ML 350 - anyone got one

[maldon]

Have a hire car while the insurance is being settled on my written off ML270 CDI

To be honest, I prefer the diesel, but finding the right specced car is very difficult. Tons of 350's out there,well specced and at a hefty discount as opposed to prices being asked for a 270CDI

According to the dealers...... there really is not that much difference in the consumpstion of a 350 over a 270. 4-5 mpg.

Are they serious? I know I was getting 30-32 out of the oil burner - can I realistically expect to get over 25 mpg with a 350 based upon 90% dual carriageway driving, the rest heavy town traffic.

I tend to keep cruising speed 65-75mph and have a very gentle foot elsewhere....

 

[Brett]

My (new shape) E320 Estate managed 24mpg, my CLK320 manages 24mpg...even with the newer, more efficient engine, I cannot see a ML350 with all the extra weight etc managing 24mpg. Happy to be proven wrong though.

Oh and another point...when selling me my petrol E320 estate I was assured I'd have no problem selling it again. When I came to sell it, "no one wants a 320 petrol, everyone wants diesel, so that is the best offer I can give you" was a common theme amongst dealers.

Factoring in the big discount may seem to provide parity, but big discounts also hit residuals, so you'll pay again when you come to sell it. Good luck.

 

[maldon]

This morning found a suitbale looking 270 - spec is on the button - mileage sensible. We are not miles off on the price.

Amazingly, the co-owners of the dealership (Non Merc) lives only a few mins away. They are bringing the car round this afternoon.

 

[jberks]

I haven't looked at the 'official' figures for the ML. However, I do have the E list and the average for the E280CDI is 37.7 whereas the E350 is 27.7. Amplify this for the ML and I think the only economical thing here is the salesman's honesty. Also 4-5mpg on 25mpg doesn't sound too bad but it's basically an extra 20% on your fuel bill. I'd expect early very 20's on a run with a 3.5v6 and something as heavy as an ML. Round town, mid teens.

Plus, as Brett says, try shifting it in 3 years time.
Have a look at the price list. MB fuel figures are normally pretty accurate.

It can be a fair deal if you get a better car for less, but you will pay the difference over the ownership of the car. Did this with the E240. Cheap to buy but pricey to run. Now got an E270. Cheap to run but a fortune to buy.

On balance I'd hold out for the diesel.

 

[maldon]

It was a 'panic' thought.......

With any luck, the high mileage days are numbered - that is why am looking at a cheaper/slightly older car. Have come across Jun 03 270 CDI 19000 miles, family pack, lux pack, parktronic and xenons. The car is just about to go in for its first service.

Ask is twenty two - i'm a cash buyer with nothing to chop so will be going in very hard...

Am hugely unimpressed with the 350 - I would not say it is gutless, but am surprised at just how much more torque there 'feels' to be available, at mid range revs in the 270

 

[Blobcat]

It was a 'panic' thought.......

Am hugely unimpressed with the 350 - I would not say it is gutless, but am surprised at just how much more torque there 'feels' to be available, at mid range revs in the 270

When you are used to driving diesel's it takes awhile to reprogram yourself for a petrol. When we first changed our other diesel for a petrol we kept stalling it as there is very little low down power. You have to get used to really reving it and then you get the power.

 

[jberks]

Thats the thing about diesels. All the torque from low revs whereas it builds up with revs on a petrol. Hence petrols have great bhp figure (torque x revs) but the torque figures on a diesel are always much higher. If you could get a 270 to rev to 6,ooo rpm without running out of steam, the bhp figure would be phenomenal, but as they only rev to 4500 the gearing has to be higher to allow it to cruise and that saps the extra power. But yes, after a diesel, you'll find you have to thrash the 350 to get anything out of it, though when you do, you actually get more than the 270 would give.
Swings and roundabouts.

 

[maldon]

OK, just had the potential replacement car round for a spin. Looks clean enough but....

-carpets on drivers side are filthy and the mats are missing

-couple of small particles of what looked like windscreen caught inbetween the side windows and trim

-headlamp units look very shiny and new, as does hefty looking tube section behind front bumper (even had a piece of new looking masking tape on it)

- slight narrowing of the gap at front of the front drivers door aft of front wing (also lower piece of trim seemed slightly out of line)

- two new front tyres - rear had wear but did not require replacement

Overall, it looks very shiny at the front.

Am I paranoid, or does this smell a bit like some front end damage?

 

[Blobcat]

Hi,

Looks like a bit of damage repair, does the price reflect?
I spent 9 months looking for a MB with the spec I wanted. 2 Independant MB speciallists I rate (and have used) are Lanes of Lichfield (http://www.lanescars.co.uk/) & Highams of Alderley Edge (http://www.highamscars.com/). Lanes have a nice 04 ML270 and Highams an older 01. Depends on the deal but I would probably look around a bit. Good Luck

 

[maldon]

Blobcat

Dealer (couple of ex MB lads, set up in Jan) asking £ 22,000 for a June 03 19000 miler. I thought was quite good (too good, if you want the truth...) given the spec. Otherwise is a clean car.

Thanks for the links - am checking what they have. The tedious bit is that I need a car sooner rather than later - I am only here to tell the tale thanks to the integrity of the ML..

 

[jberks]

They don't use masking tape at the factory so I think you already know the answer to your question! If its repaired properly and it was just panel damage then its not necessarily a reason to walk away, especially if the price and the rest of the car fits, but I would want to know EXACTLY what has been fixed, as any structural repairs and IMO however well repaired, it won't drive like the old one.

 

[maldon]

JB

It did not really feel as 'tight' / positive. Performance was faultless.

The trader told me he was not aware of any damage and was goingto check. I made a mistake by not noting the full details of the previous Owner (oddly, although being offered by a West London dealership, the prev owner lives within 10 miles of my home - I could have checked directly with him).

I'll check our local franchise to see if the car has any history there.

The aim is to keep the new car for 5-6 years, so I'll want a good one. With the episode of a couple of weeks ago, am nervous about the integrity of the car being compromised.

I have the Reg No. Can that assist in any way with checking history?

 

[maldon]

Managed to get a check done (I think may have been HPI) for free on car I looked at yesterday - 'high risk' from mid 2005.

I don't know what this means, but have walked away.

Looks like am going to have to compromise on spec....