Driving a V12 beater.

[OneEyeJack]

A co-worker purchased a 2005 Mercedes CL-600 V12 with 88K miles for $6,000. It ran great but has a long list of little things that don't work anymore, lot of them. Just about every gadget you can imagine this car had and most of them don't work from the sun roof to anything on the driver's seat. He drove the car 6K miles this spring on vacation. He drove it like he stole it.

Recently the right side of the engine quit working. Evidently right and left sides have their own systems. The estimate to just get it running was $7,800.00. He was also warned that the transmission needed work as well as the goofy suspension. This did not include fixing any of the gadgets. He made a deal with a retired neighbor mechanic. They stripped the car together, cleaned up all the stuff and sold the pieces on the Internet. They split the expenses including the $500 for the estimate from the Mercedes mechanic, and profits right down the middle. His cut was $6,000. So, his expense for a 3 month beater for his vacation was tax, license, gasoline and insurance.

 

[gfh77665]

I have never, ever envied MB owners. To the contrary, I have pitied them.

 

[bubbatime]

That car had an original sticker price in the $120,000 range. The fact that it can be purchased for half the cost of a same year used Honda Accord really says something...

 

[IndyIan]

Was it a flood car? It seems odd that a lot of the electronic stuff is failing even if it was "abused" or not maintained well.

 

[michaelluscher]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
That car had an original sticker price in the $120,000 range. The fact that it can be purchased for half the cost of a same year used Honda Accord really says something...


That mindset has been the logic behind every Doug Demuro/Tavarish article ever.

 

[supton]

Sounds like your coworker got to have a fun break. I mean, if he went in with his eyes open, realizing this might happen,mthen cheap thrills.

 

[bullwinkle]

Wow-$120K to $6K in 10 years?? And my same year xB, which cost only $13,800 new, is probably still worth over $6K. How far the "3 pointed star" has fallen! Good news is, he's definitely the only owner that didn't lose BIG MONEY on that car!

 

[eljefino]

GearHeadTool should get one of these!

 

[Donald]

What would the car have been worth if everything was properly repaired?

 

[Mr Nice]

For $6000 I would rather have a used Honda.

 

[hattaresguy]

That's a shame those CL's are wonderful cars and not to terrible to fix. The worst is the ABC system but that can be fixed with aftermarket strut kits.

Sounds like the motor needed coils, should have been under a grand. The original coils on those motors were faulty and fail like clockwork around 70k, the new ones do not.

The CL600 is the best grand coupe you can buy this side of Bentley GT, they did not import to many of them. I bet for 2005 less than 1k are in the country.

 

[hattaresguy]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
I have never, ever envied MB owners. To the contrary, I have pitied them.


Have you ever owned a Mercedes?

 

[hattaresguy]

Originally Posted By: Donald
What would the car have been worth if everything was properly repaired?


Around $20k-$30k if in proper condition and working order.

 

[surfstar]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
I have never, ever envied MB owners. To the contrary, I have pitied them.


Have you ever owned a Mercedes?


I'm going to go with "no". That would require self-pity, apparently. And he sounds smart enough to know better.

 

[Lolvoguy]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Was it a flood car? It seems odd that a lot of the electronic stuff is failing even if it was "abused" or not maintained well.


Once you own a german car, you'll understand.

Everything German I've owned was this way. From my 84 Rabbit to the BMW's.

For this reason alone they will always be a hobby car for me

 

[wirelessF]

You have to be a nuthead to own a German car once they are over 5 years old. They are usually leases so problems don't pop up during the lease but for someone who wants to keep them 5, 10 years you're off your own when something goes wrong to avoid a huge repair bill.

Also BMW E36, 39, 46 cultists.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: wirelessF
You have to be a nuthead to own a German car once they are over 5 years old. They are usually leases so problems don't pop up during the lease but for someone who wants to keep them 5, 10 years you're off your own when something goes wrong to avoid a huge repair bill.

Also BMW E36, 39, 46 cultists.


Or simply mechanically inclined and happen to have the ability to troubleshoot

The E39 and E46 are both pretty easy to work on.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
I have never, ever envied MB owners. To the contrary, I have pitied them.


I forget the exact line, but it's something like it's not so much being able to afford to buy one, but being able to afford to get them repaired. Or at least that's the conventional thinking.

 

[Olas]

Originally Posted By: wirelessF
You have to be a nuthead to own a German car once they are over 5 years old. They are usually leases so problems don't pop up during the lease but for someone who wants to keep them 5, 10 years you're off your own when something goes wrong to avoid a huge repair bill.

Also BMW E36, 39, 46 cultists.


It's strange that in the US people see European cars as unreliable but we Europeans don't. Maybe it has something to do with the cars being constructed in N.A. and Mexico? Maybe it has to do with what Americans (in general, not on BITOG) expect in terms of maintenance?
My Scirocco is a piece of cake to work on and the biggest repairs on the car wouldn't take more than a day. Even newer more complex stuff is easy when you know what youre looking at..

 

[Lolvoguy]

Originally Posted By: Olas

My Scirocco is a piece of cake to work on and the biggest repairs on the car wouldn't take more than a day. Even newer more complex stuff is easy when you know what youre looking at..


I can't see why ANY repairs should take more than 5-4 hours TOPS on your car. Including an engine swap, clutch job etc.