Thinking About Trading For A CLS550.....Anyone Here Got One?

[LCPLPunk]

I am trying to sell my 2008 C350 and I hate it. It rides like it's on rails, but the power delivery is weird, shifts weird (it isn't broken or messed up, that's just how it works), parts are way more expensive, and everytime I get in my Camaro (that I've had for a week) I wonder why I even bought the Mercedes. Oh ya, and the paint on Mercedes sucks. I had a 2000 and it was getting little rust spots all over the car. My 2008's driver handle is fading, and there are little spots all over the car that remind me of what happened to my 2000.

[PostNup]

Had two German cars - C230 Kompressor and an A4.

Like you have heard from above posts - Unless it is NEW with full warranty... RUN FAR RUN FAST!!!!

Like my grandmother used to say, "EVERYBODY can't be wrong"

PLEASE, MY BROTHER - take it from the "THE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, GOT THE T-SHIRT CLUB" here... DO NOT DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

That pretty much sums up my feelings on this matter. I wish you the best of luck, and COMMON sense.

[Mr. Stacy]

Traded my Bimmer for the Camaro because of RBA (Repair Bill Anxiety). You see, it eventually happens to all German cars; the repair bill that is actually higher than the value of the vehicle.

It may be worth it if you have a lot of money, and you don't care. I am not of that economic status however.

Bottom line, even if it passes inspection with flying colors, only rich people can afdord to own a German car beyond it's full warranty... JMHO

[Bamaguy]

Traded my AMG E550 with a Kleemann supercharger and eisenmann exhaust system for my Camaro. As others have said the repair bills are freaky scary. My advice would be never own one out of warranty. I made that mistake and it cost me over 12K in repair bills. Dealerships prices are crazy high and labor costs are just as ridiculous. A and B services do not sound like much...I never left the dealership without giving them $500.00. Its your money but I would caution against owning one out of warranty.

[Stormcloak]

Maybe we got lucky.. but my better half had a C230 Kompressor hatchback quite a few years back. Bought it brand new, drove it for probably 110k, and the only problem it ever had was a seized pully, which wound up shredding the serpentine belt. Aside from the usual consumables, it was hands down the most reliable car I've ever had.

[drew peacock]

way way too over engineered..there's a video on you tube with some mechanic that's been in the buisness 30 years showing how it costs like 3000 usd just to replace the spark plugs due to the engine needing raising up..
your camaro is simple engineering dude..something goes wrong it's quite simple to sort..you will regret buying german for sure..i wouldn't have a merc free of charge..seen SO many people get bitten by them.they bring out a new model every week lol..
right now you own an american icon..that merc is not an iconic car and never will be.

[Mr. Stacy]

Originally Posted by Stormcloak

Maybe we got lucky.. but my better half had a C230 Kompressor hatchback quite a few years back. Bought it brand new, drove it for probably 110k, and the only problem it ever had was a seized pully, which wound up shredding the serpentine belt. Aside from the usual consumables, it was hands down the most reliable car I've ever had.

My Bimmer had 130k on it with no major issues.... But I knew that was pushing it... hence the sale.

I was under the assumption I would do some work on it myself. Bad idea. Just changing a headlight can bring you to the edge of sanity. There is NOTHING fun about working on a German car.

However, sometimes experience is the best, and only teacher some people understand. To each his own.

[LCPLPunk]

Well maintenance is cheap if you do it yourself...the dealer will always charge astronomical prices for even the simple stuff.

Wiper change? 50 bucks please
Oil change? $150 bucks please...
And so on....

[deweyg63]

A whole bunch of hell no for me on that one! Might as well tie a cardigan around your neck and join the country club

[Nor Cal ZL1]

If you plan on taking care of it as recommended plan on each visit costing between 500-600 per service. If you don't follow the service intervals plan on pushing it off a cliff, of leaving the keys in it in hope that someone will steal it. I swear all the German manufacturers have engineered failure rather than the longevity that they used to be famous for. Once you cross a certain mileage it just dominoes of failure. Stupidly expensive failures.

Things like BMW's famous electric water pump guaranteed to fail by 75000 miles and and about 2000 to change. Sounds like a simple DIY? Pump is 600.00 and will take you to the brink of insanity trying to change without tearing 1/2 the components out of the engine bay. Then when your done you will discover that you need a special obd plug in to bleed the system.

Then there is the Audi 2.0 that uses the valve cover as a camshaft upper journal. If the valve cover leaks, you have to remove the cam chain, cams,.and everything off the front of the engine. A repair that should be simple, is now a 1500.00 valve cover gasket swap.

Mercedes is no different the car is designed to be difficult, and expensive to service......

[c5Legend]

Why would anyone want to use money they stashed away for car repair bills? We want to do mods not spend them on repair bills..

I never had to buy a german car to learn my lesson, I jst watched my friends struggle with their BMWS all the time to know not to get one.

[JerTM]

This thread warms my heart. I am tired of the BS image that German cars have but did not earn. Just because it costs WAAAY more does not make it better. I would drive a German car if it was given to me, but wouldn't spend a dime of my own money to maintain or fix it, it's a losing battle. Hell, I'd pay money for a Korean car before German, at least it's cheap and easy to fix WHEN it breaks.

[Snoman]

Originally Posted by Oogabooga

I can get an awesome deal on a 2010 Mercedes CLS550 with 33K miles. Anyone have experience with these cars?

If you can budget and afford the $1,000/mo in maintenance, absolutely, go for it. 100% of every Merc owner I've met or heard of, sold them in a fit of rage and never looked back (many of them COULD afford them).

[zandron263]

I work with a guy who drives about 100 miles a day to and from work. Loves his Mercedes-Benz but buys a new one every 2-3 years. He tells me he does it because he does not want to own one once it's out of warranty due to the repair costs.