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I have been reading the 218 forum for a while now, but have specific questions so created an account; this is my first post. I am currently considering purchasing a 2014 RWD CLS 550 with 60,000 miles for $31,000. I went to test drive it earlier this week and immediately noticed that the overall condition of the car, the interior especially, surpassed other cars I had driven of the same year. I examined the car fax and discovered that the first owner was a lease, and the second was a CPO buyer. Both owners appeared to regularly maintain the car, at Mercedes-Benz dealerships. The dealership which is selling the car purchased it at a greenlight auction.
I had an independent mechanic inspect the car yesterday and spoke with him this morning regarding his findings. His exact words were "You're not going to find a cleaner CLS than this. It's obvious that this car was well maintained and not driven hard, e.g. an old man car". In his report, he found the following flaws: a light seep at the right cam solenoid (very light), a missing left sound buffer (felt board), aftermarket wheels, and scuffing on the front left side of the car (as if it had popped a curb or driven over a rock at some point), and some electrical component error codes that were recorded as "stored". He verified the functionality of all components implicated by the codes, and attributed it to a low voltage accessory battery. His final assessment was that there wasn't any mechanical issues that should scare me off, to the extent of him endorsing purchasing the car without a warranty.
There is no way I would purchase a car like this without an extended warranty, but would like to know everyone's experiences on what can go wrong in this car from the 60,000 - 100,000 range. Please, be as negative as possible as I love the car but will not purchase it if the value isn't there. I have worked on cars to a limited extent since I was a child, albeit lesser brands such as Toyota, Lexus, and Mercury. However, I feel confident in my ability to perform routine maintenance such as oil changes.
Thank you in advance!
Last edited by MBuser0723; May 26, 2022 at 02:58 PM.
2013 Weistec 540/715 tuned CLS 550, 2008 E350, and '07 Jaguar S-Type R
It looks like a really nice car w/low miles. Those flaws are minor and easily fixable.
Buy it then immediately pay Westec Engineering $1499 for an ECU tune and discover the joy 540 horsepower and 715 lb ft of torque adds to every drive
Hey MBuser0723, here is some extended warranty information and pricing, top tier extended warranty coverage from Fidelity and Freedom Warranty, repairs accepted at all Mercedes-Benz dealers in the country.
3014 Mercedes-Benz CLS 550 w/ 60k miles.
Freedom Warranty Complete Manufactures Extension: 60 months / up to 100k miles $0 deductible -$3,435
$100 deductible
-$3,285
60 months / up to 125k miles $0 deductible -$3,735
$100 deductible
-$3,685
Interesting, Fidelity Platinum quoted me at $12708 for 4 years/48k miles.
An authorized reseller must have quoted you that price, Fidelity does not quote or sell direct to individuals... we are car guys too, and believe you are treated the way you treat others, that's why we rather offer fair pricing on high quality products.
I basically have the same car with same mileage. It's a great car. The oil weep is easily fixed with an oring. I did all of mine myself in 30 minutes. I also replaced the motor and transmission mounts because they were worn out, which made the car feel like new.
Have him check the airmatic system as that could get pricey. I absolutely love the car and I believe you will love it too.
I basically have the same car with same mileage. It's a great car. The oil weep is easily fixed with an oring. I did all of mine myself in 30 minutes. I also replaced the motor and transmission mounts because they were worn out, which made the car feel like new.
Have him check the airmatic system as that could get pricey. I absolutely love the car and I believe you will love it too.
How hard are the mounts to replace? I assume you have a 4matic CLS550 correct?
I have all the tools I need and a lift, was just wondering what someone that actually did them says. Talked to some guys and they all say things like, subframe has to come down or A/C compressor, steering rack needs to be out.
Would love to hear what you say.
EDIT: Just saw this car is a RWD model. Never mind, i know RWD is much easier to do mounts.
Apologies for highjacking thread
I wouldn't say it's minor seeing it can ruin your ECU and cause you to drop the motor out to replace the wiring harness. I bought a 2012 with 59k. After hearing about oil leaking from cam sensors I checked them out, sure enough was oil. Only thing was when I went to replace I found they where already replaced with the ones with the green oring , but all 4 still had oil and it went all the way up to my ecu. Hopefully I cought it but car has been running like **** on acceleration. Now the oxygen sensors are now causing misfires.
This car is one of the most reliable Benz ever. I wouldn't get an extended warranty tbh.
I grew up with the same thinking about German cars, my whole family drove Toyotas. My CLS550 hasn't had a single issue in my ownership, compared to some of my family members having trouble with Toyotas, new or old.
There are 3 major issues with these cars.
1. Oil leaks through the cam sensors into the wiring harness, then into the ECU, and it very quickly turns into a very very very expensive fix. Luckily, if you replace the cam sensors early, it will be very very cheap and fast to do yourself. Took me 15 minutes and 120 bucks to do both.
2. Cylinder scoring on front two pistons. A manufacturing issue with has led to the pistons scoring the cylinder sleeves on the front two pistons, piston 5 and 8 on the computer IIRC. Early signs of this can be misfires in cylinder 5 and 8. (Again not sure if those numbers are correct, you will find all you need to know by searching for these issues on this forum.) However, bare in mind. This is pretty uncommon. The normal mileage for when this happens is around 100k. It is said that about 1 in 5 engines made have this issue. However bare in mind, Mercedes put the M278 in almost every model in their lineup, so the chance of you getting a bad engine on a CLS is pretty low. Still, something to consider. If I were buying another car with an M278, I would get one that has 120k+, just so I know everything that can go wrong, has already gone wrong, and has been fixed. Considering the forced induction and power levels of this engine, it's really reliable. Comparable to the M113K.
3. Airmatic air suspension. This one isn't really a major issue, just an expensive wear item. My CLS is at 80k miles and still has stock air suspension, and is able to hold it's height for at least 5 days before starting to lower. Takes about 1.5-2 weeks to fully be on the floor in the rear, front doesn't drop at all. Mercedes says the normal operating limit is it must be able to sit 3 days without dropping all the way. So after 80k miles, it's still well within limits. However, EVENTUALLY, it will start leaking. When it does, it can be pricey to fix. If you buy a good aftermarket set instead of OEM, and do the work yourself, it's not that expensive for something that has to be changed every 100-150k miles. About $1500 for all four corners. If you take it to the dealer, it will be a lot more.
Other than that, there aren't really any common problems. Any issue you might run into at that point, you are just as likely to have that same issue on another car.
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2014 CLS 550: Advice on Purchase
