pon97007

Hey guys!
I gonna buy 99 ML430 46000mile or 00 ML320 99000mile
Both are good condition, and price are almost same!

If I buy 99 ML430 will get pritty wheel and poor interior.
If 00 ML320, loose 17inch wheel but will get better intrior.


Please vote with your mile/gal and opinion.

E4///Turbo

I have 99 ML 430 with a bunch of upgrades, if you love the open road and road trips get the 430....care for i nicer place to sit the 320...I get about 17 MPG at freeway speed, about 14 around town...I think it is a 50 hp difference but the ML320 seem to need more repairs and more often, I can only assume the things wear out faster with less power pulling around more weight...no major repairs with 180,000 miles eventually it will need something and it will get replaced with a ML500/55 or 63 once they start coming off lease with no value....

SL-ML-C

i've got a 99' ML430 with 91,000 miles on it, and I agree, the 320 is a good car, but the 430s extra power is nice and with similar mileage numbers, cant go wrong. i get around 20MPG @63MPH, and about 16.4 at 80, probably 16 around town

hope that helps you decide
SL-ML-C

Yacht Master

430 no question. mpg is about the same.

Dungaman

Personally i'd go for the 99 ML430, theres only a year between it and there both prefacelift models so are susceptable to similar problems.

the low milage will be crucial and probably means the cars had a better life than the other one. will also help resale. However i would check to see if these miles are actually correct (if you are buying privately)

Finaly i have a 02 mL320 and recieve a shocking 18-22mpg and although the 430 is the larger engine it doesnt have to be worked as hard and gives much improved performance for only slightly reduced mpg. that said there both strong engines (the most reliable piece of the car..)

good luck

AsianML

I'll be the devil's advocate and say go for the 320. You said the 430 has a poor interior compared to the 320, and the only thing about the 320 you said you don't like is the lack of 17" wheels. You can always buy a set of 17" wheels afterward, aftermarket or OEM.

AsianML

Not necessarily true with the MLs. The 430 is a stronger engine, but the 320 can hardly be considered a weakling. There are 98 320s around with hundreds of thousands of miles on them with the original engine and tranny.

fkong777

ML430 seems to me like a win-win situation. More power, less mileage and better wheels package.

You can always upgrade the seats from offering on Ebay or get nice seat covers thru autoleathers.com for about $750

HLG600

My mom used to have an 2003 ML350. It was a nice car, especially with the inspiration package. Although it was the "slowest" car in our garage, I could hardly consider the car a slouch. Power was always there when you needed it, it ran on regular for three years without so much as a hiccup, and returned very decent fuel economy for a heavy AWD SUV.

Now, lets compare the two cars you have listed. If the price is nearly the same, the go with the 430. Some reasons why:

1. Half the mileage. I am well aware that these motors can take much punishment and run seemingly forever when maintained. Still, here you have an option to go for a larger motor with literally half the wear.

2. The interior can be repaired. As fkong said, you can order online seat covers to replenish a worn interior - no big deal.

Hope this helps.

Stiggs

Couldn't have said it better myself. Go with the lower miles.
Also V8 > V6!!
Take that AsianML!LOL

AsianML

LOL.

It's been two weeks. What's the verdict!?