Grateful New Owner of a CL500 AMG - Leaning about them
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2025
Posts: 4
Likes: 2
From: Nashville, TN
2002 CL500 AMG
Grateful New Owner of a CL500 AMG - Leaning about them
Hey y’all,
Seems that I found a kind and useful forum and I’m happy to begin learning more here.
In the next 3 months I am inheriting an 2002 CL500 AMG from my dad. 210k miles and maintained like a jet engine mechanic. No literally, the owner of the imports shop he used was a Navy jet mechanic. He was meticulous about taking it to the shop very regularly for scheduled maintenance and never delayed to bring it in when he heard something weird or broke something. My dad was a mechanic briefly when he was young but turned corporate and didn’t work on his own stuff but he did know what’s what about it issues as ensuring his mechanics were decent and honest. I guess that’s the long way of saying the high mileage doesn’t concern me in the slightest. It runs amazing.
When the ABC system starting failing he gave up on it. He had bought more sports cars and didn’t care about this one anymore. There were some other issues that needed to be done but he reached his spending limit on it. He knew I love working on cars and asked if I’d like to keep it alive on the road and it in the family. A free Mercedes to tinker with? Yes please.
Known issues are ABC system leak and potential pump intermittent failure, steering/suspension linkage worn, rear main seal leak, pneumatic system leak.a few interior trim bits breaking off.
Unlike my dad, I like to do everything myself and this will not be a daily driver so I can afford to do things as I can afford them. I hope to find economic ways to fix all my issues and make this thing the best it can be for another 100k miles. I’m an intermediate DIY mechanic but my experience is mostly trucks and muscle cars.
My plan:
1) Swap ABC for Yellow coilovers.
+ new power steering pump
+ AMG sway bar
2) new steering/suspension linkage and bushings all around.
Seems Lemforder is the best bet for the parts? Trying to research more about the suspension layout of this car. I’m used to solid axle trucks and jeeps. This system and figuring out what parts are what. is confusing me right now, haha. Seems things have multiple names for the same part and different people call it different stuff. Would love help here.
3) Rear seal. Honestly I’m gonna leave it for awhile. It doesn’t drink very much oil at all it’s not a bad leak. I’ll leave it until a deeper rebuild or until I’m confident enough to tackle it. Can do a handful or other seals and bushings at the same time I’m sure.
4) I’m also going to leave the pneumatics alone. I’m fine closing all doors and such manually. I’ll do this later on a deeper rebuild or once I finish other things and just wanna restore it.
Fun stuff!
5) Exhaust! I’d like to delete the resonator with an X pipe and delete the 2nd cats. I’ll do new mufflers and AMG style tips as well. Spirited, but not in your face loud. I have no inspections.
6) Brake upgrade mostly because I want those sexy AMG calipers so I can be a total poser. Seems easy enough to get parts from a CL55 AMG and pop them on mine with new rotors and brackets. I’ll only be doing “spirited” driving but I’m sure it’ll feel good and look good. I’ll wait until I need new brakes.
7) High flow intake and new tubing with resonator delete.
8) Find a good tune that won’t cause issues but allow a more firm shift and responsive throttle and let my mods and deletes work to their full glory.
I’m not sure what trim pieces need to be replaced but I’ll figure that out and perhaps put a few fun little AMG touches in some places.
Excited to get this car in my hands and learn to be a better mechanic. If anyone has feedback to my plan or some lessons and perspective I should get in my head from the beginning I’d love to hear it. I’m just all excited!
Seems that I found a kind and useful forum and I’m happy to begin learning more here.
In the next 3 months I am inheriting an 2002 CL500 AMG from my dad. 210k miles and maintained like a jet engine mechanic. No literally, the owner of the imports shop he used was a Navy jet mechanic. He was meticulous about taking it to the shop very regularly for scheduled maintenance and never delayed to bring it in when he heard something weird or broke something. My dad was a mechanic briefly when he was young but turned corporate and didn’t work on his own stuff but he did know what’s what about it issues as ensuring his mechanics were decent and honest. I guess that’s the long way of saying the high mileage doesn’t concern me in the slightest. It runs amazing.
When the ABC system starting failing he gave up on it. He had bought more sports cars and didn’t care about this one anymore. There were some other issues that needed to be done but he reached his spending limit on it. He knew I love working on cars and asked if I’d like to keep it alive on the road and it in the family. A free Mercedes to tinker with? Yes please.
Known issues are ABC system leak and potential pump intermittent failure, steering/suspension linkage worn, rear main seal leak, pneumatic system leak.a few interior trim bits breaking off.
Unlike my dad, I like to do everything myself and this will not be a daily driver so I can afford to do things as I can afford them. I hope to find economic ways to fix all my issues and make this thing the best it can be for another 100k miles. I’m an intermediate DIY mechanic but my experience is mostly trucks and muscle cars.
My plan:
1) Swap ABC for Yellow coilovers.
+ new power steering pump
+ AMG sway bar
2) new steering/suspension linkage and bushings all around.
Seems Lemforder is the best bet for the parts? Trying to research more about the suspension layout of this car. I’m used to solid axle trucks and jeeps. This system and figuring out what parts are what. is confusing me right now, haha. Seems things have multiple names for the same part and different people call it different stuff. Would love help here.
3) Rear seal. Honestly I’m gonna leave it for awhile. It doesn’t drink very much oil at all it’s not a bad leak. I’ll leave it until a deeper rebuild or until I’m confident enough to tackle it. Can do a handful or other seals and bushings at the same time I’m sure.
4) I’m also going to leave the pneumatics alone. I’m fine closing all doors and such manually. I’ll do this later on a deeper rebuild or once I finish other things and just wanna restore it.
Fun stuff!
5) Exhaust! I’d like to delete the resonator with an X pipe and delete the 2nd cats. I’ll do new mufflers and AMG style tips as well. Spirited, but not in your face loud. I have no inspections.
6) Brake upgrade mostly because I want those sexy AMG calipers so I can be a total poser. Seems easy enough to get parts from a CL55 AMG and pop them on mine with new rotors and brackets. I’ll only be doing “spirited” driving but I’m sure it’ll feel good and look good. I’ll wait until I need new brakes.
7) High flow intake and new tubing with resonator delete.
8) Find a good tune that won’t cause issues but allow a more firm shift and responsive throttle and let my mods and deletes work to their full glory.
I’m not sure what trim pieces need to be replaced but I’ll figure that out and perhaps put a few fun little AMG touches in some places.
Excited to get this car in my hands and learn to be a better mechanic. If anyone has feedback to my plan or some lessons and perspective I should get in my head from the beginning I’d love to hear it. I’m just all excited!
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 283
Likes: 69
From: Baltimore, MD
93 Mustang GT, 94 Corvette ZR1, 2004 CL55 AMG, 2012 MP4-12c
Welcome to the party!
I see you're in the states so FCP Euro is gonna be your source for most factory replacement parts.
Plenty of places to find CL55 Brakes and other goodies when that time comes.
I bought my exhaust parts from MBH Motorsports and am very happy with their quality but to delete resonators, you can just as easily have a local muffler shop take care of that for you.
For your tune; V-Tech is the answer for the ECU. Also get a TJ Merry TCU and that’ll make actually driving the car more enjoyable.
Keep us posted and post up pics and progress along the way!
I have a thread going with my build so feel free to browse and see what hurdles ive run into
I see you're in the states so FCP Euro is gonna be your source for most factory replacement parts.
Plenty of places to find CL55 Brakes and other goodies when that time comes.
I bought my exhaust parts from MBH Motorsports and am very happy with their quality but to delete resonators, you can just as easily have a local muffler shop take care of that for you.
For your tune; V-Tech is the answer for the ECU. Also get a TJ Merry TCU and that’ll make actually driving the car more enjoyable.
Keep us posted and post up pics and progress along the way!
I have a thread going with my build so feel free to browse and see what hurdles ive run into
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2025
Posts: 4
Likes: 2
From: Nashville, TN
2002 CL500 AMG
I don’t have the car yet! Working out with my dad if I fly there and drive it back or we trailer it over to me.
These are just my lofty goals out of new found car excitement. But the ABS is problematic and needs to happen when I get it. I won’t have money available right away so it might sit a few months. My other car is also undergoing repairs and it was in line for my money to be spent first haha
These are just my lofty goals out of new found car excitement. But the ABS is problematic and needs to happen when I get it. I won’t have money available right away so it might sit a few months. My other car is also undergoing repairs and it was in line for my money to be spent first haha
