Should I sell my CL500?

[Linux_cat]

Hi all,

So I have had my CL500 now for about 4 years, coming up to 5. With the birth of my new son, and the fact its now used a daily commute car I have to get something thats four door and more economical.

Its a 2003 model, and I've really looked after it, recently replaced the ABC pump and the steering wheel pipe that burst at 96000, in the last two years my maintenance bills have come in around 2.5k.

I love the car still, even if it has hurt my pocket, webuyany car will probably give me about 2k (if im lucky). It just seems a shame to sell, it looks lovely with the 19inch AMG on it.

Should I sell it, if I hang on to it will it increase in price? if I was to sell it I would want to send it to a good home. Is there any Merc specialist sites where it could go on where I could get a better price and ensure its not broken down into parts!!

Opinions are greatly appreciated!.

 

[alexanderfoti]

I personally, don't think that they will increase in value like the older ones. Too much tech to go wrong.

If the body is good with no corrosion, and it drives well, then why not keep it as a second car?

Trade in, I would suspect you would get 2k tops. WBAC less.

I think autotrader and here would be the best places to list them.

 

[Linux_cat]

appreciate your comment, maybe I should get rid of it and go for an older 5 litre merc, maybe a 90's SL? what you think of those?

 

[alexanderfoti]

appreciate your comment, maybe I should get rid of it and go for an older 5 litre merc, maybe a 90's SL? what you think of those?

Certainly less practical than the CL!

Are you looking for a practical 4 door commuter, or are you looking for a 2 seat convertible?

R107's have gone up in value quite a lot recently.
R129's I think will go up, but I do not believe quite as sharply as the R129. They have already started to rise though, so you will have to spend a bit of time looking for the right one at the right price I think. The Late R129's have the M113 engine and are pretty reliable.

 

[Linux_cat]

So im going to lease a Volvo V40 as a daily commute car, this is literally a weekend car but more of an investment. I was hoping the CL would fit the bill, but if there is little chance of it rising I would rather get something that I can enjoy and will make me some money back in the long term.

 

[LostKiwi]

If you're looking for a daily drive don't go for a 90s classic - it'll devalue too fast with mileage, wear and tear and the inevitable knocks and scrapes it will pick up.
When I had a similar issue I bought a Smart Roadster as a daily driver. In general it was used for commuting where there was only me in the car so made some sense not to have a big car as my commuter. My large vehicle at the time was a Defender. Subsequently the Defender was sold, I bought a 129 and we bought a house in France. Suddenly we needed a big estate so paid £600 for a 2001 E class estate - E240. Not the most economical but rust aside reliable and cheap to fix. This has since become the winter daily driver and the Smart the summer daily driver (the Smart is a pain in winter due to the very low seating position and headlight reflection from wet roads).
Basically I'd analyse your needs - if your daily is a commuter a cheap cheerful small car will fit that bill perfectly. That leaves the CL for the longer trips where the effortless comfort will be truly appreciated. If you need 4 doors Lok at something like a Focus as a daily.
Given the lack of value in the CL it's not really worth selling (and you'll only regret it later).
As for values I suspect they may well be nearing the bottom and will hold there for 5-10 years before starting to rise. You need only look at 124s and 190s to see that even high volume cars eventually recover value as they age.

 

[Blobcat]

So im going to lease a Volvo V40 as a daily commute car, this is literally a weekend car but more of an investment. I was hoping the CL would fit the bill, but if there is little chance of it rising I would rather get something that I can enjoy and will make me some money back in the long term.

When I bought the 911 I was thinking of a CL500, a Bentley Continental or a 911, all about the same price at the time but only the 911 has kept and slightly increased in value.

 

[Submariner1]

So im going to lease a Volvo V40 as a daily commute car, this is literally a weekend car but more of an investment. I was hoping the CL would fit the bill, but if there is little chance of it rising I would rather get something that I can enjoy and will make me some money back in the long term.

IMO very few cars “will make me some money back in the long term”.
My neighbour has a R107? ( the one before the R129) .
That has gone up in value, but he spent some serious, £000s money keeping it concours ( new wings and cills ... despite being kept in a central heated garage ).

I don't think you would find anything circa £2K that will appreciate faster than the odd big bills rolls in.
If its nice and clean and having sorted it .. I would keep it.

 

[alexanderfoti]

IMO very few cars “will make me some money back in the long term”.
My neighbour has a R107? ( the one before the R129) .
That has gone up in value, but he spent some serious, £000s money keeping it concours ( new wings and cills ... despite being kept in a central heated garage ).

I don't think you would find anything circa £2K that will appreciate faster than the odd big bills rolls in.
If its nice and clean and having sorted it .. I would keep it.

+1 I wouldn't buy a car as a investment unless there is a clear evidence it will go up, and it can be kept with low miles etc.

 

[Linux_cat]

Basically I'd analyse your needs - if your daily is a commuter a cheap cheerful small car will fit that bill perfectly. That leaves the CL for the longer trips where the effortless comfort will be truly appreciated. If you need 4 doors Lok at something like a Focus as a daily.

thats all the convincing I need! im gonna keep it!

 

[Submariner1]

+1 I wouldn't buy a car as a investment unless there is a clear evidence it will go up, and it can be kept with low miles etc.

Absolutely .. ref the low miles.
I forgot to mention he is retired, and in addition to the 500 SL R107, has a Maserati and his new baby a Ferrari California (that only goes out on dry sunny days) .. so I doubt he even puts a 1000 miles on each.
All garaged with central heating.
He said he only kept the Maserati, because the trade in was so effing bad!! He thought he might as well hang on to it.

 

[alexanderfoti]

Absolutely .. ref the low miles.
I forgot to mention he is retired, and in addition to the 500 SL R107, has a Maserati and his new baby a Ferrari California (that only goes out on dry sunny days) .. so I doubt he even puts a 1000 miles on each.
All garaged with central heating.
He said he only kept the Maserati, because the trade in was so effing bad!! He thought he might as well hang on to it.

Ah the Ferrari California. The car that cost so much to develop it morphed from a Maserati to a Ferrari before it completed development!

Friend if mine has one. It rivals r230's for reliability

 

[Craiglxviii]

thats all the convincing I need! im gonna keep it!

You didn’t need much convincing!!

 

[Submariner1]

Ah the Ferrari California. The car that cost so much to develop it morphed from a Maserati to a Ferrari before it completed development!

Friend if mine has one. It rivals r230's for reliability

He’s not had any problems with the California yet, unlike the Maserati, that he said was the most unreliable car he has ever had ... with HUGE bills.

 

[alexanderfoti]

He’s not had any problems with the California yet, unlike the Maserati, that he said was the most unreliable car he has ever had ... with HUGE bills.

Funny thing is, my mate went from a grandturismo to the California.
In 3K miles the California has had a new gearbox and a few roof microswitches, and he has had it 3 months.

Its done 25K as well I think.

 

[flowrider]

The California is bottom of the Ferrari range, 812 Superfast is the one to have.

 

[Capra]

The California is bottom of the Ferrari range, 812 Superfast is the one to have.

Definitely, but I would settle for a 430

 

[Submariner1]

Funny thing is, my mate went from a grandturismo to the California.
In 3K miles the California has had a new gearbox and a few roof microswitches, and he has had it 3 months.

Its done 25K as well I think.

Oh dear the future doesn't look good for him :-/

 

[Submariner1]

The California is bottom of the Ferrari range, 812 Superfast is the one to have.

So far off my budget ... I dont even look at specs etc.
Yes its nice to see them on the road .... nice eye-candy

 

[Craiglxviii]

So far off my budget ... I dont even look at specs etc.
Yes its nice to see them on the road and not on a low-loader going off to be fixed again .... nice eye-candy

FTFY