, and a 1973 Volvo P1800-ES, all which may be considered classics by some. But I did not own them for that reason; I just liked to drive them, work on them, restore them. Unlike those vehicles which I purchased in very poor condition and restored them to pristine condition, I purchased my CLK in great condition because I no longer want to work on a vehicle - I just want to enjoy driving it!

 

White with non-stock AMG III wheels for 1999

 

That looks amazing in white mate 👌 prob the best colour I’ve seen for this model .

 

One of the best cars I have ever owned, so trouble free, easy to maintain, enough power, good fuel economy, and I believe unique as the CLK was only ever build as two models 208,209.

And of course it is still a looker.

I reckon it could end up a classic - if the electronics hold up that long:wink

 

As long as you like your car great, but IMHO no C class will ever be a classic. Plus those headlights are terrible.

 

This is no C class - and you sound jealous:laugh

 

The look of the W208 has aged well and I still receive compliments on the car, but if there is a classic from this line it will probably be the limited production of the CLK55 Convertible (Fastest production Benz at the time). The W208 car is enjoyable to drive and pretty easy for a DIY to keep in service but for it to be considered a classic the date to focus on will be 2028 as the end of production was 2003. It is an excellent car and I plan to keep it until it dies and I think it will be welcome at all Benz auto shows for its looks.

However, I have a 1997 C140 S500 coupe and it is a joy to drive as a highway cruiser (big, fast, quiet) the quality of the build process and the overall solid feel in my opinion it will last longer than the W208, butit can't compete with the looks of the W208!!

 

While I loved my w208 430 the only clk that is going to go up in value is a 55 or a super rare variant like the DTM. If you want a soon to be classic that will go up in value fast find a 190 2.3/2.5 cosworth. Other rare cars are the c55 or an e55 wagon.

 

But of course the CLK55 AMG is the one - wonder why everyone seems to think classics must be valuable money wise.

A classic is a classic for the fun of it - I have a classic mini too, but of low value but a blast to drive.

Yes the C55 is amazing, has a much nicer instrumentation compared to the CLK55 binacle.

 

You bring up a good question that's no doubt been asked by many. My journey to my current CLK320 (in Mercedes silver) is via a lifelong interest in old Mercedes. I work for Ford and have had two new Ford company cars for as long as I can remember. While they are great cars in their own right they obviously are not Mercedes and neither are they meant to be.

For us (my wife shares my interest) Mercedes has always meant a certain mix of composure, elegance, sportiness, ride quality and simple and timeless design flair.

We've had many Mercedes but our most recent was an SLK320 which we also thoroughly enjoyed.

After the SLK the CLK was a revelation. It's as quick, handles much better (probably because of a stiffer chassis) and feels better for long drives. I've installed a rearview camera and a double DIN Android Auto which looks very much the part. The steering is super quick and reasonably communicative. The seats are amazingly comfortable.

We chose the CLK because of it's amazing looks. To us it's so clean and crisp and does not have a bad angle or line anywhere on the car. Mercedes has a long line of elegant coupes such as the SECs, CEs and the older SE coupes from the 50's and 60's. This is very much part of the family and will along with the current E class coupe be a collectible classic when the numbers have dwindled suffciently. At the moment the CEs from the 70's 80's and early 90's (W114 and W123, W126 and W124) are already established classics. The W208 is surely next.

 

I hava a 2000 CLK Cabrio 430. I get compliments on it all the time. Hard to believe a 20 yr old car still looks good.

 

Hello all,

I may be a bit early to the game, but I wanted to see if anyone else has interest in the CLK as a classic, or maybe "future classic" as I do. The first CLKs are 20 years old now, and in terms of style and longevity, they have aged incredibly well. What began for me as a search for a W124 (or W123 or even W114) coupe to keep as a classic car resulted in my buying two early CLKs instead -- very much to my surprise -- and I couldn't be happier.

As I looked for the right W124 coupe off and on over many months, the thing that first drew my attention to the CLK was the forged light wheels on an early 320. Those stood out to me in the sea of silver-painted nearly-flat alloys of the 2000s. They gave the car a sporting character that is neither modern nor vintage, but somewhere in between. And they complement the grille and headlights -- both were slightly "retro" when new, but today seem probably more "timeless" than retro.

The more I learned, the more I liked. The CLK strikes a perfect balance between sport and comfort. The steering feels great compared to previous Mercedes I've driven, and suits the car perfectly. The powertrain has lived up to Mercedes' reputation for longevity. The interior styling is likewise tasteful and enduring. I could go on...

So I began looking for a '98 or '99 CLK320 in excellent condition, no salt or rust, reasonable mileage (under 150K), no accidents, few owners, and . . . a color. Any color. Just not black, silver or white. There are too many colorless cars around today, and I wanted something with a touch of flavor.

I wound up with a '99 CLK320 coupe in Black Opal (which, like its namesake gem, is predominantly blue). Very happy with it. Then a '98 with one owner turned up in "Ruby Pearl" -- beautiful and hard to find -- so I bought it, too. The Opal car is being lightly/sympathetically restored to keep as a classic, and the Ruby car is my daily driver in non-salty months. In both cases, my interest is not in updating or modifying them, but rather in driving and enjoying them exactly the way Mercedes made them, with an eye for preservation.

Is anyone else currently interested in the CLK from a preservation standpoint, or as a classic car in general? I have zero care about what they might be worth in the future (which is likely not much); what I mean by "classic" is simply a car whose appeal endures and is well-regarded for what it does best, much like the Mercedes coupes that precede it.

If you've read this far, thank you. I hope you appreciate my perspective, and I look forward to your responses!

Regards,

Tony K.

Hi Tony,

Very interesting topic and discussion. I totally agree that the W208 is destined to be a future classic and the reason is one of it's weaknesses. The general impression of W208 is, that it was built during a time when Mercedes' built quality was questionable and therefor these cars were never valued in the same way as it's predecessor, the W124.
The result is that not many of these cars survived, at least not many of the good ones.
I was also on the hunt for a good W123, W124 or W126 for the last couple of years, and to be honest, the prices the good ones were going for, just kept them out of reach for my pockets.
As fate would have it, a very nice W208 Cabriolet 200 Kompressor from 2000 came across my path with 90K on the clock, no rust, new roof, perfect grey leather interior, new paint job... and all this for a quarter of the price of a questionable W124 Cabriolet...
I wasn't looking for a W208, but I was just blown away by how much car I got for the price I paid.
If supply and demand is the measure of a future classic, then for sure, this will be on that list. If the past tells us anything, then it will be a safe assumption that the W208, being a coupe or two door cabriolet, ticks all the boxes of becoming a future classic. They drive like modern cars, are relatively low cost to own and have the classic features of it's older predecessors.
What's not to love?

 

The general impression of W208 is, that it was built during a time when Mercedes' built quality was questionable and therefor these cars were never valued in the same way as it's predecessor, the W124.
The result is that not many of these cars survived, at least not many of the good ones.

I have to disagree here. The W208 was based on the W202 and not the W210. The body build quality is not quite as solid as the W124 but a lot better than the W210.

The W124 was a very nice car in its time, but the drive train is really not that good when compared to the M112/M113 with the NAG I transmission. This combo is "bullet proof"

Mercedes in general do not survive because the cost of maintenance/repair in relation to the value of the car is just too high. You either have to DIY or possess "deep pockets".

 

I believe the W208 will follow in the footsteps of the C124
Mileage, condition, and options would be the defining factors.

 

Very interesting to hear people's views. I am always amazed at how many favor the bigger engined, more expensive, more things that can go wrong - models as the "must have" ones to get !
Personally I've always had a view of staying as far away as I can get from anything with an AMG badge on it, or anything with a 5.5 ltr V8 engine in it... To me these high end, high performance models were great when they were new, but after 20 or 30 years, they are nothing but a headache to maintain. You also have to be realistic... when are you ever going to drive these at 250 km/h.
No thank you ! For me a big part of owning a classic merc is enjoyment, and for me, owning the smaller engined base models offer just that. I am fortunate to own two entry level mercs, a C180 Kompressor W203 model and a W208 CLK200 Kompressor Cabriolet, both Elegance trim. These cars have the luxurious driving experience of the higher end models, and more than enough performance. They are not expensive to buy or maintain and very reliable. As a classic car owner, to me it just makes a lot more sense to value this combination of performance, reliability and cost of ownership, than to have a high end, fuel guzzling, complicated and unreliable car with a fancy AMG badge on the boot.

 

My wife has been a classic car owner since before I met her, and she says my 2001 CLK 430 is a classic, so that's good enough for me.😄
Of course she drives a new Hyundai with a 10 year 100K mile warranty so she's realistic too. We love classics, but it wouldn't be our only transportation.

 

In my life long of cars, my eye for classics has been ok. I loved and had many Austin Healeys, TR3s, corvettes, 914s, 240zs, and more.
I traded a 2000 vette for a 2000 clk430 in 2003. Loved it until moving on to a new sedan.
Last year, with no budget, I realized my favorite car wss that clk430. I love the look, style and since they were only produced 4 years, few really know the $55,000 car.
I found on Craigslist a 2003 clk430 with 171000 miles. Since I knew all the little bugs, I bought it. With some youtube viewing was able to bring it to looking new at night.😎
Impressive in black on black, most think it is a newish 50000 car. Paid 3100.
Here is a picture of my old one and new ones together. Only one big surprise. My black one has major rust under the doors where moisture sits. Check before you buy.

 

Good story well told!
Mine is very similar, so we obviously have excellent taste in cars.😊

 

I am glad this thread is still going! I will have more to add to it soon. Thank you all for the comments.

 

Classic Car Club of America defines a classic as a “distinctive” automobile that is at least 20 years old. Clks are there. Not sure how many MB built but the CLK55 is rare and all 98 to 2003 clks were very popular and hard to get. Big bucks.
Sadly, the up keep on MBs has made ownership a gamble.

 

So it’s officially a classic!

 

La mia A208 (cabrio) 200 Kompressor 163 CV del 2001 è già iscritta A.S.I. come auto storica certificata in Italia.

 

I guess that means it’s registered as a historical vehicle in Italy.

 

Immagino significhi che è immatricolata come veicolo storico in Italia.
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Esatto

 

Usa un traduttore sul tuo cellulare in modo che tutti sappiano cosa intendi facilmente!

 

Uso un PC e pensavo che il traduttore automatico google fosse anche in USA.

Io vi leggo con il traduttore automatico.

 

Your posts appear in Italian for some reason. I'm using copy and paste to a translator. You'll get more responses in English.

 

I tuoi post appaiono in italiano per qualche motivo. Sto usando copia e incolla su un traduttore. Riceverai più risposte in inglese.
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Now i understand ... (my bad english directly) :tipo strano:

 

Wondering if fix mine and keep it or sell it.