I don't think it's so much that pulling is easier, then wouldn't drag cars be better off as fwd? I think if anything it's the weight of the engine on the front wheels that might help, however the weight over the front in a heavy car like a mercedes probably wont make too much a difference, as the car is going to be heavy on the rear as well. I think any help you might get out of the fwd for hills would be offset by lesser handling capability.

If I did slide out of control on snow I'd much rather have this happen in a rwd than fwd. Maybe that's just my preference though.

With tires as good as they are now I think fwd over rwd for winter driving no longer makes a difference. That being only my personal experience, preference, and opinion.

I've not heard good things about the MLs anyway, mainly because they come from Alabama.

Hmm, my uninformed grashopper. You are clueless about the quality of the ML class vehicles rolling off the manufacturing line in Vance.

Generalizations such as that point to your bias, and ignorance.

Having been in the Vance plant repeatedly I can attest to the dedication, quality and intelligence of the workforce. As an engineer I can attest to the quality of their work and the beautiful layout of the entire plant.

All the electronic save you, if the rearwheeldrive **** up. The new SL got more technolgy than a spaceship. And you can get many Mercedes, with 4matic, fourwheel-drive

I own an ML, with a total of 4 in the family. I can attest to its quality, or lack thereof. If it's not the people putting them together, then, it's the quality of the materials that are used. Either way, the car is NOT built nearly as well as other MBs. That's not saying much. I have owned plenty of MBs to attest to that as well.

Too bad I guess as a rear driver with 4 winter tires will beat most traffic as most of them try to get away with all seasons!

I had an 88 crown Vic years ago and with winters it would just walk away from frontdrivers and SUV's at lights. I remember one incident in particular on highway 10 near here (in Brampton) in a snow storm. There was a good 6 inches ON the road and I could see thid Blazer behind me with about a 6" lift and mudders zigzagging through traffic everytime the light changed I think he was pissed that the Crown kept beating everyone off the line. HAHA.

I loved sitting at a light and watching the guy behind me change lanes because he assumed I'd sit there spinning (yeah I do it too with rear drivers so understand!! HAHA) when the light changes. It was great fun outaccellerating a FWD with all seasons and watching him/her trying to figure WHY this car was 1/2 block ahead while they were still trying to get through the intersection. HAHAHAA!!

Also a few years ago I lived North of Toronto (Shelburne) and a 17 year old girl was killed on a back road. The cops said it was because she "was unused to the handling characteristics of Front Wheel drive".

I have ALWAYS preferred Rear Drive in winter, it's a LOT easier to drift a car around a corner than fight it.

Either way, have fun with what you have.

I'm not worried about town driving, it's the country that can give you heck, especially if you live in an area where the township is a bunch of drunks that don't do anything... :T

Fox, do I know you? My last name is McCloud too. I live in Ohio as well. Columbus.

...or parental money.

You need Neal Boortz, young man.

You want a Benz, go make some money and buy one.

TELL your parents you are getting a Benz.
Ask them for advice when you really need it. You can make your own money and decisions.

Get a 4-Matic if you don't want to hurt their feelings.

KB