CLS Petrol......... your thoughts please

[Reggie-rock]

After a lot of pros and cons on which car I should get next I think the CLS in petrol form would suit me best as I don't do many long runs and only live 9 miles from my work.
I will have a budget up to £11,000 but will wait until the spring before I can put my CLK 350 convertible up for sale so it will go for a better price then.
I don't mind what size engine although I'm thinking bigger is better at this stage and it must have distronic and massage heated seats.
I know these cars have air suspension which is the reason I avoided this model before and the G7 auto box which is also fitted to my present car with no problems after an transmission oil and filter change.
I would like to hear from other CLS owners the good and the bad things to watch out for so I have a few months to fully do my research which is the way I always choose my cars.

thanks

 

[C240Sport97]

CLS only has standard AirMatic DC on 500, 55 and 63

 

[StuartK]

If you don't do many miles I think a CLS63 is in order really

 

[Aero]

Apart from all the normal stuff when buying, specifically Check for:

Any sign of corrosion around rear arches. Ensure stone chip protectors are in place and in reasonable condition + the ones on the rear doors. Check inside lip of arch if you can although it's likely to be full of crud. Check seam between number and wing as well.

Check the all tyres for uneven wear and signs of bad alignment or suspension components wearing out. Many pull to the left but this can be countered if you know someone with the right alignment gear. Also worth noting what brands of tyre are on each corner as this will give you some idea on how the previous owner kept and thought about the car.

Check 7g box when it is stone cold and that it does not give any lumpy changes and does not stick in gear.

Make sure locking wheel bolt key AND spare bolts for space saver wheel are present. Depending on wheel config you sometimes have a different set of bolts for space saver.

If you pick one up with dvd navigation then it's good to have the dvd case so you know what map version you have and how old it is.

Worth trying to find out if the car has had any software updates applied by MB and if so what updates and when.

Spend time checking command system FULLY for all functions.

Check all windows move up and down without any funny noises or complaints other than normal motor noises as this could be a sign the cables are reaching the end of their life.

Check water gutters near wipers are clear and for any evidence of water overspill into engine area where it shouldn't.

Rear demisters can be prone to break in certain places but hard to check unless it's cold! Also check wing mirror glass feel warm to touch if under 15 deg c to ensure they are active.

Alloy wheel corrosion can affect some - centre cap badges can start to look rough after about 6 years or so. Kurbing damaging to inside rim edge not uncommon and impossible to see hence worth rolling up sleeve and feeling for anything obvious if you can.

Medical kit should be there under passenger seat but most bits probably out of date by now. I think there was a fire extinguisher option on some under drivers seat as well...

Make sure you get all the handbooks

Can't think of anything else. Good luck!!

 

[Reggie-rock]

Very informative, big thank you

 

[Brian 1]

WOW!! 29th car, I have just sold my Jaguar s-type se, after 13 years and gone for a CLS 250 Mercedes coupe, loving it, it will see me out.....lol

 

[Red C220]

Mercedes-Benz CLS 5.5 CLS500 7G-Tronic 4dr

 

[nick mercedes]

CLS Buyers Guide:

Keyless go $$$$$
Transmission with internals made of playdoh $$$$$$
Endless window regulators $$$$$$
Cloudy headlights $$$$$
Cracked alloy wheels every 6 months $$$$$$
Airmatic $$$$$$$
M272 Engine $$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Brian 1]

CLS Buyers Guide:

Keyless go $$$$$
Transmission with internals made of playdoh $$$$$$
Endless window regulators $$$$$$
Cloudy headlights $$$$$
Cracked alloy wheels every 6 months $$$$$$
Airmatic $$$$$$$
M272 Engine $$$$$$$$$$$$$

Lmao, I would say you didn't like them then

 

[Reggie-rock]

Mercedes-Benz CLS 5.5 CLS500 7G-Tronic 4dr

Nice car but wrong colour combo for me.

 

[Reggie-rock]

Lmao, I would say you didn't like them then

??

 

[Reggie-rock]

CLS Buyers Guide:

Keyless go $$$$$
Transmission with internals made of playdoh $$$$$$
Endless window regulators $$$$$$
Cloudy headlights $$$$$
Cracked alloy wheels every 6 months $$$$$$
Airmatic $$$$$$$
M272 Engine $$$$$$$$$$$$$

I take it you have owned one then or is this what you have heard?

 

[KillerHERTZ]

CLS Buyers Guide:

Keyless go $$$$$
Transmission with internals made of playdoh $$$$$$
Endless window regulators $$$$$$
Cloudy headlights $$$$$
Cracked alloy wheels every 6 months $$$$$$
Airmatic $$$$$$$
M272 Engine $$$$$$$$$$$$$

Bo-locks, I've had non of this apart from cloudy headlights.

Why do you even come onto this site?

and why have your focused your livelihood in Mercedes? You clearly hate anything to do with Mercedes and are very bitter about ownership of AMGs?

All your recent post of yours are anti Merc and quiet frankly is getting tiresome.

 

[C240Sport97]

quick summary of my CLS55 ownership experience:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/2203157-post10.html

 

[NDFR]

Bo-locks, I've had non of this apart from cloudy headlights.

Why do you even come onto this site?

and why have your focused your livelihood in Mercedes? You clearly hate anything to do with Mercedes and are very bitter about ownership of AMGs?

All your recent post of yours is anti Merc and quiet frankly is getting tiresome.

 

[MWCLS]

Which girl in the pic are you NDFR?

 

[Abb]

CLS Buyers Guide:

Keyless go $$$$$
Transmission with internals made of playdoh $$$$$$
Endless window regulators $$$$$$
Cloudy headlights $$$$$
Cracked alloy wheels every 6 months $$$$$$
Airmatic $$$$$$$
M272 Engine $$$$$$$$$$$$$

Mine needed 2 replacement door handles as keyless entry wasnt working on two doors.
2 alloys were cracked but didn't know as they werent losing air, until I removed them to swap for another set.
Mines a M113k engine

All in all Reggie, i would highly recommend the 55 albeit from a biased point of view. Its an awesome car when running well, and a PITA when not, but I guess thats the same for any car!
What I like about it the most, is it can be driven as hard or as tame as you want to and it (for me) is still a very very stylish car to look at and the cabin is a nice place to be with a very high quality feel about it.

 

[nick mercedes]

All your recent post of yours are anti Merc and quiet frankly is getting tiresome.

The man wanted to know what goes wrong with CLS350, is it better we all ignore him?

 

[nick mercedes]

All in all Reggie, i would highly recommend the 55 albeit from a biased point of view. Its an awesome car when running well, and a PITA when not, but I guess thats the same for any car!
What I like about it the most, is it can be driven as hard or as tame as you want to and it (for me) is still a very very stylish car to look at and the cabin is a nice place to be with a very high quality feel about it.

The V8s or the diesel would be the one to own, the M272 can be a nightmare.

 

[E55BOF]

The M113K is a faaaaaabulous engine.