Advice Required - CL600 2005 limited s/h

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muthaducka

New Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2007
Messages
8
Location
Windlesham, Surrey
Car
Black C43 AMG 1998
Hi guys

My father has put down a deposit on a cl600 v12 twin turbo.
It's an 05 with 31k on the clock from Mercedes used approved with 1 yr merc warranty.

The plan is to collect the car tomorrow but he's been told today the service book is not available / lost and all they can provide is a print out. We contacted Mercedes and they only have a record of one service in 2008 although they can't state what the mileage was. The car is due / being serviced tomorrow before my dad collects it.

Then with that limited information, that could mean one assumed simple service after 3 years (05-08) then nothing until tomorrow.

With the modern long life oils and the low mileage is that to be expected or should there be more age related services thrown in?

I'm trying to find out before he does the deal tomorrow and any help would be appreciated.

Matt
 
Hmm ... I thought all approved used cars were meant to have a proper service history.

AFAIK it would be due a service at least every 2 years.
 
I hope it is cheap as the value of a CL600 will be slaughtered for lack of full service history when he comes to sell it.
 
Was the previous owner Top Gear?
 
^ hehehe check for some white....erm....powder...


Joking aside athough I have print outs for everyservice I was told also its all on line? so they (the garage) should be able to print off all the service history of the car.

They can or should be able to give you a replacement service book but it does have duplicate stamped all over it.

If your happy with the service they can print then I would be asking for a duplicate book AND an extra year tier one warranty and another service.

It could have implications when you sell it and lets be honest a V12 merc isn't going to be easy to shift if fuel is £10 gallon... You will need everything in order.
 
Thanks for your responses chaps. I live at the other end of the country do my dad otherwise I would have visited to have a look. He will be the third owner from new. It isn't cheap either, at the higher end of used values. Everything else points tons well cared for car.

What I don't get is the service intervals on these. The computer just calculates the service interval based your driving style, types of journey and mileage. Is it realistic to have first service after 3 years then next service 3.25 years later? As the trip computer will be up to date for next service when he collects the car and there are no fixed service schedules on these, I have no way of knowing if the large gaps between servicing is ok or not?

I'm used to changing the oil on my cara at least once a year regardless of mileage, so is my dad.

I have thought of pushing them to an extended warranty or service package tonclinch the deal if my dad really wants it. He's just not as pushy as me :(
 
Although an excellent choice of car, patchy service history on a V12 twin-turbo Mercedes is asking for trouble in my opinion.

It's had 2 owners and only one service in 6 years?? You would expect at least 3 services.

I wouldn't buy it, I'm afraid.
 
It should have had more services than this. If its any sort of a guide our SLK is an 05, done 23,000 miles and has had 4 services. They come round every 12-15 months if you do a low mileage. The CLK which is 2003 comes round every 2 years if low mileage. I think the intervals changed early in 2004. I know these cars are not n the same league as a CL600 but it does give an idea of what should have been done. These are very expensive cars to maintain if they have been neglected at all.
 
Run.



I had a similar storey with a Signature Approved Car (a while back). Eventually got a full refund.
 
Morning Guys. My dad passes on his thanks for all your responses. On the merit of your response he's going to join if he makes the purchase. He's asked for todays service to include plugs, coolant and break fluid change and he's going to push for a 2 year warranty minimum. I'll let you know what the print-out service shows later this afternoon.

I can't find anything about the cambelt? Just the poly-v belt which I understand runs most things other than the cam... Does it have a chain or cambelt and any ideas about changing schedule? - thanks once again.
 
far too long gaps between services ... I wouldn't buy, warranty or not.
 
It's chain driven, not belt.

Out of interest, how much is he paying for the car?
 
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Get a very good discount or walk away is my advice. The problem will be when he goes to sell it.
 
Just under £19k for the car. Top end althoughit is a late model before the latest shape change. Good news. Turns outthe printout shows 4 services since new and the lady one just under 1k ago so a worry about nothing in the end. Just poor form that the service book is missing. They done a full service on it anyway at my dads request including brake and coolant fluid change. Should pick it up on Monday so I'll ask him to get some pics up. Can't wait to have a test drive myself. Still a heavy car but never driven a v12 before :)
 
That is excellent news! Your father is obviously a man of great taste....:thumb:
 
Brilliant news. Thats a lot of car for relatively little money and the back up of MB warranty.
 
It will put a smile on your face.
 
Thats my boy

First off, thank you to 'Muthaducka' (my son) for telling me all about this great club, secondly, a VERY BIG THANK YOU to all that helped and offered good advice on the subject of a CL600. It may help if I explained. I live in Scotland, the car was in Aylesbury (part of the same group)(Stratstone)a driver was sent down to Aylesbury to drive the car up to Scotland so I could give it the 'once over' he brought the car but left all the docs,V5,service book,MOTs. I phoned Mercedes Uk and was told the car had last been serviced (at a franchised dealer) in 2008, this is all they would tell me. On Tuesday 18th I went to look at the car,I was informed that the chap who had driven it from down south had gone to pick up another car and had taken the keys with him,mmm! I then asked to look at the paperwork,V5 and so on, I was informed these had been left 'down South' another mmm! I was then told that the doc's would be sent up post haste.On Thursay the had still not arrived.
On Friday 22nd I had my first chance to see the car close up,and have a test drive along with my wife. The car looked and drove like new,it was, in short,'the dogs dangly bits' I could not believe that someone that kept a car in such good nick would fail to have it properly serviced. I informed the salesman that I would purchase the car subject to a full service,and I meant a full service, plugs, coolant,brake fluid,all filters,both air and cabin. He agreed to all but the plugs,I insisted that at least they should remove the plugs to prove that they had not seized. Later the same day the doc's arrived including Two MOTs and the all important service book. The book had four stamps, three from a franchised Merc dealer and one from an Indi at only 1000miles prior to the full service it recieved. I should have the car this coming Tuesday (the V5 needs to have a taxation change to 'disabled') and of course to be taxed.To say I am pleased would be a great understatement. The car is silver and has all the toys with roughly 31,000 miles. I will,with the help of my son,try to upload photographs once I am in receipt of it.
Thank you again for all the help.
 
God doesn't everybody like a story with a happy ending?. But it isn't quite the end is it?. The car hasn't been delivered to it's new intended owner.

So watch this space as the story continues.

I for one hope he enjoys many miles of safe trouble free motoring.

Tony
 

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