My '05 CL65
06-12-2017, 12:15 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
My '05 CL65
I brought this beauty home last weekend. I just got it washed after the 1300 mile roadtrip from Texas to North Carolina in nasty wet weather that lasted nearly the whole trip. Still could use some detailing, but at least it's presentable now.
Bought with only 29K miles, it's got over 31K now after the drive home.
Cheers!
Bought with only 29K miles, it's got over 31K now after the drive home.
Cheers!
Last edited by Geraldius; 06-12-2017 at 12:17 PM.
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2MERKS (02-19-2020),
principledchiro (06-13-2017)
06-12-2017, 06:59 PM
#5
Congratulations, what a nice low mile car. I think the weather kept you from getting a bunch of tickets on a nice cross country ride. Good luck with the car, Let us know your plans.
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principledchiro (06-13-2017)
06-12-2017, 09:59 PM
#6
Member
Thread Starter
Thanks guys! I've been looking for the right deal on one of these for a couple of years. I saw this one on the market last year from a private seller but the timing wasn't right for me. Then it went away for a while only to reapear on a used car lot and ebay. Carfax report showed it had traded hands across several auctions but it looks like 2 or 3 real owners with the first being a corporate lease.
The car really shows and drives like a 30K mile car should. No curb rash on the original AMG wheels!
@RaceHorse -- there was enough dry road along the way for the opportunity to get me in plenty of trouble! But I think the weather must have kept a majority of the fuzz off the road or busy elsewhere. I was pleasantly surprised how well the nearly new looking Michelin Pilot SS tires did in the wet.
All was not perfect on the trip however, as I was treated with failure of the pneumatic locking system on the second day. This disabled several systems, including the seat lumbar support, which was sorely needed. I'm still troubleshooting that. As best I can tell so far the vacuum pump circuit board just died with no evidence of why.
My plan is to keep the car stock but maintained in top condition. I'm going to drive it and savor it as Mercedes and AMG created it.
The car really shows and drives like a 30K mile car should. No curb rash on the original AMG wheels!
@RaceHorse -- there was enough dry road along the way for the opportunity to get me in plenty of trouble! But I think the weather must have kept a majority of the fuzz off the road or busy elsewhere. I was pleasantly surprised how well the nearly new looking Michelin Pilot SS tires did in the wet.
All was not perfect on the trip however, as I was treated with failure of the pneumatic locking system on the second day. This disabled several systems, including the seat lumbar support, which was sorely needed. I'm still troubleshooting that. As best I can tell so far the vacuum pump circuit board just died with no evidence of why.
My plan is to keep the car stock but maintained in top condition. I'm going to drive it and savor it as Mercedes and AMG created it.
Last edited by Geraldius; 06-23-2017 at 11:46 PM.
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PearlSchult08 (06-23-2017),
principledchiro (06-13-2017)
06-12-2017, 10:42 PM
#7
Member
Thread Starter
On the trip home I had both the car nav system and my iphone gps giving driving directions. The CL's nav voice was that of a more mature woman, though less knowledgable about the current roads, than the younger knowitall Siri. Siri was more talkative than the more reserved Mercedes assistant. But Mercedes was more set in her ways and reluctant to changing routes. Several times she insisted I go back to Texas to take a missed turn (that no longer existed). Siri, on the other hand, was more willing to accomodate my disregard of her directions and would happily offer a new optimized route.
Frequently the two females would disagree, which was amusing. At other times they would agree -- sometimes very repeatedly and insistently... TURN NOW! It was like being nagged simultaneously by the ex' and the girlfriend -- through Bose 10 speaker surround sound.
Anyone try updating the nav DVD with something current?
Frequently the two females would disagree, which was amusing. At other times they would agree -- sometimes very repeatedly and insistently... TURN NOW! It was like being nagged simultaneously by the ex' and the girlfriend -- through Bose 10 speaker surround sound.
Anyone try updating the nav DVD with something current?
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principledchiro (06-13-2017)
Trending Topics
06-13-2017, 10:52 AM
#11
Junior Member
so nice, I have been looking at CL55's cause they are cheaper, but that seems a reasonable price for such a great car.
local dealer here wants $26K for a 38K mile CL55 and NADA says $20/$22 retail and they turned down my 20k cash offer so im still looking
local dealer here wants $26K for a 38K mile CL55 and NADA says $20/$22 retail and they turned down my 20k cash offer so im still looking
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stingray230sx (06-14-2017)
06-14-2017, 08:03 AM
#13
Junior Member
yea, I am kinda hoping, but a couple others I have been looking at out of state have either sold or the dealer sent off to auction....I suppose they might turn up again at another dealer, so I will keep on looking, lucky I guess, cause it's a "want" car, not a need car, so I can be more patient in finding the right car
thanks again
douglas hunt
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principledchiro (06-14-2017)
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stingray230sx (06-15-2017)
06-15-2017, 09:36 AM
#15
Member
Thread Starter
I do prefer the styling on these W215s versus the '07-'10 (pre-facelift) W216s. Something about that front fender hump bugs me on those. And I just like the classic round oval headlights. Not a fan of of the recent sculpted angry-eyed headlight look or LED 'bling'. Too 'trendy' -- I don't think that look will wear well with time.
06-19-2017, 12:10 PM
#16
Member
Thread Starter
Well, I finally got the central locking system fixed. It turned out to be a dead controller board on the PSE pump. A used PSE pump from ebay got it going again. All locking systems and seats are working now except for the driver's door soft-close mechanism. The retainer tabs on the closer air cylinder broke off and so it came apart. This is a massive leak if I don't close the door fully, but a firm close bypasses the soft-close operation and it doesn't keep the pump running then.
I have a repair kit on order for the door closer cylinder. It looks like the door window has to come out to be able to remove the locking mechanism for repair.
I have a repair kit on order for the door closer cylinder. It looks like the door window has to come out to be able to remove the locking mechanism for repair.
06-20-2017, 11:25 AM
#17
Member
Thread Starter
Coil pack dies
So the saga continues.
I was getting on the throttle from a slow speed ... it started to accelerate, then POP! and the check engine light comes on and little power. Limped home and read misfire on cylinders 7-12.
Tests indicate the left side coil pack is shorted. Regardless of whether it was bad, I had to severely damage it to remove it -- several coils were seized up on the plugs and pulled out of the coil pack while removing. It looks like it had never been off the car before. I discovered white corrosion on several of the plugs, which appear to be original.
Ive got a new set of plugs on order and a new left side coil pack in hand. But I'm afraid to try to change the plugs on the right hand side as it risks damaging the coil pack to get at them. Should I just leave that side alone? Plugs were all in great condition and burning clean on the left side; they just had the corrosion around the bases. Looks like water was sitting in the pockets for a long time. I'm thinking someone must have washed the engine down and left it wet. There's no signs of leakage anywhere on the motor.
I was getting on the throttle from a slow speed ... it started to accelerate, then POP! and the check engine light comes on and little power. Limped home and read misfire on cylinders 7-12.
Tests indicate the left side coil pack is shorted. Regardless of whether it was bad, I had to severely damage it to remove it -- several coils were seized up on the plugs and pulled out of the coil pack while removing. It looks like it had never been off the car before. I discovered white corrosion on several of the plugs, which appear to be original.
Ive got a new set of plugs on order and a new left side coil pack in hand. But I'm afraid to try to change the plugs on the right hand side as it risks damaging the coil pack to get at them. Should I just leave that side alone? Plugs were all in great condition and burning clean on the left side; they just had the corrosion around the bases. Looks like water was sitting in the pockets for a long time. I'm thinking someone must have washed the engine down and left it wet. There's no signs of leakage anywhere on the motor.
Last edited by Geraldius; 06-20-2017 at 11:27 AM.
06-20-2017, 11:40 AM
#18
I would say don't delay the inevitable. You got a good price on the car, just replace the dated 13yr old coils and plugs at the same time and move forward. I highly doubt one side would fail and the other would live much longer.
06-20-2017, 08:04 PM
#19
Member
Thread Starter
Also, the replacement coil packs are a newer part number -- and cost more. Can't get the originals any more. Wonder if there's any performance difference...
06-20-2017, 08:24 PM
#20
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Thread Starter
Today I found that you can learn interesting things about your CL65 if you google its VIN. Stuff that isn't on a Carfax report.
Like that it sold just a couple years ago for $39K with only 14K miles on it.
And that it may have been a bank repo a couple years after that.
Or that it got new Michelin PSS tires less than a hundred miles before you bought it because "you don't want Continentals on there".
You might discover that your car was discussed in this very forum only a few months ago.
The population of these cars is small and getting smaller. Odds are we are all trading around one another's cars.
Like that it sold just a couple years ago for $39K with only 14K miles on it.
And that it may have been a bank repo a couple years after that.
Or that it got new Michelin PSS tires less than a hundred miles before you bought it because "you don't want Continentals on there".
You might discover that your car was discussed in this very forum only a few months ago.
The population of these cars is small and getting smaller. Odds are we are all trading around one another's cars.
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principledchiro (06-22-2017)
06-22-2017, 10:15 AM
#21
Member
Thread Starter
On the road again
I got the new left bank coil pack and plugs installed last night, and that appears to have fixed it! Coils went in much easier than they came out. A bit of dielectric grease on all the boots helped, and it should prevent them from being stuck next time the coil pack needs to be removed.
I'm a bit afraid to get on it very hard since that is what killed it last time. I've still got to change out the right side plugs and do the B service, which is a few days overdue. Going to take it easy on the car until all that's done.
The maintenance schedule gives a mileage or time limit for certain service items. Well the spark plugs looked like they were all burning clean and are well below the mileage limit, but they are supposed to be changed at 12 years regardless. This is 12 years. About half of the plugs I removed had corrosion around the bases. I can see where you'd want to change plugs after a certain amount of time just for issues like this even if they are working fine. Wouldn't want to have them get frozen into the head from being in there too long.
I'm a bit afraid to get on it very hard since that is what killed it last time. I've still got to change out the right side plugs and do the B service, which is a few days overdue. Going to take it easy on the car until all that's done.
The maintenance schedule gives a mileage or time limit for certain service items. Well the spark plugs looked like they were all burning clean and are well below the mileage limit, but they are supposed to be changed at 12 years regardless. This is 12 years. About half of the plugs I removed had corrosion around the bases. I can see where you'd want to change plugs after a certain amount of time just for issues like this even if they are working fine. Wouldn't want to have them get frozen into the head from being in there too long.
06-22-2017, 05:23 PM
#22
I got the new left bank coil pack and plugs installed last night, and that appears to have fixed it! Coils went in much easier than they came out. A bit of dielectric grease on all the boots helped, and it should prevent them from being stuck next time the coil pack needs to be removed.
I'm a bit afraid to get on it very hard since that is what killed it last time. I've still got to change out the right side plugs and do the B service, which is a few days overdue. Going to take it easy on the car until all that's done.
The maintenance schedule gives a mileage or time limit for certain service items. Well the spark plugs looked like they were all burning clean and are well below the mileage limit, but they are supposed to be changed at 12 years regardless. This is 12 years. About half of the plugs I removed had corrosion around the bases. I can see where you'd want to change plugs after a certain amount of time just for issues like this even if they are working fine. Wouldn't want to have them get frozen into the head from being in there too long.
I'm a bit afraid to get on it very hard since that is what killed it last time. I've still got to change out the right side plugs and do the B service, which is a few days overdue. Going to take it easy on the car until all that's done.
The maintenance schedule gives a mileage or time limit for certain service items. Well the spark plugs looked like they were all burning clean and are well below the mileage limit, but they are supposed to be changed at 12 years regardless. This is 12 years. About half of the plugs I removed had corrosion around the bases. I can see where you'd want to change plugs after a certain amount of time just for issues like this even if they are working fine. Wouldn't want to have them get frozen into the head from being in there too long.
If you didn't bleed your intercooler system it will be needed, it is very easy to have air trapped in which will allow the car to heat soak much easier. Its a bit of a process that doesn't always work out successfully at home and requires a special vaccum/suction to get out all the trapped air. For the future, when you do the other side coil/plugs only unmount the intercooler, but leave the hoses on. They can be tied or supported out of the way to work without dealing with a loss of coolant on the charged system.
06-22-2017, 05:31 PM
#23
good info. thanks
06-22-2017, 10:59 PM
#24
Member
Thread Starter
If you didn't bleed your intercooler system it will be needed, it is very easy to have air trapped in which will allow the car to heat soak much easier. Its a bit of a process that doesn't always work out successfully at home and requires a special vaccum/suction to get out all the trapped air. For the future, when you do the other side coil/plugs only unmount the intercooler, but leave the hoses on. They can be tied or supported out of the way to work without dealing with a loss of coolant on the charged system.
Last edited by Geraldius; 06-22-2017 at 11:05 PM.
