bud.jones

Aloha everyone,

I picked up my ML350 last night and it is very nice indeed. I was not sure what to expect from the Harman Kardon audio system, but I was blown away by the clarity and volume - not that I'll be thumping down the highway or anything Mine is Lunar Blue Metallic with Premium 1, Keyless-GO, Harman Kardon, Lane Tracking, and Parktronic with Active Parking Assist. I used USAA and got it at a little over $4,200 under MSRP. After I got to work, I was able to take a few pics. I really like the wheels, but my favorite pic is the head on view.

DUTCH

Enjoy. I know you will.

Owlet

Nice car. That's the color mine is going to be. I can't wait. BEAUTIFUL!

Strafzettel

Nice, congrats! Is that almond beige mb-tex inside?

bud.jones

Yes it is. I really like how it looks with the Eucalyptus wood.

Owlet

Hey, Bud.Jones, you need to change your signature now.

Strafzettel

That's what I'll get too, it looks nice :-)

Strafzettel

What should I change it to?

bud.jones

Thanks - already done and changed my avatar as well

bud.jones

Strafzettel, he meant me

Owlet

Sorry, that was for OP. But who knows, maybe you're up for a refresh too...

Strafzettel

Yeah that Lexus photo had to go :-)

shortspark

Beautiful color! Enjoy.

JRHolt

Congrats!!!

Beautiful color

My wife and I have decided that we will ONLY own Mercedes vehicles from this point on

bud.jones

I really like my Merc, but to be fair, it is a little narrower in the interior than my previous Lexus RX 350. It's also a fair bit more expensive, but I think I'm getting my money's worth. The Harmon Kardon system ... wow, just wow! I've never hear Boston, Chicago, Black Sabbath, or Styx sound so good in a car before! I went back and forth on whether or not to include it in the final configuration, and boy and I glad that I did. Also the basic suspension (non-4MATIC) is much, much better than that in my former RX 350. The ML just feels a lot more solid than the RX. We have some pretty horrible roads over here on Oahu, but the ML just glides over them.

I'll see just how well it holds up over the next few years, but I think that I will, also, keep to Mercedes from here on out. My wife saw the CLA and really likes it, but I want her to wait until the new C Class hits the showroom, then see if she still likes the CLA better.

JRHolt

Yea I drove a Lexus a while back and to be honest there is no comparison between them. Mercedes is in a totally different class and the build quality and engineering is incredible.

Glad you like your ML, we love ours

jchiu52

should get sport package too. feel alot better

bud.jones

I thought about either that package or the Sport Plus One, but really could not justify the cost for some body styling and a bigger wheel. I like the way the base model looks, and although I like the AMG style wheels better, the base wheels look really nice as well.

To be honest, I just wanted a car with comfortable seats, lots of cargo capacity (even though it sort of pales in comparison to the RX 350 in that regard), and a good audio system, as I'm on the road an average of between 45 minutes to an hour each way to and from work. I'll think more about it the next time we buy a car, but for now, it really was not high on my priority list.

jchiu52

i try the basic without the sport package. it just like feel like it's moving over the lane. then i try the sport package feel alot better. then i order mine with the p1 package, keyless go, leather package, lighting package, harman kardon, lane assist, panorama roof, and running board. 2014 ml350 4matic

bud.jones

I came from a 2008 Lexus RX 350 that didn't have a whole lot. I mean, I did have leather seats (not as comfortable as the MB Tex I have now), and it did have lit door panels (not that I ever noticed them), and a touch of wood, but it is what was lacking that was extraordinary. The only functionality I enjoyed with Bluetooth was placing/receiving phone calls. I didn't even have Bluetooth audio streaming. I had to manually input each and every one of my contacts. An iPod integration kit (like the Media Interface cable) did not exist for any of the Lexus SUVs. In fact, I did not even have aux input of any kind. I actually used an FM transmitter to listen to podcasts/audio from my iPhone - until I got an iPhone 5. Since the release of the iPhone 5, I have not been able to listen to any of the audio on my iPhone, as the FM transmitter I previously used has a 30-pin connector

A company, Vaistech, exists for the sole purpose of providing aux/sat/video DVD input to Toyota/Lexus vehicles. I do now know which is worse - that new Lexus SUV owners (at the time) were not provided such functionality and that Vaistech had to exist, or that when the owners were finally offered such functionality, all Toyota/Lexus dealerships did was order the same parts and subsequently charge even more to cover their overhead. Even at that, it was a nice car.

I decided to make a change this time. Lexus in Hawaii does NOT deal with Lexus USA, but directly with Toyota of Japan. If you look at Servco Lexus' website, they list the option packages one can order with each trim level. There are only certain packages for each trim level, and the customer is precluded from mixing and matching what they want, the opposite of what we can do with Mercedes. For example, should you want the premium audio system, you are forced to choose the most expensive package, costing around $11,000, as the premium audio is not included in any of the lower-cost packages. I was tired of being told what I can enjoy in my car, and was able to make my own choices this time with Mercedes.

That being said, the base model with my choice of color, Premium 1, Keyless-Go, Harman Kardon, Lane Tracking, and Parktronic with Active Park Assist represents such an improvement over what I previously drove that I am completely satisfied. Yes, I could have gotten some of the other options, but what I have is more than good enough for me. Even though the car is taller and wider than the RX 350 and yet still offering less interior room, I would choose the ML350 over the RX 350 any day.