CL500 2000W Considering buying one any advice please

[stevemtaylor]

Looking at A CL500 98000 miles full history any advice welcome please.

[BigTommyL]

I have one of the same vintage but a few less miles. Check if the catalytic conerters have been replaced in the last 50,000 miles. The originals were not known for lasting all that long and my replacements (at 60,000 miles) were a £1,000 job from an independent so goodness knows what it would be through MB directly.

It is a complicated car electrically so make sure everything is working as it should be. Press every switch and take the time to see if there are any faults.

I've had some issues with the interior trim, particularly around the seat base from where the seat rubs against adjoining components, so be sure to move the seats back and forth with the electrical switches and see that the aciton is smooth and nothing snags.

Other than that, be prepared for enormous running costs generally in comparison with what is a bargain of a car to buy second hand. 20mpg is about as good as the fuel consumption averages with mixed usage and servicing is not that cheap. These things cost upwards of £70K new and still cost what a £70K car costs to run after all these years. Being their top of the range model in their day, these were built a little better than the generally perceived poor quality of Mercedes of that era.

[Egbert Nobacon]

Rust.

Look at where the "c" pillar meets the rear wing - some have rust appearing there.

Mercedes should repair for free if the car has FMBSH, but some people are having to battle hard to get it done.