daa

In a couple of days I am going to decide b/w the x5 and the ml500. As of now i am leaning towards the benz cuz of the price, standard equipment and safety. Wondering if anyone has some advice or suggestions? I like the benz, but ugh that back looks nasty... any know of any after market things to fix that?

MTN81

No way, go for the 4.4L X5. Much more fun to drive than the ML500.

mantylar

I currently own a 2000 ML 430 and I had a 99 ML 430. I drove a friend's 4.4 X-5 with the sport package yesterday. It was very impressive! It really depends how you are planning to use the vehicle. The ML has more storage, but for every day driving I think the X-5 wins. The sport seats were very comfortable and the interior seems more refined The handling felt more like a sedan. Remember, the ML platform has been out since 98 and is due for a major overhaul in 2 years. In my town the MB dealer is much more customer oriented so I'm pretty sure I will keep driving Benzs. I still love my ML, but the X-5 is serious competition.

daa

thanks for the advice guys... but the dealer is giving me a sweet deal. With tax and tags something like 52000$!!! It also has all the options, including the sport with those nice new rims and also all the other packages. Ill be getting it in a week.....now i just need to mod the back so it doesnt look like a minivan with some lorisner body kits....8)
-daa

vsamak

That's a good deal. Where are you located and who's the dealer? This could help me...

Thanks,

daa

hes kinda a long time friend, i am gettin it from a dealership in MD 8)

daa

i actaully went with a ml55.......best car ever....woops any x5...and got a deal cuz it was show room!

vsamak

I haven't been able to check this, but how much smaller is the trunk space on the ML55 with the spare tire inside? Is it as small as that of the X5 or still bigger?

Also, how is the ride? My wife complained on the X5 being too harsh (I loved it), how does it compare to the ML55?

Thanks and enjoy the ML55?

daa

i got the designo package too, honestly it drives much beta than the x5 4.4, and the acceleration is crzy!
the trunk is not that bad, smaller than the x5 but not by much and the handeling is much much beta!
Benz rules!

olneymd

I'm a victim of poor MB quality -- on a 2001 ML 430 and a 2001 S500 (that MB has to replace with a 2002 due to repeat failures).

Bottom line - WE keep buying these vehicles despite knowing of the quality issues. IT'S OUR OWN FAULT. If we spoke loudly with our wallets, MB would have to listen and remedy the issues.

As long as the consumer's dollar keeps pouring into MB cars, and sales go through the roof... MB is not incented to do anything.

A nice 20-30% drop in sales should get MB management attention. The Customer Surveys and warranty feedback (dealer to MB) obviously isn't working!

Just my thoughts -- but I will NEVER buy another MB product again.

gelvir

I also own an ML55 '00 and there's a lot vibration and rattling noises coming from the inside. I had an E430 (with the sport package) and the difference in quality is night and day! My parents own an ML320 '98 and it has given them fewer problems than my "top notch" ML55! Luckily I decided to lease it, however, I can't wait for the day I have to return it. Maybe some problems were corrected in the '02 models, but I would really think about buying a new ML. I like the way it handles and drives, but all the fun is taken away when you have to constantly keep going to the dealership so they can try to fix something that was already "fixed" or for some new problem. Good luck

vsamak

I am 1 week into my new 2002 ML 500. I last remember driving it as a rental for a week in CA in 2000 and it was a very good experience except for the underequiped rental options. My ML drives very well, and coming off of a 2000 Acura TL -- a very fine machine -- so far I am amazed at the manueverability, speed and the "lack" of roll experienced by the ML. It is an indeed a very well made compromise between SUV style and packaging, and a sporty sedan. An X5 was a bit, not much, sportier. I can only imagine what an ML 55 must feel like on the road. Next time maybe...

I pray I don't have any quality issues going forward. My previous Acura had 0 problems in close to 3 years, and I will miss its strong pick up. I only wish MB would learn some things from other cars and stop the retarded decisions that go into their vehicles. For example, the nav is definitely an improvemet, it's more pleasant and more useful than that on the SL's and that of the X5 (junky nav!). In fact it's the same as that of the acura but slower (very slow, ever tried a route calculation? ouch! makes you feel like you are running on intel 80386) and more retarded without the DVD. DVD-ROM's cost only $50 at oem, so I truly don't understand the idiotic decision on the CD-ROMs. ah, german, make a good car, screw up the software.

The other part is the Bose audio which sounds much worse on the ML than it did in my Acura. You don't need to be an audiophile to notice the sucky sound imaging. I will have the dealer disable the "audiopilot" feature. Bose should stick to shady marketing and MB should find another supplier on the audio front.

And finally, MP3! Someone should educate MB (and all other car makers) on the MP3 existence. If you are not going to support it in your car at oem, then PLEASE leave an input jack for an external unit. PLEASE GET WITH THE PROGRAM!

I'd say same goes for the phone unit, too. That V60 phone is barely $300 and yet a wire hookup with a $100 programming interface is sold at over $1400 as an option. Come on!

And just to make sure there are no silly replies like "some people shouldn't drive a mercedes," the ML is a truly well made machine, but the above complaints just make the owners feel cheated. This isn't about not including some latest gizmo at thousands of dollars. This is about simple common sense. (If it'll make people feel better, BMW sucks at this too).

vs

Ski Guru

Hold out for the Porsche SUV!

vsamak

I don't know about this one. Looks to me like a souped up Subaru. I think the ML and the X5 are pretty much a unique class for the suvs. Sporty, good looking, with utility and off-road perf. (well, scratch the last part for the X5). If you can't fit in that class, try the Explorer or the MDX. It's a pretty narrow class.

PS I'd disagree on your footnote about real cars made in germany. germans will have to learn a few tricks from the japanese, and vice versa. the american cars, well they will just have to learn!

vs.

Fuzzo

i don't have an ML but i too have gripes about the quality in current MB products.. when i was shopping, i was looking to get a used S class and it seemed that the newer they got.. the cheaper it felt inside.. this goes the same for the bmw.. i guess mb and bmw are all cutting costs so people will buy the cars...

my 02 C class has been in the shop numerous times in the 7 months i owned it.. and still some of the issues have not be resolved!!

what's funny is that I noticed a trend in all the people who are having issues with the ML's.. they are all in the DC metro area.. what's up with that

just playing :p

MusFather

When we bought our X5 we considered a M-class. My dad really liked it and it had a nice designo package which made it really nice. But there was the reliablity issue. ALthough we were going to lease we read many reports in which the m-class was getting very poor quality and relibality. So when we checked out the X5 we were amazed. Its excellent SUV. beautiful looking, very fun to drive, and comfortable. The only thing i don;t like about it is it lacks a little room in the back and in the trunk. Thats it. We really wanted the Lexus LX470 but we got a better deal with the M. If any of you are willing to spend the 60k and are not worried about soemthing to big, go for a Lexus. Really fun to drive because i feels like an SUV. Otherwise between the M and the X5, im X5 all the way

-Later
-Musfather

daa

well....ok MB does have some issues with the ML.....fact of the matter is since my ml55 AMG was a show room one i got a great deal especially cuz it was the last day of the month in a sruggling dealership. Anywayz besdies some stupid things like the xenons blowing up... and minor things i have enjoyed it throughly especially wooping up on all those pimped imports that have that incredibly confused look when i burn them. bottom line as seen in the latest moter trend with AMG vs M it's up to your taste....the bmw has the looks and tthe benz has te class and ccargo space. They are both great cars....maybe the next one will be the 4.6is X5 but the wait and the mark up almost eliminates it as a choice.