Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

How many 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

43% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Search the registration on CarHunch — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.

Is the 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk reliable?

Based on MOT data from 9,603 vehicles, the 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk has a first-time MOT pass rate of 75.8%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk are: Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (90.6% of vehicles), Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (89% of vehicles), Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (59.1% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Mercedes Benz Clk (2003)

9,603 real MOT outcomes analysed • 75.8% first-time pass rate

2003 Mercedes Benz Clk

CarHunch analysed 9,603 real MOT records for the 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Petrol vs Diesel Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2003 CLK falls below the UK average first-time pass rate at 75.8% versus 80%, and this is compounded by a serious concern: 42.8% of these cars have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, well above acceptable levels for a buyer considering one. Petrol and diesel variants perform similarly, with petrol slightly ahead at 76.4% versus 73.7%, so fuel choice makes little difference to reliability here.

At nearly 80,000 miles on average, mileage is reasonable for a 21-year-old model, but the real issue emerges in the failure count: 4.7 failures per car suggests aging components are becoming increasingly problematic, backed up by nearly 24 advisories per vehicle highlighting wear and maintenance gaps. If you're seriously interested in a CLK from this generation, have a pre-purchase inspection focus on suspension, cooling systems, and electrical gremlins—the high advisory rate signals these are where money tends to disappear.

The 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk has a decent first-time pass rate (75.8%), but a higher-than-average share of vehicles have had serious defects recorded — the individual vehicle's history matters a lot here.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

75.8%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

42.8%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

4.7

Over 18.2 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

73k

Middle half: 56k–91k

For context

🔧 Average reliability. Passes at roughly the UK rate — not a standout, not a problem vehicle. Individual history makes all the difference.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 23.7 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 9,603 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Watch for defects — worth knowing

What tends to go wrong

Across 9,603 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 90.6%

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Other issues 40.7%

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components · Oil leak, but not excessive · Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay · …

Brake wear 35.6%

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Suspension & steering 32.1%

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play · Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2003.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 9,603 Mercedes Benz Clk cars.

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 2.7 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

76.4%

Petrol

7,305 vehicles

73.7%

Diesel

2,282 vehicles

Before you buy a 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk

Based on MOT data from 9,603 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 42.8% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (76%)	7,305	76.4%	4.67
Diesel (24%)	2,282	73.7%	4.82

Colour Breakdown

Based on 83,295 Mercedes Benz Clk vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Silver 45.4%

37,818

Blue 26.3%

21,942

Black 21.4%

17,831

Red 2.8%

2,367

Grey 1.6%

1,362

Green 1.6%

1,299

White 0.5%

391

Purple 0.1%

Gold 0.1%

Beige 0.1%

Maroon 0%

Orange 0%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

73,399

typical

55,717

low mileage

91,037

high mileage

Half of all 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk vehicles fall between 55,717 and 91,037 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 55,717 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 55,717–91,037 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2003 Mercedes Benz Clks sit.

⚠ Over 122,899 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2003 Mercedes Benz Clk — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 31% of 2003 Mercedes Benz Clks are still active.

Numbers are declining — 2,342 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (31% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

18.2

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

4.7

Avg failures per vehicle

23.7

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Mercedes Benz Clk: All Clk years → Which year to buy? →

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Or browse all models: Mercedes Benz →

Compare with another model

See how the 2003 Mercedes Benz Clk stacks up against a rival.

Watch for defects — worth knowing