2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK 1.8L Petrol · D3 NGA

The 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK presents a currently roadworthy status with a stable maintenance trend, evidenced by the most recent test on 19 April 2024 at 130,544 miles returning a pass with no defects recorded. Prior to this, the vehicle cleared the 18 November 2022 examination at 128,479 miles and the 6 December 2021 test at 127,099 miles, both also passing without advisories. The record shows two failed attempts logged on the exact same dates as the eventual passes in 2021 and 2022, yet the DVSA data lists no defects against those failures, indicating administrative re-tests rather than mechanical rejections. The odometer reflects low annual use for a 22-year-old vehicle, totalling 130,544 miles or roughly 5,934 miles per year. Between the December 2021 test at 127,099 miles and the November 2022 test at 128,479 miles the car covered just 1,380 miles in eleven months. From November 2022 to April 2024 it added only 2,065 miles across seventeen months. Such sparse accumulation suggests prolonged standing periods, which on a Mercedes of this era raises the risk of perished rubber suspension bushes, seized brake calipers, and moisture-driven corrosion rather than high-mileage drivetrain fatigue. A buyer should physically inspect the front and rear suspension arms for cracked or degraded bushes and check the brake discs for surface rust pitting from disuse. The underside structural integrity warrants close examination for chassis corrosion, particularly around subframe mounts and sills where W209 CLK bodies trap road salt. Exhaust emissions should be verified cold-start given the low running frequency. The clean advisory history offers no warning of impending wear, but the two same-day fail-and-pass pairs in 2021 and 2022 imply the keeper relied on immediate re-test rather than pre-emptive garage checks. Given the age and standing pattern, a pre-purchase inspection of tyre sidewall condition and brake binding remains prudent despite the spotless MOT trail.