CLS350 Shooting Brake

[silver1011]

A long time lurker, currently in a 2016 W212 E220, always hankered after a CLS Shooting Brake.

One that pretty much hits all of the must-have list (heated seats, Iridium silver), plus the added benefit of COMAND, sunroof and factory window tints has cropped up for sale recently close to me.

It's heavy on the mileage (120,000 miles) but that's the price to pay for potentially moving out of a 60,000 mile 2016 W212 E220 into an 2013 X218 CLS350 potentially without any money changing hands.

Is now a good time to be buying a 3.0 V6 diesel, is there ever a good time!?

They just look so smart, am I mad!?

From this...



...to this...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202004309123129

 

[Ted]

That’s a stunning looking car. I love it.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Love the CLS SB - beautiful!

 

[Chrishazle]

Go ffor it, the V6 is reportedly an awesome engine, and you won't regret the practicality of the SB. We thought that we'd loose the Estate car when the nest emptied, that was about 15 years ago, we still have one and would not be without it!

 

[Teego]

I think any CLS is a niche Benz, but once you have one you'll have a troubled mind. Hmmm, what next? Nothing, just a faster one.
I have a CLS55 and it still blows my mind.

 

[billy1993]

Never liked the CLS until I owned one... The more you look at it the better it gets!

Although I wouldn't personally go for the shooting brake....

 

[Deleted member 149005]

what about this one?

Mercedes CLS350 for sale in Warwickshire | Mercland

Mercedes CLS350, Diesel, Automatic, 70,323 Miles, Silver at Mercland for £16,990

www.mercland.com

 

[silver1011]

That is indeed a lovely example, alas it is the facelift so a chunk more cash @ £17,000...



My budget limits me to the value of my E-Class, which unfortunately despite paying £16,000 for a year and 25,000 miles ago now has a trade value of close to £10,000.

The pre-facelift CLS gets the square headlights and smaller / older COMAND screen, but is incredible value, the one I'm going to see this afternoon is advertised at £10,200, plus a £149 admin fee (why do car dealers do this, wouldn't it make more sense to just add it to the screen price?).

I am slightly concerned at the age (2013) and mileage (120,000 miles), citing potential big bills around the corner, but a quick call to JCT600 Mercedes in York this morning yielded some reassuring service history...

Service 1: 2014 - Warrington @ 12,000 miles.
Service 2: 2015 - Warrington @ 22,000 miles.
Service 3: 2016 - Maidstone @ 32,000 miles.
Service 4: 2017 - Brighton @ 46,000 miles*.
Service 5: 2017 - Brighton @ 60,000 miles*.
Service 6: 2018 - Brighton @ 75,000 miles* (included transmission oil change)
Service 7: 2019 - Brighton @ 89,000 miles.
Service 8: 2019 - Brighton @ 105,000 miles.

* whilst on a Mercedes service plan.

Over that period it has had three breakdowns:

1) 2017 - Vacuum pump
2) 2017 - Puncture
3) 2020 - Puncture, unable to remove locking wheel nut.

It had a software update in April 2014, another one in 2017 and I'm told it is being flagged under a Mercedes Technical Bulletin for another but outstanding software update of some sort.

MOT history looks OK, a couple of fails on uneven tyre wear and what appears to be bent front alloy wheels, although the photo's suggest they've been refurbished as they're now grey instead of silver. It was last MOT'd by the current non-Mercedes dealer and has an advisory for one of the rear tyres being close to the legal limit.

So, going on service history alone it looks OK, seeing it in the flesh later will be the confirmation, but the decider will be the value of my part-ex, I can't let it go for £10K after spending £16K on it barely a year ago.

Thanks for the comments so far. Any pointers as to what to check out over and above the usual stuff for this afternoon would be appreciated!

 

[Deleted member 149005]

Has anyone given you a px value for your 60,000 mile 2016 W212 E220

It can't help to ask MERCLAND, advertising the above with just over half the miles

 

[silver1011]

Yes, they offered me £10,000, claiming the 'book' had it at £9,650.

The same dealer offered me £11,000 earlier in the year against a different CLS.

 

[Teego]

Not what you are looking for but a good example of whats out there. Cheap as chips.
CLS 320

 

[silver1011]

Just been to view it.

- The underside of the front bumper has been heavily kerbed.
- The nearside front corner of the bumper has had a poor quality repair and paint job.
- The headlights, front bumper and bonnet are heavily stone chipped.
- The windscreen is non-original and has a large chip in it (not an MOT failure).
- A very small rust bubble at the leading edge of the roof above the windscreen.
- All four alloys have had a cheap refurb, only the outer surfaces have been painted, the inner surfaces weren't cleaned and the brake dust is now sealed in with lacquer.
- Three Pirelli P-Zero tyres of varying tread depth, both rears on the wear bars and one of the fronts has a brand new budget tyre.
- All four door edges have been up against a wall and the paint is deeply chipped.
- Rear bumper has a few loading and parking rashes.
- Nearside rear door card torn (only a very small nick).
- Drivers side lower door also nicked in several places along the very bottom edge.
- Front passenger seat holed, looks like a zip or something has caught it.
- White marks around the sides of the boot, on the headlining and on the inner edges of both front seats (looks as though they've carried something long with the seats down without protecting the interior).
- Drivers side door seal warn where the driver has rubbed it getting in and out.
- Drivers seat shiny and slippery, probably not helped by the cockpit shine covering everything.
- Only just started, probably down to being stood for several weeks.
- It is due a service now (120,000 miles / June 2020).

On a positive note, the floor mats were immaculate, the number of scratches and scuffs were low given the age and mileage, the engine bay looked clean and there was nothing hanging off underneath.

A lot of car for £10,345, but one that if you're like me needs a couple of grand spending on it to make it great again...

- A pair of tyres - £300
- A full service - £350?
- An exterior detail and interior valet - £400
- All four alloys refurbishing - £300
- Bodywork restoration door edges, front and rear bumpers touched up - £500?

Possible needs:

- New battery - £100
- Gearbox oil change - £250

A good car, but I'm not sure it is worth £2,000 more than my current E-Class.

 

[silver1011]

Not what you are looking for but a good example of whats out there. Cheap as chips.
CLS 320

The colour alone makes such a difference, I've never seen Mauritius Blue before, it looks great.

An awful lot of car for £5,500. That's a deposit and a few monthly payments on a leased Euro barge of some description.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Just been to view it.

- The underside of the front bumper has been heavily kerbed.
- The nearside front corner of the bumper has had a poor quality repair and paint job.
- The headlights, front bumper and bonnet are heavily stone chipped.
- The windscreen is non-original and has a large chip in it (not an MOT failure).
- A very small rust bubble at the leading edge of the roof above the windscreen.
- All four alloys have had a cheap refurb, only the outer surfaces have been painted, the inner surfaces weren't cleaned and the brake dust is now sealed in with lacquer.
- Three Pirelli P-Zero tyres of varying tread depth, both rears on the wear bars and one of the fronts has a brand new budget tyre.
- All four door edges have been up against a wall and the paint is deeply chipped.
- Rear bumper has a few loading and parking rashes.
- Nearside rear door card torn (only a very small nick).
- Drivers side lower door also nicked in several places along the very bottom edge.
- Front passenger seat holed, looks like a zip or something has caught it.
- White marks around the sides of the boot, on the headlining and on the inner edges of both front seats (looks as though they've carried something long with the seats down without protecting the interior).
- Drivers side door seal warn where the driver has rubbed it getting in and out.
- Drivers seat shiny and slippery, probably not helped by the cockpit shine covering everything.
- Only just started, probably down to being stood for several weeks.
- It is due a service now (120,000 miles / June 2020).

On a positive note, the floor mats were immaculate, the number of scratches and scuffs were low given the age and mileage, the engine bay looked clean and there was nothing hanging off underneath.

A lot of car for £10,345, but one that if you're like me needs a couple of grand spending on it to make it great again...

- A pair of tyres - £300
- A full service - £350?
- An exterior detail and interior valet - £400
- All four alloys refurbishing - £300
- Bodywork restoration door edges, front and rear bumpers touched up - £500?

Possible needs:

- New battery - £100
- Gearbox oil change - £250

A good car, but I'm not sure it is worth £2,000 more than my current E-Class.

As I’m sure you’re aware, whichever way you dress it up - because you’re looking to stay cost neutral - you’re going to be going from (certainly what looks like) a mint W212 to an older, higher mileage CLS and that change is not an easy one to make.

Your car looks to be worth circa £13k - why not sell yours leaving you more cash to find a cleaner, lower mileage CLS SB?

 

[Teego]

The colour alone makes such a difference, I've never seen Mauritius Blue before, it looks great.

An awful lot of car for £5,500. That's a deposit and a few monthly payments on a leased Euro barge of some description.

Here's my Designo Mauritius Blue CLS55. Special treat is matching nappa leather interior.

 

[Deleted member 149005]

Do you want or need the CLS?

If you want it, how much, £ wise, do you want one?

 

[silver1011]

I should have bought a CLS instead of the E-Class, the saloon boot opening and lack of folding rear seats can be problematic at times. I didn't think it would be, but I'm missing the practicality of an estate.

Do I want a CLS? Yes. Do I really need one? No, not really. I just very much like the fact it combines the space of an estate and (at least in my opinion, I know it is divided) the shooting brake looks phenomenal. Perhaps a little excessive but I think it is one of the best looking cars on the road.

I'd rather not spend anymore money, but what gauls me is the current value of my E-Class, the reality is I won't get a CLS that is as tidy and as low mileage as my current car without spending more money, and as long as that is the case I'll continue to disappoint myself.

 

[silver1011]

Here's my Designo Mauritius Blue CLS55. Special treat is matching nappa leather interior.

Yum, I've always been a big fan of BMW's Estoril Blue, Skoda's Race Blue and MG's Pimlico Blue. I can now add Mauritius Blue to that list!

Matching interior, that must be one of very, very, very few in the UK?

 

[silver1011]

As I’m sure you’re aware, whichever way you dress it up - because you’re looking to stay cost neutral - you’re going to be going from (certainly what looks like) a mint W212 to an older, higher mileage CLS and that change is not an easy one to make.

Your car looks to be worth circa £13k - why not sell yours leaving you more cash to find a cleaner, lower mileage CLS SB?

Alas, you're bang on. Nail, head, hit.

The CLS is probably well priced, my issue is that my E-Class has lost a significant chunk since buying it a year ago. Fully understandable and not unsurprising, but I can't get my head around losing such a chunk in order to swap to an albeit much nicer but ultimately older and higher mileage CLS.

I very much hope to scratch the itch one day, the problem with selling privately is timing. Chances are I'd sell mine and wouldn't be able to find a decent CLS. I could always buy a cheap car to tide me over I guess, but then I come full circle and realise how good the E-Class is, even though it doesn't excite me like a CLS does.

The search continues, awaiting me to accept the fact I'll need to put my hand in my pocket!

 

[Teego]

Yum, I've always been a big fan of BMW's Estoril Blue, Skoda's Race Blue and MG's Pimlico Blue. I can now add Mauritius Blue to that list!

Matching interior, that must be one of very, very, very few in the UK?

Here it is