woodyww

because here's an example of one more serious problem with the BMW:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2713713.stm

According to the article, this one issue impacts 92% of total cumulative production so far.

m500

It's a problem but not too big of deal consider the X5 is still pretty new in SUV industry. Unlike ML its been thru alot and from 2003 on its been perfect so far, at least for me.

MKW

That's something like ( and I'm not kidding) the 15th NHTSA mandatory recall campaign ( as opposed to a fix it if customer complains Technical Service Bulletin ) on the X5.

amb9800

Yeah they've had those issues plus ones in the past dealing with spontaneous combustion (when car is off, spark is somehow generated through ignition, triggering a fire), faulty seat belts, etc.

The early MLs had their share of problems but I don't think any of those were more serous than perhaps the fuel pump or a 'stuck accelerator.' Although even these things shouldn't be occurring on a vehicle like an MB, they still don't compare with some of the major safety hazards posed by some of the X5 recalls.

greenm

I have a Desert Silver 2002 ML320, and an Oxford Green 2002 X5 3.0i sport.

Both are good vehicles. The ML has much more cheap plastics than the X5, and the build quality is better on the X5 than the ML. I enjoy driving both vehicles, but the reality is, next year at trade-in time, they will both go away in favor of the Lexus GX470.

I've had enough of making excuses for both the MB & BMW's quality, reliability, bad electrionics, etc. There is no excuse for the shortcomings that plague both the M Class & the X5. For the money & amount of time that these vehicles have been in production, they should be near perfect.....they are not.

kmtadc

I can understand that you may not like the ML and the X5...but you'll be wanting a LEXUS?! What kind of a moron are you?! Please...get something, no, anything but a Lexus. Seriously, you're just buying a 4Runner with a wooden steering wheel.

greenm

Drive one and you will see. Everything works, the Nav and audio system blow the ML & X5 away.

I think that you might be the real moron, blinded by the shiny three pointed star. Admit it, MB & BMW quality & engineering suck compared to Japanese auto makers.

bgsntth

I'm with greenm, the Lexus GX470 is one of the nicest and most capable (on and off-road) SUVs I have ever driven. Much nicer than my ML350. We borrow my inlaws GX470 for trips, as it has a DVD player for the kids, and I am always impressed with it. The ML is a bit more fun to drive, has more back seat leg room, and handles better, but the GX is in a different league on everything else.

dj plastic fork

greenm if you HAD to choose between your ML and X5, what would it be? say your house gets robbed (god forbid) and one of your cars gets stolen to, which one would you rather have stolen, if you had to choose between the two?
you must like one more then the other...

greenm

be stolen. The X5 is much more fun to drive (on pavement)

timdf

had a three pointed star on the hood I'm sure alot of MB apologists would buy one and rightly rave about the build quality, re-sale value and reliability etc.

The hard fact is that most Japanese cars / trucks ARE better built than the ML. OK they may not be as good off road or as safe in a roll over etc., but for most purchasers these are not a major factor.

It's about time that MB learnt a few lessons about build quality and customer care from their competitors - before it's too late....

amb9800

timdf - I agree with the point that MB (for that matter BMW as well) has to work on their recent quality problems, but I can't say that the first or second point are necessarily true. IMO those generalizations just can't be made.

The first point I don't think I have to discuss - that's just a pure generalization and matter of opinion and being that I don't want to turn this into more of a flame than it is, I won't comment on that.

The second point - of course SOME Japanese cars are better built than the ML and vice versa, but if you look at it logically, you are comparing the cars of a whole country/manufacturer with a single model. Let's take this back to let's say the W124 E-Class or any similar MB - I wouldn't say that it would be fair to compare all MB's of lets say the 1991 model year with just a Honda Civic.

Yes Lexus/Toyota's recent build quality has been nice but look at other factors as well. I don't think the average consumer completely disregards safety features. But then again the average consumer may not want a slow, big, chunky truck, so performance, handling (on and off road), technology, price, discounts, etc. are also major concerns, not just the average solidity of the early-model ML's.

And most of the troubles in quality that MB and BMW have have to deal with the large amount of new technology involved - can you say that the average toyota truck has as much safety, telematics, etc. technology as even a C-Coupe?

I'm sorry if this sounds like an anti-Toyota post but as you can see from my sig, I do own a Toyota - they, like all cars, have their good and bad points - what I'm simply trying to say is that such generalizations shouldn't be made.

Kar don

Toyota is not as reliable as everyone says they are. My Lexus IS300 has had quite a few quality issues (mechanical) that our mercedes never had. Sway bar links broke after 11k miles, Steering rack was replaced at 6k miles, transmission required and oil change due to rough shifting, the differential clunks, brake pads were replaced @ 10k, etc. Sure i love the car, but cars today suck.