Just bought a 2002 SLK 320 AMG seemingly in mint condition (5,300 miles on it). Have driven it for about two weeks and noticed a clicking followed by a loud "clunk" when the car is idling and in drive. It does NOT happen when the car is in park nor do I hear any noises while the car is moving. The noise comes from the rear of the car. The dealer replaced the fuel damper and now it makes the noise more often! Any thoughts?

 

Bring it to a local shop and have them look it over.

 

"Clunk" suggest "heavy".

Noises are very difficult to describe unless you have the industry "jargon".

So you only get this when idling and the car is in Drive.
So exactly when, how long after going into Drive, do you get the noise?
Every time you select D or just sometimes. Hot / cold?
On the level or when on an incline?

I'm at a loss from your description.

Clunk suggests the transmission engaging which I would have expected within 1 sec from engaging D unless the vehicle is cold in which case it may take a little longer.

However, the fact that changing the fuel damper? (maybe they mean the fuel filter and pressure bypass) has increased the frequency of the noise occuring + the fact that the garage have heard the noise and think it is the fuel filter confuses me.
Maybe it is a hydraulic "bump' in the fuel line when flow is "suddenly" interrtupted or released. Very strange.

Now, if you had said you had strange noises from the rear parking brake on an incline, that would be different.

Need more info.

Stuart