Second-Hand Sense:An impression that they are brash and impractical is enough to put most people off buying coupé cars.
Those who are prone to self-consciousness about the cars they drive are not given to making big statements about themselves, but there are plenty of others who like their cars to make as big a statement as possible. The result is a number of cars that border on what we might call the "bling" category.
There is, however, a balance to be struck. It is possible to buy coupés that are attractive, different and practical too. The best example is probably the Mercedes CLK. Borrowing from the designs of its saloon siblings in the Mercedes family, the CLK is a stylish coupé, can actually fit four passengers and has a decent enough boot. There are a lot of them on Irish roads and they seem to have remained a constant through these prosperous times, and while they are favoured by an older age group, they don't age quickly themselves.
First introduced in 1997, the CLK represented the results of a wake-up call for Mercedes, which realised that competitors like Jaguar, BMW and Audi - to name a few - were beginning to move more quickly with the times. Mercedes had a pretty staid image and reputation until it decided it too had better get a move on.
Now the Mercedes range is a pretty extensive one.
Mercedes got one thing right from the very start with the CLK - it gave the car moderately conservative looks. Both the coupé and the later convertible models were both smart and classy. The coupé's looks may not have been exciting but there was a combination of road presence and driving pleasure that was a rewarding one. The CLK has great ride and handling - not as good as the 3 Series BMW but very acceptable nevertheless.
The CLK has the classically finished interior of which Mercedes has made a virtue. There is nothing flashy and everything is practical and functional. The rear seats are easily accessible and roomy and do not take up space from the driver and front passenger. On the open road the car has a solid feel and it does not deafen one with road or wind noise either.
The car has a range of engines from 2.0 litre petrol units right up to a 2.7 diesel. The 2.0 litre probably makes the most sense from a taxation point of view but performance is not sparkling. The 2.7 diesel has proven its merits more popularly elsewhere. Most Mercedes drivers will agree that the automatic option makes the best sense right through the range.
The car does not have a EuroNCAP crash test rating, but the C-Class has one of the best in the class anyway. There have been two re-calls on small numbers of CLKs involving a regulator on the heater blower and a hydraulic line in the braking system. The fact that the CLK is a very attractive package makes it an expensive package second-hand. A 2001 model with extras like leather upholstery, electrics, heated seats and so on with 44,000 miles on the clock has an asking price of €39,500. A similar 2003 convertible model with just 18,000 on the clock has an asking price of €57,950. There are not too many diesel 2.7s around, I'm afraid, and those that are tend to be new ex-demo models. Think about €64,000 for a 2004 model with 10,000 on the clock.
FOR: Great balance of looks, comfort and practicality.
AGAINST: Expensive second-hand and even practical coupés attract more attention than you might want.