I'm considering buying a 2004 CL500 and am wondering the typical newbie questions about what things to watch out for, have inspected, etc. when purchasing one. It's got very low mileage - about 50,000 - and is in clean shape.

I've gotten pretty used to the Sirius radio in my '05 CLK500 and would like to see whether it's possible to do a plug-and-play install of a Sirius module into the existing COMAND system. If so, how involved a procedure is it? Do I need to get a separate antenna and wiring system?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

John Byrne

 

Before you buy, take the car to a dealership or independent who specializes in Mercedes for a pre-purchase inspection. There are a lot of things that can go wrong that most regular shops wouldn't know to look for.

Things to watch out for:

ABC (Active Body Control hydraulic suspension): This is a phenomenally expensive system to fix. That's not to say every car's ABC system will fail, but you want to be prepared for the worst. Look at the car on a Sunday or early morning after it's been sitting to make sure one of the corners hasn't dropped down (sign of leakage either from the strut or in the valve block).

Engine/transmission mounts: Listen for any clunking or noises while accelerating or shifting.

Crankshaft position sensor: As it starts to fail, the car will start when cold but won't start when warm. Stop the car and then re-start it after the test drive to make sure it starts both cold and warm.

The only problems I've had with mine have been the electronics/accessories. Push every button in the car to make sure it works correctly. Close the doors lightly to make sure they suck in (Softclose - uses air to close the doors. The latch is prone to cracking, causing air leaks. If not fixed, it can eventually burn out the air pump.). If the car has keyless go, lock and unlock the doors from both handles (touch the handle to unlock, push the black button to lock) to make sure they work.

TPMS: The batteries in the wheel sensors normally last about five years. When they fail, a lot of people will just have the system disabled (doesn't show up in the menu at all). While not a serious issue, you could use this to negotiate the price down.

Brakes (pads and rotors) and tires: This car eats through both fairly quickly. If they're not new, try to negotiate them into the sale.

I'm sure I've left out a couple of things. Read through some of the posts on here to see what you're getting into. These are amazing cars, but they can be very costly to maintain. An extended warranty might be a good idea, but you have to be careful as most won't cover many of the systems on this car (e.g. ABC).

 

StarPower, thanks so much for your detailed response. I talked to my longtime MB mechanic this afternoon and told him about your comments and he said that he's actually had some luck rebuilding bad struts by replacing the seals in them.

I'm taking the car to my mechanic's place, which is an hour outside of town, on Monday or Tuesday, so hopefully he'll give me a good report.

This car appears remarkably clean and after a couple of years of driving an '05 CLK 500, which I've found to be a pretty disappointing collection of rattles, expensive little failures and a surprisingly rough ride, driving the CL was a revelation. I kinda hope this one works out, but having bought the better part of a dozen German cars over the last thirty years, I won't be rushing into anything hastily.

My sense, though, is that the CL is such a stout chassis much more like my old 123s and 124, whereas my CLK seems like a powerful, but seriously under-engineered (or, worse, value-engineered) maintenance project in the making. In other words, I understand that there are increased risks associated with the complex systems in the more opulent end of the MB spectrum, but my hope is that the more old-school MB chassis of the CL won't nickel and dime me the way that my my CLK has.

I guess only time will tell.

Thanks again for the

 

In Germany the CL is called the S Klasse Coupe.

 

Exactly.

 

As Starpower stated, a thorough pre-purchase inspection is a must with these cars.

I'd add to the list looking for leaks (valve cover gaskets, oil pan, rear main, diff, etc), operation of all systems especially A/C, and trans connector/conductor plate/TCU leaks from oil working its way up the harness into the conductor plate and TCU.

A good extended warranty is usually worth the investment assuming the age/mileage on the car allow it to qualify for a good plan. If you need a quote, let me know.

Good luck! If this one does not work out, let me know and I can find you a great one for 5% over my cost.

Bruce