CLK55

keyless go is great.... black really sucks, too hard to maintain... option it up with anything. parktronic , command.... WOO HOO !!! :)

brett....

Yeah I was thinking the same thing with the black... its the old case of one sitting on the floor or wait a couple of months for another colour, I went to another dealer tonight and looks like they can get me a Brilliant Silver Metallic (with charcoal leather and dark blue nubuck) within two weeks.

Thanks for comments on keyless.

Park & Command are on the list, not sure about distronic though.

Color is very subjective of course but for me: Black is one of my least favorite colors but for some reason Mercedes cars look really good in black.

The thing that surprises me is that given the popularity of cabriolet models that the CLK55 is the largest and most powerful cabriolet offered by Mercedes. I would think they would sell many E or CL platform cabriolets if they offered them.

Interior space of CLK cabrio bigger than old E-based cabrio.

Making them bigger still brings more technical problems. E.g. first generation W208 still needed manual locking of roof.

Bentley cabrio is bigger and MUCH more expensive.

DAS

--

I am looking at a hard-top, dont want a cabrio

Sorry, somehow we drifted into cabrio-land; I was following like a sheep without referring to your original post.

In general I think you get better value for money by taking a four-door. I only have a two-door because it's a ragtop.

Paying for a CLK seems a lot of premium for a bit of rarity value in the car park, don't you think?

DAS

--

Well heres the thing; I almost traded my current car (BMW X5 4.6) for a E55, but in the end was able to look at getting a third car, so I thought about getting a SL500. The thought of only having two seats put me off (plus if I wanted a 2 seater I would get temperamental Italian)... so I ended up back in CLK55 territory.

Do you consider this a mistake? I really dont want a cabrio as a few in the area have been 'slashed' by thieves\ vandals and I want a car I drive and leave anywhere (within reason).

Have a look at

At the end of the day the decision is very personal.

As Mercedes' German lit said on the introduction of the then new baby Benz, the 190:

"Der Einstieg in die Mercedes-Klasse hat vier Tueren."

(Entry into the Merc class has for doors.)

It was a swipe at BMW's small 2-door, with its attendant inconvenience.

If you have one or two cars and space and money are factors, in my opinion it is better to buy a four-door, as the days of two doors to get the price down are long gone.

I bought a two-door two years ago because I wanted a convertible, and there's nothing sensible with 4 doors. Luggage space is low but, as we have only one sprog, we can load up on one rear seat also and can travel for about a week.

The CLK hard-top has a proper boot/truck, so that's less of an issue.

Getting in and out is nice in a foor-door, but how important this is depends on how often you carry three or more passengers.

You already have a spacious vehicle (X5) so it doesn't matter that much what else you get. What is the purpose for that third car? If it's not a two-seater, why would you want a CLK? A convertible would certainly give you something of greater difference.

DAS

--