Mercedes CLK 200 Kompressor Cabriolet > Reviews (1)

We bought this on the 'rebound' from the deeply unsatisfactory Audi A4 cabrio we had owned for 22,000 troublesome and very unsatisfactory miles. The car is an oddball, as it has the whole factory fitted AMG body kit, uprated brakes and exhaust, but is standard mechanically. The bodykit really suits the car and makes the standard issue version (on smaller wheels) look like a very frumpy thing. The car has been a paradigm of reliability and service (but only for 1 year !) but, it isn't perfect. The engine is anaemic and gutless - same power as the Audi 2.5 tdi, but half the torque, so struggles to deliver acceleration. Fuel is not much worse than the Audi at around 28mpg overall, but the car is used by my wife for a short, hilly, county roads commute to and from work, so this is not a good indicator. On a long journey 35+mpg is achieved. The car has an excellent hood folding mechanism which works (unlike the Audi) reliably. There is a lot more scuttle shake and rattles over bumpy roads, but the interior is lighter and better designed than the Audi's. The seats are comfortable, and the car has SUSPENSION which works in contrast to the Audi wich is a real teeth filling dislodger. The M-B dealer we use is superb, and the only problems we have had have been courteously dealt with. The only real problem has been an odd one - a couple of times the car has refused to move at anything more than a crawl until switched off and restarted. We know of one other car (same month delivery) with the same fault, but M-B cannot find or identify any problem. It manifests with the auto gearbox as an almost complete loss of performance which suddenly returns. Weird, but very much to be preferred to the Audi's suspension and hood mechanism faults. In sum, the M-B is a great cruiser, much better with the hood down than the Audi for back seat passengers, the roomiest 4 seat cabrio we have found (have not tried the new Bentley !!), with good economy, excellent seats and ride, and a dealer who is trying to improve the tranished M-B service image. Options are expensive, but the basic car is very good, but I would recommend the V6 over the supercharged straight 4. Why didn't M-B put the 270cdi engine in this car (as it did with the coupe) ?