Z06Tom

Hello all!
I'm new to the site and am looking for some advice from the faithful. I've been looking around for a nice used CL55 AMG. I have a deal worked out on a '03 with 49k on the clock. It has 20 months left on a transferable extended warranty. I have the guy talked down to $21,500. Does this seem like a pretty good deal to you all? The warranty is what has me really liking this particular car. That and the low miles. The car is currently owned by a 74 year old woman (...only driven to church on Sundays...) Her son is selling it for her. Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Z06Tom
FYI, here she is:

MB_Fahrer

Wholesale pricing for this car would be around $15-17k, so yesI'd say $21.5k seems like a fair deal to me--especially with the warranty.

Good looking car. Women tend to be a bit rough on vehicle interiors, so be sure to check it out thoroughly. Also, looks to me like the ABC is in the raised setting?

Ask if they have any service records. It's not an absolute must, since the car is still under warranty, but it would be nice.

Z06Tom

Might end up going with this one. It's a '04 that I can get for $22,500. It has 59k on it.

MB_Fahrer

Does that one have a warranty? I'd worry about the ABC suspension with such "interesting" wheels. Just FYI, a lot of aftermarket wheels make Mercedes vibrate. They're very sensitive, but that's not to say you have to run OEM wheels.

Blkvip

id check records on both. imo go for the old lady one lol. least you know she most likely never beat on it. and obv give a good check on all ABC components.

Z06Tom

The '04 has no warranty. I'm meeting the guy on Saturday to look the car over and take it for a drive. So I should cycle the ABC up and down a number of times right? Is there specific areas I should be looking for fluid leaks in? Any advice is appreciated!

Z06Tom

Were the 2003's more prone to problems than the 2004's, or pretty similar?

bimerbenzbently

03-06 pretty similar id say since its all the same system but thats just my opinion.

Also i would ask why the car has such low milage, its a good thing don't get me wrong but could also be a bad thing and you might need to do service.

check to see when the Service A and B was done and i would get a car-fax if i were you.

good luck and keep us updated

02cl55amg

How about an 2005 600hp cl600....

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...56093450&Log=0

1995E320Cab

Just so you don't have to say, O I could have had a V12 .......

On Autotrader ....

2003 CL600 BRABUS T12 637hp 738torque 76,000 mile for $19K Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Seller Comments

From OWNER Mercedes-Benz CL 600 V12,Twin BITTurbo, BRABUS, T12, 637hp, 738torque, lowered, histrionics with only 76531 miles Silver Metallic exterior and black leather interior in perfect condition. Full exhaust, CAT-back, 19inch after market rims,custom interior, factory GPS systems. Drives and looks excellent. Garage kept, used only on weekends by a non-smoker. Massage seats, Bose sound system, SRS side door airbags, factory Navigation, cruise control, sunroof.

MB_Fahrer

Gotta love how they spend all that money on a car and leave out the most important option: distronic. What is the matter with people? Lol.

BlownV8

I would opt for the 600 over the 55 every day of the week. This is also a good buy. Get the newest one you can afford. The 2005 had satellite radio option. That's worth it all by itself to me.

MB_Fahrer

To the OP:

You'll want a warranty with whatever you buy if this is your first high performance Mercedes product.

02cl55amg

It says-"histrionics" thats gotta be it. What the brabus t12 pkg-tune/mufflers?

Z06Tom

Thanks for all the input guys! I looked at all the V12 cars and they are obviously the ultimate expression of the MB high performance coup. For me though, I think the 55 is better suited to my needs. This will be my daily driver, so ultra performance isn't a huge concern. Cost to insure and own are big to me. The '03 has 19 months and 35k left on the warranty. That gives me some piece of mind I can't find with other similar cars at this price point. I actually like the '04 a little better, but the warranty has me sold. The '03 has also had a pulley swap and tune done so it's supposed to be around 545hp. I sold by 700hp low 10 second blown Z06 last year, so hopefuly this will fill a little bit of the "need for speed" that loss left.





Looking forward to being part of the CL AMG family!

MB_Fahrer

Histrionics? No,no, that's a special feature for the voice system that gives you history lessons on invading Poland while you drive.

MB_Fahrer

Sweet Vette! Love that blue. Lemans Blue, no?

The 55's are easy to tune. Pulley, ECU/TCU, throttle body, airbox, intercooler, etc. Not as cheap as your Z06, but not total bank robbery like some of the big-ticket items on the V12s. And, the 55's are way underrated. Sure, the power from the TTV12's are fun, but it's not necessary. The 55's are wonderful, fast cars even in stock form.

Any of these are a huge step up from a C5 vette. Very refined, fast, smooth cars, and the ABC suspension makes for a wonderful ride.

Good for you going for the '03. There are no big differences from '03 to '04 cars. The big change was in '03 from the 2002 models. Like I said, a warranty is an absolute must--as the maintenance bills will make you run screaming without one. Actually, I shouldn't say they will, rather they can make you run screaming.

Let us know if you can make a deal with the seller. Best of luck!

Cheers,
Ricky

Edit: if you aren't crazy about the stock wheels on the 2003, I have a set of CL65 wheels I could part with. They look killer on black cars.
(not my pictures):

Z06Tom

Thanks! Actually it was a new color for '02 called "Electron Blue". What would you take for the wheels? Those would look sharp on the the black 55. It has chrome wheels on it. The seller tells me they're stock. I didn't know you could get stock chrome wheels.

MB_Fahrer

I haven't seen Electron Blue before. It's stunning. I keep thinking about buying a Z06 actually. We just got a slick 2003 Z06 with only 23k miles in black over black and red interior. It's very tempting at the moment. I've never owned a Vette before. The C5 Z06 sounds like a great way to get my feet wet, and then if I like it, I can always step up to the C6.

I paid $2400 for the CL65 wheels. They're brand new take-offs. I bought them on ebay, oh, about 6 months ago? I'd ask $1500 OBO including TPMS sensors. Let me go take some pictures of them for you. From the dealer, the wheels cost $2500 a piece for the rears and $2200 a piece for the fronts. TMPS sensors from the dealer are something silly like $1500.

Best,
Ricky
Rwest90@gmail.com

BlownV8

The warranty seems to be a big selling point to you. That could be a good thing or it could be worthless. If the warranty does not cover the ABC suspension and related components, it should not really be a selling poing. Who is the warranty through and what does it cover? Lot's of them really don't cover anything that usually breaks on an MB.

Drive the 600. You may like it more. The only issue with the 600 vs the 55 are the coil packs on the 600. Once those are replaced with the updated part numbers, you should be good to go. All the other issues you will see happen to both the 55 and 600/65. The bi-turbo V12 is a wonderful engine.

Z06Tom

I see from your sig you are into track cars. The C5 Z is a great track car. 405 hp bone stock and 3,200 lbs. Mid-Ohio road course is just up the road from where we live and I used to go up with a friend of mine on Porsche track days. I had a full role bar and harnesses in my Z and it would run with just about anything on the track. With active handling, you can even run them in the rain. A fully race prepped 911TT swapped ends right in front of me in the rain once trying to stay ahead of coming out of a corner.

Z06Tom

Now THAT'S funny (...and historically correct to boot, or jack boot as it were)!

MB_Fahrer

Racing is in my blood. My parents grew up drag racing in California in the 60s (mom had a 65 GTO 389 4-speed manual and my father had a 67 and then a 69 GTO). I started drag racing when I was 8 years old (junior drags), then autocross when I was 16, then roadcourse when I was 18. Lots of fun. I started off in E36 M3 and now moved up to these silly Porsches with the engines in the wrong end.

That is just awesome. It'd be a hoot to drive a Z06 to the track, walk everybody there, and tootle on home again.

Can you tell me a little about the active handling on the C5 Z's?

BR,
Ricky

MB_Fahrer

02cl55amg

Ok, let's get back on track here.... Zo6tom get the ttv12, mbfahrer get the C6ZO6 and neither of you look back.