Over 3 tons and tuned to 470 hp, will that remain intact?
For some it’s a good blue Benz, for others it’s an insanely fast AMG. Lex Hendriks bought his dream car, a Mercedes-AMG CLA 45, six years ago and continues to enjoy it to the fullest to this day. What is the condition after more than 300,000?
Judge Joep Schuurman makes no bones about it after returning from his long test drive with the Mercedes CLA 45 AMG. “Why does it have such a huge turbo lag? The moon fits in there!” That is indeed special and requires an explanation, which owner Lex Hendriks obviously has, “I once had the original turbo overhauled, there was play in it. Then two turbos were made into one.” According to Lex, it lasted a long time, but in the end he opted for a larger one. “It has the disadvantage that it takes a while before it gets up to speed, that’s true. But it is also better for the engine to build up the power gradually. The chassis dynamometer now produces 470 hp and 620 Nm, but I am not driving with full turbo pressure, so that may also explain the lack of pulling power at low revs. But after that he really goes like crazy.”
Even more adjustments to AMG 45
Other adjustments include the intercooler, the exhaust and an extra cooler for the gearbox. It actually cools a little too well, the oil does not reach the right temperature. Because it now has so much power, Lex stuck the red S on the back, even though this CLA was not yet available in that version. “A world of difference with my previous CLA, which was a 220d. As a sporty car I had a Golf R at the time, with the AMG 45 I now have two cars in one, although it is not as economical as the diesel.”
Only two options are missing
It is no coincidence that Lex bought this CLA, although it was clear in advance that it would be an AMG. He looked for it for quite a long time, we hear. “I test drove a silver one, a pre-facelift. Until I saw this in a magazine and immediately fell in love with it. More than a year later it was for sale at a Mercedes dealer.” Lex didn’t have to think for a second and immediately made contact by telephone. “It has almost all options, only the ski hatch in the rear seat and the adaptive cruise control are missing.”
Purchased additional warranty
Fortunately, Lex bought an extra warranty at the time, because after a year or two there was an oil leak that required the entire engine to be removed. That would have cost him a lot of money without a guarantee. And a cooling water hose broke just three days after delivery. “Later I had another oil leak, which was due to an error by the garage. The camshaft sensor vibrated loose. It started to smell really bad, so I stopped immediately to prevent damage.” Furthermore, it is a lot of fun, he says. When it has to be, the AMG is ridiculously fast and that once cost him dearly. “I was driving on the A6 through the polder late in the evening and couldn’t resist the temptation to go all out. You guessed it: I got flashed. That cost a lot of money and without a driver’s license for a while. Since then I have been a lot more careful.”
47,000 kilometers per year with an AMG
Lex drove his CLA more than 47,000 kilometers a year, which is no small feat. This includes fifteen return trips to Marbella. What did you say? That’s five thousand kilometers at a time! “My parents live there, I go there at least twice a year for a longer period of time. I usually leave early in the evening, so I’m just over the Spanish border the next morning. It takes some gasoline and the necessary cans of Red Bull, but I never dread it. I have also been to Italy several times to ski and I travel a lot in the Netherlands for work.”
Keeper
Joep is busy with his inspection, but so far it has only been the notes he made during the test drive. The engine cover plate bears the signature of the man who assembled the four-cylinder, as is customary at AMG. Lex clearly takes good care of his car and keeps it well maintained. Apart from the technical adjustments, the rest seems original. “I didn’t do anything to the chassis and these are the wheels it was delivered with at the time. The only changes to the exterior are the extra wings on the front spoiler, the grille has been painted black and it has new type plates. Including that red S. The steering wheel comes from a C63 AMG. I have decided never to get rid of this car. It still makes me happy. Fortunately, the inspection does not change my mind.”
What’s wrong with it?
The car vibrates a bit when driving on the highway, the front tires are slightly cupped
Car pulls a little to the right
Rear shock absorbers feel mediocre
The car feels lazy at low revs, but this is probably due to the large turbo
Front tires are a bit more worn on the inside
The opinion of Carrec Technocenter
“I was shocked by the turbo lag, but other than that there is little to criticize about this Mercedes-Benz. The technical condition is very good.”
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl