CL63 Test drive tomorrow - Budget Tyres?
Discussion
Morning all
Driving this CL63 tomorrow:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Never driven one before, although this year I've driven half a dozen CL500s of the same shape/vintage. I note from the pictures that this particular one:
1) Appears to have non standard alloys
2) Has budget tyres - 2x Landsail and 2x Accelera
Would these alone put you off the car? I'm a big believer in performance cars having the best rubber and would change them straight away (probably for the later 4.7 20" five spokes), but would this fly a red flag as to what else the previous owner has scrimped on?
Also, cheekily, anyone know what to look for on these - I know the ABC is a potential issue on the CL500, two I had a go in had the warning on the dash and in both cases the seller (dealer) said "its just beacuse its been sitting for a while"
Cheers all
Driving this CL63 tomorrow:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Never driven one before, although this year I've driven half a dozen CL500s of the same shape/vintage. I note from the pictures that this particular one:
1) Appears to have non standard alloys
2) Has budget tyres - 2x Landsail and 2x Accelera
Would these alone put you off the car? I'm a big believer in performance cars having the best rubber and would change them straight away (probably for the later 4.7 20" five spokes), but would this fly a red flag as to what else the previous owner has scrimped on?
Also, cheekily, anyone know what to look for on these - I know the ABC is a potential issue on the CL500, two I had a go in had the warning on the dash and in both cases the seller (dealer) said "its just beacuse its been sitting for a while"
Cheers all
It wouldn't necessarily put me off, perhaps the previous owner was an older chap who didn't drive the car very hard therefore didn't see the point in putting premium tyres on? You never know.
It failed an MOT yesterday so worth asking about that... (registration is CF57 DBY I think, looks like the first letter is a G but that comes up as a Citroen)
It's a lovely looking car!
It failed an MOT yesterday so worth asking about that... (registration is CF57 DBY I think, looks like the first letter is a G but that comes up as a Citroen)
It's a lovely looking car!
Maybe the previous owner changed the alloys?
Kept them for another car?
If I was buying it I'd change the tyres straight away.
Whenever I buy an expensive car with expensive alloys I go straight to my local friendly tyre place who lifts the car up, has a look underneath, removes the wheels and spins them up checking for damage/buckles etc. They charge me £20
Money well spent as a few times they've spotted damage to tyres, and on another occasion a cracked alloy, and a few fluid leaks along the way.
Someone told me that tyre centers push the budget makes as there's more profit in them.
Anyone know if that's true?
Kept them for another car?
If I was buying it I'd change the tyres straight away.
Whenever I buy an expensive car with expensive alloys I go straight to my local friendly tyre place who lifts the car up, has a look underneath, removes the wheels and spins them up checking for damage/buckles etc. They charge me £20
Money well spent as a few times they've spotted damage to tyres, and on another occasion a cracked alloy, and a few fluid leaks along the way.
Someone told me that tyre centers push the budget makes as there's more profit in them.
Anyone know if that's true?
mackay45 said:
It wouldn't necessarily put me off, perhaps the previous owner was an older chap who didn't drive the car very hard therefore didn't see the point in putting premium tyres on? You never know.
It failed an MOT yesterday so worth asking about that... (registration is CF57 DBY I think, looks like the first letter is a G but that comes up as a Citroen)
It's a lovely looking car!
The incorrect number plate is curious and CF57 DBY comes up as a C63 not a CL. May just be an error at first registration but I'd certainly be asking a few questions starting with what the real registration is.It failed an MOT yesterday so worth asking about that... (registration is CF57 DBY I think, looks like the first letter is a G but that comes up as a Citroen)
It's a lovely looking car!
Minor point to note, the centre console phone key pad seems to be missing it's hinged cover unless the 2007 cars didn't have them? (my 2009 has....). No idea how you break one of those off!!
Something else curious is the lack of proper paddles on the steering wheel. I wonder if the wheel has been changed at some point as the photos of 2007 CL63 interiors on the web seem to have them fitted?
Edited by StephenP on Thursday 26th July 13:12
I would very much urge you to check EVERYTHING on this car and more. The services that have been done, go and have them verified to check they are legit.
The other poster mentioned the hinge missing from the keypads. He/she is correct and will be a bit of a pain to replace. Tyres would put me off, they arent even a mid range tyre, they are the cheapest tat you can buy.
Further to that if I were you I would get an inspection done by a merc specialist or Mercedes Main dealer. The ABC Suspension on the AMG models alone can cause ALL sorts of headaches and nightmares for you if not right. Repairs will easily start at 4 figures.
Personally if I were looking for one I would wait for a better one that a person still have a merc warranty on. They do come up and I have looked at these on and off, it just takes time.
The other poster mentioned the hinge missing from the keypads. He/she is correct and will be a bit of a pain to replace. Tyres would put me off, they arent even a mid range tyre, they are the cheapest tat you can buy.
Further to that if I were you I would get an inspection done by a merc specialist or Mercedes Main dealer. The ABC Suspension on the AMG models alone can cause ALL sorts of headaches and nightmares for you if not right. Repairs will easily start at 4 figures.
Personally if I were looking for one I would wait for a better one that a person still have a merc warranty on. They do come up and I have looked at these on and off, it just takes time.
The car has ventilated seats so check everything works, both warm and cold air. Also check all the seat air bladders are working correctly - if you set the 'Driv. dyn. seat' setting to something other than 0, I'd expect you to feel the seat bolsters inflate and deflate as you turn corners, to keep you central in the seat. Make sure it works on both sides!
Also check the front discs have lots of life in them - £2k+ from a dealer.
If the car has soft-close fitted, check it works on the doors and boot - for the door, just partially close it and it should pull itself shut, but only if that option was ticked at purchase (not sure if all CL63 came with it as standard?)
Also check the rear shocks aren't weeping as they are a little pricey - over £1k I seem to recall (mine were done under warranty).
Looking at the photo of the steering wheel, it looks like the car might also have night vision fitted (it's the long lever next to the headlights switch). It won't work in daylight but it you can get it somewhere dark enough it might come and and should replace the speedo with a black and white image looking forward
Also check the front discs have lots of life in them - £2k+ from a dealer.
If the car has soft-close fitted, check it works on the doors and boot - for the door, just partially close it and it should pull itself shut, but only if that option was ticked at purchase (not sure if all CL63 came with it as standard?)
Also check the rear shocks aren't weeping as they are a little pricey - over £1k I seem to recall (mine were done under warranty).
Looking at the photo of the steering wheel, it looks like the car might also have night vision fitted (it's the long lever next to the headlights switch). It won't work in daylight but it you can get it somewhere dark enough it might come and and should replace the speedo with a black and white image looking forward
Most important thing is to go in eyes wide open. It might be £23k now but it's still a £100k+ car with parts prices to match and some of those parts tend to be a little scare in the UK too (quite a few have only been in stock at MB Germany when I've had things done, including the windscreen....)
Options:
Optional Equipment
Description - Price When New (inc VAT)
Keyless go - £820
harman/kardon LOGIC 7 sound system - £790
Comfort ventilated front seats - £660
Wood & leather trimmed steering wheel £460
Dynamic Multi-contour front seats - £380
Garage door opener - £185
Rear headrests - pneumatically raising - £160
Black Passion Leather/Black int. - £0
Black ash wood trim - £0
High Gloss Black Ash Grain - £0
Iridium Silver Metallic - £0
Total Price of Optional Equipment - £3,455
Optional Equipment
Description - Price When New (inc VAT)
Keyless go - £820
harman/kardon LOGIC 7 sound system - £790
Comfort ventilated front seats - £660
Wood & leather trimmed steering wheel £460
Dynamic Multi-contour front seats - £380
Garage door opener - £185
Rear headrests - pneumatically raising - £160
Black Passion Leather/Black int. - £0
Black ash wood trim - £0
High Gloss Black Ash Grain - £0
Iridium Silver Metallic - £0
Total Price of Optional Equipment - £3,455
Chamon_Lee said:
Tyres would put me off, they arent even a mid range tyre, they are the cheapest tat you can buy.
Agree. It seems odd to go super cheap on a car like this. I've just put Michelin PS4s all-round on mine and they came in at £775 the set, which isn't bad for a car like this. The Landsails on that CL are £85 a corner and the Acceleras are £60. That said, the wheels do seem to hint at an older owner who wanted the comfort of the higher-profile tyres as these are 19" and the more usual five-spoke CL63 alloys are 20". As mentioned earlier, maybe they used to get their tyres done at Halfords or the like and had them pushed.
Chamon_Lee said:
Personally if I were looking for one I would wait for a better one that a person still have a merc warranty on. They do come up and I have looked at these on and off, it just takes time.
For me the MB Tier 1 warranty has more than covered it's costs several times over. I've had my 2009 car for 6 years and it was immaculate when I bought it, with just 12k miles on it ... it's now pushing 92kStephenP said:
Chamon_Lee said:
Tyres would put me off, they arent even a mid range tyre, they are the cheapest tat you can buy.
Agree. It seems odd to go super cheap on a car like this. I've just put Michelin PS4s all-round on mine and they came in at £775 the set, which isn't bad for a car like this. The Landsails on that CL are £85 a corner and the Acceleras are £60. That said, the wheels do seem to hint at an older owner who wanted the comfort of the higher-profile tyres as these are 19" and the more usual five-spoke CL63 alloys are 20". As mentioned earlier, maybe they used to get their tyres done at Halfords or the like and had them pushed.
Chamon_Lee said:
Personally if I were looking for one I would wait for a better one that a person still have a merc warranty on. They do come up and I have looked at these on and off, it just takes time.
For me the MB Tier 1 warranty has more than covered it's costs several times over. I've had my 2009 car for 6 years and it was immaculate when I bought it, with just 12k miles on it ... it's now pushing 92kHappy to be corrected but I am sure the engines in these CL63 is the same format as the C63 and can also suffer from the head bolt issue.
Chamon_Lee said:
Completely agree, the merc warranty is well worth its weight.
Happy to be corrected but I am sure the engines in these CL63 is the same format as the C63 and can also suffer from the head bolt issue.
Allegedly yes as it's basically the same engine although when I looked in to this a year or two ago I struggled to find any CL63 owners reporting the issue, just C63. It did make me wonder whether (a) the engine in the C63 is tuned such that it is more strained or, more likely, (b) CL63 owners don't thrash their cars as much as C63 owners Happy to be corrected but I am sure the engines in these CL63 is the same format as the C63 and can also suffer from the head bolt issue.
There are also many more C63s out there than CL63s so it could just be that the issue is reporting of problems is more prevalent in the more common car...
Edited by StephenP on Thursday 26th July 14:55
It does seem strange to me that someone would put cheap tyres on an AMG. The CL63 is a lovely car but I would be wary of buying one without a full main dealer history or a fully documented service history from a recognised independent.
The centre phone phone cover is missing which along with the cheap tyres would make me very cautious indeed.
The front discs are way over £2.5K and the rears even more expensive. If the small vent indentations are worn away then replacement is on the books before long.
There is a forum MBClub UK where there are a lot of very knowledgeable people might be worth paying that a visit.
Early models did have a headbolt issue although I don't think there are that many failures.
It does have night vision.
The centre phone phone cover is missing which along with the cheap tyres would make me very cautious indeed.
The front discs are way over £2.5K and the rears even more expensive. If the small vent indentations are worn away then replacement is on the books before long.
There is a forum MBClub UK where there are a lot of very knowledgeable people might be worth paying that a visit.
Early models did have a headbolt issue although I don't think there are that many failures.
It does have night vision.
Edited by BIRMA on Thursday 26th July 17:01
A few years ago I was interested in a Griffith advertised by this dealer, they were most unhelpful and did not want me to take a test drive because it was drizzling (they did not want the chassis to get wet was their excuse),and I doubt it was because you need to be aware of the power of these cars in the wet; it was their whole attitude during my time there that put me off. The car was overpriced and they were overplaying it's condition, needless to say I did not buy the car.
Of course not everyone's experience is the same and you might find them to be very accommodating etc. but I agree with others on this forum, the tyres would be a big issue for me on this type of car, and I would expect them to change them without quibble, and indeed it should not have been presented for sale with them fitted in the first place; do your checks carefully as advised by others.
Of course not everyone's experience is the same and you might find them to be very accommodating etc. but I agree with others on this forum, the tyres would be a big issue for me on this type of car, and I would expect them to change them without quibble, and indeed it should not have been presented for sale with them fitted in the first place; do your checks carefully as advised by others.
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