Cls350

[450SE]

I'm a little bit chuffed at the moment, gents.

The paperwork was signed yesterday afternoon to purchase an E500 Elegance. Expected delivery early next week.
Not having the space for three cars, let alone four, the CLS350 is up for sale.
If there is a Melbourne (or simply, Australian) Topklasser or friend interested, please let me know. Details are as follows.

2007 CLS350
Tanzanite Blue with black

Factory options are as follows:
* 18" 5 spoke alloy wheels
* Glass sunroof
* Harmon / Kardon sound system
* Electric self closing boot lid
* Interior motion sensor alarm
* Anti-tow alarm
* High gloss Laurel wood trim
* Blue glass
* Double cup / bottle holder (yes, they charged for that!)

34,000km. No crashes / scratches / dents / body damage. Purchased new from Mercedes Benz of Melbourne, serviced there also. RWC supplied on sale. Original owner car.
Looking for high $80k

See images
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww315/450SE/P1000741-1.jpg
http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww315/450SE/2008MtBullerrun0062-1.jpg

Send me a private email for contact details if interested.


I'll put some info & photos of the new car on another thread if anybody is interested.

 

[Styria]

Hi 450SE, no wonder you're chuffed about your new purchase. I believe that the E500 is 'something else' to behold and I for one would certainly be appreciative of any information or picture you may wish to post. So, this brings me back to the CLS350 - maybe once or twice I thought I could read between the lines that the CLS did not fully complete the picture for you - am I correct in that assumption ?

Styling and appearance wise, it has almost seemed impossible to look at anything other than the CLS - one or two of the Audis look close, Lexus have come up with some sort of cloning exercise, and BMW are readying just about a copy of the CLS (very striking, perhaps even more striking than the CLS) but what about the intrinsics of the car ? What are your findings, impressions, likes and perhaps dislikes ? Is there a perceived lack of quality, do the ergonomics and ease of driving suffer as a result of the 'fast-back' styling, and what did you, or do you, think of the 350 engine performance wise ? I'd be most interested in your opinions.

Just as an aside also, and you may wish to post in a different section, how is the 450SE going - have you done, or had done any extra work or maintenance? As you know, I am now spending some spare time on my 450SE and I am really looking forward to the day when Goldie undertakes her maiden voyage. Regards Styria - sorry, BTW, good luck with the sale of your CLS.

 

[450SE]

...the CLS350 - maybe once or twice I thought I could read between the lines that the CLS did not fully complete the picture for you - am I correct in that assumption ?

What are your findings, impressions, likes and perhaps dislikes? Is there a perceived lack of quality, do the ergonomics and ease of driving suffer as a result of the 'fast-back' styling, and what did you, or do you, think of the 350 engine performance wise? I'd be most interested in your opinions.

Hi Styria,

Here is a brief rundown of my observations.
The everyday car previous to the CLS350 was a 2004 W211 E240 Elegance. It was a beautifully optioned car, but failed miserably under the hood. Had it have been a 350 motor, I'd have happily kept it.
I should start by saying what was so great about the E240 first, then use the comparison against the CLS to justify my previous whinges.

* Panoramic glass sunroof. Two huge overhead panes of glass made the car feel lighter and breezier even with the roof closed. Although there was the electric blind under the glass, this would only ever be used when the car was parked in the sun on a stinking hot day.
The shape of the roof on the CLS prohibited anything more than (what felt to be a small) standard sunroof. So to go from a lovely light Sierra Grey interior in the E240 to all Black in the CLS, made me feel slightly claustrophobic.

* Seating position. The drivers seat in the E was higher than the CLS. I do understand that the CLS is meant to be more of a ‘sports coupe/sedan’ – but I found most days driving around town, I wished to be seated just an inch or two higher. Pulling up next to a latte sipping Range Rover driver with two screaming kids in the back made me feel a little vulnerable.

* Rear seat. Entering & exiting the rear of the W211 was simple. The CLS is a pig to get in and out of. I can’t be much more blunt and honest than that. I lost count of the amount of times friends, family & clients almost lost the upper part of their cranium in some sort of demented twist trying to get in or out of the car.
One detail which I really loved about the CLS was the 2+2 seating configuration, making it strictly a four seater car. The middle rear seat, which is almost always completely useless anyway, was replaced by the boffins at Benz with a dividing wood grain trimmed storage box. A fold down centre armrest in the rear added additional comfort to the tub seats. The design and finish was beautiful (and also quite unique).
The W212 E-Class has a factory option available for ‘comfort’ rear seating – which adds more comfortable rear head restraints, seat heating and deletes the centre seating position in favour of a storage compartment.
My E500 has, as a result of the love of the CLS seating configuration, the ‘Comfort’ rear seat package.

* Vision: The E240 had the driver sitting high, with plenty of glass, a higher roof, a star at the end of the bonnet and a nice flat boot lid.
The CLS has the driver seated low, a high door frame, lower roof, no star to use as a more targeted guide and looking in the rear view mirror, you would believe that the car ended just behind the rear headrests.
Each car had Parktronic, but the CLS I always found notoriously difficult to parallel park, even with a self dropping passenger mirror.
Worst, are the blind spots on the CLS. The thick C pillars make it difficult (possibly even dangerous) to pull out of some streets around my local area due to the angle of exit from one road to another. The B pillars are *incredibly* thick. With a passenger in the front seat, turning right into a road from the median divider was not enjoyable.
The rake of the front glass made it difficult to really enjoy a twisty country road as you’d have to go from looking out the front glass, then ducking your head down and back to look out the drivers front window to go through a good right hand bend.

The drive train however, is just brilliant. Absolutely dynamic, particularly with the factory optioned 18” 245 rims on slightly lower suspension. Just frustrating vision.



I will continue to go into the pros and cons sometime over the weekend. At that time I will be able to go into more detail on the finer points of the experience of ownership – but now I need to shoot off to a meeting now before getting home at some God awful time to do it all again tomorrow…

 

[Michel]

I fell in love with the CLS when it was released.

Alas, I was not at the press launch, so I missed out on testing one and by the time I got round to it, there were no more press cars available, so it slipped under the radar for me.

However, I always wanted one and then a friend told me of one for sale through a friend of a friend whose lease was about to expire.

It was a CLS500 in dark red with light beige interior and the price was right!

So I went to take it for a drive and after ten minutes, I simply could not wait to get out.

Claustrophobic indeed and that is the main cause for the serious drop in resale value compared to other models, but nevertheless a beautiful design.

Good luck with the sale and congratulations on a beautiful purchase.

The E500 is simply a wonderful machine.

 

[Styria]

Hi 450SE, my apologies for being so late in thanking you for your excellent assessment of your CLS350, and various aspects of ownership, ergonomics and comforts. It is just proof that 'the right shape' need not always equate to 'the correct shape'. I guess also, one aspect of my recent test drive in a new S350 related to the colour of upholstery - black, and quite featureless, plus comparative lack of legroom in the rear. Thanks heaps for your assessment. What's the "Newie" like ? Regards Styria

 

[450SE]

Hi Styria,
No problems with taking time to read over the post. I've been quite busy lately to the point that this is the first time I've been able to actually sit and read various threads and posts since my last comment on 15 April.

If curiosity gets the better of you, the carsale ad is listed here:

http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars...lcarhome&__Nne=15&trecs=10&__sid=125C82B57267

I removed the original European plates and fitted them to the new E500. Not paying the absurd amount of money Vicroads demand for a style of number plate again!!

 

[Styria]

Hi 450SE, I am still interested to hear, or that should read, about "the finer points" in relation to the CLS. I have looked up your advertisement and it is indeed a fine looking car, with a lovely interior. The individual backseats remind me of the ROVER 3 litre and 3.5 litre Coupes with their individual rear bucket seats (I must dig up some photos to illustrate my point).

Good luck with the sale, and I am looking forward to further news, if any and if time permits on your part, regarding your new car, as well as your 450SE. Regards Styria

 

[450SE]

SOLD!

It only took a little over a week. Three tyre kickers (two of which were deterred from showing their face on my doorstep before they even arrived).

The purchaser lives only four or five streets away, which I'm not sure is a good thing or not...

Anyway, after four days of haggling and offers and counter offers, we settled on a price that I thought both good and realistic and got the terms of settlement that I wanted.
All things going right, the car will be handed over tomorrow evening.

The roadworthy was purely procedural - only a windscreen replacement required, which is covered under insurance anyway and will be fitted tomorrow.

Now to start a new thread abou the E500!

 

[Styria]

It may perhaps be appropriate at this stage to provide a link to the various CLS models regarding pros and cons of used car purchase. It is good to know, 450SE, that you found a buyer as quickly as you did. I must admit that I am the forgiving type (in other words, I am prepared to overlook certain inadequacies or shortcomings) if, in principle and for various reasons, I take a real liking to whatever. In the case of the CLS, it just has to be the exterior shape - so classy, so racy, so attention grabbing, especially in the right colour.

http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=69502&vf=15

Regards Styria