Will I regret keeping my CLS 320CDI?

[c4sman]

Hi All, first post since joining so go easy on me

Need some help and advice.

I have owned the above 2009 cls for 3 years purchased from a main dealer. First 2 years it was my main car and used for a 70 mile round trip to work each day on motorways etc. at 70 MPH ish. Then a job change and car shuffle meant that I gave the car to my wife who uses it for school runs / short journeys with very occasional (once every 2 months) motorway runs to the coast.

Other than routine annual servicing and wear and tear items (brakes, tyres), the things that I have had to have fixed are:
- Glow plugs all needed replacing in the first year (not covered by warranty which was annoying)
- Front Spring broke in year 2 (so replaced both fronts with new Mercedes items
- Drivers window regulator failed in Year 3 (replaced using the helpful door trim removal guide on this site - Thank You!)

The car had 29k miles on the clock when I got it (we are 2nd owners) and we have added 30k miles to that (mostly me in the first 2 years going to work), and the car has been serviced on the dot at the main dealers each year.

So my concern is, now the other half is only doing short journeys, a diesel makes less sense and I am worried the car might start to cost big bucks to run due to age/mileage/usage. However we absolutely both 100% love the car and having test driven more sensible options (small petrol engined C class Coupe for example), everything newer seems flimsey and very expensive to change (costing £10k on top of the CLS).

Are my fears of escalating running costs reality? or will the old girl keep chugging on and keep us happy? What would you do?

 

[renault12ts]

So my concern is, now the other half is only doing short journeys, a diesel makes less sense and I am worried the car might start to cost big bucks to run due to age/mileage/usage. However we absolutely both 100% love the car and having test driven more sensible options (small petrol engined C class Coupe for example), everything newer seems flimsey and very expensive to change (costing £10k on top of the CLS).

I think you have answered your own question.

 

[ringway]

I'd retain the car. It's not even run in yet!

It won't like the short runs and the DPF may suffer.
However, a new DPF costs around £500, so you'd be able to get through 20 of those with the £10k difference!
A decent pipe-opener once a week should be sufficient to keep it running well.
It's a nice car and you would miss owning it and be financially worse off if you let it go. Keep it!

 

[MD5]

If you like the car, better the devil you know. Every time you spend money on it, you give it a new lease of life!

 

[c4sman]

I like what I am hearing as we really enjoy being in this car. It holds its own against some stiff competition.

For some reason I thought the DPF was of the order of £2.5k fitted. Have I got this completely wrong?

 

[LudoCLS]

I loved mine facelift cls, had no single problem with it even used in London mostly. Only i hated were plastic seats, if it has had real lether vented seats i still have it!

 

[c4sman]

I loved mine facelift cls, had no single problem with it even used in London mostly. Only i hated were plastic seats, if it has had real lether vented seats i still have it!

Lucky enough to have leather, another reason to keep hold of it

 

[Giantvanman]

Don't fret about the DPF. As long as the car gets a decent run periodically it should be fine. If it does become dirty, a bottle of DPF cleaner such as Millers will likely clear it and I suspect the price you have is from a dealer; they are not nicknamed 'stealers' for no reason. They can be cleaned and an independent specialist would replace for a lot less I suspect.

 

[meeeb]

You have no problem with short runs using a diesel. Don't believe the urban myths about DPFs.

The following and kindred taxations is what diesel owners will increasingly have to contend with in coming years:

Islington Council's £96-a-year diesel tax on the cars it encouraged people to buy | This is Money

I've been looking at changing my car and because of emphasis in recent years about diesel being cleaner than petrol and cheaper to run for a variety of reasons, not least substantially cheaper VEL duty, I've been running a diesel E Class, and initially looking to replace it with another diesel engined car, but with all the news about diesel particulates pollution I began to consider a petrol engined car, realising that diesels will soon be hammered by dyed-in-the-wool pie in the sky environmentalists. Trouble is there's so much work gone into refining diesels on the understanding that they were the way to go that if you look at Audi A8 and BMW 7 series not more than 12 months old, there's not a single petrol engined car available on the manufacturer's website. Similarly with Jaguar XJ except that they have petrol engined cars, but only the performance supercharged models.

Whilst motor manufacturers are campaigning to the EU for a more realistic approach to environmental legislation - car manufacturers don't think they can meet CO2 emission standards with petrol - I think that in any event many local authorities, especially lefties, will use the environment as an excuse to levy charges on diesel vehicles entering city centres etc.

 

[gIzzE]

You have no problem with short runs using a diesel. Don't believe the urban myths about DPFs.

I don't think that is quite right.
You need to get the car up to temperature and for it to do a regen every once in a while, so if you never do this it can become a problem.

 

[mbenz1]

Then a job change and car shuffle meant that I gave the car to my wife who uses it for school runs / short journeys with very occasional (once every 2 months) motorway runs to the coast.

You should have no DPF problems in this scenario of driving. Provide you stick a can of DPF Regeneration Additive in the tank, then fill the tank with fuel to get a nice mixture, drive off to the coast, all should be good.

My dad has a 08 S320 CDI, he doesn't use it everyday but at least 4 times a week - short/ stop-start that is. And he puts in a can of DPF Regen (£10 at ECP) every 2 months, all good so far. He uses shell v-power fuel so that also aids regeneration. The DPF in the.320 CDI is not as problematic as they are in the newer cars. Hope this helps

 

[ringway]

For some reason I thought the DPF was of the order of £2.5k fitted. Have I got this completely wrong?

I almost bought a new DPF for my V6 CDI Vito. The part cost at the dealership was around £500. It turned out to be the pressure sensor.
The engine was going into limp mode because the previous owner used it very little and when he did it was often just for a couple of miles. One sorted, it never once complained again.

As already said, if the DPF gets up to temperature its regenerates itself and puffs out all the collected particles.

The DPF can be reset on STAR diagnostics, which once connected, just revs the engine and holds at (IIRC) between around 2-300rpm periodically. The process take only 5-10 minutes and you can replicate this on your driveway, but it's better to go for a 15 mile run up the motorway IMHO.

 

[meeeb]

I don't think that is quite right.
You need to get the car up to temperature and for it to do a regen every once in a while, so if you never do this it can become a problem.

Yes I agree totally, but if a short run owner takes a longer run to regenerate the DPF as recommended in the handbook, there is no problem, at least not in my own experience. I regard regenerating the DPF as a maintenance requirement like changing the oil every so many miles, and checking the coolant, which if not done as per manufacturer's recommendations is likely to eventually lead to a failure of some sort.

Anyone who ignores basic maintenance of this sort is heading for trouble.

 

[clk208]

everything newer seems flimsy

^ I know what you mean. Having 40% stiffer body setup then the E class of the same era (which aren't exactly flimsy to begin with) makes these things unlike most other cars to drive, like mini tanks that will handle like a hot hatch.

+1 for keep.

(Really feeling the CLS love today after a week of not being able to drive it due to being on holiday).

 

[C240Sport97]

I loved mine facelift cls, had no single problem with it even used in London mostly. Only i hated were plastic seats, if it has had real lether vented seats i still have it!

I'm almost certain that leather was standard on the CLS

 

[carlls]

on my 2005 cls it was extra

 

[carlls]

just had a look on the extra list and the cls 500 it was standard

 

[MWCLS]

It's standard on the 500 + , option on the other models I've seen the part leather and part material on a CLS and it just looks wrong imo.

 

[c4sman]

Thanks for the info gents, very useful

 

[BillyW124]

trust me keep your 320 CDI