W215 remapping and performance mods...

[grainqey]

Hello,
I started wondering the other day, i think the CL500 is maybe a little underpowered for the weight and the CL55K maybe a little overpowered - with regards to getting good MPG, from what i've ready, they do similar MPG and the V12's only getting slightly less than the V8's

now if i was to for example, go down the road of: map, exhaust and cams to say 380BHP give or take, then would i be right in thinking that when driving nice and steady, that the extra power and torque would infact increase the mpg? (not too little power but not overkill either)

thanks
Alex

P.S i realise that i'll never save money doing these mods but they seem to gain the biggest power VS cost and it'll go a fair bit better VS shelling out another 4-5K on the supercharged CL55K with the overkill 500bhp

 

[mercedescl500]

Hello,
I started wondering the other day, i think the CL500 is maybe a little underpowered for the weight and the CL55K maybe a little overpowered - with regards to getting good MPG, from what i've ready, they do similar MPG and the V12's only getting slightly less than the V8's

now if i was to for example, go down the road of: map, exhaust and cams to say 380BHP give or take, then would i be right in thinking that when driving nice and steady, that the extra power and torque would infact increase the mpg? (not too little power but not overkill either)

thanks
Alex

P.S i realise that i'll never save money doing these mods but they seem to gain the biggest power VS cost and it'll go a fair bit better VS shelling out another 4-5K on the supercharged CL55K with the overkill 500bhp

Hi Alex, get the CL55K you wont look back. Ever. HTH

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Not sure why you say 500 bhp is over powered but 380 bhp isn't.

Doing the mods you mention properly will be expensive, and I don't think you'll be any better off than the 55 on the mpg front.

 

[SavMan]

I'm not sure I follow the logic, firstly V8 vs V12???


If your goal is mpg then sell the 500 and get a diesel, or save the 35 tanks of fuel it will cost you to get exhaust, cams and remap and you won't have to worry about the mpg.

If however you want a nicer sound and improved power delivery then go for it.

 

[V12]

What makes you say the 500 is underpowered for road use?

Sent from my GT-I9300 using MBClub UK

 

[Spin_bowler]

One alternative would be to get a wheelbarrow full of cash and set fire to it, it'll be a quicker route to the same outcome. I realise that you've said you won't see your money back but then why mention MPG in the same breath?

There's not a lot of logic here, if you're finding the 500 a bit gutless get rid and get a 55. The 215 must be one of the fastest depreciating cars on the planet so slinging money at one seems illogical for someone who's bothered about MPG. If you think the 55 maybe overpowered, don't push the accelerator pedal as hard

Another alternative is to revel in the fact that you're driving a car that was amongst the best available when it was new and is still envied by many and just enjoy the experience. Can't see that 302BHP is going to leave you wanting too often in daily use.

 

[grainqey]

sorry if i dont really reply to any of the replies properly...

i've been pondering about trading upto a 55K but it'll only really be any good in the dry, the cl500 with a bit more poke should be plenty-even in the dry

just the reply to the v8 vs v12 part, i was thinking the other day at work, why not just buy a cl600 biturbo and map that, nothing would out-do that in any way really other than up say a twisty narrow country road etc

dont get me wrong, i love the thing, 302bhp in the wet is overkill even on a straight road. i dont expect to get any benefit financially at all by doing the mods, i just wondered if i'd get any extra mpg from the mods when i wasnt mashing the loud pedal

the 500 should be plenty for me as it is, i wouldnt mind a little extra noise and a bit more poke for in the dry though - cams seem too easy to change so well why not? they go on any of the M113 engines from what the descriptions say so seems too good to turn down?

and it's a v8, mpg and v8 dont go in the same sentence haha!
just thought the increase in power might act a little like the old remapping saying "you'll have more power and torque so you'll be using less of the power to accelerate"

and i've had fast diesels = boring, had turbo petrols = turbo lag/unresponsive
dont get me wrong, they were fast but in a different league to a 2 ton car that accelerates 60-100 like most other stuff goes to 60

anyway thanks to everyone for the replies so far
Alex

 

[mercedescl500]

I've done cams on mine, headers etc and still wish I had a CL55k. I have however owned my car for 7+years and at the time of purchase CL55k were 30k+.

 

[grainqey]

its interesting you say that!
do you know what bhp yours is running roughly?
and they're still 9-11K at the moment, im not sure i'd want the beacon that the "55K" would be on my drive, i've already had somebody pull up at the top of my drive, reverse and then drive off. there may be admirers of cl500's but i dont have gates etc on my drive so i'd rather not be a bigger target for burgulary

i suppose i could go and test drive one

thanks for the reply
alex

 

[mercedescl500]

Alex. Go for a test drive. You will forget about the others once you've driven a CL55k. My car is probably about 350/360bhp, it would destroy a normal 500 and keep up with a non kompressor cl55 very easily. But a CL55k would have me for breakfast. HTH

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Because AMGs are so easy to drive gently, I can't imagine why a 55 would be too much. Whilst it's a different engine, it's a similar power output, it's happy tootling around, and never feels oo much.

If you're seriously considering fairly significant modifications, then I don't think the 55 would be too much.

 

[whitenemesis]

My 55K is a pussy cat around town, so easy and effortless to progress. Just don't prod that pedal too hard!

 

[grainqey]

Thanks for the replies everyone,
I think i'll have to try the 55 and 55K to see what i think and go from there, the 500 is standard still so its not like it owes me anything
thanks
alex

 

[C43AMG]

hi alex, get the cl55k you wont look back. Ever. Hth

+1

 

[NoorCL63]

My votes goes to the CL55K !

 

[grainqey]

Thanks for the input,
I'm going for a test drive in a N/A 55 this saturday so i'll see what i think to that, if thats not enough then i'll have to test drive a 55K
...I can see this getting expensive! lol
Thanks
Alex

P.s can anybody shed light on this... how come a cl600 Bi-turbo is cheaper to insure than the v8's ?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

P.s can anybody shed light on this... how come a cl600 Bi-turbo is cheaper to insure than the v8's ?

Statistically less likely to result in a claim?

 

[mercedescl500]

I believe it's because

Statistically less likely to result in a claim?

I think it's because the v8k is an AMG and the 600's are Mercedes.

 

[Alex]

If your budget allows, get a 600 V12 TT. These motors were downtuned from the start to let 65 AMG sell. A safe gearbox and ECU remap will take it to 620HP territory. You can invest in the cooling and add another 60-80HP but even with just a remap they are amusingly fast. You will need to spend a lot more to make CL55k go like that.

On the other hand, coilpacks for V12 are a grand each and you need two - when you mod the car they tend to wear out faster. V8 won't have that kind of expense.

Unless you are on extremely tight budget - bad idea with CL anyway - today, I would only look at V8K or V12TT. N/A V8 engine is long obsolete and in CL form you'll get bored of it very quickly.

 

[grainqey]

well i was put off the v12's because of the coil packs so got the 500, it its very fast for such a big car when moving but if i can get the right price for mine then i'll be swapping for a 55, its just a decision of n/a or supercharged. I have a heavy foot so n/a may be the sensible choice for my licence lol. Thanks. Alex