50cent

I'm going to be new to MB with the 12ML. I have friends who had horrible German (BMW, MB and Audi) cars the past decade. Plus you hear similar stories everywhere. So I stayed Japanese relatively problem free.

I read that the new head of MB has acknowledged MB lack of reliability in the recent past with a vow to turn it around. Is there any empirical indication that long term reliability of MB vehicles will improve?

I want to keep this ML for 8-10 years without huge repair bills.

Wolfgang

Mercedes improved in JD Power dependability ratings.

Also included traffic fatalties in Germany, which keep decreasing. MB has about an 10% market share there.

GregW / Oregon

I have had the very first in my state of the last two MLs, 1998 & 2006, keeping them 6-7 years. Both have had their share of issues, but most occurring during the warranty period, and not bad enough to keep me from buying an early 2012.

50cent

Interesting JD chart. Not sure what the other one says but I'm guessing that is looks good for MB.

I found another JD article:
2011 Vehicle Dependability Study Results

Measuring vehicle quality after 3 years of ownership



—vehicles produced by Asian manufacturers experienced fewer problems—141 problems per 100 (PP100)—than those produced by European (159 PP100) or domestic (162 PP100) automakers. (A lower PP100 score reflects higher quality.)Even though, according to consumers, Asian manufacturers achieve higher levels of long-term vehicle quality than do their counterparts in Europe and North America, further analysis reveals that significant differences in the levels of long-term vehicle quality exist depending on where a vehicle was built.


For example, vehicles built by Asian manufacturers in Asia achieve a score of 133 PP100, whereas those built in North America achieve a score of 146 PP100—a difference of 13 PP100. Likewise, vehicles built by European manufacturers in Europe come in at 156 PP100, whereas vehicles built by those same automakers in North America have 170 PP100—an even bigger difference of 14 PP100. This suggests that manufacturers have some work to do when it comes to making sure that quality standards are fully understood and adhered to by their overseas workforce—

http://www.jdpower.com/autos/article...Study-Results/

50cent

Thanks. At the end of 7 years, would you have felt comfortable taking the vehicle cross country with a family?

GregW / Oregon

Yes, with qualifications. I'm at 6 yrs 2 mos and am leaving on a 750-mile round trip Thursday. The car has never not started or left me stranded. Except for the camshaft sprocket and an Airmatic issue, it has been pretty reliable. That being said, I usually change with each model cycle. I find 6 yrs/60k miles is a good point where there is still reasonable resale value and reliability is still good. I'm not one to keep cars 100k or more. I think the complexity of the systems in today's cars works against that.

50cent

What did you get/expect for resale?

If the 12ML stickers at $65K, what should I expect for it after 6 years if it is in good condition with avg mileage?

GregW / Oregon

I have not researched that. Will be checking values on my '06 soon, as I plan on selling it about February of next year. Sold my '98 after 6 years for $15k, but that was a less expensive vehicle.

Hoplatani

I would like to know, 4 years after, what do you think about your Ml reliability

27T

Stellar. Zero problems 3 years later.

MAmendola

I just traded my 2009 ml350 with 100k in on a 2014 ml350 Bluetec. Had no major problems and was planning on keeping it well past 100k and would not have hesitated to take it on a long trip. The only reason I traded it was I could not pass up the deal I got on the 2014. Loaded, 7,000 miles got 19 for my trade in.