godzilla8japan

Hey y’all. So I have been lurking and wanted to ask your opinion on a possible purchase.

I am somewhat handy with tools, and can do minor jobs, like brakes and replacing alternators etc. and sourcing used pieces to keep prices down.

With that being said, I want to avoid spending all my money on a car.

I was looking at a 2014 cls 550 with approximately 114k miles. It’s a salvage ( I know, it’s already crap but hear me out). A bit of misalignment of the hood and bumper, right headlight has broken plastic cover but still works. Oil was on the low end but there and looked to be ok. Interior was ok. Warning lights for tire pressure and auxiliary battery warning(no idea what that is for)

I just drove it. Pulls hard, runs to redline and shifts smoothly. I did not hear any clatter from timing chain. Sport seat worked, I think it had air suspension. I saw a button that looked to be raise and lower. It wasn’t sagging, and felt super smooth going over speed bumps. Had what appeared to be AMG brakes, and the most ridiculous rims ever.

when turning to full lock for u turns; the left was fine. The right had a weird metallic clank about halfway from dead center to full lock. Only when moving, didn’t make the noise at a stop when I turned it or when going over speed bumps and driving. Lastly there was a driver, knee, airbag deployment. Sounds like you have to replace the dash to fix that?

I am basically wondering what the clanking could be, how bad the dash replacement is,







and anything else I should specifically look out for. It drove nicely, and I don’t need a perfect car. But I am trying to avoid a money pit.

This is way too long, and if you got this far I thank you. Any common faults that I didn’t check for or items that are beneficial? I liked the big brakes. It did not pull, nor did the frame show any obvious bending. I did not get under the car because it was gravel and in phoenix, also known as the surface of the sun.

the plan if purchased is to align the fender, fix the airbag in dash, change every fluid and later tune/downpipe if I can find a cheaper option. Maybe intercooler?

I was fully prepared to walk away but I’m kind of lusting for it now.

Thanks for any help, I would go back up this weekend if I get it.

leriksen

Walk away. It will be prohibitive in parts, complexity and time. Your opening statement was you don't want to spend all your money on a car - then this is not the car.

acc127

Don't do it.

godzilla8japan

Well that was expected🤣. Are there any specific reasons? For those who work on their own car and can find used parts, how have your experiences been? Or have you found it to be a stupidly designed car where it’s all harder to do than a comparable bmw?

I read about cam sensors, sounds easy to fix. Basic maintenace, are there any jobs that are way outside the norm in complexity?

Let’s assume I do get it, are there any specific tools or code dressers that y’all recommend to make life easier?

leriksen

The car you've described is ****ed. Wait for another.