I currently own a 2001.5 Audi S4 but am seriously contemplating a CLS, so I'm hoping I can get some insight from this community to help make a decision. My frugal side wants me to ride my current car into the ground, but my other side is getting tired of having the same car for so long and finds the CLS irresistible.

First, I'm very torn between the 550 and the 500...hear me out. My S4 is heavily modified and makes great power, but I'm starting to evaluate how I drive and I seem to be using that power less and less. When I bought the car all those years ago, and up until a few years ago, it was *far* more frequently used. On the occasions that I do want to dabble in a spirited run, it's nice to have - but it may be less of a 'necessity' now.

The reason I'm leaning towards the 550, other than it being a newer model year, is I buy cars so infrequently I'm afraid to 'settle' for the lesser power of the 500 and possibly regret it. The 500 has the pro of costing less, and having gotten used to no car payments makes that more appealing than it typically would be.

So, I guess my first question is: 500 vs 550 - any info that would sway me either way that I may not be aware of? Does the 550 have a ton of potential issues that the 500 does not?


Generally speaking (knowing it can partially be luck of the draw) how reliable are both the 500 and 550? Any serious, frequent problems? I'm aware that being in an S4 there's really nowhere to go but up in that regard but I'm wondering on the whole, how the CLSs fare.

I'm also somewhat spoiled by AWD -with a decent set of snow tires, how does the CLS handle snowy roads? Being in CT, there's really very few days where the roads are really affected for any length of time. So, this isn't so much a deciding factor as it is a curiosity.

Lastly, what real-world prices people are paying for the 500 and 550 respectively - say a 2006 500 w/ ~50-60k, or a 2007 550 with 40-50k. Just looking for ballpark, post-negotiation prices here. I know options/condition/etc can change these numbers. Is it worth paying the CPO premiums (which seem to be very high) where applicable? Or am I just as well getting the car wherever I can (non-cert dealer, or private party) and picking up a 3rd party warranty - assuming there is at least one reputable agency out there?

Thanks for any help or insight!

 

Get the newer the better. 06CLS500 still have SBC brake (which MB extended the warranty to 10 years), 07CLS550, MB drop SBC brake. with bigger engine.

 

Interesting. Checked it out and it sounds like dropping that was a big benefit. Thanks for the input.