Hi everyone

My name is Armen and I live in Paris, France.

Since november 2008, a CL65 replaced our ex-BMW 550i 367 HP (was a fabulous car, so rare in France, only 50 units...).

I'm fond of photography, check out my website : http://armenphotos.blogspot.com/

According to my Mercedes-Benz dealer, there are about forty CL65's (C215 and C216 version) in France.
I've had several problems with my CL65, about the ABC suspension, and a mechanical problem on the engine at low revs...
For a car like this, so expensive, it is a bit frustrating...





(I guess it is weird for you guys to see a french CL65...)



My impressions about this car

First of all, fuel consumption is soooo big

In town, the car is doing 8,4 miles/gallon. Strictly impossible to do more than 15,6 miles/gallon.
On the highway, with just a few little kick down, the car does 11,7 miles/gallon (US).
With a full tank (23 us gallon), we can not do more than 267 miles.

And if I told you the gas prices in France, you wouldn't believe me...

Concerning the tires, with 1000 Nm of torque, they reach about 6215 miles.

That car is so fast.

The car is comfortable (excellent front seats, rear seats a little firm for my taste), very good finish, oversized equipment.
The sound of the V12 twin-turbo on the outside is beautiful, very rocky, it sounds quite close to a boat.
In the interior, unfortunately, it is far too silent, even though we manage to hear the V12. And here is the failure : the sensations are really sticky, due to the softness of the 5-speed automatic gearbox, and the fact that this engine only revs to 5 800 rpm. I've said good bye to the 6 500 rpm of my ex-BMW 550i (the engine sound was very present in the interior).

So you must really watch the counter because we don't realize the endless acceleration... up to 250 km/h. (155 mph)
It is theoretically restricted.
AMG asks 3000 € (4060 $) to take off the limiter, they are just crazy...

Concerning the handling etc... it does not like small roads (even with ABC sport). This car is built for the highway...
The car is much less agile and fun than my ex-BMW 550i of 1735 kg and 245 hp less). BMW "Driving Pleasure"...
"The weight, our worst enemy" ... I understand fans from Caterham and Ariel Atom !
The real pleasure is to make a kick down to get rid of idiots who are sticking to your butt and there, hard to follow the V12 twin-turbo.


Mechanical problems

The first problem I've had was the ABC suspension, which wasn't working anymore.
The second problem was on the engine, I don't know how to explain it in english, but when the car was stopped, the engine was revving too high.
My MB dealer got in contact with Affalterbach to resolve the problem.
They resolved these problems but once again, the ABC suspension wasn't working I hope there will be no problem anymore...

I'm very happy to join the community.

Greetings from Paris,

Armen

 

Welcome. Once you sorty all those little problems it is a fun car to drive. In terms of the issues, do you have some type of warranty? if not you should definitely get one.

 

I do have a warranty, but it is a waste of time to bring the car to the MB dealer etc... and I hope there will be no problem anymore because as soon as the warranty ends, I can't imagine the price to fix the car...

 

Welcome Armen.. that's a beautiful looking CL you got there... I think the yellow euro plate on the rear really finishes the back end of the car... looks so much better than our US plates.

I was looking through your gallery yesterday and you take some fantastic photos! I thought you might be interested in looking through my automotive photo gallery also.. http://photo.thegetlucky.com/f986425673

 

Thanks Oxygen !
Your photoshoot of the Brabus is sooo nice !

 

Did anybody take off the speed-limiter of 155 mph ?

I'd like to know the top speed of this car...

 

Y'en a qu'on d'la chance...

 

Salut, content de voir qu'il y a un Français.
Si tu ne parles pas anglais, je peux te donner la traduction.

 

Je suis tres content moi aussi de voir un compatriote !!

Felicitatons pour Ton CL... Les 65 AMG ça court pas les rues en france.

1000Nm Ca doit etre quelquechose de Phenomenal.

J'ai jeté un oeil a ton site qui est tres bien fait.

P.S
My Engllish Is Good Enough To Understand What You Wrote. Thanks quand meme pour la proposition de Translation .

 

Je peux t'aider sur un point, convertir les consommations moyennes en litres/100 !

- En ville : 28 litres/100
- Sur autoroute avec quelques petits kick-down : 18 litres/100
- Impossible de faire moins de 15 litres/100 même à faible allure au régulateur
- En conduite sportive : 28 litres/100
- Une bonne moyenne de 20 litres/100 en quelque sorte

Donc avec le réservoir de 88 L, on fait un peu plus de 400 km.
Je suis de Paris également.

 

200+

 

Thanks, that's what I guessed.

So, about 210 on the speedometer...

 

Cool site, and nice looking car..... it does have yellow headlights right? That would be an interesting picture to post.

I spent some time in Bitburg, GE (Eiffel mountains) and traveled many times into Luxembourg, Belgium, and France...and gas was very expensive for me back then.

 

Thanks.

It is not exactly yellow headlights like old cars in France.

Those are xenon of course but I couldn't tell you exactly which color it is.

I'll try to post a picture

 

A picture to show you a CL 65 without US orange lights near the wheel...

 

those look soOoo good

 

Thank you.

 

Armen that's a beautiful car.

 

Thanks hyelifeCL.

So you have a CL55 Kompressor, haven't you ?

 

yes i do and i love it.

 

Are you not worried driving a car like this in Paris traffic!
Especially in a certain place, you know where!!

 

Charles De Gaulles Etoile For tha muthafukkin Win !!!!

 

nice pics on your blog

 

I was thinking more...Arc de Triomphe!

 

I try not to use the car in the Parisian traffic...

Charles de Gaulle Etoile = Arc de Triomphe !!

There lots of traffic, and with a car of this size, we have to be careful.

In the Parisian traffic, as I said, the car is doing 8,4 miles/gallon (US)...

I added new photos on my blog : http://armenphotos.blogspot.com/