Ssccottt

Hello....much like the thread title might indicate, i'm considering the purchase of a CL55....'03 with 32k miles.....its currently at the dealership getting every wire harness replaced due to water that got into the fuse box.....see attached.....not sure what else is being replaced while they're in there but will find out before i make an offer.....any suggestions for what i should check for?.....common electrical problem areas, sensors, etc.?.....any specific non-electrical areas you recommend having checked out?.....especially on a low mileage car that's probably had extended periords of rest.....appreciate the help.....thanks, Scott

ch33sehead

Everything... absolutely everything. First and most important question: why was there was in the fuse box in the first case? Was it flooded? Check for rust underneath the car, check for signs of corrosion especially near electrical connectors, check to see if every single button in the car works as and does what it should. All lights inside and out, windows, a/c, sunroof, nav unit, etc. Drive the car for at least a little while and make sure no errors come up on the dash. Take a peek while the carpet is out to see if there's any rust on the body itself.

radride

Make sure they offer some kind of warranty be it 90 days or a year. Find out why it was flooded. Was it an insurance scam? Did someone leave all of the windows open in a hurricane?

Also with this much work, will the car come with a salvage title? If that's the case, low ball them if you still really want the car.

Goodluck and keep us posted.

R.K.

KENCO

If your like me, and always buy the cheapest you can find super cars, that you do all the work to them yourself to see how cheap you can do it for, and then get a great car out of the deal, then buy it. If you do not want the biggest pain in the *** and a serious money vacuum, then stay away.

If these cars get wet, I hate to see what happens to them, it's hard enough to keep up with the electronics on them when they are bone dry.

If you are a DIY guy, get it for real cheap, like 7-8K and spend hours and days and even weeks schooling yourself on this and other forums, so you can fix the many repairs that will come. These are great cars!

I got my 03 for under 13K with no signs of water damage, I need to dump about $800 worth of parts in to it , but after that It will be lots of fun. If it had to go to the dealer for the repairs it would probably be more like 4-5 k to get it fixed.

Ssccottt

Thanks all for the feedback....some good tips.....don't have all of the details surrounding the "flooding" yet, but the MB service manager led me to believe it was just a matter of some rain water getting into the fuse box that for whatever reason wasn't properly covered/sealed.....fortunately the seller is a good friend (not the dealership) and i'm confident i can get the full story, but unfortunately as a private sale there will be no warranty......seller is currently overseas and has authorized dealership to release it to my custody upon completion, so i'll have plenty of opportunity to give it a thorough inspection.....will also def make sure title remains clean - good tip, Mr. radride!!

danlnyc

I hope the purchase goes through smoothly I just hit 70k miles on my car and I haven't had any issues other than a cracked motor mount (which I immediately replaced through warranty). Oh yea, warranty might be a good idea on these cars. There are ABC failure horror stories all throughout this forum.

The CL55 is an amazing car. You will love it!

Ssccottt

Yeah, been reading all about the ABC horror stories......problem is, it appears warranty prices have since been adjusted accordingly.....MB dealership quoted me $14k for 6yr/72k miles, $8,600 for 3yr/36k......i found other companies are offering packages for $3k, but they don't cover suspension which i assume is what ABC would fall under.....back in the day when you could get a full coverage warranty for $4k i'm sure it was a no brainer, but i think those days are done....if anyone has any suggestions i'm all ears!!......thanks, Scott

JHouse

Hopefully the dealer will back their repairs, but my fear is human nature/effort/concentration/attention to detail. Taking that many parts out and replacing them, it would be hard to be perfect, even if you do have a big Star on your chest. I suppose their computer diagnostics should tell the tale on function. But from the picture, they are absolutely tearing that car apart.

As an example, the VMI I got (after I bought mine) shows that they swapped out the entire command system in my car 3 times. And it is still buggy as hell.

Ssccottt

Yeah, not sure to what extent the dealer will back the repair for the current owner much less if any warranty will be transferrable to me after sale, will definitely inquire.....work was completed yesterday but dealership is keeping to drive and test for a week to hopefully flush out any bugs before delivery.....at that point i'll get the full rundown on everything that was replaced, inspected, serviced, etc.,....i assume they'll be able to provide full service history for everything performed at MB dealer, right?

Thanks,
Scott

zneB-sedecreM

No matter if one of the best Merc techs was working on that specific car, with that many parts out of it, it wont even sound how its supposed to sound. These cars are very quiet inside, with all the parts moved out of their original position, it wont have that same seal if you will that came from the factory. These arent the cars to buy after they've been messed up tbh Too many parts that are too expensive and too delicate. Theres plenty more you can look at that'll give you much more piece of mind. If you get that one, I'm sure something will "pop" up sooner than later. After it's out of their hands for the first couple weeks, its not gonna be their problem.

bobbymatthews

Scott
I would Run, not walk from this deal!
Sounds like a headache!
For some xtra coin buy a Sound car...

Just remember....you get what u pay for.

There are no freebies in life.

Good luck and Merry Christmas

m_berman

Don't consider purchase unless you get an extended warranty. Being an 03 I doubt if you can get anything beyond a 1 year policy.
Email all MB dealers in the area for waranty costs and term. You will be surprised on the results.
Also, try to negotiate all the fluids to be changed including the rear end and p/s.

Nero Tenebre

My advice, don't by a CL at all. Constant headache, had one from 2000-2011. If you like the way they look, just look at photos like I do.

zneB-sedecreM

It's a really high maintenance sexy girlfriend. Sometimes you just can't put up with it no matter how good she is, but you'll never forget her. Nice CLK btw

BlownV8

More like a supermodel with a coke and heroin addiction. She will rob you blind and drain your savings account.

m_berman

Try for a 2005 or 2006 CL55 due to the fact that they are still eligible for extended warranties. Best of all, lots of little mech upgrades from the 2003 MY.

JHouse

This thread is a bummer. Famous last words but: Mine has run like a top and hasn't needed anything significant. 73,000 miles and still hammering.

BlownV8

If you haven't replaced your hoses and accumulator, I would do so as preventative maintenance. That's right when I started to dump big money into ABC repairs. I'd have a good indy remove all the rubber ABC lines, take to a hydraulic hose shop, and replace them with a higher quality hose.

zneB-sedecreM

Lol no, no, no those are the 2000-2002 CL600s

JHouse

Thanks for the tip. But that kind of defeats the purpose of the extended warranty I bought. Maybe if it starts hurting me before the warranty runs out I can talk my indy guy into doing that with some of the warranty repair money.

Exotic-metal55

Besides the wiring, I would be very concerned that the 20K ABC suspension system has water, rust and failed parts!

BlownV8

Not in my experience. Mine was a 2003 bi-turbo. It is just a matter of time with the ABC and coil packs on the 600's.

JHouse

You guys are such party-poopers.

zneB-sedecreM

I don't thnk so. I love the W215 AMGs. Wanted one since the moment I laid eyes on one at 11 years old. I'm on to owning my second one already. Totaled one on March of this year (most comfortable accident I've ever been in, wasn't my fault btw). The one I have now, I spent so much time and money on it, I'm nowhere near finished where I want to go with it. So much more money to put in it. But I don't care either, I'm obsessed with this car. You couldn't ask for more car really, especially mine, it looks the part as well. The ride is sublime. Strong, sexy, fast, comfortable, sporty, elegant, subtle yet still catches eyes than most new Benzes. This car is amazing. But I also won't be blind to the fact that this guy wants to buy an all electrical CL that has been flooded? No way man, his $20+K car will end up turning into $30k + easy. Easy.

awiner

My ABC pump went out about that mileage too....