Used Mercedes-Benz CLK Coupe 2002 - 2010 review

With the emphasis more on comfort than sport, this Mercedes CLK is a great cruiser, able to cover long distances with ease.

Using the same chassis as the C-Class, the CLK rides just as well as the saloon, even with a slightly firmer suspension to give it greater poise through the bends. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard on lower models, but the five-speed automatic you find on the majority of models delivers smooth changes.

The CLK suffers little road or wind noise on the motorway, and while the engines are muted when cruising, the V6s make a pleasant growl when you work them hard.

There's plenty of space in the front and two seats in the rear, so the CLK is a spacious four-seater, although rear headroom is restricted for six-footers. At least, the large boot gives enough space for a set of cases or golf clubs.

These are desirable cars, so resale values are high, but that also means they're fairly safe investments. As a rule, they are fairly well maintained and, as Mercedes dealers are the best place to find them, most should be in good condition.

The car has an intelligent service indicator, so drive it hard and you'll be visiting the garage sooner rather than later. But, however you drive it, running costs are high, especially if you use main dealers for servicing.

You could use an independent specialist to carry out the work, and save some money in the process, but franchised dealer services histories are desirable, so the lack of one could cost you when you come to sell the car on.

The size of your fuel bills varies greatly depending on the specification of your CLK. The 200K returns an average of 32.5mpg, while the V8s offer an average fuel consumption of 24.8mpg.

There was a bewildering range of engines and gearboxes when the CLK was launched in 2003, and to add to the confusion, this was changed slightly in 2005.

Options included two smaller petrol engines (one supercharged, the other a direct-injection petrol), two V6 petrols and two V8s, including the rapid CLK 63 AMG. There was a diesel option, too, with a choice of 2.1- and 3.0-litre units.

The V6 and, especially, the diesels, are best, as they hold their value well. Manual gearboxes come on the smaller petrol and diesel option, with automatics as standard on the larger engines. Remember, automatic Mercedes sell better than manual cars, so avoid the manual cars, if you can.

All models come well kitted-out, and the only real differences between the Elegance and Avantgarde trim levels are in the alloys and interior. Cruise control, climate control and four electric windows are standard on every car. Originally, there was an entry-level Classic trim, but this was phased out in 2005.

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