E55 KEV

A friend is looking at 98 ML320's. In various Ebay pics some have color match bumpers and side moulding and some have greyish black bumpers and side moulding. Is the color match bumpers for a particular option package. Both pics are for 1998 models listed on Ebay. Thanks.

mihir_d

Unless the bumpers were replaced or painted, the 98 & 99 ML320 models never came with color keyed bumpers/rear view mirrors.

The color keyed bumpers and mirrors were introduced on the 1999 ML430 and it was in the 2000 & up model years that they became standard on the ML320.

HTH...

E55 KEV

Strange! There are 2 on Ebay today with color bumpers and moulding. The green one pictured above and this white one:

amb9800

No '98 ML's had the body-color trim. All had the gray, unpainted pieces.

The same is true for the '99 320 (the 430 did have the color trim), but I've seen enough '99 320's with the body-color trim to arouse suspicion. Perhaps it was in some kind of option package - I will go back and check if I have any materials from '99 for the ML...

All ML's from 2000 on had the colored trim however.

mihir_d

To the best of my knowledge 98/99 ML320s never came with color keyed bumpers/mirrors from the factory...but I too have seen enough to raise suspicion....

One thing though, although I have seen enough 98/99 ML320s with color keyed bumpers, I haven't seen one with color keyed mirrors...

One thing that makes me think, it was some kind of a factory option on the 320 is the fact that the 99 430 was the same in terms of having the bumpers color keyed but not the mirrors. Thus, it was a factory color scheme of color keying the bumpers but not the mirrors

2000 & UP ML320s & 430s come with both the bumpers and mirrors color keyed.

Anyone have any concrete answer to this???

mihir_d

The green one above doesn't have color keyed mirrors whereas the white one has color keyed mirrors...

Was that an option too?????????

Stiggs

I think what you guys are seeing is people who have purchased a Ml320 with the grey bumpers and mirrors and had them painted. I've seen this here on this forum before, people have painted the bumpers and mirrors themselves. I don't think it was an option. Maybe I'm wrong

azinn

I agree ........ but they didn't paint the mirrors in the green ML above. If they came from the factory with the bumpers and trim painted, the mirrors were also painted.

mihir_d

Can anyone with a 99 ML430 confirm this?

I think, the 99 430s came that way...from the factory they had the side moldings and the bumpers color keyed but not the mirrors.

I have seen quite a few of 98 MLs with color keyed bumpers & moldings...that would make me think it is some kind of a factory option.

azinn

The first two 1999 ML430's in the Gallery for all the ML's HERE! PLEASE POST UR PICTURES, in the Sticky Thread above and here https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...threadid=43411 have painted mirrors.

GDawgC220

Our '99 430 has color coded front and rear bumper and the mirrors too.

GregW / Oregon

Here's mine:

mihir_d

The only thing I would miss in a 98 compared to my 00 is the MCS & the integrated Nav...otherwise there is nothing about the 00 that cannot be done on the 98..without having to rework anything major..

amb9800

Well, no ESP, plus the '98 feels a lot cheaper and less solid IMO. Interior colors and quality were of lower grade - plus the whole thing with the normal torque distribution - IIRC, it was set to 50-50 and was changed at some later point to 48-52 because of issues.

The main thing though is the build quality - the first ML we test drove in '98 at the dealer was a fully loaded 320, complete with the Siemens GPS unit, etc. When I went to open the window, the switch popped out of the console and into my hand Then once we started driving on, there were so many creaks and rattles that even the salesman went back and took a look at the hatch because of all the noises it was making.

Back on topic though, the points raised above about the are valid - yes, every ML430 (since introduction in '99) came with a painted bumper, trim, and side view mirror covers.

But the thread is about the 320's, and if you notice, none of the photos posted in this thread are of 430's. Yes, a number of people have painted their bumpers, etc., but I've seen a bit too many '99 ML320's (not many '98's) that have colored trim to just leave it at that... I don't recall if/how many had the matching-color side-view mirrors - as I said, I'm going to go check if there was some kind of obscure option package for this or something....

Or perhaps it was just something some dealers offered their customers (independently of any MB option packages)...

mihir_d

Yep that's one major feature lacking in the 98s..

I have closely followed the feature enhancements post 00, but none really would I consider as major improvements..

One was tele-aid, but 1 800 FOR MERCEDES is just a cell phone away..

The next was downward traction control..nice, but nothing significant.'

The third was rear AC vents/Automatic climate control, nice to have but wouldn't consider them as a major improvements.

The fourth was the extra A pillar speakers to the bose systems..again nice, but not a major improvement.

Finally came the DVD Nav...again nice, but how often does one do cross country...so that's not a big improvement either...

If the 05s have air suspension and a different chassis,....then we are really talking something major here...

my .02 cents..

mihir_d

Just by visual inspection...

I thought similar to the 00-01 & 02-03 model years, there was no external appearance change visible between the 98-99 Mls

Correct me if I am wrong..

amb9800

As far as I know, there's no way to visually differentiate a '98 ML320 from a '99 from the exterior - you have to have more info, or a peek at the interior, where you'll notice the ESP Off button on a '99.

While there's no difference between the '02 and '03 model years, you can tell the difference between the '00 and '01 through a few subtle things. For example, the '00's had a little rubber stub-type thing where the antenna goes in the rear center of the roof, while all of the the '01's actually had the whole antenna.

And of course the difference between a '99 and an '00, or between an '01 and and '02, can easily be seen - as the ML was basically most updated for the '00 and '02 model years. Redone interior for '00, facelift for '02.

mihir_d

This is how my 00ML320's roof antenna came from the factory...the whole of it...

I agree though, I have seen some MLs with the stub antenna...wonder if that was a feature tweak they just did in between production of the same model year...



Its not clearly visible because of the skyview panels, but the antenna is indeed a full one..

amb9800

When was your '00 ML built - was it a late build (e.g. close to '01 model year)? If so, then perhaps this was introduced sometime during late MY2000...

mihir_d

Yep...mine was built late in 2000...in May to be precise and I purchased it in Sep 2000...just about when the 2001s were to come out....

It was then a feature enhancement in the 2000s in the later part of the manufacturing cycle...

ML320AMG

quick look at teh steering wheel of the 98 is all plastic ....

99 has the pretty looking chrome three-point star

the passenger airbag of 98 is just SRS imprinted on it. 99 and after has the "AIRBAG SRS" plate.

98 - NO HOME LINK garage door opener

color code bumper was NOT and option for 99.


98 - main feature ... RATTLES ... EVERYWHERE!

mihir_d

> 98 - main feature ... RATTLES ... EVERYWHERE!

Thanks for the info...didn't knew about these little differences between the 98 & 99...and of course the main feature of the 98 model...:-)

I guess then all 98 & 99 with color keyed bumpers/side moldings/mirrors are all afermarket paint...

DrewHa

my 99 came with painted bumpers, mirrors, and moldings...all peeling badly i assume they were sprayed

dennisspeaks

How rare are these with the Skyview roof? I found a 2000 ml320 with one today but the top did not work when I pressed the open switch? are they a pita to fix and where should I look at starting (keep in mind I don't have it so it will be on the lot. The dealership said they are not going to fix it and frankly I don't think they know what they have.

Maj. Dundee

Do not buy it. It will cost you a fortune to repair it.