97R Merc CL420

[V8Smith]

Im thinking of buying a 97 Merc CL420, they look like great second hand bargains, but am just wondering what ownership is like? What are the issues to look out for? do they have any known faults or are they normally pretty reliable. Im not bothered about petrol running costs as thats a given, I have an Audi A8 so im used to that.

Cheers

Mike

[pentoman]

That is certainly a rare motor car..

The engine is strong enough, no problems there, but there W140 S-class (of which this C140 is a two-door version) is a notoriously love it/hate it vehicle.

On the hardcore Merc enthusiast websites, there are quite a few owners. Many/most say they were the most fantastic S-class from a high-tech uber-car point of view, and more of a car than the replacement W220. However, the same people also widely state that they were too high-tech for their own good, with lots of problems waiting to happen, and also lots have fallen into disrepair because of that. For example

For example the door-closing-assist vacuum pump (98% sure it's that pump anyway) that sucks the door closed so you don't have to slam it, is terrible and for some people has failed 3 or 4 times. Needless to say it is expensive when it does fail. Without it the doors need a big slam. I don't quite understand why they haven't managed to fix the design flaw but they haven't. So it just breaks again and again.

Also the A/C Evaporator (? I think) will fail. That is a given. Unfortunately the whole dash has to come apart to repair it, so that's another £1000 or so.

So that's the story. Don't take what I've said as gospel but, little problems like that make it an expensive car to run. Even so, my impression is that it will keep going forever (i.e. the engine won't fail and it won't break down on you), but can just cost an awful lot if you want to keep everything working properly. However there are plenty that love them in spite of this.

So this may scare you or not.. you already own an A8 (similarly problematic some say) and it's an S-class not a Toyota Corrola.

Certainly I wouldn't personally take it to a dealer if anything goes wrong! You'll probably end up being charged for hundreds of new parts until they find the one that fixes the problem . Finding an experienced independent or specialist would be cheaper on the wallet.

Here's some enthusiastic dude's info
http://pages.prodigy.net/jforgione/MB_S500.html

Since they are going to be expensive to run anyway, are you tempted to find a cheapo well looked after 600 ? You get 400bhp in the early models and a little less in the later ones...

Gotta love that no B-pillar thing with the windows down.

good luck

Russell

[V8Smith]

Thanks for your comments, very helpful, nothing I wasnt expecting to be honest, I would always use an independant rather than a main stealer, I was a good indie for both my Audi and TVR? I own a TVR so expensive to run, I am used to????

Love/hate I would agree I think they are imposing rather than a good looking car and the one I am looking at is a low mileage (60K) well looked after example, will that make a difference, do the doors, A/C tend to go when the car has done a lot of miles or are they just temperamental?

Again thanks for your input.

Regards

Mike