All the V8 goodness: Mercedes-Benz CL500 for less than £2k
Every week, we’re highlighting an auction bargain that we reckon was well bought. Thanks to our friends at Classic Car Weekly, and its roving classic car auction reporter, Richy Barnett, we’ll bring you some interesting classics at much lower-than-expected prices. This week, we’re looking at modern classic Mercedes-Benz that wins on the cylinder count.
Car 2002 Mercedes-Benz CL500
Sold for £1700
Original estimate No reserve
Long story short: A no-reserve winner
Modern classics normally represent some of the best deals. While the old guard might seriously resent the increasing number of moderns in a sale, there is no denying their popularity, particularly among younger fans or those looking for the biggest bang for their buck.
The potential running costs put other bidders off. Big luxury offerings, particularly ones loaded with tech, can put buyers worried about the big bills off. This particular CL was no exception, with the spec including soft-close doors and boot, double glazing for noise suppression, and a built-in Comand entertainment/satellite navigation system. However, while it’s obvious this won’t be a car that’s cheap to run, ownership needn’t be daunting if looked after by a specialist, and this example was in good condition.
The history outweighed the mileage in this case. Some bidders might have been put off by this CL having covered 130,000 miles, but anyone who delved deeper would have found that the bills along the way definitely hadn’t been skimped. T
his big Merc had 10 service stamps in the book, of which eight were with a main dealer. Old MoT test certificates were there too, along with the handbook and bills from a Mercedes-Benz specialist for the replacement of the lower control arms and repairs to the Comand unit. Other work included replacing the steering rack joints, wishbones, belts, bushes and brake hoses. Brightwells also helpfully pointed out that adding the value of the work carried out came to a total of £6000. It was MoT-tested until January 2021, too.
Mercedes-Benz CL500 price guide
Concours £10,000-15,000
Good £3750-6000
Usable £2500-3750
Project £1000-2500
THIS CAR £1700
Well bought Mercedes-Benz CL500: The verdict
No-reserves are often some of the smartest auction buys. Increasingly we’re seeing cars being offered without reserves at sales, and they often make some of the best buys. Nevertheless, the buyer came out well here, and even when you add the VAT and buyer’s premium to the hammer price – bringing the total up to £1904 – this was still a seriously well bought car.
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