Any help in determining the actual cash value of this vehicle would be appreciated. Also, any thoughts on this ride, reliable, etc.

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...e&rdpage=thumb

 

They can take like $15k right off the top, and it still wouldn't be a great deal...

Honestly, I wouldn't waste my time with that one. The price is so far from reality that you'll never be able to negotiate them down to where it should be. This is one of those where they'll need to sit on it for a year while it loses an extra $10k or $20k, before they realize their mistake and price it at market. Unfortunately I think the 65 people are just in shock and/or denial at the depreciation on their cars. That thing was like $200k 4 years ago. Hard pill to swallow, but time marches on, and "it is what it is".

Anyway, CL65's and S65's are all over the place in the $40k's. Check eBay and autotrader. Also, white is not the most flattering color for a CL anyhow.

 

This one is MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCH better, it doesn't look like a refrigerator and the price is normal:

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

This one's pretty nice too:

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

 

It is hard to value a CL65 since there are not many for sale. I am looking for a 2006, however, those two '05's look very nice. This is a sweet car on Ebay, however the actual price is unknown. Someone spent a lot on carbon fiber. This car might go for $60K plus, what do you think?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2006-...3A1|240%3A1318

 

That is a helluva lot of car for $50k. Love the silver CF!

 

The Renn cars always go for more $$$, so it's hard to predict the value on that one. I do think $50k'ish is probably tops though.

 

Oh ya, and how come you're focused on an '06?

There's no difference between the 05 and 06 models that I'm aware of, and the 05's are still plenty new enough to get an extended warranty. Given the insane depreciation curve on these, it prolly makes more sense to get an '05.

 

The Renntech car is very nice...even the interior and I am generally not a fan of light colored interiors.

 

I believe the white one belongs to a member here (gripforce-cl65). He actually sold it yesterday.

Tom

 

+1, Found a new home. That car was a beauty.

 

Really wanted 2006 only to get lower miles. It's all about the miles. If the miles are low enough everything about the car is more like new and that is the motivation. Both 05s above are low miles so they are possibles.

The Renntech car 2006 with low miles above is $82,600, saw the price on Auto Trader. That will never happen for the seller. Just unbelievable.

 

He wrote me and said he was working a deal, guess that wasn't a ploy...beautiful ride if slightly on the refrigerator side.

 

So what's your mileage "limit"? 20k? Would you go as high as 30k?

These things depreciate like $30k/yr, it really makes more sense to go with the '05 if you can find one in your mileage range. Also, I wouldn't even bother looking for an MB CPO one, the dealers are downright delusional when it comes to 65's. Every one I've ever seen on a dealer lot is insanely overpriced, they'll want like $80k+ for a 2005.

 

That's the problem with the CL65, the prices are low for a lot of ride, but the warranty issue ruins the deal. Yes, I would go as high as 30K or 35K but I need the years that a CPO gives. Say a 6 or 7 year CPO to 100K would be beautiful, and I would pay for it, too.

 

The total "year" limit on the CPO program is weird and confusing, but you'd still be more than OK with a 2005.

The extension runs from the date the car is CPO'd, and even though the T&C sometimes states "From In-Service Date", the dealers have flexibility with determining that calculation. When I was car shopping a year ago, I was running into 2001's and 2002's that were CPO'd on dealer lots and were eligible for extensions. I think the actual hard "rule" for the dealers is that the warranty extension can't take it past 10 years from the in-service date under any circumstances, and the car can't be entered into the CPO program after 7-years from the in-service date. It's something along those lines.

I looked at a 2002 S55 (the non-s/c one) at Brumos about a year ago that was CPO'd and eligible for the 3-year extension, so a 2005 will be no problem whatsoever.

Remember, the most you're EVER going to get out of the CPO program is 3 years anyway, since that's the max extension period they offer. If you buy a 2005, you're getting a max extension of 3 years. If you buy a 2006, you're still getting a max extension of 3 years, plus whatever couple months' worth of original factory warranty is left. And the 2006's are coming off factory warranty coverage right about now anyway, so you're going to be in the exact same boat regardless of whether you go with a 2005 or a 2006, since either way it's going to be 3 years from the date you bought it.

To get any more than that, you'd have to buy a 2007 or a 2008, so that you get a year or two of the factory warranty left and then the CPO warranty starts after that expires. That would give you 4 or 5 years, but then you'll be paying $100k for the car. If you're looking at a 2005 or a 2006, then either way your warranty period is going to be limited mostly to the CPO coverage, which gives you 3 years either way since both of those years are mostly out of warranty now. See what I'm saying? Might as well get the discount on the purchase price...

 

The CPO extension extends the original factory warranty. Increments are 1, 2, or 3 years. So as long as a 2006 has any warranty remaining the CPO extends the period for 1-3 years past the normal 4 year 50,000 mile warranty. I think we are saying the same thing just in a different way.

Anyway, you were saying that the white CL65 was overpriced at $60K and it had low miles, as well. I would just like to know what to pay for either an '05 or '06 with miles below 30K. Just a guideline or range is all, what do you think? Also its not all about money when you find a clean car that you like so a few thousand is well expendable.

 

When it's being certified by an MB dealer, I don't think the car has to still be within the factory warranty period to enter it into the CPO program. That's a pre-requisite for the aftermarket warranty companies, like Chrysler, but not for MBCPO. For MBCPO, the car doesn't have to have factory warranty remaining.

I've seen CPO'd cars that were well outside of the time period where the original 4-yr warranty could possibly still be in effect. For example, take 2004's, most of them went into service in 2003 and their factory warranties would have expired back in 2007 or 2008 at the latest, but there are still a lot of CPO'd 2004's around.

The dealers can CPO a car out of the factory warranty period, subject to some guidelines. I'm pretty sure the cutoff is that the time has to be less than 7yrs from the in-service date for them to enroll it in CPO, and then regardless of the year of the car you can only extend the CPO coverage out to a maximum of 3 years.

So with these CL65's, the 2006's will have mostly gone in service in 2005, and will be coming out of warranty right about now. The 2005's will have mostly gone in service in 2004 and will already be out of warranty. You can pick up either a 2005 or 2006 as a CPO car, but either way all you're really going to get is the max 3-year CPO extension because there's no real factory warranty time to speak of remaining on either of those years.

What I'm trying to say is, regardless of which year you pick between an '05 and an '06, you're going to wind up with the same 3 year warranty if you're looking at an MBCPO vehicle. So with that said, you may as well get an '05 since these things depreciate like rocks and you'll save like $20k-$30k on the purchase price, and get the same 36mo/100k warranty coverage either way.

As to that white 2006, I think that was definitely on the high side, but the 2006's are worth more than the 2005's because they haven't had as much time to depreciate. That's why I'm harping on getting a 2005, because there were no changes between the years that I know of, and the purchase prices are so hugely different. You can't probably pick up a low mile CPO'd 2005 and buy the 3yr CPO warranty extension and still be out the door for <$50k-$55k. No way you're going to swing that on a 2006.

And what I'm saying is, if the 2006 CPO CL65 has a couple months worth of factory warranty remaining, and the 2005 CPO CL65 will only have the 3yr extended coverage in effect from the date of your purchase, then you'll have about the same warranty remaining on either vehicle. All you're getting "extra" on the '06 is the couple months that will still be outstanding on the factory coverage. I don't know that 3-6 months worth of extra warranty coverage is worth the $30k price difference between the model years.

 

Will anyone comment on CWW's CPO thoughts above. Seems like once the factory warranty is history that a CPO is not possible. Any thoughts, anyone?

 

That's not how it works, man...

I absolutely 110% guarantee you the car does NOT have to still be within the original factory warranty period in order for a dealer to enter it into the CPO program, as long as the car is in inventory at a franchised MB dealer and the vehicle meets all the other criteria.

Do a search on MBUSA.com for E55's as an example, you will see multiple 2003's, 2004's, and 2005's, all of which would be out of factory warranty by now, yet they're still CPO cars with a 12mo warranty, and eligible for the optional extensions.

 

Here is what I found on the website:

With every Certified Pre-Owned Mercedes-Benz comes peace of mind, because every MBCPO vehicle is backed by one of the most comprehensive pre-owned vehicle limited warranties available.

For starters, any remaining portion of the Mercedes-Benz four-year/50,000 mile* New Vehicle Limited Warranty applies to the vehicle. After that, MBCPO Limited Warranty provides comprehensive vehicle for another 12 months, or up to 100,000 total accumulated miles.* For those MBCPO vehicles that are no longer covered by the New Vehicle Warranty, the MBCPO Limited Warranty takes effect at the time of delivery.

This coverage extends to the engine and powertrain, steering, suspension, brakes (excluding wear of discs and pads), electrical system, climate control system, and more.**

* Whichever comes first.
** Please see your Mercedes-Benz Dealer for a copy of the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned Limited Warranty.

That is nice to know. The problem: we have to get the car from a MB stealer or buy and existing car with a CPO warranty. Plus pay the stealer for the warranty. 3 years is what $6K or more??? One reason for the Mercedes Benz dealers all around charging prices north of reasonable for these rides.

 

There is a reason that MB CPO'ed cars are more expensive outside of the obvious warranty extension. The dealers are required to bring the maintenance of the car up to certain standards. The tires and brakes have to have a pre-set level of useful life left, otherwise they can not certify the car per MB USA. If the tires need to be replaced (usually they do), they have to be replaced with the OEM tires (most cases Michelin Pilot Sports which cost about $1,300 but the dealer usually marks them up to $2K). The brakes if you look at labor and parts cost almost $3K for the front pads and rotors and about $400 for the rear pads. They probably do a Service A or B which is about $500 to the customer. They probably mark-up all these maintenance items and figure that into the price of the car when they certify it. We all know that a CPO car is not going to be flawless...but the MB stealers will try to sell it as if it is and charge a premium for you to find out that it isn't. There is obviously a benefit to the purchaser for these items to be done on the car...but you should figure there mark-up for the items in your negotiation over the purchase price.

Tom

 

thanks much, good info...certainly adds major bucks to the cost of the car.

 

The 24-month warranty extension on an AMG car (which is tacked onto the 12-month base CPO warranty that you get for "free", for a total of 36 months or 100k, whichever comes first) is $3,885.00, or at least it was about 12 months ago when I checked. I doubt they raised it, given the current sales climate. So to go with a CPO'd 2005, you're looking at the purchase price plus $3885.

I really think your best bet is to buy a CPO'd 2005. It may be slightly more than a regular 2005 CL off eBay or whatnot, but you'll still be saving MAJOR money over a 2006, which is what you were considering in the first place. But you still get a factory warranty.

It'd be the best of all worlds.

 

Pretty interesting reading here. Insane pricing for so much car!

 

So, for $4000 on top of the price that is negotiated you can have a 3 yr. 100K warranty regardless of the mileage of the car. Still, only problem is the car must be purchased from a MB dealer. Any way around this stumbling block?