Need your opinion
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 934
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From: Boston
NSX
Need your opinion
Hey guys I am new to this forum. I am looking to buy a used 2002 CL 600 or CL55. Obviously the pre-'03 models do not have the Kompressor or bi-turbo motors. Its basically 2 cars at around 360 HP. The strange thing is that although the CL600 has a higher book value, the CL55's seem to cost more in the market.
I have found a couple of clean low milage CL600's with sport packages, which is the AMG body and wheels. I also have found CL55's, for a few thousand MORE.
Honestly, I have not DRIVEN either car. I have only driven CL500's and am happy enough with those to spend the money not even having driven the others.
I am asking you guys especially that have been in both to give me an unbiased opinion. I realize this is the AMG forum, please keep in mind I am talking 02 models. Any input is greatly appreciated. Soon I will be a member here with a CL... so please advise me carefully.
I have found a couple of clean low milage CL600's with sport packages, which is the AMG body and wheels. I also have found CL55's, for a few thousand MORE.
Honestly, I have not DRIVEN either car. I have only driven CL500's and am happy enough with those to spend the money not even having driven the others.
I am asking you guys especially that have been in both to give me an unbiased opinion. I realize this is the AMG forum, please keep in mind I am talking 02 models. Any input is greatly appreciated. Soon I will be a member here with a CL... so please advise me carefully.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 934
Likes: 2
From: Boston
NSX
The changes didn't happen until '03.
The 600 is a regular V12, the CL55 is the 500 motor punched out to 5.5 liters by AMG. In '03 it got the supercharger and the 600 got the turbos.
The prices vary a lot. What I can tell you is the book values are fiction. I routinely find these cars at 10K below "Trade in" price on Edmunds TMV, nevermind retail value. CL55's seem to hold their value the best, better than the 500 or the 600 (which seems to take the most loss).
To give you an idea, the best deal I found and should have closed but didn't, was an '01 CL600 with 13,000 miles for $56,000. That was a steal. I didn't buy it because the sport package is important to me and it didn't have it.
I find that cars on e-bay are more aggressively priced than on cars.com or autotrader.com which are all good sources.
These cars are very very expensive to repair, and from what I understand they do have their fair share of electronic issues (most mechanicals seem to hold up well). Every mechanic I talked to recommended I get one with a warranty. Most 01's are now out of warranty, so I recommend you find an '02 or try to find one Starmark. A car with a warranty is worth $4-5K more on the market.
Some of the options are Parktronic, Distronic, Keyless Go (02 and higher only), Electronic trunk closer, multi-contour seats (standard on the 600), sport package (standard on the CL55).
Hope this helps.
The 600 is a regular V12, the CL55 is the 500 motor punched out to 5.5 liters by AMG. In '03 it got the supercharger and the 600 got the turbos.
The prices vary a lot. What I can tell you is the book values are fiction. I routinely find these cars at 10K below "Trade in" price on Edmunds TMV, nevermind retail value. CL55's seem to hold their value the best, better than the 500 or the 600 (which seems to take the most loss).
To give you an idea, the best deal I found and should have closed but didn't, was an '01 CL600 with 13,000 miles for $56,000. That was a steal. I didn't buy it because the sport package is important to me and it didn't have it.
I find that cars on e-bay are more aggressively priced than on cars.com or autotrader.com which are all good sources.
These cars are very very expensive to repair, and from what I understand they do have their fair share of electronic issues (most mechanicals seem to hold up well). Every mechanic I talked to recommended I get one with a warranty. Most 01's are now out of warranty, so I recommend you find an '02 or try to find one Starmark. A car with a warranty is worth $4-5K more on the market.
Some of the options are Parktronic, Distronic, Keyless Go (02 and higher only), Electronic trunk closer, multi-contour seats (standard on the 600), sport package (standard on the CL55).
Hope this helps.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 934
Likes: 2
From: Boston
NSX
I almost forgot... the ventilated seats is also an option to look for. You can tell it has it if there are 5 LED's by the seat buttons on the door (2 are for vent and 3 for heat). Suprisingly a number of cars do not have this.
Most used car dealers I have talked to do not know about any of these options so I had to find out for myself. That was before I found this great Forum.
Most used car dealers I have talked to do not know about any of these options so I had to find out for myself. That was before I found this great Forum.
