Poor Quality & Apalling Ride with Mercedes ML270

[Chrisk]

Hi all, I have been a MB owner for the last 15 years and have always been happy with the products but I feel I have to write in and express my dissatisfaction with my latest purchase a 2003 ML270.
Mercedes advertising states "And unlike ordinary off-roaders, when you're driving in the city or cruising down the motorways, it drives like a luxury saloon" - absolute hogwash, I find that the ride is absolutely dreadful and it feels like the vehicle is on solid tyres, every pothole reverberates into the cabin and after even a short journey I feel absolutely worn out. It is by no means a relaxing car to drive, in fact I would consider this to be the worst car that I have ever driven from this respect, offering no possibility of relaxation or enjoyment.
Economy, I find it difficult to better 25-28MPG, which for a diesel is dreadful. My 4Litre petrol Ford Explorer does 20-25MPG !
Refinement - only if you compare it to a Diesel Sprinter or Transit Van
Quality - Apalling, everything squeaks, chirps and groans when you drive it, interior panel fit is poor and seats look like they have been swapped from a high miler (and its only done 17K miles).
The engine is rattly and gearchange clunks like it is loose whenever changing the auto from D to R, in fact it is like driving a shed on wheels and all this with a "truck" that is just 12 months old !

 

[flagstaff]

not wanting to sound contentious mate ... but didn't you test drive this thing before buying it?

 

[molar]

I have an ML320 and I get 22 mpg from it which I think is quite good for the size of petrol engine and vehicle.

As for the ride...I think it is good, but that is because I have never owned a luxury vehicle, so I don't know how it compares with others. All my previous cars have been sports cars and obviously the ride of them were really firm.

 

[Chrisk]

Hi Flagstaff
Yep, I drove out of the dealers showroom in Birmingham, straight onto the dual carriageway around the roundabout and back again, all took about half an hour or so. All seemed fine, but it was all on smooth roads, didnt think anymore about it at the time. My usual driving is from one end of town to the other, and like I mentioned, over what (in the ML) feel like the worst roads in the UK !
I will never buy another vehicle again without having it for 24hours.
Hi Molar, reference you calling the ML a luxury vehicle, I wouldn't call it that and mine's pretty hightly specified, I consider it to be a tarted up clonky van with some leather trim.
I had an SL320 with 18inch AMG's and "elastic band" tyres before and although the ride was firm, I still thought it was much softer than the ML with the standard 17inch tyres.
After loads of written correspondence over the 4months (as MB direct dont return my calls!) that I have had the thing, MB's letter to me last week was that they can't help. Thanks !, if I had known that sooner I may have been able to change it for something that was "driveable"
After being an MB owner for 15 years, I feel thoroughly let down over the whole episode and on top of that the best PX value that I have been offered for it is £7K less than I paid for it 4month and 1500miles ago