ML320 and ML280

[Grinch]

Hi All

Does anybody own approx a 2007 plate ML320 or ML280.

Only asking as we are going to look at one of each today both on 2007 plates.

Even for a 2007 plate are these cars reliable and not too expensive to maintain.

Both cars are around the £5'500 price, ML320 with 80'000 miles ML280 with 116'000 miles.

None of the are G7s.

Read some bad reviews about both cars, but I have read bad reviews about most other cars as well.

Thank you.

Simon

 

[LostKiwi]

Engine wise these use the OM642 engine.
Known issues with the OM642 are:
Oil cooler leak - an O ring fails and it allows oil to leak into the V of the engine. It's a £5 part and £800-900 labour to replace due to its location. Check for oil drips on the ground.
Batwing seal - the batwing (plastic intake to turbo) has a seal onto the turbo that can leak. If it does the oil drips into the turbo actuator causing it to fail. Not hugely expensive to fix and easily prevented.
PCV valve - these fail around the 100 mile mark. Awkward to get to but not excessively expensive.
EGR - awkward to get to (spot a theme yet?) and can be difficult to remove but again not excessively expensive.

Turbo hoses can split or leak. Easy to replace if you have the right tool and not hugely expensive. This is common to many cars.

Transmission is generally pretty good. Some instances of speed sensor failures but not too different to the earlier 5 speed.
The ISM can fail (used for gear selection) but not all that common and easy to get to.

Other than that no real issues I can think of.

As always though, every car is different. Some people will hit every issue going, some will hit none.

 

[Simon22]

I had a 2008 ML 320, nowt but problems, all basically electrical, parking sensors, water ingress to rear sam, also to the hydraulic boot opening pump, at the time none in stock in Europe, £900 plus vat if it was, don't get me wrong i loved the car, but my pockets were not deep enough

 

[Craiglxviii]

Hi All

Does anybody own approx a 2007 plate ML320 or ML280.

Only asking as we are going to look at one of each today both on 2007 plates.

Even for a 2007 plate are these cars reliable and not too expensive to maintain.

Both cars are around the £5'500 price, ML320 with 80'000 miles ML280 with 116'000 miles.

None of the are G7s.

Read some bad reviews about both cars, but I have read bad reviews about most other cars as well.

Thank you.

Simon

We had an 07 R320L. Same car as the one you’re looking at except for the bodywork. Issues… injector seal leak, oil leak from crank pulley location onto V belt, one rear suspension air bag leaking. Otherwise all fine.

 

[ajlsl600]

I had a 2008 ML 320, nowt but problems, all basically electrical, parking sensors, water ingress to rear sam, also to the hydraulic boot opening pump, at the time none in stock in Europe, £900 plus vat if it was, don't get me wrong i loved the car, but my pockets were not deep enough

Sensors, water ingres.,electronics..wot a surprise. Not!

 

[Grinch]

We had an 07 R320L. Same car as the one you’re looking at except for the bodywork. Issues… injector seal leak, oil leak from crank pulley location onto V belt, one rear suspension air bag leaking. Otherwise all fine.

Thank you.
Simon

 

[Grinch]

I had a 2008 ML 320, nowt but problems, all basically electrical, parking sensors, water ingress to rear sam, also to the hydraulic boot opening pump, at the time none in stock in Europe, £900 plus vat if it was, don't get me wrong i loved the car, but my pockets were not deep enough

Thank you for you reply.