Odd CL65

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noy91

Active Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2014
Messages
260
Location
Chichester, West Sussex
Car
CL55 AMG Kompressor ('55)
So I periodically have a scout round for 215s, just to see what's out there and how current offerings compare to mine price and condition wise (not that I have the 65), and just now came across this:

Used 2006 Mercedes-Benz CL for sale in Somerset | Pistonheads

What struck me as odd was the instrument cluster seemed to not be the AMG one, lacking the inscription on the rev counter, having the redline and not having the 200mph speedometer.

Is this a legit thing, or a cunningly presented 600?

EDIT: putting the reg into an insurance quote lists it as a 65, so was it a model year dependent feature?
 
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It has massive 65 brakes for sure.

The speedo should be 220mph. The top centre should be 80mph on a CL65 and the numbers reduce in size above that speed.
It has AMG and V12 bi turbo in the rev counter.

Wonder if it's been replaced with a standard one at some time. I'm sure a car with such a crazy new price tag wouldn't have received the wrong speedo at point of manufacture.
 
Must have been replaced at some point then - I'd have thought replacement panels were similar prices new, which makes we wonder if he skimped on whatever was available from a breakers. Oh well...
 
Agreed, can only think faulty cluster replaced with standard CL600 spares clocks to save cost (especially if fixed by a trader who is moving it on)...
 
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Agreed, can only think faulty cluster replaced with standard CL600 spares clocks to save cost (especially if fixed by a trader who is moving it on)...

Would have thought that may be self defeating on a car like that, as the CL is a fairly niche model - the SL seems much more popular - and the 65 even more niche, which would make me think anyone tracking them down would see that and raise an eyebrow as to its general provenance?

But equally, if you can be running a 65 you can afford a new cluster.
 
yep, good find:thumb:, around £600 all in, would be good to compare UK 'stealer' price.

Have just had a look on the usual selection of parts sites and they're not listed new (£530 re-manufactured from Bosch), but need to get some plates made up soon so will ask then and report back.
 
Well it looks like a CL65 to me. Right wheels, body, engine & brakes BUT - that definitely isn't the correct cluster. Here's a snap of one (albeit German KPH) but you can clearly see the V12 BiTurbo logo on the rev counter.
 
Forgot to add - I've got a CL600 BiTurbo & that CL65 has exactly the same cluster as mine. No AMG logo in the speedo, no V12 BiTurbo logo in the rev counter & a max speed of 160 mph.
 
Generally as these type of cars get older unfortunately they can fall into the hands of general traders, to them its just another car to move on, to be fair they will want to fix the car at minimal cost to maximise profit...also as they age new owners sometimes don't understand how much repair bills can be if complex cars such as these go wrong... and try to repair cost efficiently as possible which can impact on provenance...

Would have thought that may be self defeating on a car like that, as the CL is a fairly niche model - the SL seems much more popular - and the 65 even more niche, which would make me think anyone tracking them down would see that and raise an eyebrow as to its general provenance?

But equally, if you can be running a 65 you can afford a new cluster.
 
Generally as these type of cars get older unfortunately they can fall into the hands of general traders, to them its just another car to move on, to be fair they will want to fix the car at minimal cost to maximise profit...also as they age new owners sometimes don't understand how much repair bills can be if complex cars such as these go wrong... and try to repair cost efficiently as possible which can impact on provenance...

Can understand it from a cost/profit point of view... would just think that as a trader there'd be some level of enthusiasm and a resultant desire to keep as rare a beast as that in its proper form. Having said that, I worked at a Honda dealer when I was first starting out and was amazed at how simultaneously knowledgeable yet disinterested the sales and workshop guys could be - the parts dept seemed to be the only ones really into what they did
 
2006 makes it one of the last ones.

Which makes it an interesting buy, as the new S would have been out by then, which makes me wonder if there was a similar phenomenon to when BMW saw E38 7-series orders spike once its replacement had been revealed. 215 CLs seems to have a far greater following than the 216s?
 
Which makes it an interesting buy, as the new S would have been out by then, which makes me wonder if there was a similar phenomenon to when BMW saw E38 7-series orders spike once its replacement had been revealed. 215 CLs seems to have a far greater following than the 216s?

Registered 6 months after sales stopped -so either penultimate or last ones.I rather have last of old then first of new.i have bit of a fetish database on late reg cars of all types :eek:.Something fascinating about someone walking into showroom and doing the final transaction- most probably without realizing it!
HML showing 35 including a 2007
https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/mercedes_cl_65_auto#!newreg
I'm not aware of E38 7-series sales spike,however i do recall lots of E reg BMW E28s
Seems 216 sales not as popular as 215
https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/mercedes_cl500_auto#!newreg
 
Registered 6 months after sales stopped -so either penultimate or last ones.I rather have last of old then first of new.i have bit of a fetish database on late reg cars of all types :eek:.Something fascinating about someone walking into showroom and doing the final transaction- most probably without realizing it!
HML showing 35 including a 2007
https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/mercedes_cl_65_auto#!newreg
I'm not aware of E38 7-series sales spike,however i do recall lots of E reg BMW E28s
Seems 216 sales not as popular as 215
https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/mercedes_cl500_auto#!newreg

There's certainly a lot to be said for that - I make a point of only ever buying post-facelift or after a certain model year if significant changes are made.

And noting to be ashamed of - people keep fetish databases of far worse!

I wonder with the CLs if that was the changes in company car tax rules or just tastes changing? I don't recall much press surrounding the 216 coupes, but the 215s were F1 Safety Cars for the 2001(?) season which may have helped a bit.

Regarding the E38s, 535 728i Sports registered in 2001, but it took till 2006 for the 730d to reach the same sales figures. Having said that I am basing 'sales spike' comment on something I read once rather than raw figures.

(728i Sport: https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/bmw_728_i_sport_auto#!newreg, 730d Sport: https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/bmw_730_d_sport_auto#!newreg)

Great website by the way!
 
The cluster swap may have been more innocent.
The part simply may have not been available without a very long wait.
Worth asking though if anyone is interested in the car.
 
That's weird - late plate cars interest me to an extent as well.

There's an 04 E39 530d on PH or AT at the moment which I'd like - it looks very odd with that plate because only the estates went on 6 months after the saloon ended on a 53.

It's an ex-cop car with different panels so looks odd for that reason too.

I would have bought a facelift 2006 E55K if they existed.
 
The cluster swap may have been more innocent.
The part simply may have not been available without a very long wait.
Worth asking though if anyone is interested in the car.

Yeah, I probably am being harsh. Not personally ready for an upgrade just yet!
 

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