A new (sort of sensible) daily... a Merc CLS Shooting Brake
Discussion
A change of circumstances with significantly more mileage (400-500 miles a week) & the possibility of MrsC hopefully getting a fully electric company car in Q1 ‘21 has seen me sell my BMW I3S and I will take on the family wagon duties for hauling dogs/holiday transport. The I3S ownership experience has been a really positive one as my first electric car & I came in to it open-minded on how things would pan out. Even through 17 months including 3 lockdowns I managed 13k miles & we were sad to see it go..
My new “steed” will be a used Mercedes CLS 350 CDI AMG Sport Shooting Brake (what a long model description
) with 2 previous owners and FSH. I had been due to collect my car yesterday although a parts issue meant that I have had to cancel my order with the first dealer (they couldn’t guarantee when I could have the car as it is a safety related part on back order with indications of 2-3 weeks at least 
) so I had to find another as I need a car within the next week. I was off out earlier today to try another car about 1 hr from home & on the face if it, it is in better overall condition with a pile of service invoices from a specialist and a Merc service print out as well (serviced annually from new). Collection day is Friday, so in the meantime here’s a picture from the selling dealers website... 
Not surprisingly, these are rare cars given they cost more new than the equivalent E Class estate and I thought the E Class looked very boxy. Out of choice I wouldn’t have chosen a black car but I was buying on condition and most in my price range were black unless travelling big distances to inspect!! I will share the full spec when I have collected the car and found everything out....
My new “steed” will be a used Mercedes CLS 350 CDI AMG Sport Shooting Brake (what a long model description
) with 2 previous owners and FSH. I had been due to collect my car yesterday although a parts issue meant that I have had to cancel my order with the first dealer (they couldn’t guarantee when I could have the car as it is a safety related part on back order with indications of 2-3 weeks at least ) so I had to find another as I need a car within the next week. I was off out earlier today to try another car about 1 hr from home & on the face if it, it is in better overall condition with a pile of service invoices from a specialist and a Merc service print out as well (serviced annually from new). Collection day is Friday, so in the meantime here’s a picture from the selling dealers website... Not surprisingly, these are rare cars given they cost more new than the equivalent E Class estate and I thought the E Class looked very boxy. Out of choice I wouldn’t have chosen a black car but I was buying on condition and most in my price range were black unless travelling big distances to inspect!! I will share the full spec when I have collected the car and found everything out....
Wow lovely car, health to drive and all the best with the collection.
I have the previous shape E estate which has basically the same engine but lowered powered and no DPF etc. It's pretty rough in comparison but fills the brief of big cruiser well.
If I even change I might consider a SB so I'll follow you with interest.
I have the previous shape E estate which has basically the same engine but lowered powered and no DPF etc. It's pretty rough in comparison but fills the brief of big cruiser well.
If I even change I might consider a SB so I'll follow you with interest.
Thanks both. It is quite a grown up car. I had initially been looking at a BMW 520D M Sport Touring of a similar age which was a few £k cheaper, although the stories of stretched timing chains put me right off, especially as you have to supposedly "drop" the engine to do a timing chain! I spotted a 250 SB at a dealer that had an M Sport and the rest will shortly be history 
I didn't need any encouragement from my car friends as it was only a matter of time before I'd convinced myself a 250 wouldn't do & I was searching for a 350 V6 
The interior quality is excellent with virtually no wear on the fittings for its age. The 19" tyres do slightly worry me in terms of cost although they can't be as expensive as the 20"s on my I reckon, but a set of winter wheels/tyres will be imminent purchase given my work patch covers in to the Peak District (& we might at some point be living there/very close by).
I think the AMG Sport is the middle one in terms of looks compared to the AMG Premium that has the shiny bits on the lower front/rear areas & would attract more attention
An interior pic taken by the dealer.. comfy “pews”.
I didn't need any encouragement from my car friends as it was only a matter of time before I'd convinced myself a 250 wouldn't do & I was searching for a 350 V6 The interior quality is excellent with virtually no wear on the fittings for its age. The 19" tyres do slightly worry me in terms of cost although they can't be as expensive as the 20"s on my I reckon, but a set of winter wheels/tyres will be imminent purchase given my work patch covers in to the Peak District (& we might at some point be living there/very close by).
I think the AMG Sport is the middle one in terms of looks compared to the AMG Premium that has the shiny bits on the lower front/rear areas & would attract more attention
An interior pic taken by the dealer.. comfy “pews”.
Edited by MrC986 on Sunday 27th June 08:05
Great choice of daily car that OP and although it's a lovely left field choice, it'll make an excellent day to day car.
My partner had a CLS350 cdi (W219) for nearly three years, it was her every day car for mum duties and we did plenty of long drives out in it. Other than tyres and servicing, it only needed some camber bolts and a window mechanism in that time. Reliable, cheap to run and helps it's value. Highly recommended!
My partner had a CLS350 cdi (W219) for nearly three years, it was her every day car for mum duties and we did plenty of long drives out in it. Other than tyres and servicing, it only needed some camber bolts and a window mechanism in that time. Reliable, cheap to run and helps it's value. Highly recommended!
Thanks for the positive comments everyone. The car has a good history & was locally owned to the garage I have bought it from with a good pile of recent annual service invoices from a Merc specialist (last serviced 1000 miles ago in March) as well as the main dealer print out for the first 4 years. It’s always a good sign of how someone has looked after a car to see a fitted boot mat in the advert (I once bought a car with a National Trust sticker on it & it had a wad of invoices so I look for useful clues & a good MOT history before I view a car). It’s had in the last 2 years a broken coil spring (with 4 wheel alignment check) & front top mount as well as a pipe on the rear air suspension & they weren’t shy to spend as it has matching P Zeros all round.
I do feel a bit like it’s a serious investment compared to an 07 Saab 9-3 TID 150 bhp Sportwagon I bought 6 years ago as a daily (& paid £3,850 for!) & did 50k miles in, though I’m breaking a pattern of behaviour and buying a lower mileage car in the hope I can keep in for say 4 yrs/100k miles of motoring.
My petrol-head friends seem interested in the new car (they like a bit of “car fever”). Roll on Friday for collection
I do feel a bit like it’s a serious investment compared to an 07 Saab 9-3 TID 150 bhp Sportwagon I bought 6 years ago as a daily (& paid £3,850 for!) & did 50k miles in, though I’m breaking a pattern of behaviour and buying a lower mileage car in the hope I can keep in for say 4 yrs/100k miles of motoring.
My petrol-head friends seem interested in the new car (they like a bit of “car fever”). Roll on Friday for collection
Monkeylegend said:
Lovely car.
Just be aware that Mercedes 19"alloys with low profile tyres do have a reputation for cracking very easily and can be expensive to replace, so try and avoid potholes. Quite a few people have reverted back to 18" wheels to avoid this issue.
Enjoy the car.
Thanks, I’m planning on dropping a rim size with some winters & having come from an I3S running standard 20s, I’m very good at the “pothole slalom” & treating speed bumps with respect Just be aware that Mercedes 19"alloys with low profile tyres do have a reputation for cracking very easily and can be expensive to replace, so try and avoid potholes. Quite a few people have reverted back to 18" wheels to avoid this issue.
Enjoy the car.
Collection day was last Friday so a combination of a train & a lift from the dealer & it was picked up - the dealer had agreed to replace large parts of the brake pipes (an advisory on the last 2 MOTs) & I managed to get a copy of their invoice for my records to prove this. I did 180 miles on Friday having brimmed the 80 litre tank & saw 47 mpg on a mix of roads. It certainly “wafts” along very nicely & even though it’s 7 yrs old, it has enough tech to entertain me for a while & even had some free CDs in the changer (90s 
)
Purchases so far are a set of OEM wheel centres, & a set of 18 OEM winter wheels for less than £180 that I need to collect No cleaning yet of the car as the weather has been cr*p, although it’s already been used to move some furniture.
I’ll try & get the full spec on it & some pics once I’ve removed the valeter’s buffer trails.
)Purchases so far are a set of OEM wheel centres, & a set of 18 OEM winter wheels for less than £180 that I need to collect
No cleaning yet of the car as the weather has been cr*p, although it’s already been used to move some furniture.I’ll try & get the full spec on it & some pics once I’ve removed the valeter’s buffer trails.
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