Buying Older CLS
Discussion
Hi,
I've currently got a Volvo S60 on one of the cheap lease deals form the other year which will be going back at the end of the year.
I am thinking that I may buy next as leasing has generally gone up over the last couple of years.
Been looking at the Merc CLS and you can get a 2010 CLS 350CDI Grand Edition Coupe for approx £8K with 75000 miles on it.
I can't decide if this is a really bad idea or not?!
I do about 15K miles a year and do need something reliable for work.
I would plan to keep it for a few years and expect resale to not be great due to being Euro 5 diesels at that age.
Anyone got any general words of wisdom or any thoughts on overall reliability or other options I could consider?
Thanks in advance!
I've currently got a Volvo S60 on one of the cheap lease deals form the other year which will be going back at the end of the year.
I am thinking that I may buy next as leasing has generally gone up over the last couple of years.
Been looking at the Merc CLS and you can get a 2010 CLS 350CDI Grand Edition Coupe for approx £8K with 75000 miles on it.
I can't decide if this is a really bad idea or not?!
I do about 15K miles a year and do need something reliable for work.
I would plan to keep it for a few years and expect resale to not be great due to being Euro 5 diesels at that age.
Anyone got any general words of wisdom or any thoughts on overall reliability or other options I could consider?
Thanks in advance!
I've an 08 plate with now 100k on..pit 20k on in 18 months. Nothing has really gone wrong other than routine servicing. Needed two new springs as they are a weak point. Heavy diesel lump taking its role I guess.
Very comfortable car with a decent turn of speed if required and a good mile munched. Plenty have clocked serious miles so should be a safe bet.
Very comfortable car with a decent turn of speed if required and a good mile munched. Plenty have clocked serious miles so should be a safe bet.
They're based on E's so can take big miles. I sold my last E Class (a pre-facelift 2005 petrol) on 145k and it was still going strong.
I now have a 2010 one, also petrol, on 64k. The tech has moved forward a lot between the generations and this one's been rock rock over the last two years.
You might find one with Airmatic. I like it and have had it on both of mine but it's more costly that conventional steel springs if it goes wrong.
The gearbox fluid should be changed ever 40/50k miles or, say, every five years.
Not sure if you can get a pano roof on a CLS. If so they look great from inside but, again, are expensive to fix if they go wrong. If not I'd try to get one with a sunroof as it lightens the interior. I still miss mine :-(
See if you can find one with lots of toys. Some are incredibly well equipped and you won't pay much more than for a basic one.
I now have a 2010 one, also petrol, on 64k. The tech has moved forward a lot between the generations and this one's been rock rock over the last two years.
You might find one with Airmatic. I like it and have had it on both of mine but it's more costly that conventional steel springs if it goes wrong.
The gearbox fluid should be changed ever 40/50k miles or, say, every five years.
Not sure if you can get a pano roof on a CLS. If so they look great from inside but, again, are expensive to fix if they go wrong. If not I'd try to get one with a sunroof as it lightens the interior. I still miss mine :-(
See if you can find one with lots of toys. Some are incredibly well equipped and you won't pay much more than for a basic one.
Mrs WR had one from new in 2007, 3.0 Diesel auto, lovely car, the only thing to watch out for is headroom is limited in the back for very tall passengers due to the sloping roof.
Massive presence for relative peanuts ten years old, and a lovely drive. Try and get a low mileage one, there are some available.
Massive presence for relative peanuts ten years old, and a lovely drive. Try and get a low mileage one, there are some available.
Ive had a couple of cars with the OM642 3.0 diesel engine.
The diesel engine has a common problem where the oil cooler seals in the middle of the V6 perish and leak oil, Have a look for oil leaks around the rear passenger side of the engine towards the gearbox area looking from underneath.
The inlet flaps arms can also fail these are also in the middle of the V.
Driver and passenger side window mechanisms will fail and cost approx £115 for the replacement parts plus.
Check the gearbox has been serviced roughly every 45/50k miles.
If you do servicing yourself replace the turbo rubber inlet seal. They too get hot, perish and leak oil down onto the inlet mechanism and flaps.
My CLS had the AMG kit and wheels and was quite sore on front wheel bearings. 2 went completely unexpectedly with one leaving me stranded 5 hours from home and welding the wheel bearing to the stub axle.
Replacement suspensions parts from the likes of eurocarparts are pretty cheap. I rebuilt the whole front end of my old CLS and it cost around £500 for lower wishbones, upper wishbones, lower control arms and inner and outer track tie arms and lower ball joints. All decent brands like Lemfoder. It did take quite a while googling compatible part numbers for E class etc.
I have access to a good Mercedes independant who fixed the girlfriends ML320 oil leak from the oil cooler, inlet arms and gearbox service for €600 so they arent the most ruinous cars to run although the jeep has nearly 160k.
The diesel engine has a common problem where the oil cooler seals in the middle of the V6 perish and leak oil, Have a look for oil leaks around the rear passenger side of the engine towards the gearbox area looking from underneath.
The inlet flaps arms can also fail these are also in the middle of the V.
Driver and passenger side window mechanisms will fail and cost approx £115 for the replacement parts plus.
Check the gearbox has been serviced roughly every 45/50k miles.
If you do servicing yourself replace the turbo rubber inlet seal. They too get hot, perish and leak oil down onto the inlet mechanism and flaps.
My CLS had the AMG kit and wheels and was quite sore on front wheel bearings. 2 went completely unexpectedly with one leaving me stranded 5 hours from home and welding the wheel bearing to the stub axle.
Replacement suspensions parts from the likes of eurocarparts are pretty cheap. I rebuilt the whole front end of my old CLS and it cost around £500 for lower wishbones, upper wishbones, lower control arms and inner and outer track tie arms and lower ball joints. All decent brands like Lemfoder. It did take quite a while googling compatible part numbers for E class etc.
I have access to a good Mercedes independant who fixed the girlfriends ML320 oil leak from the oil cooler, inlet arms and gearbox service for €600 so they arent the most ruinous cars to run although the jeep has nearly 160k.
As others have said, watch the spec as some are very poor, even missing nav. From 2008 will have a Bluetooth and ipod connectivity. Memory and heated seats a good addiction, plus xenons. Mine has extended leather which really lifts the cabin a notch. Not sure do this is standard or not on last editions.
Also parking sensor can go wrong so check they work.
Also parking sensor can go wrong so check they work.
Thanks for the replies. Been having a bit more of a look and the Eclass coupe and normal Eclass get the bluetec euro 6 engine earlier than the CLS for some reason. Late 2013 onwards in the Eclass coupe so may look at one of them instead as seems like a good idea to go Euro 6 if I'm buying a diesel in this day and age.
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