2013 Mercedes-Benz CLS 5.5L Petrol · FN13 XSB

A clean and consistent MOT record defines this thirteen year old Mercedes-Benz CLS, with no advisories or defects recorded across any of the documented tests and an unbroken sequence of passes stretching back to November 2022. The most recent test on 3 November 2025 returned a pass with no defects recorded, indicating that the vehicle met all statutory roadworthiness requirements at that point, while a prior test just one week earlier on 27 October 2025 is recorded as a failure with no defects logged, suggesting a likely administrative or retest situation rather than a substantive mechanical issue given the immediate subsequent pass. Across the 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 tests, the absence of any advisory entries for suspension components, brake condition, exhaust integrity, corrosion, or tyre wear points to a car that has either been well maintained or has not yet reached the mileage threshold at which common Mercedes wear items typically begin to flag. With 78,703 miles recorded over approximately thirteen years, the vehicle has averaged around 6,054 miles annually, a figure that sits squarely within typical usage parameters for a car of this age and class. There are no extended gaps between MOT tests that would indicate a long period off the road, and the relatively even accumulation of mileage suggests consistent rather than sporadic use. For a CLS of this vintage, this mileage band is meaningful because it places the vehicle past the point where many factory-fitted suspension components, particularly the complex multi-link front and rear arrangements Mercedes uses on this chassis, begin to show wear on bushes, control arms, and air suspension struts where fitted, even when no advisories have yet been raised. For a prospective buyer, the absence of recorded advisories should be treated as encouraging but not conclusive, particularly given the known vulnerabilities of the CLS platform. It would be prudent to carry out a thorough physical inspection of the front and rear suspension, listening carefully for any knocking or clonking over uneven surfaces and checking for uneven tyre wear which on this model often betrays worn thrust arms, track rod ends, or upper and lower wishbone bushes before they become severe enough to fail an MOT. The brake discs and pads should be physically measured for remaining thickness, as the heavy mass of the CLS accelerates disc wear, and any binding caliper or warped disc will typically manifest as a pulling sensation under braking or vibration through the steering wheel. A test drive should also pay particular attention to any warning lights on the dashboard, especially the suspension, ESP, and engine management systems, as electrical faults and sensor failures are a known weakness on W218 era CLS models. The gearbox, whether the 7G-Tronic automatic or a later variant, should be observed for harsh or delayed shifts, and a cold start will quickly reveal any timing chain rattle, oil leaks from the cam covers, or coolant system seepage common to higher mileage Mercedes petrol and diesel units. Finally, given the clean test history, a pre-purchase inspection by a Mercedes specialist or independent German marque expert remains strongly advisable to identify any developing issues that have not yet reached MOT failure threshold, particularly around the complex multi-link rear suspension geometry and the underbody corrosion protection that is so critical on a car of this age.