Merc ML worth buying or stay clear?
Discussion
I bought a new ml270cdi inspiration back in 2003, had a lot of teething problems the worst being a complete power steering failure as i was driving the car. This was probably at the bottom of the MB downturn when they had completely lost the plot - i remember taking the car to the Alan Day service centre in London, this place would have been bad for a back street car lot, scruffy, big fat woman on reception smoking a tab and various cars outside up on jacks...
In fairness, MB eventually fixed all the problems and fitted an in car DVD player and the chrome side bars for free as a gesture of good will - i had complained a lot before they offered this, primarily about the steering failure which could have been very dangerous. Still got the car and now done 55,000 miles with no further real problems to report. The upside is that it carries up to 7 people in reasonable comfort and can do 30mpg on a run, downside is slow off the mark, fairly poor build quality and quite crude by modern standards. As my car is probably only worth about £8k, it is a lot of car for the money though - the X5 is probably a better built car and probably a better buy if money is not an object, but it is obvioulsy a fair bit more expensive.
In fairness, MB eventually fixed all the problems and fitted an in car DVD player and the chrome side bars for free as a gesture of good will - i had complained a lot before they offered this, primarily about the steering failure which could have been very dangerous. Still got the car and now done 55,000 miles with no further real problems to report. The upside is that it carries up to 7 people in reasonable comfort and can do 30mpg on a run, downside is slow off the mark, fairly poor build quality and quite crude by modern standards. As my car is probably only worth about £8k, it is a lot of car for the money though - the X5 is probably a better built car and probably a better buy if money is not an object, but it is obvioulsy a fair bit more expensive.
I’ve been toying with the idea of buying an ML for quite a while. Its reputation does precede it, and in my experience the X5 does have much better handling, but that doesn’t make the X5 an automatic choice. What I want is a big car with a big, smooth engine and suitable for LPG conversion. Seven seats would be great if possible.
I’m hard pressed to think of anything that meets all of those, while still keeping a spare wheel and some boot space. The X5 is more like a big estate car in many ways, though I don’t think it rides very well at all. The ML is quite wallowy, but it does seem to mop up poor surfaces and leave you less affected. With an X5, you tend to feel the road is part of the experience, which is great to begin with, but wears off in the long term.
The ML is one of few cars with double wishbone suspension all round, plus rack and pinion steering. Those are classic ingredients for any car (Jaguar XJ anyone?) and the benefits do show through. You can point the car at a difficult road, and it will go where it’s pointed. You get the feeling that the car is doing the work in getting you down the road, rather than you the driver. It’s a strange feeling and not easy to describe. If you’re obsessed with skidpan figures and 0-60 times you won’t appreciate it, and only the best cars bring it, often without the driver realising.
I actually think the steering is quite good. Of course like ALL power steering, it should be better, but it is reasonably linear and particularly free of friction and hysteresis. It’s not like a good Peugeot or Ford, but its better than most, and it helps to make the ML easy and comfortable to drive quickly over difficult roads, despite its weight and height. I’ve driven a few now, and think every version has a poor performance/economy compromise – hence my wish to go for LPG. I thought the diesel was disappointing compared to other diesel cars I’ve been, and the even the 320 seemed to have a hard time with the size of the thing.
What really makes an ML fail as a machine though, is everyone’s insistence on fitting the most absurdly over-sized wheels and tyres that they can. They are invariably too big for the car, dynamically. The chassis can’t cope with large tyres in the same way that the X5 can, and that seems to prejudice most peoples impression of the car. Fit the standard wheels and then everything seems to work properly (just don’t look at them). You’ll be rewarded with less road noise than almost any other car, courtesy of the increasingly rare chassis.
BR, Nick
I’m hard pressed to think of anything that meets all of those, while still keeping a spare wheel and some boot space. The X5 is more like a big estate car in many ways, though I don’t think it rides very well at all. The ML is quite wallowy, but it does seem to mop up poor surfaces and leave you less affected. With an X5, you tend to feel the road is part of the experience, which is great to begin with, but wears off in the long term.
The ML is one of few cars with double wishbone suspension all round, plus rack and pinion steering. Those are classic ingredients for any car (Jaguar XJ anyone?) and the benefits do show through. You can point the car at a difficult road, and it will go where it’s pointed. You get the feeling that the car is doing the work in getting you down the road, rather than you the driver. It’s a strange feeling and not easy to describe. If you’re obsessed with skidpan figures and 0-60 times you won’t appreciate it, and only the best cars bring it, often without the driver realising.
I actually think the steering is quite good. Of course like ALL power steering, it should be better, but it is reasonably linear and particularly free of friction and hysteresis. It’s not like a good Peugeot or Ford, but its better than most, and it helps to make the ML easy and comfortable to drive quickly over difficult roads, despite its weight and height. I’ve driven a few now, and think every version has a poor performance/economy compromise – hence my wish to go for LPG. I thought the diesel was disappointing compared to other diesel cars I’ve been, and the even the 320 seemed to have a hard time with the size of the thing.
What really makes an ML fail as a machine though, is everyone’s insistence on fitting the most absurdly over-sized wheels and tyres that they can. They are invariably too big for the car, dynamically. The chassis can’t cope with large tyres in the same way that the X5 can, and that seems to prejudice most peoples impression of the car. Fit the standard wheels and then everything seems to work properly (just don’t look at them). You’ll be rewarded with less road noise than almost any other car, courtesy of the increasingly rare chassis.
BR, Nick
grandmasterflash said:
check if all re-calls have been done.
Most of the depreciation should have fallen off but TBH i'd go for the X5
....but also check the X5's history, I had the 4.4 and had nothing but trouble with it, traded mine in for a RRS and it has performed faultlessly Most of the depreciation should have fallen off but TBH i'd go for the X5
....unlike the X5......PS: Avoid the ML...they are terrible cars.
A close friend of mine is emigrating. He has a new shape ML320 Sport PETROL with the 7G tronic auto gear box and sport suspension. Its on a "55" plate, silver and has covered 53k. As he needs to sell quickly (and knows/cares little) about cars he asked if I could find a price for him to look to sell at. He was fully aware that he was likely to get a financial raping but BEST dealer bid was £11k!! On a car that was £40k odd new.
Anyone looking for one of these in the next few weeks drop me a mail!!
Anyone looking for one of these in the next few weeks drop me a mail!!
marc.l said:
PS: Avoid the ML...they are terrible cars.
unless you have got to have 7 seats and need a 4 wheels drive. What else can you get for the money ?????
An E Class estate.unless you have got to have 7 seats and need a 4 wheels drive. What else can you get for the money ?????
Ditch the 4WD (what's the point?) and go for an E Class estate. You're 18 inches closer to the road and therefore you can go round corners properly. Still seats seven (as long it it's just kids in the back).
angusc43 said:
marc.l said:
PS: Avoid the ML...they are terrible cars.
unless you have got to have 7 seats and need a 4 wheels drive. What else can you get for the money ?????
An E Class estate.unless you have got to have 7 seats and need a 4 wheels drive. What else can you get for the money ?????
Ditch the 4WD (what's the point?) and go for an E Class estate. You're 18 inches closer to the road and therefore you can go round corners properly. Still seats seven (as long it it's just kids in the back).
marc.l said:
angusc43 said:
marc.l said:
PS: Avoid the ML...they are terrible cars.
unless you have got to have 7 seats and need a 4 wheels drive. What else can you get for the money ?????
An E Class estate.unless you have got to have 7 seats and need a 4 wheels drive. What else can you get for the money ?????
Ditch the 4WD (what's the point?) and go for an E Class estate. You're 18 inches closer to the road and therefore you can go round corners properly. Still seats seven (as long it it's just kids in the back).
I'd avoid the Merc ML like the plague. I've owned/driven/worked on just about every model of Merc going, and the ML's in my experience are tragic. They're built in the USA, mainly for the American market. Us Europeans have higher standards and expectations, which the ML just doesn't live up to. I've had one, would never have another.
In my experience if you want a Mercedes off roader, buy a G-Wagen, if you want seven seats get an E-Class estate, which has already been suggested!
Mark.
In my experience if you want a Mercedes off roader, buy a G-Wagen, if you want seven seats get an E-Class estate, which has already been suggested!
Mark.
nick555 said:
not sure on older models but ive a 58 plate with 2000 miles and it is by far the best built 4 x 4 ive ever owned , i,ve had vogues, rr sports, etc snd they were all like tin cans compared to this, not a rattle or noise on it
yes the new shape is much more like a proper mercedes, the old one is more like a ssang yong if thats what they are called.Gassing Station | Mercedes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff