would love some opinions from later model years 2002 and on.

 

There have been several people who have not had good luck with their MLs - often these are '98 or '99 versions.

Our 2000 ML320 has been great - no problems at all except one time - had to have fuel pump replaced. Otherwise, the standard A and B service and that's it. 2 1/2 years and 35,000 miles.

The '02 versions are even better, I'm sure. I wish we had the climate control, auto headlights, auto wiper, etc.

In fact we are seriously considering trading in for a '03 ML500.

 

its a 2002 purchased with 18750 miles on it and 2 years and up to 100000 mile starmark. auto wipers are part of the convienience package which is along with the sport package the only things I didnt get. 2000 ml I drove was much nicer than the 99 430 I drove and this 02 320 I bought is better still. the auto climate is a pain at times. I almost wish I had the older manual climate but man this truck is sweet. sweeter still with the dvd nav I added and I cant wait to add the wood and leather steering wheel. this is a sweet truck and it has no existing competition all around unless the touareg is as good as it looks. too bad they are shooting for the overrated X5.

 

My '02 ML320 has about 3000 miles now - no problems - perfect. I will soon add the DVD Nav. Very nice and good truck for the money - each of the competitor trucks has a major weakness in comparison to the ML so the ML seems a natural good choice unless you dislike its styling, etc.

A relative of mine has an '01 with about 20k miles - no problems at all. The only time it's been to the dealer is for servicing, etc.

Most owners that have ML trouble have '98's, '99's or even '00's in some cases. The '02 is definitely a huge step up from the earliest ML's - seems like a completely different car in many ways.

The '03 has no change from the '02 except the DVD Nav.

In terms of competition - here's some of their drawbacks and good points vs. the ML.

BMW X5 - much smaller than ML, also has quality problems, good points: sports-car-like handling. The X5 4.6is, the fastest one, is just on par with the ML55 and is more expensive, so BMW has virtually no performance edge. Also the X5 is meant strictly for on-road good weather type situations.

Lexus RX - almost no one buys these anymore but the drawbacks vs the ML are mainly the size and offroad/bad weather capabilities - it's basically a tall-ish wagon on the Camry platform. Pros are that it is made in Japan and has excellent build quality, reliability, etc.

Acura MDX - seems to be one of the main new competitors - same issue with offroad/bad weather, even though it is better than the X5 and RX in that manner. It offers just about the same room as the ML. But it is more expensive than the ML320 and the features are not as good.

VW Toureg - not sure if I got the spelling right looks nice in pic's - not much more to tell at this point - how would you like a car for which most people can't say the name right. Anyway, the main issue is why would you spend ~$40000 on a 'people's car' when you can get a Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, or Acura.

Overall, the ML offers the best combo IMO of all the different categories, luxury, space, offroad capability, and performance.

Here's a direct comparo list:

ML model | Competitors
-----------------------------------------
ML320

BMW X5 3.0i
Lexus RX300
Acura MDX
VW Toureg

ML500

BMW X5 4.4i
Acura MDX
VW Toureg

ML55 AMG

BMW X5 4.6is
Porsche Cayenne S
Porsche Cayenne Turbo (kinda N/A because you can almost get 2 ML55's for that price)

So the ML is a good balance of the categories plus it has the best safety equipment and stability control, etc. Try to get as late as possible - that's the most common recommendation. The '02's and '03's particularly are very nice.

Hope it helps.

 

I have a 02 ML320 with 6K on it and it's been a good truck. In general, the ML's are poorly built, compared with other MB products. I can even go as far as saying that it's build quality is not as good as my Pathfinder I traded for the ML. However, I don't regret buying the truck, not one bit. The reason is because of how this truck has performed so far (mostly in safety areas) compared with my Nissan - that nifty tilt mirror in reverse feature, the bullet proof tranny which needs no maintenance continously adapts to your driving (near instantaneously) style and designed to be shifted as manual, the engine with it's 10K+ oil changes, the 3rd row with belt tensioners (I believe), the flexible service system, the 4yr/50K (post MY2K, US spec only) free service, etc, etc. Then ther's the fact that there's no "door ajar" warning lamp, the numerous rattles, the chronich door switch problem the fuel pump problem, the minivan look, the low powered ML320, and others. Still, there are so many safety "things" built into the ML's (and you'll never find them until you're in a dire situation) that I can't imagine a good competitor, for the price. I don't want to ramble on and on. My point is this: the ML is most likely the worst built MB product ever, but it's the best compromise when compard with the competition. It's sorely in need of an overhaul. If you're buying, get the latest version. Then there's just the mere presence of the truck when you pull up to a supermarket (at least in my neighborhood!!!). This truck commands, period!!!

 

Had a 98 ML320 and it was fine other than the usual 1st year problems which my dealer corrected. Drove it 42000 miles and it never let me down. Now have an 02 ML500 that is teriffic and all the issues that were a problem with the 98 were corrected. I did have neumerous problems with much of the new 02 stuff when I took delivery in Aug 01. My dealer is great and corrected everything except one item for which I am awaiting a factory fix. I now have 11000 miles on the 02 and really enjoy it. The bottom line is your experience will depend upon the quality of your dealer. In the Phila area there are some to stay away from and some you can rely on. Keep far away from the guy in Cherry Hill NJ and the one in Devon PA. I use Brandywine.

 

CORRECTION, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH:

....Acura MDX has significantly more room than the ML320 (you think 4" of extra width won't give you more room?) and the price is, again, SIGNIFICANTLY, less than the ML320 ... base 36.3K and includes options that would cost $5K additional on the ML.

 

Actually, the MDX is just about the same size. The 3rd row seat minimizes trunk room, and the seats are abou the same size as the ML's M7 seats, both of which can fit maybe a dog or small children. I have not seen a decently equipped (GPS, leather, etc.) MDX go for under $40k new from a dealer, and you can do that with an ML320 these days.

Plus the MDX has a longer wait time for most colors.

Just look at that new Honda look - the exhaust pipe wraps from under the rear axle - so there's like 2" less clearance than there normally would be.