2013 Mercedes-Benz CLA 1.6L Petrol · GL13 FHU

Front suspension and drivetrain wear is the defining story of this CLA, with a failed test on 6 July 2026 for a fractured nearside front coil spring and a split inner CV boot on the same corner, followed by a pass five days later on 11 July 2026 after rectification. That CV boot is a recurring item: it was first flagged as severely deteriorated back in November 2023, meaning it deteriorated over roughly two and a half years before failing outright, which suggests repairs on this car have tended to be reactive rather than preventative. The wider trend is one of accumulating wear items rather than structural concerns: an offside front anti-roll bar linkage dust cover in 2022, a light mist of oil from the nearside front shock absorber the same year, rear brake pads wearing thin in 2024, and now worn and pitted brake discs front and rear plus a damaged offside front upper engine mounting. Tyres worn close to the legal limit on all four corners have been advised at three consecutive tests, which is a persistent and unresolved advisory rather than a one-off. At 123,600 miles over roughly thirteen years, the car has averaged about 9,500 miles annually, a typical usage pattern for its age with no significant gaps in the testing record beyond the expected spacing between annual tests. There is a notable cluster of two tests within five days in July 2026 reflecting the failure and retest, but otherwise the mileage accumulation appears steady and consistent with regular use. This level of use is entirely consistent with the wear items recorded: coil springs, CV boots, anti-roll bar linkages, brake discs and pads are all consumables that would be expected to require attention at this mileage on this platform, and nothing in the record suggests abnormal usage or prolonged standing. For a test drive, the priority is the front suspension and drivetrain. Listen carefully for knocking or clonking over bumps and on lock, which would point to remaining wear in the anti-roll bar linkages or other front-end joints, and check for a clicking or chattering noise on full lock at low speed, the classic symptom of a CV joint that has been running with a split boot and ingested grit. Establish whether the replacement boot fitted after the July 2026 failure was accompanied by a new joint or simply a boot kit over a worn joint. Feel for any vibration or judder through the brake pedal and steering wheel under braking, given the recorded worn, pitted and scored discs front and rear, and budget for disc and pad replacement if not already done. The all-four-tyres advisory across three consecutive tests warrants close inspection: check tread depth across the full width of each tyre, look for uneven edge wear that could indicate alignment or suspension geometry issues, and confirm whether the tyres have actually been replaced since July 2026. The damaged offside front upper engine mounting should be assessed by observing engine movement under load; excessive rocking or a thump on acceleration and overrun would indicate it needs replacement. Finally, given the 2019 note that underbody shields prevented a full inspection, a lift inspection of the underside for corrosion and the condition of the nearside front shock absorber previously noted misting oil would be a sensible precaution before purchase.