CLS AROUND 2007

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IFFY100

Active Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2020
Messages
311
Location
SCOTLAND
Car
Cls 350 cdi 2010 grand edition
Looking to buy a cls (either 320cdi or 350 petrol) rather soon and was looking for some advice. To make this simple can members please answer the following questions:

  1. I will be doing around 15k a year and would like to buy the petrol model but what sort of mpg should I expect?
  2. Which model is more expensive to maintain?
  3. Can the gearbox (auto) and differential be easily serviced?
  4. Is it difficult to clock these cars, and if so, is there anyway to check? I ask because some I'm looking at are low mileage and have heard clocking cars is still widely done despite there being severe punishment for doing so!
  5. What should I look out for when buying one?
  6. Are these cars DIY friendly?
A bit of background on me - I have had several BMW's in the past and have worked on all of them. I'm a competent DIY'er (and love working on my cars). In terms of maintenance, I would undertake maintenance and repair of the car.

Thank you in advance for information that will be provided
 
My CLS 350 petrol gets about 28-29 mpg on a trip once warmed up, cold start and less than 10 miles, and it might be down to 22-25.
what pleases me is once wam, it doesn’t seem to get much lower when used with enthusiasm.
I keep reading about the petrol balance shaft problems, but mine is fine, I fitted the new cam sensor magnets, and I hear of far more diesel problems.
the diesel may be good, but I wouldn’t swap my purring petrol
 
Thanks for the info. What sort of mpg is expected from a diesel? and what is the symptoms of a balance shaft problem?
 
As I understand it, the v6 petrol m272 has variable valve timing on all four cams, of a very wide angle range. The balance shaft problem leads to issues with the timing chain and so valve timing. See the m272 thread for all the details, but the short version is if you get a lemon, it’s 3k engine engine rebuild.
 
Use an app. Like vehicle smart. Input the reg and you will have access to all previous mot data and mileage at the time. The om642 diesel engine has known issues and isnt exactly fuel efficient tbh. The long 6 with 5 speed box in the previous e320 was a much better set up. Look for history of worn edges on the tyres ,the front end alignment can be horrific to get right.
 
Had my petrol CLS 350 CGI for nearly 9 years now.

Window regulators and road springs aside it’s just been routine maintenance and hasn’t put a foot wrong. Sounds absolutely glorious too.

The CGI version has 292bhp compared with the regular 272bhp and is supposed to be slightly more fuel efficient although you’ll have to be driving carefully to ever see over 30mpg.
 
I would have a diesel 320/350 45mpg and more power. Plenty around I have one for sale 2009 80k miles. PM if you are interested at all.




In 2009 maybe late 2008 they were face lifted. Try for one of these if you can. Better Comand unit, no SBC brakes etc. Different mirrors with the "fork" design indicator lens, LED rear lights etc.
 
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SBC brakes went out in 2006 on the CLS, independent of the facelift, which was 2008.

The prefacelift cars have prettier mirrors and prettier oval exhausts. But not a great deal in it really. All of the have LED brake lights I think, my 57 plate does.

Find a well cared for and well maintained car and it should be a joy, they seem to be proving to be reliable and rust resistant.
 
I have had my 2007 CLS 320 diesel for 5 years and it is used very sparingly, stored inside and is low mileage.
My car averages 35mpg overall. I doubt there is much difference in maintenance costs between the diesel / petrol models. The gearbox is not easy to service. An oil change can be done but it is not something you are likely to manage on your drive. Have a search for threads detailing 7g oil changes. I would imagine that the recorded mileage can be changed by someone with the correct software and interface. Nearly all modern vehicles are pretty easy to clock with the advent of digital odometers leaving little physical evidence. Check the MOT history of the car online and also verify the service history if it comes with one. Follow your gut feeling and look / drive a good few cars to get an idea of how they should look, drive and feel.
These are not the most reliable of cars. I also run a Renault which now has 175,000 miles of which I added 125,000 in the last 5 years. The CLS has covered less than 10,000 miles in the same period. I mostly do my own maintenance and I would say that the Renault has less issues and is easier to maintain. My daughters run a Citroen C1 and a Peugeot 107 (same Toyota engine car with different badges) and these are even more reliable than the Renault and are a genuine pleasure to work on as they are extremely basic. Some aspects of the CLS are almost straightforward such as suspension and brakes but a there are a lot of electronics and accessories to play up. It may be worth getting your hands on a Haynes manual (W211 model) and have a browse. It will give you a flavour of what can and what can't be done without specialist MB tools.
The trade off is the driving and ownership experience. The CLS is a lovely place to be. I wish I bought the V8 petrol version as I do so few miles with it and it would add to the sense of occasion. There is also a vast amount of information available online to help you solve issues with these cars.
A 2007 model is now 13 years old so you can expect a few issues. The OM642 diesel engine is smooth, economical and pulls well enough but is prone to multiple issues but if you inspect carefully you will catch any existing issues. Start it up from stone cold, should be no ticking or smoke. Inspect very carefully for oil leaks. This is difficult because of the engine tray but try and get it on ramps if you can. The gearbox should change up and down smoothly - the 7g box can develop faults where it hangs on to gears and also changes down abruptly. These cars also rot if used on gritted roads. Front chassis legs in particular but almost anywhere. Check all the electrics and gimmicks work. There are a lot of them and all of them are relatively expensive to replace. I like the original 5 spoke 18" wheels but they do not take pot holes very well and are expensive to replace so tend to get welded / repaired. They also corrode.
There are a lot of these cars out there so take your time and choose carefully.
 

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