USED Mercedes-Benz CLK Cabriolet (02 - 10)

My car

I have owned a 240 Elegance Cab for two years now. The car has been dogged by atrocious build quality, and there has been appalling service from dealers and Mercedes HQ.

Problems have included a failed roof mechanism that left me with a courtesy car for the three months it took them to source and fit it. It has had replacement alarm and audio systems. The rear head restraints have deployed in roll-over mode for no reason. The front head restaints and side windows have all had to be altered to cure significant rattles.

The boot opening mechanism failed. The glove box locking mechanism had to be replaced as it would not close properly. Turning down the phone or audio using the steering wheel controls caused the horn to sound. Rear lights flashed on and off intermittently.

All these issues, some after significant delays and battles, have been fixed under warranty. I have complained to the Director's office in Mercedes HQ following a lack of willingness to act from both the dealer and Mercedes customer services and their response has been just as bad.

I recently read that the Customer Operations Director was pleased with the strides being taken in terms of customer service. Frankly, he needs to do some 'mystery shopping' to see what really happens to customers purchasing vehicles at the top end of the market. Worst still, yesterday the lid of the cubby hole in the central armrest had jammed shut and can't be re-opened. Another trip to the dealer. Buyer beware.

My car

Beautiful elegant looking car from nearly every angle. Build quality is excellent. It truly seats 4 people in comfort, equipment levels are good once you add some options to standard equipment. Safe secure handling, hood mechanism is great. Owned this car for 1 year, covered 8500 KM without any problems except a slight gearbox leak due to a rubber bearing, the dealer here is Jordan is excellent so rectified under warranty. I 200 is economical to run, performance is decent for a 4 CYL, motorway cruising is good, but sporty it's not. Go for the 6 or 8CYL models, you will notice the difference. Overall an sensible & secure investment, the 200 model has been a pleasure to own, very very reliable.

My car

After just buying my new Mercedes, I am very pleased. I feel obsessed with it - I choose it in black and it has leather interior.

I opted for the 350 for that extra performance. After winning £500,000 on the lottery, I also bought my wife a Mercedes SLK 55 AMG for Christmas!

My car

A follow up to my previous report - Mercedes handled my complaint very well and changed the gearbox. The new box is a big improvement over the old one, and I think they may have solved the problem.