saturnstyl

We don't get much winter round here, and I like it that way! But I was wondering how all you folks who do get a real winter fare with your ML.
What model ML do you have?
Do you use snow tires, and why?
How deep does it usually snow, and how does the ML perform in various depths?
ESP on or off?
Low range?
Ever been stuck?
Ice? is it much of a problem?
Issues specific to ML in wintry weather?

Anything I forgot, feel free to add....

We *might* get one good snow a year, usually in conjunction with ice. This will be my first winter with this ML, so maybe if I am lucky I will see how it does. We generally get 3-8" of snow on a layer of ice, then it melts and refreezes over and over till we get some real nasty ice.
My previous vehicle was a 2003 GMC Sierra Denali, it was AWD with quadrasteer and had 17" goodyear tires. It did OK, not remarkable in any respect. I felt it took too long for the viscous coupling in the transfer case to operate. Before that I had a '99 Chevy Z-71 (standard fare round these parts) with auto trac transfer case and a set of 16" michelin LTX-AT tires. It was completely unstoppable in any weather. If it got really horrible I would lock it in 4 low and crawl wherever I wanted. The aggressive tires helped I am sure. The Dunlops on my ML are not exactly oriented for this activity, but I feel traction control may be a major advantage...
Some of the techs I have talked to say snow builds up under the ML and causes them to get high centered and stuck, anybody seen this?
Thoughts and comments welcomed.

sosh

My 02 ML500 is excellent in snow. Have had it in up to 24 inches with no problems including my driveway which is 1/8th of a mile up hill and with curves. The 02 is better than the 98 I had due to ESP. On ice its as good as anything can be with ESP on. This is all with the tires that came with the ML, Continental 4x4's. Stopping is also as good as it can be.

00ML430 Bulldog

2000 ML430, 2002 ML320 Sport
No... Don't need them in my area.. I have Michelin Cross Terrains which were excellent .
We had 26" fall in one storm last year.. There is no stopping the Ml in the snow. ESP saved me a few times.
I usually keep ESP on unless I get stuck and need to spin my tires.
Never really came across a situation where i needed Low Range I do not offroad.
almost. My drive way is up hill for about 200' there was a patch of ice across the drive about the length of the truck. I lost all traction going across... ESP locked up the tires.(I was told after the fact when this happens you have to turn ESP off) I ended up down shifting to 1st gear easing of the brakes without giving the truck any gas... and the torque from 1st gear made the truck Crawl across the patch of ice (putting it in low range would have worked too.
You cant defeat the laws of physics... But when there is some icing and slippery conditions ESP does an excellent job keeping the truck straight or going where you point it.
My power steering hose blew off because of the cold temp. Hopefully the recall fixed it permanently

GDawgC220

1999 ML430
Nope, GrandTreks all the way. Never have had an issue with All Season tires. Just gotta take it easy and know what your doing in the snow.
New England weather ranges anywhere from a few inches to sizeable amount (up to 20" on a good snowfall)
Performs flawlessly, just like if it was dry road.
ESP on...has rarely gone off while driving around in the snow. ESP off a few times to rock out of parking spots when plow trucks plow the ML in.
Nope.
Nope.
Ice is a problem no matter what kind of car ya got. Even with Ice beneath the snow on the roadways, ABS and ESP hardly go off. Like above, just have to take it easy and feather the gas/brakes.
Tho, the first winter, going around a bend there was black ice underneath the snow and totally unavoidable. ESP couldn't help, slid into a small triangular median, bent the damn street sign, completely scratched up the right two doors and bent the chrome side runner underneath the ML. Luckily, the wheels and tires were fine, the median caught right between the two wheels and the rear wheel then just rolled over the median. Needless to say, repairs were expensive to replace two doors and the chrome side runner.
Not that I can think of...except road salt caked onto parts underneath.
ML is a pretty good winter vehicle. Stable, SAFE, traction, goes where you need to go. Can't question about MB's engineering of the ML here...but the quality, another story for another time :p

benzboy

Currently driving a '05 ML350 (traded an '03 for it). Great in snow here in CT. We can get anywhere from 30" to 60" in a season. The bad stuff is snow/sleet/ice mix mother nature seems to drop on us from time to time. I've never gone for "winter tires" just run the Dunlop all seasons that are supplied. Never needed low range (except to pull my paper delivery guy out of a snow bank). The ML is sure footed in most anything winter can throw at us here in New England. I'd like the heater and window defrosts to be more aggressive but they are adequate. Winter wiper change over is a seasonal ritual for me. Heated seats are nice to have on those winter mornings too! If I had a wish for something additional I'd pick an adjustable air suspension like the one I had on a previous Range Rover. When you have to traverse a 30-40" snowbank (courtesy of your local town snowplow) it's nice to know you can pick up an additional 8" of clearance below!

saturnstyl

Thanks for the replies... they are very comforting!