New member with CL ownership questions

[television]

I seem to have a different train of thought...don't bother, just keep driving it.

I meant it in the more general sense, I will be keeping mine for a long time, I still prefer the interior of yours to the newer models

 

[television]

Congratulations on the purchase Hi RX7 so pleased it all went fairly well

 

[dieselman]

I still prefer the interior of yours to the newer models

In some respects so do I, but I think a W212 could be an inviting place, more for the design than the look of the plastics.

Mine looks particularly smart with a bright orange battery charger sitting in there...

 

[television]

In some respects so do I, but I think a W212 could be an inviting place, more for the design than the look of the plastics.

Mine looks particularly smart with a bright orange battery charger sitting in there...

I have a blue one, a red one and an orange one I have my doubts about the longevity of the plastic for the seats, little one can do has the start to disintegrate

 

[dieselman]

Mine is an automatic one, so I've stuffed it in there on trickle while not using the car.
I know someone who let their not very old battery go flat and it completely tatered it.

 

[Hi RX7]

it's not un heard of the 55 killing the odd engine mount, SL55 like the odd one now and then, sound's like she is a good one!!

Next time your passing when you have her, pop in for a brew still, have a cuppa and a chat!!!

Thanks I will is this a very expensive job if all engine/gearbox mounts require replacement? the present owner has obviously spent a lot of money on the car as it has as I said new discs and pads all round and he used proper Mercedes parts for everything so I suppose in some respects along with the rear tyres he has gone to some considerable lengths to keep the car up together.

 

[brandwooddixon]

Engine mounts aren't a horrendously expensive job, labour wise. Based on past engine mounts that I have bought for MB V8s your probably looking at close to £200 for the engine and gearbox mount and around an hours labour. I've had to replace them at 70,000 and 160,000 miles. I think that if you do lots of heavy acceleration starts from a standstill they wear out more quickly.

Seat adjustment - that could be broken wires in the door hinge area, a common problem and not too difficult to fix for someone that knows how to take the door panel off correctly.

Tyres will be around £200 each.

 

[Hi RX7]

Sold the RX7 this afternoon I'm sad to see it go I have also changed my mind about the black CL 55 AMG I looked at last week. As far as my thinking goes I very much doubt whether I will be able to re-sell an AMG after purchase without a fair loss so I'm thinking I should buy one with the exact spec (mainly cooled seats etc) that I want and keep it for the long term.

 

[Cole@MBS]

If your unsure then dont buy it, if it was right for you then you would not be having second thoughts!!!!!!

 

[television]

Take your time there is no panic, it is a big thing after all said and done

 

[Royston59]

Sold the RX7 this afternoon I'm sad to see it go I have also changed my mind about the black CL 55 AMG I looked at last week. As far as my thinking goes I very much doubt whether I will be able to re-sell an AMG after purchase without a fair loss so I'm thinking I should buy one with the exact spec (mainly cooled seats etc) that I want and keep it for the long term.

I think the same will go for all these big engined motors. I have been looking for a CL for a while now mixture of spec / budget and just the one that sells itself to me, there are a few around that fall into my "view" but I have been too busy of late to get to see any of them. I had become so concerned that I wouldnt be able to shift one after purchase I too am beginning to think of it as a long termer, that said I generally keep my cars 3-5 years anyway.
cheers
r

 

[Hi RX7]

Had a look at another CL 55 AMG today needs a B service in 2500 miles plus the discs all round were badly scored (is that normal) plus it needed two new tyres for the rear straight away so a lot of money would need to be spent in the first few months of ownership but it did have cooled seats.

 

[television]

Had a look at another CL 55 AMG today needs a B service in 2500 miles plus the discs all round were badly scored (is that normal) plus it needed two new tyres for the rear straight away so a lot of money would need to be spent in the first few months of ownership but it did have cooled seats.

The cooled seats are only possible wit the perforated leather

 

[Hi RX7]

The cooled seats are only possible wit the perforated leather

Yes they were and a rather nice two tone colour too

 

[brandwooddixon]

I've seen a few with scored discs. I think that this is because they are drilled and not grooved. On a road car I've always found that drilled discs tend to produce high points where the holes are, as any rust there doesn't clear with brake application properly.

I bought a set of Pagid discs from Eurocarparts, not too expensive and although plain I prefer these to straight drilled. I didn't stretch to aftermarket grooved and drilled discs. Note that Eurocarparts website doesn't show the correct rear brake pads for a post 2004 car - they should be the same as post 2004 S class meaning that some are fitted with "W" shaped pads.

 

[Hi RX7]

I'm assuming on this type of car the discs and pads are something that needs replaced fairly often. The first black one I saw had brand new MB discs and pads fitted all around so again I assume that was quite an expensive undertaking.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I'm assuming on this type of car the discs and pads are something that needs replaced fairly often. The first black one I saw had brand new MB discs and pads fitted all around so again I assume that was quite an expensive undertaking.

I think this is a moot point. I have looked at a number of cars of this sort of age and type and some seem to have a good appetite for brake pads and discs - with some of them having new discs with every set of pads.

The Indies I have used have helped me achieve good pad life by being honest in their reports of pad wear and their recommendations for replacement (S Class W 220 on original pads at 54,000).

For the first time ever, I now know that I will have to replace the SL discs at the next service as they are lipped (1994 car, original discs, 61,000 miles). But that will the first set of discs I have had to change on any of the many cars I have had.

I believe that disc life is less than it used to be, but if there is any mileage in my theory that some of the providers will change the discs too frequently, then guaging the likely performance of the car in future based on the number of changes it has had in the past may lead you to a pessimistic estimate.

 

[television]

I only have the 500, but my rear disc at 50k miles are the original, I only changed the front as the went rather odd

 

[dieselman]

Disks wear harder now as a result of pads no longer containing asbestos as a filler.

 

[Hi RX7]

I must admit that the price of replacement discs for the CL 55 is not as high as I originally thought but I guess the genuine MB ones are more costly. Despite that I'm assuming a B service even using an independant would be fairly high and the matching rear tyres are a whopping £350 each