A little bit of advice?..

Piemumcher

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Hi all,

Long time lurker, first time poster! I've been looking for a new car for some time now, and have tried audis, alfa's and jaguars! My current bmw is coming onto its last legs without needing investment soon, which I'm not willing to give.

I looked at a Mercedes yesterday, CLK 270 cdi avantgarde, 54 plate and 145,000 miles. It's got service history and is it almost spotless condition, and drives well!

The only negative is an engine management light, which according to the seller was the MAF sensor which has been changed recently.

The car is available at a very good price, under 4 grand - so just wondering what people think, is the engine management a real problem if there's no issue with the drive? Is it worth the risk?

I'm leaning towards yes, and I don't believe that there is an issue with the car, but interested to know what you think?

Thanks,

Pie
 

BachelorDays

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Engine Management Light is ALWAYS a problem. Very simply, because it means there is a problem. There's debate now on whether you'll get MOT with the light on.

If you really like the car, get it on a STAR (cost you around £60+VAT) and find out why the light is on. Or get an Indie to check it out for you. For year and mileage, I don't think the price is exceptional. Besides, what's that they say about Beware of Dealers bearing gifts?
 

s5tuart

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Engine Management Light is ALWAYS a problem. Very simply, because it means there is a problem. There's debate now on whether you'll get MOT with the light on.

If you really like the car, get it on a STAR (cost you around £60+VAT) and find out why the light is on. Or get an Indie to check it out for you. For year and mileage, I don't think the price is exceptional. Besides, what's that they say about Beware of Dealers bearing gifts?

I'm an amateur compared with most of the people on this forum, but my tuppence worth is that I would NEVER buy a car with any warning light on without getting it checked out, whatever the seller tells you!
145K miles is another reason to find a different car. I know they are very capable of twice that and more, but 2 wrongs certainly don't make a right.

Here is a sample of different prices and miles...... http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/mercedes-clk-270-cdi
 

Corned

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There's debate now on whether you'll get MOT with the light on.

There is no debate.

The EML is not a MOT test fail. Even under the new March 2013 requirements.

End of.
 
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Piemumcher

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Hi all,

Thanks for your replies and I understand exactly what you are saying.

Could anyone enlighten me as to why it would run fine with the engine management light on? My BMW's have always gone into limp home mode!

Thanks,

Pie
 

whitenemesis

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A transient electrical anomaly could trigger the EML to come on, it doesn't always mean some major problem.

That said I would never ignore an illuminated EML and would get the car on STAR and confirm what's happened
 

Corned

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Could anyone enlighten me as to why it would run fine with the engine management light on?

In my case (EML is still on!! :Oops:) it was self-inflicted when I mis-wired my EGR shunt modification. The car was in limp mode alright at the time, but I corrected the problem and the car has run fine ever since. However it left the legacy of the EML being permanently on...

Not saying this is the only way it could happen - it's just an example.
 
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Piemumcher

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I should probably mention that the car is well under 4,000 - not far off 3,500.

I must admit, when I'm unsure about things I never do them, hence why I've been looking at cars for a year but still haven't pulled the trigger.

However with this one, I don't have that doubt in my mind - hence why I'm on here to see what normal people think!

The way I understand it, the MAF (which has just been replaced to get it through it's MOT last week) when it fails causes juddering, hesitation etc. Same with crankshaft sensors etc.

Are these cars quick to make a fuss? I know that Mercedes tend to flash up with warnings for everything, but wonder whether the model is a bit of a pain in the arse?

Thanks for all your comments,

Pie
 

whitenemesis

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The 270CDI engine is possibly the most robust / reliable diesel MB made around that time.
 

toby1

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It's a good motor, I had one and it was great. Would the MAS trigger the EML light though? Needs plugging in to see the reason and I wouldn't buy it until I knew what the issue was
 

jibcl500

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Find someone with star diags and find out whats wrong, its could be as simple as the pressure sensor on the fuel rail, enough to bring the engine light on but not enough to impact on the performance of the car.

jib
 

gizze

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The EML would go off once a new MAF was plugged in and working fine.

Get it scanned and the light turned off, and a print out of the codes stored.

If it is something major are you happy to pay another £2-3k to get it through an mot?
If you are go for it mate, if not get it scanned and put your mind at rest.
 

Ductman

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I seem to recall reading somewhere that you can replace a faulty sensor which is indicated by the warning light coming on, but it will stay on until the fault codes are cleared by a diagnostics machine. Maybe that's all it is in this case and it simply requires the fault code to be cleared???
 
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Piemumcher

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Would a serious fault not put the car into limp home mode?

In my mind, if the car is driving normally with no untoward smoke etc, then it's surely just a sensor issue?

Might be wrong, I've never had a Merc!

Will
 
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Piemumcher

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hi all,

Thank you for your comments, gave me food for thought. As I mentioned, I had a feeling that the car was OK so what I decided to do was buy the MAF sensor that apparently it was, (on the premise that £80 risk is better than £3700 risk!) and go and fit it on the spot in front of the seller.

I did this, and the engine management light turned off - I then knocked another £100 off to make it £3600+80 for the MAF.

So, I've got a 54 plate Merc CLK 270 CDI Avantgarde with 145,000 miles on it, full service history (including gearbox oil change and glow plugs were changed 5,000 miles ago). Its pretty immaculate save for a little wear on the drivers bolster, drives far better than my 85,000 mile BMW and it pretty quick to boot.

Does this sound like a reasonable deal? I'm very happy with it at the moment.

Pie
 

amb67

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Sounds like a great deal, post up some piccies of your acquisition then. :)
 

gizze

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Once cars get to near 10 years old I always buy based on how sound they drive and what has been done, mileage and a book full of main dealer stamps mean nothing really.

I just sold my c220cdi estate on a51 plate with 127k miles on it for £2100, I had spent £1700 on it since september on an oil service, brake fluid, discs and pads all round, transmission fluid change, front upper and lower wishbones, drop links, anti roll bar bushes, thermostat and a new set of Dunlop tyres all round.
Now, cars may have been out there with under 100k miles on them for only a few hundred more, but I bet none of them have had all that done. I tried loads of EClass estates at the 85-120k mile mark and every single one was tired, I know they would have needed a grand getting them to where I would have been happy.
 

Scoob

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Wow, that was a good buy for the new owner gizze! I know it's not a Merc, but I feel the same regarding my little Ford Focus, I've done lots on that car yet it's just one anonymous Focus in the crowd to anyone else.

Re: EML, I've been told on several occasions now that the new rules say that if the EML is illuminated the car is an instant fail. My friends Volvo is off the road for this very reason, despite being perfectly drivable. We suspect some minor electrical gremlin. Congrats to OP for sorting it though, amazed seller wasn't willing to spend on new MAF if the indeed knew what it was, it would have put me off.

Scoob.
 
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