MERCEDES-BENZ CLS2016 · 3.0L DIESEL

The 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLS presents a broadly stable maintenance trend through its recent MOT history, though the latest test on 28 August 2025 at 68,646 miles introduces a notable advisory that warrants attention. The tester flagged an Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover as severely deteriorated. While this did not constitute a failure, a split or perished gaiter on a front anti-roll bar linkage allows road ingress to contaminate the joint, accelerating wear and potentially leading to knocking over uneven surfaces or vague steering feedback if left unaddressed. Prior to this 2025 advisory, the vehicle had passed three consecutive tests cleanly, suggesting the condition is a recent development rather than a chronic, long-term neglect issue. Mileage accumulation sits at approximately 6,865 miles per year, which is typical for a ten-year-old executive saloon. The record shows a steady and consistent climb from 48,730 miles in January 2022 through to 68,646 miles by August 2025, with no suspicious gaps or sudden spikes that would indicate long periods of disuse or a recent odometer anomaly. The annual increments between tests remain relatively uniform, pointing to regular, predictable use rather than extreme short-journey or high-mileage fleet-style operation. The most significant recurring theme in the record is tyre wear. In the September 2023 test at 56,304 miles, three of the four tyres were flagged as worn close to the legal limit or worn on edge. Edge wear typically indicates misaligned tracking or worn suspension bushes and joints causing excessive camber, rather than simple underinflation. The fact that the vehicle passed its 2024 and 2025 tests without tyre advisories suggests either a correction was made or the tyres were replaced, but a prospective buyer should still inspect the inner and outer shoulders of all four tyres closely for uneven wear patterns. Any renewed edge wear would point to an underlying alignment or suspension geometry fault that has not been permanently resolved. Beyond tyres, the 2025 advisory on the front anti-roll bar linkage dust cover is the key item to verify. A buyer should physically check the offside front ball joint for play and the nearside equivalent for similar deterioration. Inspect the underside of the vehicle for corrosion on subframes, suspension mounting points, and around the rear brake flexible hoses, as these are common areas of concern on ageing Mercedes-Benz models of this era. The braking system has not appeared on any test record, but with nearly 69,000 miles on the clock, the condition of the front and rear brake discs and pads should be assessed for lipping, scoring, and uneven wear, particularly if the car has seen a mix of motorway and urban use.