Looking at a 2001/2 CL500
Discussion
Tomorrow I'm looking at a CL500 at a dealer. We already have an SLK of the same age so I know of issues with rust etc, but aside from the usual when looking at an older car, is there anything I should pay close attention to on this model. I know of issues with ball joints on the suspension already, but anything else?
The car in question has covered 70,000 miles and has a full history.
The car in question has covered 70,000 miles and has a full history.
sanguinary said:
Tomorrow I'm looking at a CL500 at a dealer. We already have an SLK of the same age so I know of issues with rust etc, but aside from the usual when looking at an older car, is there anything I should pay close attention to on this model. I know of issues with ball joints on the suspension already, but anything else?
The car in question has covered 70,000 miles and has a full history.
- check all the electrics: massaging seats, sunroof, windows, electric mirrors, disc changer...everything...twice. Have all windows down at same time. Pay attention to the front two returning to closed. Any hesitation on either side, indicates a buried electrical fault.The car in question has covered 70,000 miles and has a full history.
- open bonnet and look for the egg crate sized (on passenger side) grill at the base of the window. pull up the plastic grill, and you'll notice it funnels down to a 50p sized hole. Make sure it's not clogged. Leaves and gunk will accrue here, water will overflow, then enter the cabin over the firewall.
- play with the suspension height settings (two stages). Walk round the car at each change and measure that the space between wheel and arch is equidistant for each side. Drive with car, at full lock on each of the three settings with windows down and listen intently.
- check the pillarless windows. They are normally double-glazed, but in the corners often discolouring will show.
- play the stereo loud. listen for any trim rattle, especially from the covers that surround the seat controls on the door.
- if it has keyless go, make sure you also have the spare key and it opens the doors and starts the car too.
- at 70k I'd be anticipating that an oil change would have occurred, but just check for general sludginess when pulling from a stop. See how freewheeling the car is when in D, but no gas, and on a clear, flat straight. It should loll along evenly without fuss, and feel smooth.
- check your lights. After 30 mins or so, electrical gremlins can show themselves with a flickering xenon. Not much of an issue for you, but a headache for someone in front of you, or coming your way.
- evidence of any crash damage at the front will often show itself by a) visual space differences between the glass headlamp surrounds and the bodywork, and b) missing surrounds to the parking sensors. Just check.
- listen for the cats at idle. A bummer if they go, like any car that was 80/90k new...
I won't be so rude as to ask what your budget is, but have you thought of going AMG? At the prices they are all coming down to - the ultra-rare W215 CL63 AMG is on sale at times, a 1/25 V12 anamoly for barely over 20k - then you'll get a slightly more sporty look (the wheelarch addendums, alloys, trim level....and the engine
) The 500 is lovely - all CL's are, but the price differential shouldn't be so broad.The engines through the range from 500>600>55>65 are all relatively unstressed items, so good for 200k+. Anything that's seen work, I'd walk away.
That was really helpful. Thanks.
I looked at one today and it checked out ok on all the points above apart from a rattle in the driver's door. Aside from that, perfect.
I've left it with the dealer to sort before I put any cash down.
It was a very, very nice vehicle though.
More to come (hopefully)...
I looked at one today and it checked out ok on all the points above apart from a rattle in the driver's door. Aside from that, perfect.
I've left it with the dealer to sort before I put any cash down.
It was a very, very nice vehicle though.
More to come (hopefully)...
EvoSlayer said:
Very informative post above tigerkoi, I've been considering one of these of a similar vintage to op and was wondering if they are prone to specific areas of corrosion or would it be mainly due to accident damage? Thanks
Hi,Well the thing is, you - well me - just don't see them around that often. But if I ever do, and it's static, the three places I look are the inner areas behind the rear wheels, the base of the c-pillar and the bonnet/headlamp surround. For the latter I just find it informative, because unlike many other cars, the lights are recessed so you can easily discern if something traumatic has happened by how correct everything does or doesn't look.
Beyond that I just haven't seen too many in a poor state. I'd stick my neck out and say that a 500/600 on average will have had fewer former keepers than say a 55/65. Reason being that a certain demographic would form the majority of sales for these type of cars at the beginning with many doing nothing more trying than mooching around town, wafting from designer shop to afternoon lunch. Whereas an AMG tends to attract those who'd want to wear out the rubber more often, then 18 months later, it's a Continental GT.
My wife is always moaning and groaning when I pick up the keys to the X5 instead of the CL. She loves it. We couldn't take it to Italy this year as I couldn't get the right tyres sourced in time - poor planning by me - and she just wasn't happy in the BMW for the trip.
I always flirt with getting something else, but just can't bear to lose it. Audi don't do anything equivalent. Had a 6 Series. Can never seem to press the button on a 911 and trade driving dynamics for a poorer interior. I think DB9s have some dropping still to do, but i'd miss the pillar-less looks. A 3200 or 4200 are just too temperamental for something I want to depend on. A Continental GT is the natural place next, but feel prices have more play in them for the next year.
It's got so many plus points: it's rare-ish; it's fast; M-B have made few better looking; engine is almost bullet-proof; being the flagship the options list is only for arcane items like a rear blind....
Thanks for that, some interesting comments, incidentally, following a clk55 I went down the 911 route and bought a 996 turbo 5 years ago and still have it. A fantastically capable machine which is now quite heavily modified...exhilerating but not particularly relaxing, hence the reason for considering the addition of a cl to waft around in.
sanguinary said:
Quick question: On flicking through the dashboard display, one of the messages says 'No Malfunctions'. How conclusive is this bearing in mind everything else, as above, checks out ok?
Pretty good. It can be reset by a garage of course, but for instance if you're overdue a service, every time you start up it will highlight that you are x days overdue.ABC will come up in red etc....
Try this: pull the passenger seat forward, as if someone is going to jump in the back. Leave it there. Start car and drive off. The display unit will notify you. If it doesn't.....
So basically, it's letting you know when things are up. Key to knowing that there aren't hidden electrical faults are that the windows don't stutter at half-way when closing them and gearbox is in Park. Just pop into an indie, ask if they can tell you if the system has been suppressed, get the OK, and then you know.
From what I've experienced it's an 'honest' and transparent car
Great post further up TigerKoi. I brought one of these (similar age) back in November and that would have been helpful! I took it to a specialist for a thorough going over and it cam back ok. I haven't had any serious problems, and it just went through it's MOT with just a problem with a rear light cluster that was easily fixed.
They have a scary reputation and there's a shed load of scare mongering on the web, but realistically if you get a good one and get it checked out or brought from somewhere you trust then it's going to be a good car in all likelihood.
Fantastic cars though. At the moment, there's literally nothing else I'd rather own.
Bit of a thread hijack coming up sorry, but it saves opening up a new thread. Tigerkoi, as you really seem to know your onions, can I ask you about possible causes of leaks in the boot? It gets wet under the carpet but above it seems ok. I did a bit of repair work on the seal going around the top lip of the boot but not sure what else to try.
They have a scary reputation and there's a shed load of scare mongering on the web, but realistically if you get a good one and get it checked out or brought from somewhere you trust then it's going to be a good car in all likelihood.
Fantastic cars though. At the moment, there's literally nothing else I'd rather own.
Bit of a thread hijack coming up sorry, but it saves opening up a new thread. Tigerkoi, as you really seem to know your onions, can I ask you about possible causes of leaks in the boot? It gets wet under the carpet but above it seems ok. I did a bit of repair work on the seal going around the top lip of the boot but not sure what else to try.
Edited by scrubchub on Monday 17th September 12:26
scrubchub said:
Great post further up TigerKoi. I brought one of these (similar age) back in November and that would have been helpful! I took it to a specialist for a thorough going over and it cam back ok. I haven't had any serious problems, and it just went through it's MOT with just a problem with a rear light cluster that was easily fixed.
They have a scary reputation and there's a shed load of scare mongering on the web, but realistically if you get a good one and get it checked out or brought from somewhere you trust then it's going to be a good car in all likelihood.
Fantastic cars though. At the moment, there's literally nothing else I'd rather own.
Bit of a thread hijack coming up sorry, but it saves opening up a new thread. Tigerkoi, as you really seem to know your onions, can I ask you about possible causes of leaks in the boot? It gets wet under the carpet but above it seems ok. I did a bit of repair work on the seal going around the top lip of the boot but not sure what else to try.
Hey, thank you. Appreciate that They have a scary reputation and there's a shed load of scare mongering on the web, but realistically if you get a good one and get it checked out or brought from somewhere you trust then it's going to be a good car in all likelihood.
Fantastic cars though. At the moment, there's literally nothing else I'd rather own.
Bit of a thread hijack coming up sorry, but it saves opening up a new thread. Tigerkoi, as you really seem to know your onions, can I ask you about possible causes of leaks in the boot? It gets wet under the carpet but above it seems ok. I did a bit of repair work on the seal going around the top lip of the boot but not sure what else to try.
Edited by scrubchub on Monday 17th September 12:26
There are lots of knowledgeable people I've found on the M-B forum, so would never put myself as an oracle, but always happy to offer some thoughts. I've generally thought that the more oblique/less obvious the car/model, the more specific and pertinent the info that's offered: it's going to be people who've experienced them who'll come back to you.
About water ingress....I've not experienced it I'm afraid, but....
- open the boot. You see near the area beyond (away from you if standing at the rear) the lid arms mechanism, but just below the window base? Can you see the two hard but malleable plastic plates that are screwed into the structure? Check the gap between those. If there is water ingress, and your channels are full of gunk then water COULD hold here, and if there was a gap, then I can imagine seepage will happen.
- at the corner where the light cluster is closest to the 90 degree angle of the boot lid, you'll see that the rubber strip (about 9mm thick) is often split into two at this point. Check that.
- the most concerning area would be behind and inside the rear wheel arch. If you raise the car on the highest ride height, then take a look inside the rear wheel well. The suspension spring should be visible, but check that the hard plastic in the arch hasn't split. This could be where there is some ingress. It's pretty much level with the base of the boot....I had a rear tyre blowout once. I was doing about 70, and all I knew was that the car shivered a little, and the XF behind that was being poorly driven, dropped off and disappeared in a cloud of smoke in the rear view mirror.
Now, the car was great. Like you know, you don't recklessly grab the wheel when that happens, just let the speed scrub off naturally - no braking - and veer from left to the hard shoulder. When getting the wheel off, I was thinking that I was sure that the force of such a mini explosion was not going to do the hard plastic that much good. At such speeds, hard reinforced rubber, flogging the innards isn't that healthy. If a split happens here in the plastic, well, it opens up the structure to constant tyre spray in wet weather. That, over time, may create rust.
As I say, haven't experienced a wet boot, but I popped out now to check for you. I looked hard especially those triangular plastic panels at the top of the boot bay....
Thats fantastic, thank you very much. I'm fairly convinced that the water is coming from underneath, as it gets wet when the roads are wet and after a drive (as in it seems to stay dry when sitting on the drive no matter what the weather), so the wheel arch seems like a decent shout. I'm fairly convinced that between myself and my old man we should be able to fix most things (within reason obviously!), so thanks for the info!
scrubchub said:
Bit of a thread hijack coming up sorry,
Not at all. The more info about these cars, the better. 
Anyway, I've only gone a bought one. Thanks to Tigerkoi for all the info. I'll be picking it up later this week. I'll get some pics up once I've worked out what all the buttons do!
sanguinary said:
Not at all. The more info about these cars, the better.
Anyway, I've only gone a bought one. Thanks to Tigerkoi for all the info. I'll be picking it up later this week. I'll get some pics up once I've worked out what all the buttons do!
Good luck to you. They're fantastic cars but there is a lot of scare mongering around about them, probably most of which from people who've never driven one, let alone owned it. I'm previously an Alfa owner so I've had that a lot. Enjoy it.Anyway, I've only gone a bought one. Thanks to Tigerkoi for all the info. I'll be picking it up later this week. I'll get some pics up once I've worked out what all the buttons do!
EvoSlayer said:
Well, the latest addition, a '00 CL600 with 100k on the clock, is now home. Managed to give it a good going over..all clayed, polished and waxed...
Beautiful. I brought a clay bar kit a few weeks ago but haven't had chance to use it yet, but those pics can serve as inspiration. I always really fancied a black one, they look fantastic, but the one I went to see had "run away" written all over it! EvoSlayer said:
Well, the latest addition, a '00 CL600 with 100k on the clock, is now home. Managed to give it a good going over..all clayed, polished and waxed...
Dude, that looks just like mine [except for the engine variance]. Congratulations.It is a beauty isn't it? The pillar-less look on a sunny day just can't be beat, can it?
So yours has the low rpm cylinder switch-off if I'm not mistaken? How is that to live with?
I also gave mine the clay bar, wax and polish treatment the other day. It's the sort of car that demands it
Thanks for the comments guys, I love the way these things look. I've only had it home a week or so, so not actually driven it that much yet but I'm liking the comfort and silence...alot (Missed that since my last Merc) and tbh the cylinder deactivation system is hardly noticeable and all the toys seem to work ok.
I actually spent most of my spare time last week getting it up to scratch. I used a 3M clay bar with Autoglym Rapid Detailer as lubrication, Autoglym Ultra Deep Shine to polish it up with and finally a coat of Dodo Juice Purple Haze Pro wax and I'm feeling pretty smug with the results really.
Breifly, as mentioned it's a '00 CL600, has covered a fraction over 100K, FSH by MB last done at 95K (although this was a while ago so could do with some fresh oil at least). Full test, 6 months rent in the windscreenand and clear HPI. The fun toys include massaging seats
Keyless Go, Linguatronic thingy and phone on a wire! TV needs a digital tuner, satnav needs an updated cd and front discs and pads will needs replacing soon.
A few pretty hefty bills were amongst the history most noticably ones for coil packs and ABC pump
Fingers crossed for a pain free experience...
I actually spent most of my spare time last week getting it up to scratch. I used a 3M clay bar with Autoglym Rapid Detailer as lubrication, Autoglym Ultra Deep Shine to polish it up with and finally a coat of Dodo Juice Purple Haze Pro wax and I'm feeling pretty smug with the results really.
Breifly, as mentioned it's a '00 CL600, has covered a fraction over 100K, FSH by MB last done at 95K (although this was a while ago so could do with some fresh oil at least). Full test, 6 months rent in the windscreenand and clear HPI. The fun toys include massaging seats
Keyless Go, Linguatronic thingy and phone on a wire! TV needs a digital tuner, satnav needs an updated cd and front discs and pads will needs replacing soon.A few pretty hefty bills were amongst the history most noticably ones for coil packs and ABC pump
Fingers crossed for a pain free experience...
Edited by EvoSlayer on Monday 24th September 21:01
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