EuroTra$H

Guys, I have enjoyed the help from many members here. What a grat community I have decided to go back to an SUV AND AFTER DRIVING BOTH THE ML and the X5 I have decided to go back to my BMW roots and picked up a 4.8i X5 with all the goodies... This thing is a sick beast! For a 2 ton vehicle it is damm fast 0-60 in 6.1 sec and with the active roll control and sports package it actually out handles my CLK

Here is a quick iPhone pick of the new whip

Fatz

Congrats on the new ride...... If you get a honk from a silver CLK it will be me saying goodbye and good luck....

Rudeney

The X5 is a nice SUV. I've owned a few BMWs. My most recent was a 2006 X3. It handled well and had a decent ride, but my biggest complaint was the long-term quality. Most of the soft-touch surfaces started peeling and the leather looked really worn, just within 3 years. Also, it had a lot o squeaks and rattles from day 1 - more than my 6-year-old CLK cabriolet with dry rubber seals on the top. But engine and handling are BMW's fortes.

togaclk55

elijah

I also had an 06 X3. I did not find it to handle well however the ride was indeed decent. I agree with you in regards to quality, cheap materials but it is not comparable to the big brother X5. I bought it new and sold it after 3 years and the leather was in good condition. The new X3 looks much better, handles much better and overall it is well improved.
My gf's father just bought the W166 ML and wow I was impressed. We used to have a W164 back in the day and it was garbage compared to todays ML. IMO ML>X5 but still a great SUV so Congrats!

Rudeney

I was coming from a W163 ML which had more body roll than I liked, but it was just totally unflappable. Compared to the W163, the X3 drove like a sports car, but the stiff suspension did make it hop around a bit much on rough roads. There's a particular Interstate ramp I like to enjoy and the ML would take it easily up to 100mph, but the X3 would hop out over 80mph. Of course the ML would feel like it was rolling around where the X3 felt more planted, but the ML still won in that little test. It was just as good as the ML in foul weather.

I had the premium Napa leather in my X3, and it was supple and soft when new, but after just a year, it got very shiny and stiff from wear. After three years, it was really bad looking. Contrast that with all my MBZs where their leather still looks almost new after 5 years of use. My ML had 90K miles on it when I sold it and the interior looked brand new. Both of my wife's sisters drive new X5's and their interiors are doing the same thing my X3 did - soft touch material wearing off and the leather getting shiny and hard, and everything squeaks and rattles. Even our 2002 C240 has ZERO noises.


We drove one last year when my wife was car shopping. It did look better inside, but there were some things I liked about the original model. For one, I though the new X3 drove too "soft". At least they do offer it with a more powerful engine. And of course that brand new X3 had several rattles.

I haven't driven the new ML yet, but I have plenty of experience with the W164. My biggest complaint about it over the W163 was it's size. The W163 had over 81 cubic feet of cargo capacity and a steel load floor, making it very capable for hauling. The W164 had a cardboard load floor and 10 less cubic feet of capacity. It just didn't feel as substantial as the W163, but then again, the W163 was a full-frame vehicle design for medium-duty off road driving where the W164 was a unit-body designed for soccer moms. My wife has a new Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is based on the W166 ML (Daimler's last contribution to Chrysler). While the Jeep lacks true MBZ luxury, it really drives and handles well for a vehicle it's size. Also, it has decent cargo space and passenger seating. If the W166 is a MBZ version of the JGC, then I'll bet it's awesome.

betrezra

W164 ML500 Owner here and great car. 72K Miles orig owner towing jet-skiis 1/mo no issues.

Wife just got a 2012 X5 5.5 Twin Turbo sport pkg...... fast, handles great, breat brakes.... but seems a bit flimsy to me.... have to be careful washing it.. the panels are thin and press in with light pressure of a wash mit ..... But wife is happy and I don't mind washing it.

When the 07 ML500 warranty is up next year.... I'm thinking either new ML63..... or a used W164 ML63 to tow jetskiis....... on the fence.... as the W164 ML63 looks better (to me, and costs 30% of new).....