looks like new - CL500

[Naraic]

There is the Mother in Law issue too Ciaran

She's 83...how long can she last?

 

[A.J.]

She's 83...how long can she last?

Bluddy forever the way she is going

 

[00slk]

distronic plus - as in follows the car in front and brakes when needed, works in traffic and can stop the car

not sure the "plus" bit was available back then, but certainly ability to follow others / maintain variable speed was out and about on the w220 S class

same with any merc since 2001, if it doesn't have a shiny plastic bit in the middle (covering the radar) you don't buy it

Gota
They are a scary and dangerous bit of kit those radar things, we got them on our lorries and time and time again they'll go off for the chevron signs, (which are on the roadside) vehicles in the inside or outside lanes if they are turning off and there is a slight curve in the road. I'm just waiting for someone to run into the rear of me under heavy braking. Some of the lorries have had to have them readjusted to prevent any mishaps. The only time I find them of any use is for new drivers who have never had the experience of old school cars with no brakes, heavy steering, slippery seats and a good old road map

 

[davidsl500]

I like it for what it is. It's a big old rumbly 5 Litre V8 mobile gentlemans club - with its leather armchairs, wood veneers etc., You must wear a smoking jacket whenever driving and ideally there should be a bell to summon the steward...

 

[Craiglxviii]

I like it for what it is. It's a big old rumbly 5 Litre V8 mobile gentlemans club - with its leather armchairs, wood veneers etc., You must wear a smoking jacket whenever driving and ideally there should be a bell to summon the steward...

It’s as silent as the tomb, The FPO never knows when I’ve come home my CL is so whisper quiet...

 

[ajlsl600]

very nice , just sold a car with abc, did not get bit with that,not taking chance a second time.

 

[davidsl500]

It’s as silent as the tomb, The FPO never knows when I’ve come home my CL is so whisper quiet...

In that case, I've gone off it

 

[grayb]

In that case, I've gone off it

Horses for courses! There are times when whisper quiet is just what's needed.

 

[grahamcol]

Thats one very nice looking car. I could afford to buy it but l don't know if l could afford to run it. Not so much the large engine as my mileage is quite low but they can cost an arm and a leg to get fixed, even at an indy. If that was a bit closer l might be tempted to go and have a look. My mate had one and it was awesome. Unfortunately it also cost him an awesome amount of money to keep running.

 

[ajlsl600]

Thats one very nice looking car. I could afford to buy it but l don't know if l could afford to run it. Not so much the large engine as my mileage is quite low but they can cost an arm and a leg to get fixed, even at an indy. If that was a bit closer l might be tempted to go and have a look. My mate had one and it was awesome. Unfortunately it also cost him an awesome amount of money to keep running.

xactly !!!!!!

 

[S500 Pete]

http://chalfontmotor.co.uk/currents...pe-auto-53000-miles-from-new-fsh-petrol-2003/

small bit of under bonnet corrosion on the engine, rest looks (in the pictures) like it's still in the showroom

http://chalfontmotor.co.uk/currents...pe-auto-53000-miles-from-new-fsh-petrol-2003/

small bit of under bonnet corrosion on the engine, rest looks (in the pictures) like it's still in the showr

Smashing looking motor. That V8 engine is a peach, more than quick enough and so smooth.

 

[Naraic]

Thats one very nice looking car. I could afford to buy it but l don't know if l could afford to run it. Not so much the large engine as my mileage is quite low but they can cost an arm and a leg to get fixed, even at an indy. If that was a bit closer l might be tempted to go and have a look. My mate had one and it was awesome. Unfortunately it also cost him an awesome amount of money to keep running.

True...mine has cost me nearly £100 in unexpected costs in the last 12 months...these things are expensive to run.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Thats one very nice looking car. I could afford to buy it but l don't know if l could afford to run it. Not so much the large engine as my mileage is quite low but they can cost an arm and a leg to get fixed, even at an indy. If that was a bit closer l might be tempted to go and have a look. My mate had one and it was awesome. Unfortunately it also cost him an awesome amount of money to keep running.

In the 50k and 4 years I have had mine, my CL500 has cost me £11k in total excepting fuel. Of that, £2.4k was purchase price, £3.5k was wasted on a useless garage very early on, £1.2k on new wheels and tyres shortly after that. The remaining £4k splits to around £3k on ABC work (thanks to previous owners neglecting it) and £1k on a failed AC system. So stripping out the wasted & unnecessary costs, it works out to around £1k per year which is what every other “normal” car I’ve ever had has cost me.

In perspective my 08 reg A3 cost £8500 when bought in 2012, and within 3 months needed a new CPS (£250) and new brakes all around (£800)... then it ate tyres at a rate of two sets per year. Total running cost without fuel, 80% of the CL500.

On fuel... the CL is achieving just under 30mpg average on commuting (as measured at the pump). The A3 achieved 39mpg average. Hardly a world of difference, throw in the petrol: diesel price delta and there isn’t much in it.

 

[grahamcol]

I suppose I’ve been rather spoiled with my current C280 and SLK230. Neither of these cars have been at all expensive to run. It would be unrealistic to expect to be able to run a CL500 for similar money. I suppose it’s a lot to do with luck and l have been extremely lucky with my Mercs so far. As l said before, if it was nearer l might be tempted to at least go and look.

 

[flowrider]

distronic plus - as in follows the car in front and brakes when needed, works in traffic and can stop the car

not sure the "plus" bit was available back then, but certainly ability to follow others / maintain variable speed was out and about on the w220 S class

same with any merc since 2001, if it doesn't have a shiny plastic bit in the middle (covering the radar) you don't buy it

I'm the opposite, I would avoid buying a car with distronic. I had nothing but trouble on a previous car.

 

[flowrider]

I'm just not a huge huge fan of that shape. I'm more of a slk fan shape wise.

SLK? Don't you mean SL

 

[Dean Fletcher]

SLK? Don't you mean SL

SLR

 

[Botus]

I'm the opposite, I would avoid buying a car with distronic. I had nothing but trouble on a previous car.

If you had ever driven my 2007 BM with active cruise you'd never say this - it was incredibly well sorted,

However the Merc is another story and I agree at times it ought to have the option to have either style cruise control.... or better still ? a more sensible software set up.

My Merc's distronic plus came with a stupid throttle application. It meant in traffic you had kangaroo petrol and or a learner at the wheel (it always stood on it when there was nowhere to go), but conversely the braking was very well judged... I could mostly avoid the kangaroo by setting the distance three notches back from up their arse (but sport was not a good idea at low speed).

It then had a giant elastic band connection to the car in front when in Comfort, this seemed well judged and in heavy weekend traffic it tolerated others inability to drive smoothly. But perversely at other times it was a big nuisance, especially in heavy aggressive commuter traffic where it couldn't cope with life very well. It was a bit like a small child trying hard, often getting it right but sometimes making stupid decisions.

In sport it was just a bit stupid all the time. I'd switch to it when the Comfort elastic band idea wound me up. But then needed to take it out of Sport again as all too frequently the throttle hunted as the traffic freed up. You could feel the angry German who'd badly written the throttle mapping getting frustrated as we were only doing 80 mph and not 120 he wanted. Again it would drink more fuel than needed with wild throttle application, it just shouldn't be there for acceleration under 50mph. Then in Sport you'd discover the elastic band was just inconsistent. It drove up the arse of cars sometimes and not others, frequently you'd wonder what was going on. But it would always miss other cars but in a scruffy manner. And of course Sport meant the suspension and steering was all wrong for relaxed driving where one might be using cruise control.

Then the big change. This year I had all the radar sensor / distronic cruise software updated. Taking it from software designed in the 2005 era, to a mid 2008 update. I guess it now runs the "facelift" spec ideas they developed. The differences the software has brought is an interesting experience. It does however make you wonder how BM knew what to do in 2007, when Merc still need to go back to school and learn to drive.

The changes are quite distinct and if you mixed the old and the new software settings you'd almost be there. But as is, in many ways I prefer the older set up.

Throttle application has been transformed ! It is now granddad acceleration in any mode, any condition (even Sport). It works far better for traffic, and of late seems to have accepted if the cars in front are doing 18 miles an hour (and not speeding up) accelerating to 40 is pointless. Before it always ripped it away anticipating it could do 40 mph only to brake too late (then sometimes taking a second stab at accelerating and braking even harder). As you wobbled around wondering which kind of idiot German thought that was a good way to drive, you'd see pound notes littering the road around you, kids choking to death on fumes and the guy behind you wondering if you could drive.

Whilst mostly it now gets low speed throttle application right, three clicks back on the distance still makes it drive better in traffic. However its not all good news, those three clicks need changing on the motorway (whereas they just worked everywhere before) and the lethargic throttle application is 10% too little (rather than 25% too much that it had before). It doesn't really keep up with others if the road is clear any more. It must help on fuel I suppose, but even in Sport its holding back traffic accelerating very gently even if its clear in front and set at 70mph (and you've been doing 20mph).

Then we get the change in braking, where it had been almost perfectly judged, it now appears to forget it needs to brake. For example, say you're slowing and might need to stop or slow to under 10mph. Before it was like a good driver judging things almost to perfection, now it waits 10 metres longer before reacting, then stands on the brakes to make up for the fact it was asleep. Its very consistent and I'm now used to it. But its a change that shouldn't have been added, making what was right, now quite wrong.

The other thing is there's now far less of the elastic band gapping in Comfort, nor a perceptible difference in its main behaviours in Sport. Quite clearly the next update (they will never do) would take us back to something close to what I'd have written the first time.

Throttle mapping - as is if there are cars are in front & < 45mph, otherwise use old settings minus 6% throttle with no cars & < 45, then as was for anything faster
Braking - go back to how it was, unless above 65 mph then use current settings
Elastic band mode - make one in-between how it was and what it has now
Sport - how it was minus 10% of everything it did for acceleration and leave braking as is above 55 mph
Min distance to car in front - it's now wrong meaning 25% more cars cut in front of you and the car keeps needing to brake as you slip back more and more. It feels like a 2.5 second rule where it was 2.1 seconds previously. And with good brakes and the radar awake, it could go to 1.9 seconds and thus cope with the nasty people who drive on the M11 near Stanstead

in summary...

Old software - its like an Englishman did the brakes and a German did the throttle then during the later car's development
New software - your granddad did the throttle and a German did the brakes

 

[Botus]

I tided it up a bit.

Only wrote post above it to help other's who've never experienced it. And to have a dig / go public at Merc's software engineers. I started life working on RR and Jags …. when I left I should have gone into making cars driver better. I'd have been great and enjoyed it.

 

[Flyinspanner]

My CL is my daily driver, regular servicing, and use keeps it all ticking along nicely.

Looks well cared for, facelift widescreen comand

That will be a nice car for someone, lovely colour combo too