1998 CL500

[R08in]

First post for a new member. General inquiry here. I picked up the above about 3 years ago. It's a superb motor and absolutely love it. Sincen owning this 'beast as my 13 yr old calls it I have not seen any other vehicle that is the same. There are a few newer CL500s around but nothing of this vintage. How could I find out how many were registered and how many remain on the road?
Any advice welcome.
I regularly work in DE and the USA and haven't seen anything of similar vintage out there either.
Maybe I need to get out more...

 

[219]

How Many Left?

 

[alabbasi]

You used to see W140's all over the place about a decade or so ago. Usually with huge wheels and windows rolled down because of broken evaporator cores. Now they're much harder to find but do show up. When you're in DE next, take a look at facebook market. I suspect that you'll find one or two for sale.

 

[SW18]

I searched CL500 and this page lists just 154 sold before the end of 1999. Assuming most are now deceased or SORN’ed there are surely only a tiny handful left on the road in the U.K.
MERCEDES CL500 AUTO - How Many Left?

 

[R08in]

I searched CL500 and this page lists just 154 sold before the end of 1999. Assuming most are now deceased or SORN’ed there are surely only a tiny handful left on the road in the U.K.
MERCEDES CL500 AUTO - How Many Left?

Thanks folks. Do You know if DVLA would interact on a similar inquiry?

 

[R08in]

You used to see W140's all over the place about a decade or so ago. Usually with huge wheels and windows rolled down because of broken evaporator cores. Now they're much harder to find but do show up. When you're in DE next, take a look at facebook market. I suspect that you'll find one or two for sale.

Could you explain 'broken evaporator cores for me please. I'm guessing at your meaning but it'd be nice to be certain.
I think my vehicle could do with new window seals all round. The rubber is perishing, what chance do you think of finding these?

 

[SW18]

Just done some more searching: it seems the C140 model was only from 1996 to 1998 so that would mean

Thanks folks. Do You know if DVLA would interact on a similar inquiry?

I’ve never tried but you could call them and ask. Or you could try MB who would surely have records of how many they sold. They don’t have a good reputation for being helpful though...

 

[alabbasi]

Could you explain 'broken evaporator cores for me please. I'm guessing at your meaning but it'd be nice to be certain.
I think my vehicle could do with new window seals all round. The rubber is perishing, what chance do you think of finding these?

Many W140's would suffer from evaporator cores failing (the evaporator is the part of the a/c system that provides the cold air to the cabin). A replacement is a dash out job which is about 20 hours of labor. As a result, you'd see a lot of these cars (especially here in Texas) rolling down the road with all four windows down because owners would rather spend the money on 22" spinners than working a/c.

They're pretty rare now, but i do know of a couple of CL600 coupes in DFW. I was not in the least bit interested in the W140 until recently and jumped from a W126/C126 straight to a W220/C215. I'd like to find a 98 or 99 W140 CL600 or S600 someday, after I whittle down my car herd.

 

[John]

I've seen one first generation 140 CL500 - it was in Gravesend around 2011/2012 and on the number plate it started with P166 (made me think PIG) but appeared to be the original plate issued i.e. not personalised.

All I remember, as I was behind it at some traffic lights and passed it as it turned right, was it absolutely reeked of petrol as if the CATs had all been removed.

 

[alabbasi]

it absolutely reeked of petrol as if the CATs had all been removed.

That would not cause a car to reek of petrol

 

[grober]

They evidently only made 26,022 coupes. The saloons were facelifted/ slimmed down in 95-98 *with detailed changes to their side panels/trim in an attempt to make them appear less cumbersome on the road-I assume the coupes benefitted from the same treatment? [ there was no physical alteration in the basic floorpans size -just appearance] There may have been an electronics upgrade at the same time 96? despite the car being the first mainstream canbus model?
This guy has the definitive site on the early coupes
K6JRF Auto Page
* Older and newer 140s.
ps nice car

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I searched CL500 and this page lists just 154 sold before the end of 1999. Assuming most are now deceased or SORN’ed there are surely only a tiny handful left on the road in the U.K.
MERCEDES CL500 AUTO - How Many Left?

That sounds right.

Remember that the car was called a 500SEC and 600SEC from 1991 to 1994, when it was rebranded the CL500 and CL600 (as well as the rare 420SEC)

You'll find a few hundred here:
Search results for 'sec500' - How Many Left?

Bear in mind you'll see more W140's CL420's and CL600's in the UK than CL500's. The W140 Coupe was a more extreme luxury car than the W215 which replaced it.

I see three or four V12 CL600's driving around in Surrey / SW London. Imperious beasts - recognisable by the petrol tanker following at a discreet distance.

I take the point about the evaporator cores, but the broad issue is the usual twenty year old motor one that they become so cheap to buy that people can't be bovvered to maintain them. Their replacements (the W215's) are so cheap, recognisably more modern and fuel efficient, that there's ipressure on people to just buy the new model. (Lots of lovely, virtually impossible to sell, W215's around for £3-5k - basically the cost of a good service plus a few repairs on a W140)

.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

"Be still my beating heart
It would be better to be cool.....'

 

[alabbasi]

The 96+ W140's and R129's got a number of upgrades including:
722.6 transmission which was probably the most impactful change as it completely transformed drivability
Modernized A/C system with a digital climate control panel
Updated engine management system with OBD2 and coil packs
Xenon lights on the very late models
Parking sensors
They also did away with the biodegradable wiring

Probably some other stuff, but that's off the top of my head. A/C and 722.6 are the most important

 

[John]

That would not cause a car to reek of petrol

Sorry, yes, meant to state "that rich smell you get when a car is on choke after starting".

 

[R08in]

The for the comments above. I just love this motor but am under pressure from my good lady to sell...
Anyway, here's another question. If you look at the picture I posted and the wheels. I haven't seen this type of wheel on any other motor. That includes pics etc. Are these standard? Whilst the car has a 90s image in some respects I think the wheels are still v current.

 

[alabbasi]

If you're talking about those wheels? They look like wheels that were offered on an R170 SLK. They would 17" wheels

 

[John]

If you're talking about those wheels? They look like wheels that were offered on an R170 SLK. They would 17" wheels

Those look bigger than 17". I would guess 18" possibly 19".

Closest thing I've seen before are these which are 18" but not quite the same:

https://picclick.co.uk/Mercedes-W211-E55-AMG-III-5-Spoke-Alloy-323589513342.html

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I'd call them the AMG Style 3 wheels that were sold in 17's or 18's for the W210, W203, and W209.

Could be original or copies. A quick look at the build quality would tell you which they are.

 

[Doodle]

Remember that the W140 uses M14 wheel bolts, not M12. I wonder if they're off the next CL (215)?