RE: Shed Of The Week: Mercedes ML430
Discussion
My gypo neighbours dad has got one, or at least it was given to him while he's between Volvo 840's. Now I know why...but I digress.
Back in the day when Autoglass had branches and staff working in them, you could hear the whole branch sigh when the call centre booked one of these in for a windscreen. The build quality on them might be s
t, but they didn't skimp on putting the windscreen in. They seemed to put a 4 inch thick bead of bond on the windscreen that would take anywhere from two to four hours to get out. Park one near an atomic bomb and that windscreen aperture and glass would be the only thing left.
Not for me.
Back in the day when Autoglass had branches and staff working in them, you could hear the whole branch sigh when the call centre booked one of these in for a windscreen. The build quality on them might be s
t, but they didn't skimp on putting the windscreen in. They seemed to put a 4 inch thick bead of bond on the windscreen that would take anywhere from two to four hours to get out. Park one near an atomic bomb and that windscreen aperture and glass would be the only thing left.Not for me.
. . my father had the V8 . . a true money pit from brand new . . 14mpg . . and even the warranty was worthless . . sunroof leaked, electrics went haywire, Dad's fault apparently . . and so was not covered by warranty . . he sold it 18 months later for a Range Rover . . I am not saying that was any better, but at least the problems that had were fixed under warranty . . I say steer clear unless you really are a Merc man . . that V8 will gobble your savings
Nah. No thanks.
If you want to blow a grand on something with a nice V8 why not do this instead:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/l...
Much nicer. Probably better to drive and more economical too!
If you want to blow a grand on something with a nice V8 why not do this instead:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/l...
Much nicer. Probably better to drive and more economical too!
can people stop saying every week , buy it, use it till it goes wrong, sell parts ,scrap it and be in profit, your wrong. pay a grand , then the parts are going to be have to be VERY cheap ie alternator /starter motor £15, plus delivery costs, ,be lucky to sell any body parts,or interior parts. and who wants a car in bits at there house, or be arsed taking it apart. also china is the biggest buyer of scrap metal and its very low now , might get £100 SCRAP. This Merc only has 12 weeks mot , that would put me off
Probably a bit cr*p to drive and a moneypit but yeah, for some reason I like that.
My only experience of a ML was sitting in the back of one owned by Strathclyde police while discussing a supposed speeding offence that in my opinion was grossly trumped-up. I didn't ask the officers' thoughts on the merits of their vehicle, but I remember thinking legroom was a bit tight.
My only experience of a ML was sitting in the back of one owned by Strathclyde police while discussing a supposed speeding offence that in my opinion was grossly trumped-up. I didn't ask the officers' thoughts on the merits of their vehicle, but I remember thinking legroom was a bit tight.
I had a 2003 ML 270CDi from 2009 to 2015 and it was a most certainly the worst car I have owned. I kept it for so long because after every huge expensive repair I though "that must be it and better the devil you know" only for it to fail again. Throttle bodies in the plastic inlet manifold meant a new manifold. All five diesel injectors broke down at separate times dousing the car in diesel and requiring a c£300 repair each time. Rear coil spring cracked and are part of complete damper units costing £1000 fitted. Aircon radiator corroded, headlights went out, electric drivers seat pack up, electric window motor failed, it used to drain the battery if left for more than a week and couldn't be jump started, oh and of course it was rusty. I've owned a lot of different cars and I will never own another Mercedes.
I likened driving ours to driving a normal car with boxing gloves on, the steering was pretty wooly.
I remember when I had a MK2 Golf GTi, only an 8 valve but on decent tyres, brakes and suspension it could carry a lot of speed once the 116.5 (dyno verified !) bhp had got it going, a chap in an ML320 decided to show me how fast his big dollop was, and, to be fair it had a bit of an advantage on the little Golf, I wasnt racing, I was making progress and this twunt decided to join in. On a long section of the A34 between roundabouts he reels me in and goes for the overtake but the roundabout was looming, it is well sighted and I barely need to slow, a little flick left and then right, no bother for the nimble Golf but I look back to see a Mercedes M Class hit the roundabout and go on two wheels, mud and dust spraying up and the general air of a disaster unfolding, anyway, luckily it doesnt end up the wrong way up due to soft suspension and the kerb not being that high but I bet he damaged it, not that I want to see anyone have a problem but though faster in a straight line it wont be able to follow a well fettled hot hatch round a corner, well, the latest ones might but these couldnt.
I remember when I had a MK2 Golf GTi, only an 8 valve but on decent tyres, brakes and suspension it could carry a lot of speed once the 116.5 (dyno verified !) bhp had got it going, a chap in an ML320 decided to show me how fast his big dollop was, and, to be fair it had a bit of an advantage on the little Golf, I wasnt racing, I was making progress and this twunt decided to join in. On a long section of the A34 between roundabouts he reels me in and goes for the overtake but the roundabout was looming, it is well sighted and I barely need to slow, a little flick left and then right, no bother for the nimble Golf but I look back to see a Mercedes M Class hit the roundabout and go on two wheels, mud and dust spraying up and the general air of a disaster unfolding, anyway, luckily it doesnt end up the wrong way up due to soft suspension and the kerb not being that high but I bet he damaged it, not that I want to see anyone have a problem but though faster in a straight line it wont be able to follow a well fettled hot hatch round a corner, well, the latest ones might but these couldnt.
Not with anyones.
That thing, inside, looks like a giant piece of nasty american bin plastic. Shiny, grey and gaps so large you don't actually need to open anything to access whatever cubby hole the doors are concealing.
I don't actually mind naff interiors made from melted down yoghurt pots festooned with those 80's cathode-tube green digital clocks. But not on a Merc. On a Chrysler, yes.
That thing, inside, looks like a giant piece of nasty american bin plastic. Shiny, grey and gaps so large you don't actually need to open anything to access whatever cubby hole the doors are concealing.
I don't actually mind naff interiors made from melted down yoghurt pots festooned with those 80's cathode-tube green digital clocks. But not on a Merc. On a Chrysler, yes.
I had one for a few months back in early 2013. ML320 in Tanzanite Blue with tan leather. I don't think they drive as bad as people are making out to be - depends what you are comparing it to?
Cruised pretty well at motorway speeds and was a handy tool to carry around loads, help move house, etc. Did it's job well and was purely a stop gap car.
Agree that the interior feels shabby for a car with such a price tag. However, that grey leather does it no justice at all and makes it look even cheaper. Then again, sit in a similar vintage Disco, and you'll find it's worse than the ML in terms of build quality.
This is worth the money if it doesn't have any major underlying issues. Still a half-respectable looking motor. Try and get some money knocked off, get it put through an MOT and if it doesn't need to much work, you could get a year out of it (or at least see through the winter!).
Cruised pretty well at motorway speeds and was a handy tool to carry around loads, help move house, etc. Did it's job well and was purely a stop gap car.
Agree that the interior feels shabby for a car with such a price tag. However, that grey leather does it no justice at all and makes it look even cheaper. Then again, sit in a similar vintage Disco, and you'll find it's worse than the ML in terms of build quality.
This is worth the money if it doesn't have any major underlying issues. Still a half-respectable looking motor. Try and get some money knocked off, get it put through an MOT and if it doesn't need to much work, you could get a year out of it (or at least see through the winter!).
I bought an ML270 off a forum member when I sold my E350 estate quickly and needed something.
It was a stop gap while I found my next car, that was over 2 and half years ago and I only sold the ML a couple of weeks back, and I am now regretting it.
I also have a 2013 X3, but in all honesty I prefer the old ML, it is massive inside, and feels it to drive, but it is comfortable in a way modern cars just are not, I had an F11 5 Series touring, S212 E350 Merc estate, 2010 ML350 and the current X3 while the ML270 was there, and the o;d W163 ML just felt more plush than any of them.
Sure it wallows around, and is slow, plus the mpg is terrible compared with the new X3 or the 5 series, but it was comfy, all the interior materials were high quality and not cheap like modern cars, and it just felt special.
Mine was a 2002 facelift, I think the early ones from '96-'02 were a bit troublesome, but mine was great.
Loads of room inside, especially for rear passengers and the boot.....
[url]
|http://thumbsnap.com/RZQj1zkv[/url]
It was a stop gap while I found my next car, that was over 2 and half years ago and I only sold the ML a couple of weeks back, and I am now regretting it.
I also have a 2013 X3, but in all honesty I prefer the old ML, it is massive inside, and feels it to drive, but it is comfortable in a way modern cars just are not, I had an F11 5 Series touring, S212 E350 Merc estate, 2010 ML350 and the current X3 while the ML270 was there, and the o;d W163 ML just felt more plush than any of them.
Sure it wallows around, and is slow, plus the mpg is terrible compared with the new X3 or the 5 series, but it was comfy, all the interior materials were high quality and not cheap like modern cars, and it just felt special.
Mine was a 2002 facelift, I think the early ones from '96-'02 were a bit troublesome, but mine was great.
Loads of room inside, especially for rear passengers and the boot.....
[url]|http://thumbsnap.com/RZQj1zkv[/url]
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