l0oKeYhErE

I'm looking to purchasing an ML-Class as my first car, I've searched the forums about the models, but I can't seem to find what I was looking for.
I have two choices
ML 320 - 2000 82k miles
ML 430 - 1999 67k miles
Both of them has about the same KBB price and they're in petty good condition.
But I'm not sure which one is more reliable, their carfax is clean.

#1 Usually how often does the problems stated in the sticky topic happens?
I'm more concern about this issue though. I don't want the car to be a mechanical nightmare :P

#2 Whats the power and MPG difference.
I've actually test driven the ML430, but is the ML320 even close to comparison?
I've read most members gets about 15-16 MPG city(although I'm still flaky on MPG for areas full of hill) and 20 MPG highway for the ML430, which seems perfectly reasonable. What can I expect the ML320 to get driving up and down hills and highway? (On California gas).
Not very concern about the MPG

AndrewAZ

Normally I say get the newest ML you can... But in this case I say get the 1999 with less miles, the 320 is getting high up and might start to have problems... But its up to you. What is your budget? I would keep looking and you will find the right ML, being in CA you should be able to find a bunch of ML's for sale or even check AZ or NV for cars its not that far of a drive.

As for MPG I would say they will get about the same, the 320 has to work harder compared to the ML430 on the hills but on a flat freeway the 320 will get slightly better mpg.

sosh

The mileage difference is only 15K or so, no big difference here. If you are concerned about gas mileage and repair cost do not buy either. Choose another make/model. Actually either could be OK but have what ever you choose checked out by an MB dealer and get and read the service history.

l0oKeYhErE

My budget is about $13-15k. I'm guessing I'll purchase the Ml430, it's sold but I can wait. Yeah, for sure I'll have the car I buy checked out by the dealer first.

AndrewAZ

15k miles to me is a lot of miles, considering it would take over 2 years for me to put 15k miles on my ML. I am a few months away from having a 5 year old ML with 36k miles on it.


For that price range do you really need a mercedes? You could buy a brand new car for that price with a warranty(check out a honda civic you might be better of taking that money and leasing a car). You have to think about how much it is going to cost to keep the car running. On average I figured I spend $1,400 a year to keep the car running and thats just for standard maintenance, keep in mind my car only has 36k miles on it. My old ML that had 55k miles at about 50k miles I had to spend about 1k for a new fuel pump and lines and thats on top of my 1,400 yearly maintenance average. 2,400 is almost 1/5 of the cost you want to spend on the car.

Go back and check over that list one more time. I can bet you if the fuel pump has not been replaced it will be on its way out soon. There is a reason why the cars are so cheap now they are very expensive to keep running.

sosh

Yes some people have had to replace a fuel pump. Thats maybe a grand spread over the life of the car, say 7 years. Thats maybe $143.00 per year on the life of the vehicle. Thats not bad at all considering. I would like to see you run say a Ford Focus with only spending $143 per year on maint parts!! The reason the vehicles he is looking at are so cheap is that they are old, very old, 7 and 8 years old!! Look at how cheap that 7 or 8 year old Ford Focus would be if it still runs!!

55fanatic

I know where both of you are coming from. For a first car this would be great, BUT as Andrew is stating SOME early MLs(through 01) have been service nightmares for there owners. I believe he is recomending you go with something Japanese(how I percieve his comments) where there reliability is garunteed.

Sosh, I believe you havent had all that bad of luck with your ML have you? And I think you owned one other in the past?

Lookyhere: How old are you and what you looking to get out of this? Do you drive cars hard?(Honest answer) Also have you looked at any other Benzes from the same time that might offer you some better reliability?

l0oKeYhErE

I don't think I'll choose a Japanese vehicle, due the small and cheap interior. Well I just don't like how light the Accelerator on the car is.
I'm going to be 18 in November, and currently a college student. I don't want to drive my parents Merc, since its my dad's everyday car.
Well to answer the question, I would say I have a semi-heavy foot, thats why I perfer the ML320 or 430,is that the accelerator is petty heavy.

AndrewAZ

The car adapts to how you drive. If you drive it like a girl it will treat you like a girl.

I am not saying go asian with your car choice, the end up costing the same to fix, its just the ML is not as good as the other mercedes and after having 3 in the family 2 personally mine I can tell you they all suffer very similar problems just because of quality on parts. If anything I would go buy a W210 E class I think you will be much happier with that car and its a whole lot better build quality along with a timeless design. Another Merc I will recommend is leasing a brand new C class with that 15k you can get a brand new C class for about 27 months and if you get a job you can extend that more. But if you had to buy a car and I was you I would really recommend a W210 E class.

sosh

To answer your question, I have had 3 ML's, a 98, an 02 ML500 and my current 06 ML500.Yes all have been quite good. The few problems I have had, mostly with the 02 have been resolved on the first try by my competent dealer with little or no inconvience to me as the car is picked up and delivered with an MB loaner supplied. My 06 by the way has been bulletproof. However this gut is concerned about or cannot afford to maintain an MB or so I perseve. He is buying a 7 or 8 year old vehicle very much used.His maintainenece costs will be lots higher than mine or than anyone who buys new. Spending a few bucks on parts or a thousand dollar fuel pump would not bother me in the least but it may be the nail in the coffin for him

l0oKeYhErE

Yeah, the W210 E-Class is a great car, my parents had a 1997 E320 uptill 2 years ago.
Would anyone recommend a 2001 ML430, or a 2002 ML500?
I don't need to own a car now, but just want to get down all the details before I own one.
Anyways thanks for the help and the recommendation, but I really perfer a luxury SUV, sorry if I sound a bit ignorant, its just that I have to take care of my dad's construction sites and I can't really put larger tools in a sedan.

55fanatic

do you do a lot of mileage?

To give you an example of ownership costs on an ML...

Services my 55 needs on a regular basis(yours will be pretty similar)
Oil change...
8 quarts of SYNTHETIC oil and filter(done myself)... Just 100 bucks every 10k miles
Brakes(Every 15k miles give or take a little, 430 brakes will last longer) DONE MYSELF... about 600 the last time for pads and rotors... other wise about $1k at a dealership
Tires are tough in this vehicle too, Im ok because I swap between two sets of wheels

Now on to the repairs of the last 15k miles...
Center bearing(parts were 290, Labor would be an arm)
Engine mount(50 Parts, labor would be the other Arm)
inner and outer tie rods(Parts were in the 300 range, labor woulda been a leg prolly)
Hub bearings(didnt have to pay for these parts, but NOT CHEAP, and labor would be outrageous)

I purchased my ML55 in August of 03... it had 45k miles on there, Now it sits at 112k and I havent really driven it the last 3 months because of my new E... but if your going to be doing high mileage, with a semi-heavy foot, there is an example of what kind of service you might be looking at. Now my family owns a garage, hence why many of my parts came on discount AS WELL AS no labor... anyone of those repairs of the last 15k would of been $1000 or pretty close to it...

Why not look at maybe an escalade EXT if you wanna be able to carry tools and want luxury(I would even say the avalanche)

and if something DOES go wrong... american cars are pretty cheap to fix

l0oKeYhErE

Yeah, thats understandable, my parents 2001 S430 cost about $750 to maintain a year.
I guess I'd get about 10k a year.
I have an idea of how much it cost to own one, so i might just finance a lease return, it seems the most reliable way to go. I'll wait till 2007 and see if dealers have any 40-50k mile ranged lease returns.
Thanks for all the help