Buying a ML 4x4 any sugestions

[bigpow]

:lol: Im thinking of buying a 320ml or 270d as a general runaround. The press reviews that I have read give it a real slating. I would like anyones opinion on what to look for and whether or not to buy. The enrty level is what Im going for about 15K. Please help !! Thanks






8)

 

[TonyCoolDaddy]

For a general run around you will find it bulky, wallowy, and slow just like all the other trucks only better.

My advice with just as much room is a E320 and 15K would get you a E320 Avant Guard T plate, miles more fun and easier to handle PLUS better depreciation.

So unless you live the other side of a muddy field, why do you need tractor.

I have just gone from a P38a HSE 4.6 V8 to an E class Kompressor and I will never go back to 4X4. totally unecessary.

 

[maddog]

I met a chap who was desperatly unhappy with his ML i think its the 270.

He has covered just over 60,000 miles and just been landed with a £2200 bill to replace the injectors!!

He wants another E class!!

 

[guydewdney]

the ML is the only merc built in america... the same place that still churns out V8 pushrod engines that do 5mpg and doesn't know the temperature rating of a rubber seal on a certain spaceship, and still use the imperial system.

MLs are unreliable piles of tat imho...

 

[Chrisk]

ML

Hi All
I understand that the MLs for the european market are now built in the Steyr Puch Factory which I think is in Austria, so they are supposedly better built than the early US ML's. Although they are still knocking them out in Tenessee for the US market
I have an '03 ML270CDI which is 10months old and I absolutely detest it, the ride is dreadful and I come back after a short journey shaken to bits.
I have now bought a set of 16" wheels which I am going to put 75%profile tyres on to give me some more insulation from all the potholes on the road, because the original 17" 60% profile make it feel like its on solid tyres. I am even going to try out a Range Rover (never thought I would say that !) to see if thats any better to drive.
On the subject of the injectors, my wife had a new C220CDI recently and the injectors went on that too ! but luckily she mentioned it to the dealer just b4 the 3year warranty ran out, so they had to replace them
When someone asked us recently if we liked the ML, my wife said yes we did, well until we got one !

 

[bigpow]

:roll:
Thanks for the help,

Looks like the X5 trail then for about £25 K. I have a 528 at present which is a good car 34 mpg on the run with all the toys. We spotted a 320ml which is very pretty but thanks to your help I'm staying away. The only other car was a CLK ( too many kids though). Thanks again BIGPOW :wink:

 

[guydewdney]

qquentin wilson on the radio yesterday reckoned the range rover was a better bet than the wallowey X5..

 

[DWB!]

...and you won't have to have a bmw parked outside your house. :wink:

 

[l5foye]

ML -bigpow

Hello Bigpow- I have a ML 2.7cdi and I am well pleased with it. Previous 4x4s included 2 Shoguns and a Trooper. The ML is the most car like one of the lot, handles well and is comfortable. All passengers rate it highly. I am averaging 29-31 mpg with 'brisk driving' which I reckon is quite good. The MB warranty is one of the best ( have a look at VW's Touarag warranty to see what I mean -max 60k miles ) I tow a heavy trailer with the ML -no bother. A recent poll showed a ML has 3rd lowest depreciation after 2 Porsches ( Sunday Times motoring supp) Dealer has guaranteed me 65% residual value after 3 years. My advice - try the ML for a day ( a quick drive is no use) and check price difference between an X5 diesel and a ML diesel and tell me which is better value. Stay away from the Range Rover - unless you like visiting garages.

 

[OlafMaxwell]

ML????? Try Lexus.

:roll:
As a 2000 E320cdi [now at 78,000 miles] driver I cannot help but notice the comments about dealerships. I have met the same poblems, raised them with not only the dealers but also MB in Ireland. You get nowhere. They have refused to honour their warranty, are unable to repair simple faults, rude, discourteous and downright arrogant. They are incompetent, have returned the car on one occasion with leaking fluid and a dangerous tyre while billing for checking tyres and rotating the wheels. Two towed breakdowns [brake failure] in less than 6 months due to defective work.

My advice and I cannot put it strongly enough is give the ML a wide berth.
Out of curiosity I polled my clients on the MB situation and less than 10% were happy. Most of my Lexus driving clients are dissatisfied ex MB owners.

You need a lawyer to get warranty service out of them and you must get an independent assessor to do a detailed examination of your motor before you take delivery of it and again before the warranty expires.

The only good service centre I found was Tom Murphy's in Waterford in Ireland and MB at Coventry in England. Unless you know your dealer dont touch them.

Sorry MB, I have written to you and you ignored me.

Q: Whats a Lexus salesmans best sales aid?
A: The local MB dealer.
Q: What is his second best sales aid?
A: MB Quality Control.

 

[Chrisk]

My experience of depreciation and response from MB

Heres a copy of my current correspondence from MB. I had asked them for a valuation in response to their offer of a valuation on their MB Direct website so that they would take it back or that I could advertise the car for sale privately.
"Thanks for your valuation
Please can you inform me how the value of my 03ML270 has dropped so much in the space of 4 months and 2,500miles.
I only purchased the car from you on the 8th December for £31,500, then I also spent the following on it, £500 side bars, £200 mudflaps front and rear & fitting, £500 Tracker, £500 Starshield, £140 Road tax, Thats £1,840 additional to the initial £31,500 thats £33,340 in total.
Your valuation of £25,900 means that I have lost £7,440 on the vehicle in the space of 4 months, thats £1,860 per month of ownership ! So much for mercedes depreciation"

 

[Chrisk]

Oh and by the way the car was 6 months old when I purchased it and with all the options the original list price must have been somewhere around £37K, so I did not take the initial big depreciation hit.
I traded in my 95 SL320 with 45K miles and after 3 years of ownership and 15K miles I lost £17K on that one.
My wife just traded in her 00 C220CDI est for an Audi cab and after 3 years of ownership and 35Kmiles with her merc she lost £12K.
I am sorry to say that as a family we have always had various Mercedes in the family since 1990 because I could always guarantee that I would not lose lots of money on them, but from my point of view this does not apply anymore.

 

[Richard W]

I had an early ('99) ML320 and it was a shed. Appaling build quality, awful fuel consumption, the ride was horrendous and I echo the comments about 4x4s, unless you're towing or need the off-road capability DON'T.

I've gone back to a diesel estate car which has depreciated £237 (according to the What Car on-line buyers guide) in 9 months and 10,000 miles.

Get an E320 CDi they appear to be the chariot of choice where I live!

R

 

[Chrisk]

When you say you have gone back to a diesel estate car.........is it a merc that you have gone back to or is it a bmw.
Like I said earlier my wife had a c220 diesel merc that she bought as a demo and that lost bucketfulls of money (£12K) in the 3 years she had it too, so I cant see the E320CDI being much better either. So are you suggesting we go to BMW ?
Chris

 

[DavidBlake]

Don't bother.
I spoke to a recovery driver the other day, he said he makes his living from towing in modern Mercs. The M series are as bad as any.
Years ago I remember ignorant people saying you were just paying for the badge with a merc, of course it was not true, but it is now.
I work on a car ferry, we have never had to tow off a merc built before 1993, can't say the same for the new ones.

 

[Chrisk]

Hi David
Which Ferry do you work on ?
I am booked on with ReD funnel at the weekend. I will be towing my boat to the IOW on Saturday in my 03 ML and using the Soton to ECowes ferry.
So get ready for another one !

 

[Richard W]

When you say you have gone back to a diesel estate car.........is it a merc that you have gone back to or is it a bmw.

So are you suggesting we go to BMW ?
Chris

I had a C220 CDi (T) W202 and found it a superb car, selling it after just over a year with minimal depreciation - mind you I did buy it second hand at 18 months old.

The ML was next and turned out to be my biggest mistake ever in car buying for the reasons already mentioned.

The BMW 320d I've now got is dynamically streets ahead of the 220 with superb handling etc. If I was being totally honest in recommending cars (recognising this is a Merc forum :wink: ) I'd say that the quality issues discussed here do sound slightly worse than the BMW forum, all models have their faults and many cars break down, comments suggest that if you want a totally reliable car then buy a Corolla!

....But Yes, I would recommend a BMW - apparently the X5 wipes the floor with all other 4x4s for on-road performance and handling, the 530d is a superb car and after the Top Gear test comment about the E-Class I'd prefer one, a friend has one of the last old shape Touring models and, like me, he's completely smitten by BMWs.

If the 5 is too big then the 330d is superb, (beyond my budget unfortunately) and the 320d has been described in a number of magazines ('Car' in particular) as the 'best car in the real world'

Don't get me wrong I'm not saying all Mercs are rubbish, I've made my choice and gone for the more dynamically rewarding car and don't forget with a BMW you get your own lane on the motorway 8)

 

[Chrisk]

My Brother in Law who makes his living by breaking Mercs and LR drives a Landcruiser Amazon. He's had them for years and reckons its best for depreciation, quality, ride etc... I have a Amazon on test drive in 2 weeks time, just after my Range Rover test drive because I will never buy a car again without road testing it for 24hours !

 

[Chrisk]

My Brother in Law who makes his living by breaking Mercs and LR drives a Landcruiser Amazon. He's had them for years and reckons its best for depreciation, quality, ride etc... I have a Amazon on test drive in 2 weeks time, just after my Range Rover test drive because I will never buy a car again without road testing it for 24hours !

 

[molar]

Hi all this is my first message on this forum.

I placed a deposit for a 99V ML320 a few days ago after test driving it for 30minutes and making sure everything worked etc....This will be the wifes car as she always wanted a 4x4

I was actually very pleased with it. I have never bought a used car and thought I would not be impressed with a 4.5 year old vehicle. However I was surprised, hence the deposit. The vehicle was clean inside and out. It has Mercedes Front nudge bar, side steps, rear spare wheel carrier. It also had the Lux pack, CD changer and Sunroof. But after discovering this forum and reading the comments on the M-class, I am getting worried.

Are there any satisfied ML owners out there?? Is the reliability really that bad?? I have owned in the past a 230E, 190E and recently purchased a new E-class 320 and found them all faultless ...am I going to be shocked!!??