I have a 2004 version of this car. Comfortable. Stylish and that bulletproof engine and the noise it makes! Low down torque is brillant. You need to respect the car in the wet!It has been a delight. It is remapped and runs about 387 hp. Top mounts and bushies need replacing like any other car as well as the dics and pads. Basic maintenance! The heating click on start up! Always worth changing the gearbox oil every 3 to 4 years. It is a joy to drive and a one off!
Had mine since May. Love it. I use it as a daily driver. Fuel consumption isn’t too bad tbh. I’ve just learned to live with food and drinks. Seriously though, they are incredible cars and rare too. 👍🏻😃
im thinking of buying one but here in belgium we pay like 3000 euro road tax a year because it has the 5.5L engine i was wondering how much do you guys pay over there ?
I have a 2005 , built in January , six piston Brembos at the front with two piece rotors , four piston at the rear ..and quad tail pipes which look great. Plus it has the updated centre console buttons and stereo unit.
I love this car.. my uncle who has been a mechanic all his life hates it though. Says it’s a “crap car with crap parts that will end up in scrap or in Romania” 😭
@ actually not haha, he hates both beamers and Mercs from after the 2000s , always tells me to stay away from them. One day when I see a well looked after AMG CLK I will bite the bullet though as I’ve always want to sort of recreate the CLK AMG DTM
I have the clk 270 cdi I love it had it now ten years it’s superb ride economical and class I’ve only replaced the consumables pads discs tyres oil f8lter etc it a mile muncha. Nice to drive ! 👍🤣 my drivers seat is a bit sad if anyone knows of a Mercedes breaker let me know please . Keep up the vids 👍👍
I had a CLK270 CDi too. An absolute hidden gem of an engine. With AMAZING sound (yes, even for a diesel). It's such a shame that MB scrapped that engine in favour of the C250 (higher tuned 2.1 4cyl) engine. I mean, I have it in my C250 CDI Coupe and it's 34hp more than the C270 was (and 500nm!!), but boy do I miss that 5cyl sound!
I really enjoyed the review. Although not the same car, I have an '05 CLK500 that I recently drove from Illinois to Arizona, logging 3,606 miles round trip in 10 days. Regularly cruising 75-85 mph, the fuel mileage was surprisingly 24.8 mpg! And that's even with a questionable mass air-flow sensor.
The 500 isn't far off! A few less HP and less sporty suspension (unless you have the sports pack in which case it's the same). Great cars and thanks :)
I keep telling myself that I don’t need a car like this. The insurance is expensive. It takes premium fuel. I would be better served with a minivan. But every time I drive it, it is such a joy. I have almost nothing in it since it needed a slight repair, but it only had 80K miles on it. I’ve always loved German cars, having owned many through the years. And I’ve always wanted some American muscle. I think this CLK is a perfect fit. Add to that the simplicity of coil spring suspension and the longevity of the M113, and I think it will be in my life a long while. If you’re ever in the rural Midwest US, it’s all yours 😃
I have had 30 mpg from my 55 but you have to drive constantly at around 60mph, no more, and go for a while. The worst mpg I have had was 9mpg on the Nürburgring..... great fun though. 24mpg is a fair 'average' to be fair.
Love your CLK Videos! Been dreaming of a CLK 500 or a CLK 55 AMG. Currently I still have a CLK 280 but the V6 is also a great engine and the fuel consumption is marginaly better. I am lookinf forward to more Videos from you :)
Hi there JJ, your MPG estimates are pretty spot on, around town it'll do 18-20mpg and on a longer motorway run like Coventry-Manchester it did 29mpg several times for me. About reliability though, not the mileage, but the age is becoming a problem here - especially the 20+ year old rubber. If you get one with still original seals, orings and gaskets, those start to give up causing issues like coolant mixing with oil, low oil pressure or leaks from about every possible side of the engine. Other than that though, definitely the best car for the money!
I regularly get between 20 & 25 MPG on my CLK55 AMG. Never got anywhere near close to 30 MPG. If you get about 25, you're doing absolutely amazing! If you drive these hard and heavy, expect to get 12 to 15 MPG. That said, probably one of the best cars I've every owned. They're slept on because 1. They never came with a Manual Transmission. 2. Electronics can be a pain to work on. 3. Most people that have AMG or Mercedes Benz Money are currently going for the E55s, the E63s, the G55s, the G63s, and the AMG GTs. The M113K and M156 Engines are just more Desirable, but any car with the M113 Engine will give you 350 Horsepower (Which is more than Enough for Weekday Commuting to Work). The CLK55 (And every other M113 Engine Car) are stuck in this Weird Area where, they're V8s (so the cost a lot Gas Wise), but they're not as Fast/Cool as their Older Brothers, so People buy the Older Brothers, but I still love my CLK55 AMG and have no plans to sell it. P.S. In Terms of Reliability, even if you keep on top of Maintenance, the Plastic Parts will break. My AC Compressor Broke, and I needed a new one. There are companies that make "Metal Replacement Parts," but I don't know who they are (but they do exist). It's not "The Most Reliable Mercedes Ever," but it is one of the Most Reliable Modern Mercedes Benz (Post 90s-Daimler Crysler). I'm hoping the Aftermarket Community grows because a couple modifications, and this engine would be 100% Bulletproof. P.S.S. DO NOT SUPERCHARGE THE M113 ENGINE! Different Compressions Ratios; You Will Blow the Engine! If you buy a CLK55 AMG, keep the Engine Stock and Enjoy it. That's also another reason people buy the M113k Engine Cars. Those Engines can handle +1000 Horsepower. Most people sell their CLK55 AMG and buy an E55 AMG (Which are not that much more expensive).
Looking good JJ mate! CLKs catch my eye that's for sure. Always great vids and advice, the car suits you man.Let me know when you come over to Australia man, we'll sort a load of cool car reviews 😊👍
I can easily get 9.3l/100 or 30 mpg on a motorway trip , averaging 100kph. They are a great car , once you replace suspension arms , spark plugs , rotors and service the transmission , they will go for years without an issue.
6:27 "no turbos to go wrong": To be fair, the supercharger used for the M271 is not known to cause any issues. The M113 is definitely the one to pick, if one can and wants to afford the fuel bills, but the absence of a turbo/supercharger is not what makes that engine so robust. I'm sure a well-maintained AMG would be fun to drive, but the pre-facelift interior is a big turn off for me.
This is true! I'm sure my timing chain will expire long before the kompressor 😆 the 113 is a solid engine regardless, it's just a bonus when compared with modern engines that are turbo'd and more complex and flakey (if you're coming at this video from that point of view). I do much prefer the facelift interior 👍
this guy already updated the exterior to the facelift so not sure why he didn't do the same to the interior, but incase you didn't know, you can get an M113 engine in the facelift CLK with the 7G Tronic, u just gotta look for the 2005/2006 CLK500, also the M272/M273 had some serious issues early on with the timing chain but it all got fixed in 2008, so it's safe to get a late 2008/2009/2010 CLK350/550
It didn't have the supercharger because it didn't need to, this was already making 360HP while the M3 had 340, M113K in the E55/SL55s were making 500HP and the engine was much heavier...
If today I see this car in person I might think that this is not a genuine CLK55 but just a normal CLK with AMG Performance pack because of that low profile body kit and no quad rear exhaust.😅
3:28 Oh looks like I'm an eagle eyed lol, but if he did that, why didn't he also replace the ugly cheap plastic looking old center console, with the newer COMAND NTG 2/2.5 Headunit from the facelift
Great video ... but.... I wonder if there's anyone out there that doesn't skip 'back seat JJ'. It was fun and novelty at first but now... well, is anyone whi is interested in a beautiful car like this, fussed about the space in the back? My point is proven by the "most commonly skipped" marker on the vids. 😄 Sorry, not meaning to be a negative nelly - just feedback. I do love the channel (having owned 3x CLKs, 2 x SLKs, 2 x W211 E Classes and now on a 'modern' 2013 C250 CDI Coupe 👍
Appreciate the feedback but if I forget to include him or he doesn't make an appearance, there are always many comments asking where he's gone. I'm also fairly certain backseat space is important to a lot of people (people with kids, friends, family etc etc)
backseat JJ not only brings the dry/bitter humour he is renowned for but he is quite informative for those of us who would like to use the car with our kids!
I have a 2004 version of this car. Comfortable. Stylish and that bulletproof engine and the noise it makes! Low down torque is brillant. You need to respect the car in the wet!It has been a delight. It is remapped and runs about 387 hp. Top mounts and bushies need replacing like any other car as well as the dics and pads. Basic maintenance! The heating click on start up! Always worth changing the gearbox oil every 3 to 4 years. It is a joy to drive and a one off!
Had mine since May. Love it. I use it as a daily driver. Fuel consumption isn’t too bad tbh. I’ve just learned to live with food and drinks. Seriously though, they are incredible cars and rare too. 👍🏻😃
Brilliant, what a great daily!
im thinking of buying one but here in belgium we pay like 3000 euro road tax a year because it has the 5.5L engine i was wondering how much do you guys pay over there ?
@@benvandeghinste1633 Hi. I pay roughly £400 (483€) per year. I feel your pain.
Great edit mate. Glad you enjoyed the car.
Cheers mate!
Wonderful seeing you in another CLK :D The prices of those 55's do tempt me out of my 280 a little... Hope you can find a 63 to have a go in!
Always enjoy filming with a CLK! Yeah, I hope I can get hold of a 63 😁
These also had a facelift. All the goodies from the 63 inside and out but kept the bulletproof M113 engine and 5 speed gearbox.
Oh nice, I bet they are rare!
@@JJonCars Yup! made only for the 2005 and 2006 model years, the 2006 ones are the rarest.
I have a 2005 , built in January , six piston Brembos at the front with two piece rotors , four piston at the rear ..and quad tail pipes which look great.
Plus it has the updated centre console buttons and stereo unit.
@@Leo555ZZZ For sale by any chance? 😀
@@m4xww Thanks , but sorry no.
I love this car.. my uncle who has been a mechanic all his life hates it though. Says it’s a “crap car with crap parts that will end up in scrap or in Romania” 😭
Haha, your uncle sounds like he might be a little bias 😄 he's not a BMW fan is he?
@ actually not haha, he hates both beamers and Mercs from after the 2000s , always tells me to stay away from them.
One day when I see a well looked after AMG CLK I will bite the bullet though as I’ve always want to sort of recreate the CLK AMG DTM
@@vihodanyet I wonder if he meant the ones after 2005/2006?
@@ftffighter yeah late 2000s mercs are trash in terms of engine reliability(the petrols), thats probably what hes on about
Great video, the CLK is certainly having a renaissance
Thanks mate, for sure it is :)
I have the clk 270 cdi I love it had it now ten years it’s superb ride economical and class I’ve only replaced the consumables pads discs tyres oil f8lter etc it a mile muncha. Nice to drive ! 👍🤣 my drivers seat is a bit sad if anyone knows of a Mercedes breaker let me know please . Keep up the vids 👍👍
Excellent, they are definitely well built and reliable cars when cared for. I'm still yet to try a diesel one!
I had a CLK270 CDi too. An absolute hidden gem of an engine. With AMAZING sound (yes, even for a diesel). It's such a shame that MB scrapped that engine in favour of the C250 (higher tuned 2.1 4cyl) engine. I mean, I have it in my C250 CDI Coupe and it's 34hp more than the C270 was (and 500nm!!), but boy do I miss that 5cyl sound!
I really enjoyed the review. Although not the same car, I have an '05 CLK500 that I recently drove from Illinois to Arizona, logging 3,606 miles round trip in 10 days. Regularly cruising 75-85 mph, the fuel mileage was surprisingly 24.8 mpg! And that's even with a questionable mass air-flow sensor.
The 500 isn't far off! A few less HP and less sporty suspension (unless you have the sports pack in which case it's the same). Great cars and thanks :)
I keep telling myself that I don’t need a car like this. The insurance is expensive. It takes premium fuel. I would be better served with a minivan. But every time I drive it, it is such a joy. I have almost nothing in it since it needed a slight repair, but it only had 80K miles on it. I’ve always loved German cars, having owned many through the years. And I’ve always wanted some American muscle. I think this CLK is a perfect fit. Add to that the simplicity of coil spring suspension and the longevity of the M113, and I think it will be in my life a long while. If you’re ever in the rural Midwest US, it’s all yours 😃
I have had 30 mpg from my 55 but you have to drive constantly at around 60mph, no more, and go for a while. The worst mpg I have had was 9mpg on the Nürburgring..... great fun though. 24mpg is a fair 'average' to be fair.
Cheers Red, good to hear I got it about right. 9 😄 even that doesn't sound so bad if it was on the Nurburgring!
Love your CLK Videos! Been dreaming of a CLK 500 or a CLK 55 AMG. Currently I still have a CLK 280 but the V6 is also a great engine and the fuel consumption is marginaly better. I am lookinf forward to more Videos from you :)
You and me both on that dream :) Thank you, more to come!
the w209 clk550 is even better with the 7sp box and the power delivery is on a level with performance cars at 3 or 4 times the money
Hi there JJ, your MPG estimates are pretty spot on, around town it'll do 18-20mpg and on a longer motorway run like Coventry-Manchester it did 29mpg several times for me.
About reliability though, not the mileage, but the age is becoming a problem here - especially the 20+ year old rubber.
If you get one with still original seals, orings and gaskets, those start to give up causing issues like coolant mixing with oil, low oil pressure or leaks from about every possible side of the engine.
Other than that though, definitely the best car for the money!
Excellent, glad to hear it. Yes this is true. Age gets us all!
I got the 500 with facelift interior and 7g gearbox, but with the m113. Unicorn, because soon after 2005 came the 63 and the 500 with m273 5.5
a 55 AMG with 7G?
@@m4xww sorry, I meant I have a 500.
I regularly get between 20 & 25 MPG on my CLK55 AMG. Never got anywhere near close to 30 MPG. If you get about 25, you're doing absolutely amazing! If you drive these hard and heavy, expect to get 12 to 15 MPG. That said, probably one of the best cars I've every owned. They're slept on because 1. They never came with a Manual Transmission. 2. Electronics can be a pain to work on. 3. Most people that have AMG or Mercedes Benz Money are currently going for the E55s, the E63s, the G55s, the G63s, and the AMG GTs. The M113K and M156 Engines are just more Desirable, but any car with the M113 Engine will give you 350 Horsepower (Which is more than Enough for Weekday Commuting to Work).
The CLK55 (And every other M113 Engine Car) are stuck in this Weird Area where, they're V8s (so the cost a lot Gas Wise), but they're not as Fast/Cool as their Older Brothers, so People buy the Older Brothers, but I still love my CLK55 AMG and have no plans to sell it.
P.S. In Terms of Reliability, even if you keep on top of Maintenance, the Plastic Parts will break. My AC Compressor Broke, and I needed a new one. There are companies that make "Metal Replacement Parts," but I don't know who they are (but they do exist). It's not "The Most Reliable Mercedes Ever," but it is one of the Most Reliable Modern Mercedes Benz (Post 90s-Daimler Crysler). I'm hoping the Aftermarket Community grows because a couple modifications, and this engine would be 100% Bulletproof.
P.S.S. DO NOT SUPERCHARGE THE M113 ENGINE! Different Compressions Ratios; You Will Blow the Engine! If you buy a CLK55 AMG, keep the Engine Stock and Enjoy it. That's also another reason people buy the M113k Engine Cars. Those Engines can handle +1000 Horsepower. Most people sell their CLK55 AMG and buy an E55 AMG (Which are not that much more expensive).
Looking good JJ mate! CLKs catch my eye that's for sure. Always great vids and advice, the car suits you man.Let me know when you come over to Australia man, we'll sort a load of cool car reviews 😊👍
Cheers Mark! Definitely will let you know!
Mine can do 29 mpg long run on motorway, mid-range runs on A roads 27 mpg and daily driving 21 mpg
Not bad really for an old beast like this
I have the same car and agree with what you get to the gallon!
I can easily get 9.3l/100 or 30 mpg on a motorway trip , averaging 100kph.
They are a great car , once you replace suspension arms , spark plugs , rotors and service the transmission , they will go for years without an issue.
Not bad at all!
my 03 CLK55AMG normal use 11L/100km Love this AMG I use it as a daily driver. 100 Smiles per mile :)
6:27 "no turbos to go wrong": To be fair, the supercharger used for the M271 is not known to cause any issues. The M113 is definitely the one to pick, if one can and wants to afford the fuel bills, but the absence of a turbo/supercharger is not what makes that engine so robust. I'm sure a well-maintained AMG would be fun to drive, but the pre-facelift interior is a big turn off for me.
This is true! I'm sure my timing chain will expire long before the kompressor 😆 the 113 is a solid engine regardless, it's just a bonus when compared with modern engines that are turbo'd and more complex and flakey (if you're coming at this video from that point of view). I do much prefer the facelift interior 👍
@@JJonCars 👍
this guy already updated the exterior to the facelift so not sure why he didn't do the same to the interior, but incase you didn't know, you can get an M113 engine in the facelift CLK with the 7G Tronic, u just gotta look for the 2005/2006 CLK500, also the M272/M273 had some serious issues early on with the timing chain but it all got fixed in 2008, so it's safe to get a late 2008/2009/2010 CLK350/550
Still looks a beautiful well designed car, love two cars, not cluttered with doors lol, thanks for sharing this.
Agreed haha! No problem :)
Good review
Cheers Ron!
9:40 there are clk 55 Facelift Modells from 2004 to 2006 😊 i own one myself
2 reasons this didn't sell as well. First being the hype around e46 m3 and it not being as powerful as the supercharged model
Yeah true, can't beat the M3 hype.
It didn't have the supercharger because it didn't need to, this was already making 360HP while the M3 had 340, M113K in the E55/SL55s were making 500HP and the engine was much heavier...
M3 is a hooligans car. Always smashed up on the Nurburgring. No thanks.
It's a beast
If today I see this car in person I might think that this is not a genuine CLK55 but just a normal CLK with AMG Performance pack because of that low profile body kit and no quad rear exhaust.😅
Yeah, it is very subtle. Proper sleeper / Q car :)
Dose it have same motor as e55 looks similar body design
Yes I believe it does! The CLK was designed to be the 'E class coupe', even though it was actually based on the C class platform
The same yes. Just no Supercharger! The Sl 55 has the same engine plus the supercharger and a remap.
I'm guessing it's the same one Jayemm had on his channel?
It's actually not - the one Jayemm reviewed is owned by someone who took it to SPR for recommissioning. This car is Sam's personal car :)
No, that was mine, only 36500 miles!!
@phil25051 museum piece!
those taillights aren't stock, since those didn't appear until the 2005 facelift.
3:28 Oh looks like I'm an eagle eyed lol, but if he did that, why didn't he also replace the ugly cheap plastic looking old center console, with the newer COMAND NTG 2/2.5 Headunit from the facelift
Probably far too big a job to replace the whole dash. I don't like those buttons either, but it's not worth it!
I'm guessing your friends all drive Porsches! 😉
Hahaha, took me a minute 😆
The best was 25 on my 2003
Sams got a 63 , maybe he'll lend it you
He's got an E63 :)
I'll take it, if you can trade it. I have a 2006, 320 cdi with 150K, how much in between?😆😆😆
😂
Great video ... but.... I wonder if there's anyone out there that doesn't skip 'back seat JJ'. It was fun and novelty at first but now... well, is anyone whi is interested in a beautiful car like this, fussed about the space in the back? My point is proven by the "most commonly skipped" marker on the vids. 😄 Sorry, not meaning to be a negative nelly - just feedback. I do love the channel (having owned 3x CLKs, 2 x SLKs, 2 x W211 E Classes and now on a 'modern' 2013 C250 CDI Coupe 👍
I skip to get to the backseat JJ bit !
Appreciate the feedback but if I forget to include him or he doesn't make an appearance, there are always many comments asking where he's gone. I'm also fairly certain backseat space is important to a lot of people (people with kids, friends, family etc etc)
I love BS JJ
backseat JJ not only brings the dry/bitter humour he is renowned for but he is quite informative for those of us who would like to use the car with our kids!
Maybe its the pacing / editing? Many of us do love seeing him and would absolutely complain if JJ forgot to bring him