High mileage CLS 320CDI

[Nigel_O]

I keep looking longingly at these in the classifieds (looking for Obsidian black, 18" wheels, black or grey leather, grey maple or matt walnut dash), but as they start to fall close to my meagre budget, they also seem to be edging up on the miles.

I'm not particularly scared of high mileage, as long as I understand the possible risks. My daily hack Alfa GT has done 184,000 and has needed a turbo, suspension wishbones and next week, a clutch - none of them a particularly scary prospect.

However, from what I can see, the CLS is a far more complicated beastie, with the potential for far bigger bills than my GT could ever throw at me - is there anything that I should be looking out for at say 100k - 150k, and again at 175k+ ?

Or - would I be better spending and extra couple of grand on a sub 100k car, rather than risking a £2k+ bill on a big miler?

Is there a cut-off date where any post-launch niggles were sorted (although I'm assuming that any early car with big miles would have been sorted by now)

Thanks in advance

[Stegel]

I've posted a few times on my experience running a CLS CDI from new (Sept 06) to now and 102k miles. It is currently in the body shop having damage caused by a Micra on the M6 repaired, but I plan to take it to 10 years old, and given how solid it still feels, mileage is not an issue so far as solidity is concerned.

Early cars had a problem with the lining to exhaust manifolds potentially breaking up and destroying the turbo - my car is one of that batch, and I changed them at about 90k miles as a precaution - probably a waste of money, but I plan to keep it for a while yet.

It has broken all springs at least once (one twice!) and got through a couple of ball joints - all typical Merc faults.

The oil seal on the inlet tract fails (even the improved later design does) and oil dripping into the V destroys the inlet port shutdown motor (about £600 at a main dealer from memory). If you're really unlucky the inlet manifold breaks the part the motor moves and that means a new manifold (£2,000) although hopefully the after-market will wake up to that and offer a recon service at some point.

The drivers window regulator failed - I had a new one fitted, but there is a DIY fix.

There are tales of gearbox woes, but my car seems fine (touch wood!). My car has full MB service, and I've done an additional gearbox fluid change. I get around 20,000 from tyres, and I think it's on its third set of front discs and pads.

Buy on condition, ensure it has full service history and enjoy!

[oop north]

My business partner just got rid of his after doing 160k miles over a bit under six years - total 180k and nothing major went wrong with it.

[dkatwa]

oop north said:

My business partner just got rid of his after doing 160k miles over a bit under six years - total 180k and nothing major went wrong with it.

This would all be motorway driving I would assume - hardly puts any stress on the components.... There is a silver one in Scotland which might be the one in question??