Which CL55 should I choose?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 48
Likes: 6
From: Cupertino CA
05 CL65
Which CL55 should I choose?
Hi All,
I have been silently looking for an 03 CL55 for a while now and see a couple of prospects that sound interesting. I have budget constraints so that is why I am looking at the below options which are not ideal but fit the initial budget.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...item4ac0f460c2
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2003-...item43b7e15d4a
(I have a quote for $1500 for bodywork and paint plus side mirror extra)
These are both east coast cars and I am in the west coast so shipping would be an additional cost.
I know these are both Salvage and it is advisable to stay away but considering the cost of what else is out there, they look like potential entry points into owning one. Other cars out there near my range are higher mileage. Would be interested in hearing your thoughts.
Thanks in advance,
Cheers,
Ather
I have been silently looking for an 03 CL55 for a while now and see a couple of prospects that sound interesting. I have budget constraints so that is why I am looking at the below options which are not ideal but fit the initial budget.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...item4ac0f460c2
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2003-...item43b7e15d4a
(I have a quote for $1500 for bodywork and paint plus side mirror extra)
These are both east coast cars and I am in the west coast so shipping would be an additional cost.
I know these are both Salvage and it is advisable to stay away but considering the cost of what else is out there, they look like potential entry points into owning one. Other cars out there near my range are higher mileage. Would be interested in hearing your thoughts.
Thanks in advance,
Cheers,
Ather
Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
From: SC
2003 Lincoln LS V8
I wouldn't touch the second car if they paid me. You can't do an inspection from across the country, so their quote doesn't mean anything until they tear the car apart. Even assuming the damage is purely cosmetic (which isn't likely), $1500 is way too low to fix that car properly.
When my car was wrecked, the initial quote was for about $3,000 (from the insurance adjuster before the car arrived at the shop). My car didn't look nearly as bad as the white one in the second link. After a couple of days in the shop, they requested an additional $24,000 dollars! This is just to show you that there can be a lot more damage than you can tell from the outside.
If you're looking to save money, I wouldn't even recommend the first car (or any CL). These cars are expensive to maintain properly even if you buy them in perfect condition.
If you are set on it, get a very thorough inspection before you buy. The front bumper (after the work) looks a little off. If there were corners cut anywhere in the restoration, you could end up spending more in repair costs than you paid for the car.
As the saying goes, "there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes." I'm not trying to scare you, I just want to make sure you know what you're getting into before you buy.
When my car was wrecked, the initial quote was for about $3,000 (from the insurance adjuster before the car arrived at the shop). My car didn't look nearly as bad as the white one in the second link. After a couple of days in the shop, they requested an additional $24,000 dollars! This is just to show you that there can be a lot more damage than you can tell from the outside.
If you're looking to save money, I wouldn't even recommend the first car (or any CL). These cars are expensive to maintain properly even if you buy them in perfect condition.
If you are set on it, get a very thorough inspection before you buy. The front bumper (after the work) looks a little off. If there were corners cut anywhere in the restoration, you could end up spending more in repair costs than you paid for the car.
As the saying goes, "there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes." I'm not trying to scare you, I just want to make sure you know what you're getting into before you buy.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 11
From: Gulf Coast but not Florida
GLK350, SL63 AMG
Sandy victims?
Hi All,
I have been silently looking for an 03 CL55 for a while now and see a couple of prospects that sound interesting. I have budget constraints so that is why I am looking at the below options which are not ideal but fit the initial budget.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...item4ac0f460c2
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2003-...item43b7e15d4a
(I have a quote for $1500 for bodywork and paint plus side mirror extra)
These are both east coast cars and I am in the west coast so shipping would be an additional cost.
I know these are both Salvage and it is advisable to stay away but considering the cost of what else is out there, they look like potential entry points into owning one. Other cars out there near my range are higher mileage. Would be interested in hearing your thoughts.
Thanks in advance,
Cheers,
Ather
I have been silently looking for an 03 CL55 for a while now and see a couple of prospects that sound interesting. I have budget constraints so that is why I am looking at the below options which are not ideal but fit the initial budget.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...item4ac0f460c2
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2003-...item43b7e15d4a
(I have a quote for $1500 for bodywork and paint plus side mirror extra)
These are both east coast cars and I am in the west coast so shipping would be an additional cost.
I know these are both Salvage and it is advisable to stay away but considering the cost of what else is out there, they look like potential entry points into owning one. Other cars out there near my range are higher mileage. Would be interested in hearing your thoughts.
Thanks in advance,
Cheers,
Ather
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,477
Likes: 5
From: Los Angeles
04 CL55 (sold), 2012 CLS550 (sold), 2014 S550 (sold), 2015 ES300H (DAILY)
I agree, stay far FAR away
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 48
Likes: 6
From: Cupertino CA
05 CL65
Thank you all for the feedback and appreciate sharing your experiences repairing these cars. So I will go ahead and pass on them and wait for a better offer and also explore other car options. There is not much else out there for the money with that much power though.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,630
Likes: 9
From: Chicago
W215 V12TT Build by Speedriven, W221 S550 4Matic
If you have a budget sometime its worth the while to wait and save up more. These are Mercedes Cars, buying the cheapest thing out there is likebuying themost expensive one. Just my .02
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,361
Likes: 229
SL55, S500
This kid is better of getting a kia for $189 a month.
