I'm more familiar with the E Class and was looking for another E when a 2003 ML500 caught my eye.

It's got 185k miles but the interior and exterior look great. If you told me it had 85k miles I wouldn't question it. In fact, I'd say "pretty good for 85k." Nicely optioned too - "Inspiration" edition vehicle. Supposedly there are detailed service records too (though I've yet to see them). Seller is asking $2400 including tax, title and license... so $2100 or so for the car.

I'm familiar with and a big fan of the M113 engine and 722.6 transmission from my w210 ownership. And I hear the w163 is a pretty solid platform. And I'd like to add an SUV to the fleet.

The biggest concern I can think of is the key situation. From what I gather you cannot get replacement keys and this ML only comes with one. Is the lack of keys still ongoing?

Beyond the keys, any other issues that should give me pause? I can't seem to find any big problems that would turn this into a money pit. Are there any?

 

I'm not very familiar with the W163 platform, but as usual, with high mileage cars, most of the wear and tear parts are probably reaching the end of their useful life - unless these have all been replaced by the previous owner(s). These are like suspension parts (bushes, links, ball joints, etc), engine mounts, transmission mounts, brakes, engine parts (filters, valve cover gaskets, PCV valves, hoses, leaks, etc etc). Basically what I'm saying is, these seemingly simple maintenance items can potentially sum up to more than the asking price of the car, so do have a careful and thorough inspection before making your decision. Heck, I believe these vehicles were built during that "terrible quality" phase of Mercedes - brittle interior plastics and inferior materials.

Drivetrain wise the M113 with 722.6 seems to be one of the more robust combinations, but again, who knows how the condition of the internals are given the mileage...

Also, if you were really into the W163 platform I would personally think its better to pay a bit more for a lower mileage, well maintained garage queen example.

P.S. I'm not usually this pessimistic about things, but since the OP wants ideas to talk him out....

 

Have you seen or sight unseen this vehicle?

As of late 2016, M/B no longer provides keys but does supply a Spare Key which manually open and close the driver's door and start the eng. but there will be no anti-theft protection.

 

Agreed. I'm familiar with the usual wear and tear items and would (1) inspect the service records that supposedly exists and (2) take it to my indy MB mechanic for inspection to ensure there isn't a ton of deferred maintenance before making any final decision.

I've heard of this phase too but the MLs from this era seem pretty reliable (albeit I'm far from an expert on MLs so there could be problems I'm overlooking - reason I posted). On the other hand, S Class from this era I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. ML of this era was dinged for being simplistic and cheap by MB standards. Part of me wonders if this simplicity makes it more reliable. The S Class' complications are what make it a chore to maintain.

At the risk of offending some here, I'm not really into the W163. This would just be a beater, secondary car used to haul things about. I'm looking for something cheap and reliable with more cargo room than an E Class. The W163 doesn't seem like the kind of car you really get into. At least not because it's traditionally beautiful or the pinnacle of automotive engineering. That said, I could get into it if it checks the cheap and reliable boxes. There is beauty in checking those boxes well.

Thanks for playing devil's advocate.

Seen online pics. Exchanged a few emails with the seller. Title may have been a bit hyperbolic - my apologies. Maybe a better title would have been "am I crazy to be thinking about buying a 2003 ML500 with 185k miles"

I'm trying to figure out if I should even go check it out. I'd inspect it and have a MB indy mechanic inspect before buying. Just trying to do homework on W163 specific issues (such as the key thing) before deciding to pursue further.

This key situation is pretty ridiculous. It blows my mind that this has been going on since 2016 there's still no resolution.

If I go the W163 route I'd probably do something like this to get a generic key fob that can remotely lock and unlock the doors. Pair that with some valet keys.​

Besides the keys, is there any W163 ridiculousness I should be wary of?

 

This key situation is pretty ridiculous. It blows my mind that this has been going on since 2016 there's still no resolution. There wasn't a resolution in mind. Huf, the manufacturer of the keys, probably had a minimum number of keys to be ordered before they went to production and M/B would not accept the number. https://www.huf-group.com/products

If I go the W163 route I'd probably do something like this to get a generic key fob that can remotely lock and unlock the doors. Pair that with some valet keys.​ Do you know how many keys the seller has?


Besides the keys, is there any W163 ridiculousness I should be wary of? None.

 

I feel like MB needs to bite the bullet on this one to make it right even if they have to order more keys than they'll sell.

Only one


Good to know. Thanks!

 

tjc4,

W163 is a solid suv, even better if you can handle the DIY.
As Dundee commented, ditto.
READ and digest - https://mbworld.org/forums/m-class-w...out-163-a.html

non oem FOB replacement is doable - as per the link Dundee provided.
Check for valet keys in the sale. If none, pickup a couple of them as spares.
GL.

 

Sadly someone beat me to the punch on this car. But this has been a great learning experience and with this knowledge I can move faster next time. I think a W163 may be in my future.

Thanks for all the advice!