Thoughts on a CL600....
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
No MB's yet......
Thoughts on a CL600....
Hey everyone. New to the CL scene, well the MB scene actually, but I am very interested in the CL600's. I have been doing some researching and searching, and I think that I found one I would like to buy. This car is NOT going to be a daily driver. It will be my fun, play car that I can build and upgrade. I am not afraid of the maintenance or the costs to build and maintain these vehicles (as so many have noted is quite high). I am, however, concerned about what I need to be looking for on these vehicles when looking to buy. Obviously having all, or a good portion, of the service records is optimal. Are there any other glaring, obvious things I need to look for?
On to the vehicle I have found... It is a 2004 CL 600 with 93,000 miles. Price is $8,500. Black on black. Looks to be in good condition from the pictures. The vehicle is at a dealer, so I don't anticipate being able to talk to the previous owner. The biggest issue I have is that the vehicle is located in Birmingham, AL and I am in Nevada, some 1700 miles away. Virtually impossible to do an inspection of said vehicle unless someone looks at it for me (I won't trust a dealer unless it were a certified MB dealer, which it isn't).
So, with all that being said, please bestow upon me some of your wisdom and I will gladly accept and see if I can make this work. Thank you for taking the time to read this!!
On to the vehicle I have found... It is a 2004 CL 600 with 93,000 miles. Price is $8,500. Black on black. Looks to be in good condition from the pictures. The vehicle is at a dealer, so I don't anticipate being able to talk to the previous owner. The biggest issue I have is that the vehicle is located in Birmingham, AL and I am in Nevada, some 1700 miles away. Virtually impossible to do an inspection of said vehicle unless someone looks at it for me (I won't trust a dealer unless it were a certified MB dealer, which it isn't).
So, with all that being said, please bestow upon me some of your wisdom and I will gladly accept and see if I can make this work. Thank you for taking the time to read this!!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,150
Likes: 533
Mercedes
Best bet is if they will take it to a Benz dealer for an inspection at your expense
The two biggest issues are the abc suspension and coil packs . A dealer would be able to check their computer to see what work was done at any Mercedes dealership . It's called a vehicle master inquiry VMI. Ask the dealer if they will give it to you or at least tell you the result if you have the inspection done at their shop
The two biggest issues are the abc suspension and coil packs . A dealer would be able to check their computer to see what work was done at any Mercedes dealership . It's called a vehicle master inquiry VMI. Ask the dealer if they will give it to you or at least tell you the result if you have the inspection done at their shop
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,150
Likes: 533
Mercedes
Best bet is if they will take it to a Benz dealer for an inspection at your expense
The two biggest issues are the abc suspension and coil packs . A dealer would be able to check their computer to see what work was done at any Mercedes dealership . It's called a vehicle master inquiry VMI. Ask the dealer if they will give it to you or at least tell you the result if you have the inspection done at their shop
The two biggest issues are the abc suspension and coil packs . A dealer would be able to check their computer to see what work was done at any Mercedes dealership . It's called a vehicle master inquiry VMI. Ask the dealer if they will give it to you or at least tell you the result if you have the inspection done at their shop
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
No MB's yet......
Thank you for the response. I was thinking that same thing. I will get in touch with the dealership and see what they can do to help me out. Any guesses on what an inspection at a Benz dealer would cost me? Thanks again for the response!!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
No MB's yet......
I pulled a Carfax on it and everything looks good. One minor accident involving the right side of the car with no damage reported. It was last at a MB dealer on 3/25/2015 and had 92,455 miles. It now has 92,525 miles so I would like to think that everything is still valid and good that was seen at the last inspection. I am going to contact the dealership that last checked it out and see if they can give me any info. I can also post the Carfax if it would help with giving any advice.
Trending Topics
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,150
Likes: 533
Mercedes
The fact it's only been driven 70 miles in the last 11 months suggests it has problems , you don't want to end up with a 600 like this
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...unit-tele.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...unit-tele.html
Last edited by tusabes; Feb 2, 2016 at 09:06 PM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
No MB's yet......
Hmmm. That's interesting. I understand that the Carfax is useless against the VMI. But, the Carfax did say that it has been dealer owned for the last 11 months. Maybe that's why it only has 70 miles since then?? I don't know if that points to it having problems or not. Definitely going to have it checked out by an MB dealer before I go any further. I will be contacting the MB dealer that was listed as the last dealer to have their hands on it. Thank you for the advice and input!!! I really appreciate it!!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 4,037
Likes: 1,012
From: Miami, FL
2003 CL 600
The fact it's only been driven 70 miles in the last 11 months suggests it has problems , you don't want to end up with a 600 like this
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...unit-tele.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...unit-tele.html
Hmmm. That's interesting. I understand that the Carfax is useless against the VMI. But, the Carfax did say that it has been dealer owned for the last 11 months. Maybe that's why it only has 70 miles since then?? I don't know if that points to it having problems or not. Definitely going to have it checked out by an MB dealer before I go any further. I will be contacting the MB dealer that was listed as the last dealer to have their hands on it. Thank you for the advice and input!!! I really appreciate it!!
However, I've bought two, both under 10k, one had impeccable maintenance history, the other didn't. Both had issues, right away, and of varying severity. It's a high-maintenance vehicle, but it's second to none when it's working well.
IMO, budget an additional 5K to cover any immediate needs, assuming you're mechanically inclined and want to be proactive. Leaky ABC hoses are the primary thing that NEEDS to be addressed, just due to age and the nature of the system. See Nick's awesome threads for info there.
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
2005 CL600
I was intimidated at first given Ive never owned a Benz and regardless of price, parts are still priced for a $120,000+ vehicle and on top mine was well built and tuned. However read heavy and dont be scared to do the maintenance yourself and its really the steal of the century. Im actually looking at a Brabus CL for a second one since my wife and I love them so much now
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
No MB's yet......
I am definitely mechanically inclined and plan to do the maintenance and repairs myself, if they aren't too difficult. I'm not afraid of working on vehicles. My dad and I have owned, and maintained and modified, several cars over the years so I know my way around.
I was already planning on having some extra cash set aside for any immediate repairs that the vehicle may need. I'm not worried about it having issues right away as this will be my toy/weekend/summer driver. We have 3 other vehicles that are used as daily's and winter drivers. This one will likely spend 6 months of the year under a cover in the garage.
I was already planning on having some extra cash set aside for any immediate repairs that the vehicle may need. I'm not worried about it having issues right away as this will be my toy/weekend/summer driver. We have 3 other vehicles that are used as daily's and winter drivers. This one will likely spend 6 months of the year under a cover in the garage.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,150
Likes: 533
Mercedes
No , the worst thing for this car is not to drive it !!
These cars need to be used often , at least weekly to keep the hydraulics exercised and prevent electrical issues . It should ideally be your daily driver
These cars need to be used often , at least weekly to keep the hydraulics exercised and prevent electrical issues . It should ideally be your daily driver
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
No MB's yet......
Last edited by nvkevin; Feb 3, 2016 at 11:14 AM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
No MB's yet......
First, and probably the only one needed, red flag....
I called the MB dealer who last serviced it and had the service guy look at the VMI. He said they changed the oil and did the inspection at 92,xxx miles. They reported an oil leak originating from the rear main or transmission.... Quoted the repair at somewhere between $2300-$6000. The dealer that owned the vehicle DECLINED the repair.
So.... This tells me the car has an oil leak that could be quite costly unless they had it repaired somewhere else by a different mechanic. Definitely a good question to ask when I call the stealership....
I called the MB dealer who last serviced it and had the service guy look at the VMI. He said they changed the oil and did the inspection at 92,xxx miles. They reported an oil leak originating from the rear main or transmission.... Quoted the repair at somewhere between $2300-$6000. The dealer that owned the vehicle DECLINED the repair.
So.... This tells me the car has an oil leak that could be quite costly unless they had it repaired somewhere else by a different mechanic. Definitely a good question to ask when I call the stealership....
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,605
Likes: 343
From: Welwyn, Herts, UK
2006 S600
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 4,037
Likes: 1,012
From: Miami, FL
2003 CL 600
First, and probably the only one needed, red flag....
I called the MB dealer who last serviced it and had the service guy look at the VMI. He said they changed the oil and did the inspection at 92,xxx miles. They reported an oil leak originating from the rear main or transmission.... Quoted the repair at somewhere between $2300-$6000. The dealer that owned the vehicle DECLINED the repair.
So.... This tells me the car has an oil leak that could be quite costly unless they had it repaired somewhere else by a different mechanic. Definitely a good question to ask when I call the stealership....
I called the MB dealer who last serviced it and had the service guy look at the VMI. He said they changed the oil and did the inspection at 92,xxx miles. They reported an oil leak originating from the rear main or transmission.... Quoted the repair at somewhere between $2300-$6000. The dealer that owned the vehicle DECLINED the repair.
So.... This tells me the car has an oil leak that could be quite costly unless they had it repaired somewhere else by a different mechanic. Definitely a good question to ask when I call the stealership....
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
No MB's yet......
I also want to reiterate that I am aware of the high maintenance costs these vehicles can incur. I'm not going into this blind expecting it to be a gas and go vehicle. I fully expect to spend time working on it. That's half the fun of owning a vehicle, IMO.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 4,037
Likes: 1,012
From: Miami, FL
2003 CL 600
A rear main seal requires transmission removal, so a couple grand at the dealer sounds perfectly logical.
In my experience, lots of cars have rear main leaks, and none of them are catastrophic. If you check the oil regularly (harder on the M275 as it has no dipstick but it's visible through the diagnostic menu), the leak is so small it's not enough to bother me personally. I know 100% for sure i'm not taking the trans out just for that seal. If I have to pull the trans to rebuild or swap torque converters or whatever, then yeah I'd spend the extra $40 for the part and throw a seal in there.
In my experience, lots of cars have rear main leaks, and none of them are catastrophic. If you check the oil regularly (harder on the M275 as it has no dipstick but it's visible through the diagnostic menu), the leak is so small it's not enough to bother me personally. I know 100% for sure i'm not taking the trans out just for that seal. If I have to pull the trans to rebuild or swap torque converters or whatever, then yeah I'd spend the extra $40 for the part and throw a seal in there.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
No MB's yet......
That is what I was thinking as well on the seal. At any rate, the CL is headed to the MB dealer in Monday for a full inspection. Hopefully they come back with a clean bill of health minus the rear main seal.
Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 148
Likes: 7
From: St. Paul, MN
Speedriven CL600 V12TT
Oh you're interested in that "cheapest CL600 on Autotrader!"
I'd be cautious with this particular car. First red flag for me is that it's being sold from a Ford dealer. This means it was likely a trade-in. Someone desperately wanted to get out of that CL600 and into an entirely new brand. I'd expect there to be a major list of general annoyances then. Small stuff, like soft-close actuators and trunk struts. It's probably running on original coils and voltage transformer, and I'd bet some of the ABC lines are rotting away. What's even more suspicious is that the CL600 lettering is on the wrong side of the trunk. It's also been on the market for 285 days, and was pricedropped from 15k in November to 8.5k now. Buying a dangerously cheap and classically unreliable CL600 from a Ford dealer who has no experience with them scares me. It's a very good reason why nobody's picked this car up.
If you have ***** and want to take a risk on the cheapest CL600 in the country, I wish you the best of luck, you'll need it.
I'd be cautious with this particular car. First red flag for me is that it's being sold from a Ford dealer. This means it was likely a trade-in. Someone desperately wanted to get out of that CL600 and into an entirely new brand. I'd expect there to be a major list of general annoyances then. Small stuff, like soft-close actuators and trunk struts. It's probably running on original coils and voltage transformer, and I'd bet some of the ABC lines are rotting away. What's even more suspicious is that the CL600 lettering is on the wrong side of the trunk. It's also been on the market for 285 days, and was pricedropped from 15k in November to 8.5k now. Buying a dangerously cheap and classically unreliable CL600 from a Ford dealer who has no experience with them scares me. It's a very good reason why nobody's picked this car up.
If you have ***** and want to take a risk on the cheapest CL600 in the country, I wish you the best of luck, you'll need it.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
No MB's yet......
Oh you're interested in that "cheapest CL600 on Autotrader!"
I'd be cautious with this particular car. First red flag for me is that it's being sold from a Ford dealer. This means it was likely a trade-in. Someone desperately wanted to get out of that CL600 and into an entirely new brand. I'd expect there to be a major list of general annoyances then. Small stuff, like soft-close actuators and trunk struts. It's probably running on original coils and voltage transformer, and I'd bet some of the ABC lines are rotting away. What's even more suspicious is that the CL600 lettering is on the wrong side of the trunk. It's also been on the market for 285 days, and was pricedropped from 15k in November to 8.5k now. Buying a dangerously cheap and classically unreliable CL600 from a Ford dealer who has no experience with them scares me. It's a very good reason why nobody's picked this car up.
If you have ***** and want to take a risk on the cheapest CL600 in the country, I wish you the best of luck, you'll need it.
I'd be cautious with this particular car. First red flag for me is that it's being sold from a Ford dealer. This means it was likely a trade-in. Someone desperately wanted to get out of that CL600 and into an entirely new brand. I'd expect there to be a major list of general annoyances then. Small stuff, like soft-close actuators and trunk struts. It's probably running on original coils and voltage transformer, and I'd bet some of the ABC lines are rotting away. What's even more suspicious is that the CL600 lettering is on the wrong side of the trunk. It's also been on the market for 285 days, and was pricedropped from 15k in November to 8.5k now. Buying a dangerously cheap and classically unreliable CL600 from a Ford dealer who has no experience with them scares me. It's a very good reason why nobody's picked this car up.
If you have ***** and want to take a risk on the cheapest CL600 in the country, I wish you the best of luck, you'll need it.
