which would you chose CLK vs CL?

Question

I have a budget of $16,000 to get a car. My question is I found good deals for a 2002 CL 600 with 50,000 miles & a 2004 CLK with 50,000 miles for basically the same price and both look in good condition. My concern is I am thinking that with the CL 600, maintanace and parts "when needed" will be much much more than the CLK, because CL is supposed to be a higher class car. Let me know if you think my concern is valid, and anything you know about these cars that might be benefical to me. Thanks in advance!!

Answer 1

The price tag is inline for a clean trade-in vehicle in both cases, however the CL is a huge step up from the CLK. Comfort, features, ride, and suspension are all improved in the CL versus the CLS.



Now as to the question on maintenance. In either case this will be an issue and the amount of repair will be determined by the previous owner history. It will also be effected by your personal driving style and preventive maintenance.



Lastly comes your desire to retain the vehicle versus flipping it. The CL600 will likely become a classic where the CLK(xxx) will only be a toy.

Answer 2

I'd go with the CL 600. The car is amazing. It has a 5.8L V12 which is enough reason alone. The interior of a CL is also extremely luxurious and sporty. It was designed to be a $80K car. Another thing with the maintenance and parts cost is that Mercedes constantly produces parts for every make and model. Therefore is you need something, the price won't be astronomical because there's only 100 left in America. As for the CLK, it is a much more common car. It is very nice, especially in the V8 model, but nothing compared to the CL.

Answer 3

The CL, along with the S-Class, are the flagship vehicles from Mercedes. The V12-powered CL600 was the flagship vehicle for the CL back in 2002. Because of this, it received many options and accessories as standard equipment when it was built. When those features work, it's a great vehicle to drive. When they don't work, they can be very expensive to fix. Even the basic maintenance on the M137 V12 engine is anything but simple.



You didn't say which model of CLK you're looking at it but considering the possible maintenance and driving costs of the CL, I'd go with the CLK.

Answer 4

In your case I would go with the CLK. The CL is a beautiful car to look at but I wouldn't recommend it with that low of a budget. The CL with options are well past $100,000 new. Maintenance wise they will be be expensive as well as insurance. I drive a Mercedes E Class and the maintenance is killer. If you have a $16,000 budget you shouldn't get a Mercedes, Mercedes are designed for people who have money to spend not on people who think they can get one used for a deal. What you save in purchasing you will spend in repairs and maintenance.

Answer 5

Depends whether you want the hairdresser CLK or the manly CL600.



I think you know which 1 you want, and you've done your homework.