ML 320 Lpg or 270 Diesel Whats best Please?

Dockgreen

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Hi I am an old member returning to the club who did own a E300 TD probably the best car I have ever owned for relabilty and to drive but the rust WOW!!!
I am now considering a ML as I have need for a 4x4 and thought that maybe if I went for a ML I could end up with a good "no great" car, I am looking at maybe a 320 on LPG or the diesel which I think would be the 270 and because of the tax anything up to 2001, it seems from what I have read that people either hate or love these cars, some with lots of problems and then some with none, I would appreciate any advice so thanks in advance.
 

Martyndogs

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Ml lpg

Hi Dockgreen,
I have just bought a 2000 ML320 on gas. Conversion done by a company in Hertfordshire on the LGPA list 9 months ago at 114k. I drove the car back from previous owner to my home at Lancaster some 200 miles last week. This weekend I went to Somerset and covered another 700 miles, car has not misssed a beat. As to economy I am getting 170 miles on 45 litres of gas at 80mph with cruise on the motorway. Flying around the Somerset/Dorset lanes this droped to 150 miles but for a V6 3.2 I think that is fair. All the pleasure of petrol acceleration with no nasty diesel fumes and knocks.
All in all with the size and seating space (7 seats) a good option to consider.:p
Regards Martyndogs
 

alim

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LPG - my thoughts

I would personally opt for the diesel and stay completely clear of LPG. The whole LPG industry is relatively unregulated and although you have the LPG association (now UK LPG) they are more a trade association rather than consumer organisation. Mercedes obviously spend millions on research and development of engines including diesels.

Purchasing a petrol car and then 'bolting' on a LPG system is a relatively crude process - the LPG kits (even the advanced Prins system) are generic kits and not specifically designs for MB. Despite what you read, you can and do hear the LPG injectors 'ticking' away which really does spoil the driving pleasure. Furthermore, you add weight to the vehicle by placing a big heavy steel tank into the car and you certainly notice this especially if you have a large tank.

I am not convinced by the safety of these systems also despite what you read. I am not aware of any independent safety tests that have been performed to demonstrate the saftey of a rear collision with a full tank of LPG. The LPG installers will always mention that the LPG tank is composed of several millimetres of steel - however the LPG is stored under pressure, in the event of fracture you will get explosive decompression.

Furthermore, the LPG installation is a very involved procedure and I am not convinced whether even the most experienced installers are able to 'put the car back' together properly

How do I know so much about LPG??? Well, I fell for the same trap previously, I purchased a petrol car, spent hours researching LPG and organised a top quality PRINS conversion using a very reputable company which recieved glowing references on the various fora. What a disaster!!! The car never drove the same afterwards. You can hear the injectors in the cabin ticking away with increased engine resonance and this was worsened once the AC was switched on. There were all sorts of subtle creaking sounds from the car when driving and there was a noticeble difference in torque. All in all a very disappointing experience and I personally would not touch LPG ever again. I eventually got rid of the car.

Incidentally, LPG conversion does not increase the value of your car and probably devalues your car. Most garages will not accept LPG vehicles in part exchange. Furthermore, when things go wrong my LPG installer was useless and convinced me many times there were no problems, which is their soloution to most problems - complete denial. In my experience the LPG installers are not real mechanics and are out of there depth when things go wrong. As mentioned, my conversion was done by a large installer with 10-15 years experience of LPG conversions - best in the business according to the fora (multiple posts, multiple websites)

Think very carefully before you opt for LPG especially if your car is a prized posession. The internet in the case of LPG really does give a skewed view in that it really seems a 'no brainer' to convert to LPG- this really is not the case!!

LPG perhaps has a market, for aged large engined cars that folk want to pick up and run cheaply but not for anything valuable and 'nice'

My thoughts only
 

kristoff

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I agree about LPG. Not worth it at all. If the economy bothers you then buy an oil burner. My ML 320 does 15mpg around town which is pretty horrendous, but I knew that when I bought it. I wanted petrol as its my weekend car and its great to get into after driving my tdi company car all week. I just man up and pay the fuel costs. Only do about 4k miles a year in it though.

If you want to use your ML everyday and put some miles on it I'd say the cdi is the way to go really. Even thats only 22mpg around town though. And you'll pay a premium for one over the V6, even though its not as nice to drive.

Looking at that post there though, are you getting over 15mpg off gas? Thats not bad at all if so. If the conversion is a good one then you've a good result. Problem is that its a lottery whether it turns out well, or wrecks the car. I won't be bothering.

Basically if economy bothers you, then you shouldn't be buying a seaperate chasiss 2 and a half ton 4 x 4.

Plenty of soft roaders that cost the same as an ML, will do 40mpg and are semi decent in the rough stuff if you 'need' a 4x4.

My ML's never seen anything more challenging than the grass verge I drive over to park at the football. And everyone else does that in normal hatches. lol

The point is that it looks the business on its massive polished wheels. Can you pimp around the city centre on a sat night in a kia sportage or hyundi tuscan? No, you ****** well can't. I'll live with 15mpg.....
 

cromarty

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i sort of agree with both sides of the argument as i have a 320 which i just had converted. went on hoiday and did 3500 miles without too much of a problem. but then it started to play up. by the time i got back it was't runing too good on petrol. so took it back to installer and to cut a long story short i'm waiting for a new system, or at least , a replcement loom and bits and pieces. so we shall see how it pans out. i have to say that when it was going good it was marvellous, and economic....will keep you posted.
 

truthfindergeneral

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If you're buying an ML for use as a 4X4... forget it !
I have just had a broken rear spring replaced on mine and the vehicle has never been off road. If it can't handle a pot hole or a speed hump then it's not going to be much use once it leaves tarmac.
 

*Thumper

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"Fora" ..... the plurel of Forum ? ........ never heard that before ............ how long before it makes the Oxford English

Like it !
 

Alex M Grieve

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"Fora" ..... the plurel of Forum ? ........ never heard that before ............ how long before it makes the Oxford English

Like it !

Rather sooner than plurel, I fear. Fora is from the same family as data and strata and media.
 

wiltsandy

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I had my Jeep converted with a Prins system and think it's great. There's no discernable ticking from the injectors and it makes running a 4.0L straight six affordable. I had an underslung gas tank fitted with a half size petrol tank.

As for safety, the original Jeep petrol tank was plastic and I now have steel lpg and petrol tanks, both protected by a steel skid plate as I do use my Jeep for off-roading.

Admittedly the system did fail on Monday after two and a half years but that's due to lack of maintenance on my part (haven't had the filters changed). The plus side though is that the vehicle is still currently driveable on petrol.

Personally, I would never consider a diesel vehicle-it's fuel of the devil and belongs only in tractors! :):p:)
 

Dosco

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Can you pimp around the city centre on a sat night in a kia sportage or hyundi tuscan? (who in hells earth wants to?)No, you ****** well can't. I'll live with 15mpg.....
So you have the money to waste and ???
 

psmart

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Personally, I would never consider a diesel vehicle-it's fuel of the devil and belongs only in tractors! :):p:)
....aaaahhhh music to my ears :rolleyes: .... just think what a wonderful quite world we would live in, free of tractors, smog, particulates, sales reps :rolleyes:

I have considered the Prins system and also Liquid Injection, but at the moment the ML is affordable fuel wise and cuts down on added maintenance. No doubt if the muppets increase it to 6+quid a gallon I may think again!

In terms of petrol, you will get a discount buying it over the diesel and if you can live with the MPG running on petrol now, then LPG becomes an option should the prices go sky high for fuel and it wont have cost you any more (ie. If the 270 is more than 2grand over the 320, then even with the added fuel cost and potential future conversion, you wont be out of pocket). That said though, you would need to look at the maintenance/repair costs between a petrol and diesel just to make sure a petrol wont cost more in repairs.

truthfindergeneral - they break more than once.... a case of miles per spring breakage!!! but then again, so do the other Mercs, my C just had 2 new ones... crap cheap design of the springs rather than the ML.
 

turbopete

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try having a look on google for running your car on water. theres a guy in america (i cant find the site now, but i saw the video) who has been running his petrol engines on hydrogen, collected from water, for approx 30 years! it seems to work well enough in the video shown! if i ever buy a petrol car, i may give it a try!
 

MarkF

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ML 270CDi
I have had my ML for almost 3 years now and I can only say what a great car she has been.
We have horses and the ML pulls the trailer with such ease and that over wet grass in the field as well.
The 270CDi is great, and when warm sounds quite nice also.
On a long she returns around 35mpg, not sure what it is around town but as its used mainly as a second car I dont car that much.
Should you get one? Yes they are great, mine has been trouble free and continues to give great pleasure everytime I get in her.

Go Get One.
 

kristoff

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So you have the money to waste and ???

Depends on how you define waste?

If I used the car for the daily commute then I'd be in trouble. But I don't I use it for taking me to DJ gigs and when I'm out in town at the weekend.

Thus petrol for me.

Oil burner for everyday use though for sure.
 

alistair71

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ml320 lpg

now done 60000 plus trouble free miles. knocks spots of the smelly under powered 270. money back in 10 months less to run than a focus. run it in europe and towed miles.
 

giuseppe

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E220Cdi avantgaurde 2001
Lpg

Bristol cars have been using LPG since the 70's, and are still using it.
 

muller1

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I live near Turriff in Aberdeenshire.
Your Mercedes
ML 270 Cdi and S type Jag 2.7 Diesel Sport Saloon, and now a VW diesel GT golf
ML which one?

Hi I am an old member returning to the club who did own a E300 TD probably the best car I have ever owned for relabilty and to drive but the rust WOW!!!
I am now considering a ML as I have need for a 4x4 and thought that maybe if I went for a ML I could end up with a good "no great" car, I am looking at maybe a 320 on LPG or the diesel which I think would be the 270 and because of the tax anything up to 2001, it seems from what I have read that people either hate or love these cars, some with lots of problems and then some with none, I would appreciate any advice so thanks in advance.

I have an ML 270 and found it a bit sluggish after the 4 ltr turbo diesel Landcruiser.
I had it re-mapped and now it can perform better than a 320 and gets more MPG.
I would say I get 32+ mpg on a long run and I use it much more often than my Diesel S Type Jag.
The Ml 270, 2001 model is great to drive with the TipTronic Auto box and I have not found it to be wanting in the traction department.
I will admit it takes a bit of learning to drive in adverse conditions as there are a few programmes in the traction department computer to master but I live in the North East of Scotland and we had sometimes 4 foot of snow on some of the roads and some with even more than that.
I would say that LPG is for patio heaters and fork lift trucks and should remain that way.

Regards.

Mike
 


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