user 76208202

I just had a general Q and was hoping someone here could give me some advice. I'm looking into picking up a CLS55 from Manheim, since im not the 1st owner i can't CPO the car...so i was wondering if any CLS55/63 owners have had any experience with a 3rd party warranty. My buddies are telling me to stay away from a AMG without warranty but unless i buy a CPO CLS (which is too pricy for me) i can't have the warranty...so what should i do? Would not having a warranty be really stupid on my part? Or would i be better just getting a 3rd party warranty and be expecting to pay a butt load if anything goes wrong? Thanks in advance for any input.

Zod

Well if car is stock, then the most annoying things that can go wrong are as follows

electronics (random electronic faults, happens in all high end cars)
pump

but since you are an 06 then pump should be fine, n even if it were to go bad is only 100$ish

other then that no huge issues so to speak
If car was dumped and has huge wheels (not stock) then there is a slight risk of airmatic damage

If car was modded then their are issues if the modds were not done right
these include, pulley, tb, CL cat issues

Hope this helps in some way

von32897

AMG's are vastly different in build then your typical mass market Benz. These engines are handbuilt. Quality is 100% better. I would not worry so much about major mechanical breakdowns unless the previous owner has modded the CLS. IMO.

turbotom1

That would depend...

The 55 motor has proved to be very reliable even after mods.

Now if the discount at auction is large enough, you can pay for a few repairs and still show a savings. Till you get even with the price a CPO vehicle would have cost, you can think of it as self insured.

So if your going to enjoy the car and do the exhaust, flash, underdrive combo, dont sweat the warranty. Some dealers wont even open the hood or let you finish your story for a simple cat back upgrade (unless they did the work) Last week my friend had to leave one dealer and go to another "Mercedes Benz of Massapequa" for regular, customer pays type service. The first dealer refused to provide any service (paid or warranty) for his vehicle.

Some vehicles are already blocked from any warranty work at any dealer due to mods, suspected racing, lack of maintenance. Even lacking proof that maintenance was done by the former owner can void an aftermarket product.

Don't confuse them offering you a contract with actual coverage. A few years ago local dealer sold me a policy and that company rejected any and all claims, big or small. Anyone will let you pay for the coverage, getting them to honor it when the time comes is completly another story.

Third Party Example Contract Wording,
Warranty Deals offers coverage for most domestic and light commercial vehicles, including conversion vans, with an odometer reading of less than 150,000 miles. Warranty Deals does not cover vehicles pulling a 5th wheel or gooseneck, or vehicles with after market modifications. You must maintain a record of all maintenance work you perform on your vehicle.

http://www.warrantydeals.com/faq.cfm...TOKEN=15661167

Excerp From Consumer Reports:
In extreme cases, a vehicle may have hidden accident damage that is not disclosed. To compound the problem, when rebuilt or salvaged cars are sold as certified, the warranties are often invalid, says Dani Liblang, a consumer-rights lawyer. The fine print in the warranties generally excludes accident damage. Before buying any used car, it's important not to rely solely on the dealer's claim and to have your own inspection done.

The bottom line

Certified programs can minimize the mechanical risks associated with purchasing a used vehicle, through inspections and a warranty. According to our survey, most CPO-vehicle buyers were satisfied and considered CPO vehicles to be a good value. Three-year-old or newer vehicles certified by manufacturers can be more reliable than other used cars. But you need to read the fine print in the sales contract to see who certified the car and what that certification covers. Generally, manufacturer-backed CPO programs offer more consumer protection and consistency, dealer to dealer, than local CPO programs. Whether a car is certified or not, it pays to do your homework and have an independent inspection before buying any used car.

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/artic...umentid=435442

.

m_berman

Just about all AMG cars at auction are rejects from dealers receiving lease returns and trade ins. The 1st pick cars are retain by the dealer and CPO, thus the dealer markup over wholesale.

Knowing what I know now, especially from this board, only purchase 55s and 63s from an MB dealer. That is the best way to stack the odds in your favor of not being fooled into purchasing:

Flood, Hurricane or accident cars
Buy back lemon cars
Weekend racers
Voided warranty cars
Suspension problems cars from oversize tires

If you go to the Maheim Auction Site, check out the body and mechanical repairs services they offer to yeild to the seller the highest auction price possible. Buyer beware.

BlackDiamond

My opinion, try and find a CPO car from an MB dealer. It might be a few bucks more but will be well worth it. When buying a preowned car, you just never know what its been through... If you know someone at an MB dealer, they will be able to track all repairs if any that were done under warranty. Might be a good start...

TrafficCriminal

Anyone ever had the Diamler chrysler warranty? Good for 7 years or 100k after purchase date. Warranty kicks in as soon as the MB factory warranty stops.
$100 deductable.
I am intrested in a CLS55 with one. Just curious if they make you jump thru flaming hoops to get the work done or if they actually honor there end of the deal..?

BlackBeast'06

Do you have any experience with the auctioned cars being rejects? There are lots of cls 55 out there and they aren't being sold by MB dealers. I would think that if someone could afford a car this expensive they would take care of it. I thought dealers were selling them at auctions because taking the cls 55 and putting it back on the lot would have it compete with sells of the cls 63.

CrazyDonkey

bump for this question.

MB_Forever

Many people over at the E55/E63 section of the forum have used the Chrysler warranty many times, and they absolutely love it. The warranty covers a lot of parts and is reasonably priced. So far, I haven't heard a bad thing about that warranty yet. Here is some info posted from an earlier thread:

This was taken from here:

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/248338-warranty-advice-please.html

CrazyDonkey

thanks for the links, makes me breath easier incase i buy a used AMG.

m_berman

One owner low milage lease returns or trade-ins without body damage are most often the best of the best. The dealers prefer to turn these cars on their used car lots. Historically they sell fast and bring the highest retail price without alot of prep costs to the dealer.

Cars that don't fit this guideline are most often wholesaled out to auction.

That is the way it is in the buz.

MB_Forever

+1

Before I buy any used Mercedes, I will almost usually look for those signs first.

TrafficCriminal

Great info all around!

BlackBeast'06

Not to beat this one to death but I've been told that high end cars like these are what a lot of people go after. Now I hear what you are saying about low mileage and no body damage. What if if you find a cls xx with avg mileage and do the car fax report and it comes up clean however its not being sold at a mb dealer? I just think there are good cars (luxury) that are being sold at dealers auctions that are still the best of the best.