danodano

Having some difficulty deciding between the 2.

Prices are basically the same

After a renntech ECU tune, I suspect the CLS will be faster than the S65 / CL65 by a tad. (Correct me if I am wrong?)


2009 S65/CL65 Pros:
Nicer seats
V12 prestige
20k cheaper than CLS
Bulk of the depreciation is already done
Build quality is higher I believe
Since its a 65' it has every option already included (p1/p2/p3/parktronic/etc..)


2012+ CLS63 Pros:
Newer, warranty still existing
Nicer interior design with newer tech
Engine when tuned is a monster and still gets decent MPG
Newer Exterior design (LED Headlights / New Grill, etc.. )
You dont feel quite as much like a old man driving it as you do in S or CL


Unrelated, but other cars I have considered: (reqs = 4 seats, under 100k )

• Ferrari 612 - Does not stand out much for a ferrari. Not exactly cheap to repair anything. 100k+
• Maserati Granturismo - Awesome exterior/interior but is very underpowered. Cheap ( 60k~ )
• Nissan GTR - Everything is great, except that at the end of the day, you are still driving a nissan that gets mistaken for a 370z all the time. Buying a used one seems stupid since they all get raped.
• BMW M6 - Cheap option ( can get a nice one for 50k ) but very common car so its not gonna stand out much.
• 911 Turbo/GT3 - Most people cant tell the difference between a 250k porsche and a 50k one.
• Aston Martin DB9 - Looks like a Jaguar. Expensive to fix. Not that fast. Nice interior
• Bentley Continental - Range Rover reliability, lamborghini repair prices. Still very nice though.
• G55 - I will kill myself for not having the new G63 engine every time I drive it.

Blkvip

how long you going to keep? not sure on the newer v12s but the mid/late 00's are horrid on maintenance and resale is crap. Id go CLS, looks to kill and warranty.

danodano

Cant deny the fact a tuneup on a v12 is gonna be at least 50% more expensive than a v8

zelement

S or CL for me. $100k car vs $200k car.

danodano

True, but almost nobody knows that. Also, cant deny the newer CLS looks miles more expensive than the CL or S. Most are going to think the CL is the 100k car and the CLS the 200k one.

Wolfman

A CLS looking like a $200k car? Hardly. It looks great, but not expensive...

A S/Cl65 will have a much nicer interior than the CLS and the S550 for that matter (full leather dash/doors, alcantara everywhere, exclusive napa, cross-stitching) and the V12 is still the current engine in the '14 models including the new S-Class sedan/coupe.

The CLS will be the faster car and the cheaper one to maintain. Think $1500 for spark plugs or $2k plus for motor mounts on the V12.

Without warranty, a 65 will probably average $5-$6k a year for maintenance/repairs.

I personally recommend an SLS. This car will not be mistaken for a cheaper model and definitely stands out from the crowd. Plus it is a well built car with few technical gremlins and silly fast, especially if you slap a turbo on it

alx

Your are cross shopping segments. Decide for yourself if you want a bigger more plush car or a sportier one. It is really that simple. You want to look expensive? Get a few years old Bentley gt.

danodano

The CLS and the CL are really not that different in size / looks. You make it seem like I am comparing a gallardo with a minivan.

alx

They are very different. Very. Trust me.

TMC M5

+1

The W216 CL65 weighs nearly 4,900lbs and the 2012 CLS63 weighs just over 4,200lbs. I actually like the CLS63's interior better but do realize that the materials in the CL65 are marginally nicer.

From a performance perspective, the CLS63 is the better overall performer:


http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...t/viewall.html

In MT testing, the CLS63 does the 1/4 m in 12.1 @ 121.3 mph vs the CL65's 12.3 @ 118.4 mph. The CLS63 also can be optioned with a LSD whereas the CL65 cannot (although aftermarket ones are available).

If you need to get people in the back seat, the CL65 is not as convenient and rear room is a little tighter.

zelement

I dont know anybody that thinks that. A cls starts at $72k while a cl starts at $115k. No offense but the cls is considered an afforable car in the benz line up. No one buying a CL new would ever consider a CLS. Not to mention a $200k CL65.

CLS is an E in sleeker body panels and is no where near the top of the benz food chain. The cls interior is already outdated and by far inferior to any 216/221. You cant even compare any CLS to any CL or S65 in any way shape or form.

anton28

not sure what planet your on LOL The CLS is clearly a cheaper looking car then a prestige cl65. EVERYONE knows including their granma that a S class is the prestige class of Mercedes, old or young.

anton28

You clearly do not have attention to detail. Both cars look completely different.

anton28

Exactly!!!

Viper98912

Mercedes enthusiasts know what a CL is and what a 65 is. Everyone else thinks it's just a Mercedes.

The CLS63 is a beautiful car and will get a lot more attention and look "nice" than a "regular looking" CL.

The interior of the CLS is very very nice. But still, the "quality" of dead cows everywhere in the CL make it superior.

It's going to boil down to what you WANT more. It sounds like you can afford both and you know what style you're looking for.

anton28

You've clearly never owned a CL and don't know what attention the car gets.....maybe here in Cali people just know their cars vs somewhere but**** no where, where a c class is mistaken for an s class and everything in between.

danodano

Wow, chill out dude. MB enthusiasts definitely know a CL from a S but 9 out of 10 common folk will not be able to tell the models apart.

The CL is still a dated design and you may claim superiority with interiors but its really not that different. My last car was a loaded 2007 S (which is more expensive than the CL), so I am coming from my own experience.

Its a weird thing- the CL65 costs more than the CLS, but the CLS is faster, has a better looking interior and modern exterior and gets better MPG- Its also 100k less. I still find myself drawn to the CL though, even though I know it loses on almost all fronts now. (speed/looks/interior)

Also, you dont need to do 4 posts in a row. One is enough. Its not a fight just a discussion, You dont need to come in defending your car choice to death.

anton28

Clearly you have no clue.