Mercedes-Benz CLS 320 CDi - A Surprise 'Thank You' Present
Discussion
Blib said:
Well done OP. What a wonderful gesture. I must ask, what did you get your mother?
I'm doing something similar for Mrs Blib. Since seeing them pootling about when she was a child, holidaying in France with her parents, Mrs Blib has loved the original Fiat 500.
So, to celebrate her very special mumble mumble birthday next May and as a thank you for putting up with me and my shenanigans, I've secretly bought a 1970 model which I've stripped down and I'm currently rebuilding from the ground up. No expense spared. New engine & 'box, a complete respray in her favourite colour, full leather interior, etc. etc. Half the fun is trying to get her preferences from her without her realising what's going on.
I hope that she will be as happy with her car as your father clearly is with his.
Worth a thread on its own - is there one such?I'm doing something similar for Mrs Blib. Since seeing them pootling about when she was a child, holidaying in France with her parents, Mrs Blib has loved the original Fiat 500.
So, to celebrate her very special mumble mumble birthday next May and as a thank you for putting up with me and my shenanigans, I've secretly bought a 1970 model which I've stripped down and I'm currently rebuilding from the ground up. No expense spared. New engine & 'box, a complete respray in her favourite colour, full leather interior, etc. etc. Half the fun is trying to get her preferences from her without her realising what's going on.
I hope that she will be as happy with her car as your father clearly is with his.
I helped Dad with a few bits on the car.
COMAND NTG2.5 Retrofit
The NTG2.5 is a HDD based unit that was introduced around 2008 and replaced the DVD based unit which would have been fitted to this year of CLS (pre-facelift) at the factory. I forget now what I had to do to fit it - there were some wiring changes - but it's all in and working with Bluetooth and integration with the instrument cluster.
Colour Coded Steering Wheel
The CLS had a black steering wheel as standard, which I don't mind, but Dad prefers it in the same colour leather/plastic as the rest of the car. He sourced an Alpaca Grey steering wheel and airbag from a W209 CLK; the same type of wheel is fitted to many of Mercedes car from this era.
Fitting was quite simple, but there are a couple of things to watch out for: 1) for some reason the wheel is not keyed and can be refitted off-centre, and 2) the clock spring and steering angle sensor are delicate, so be careful.
The CLK wheel didn't have provision to hold the steering wheel module (silver box), so I bonded it to the wheel instead.
Complete. The carpets are not filthy - they just turn a brown colour when wet!
COMAND NTG2.5 Retrofit
The NTG2.5 is a HDD based unit that was introduced around 2008 and replaced the DVD based unit which would have been fitted to this year of CLS (pre-facelift) at the factory. I forget now what I had to do to fit it - there were some wiring changes - but it's all in and working with Bluetooth and integration with the instrument cluster.
Colour Coded Steering Wheel
The CLS had a black steering wheel as standard, which I don't mind, but Dad prefers it in the same colour leather/plastic as the rest of the car. He sourced an Alpaca Grey steering wheel and airbag from a W209 CLK; the same type of wheel is fitted to many of Mercedes car from this era.
Fitting was quite simple, but there are a couple of things to watch out for: 1) for some reason the wheel is not keyed and can be refitted off-centre, and 2) the clock spring and steering angle sensor are delicate, so be careful.
The CLK wheel didn't have provision to hold the steering wheel module (silver box), so I bonded it to the wheel instead.
Complete. The carpets are not filthy - they just turn a brown colour when wet!
I have just got a 2008 CLS 500 and I love it, Iridium Silver but also with the Alpaca Grey leather, 110,000 but the thing is pretty much like new, the seats show no wear and more or less everything works, well, apart from a passenger mirror folding facility which has a mind of its own, for now it is disconnected.
Just had a full set of Pirellis fitted to replace the knackered Michelins on the back and cheapy MOT dealer fit special "Mohawks" which will be going on Ebay.
These are lovely cars and are fairly cheap for what you get, I am not missing my 350Z having got this, feels like double what I paid for it, as long as the engine and box dont screw up and the air suspension behaves itself I can live with 18 to the gallon and £505 VED, will need front brakes soon, I reckon I can do that for £160 myself and the rears are nearly new.
Alpaca grey doesnt look that great in photos I found, I went to see it on a whim but in person it is much nicer and a welcome change from black.
Was such a nice thing you did for your dad, I will just let mine borrow mine, unless I win the lottery !
Even then, the new one, it just doesnt do it for me in the same way as these.
The NTG 2.5 is pretty good, mine came with it, ok, its not bang up tot he minute but there is plenty of functionality, enough that I wouldnt bother changing it out now, I wish mine had the HK speakers but the standard stuff sounds actually pretty decent, a HK upgrade is two and a half grand !
Just had a full set of Pirellis fitted to replace the knackered Michelins on the back and cheapy MOT dealer fit special "Mohawks" which will be going on Ebay.
These are lovely cars and are fairly cheap for what you get, I am not missing my 350Z having got this, feels like double what I paid for it, as long as the engine and box dont screw up and the air suspension behaves itself I can live with 18 to the gallon and £505 VED, will need front brakes soon, I reckon I can do that for £160 myself and the rears are nearly new.
Alpaca grey doesnt look that great in photos I found, I went to see it on a whim but in person it is much nicer and a welcome change from black.
Was such a nice thing you did for your dad, I will just let mine borrow mine, unless I win the lottery !
Even then, the new one, it just doesnt do it for me in the same way as these.
The NTG 2.5 is pretty good, mine came with it, ok, its not bang up tot he minute but there is plenty of functionality, enough that I wouldnt bother changing it out now, I wish mine had the HK speakers but the standard stuff sounds actually pretty decent, a HK upgrade is two and a half grand !
Edited by J4CKO on Tuesday 8th December 12:25
mwstewart said:
J4CKO said:
I have just got a 2008 CLS 500 and I love it...
Ahh, you must have the 5.5 engine. Nice! The 219 is I think a classic design and will age very gracefully. I am very impressed with how it feels on the road.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff