Stig2082
Active Member
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2011
- Messages
- 96
- Location
- SW London
- Car
- CLS 350 Shooting Brake and a cheeky TVR Chimera
Thought I would pen a summary of my experience of owning the CLS which I have had for just over a year in case it is useful for anyone considering. I know I looked on this forum before taking the plunge. Apologies for the length!
Details first - it is a silver 08 plate CLS 320CDI, one of the very early facelifts. It is nicely specified with 19” AMG wheels, memory package, sat nav, parktronic, airmatic suspension. see pics
My previous car was an E-class estate (2004) which had served well with newly born twins to cart about, with all the inevitable gear. However, I have always been fortunate enough to drive fun cars (TVRs etc) so as soon as I could fit us back into a smaller(ish) car the CLS was my preferred choice. The value for money given what they cost new is exceptional in my view, and for me it is perfect as it can still lug the family around.
Reliability:
So far it has been pretty good. Have covered 15k miles since I got it, and it came with 50k on the clock. Soon after buying the glow plugs played up and these were replaced which I understand is quite common. The other thing to go was the front ball joint which started creaking like mad - again I understand this does happen to a few. Both of these things were fixed under warranty which was a relief. Other than that it has been fine. I have driven to Italy and back in it for the summer hols, loaded up plus roof box and it didn't miss a beat. Have also done some wine runs to france and fitted an incredible amount in it, which again it has coped admirably with. See pic of traversing the Alps
Practicality:
Of course there are some compromises which are inherent to buying this type of car - e..g it only has four seats etc. However, I think that given what it is, it is not too bad. For me the boot is one of the best things. Is it shallow, but huge and swallows an enormous amount if you pack it carefully. The car can also take a roof rack, so a roof box can be used, which is what I did for annual hols. The entrance to the boot is however narrow so the days of transporting fridges and wardrobes are over! The air-matic suspension can also help out in certain situations when you need more clearance. This can be amusing as the “executive barge” with 19” wheels can negotiate some trickier roads/tracks than supposedly more practical cars.
Comfort/the cabin
I think it is a splendid place to be. I suffer from a pretty bad back which can really hurt in certain seats. The extent to which I can adjust the seat makes it very comfortable for me, and the memory function is a life saver as I can store the setting I need (and I love the electric adjustment for the steering wheel, which lifts when I turn off the key before getting out) . All the main controls are easy to use and understand, and I love the interior design. The stitching is a lovely touch. The Command unit is OK, but I tend not to bother with the more complex operations and voice control as it is not very intuitive. When you are used to touch screen Apple products, the unit can feel pretty old hat. That said, the sat nav is mostly OK, though it does take you on some bonkers routes some times. I know people tend to moan about the head clearance in the back, but as its my kids back there, I have no complaints. Talking of kids, they love it and have plenty of room. The isofix anchors mean you can plug seats in, making it a safer place. I managed to find nice black seats which fit well - and are basically the same ones Mercedes try to sell you, but without their covers on and about 1/3 of the price. They like the cubby hold in the middle and fill it with all their crap, and there is a power outlet inside the cubby hole which means they can run their gadgets.
The drive and power!
Well of course one of the most important things. I think for what it is - a big luxury car, it drives really well. It is much more planted than the previous e-class I had, and really holds the road well. Pinging it across roundabouts at a fair pace tends to demonstrate this to me. Now if course it isn't a Porsche, but then in real world driving I find it is pretty rare one needs the abilities those sort of cars deliver (I’ve had one) - and certainly not in a four door car of this size. The acceleration with all that diesel torque is usually more than adequate and it is not often I find myself wishing for more. But being the frustrated petrol head that I am, I had a Brabus box fitted and this does give it an extra edge. I purchased this second hand and had it fitted by my local indie and it seems fine. Unless the road is very dry and you are pointing straight, it is hard to apply full power without setting off the traction control. The effortless, and at times very rapid, acceleration is probably one of my favorite things about the car. As I have the airmatic suspension I am able to set it to sport which tightens things up, and I do use this if I find myself without passengers and with a bit of room to push things. Otherwise I leave it set on comfort. When I got the car I was actually really worried about the 19” wheels as the tyres are very low profile, and I have experienced very ‘crashy’ rides in other cars. However, I was amazed at the ability of the car to soak up bumps - far better than my e-class which was riding on 16” wheels. I know the airmatic may cost me if it goes wrong, but it really works well with the wheels I have and I think it delivers a great ride.
Economy/costs
I am always taken aback at what people can get their cars to deliver for MPG, and I only get near these figures of 40 - 48pmg if I drive incredibly carefully and sedately. For me having this car means I do enjoy planting my foot a bit and driving rapidly where it is safe to do so. Therefore, on a long fast motorway trip I’ll get 35-38mpg, and around town is in the 20’s. Otherwise nothing has gone wrong yet which I have had to pay for and the service was done on the Mercedes plan which I pay monthly for. I don’t think it is especially good value, but forces me to save monthly and spread the pain. What depresses me is the predictable trick the dealers always try to pull of ‘recommended items’ -which came to over 1.5k last time, and months later none of them have actually needed sorting yet. And when they do (the other ball joint, break pad and discs) I shall be off to my local indie.
Buying/warranty
I am a pretty experienced car buyer having been through a range of different cars and I have always bought and sold privately for the extra value this delivers - though of course the risks are greater. But on this occasion I found this car in the MB dealership network at incredibly good value and they offered a very sensible price on my trade in. I felt very reassured it was from a main dealer and thought the first 12 months were therefore as good as a manufacturers warranty. This is not the case as I found out. When you present the car with a fault, the dealership will agree to investigate the problem, and if it is covered by the warranty - they have to ring it in to a third party insurer - then you are OK. But if the item is not covered, you are charged for the repair and the investigation. So in the case of my glow plugs they weren’t actually covered, but the dealership agreed to do them as a good will gesture. When you read all the peace of mind stuff they give you, this is not apparent and in fact I’m not sure some of sales people actually understand it!
Owning one and what’s next?
Staying within my price bracket - up to 20k at present - there simply isn’t anything else which comes close to the CLS in my view. They are still comparatively thin on the ground compared to most other cars, so you always feel a sense of occasion driving it. Like others on here, I always turn back to admire after parking it. When I have driven for about 5 years I can only see myself getting another one. The new shape divides opinion but it is growing on me, and I tend to upgrade on a cycle. If I had the money the Porsche Panamera would tempt me, but the second had price needs to collapse a bit more! For my circumstances which is needing/wanting a car which can take a family of 4 across Europe for an annual holiday and also deliver comfort, speed and buckets of character the rest of the time - it is the one for me!
Details first - it is a silver 08 plate CLS 320CDI, one of the very early facelifts. It is nicely specified with 19” AMG wheels, memory package, sat nav, parktronic, airmatic suspension. see pics
My previous car was an E-class estate (2004) which had served well with newly born twins to cart about, with all the inevitable gear. However, I have always been fortunate enough to drive fun cars (TVRs etc) so as soon as I could fit us back into a smaller(ish) car the CLS was my preferred choice. The value for money given what they cost new is exceptional in my view, and for me it is perfect as it can still lug the family around.
Reliability:
So far it has been pretty good. Have covered 15k miles since I got it, and it came with 50k on the clock. Soon after buying the glow plugs played up and these were replaced which I understand is quite common. The other thing to go was the front ball joint which started creaking like mad - again I understand this does happen to a few. Both of these things were fixed under warranty which was a relief. Other than that it has been fine. I have driven to Italy and back in it for the summer hols, loaded up plus roof box and it didn't miss a beat. Have also done some wine runs to france and fitted an incredible amount in it, which again it has coped admirably with. See pic of traversing the Alps
Practicality:
Of course there are some compromises which are inherent to buying this type of car - e..g it only has four seats etc. However, I think that given what it is, it is not too bad. For me the boot is one of the best things. Is it shallow, but huge and swallows an enormous amount if you pack it carefully. The car can also take a roof rack, so a roof box can be used, which is what I did for annual hols. The entrance to the boot is however narrow so the days of transporting fridges and wardrobes are over! The air-matic suspension can also help out in certain situations when you need more clearance. This can be amusing as the “executive barge” with 19” wheels can negotiate some trickier roads/tracks than supposedly more practical cars.
Comfort/the cabin
I think it is a splendid place to be. I suffer from a pretty bad back which can really hurt in certain seats. The extent to which I can adjust the seat makes it very comfortable for me, and the memory function is a life saver as I can store the setting I need (and I love the electric adjustment for the steering wheel, which lifts when I turn off the key before getting out) . All the main controls are easy to use and understand, and I love the interior design. The stitching is a lovely touch. The Command unit is OK, but I tend not to bother with the more complex operations and voice control as it is not very intuitive. When you are used to touch screen Apple products, the unit can feel pretty old hat. That said, the sat nav is mostly OK, though it does take you on some bonkers routes some times. I know people tend to moan about the head clearance in the back, but as its my kids back there, I have no complaints. Talking of kids, they love it and have plenty of room. The isofix anchors mean you can plug seats in, making it a safer place. I managed to find nice black seats which fit well - and are basically the same ones Mercedes try to sell you, but without their covers on and about 1/3 of the price. They like the cubby hold in the middle and fill it with all their crap, and there is a power outlet inside the cubby hole which means they can run their gadgets.
The drive and power!
Well of course one of the most important things. I think for what it is - a big luxury car, it drives really well. It is much more planted than the previous e-class I had, and really holds the road well. Pinging it across roundabouts at a fair pace tends to demonstrate this to me. Now if course it isn't a Porsche, but then in real world driving I find it is pretty rare one needs the abilities those sort of cars deliver (I’ve had one) - and certainly not in a four door car of this size. The acceleration with all that diesel torque is usually more than adequate and it is not often I find myself wishing for more. But being the frustrated petrol head that I am, I had a Brabus box fitted and this does give it an extra edge. I purchased this second hand and had it fitted by my local indie and it seems fine. Unless the road is very dry and you are pointing straight, it is hard to apply full power without setting off the traction control. The effortless, and at times very rapid, acceleration is probably one of my favorite things about the car. As I have the airmatic suspension I am able to set it to sport which tightens things up, and I do use this if I find myself without passengers and with a bit of room to push things. Otherwise I leave it set on comfort. When I got the car I was actually really worried about the 19” wheels as the tyres are very low profile, and I have experienced very ‘crashy’ rides in other cars. However, I was amazed at the ability of the car to soak up bumps - far better than my e-class which was riding on 16” wheels. I know the airmatic may cost me if it goes wrong, but it really works well with the wheels I have and I think it delivers a great ride.
Economy/costs
I am always taken aback at what people can get their cars to deliver for MPG, and I only get near these figures of 40 - 48pmg if I drive incredibly carefully and sedately. For me having this car means I do enjoy planting my foot a bit and driving rapidly where it is safe to do so. Therefore, on a long fast motorway trip I’ll get 35-38mpg, and around town is in the 20’s. Otherwise nothing has gone wrong yet which I have had to pay for and the service was done on the Mercedes plan which I pay monthly for. I don’t think it is especially good value, but forces me to save monthly and spread the pain. What depresses me is the predictable trick the dealers always try to pull of ‘recommended items’ -which came to over 1.5k last time, and months later none of them have actually needed sorting yet. And when they do (the other ball joint, break pad and discs) I shall be off to my local indie.
Buying/warranty
I am a pretty experienced car buyer having been through a range of different cars and I have always bought and sold privately for the extra value this delivers - though of course the risks are greater. But on this occasion I found this car in the MB dealership network at incredibly good value and they offered a very sensible price on my trade in. I felt very reassured it was from a main dealer and thought the first 12 months were therefore as good as a manufacturers warranty. This is not the case as I found out. When you present the car with a fault, the dealership will agree to investigate the problem, and if it is covered by the warranty - they have to ring it in to a third party insurer - then you are OK. But if the item is not covered, you are charged for the repair and the investigation. So in the case of my glow plugs they weren’t actually covered, but the dealership agreed to do them as a good will gesture. When you read all the peace of mind stuff they give you, this is not apparent and in fact I’m not sure some of sales people actually understand it!
Owning one and what’s next?
Staying within my price bracket - up to 20k at present - there simply isn’t anything else which comes close to the CLS in my view. They are still comparatively thin on the ground compared to most other cars, so you always feel a sense of occasion driving it. Like others on here, I always turn back to admire after parking it. When I have driven for about 5 years I can only see myself getting another one. The new shape divides opinion but it is growing on me, and I tend to upgrade on a cycle. If I had the money the Porsche Panamera would tempt me, but the second had price needs to collapse a bit more! For my circumstances which is needing/wanting a car which can take a family of 4 across Europe for an annual holiday and also deliver comfort, speed and buckets of character the rest of the time - it is the one for me!
.
