ML in lauderdale hurricane...
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2005 SL65
ML in lauderdale hurricane...
did anybody drive their ML while the winds were still high yesterday in lauderdale?
if so, then did it handle better or worse than anticipated?
i drove my CLK around 9p on 95 between boca and lauderdale, and was surprised by the buffeting. previously, i'd driven through a hurricane in the same car without realizing it was crossing 95 in the carolinas. i don't recall it being as bad then as it was last night.
if so, then did it handle better or worse than anticipated?
i drove my CLK around 9p on 95 between boca and lauderdale, and was surprised by the buffeting. previously, i'd driven through a hurricane in the same car without realizing it was crossing 95 in the carolinas. i don't recall it being as bad then as it was last night.
Last edited by david_101; Aug 26, 2005 at 07:16 PM.
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I've driven my Girlfriends ML 430 in rain/wind/snow and for long distances and I myself drive a CLK 430. I have to say that I feel much safer in my car than I do in her ML and on trips (unless we are going snowboarding or somewhere around snow) we take my car. In wind, the car gets pushed around IMO and you feel like you dont have full control of the car. Driving back from Las Vegas a few times is horrible also. I would be going around 105 mph and get hit by some wind the you would literally have to jerk the wheel to keep it on the road. Not only that but driving the ML over 100mph, he hear a lot of wind noise coming from the driver side door like its not sealed properly. My mom has an ML 430 also and hers does the same thing and we've taken both cars in for it and both times they said the car is fine. As for rain, I'd still take the CLK out just because the ML feels so lose. Breaking in the car seems to lag, I just dont like the feel. For snow, I was in mammoth last year and got stock in honestly > 1" of snow. I had to get shovelled out. The tow truck driver told me it was because we had the all season (all terrain) tired on the vehicle and not snow tires but watever. I dislike the ML very much and even though I'm not sure what the new oens drive like, I dont really car to know. My mom will be buying a G soon and my GF has been looking at the SLKs.
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BenzKid200...
i really appreciate your descriptions and opinions.
MB, at my request, gave me ML loaners while i had my last car, a CLK430, in for service, just so i could get a sense of it. my feelings about it were similar to those you described.
i was wondering about the new ML. do you have, or do you know anybody who has, any experience with it?
regarding the G, i'm as certain as i can be without benefit of having that tank that it would be treated even more harshly by wind than the ML, but would perform better than the ML on surfaces other than pavement.
as i've written previously, i'm interested in a weather evac vehicle that would tolerate wind at highway speed and perform as well as could be expected on flooded roads. so far, the only one that fits both requirements is the rover sport. the LR3 is quite as boxy as the G, so winds easily could pose just as much a problem as with the G.
anyway, you get the idea.
thanks again for your thoughts.
david
MB, at my request, gave me ML loaners while i had my last car, a CLK430, in for service, just so i could get a sense of it. my feelings about it were similar to those you described.
i was wondering about the new ML. do you have, or do you know anybody who has, any experience with it?
regarding the G, i'm as certain as i can be without benefit of having that tank that it would be treated even more harshly by wind than the ML, but would perform better than the ML on surfaces other than pavement.
as i've written previously, i'm interested in a weather evac vehicle that would tolerate wind at highway speed and perform as well as could be expected on flooded roads. so far, the only one that fits both requirements is the rover sport. the LR3 is quite as boxy as the G, so winds easily could pose just as much a problem as with the G.
anyway, you get the idea.
thanks again for your thoughts.
david
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Re: ML performance in wind/snow
Originally Posted by BenzKid200
I've driven my Girlfriends ML 430 in rain/wind/snow and for long distances and I myself drive a CLK 430. I have to say that I feel much safer in my car than I do in her ML and on trips (unless we are going snowboarding or somewhere around snow) we take my car. In wind, the car gets pushed around IMO and you feel like you dont have full control of the car. Driving back from Las Vegas a few times is horrible also. I would be going around 105 mph and get hit by some wind the you would literally have to jerk the wheel to keep it on the road. Not only that but driving the ML over 100mph, he hear a lot of wind noise coming from the driver side door like its not sealed properly. My mom has an ML 430 also and hers does the same thing and we've taken both cars in for it and both times they said the car is fine. As for rain, I'd still take the CLK out just because the ML feels so lose. Breaking in the car seems to lag, I just dont like the feel. For snow, I was in mammoth last year and got stock in honestly > 1" of snow. I had to get shovelled out. The tow truck driver told me it was because we had the all season (all terrain) tired on the vehicle and not snow tires but watever. I dislike the ML very much and even though I'm not sure what the new oens drive like, I dont really car to know. My mom will be buying a G soon and my GF has been looking at the SLKs.
Now as to snow performance, I've gone through horrendous ice storms and deep snow here in Oregon in my '98, and I'm a skiier, and never been stuck or had to put on chains. Tires are the big difference. I keep dedicated studless snows on separate rims for such conditions. No Hummer or Land Rover will go anywhere in similar conditions without the right tires.
These were my ML320's Pirellis Scorpion Ice & Snow 275/55-HR17s (tires w/ 3k mi. now for sale):
Last edited by GregW / Oregon; Aug 29, 2005 at 11:38 PM.
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GregW / Oregon...
from appearances alone, i'd tend to believe the new ML is more slippery than its predecessor, but i've yet to read testimonial to that effect. i hope someone soon will write about it.
it probably is unarguable that "a 'truck' will never feel as responsive and immune to cross-winds as most cars," but i don't believe it has been argued otherwise.
yes, i agree that wheels and especially tires have very much to do with traction on respective surfaces. do you think it's relatively unlikely that most MLers would maintain at least two sets of tires and be diligent about changing them as required to suit conditions?
it probably is unarguable that "a 'truck' will never feel as responsive and immune to cross-winds as most cars," but i don't believe it has been argued otherwise.
yes, i agree that wheels and especially tires have very much to do with traction on respective surfaces. do you think it's relatively unlikely that most MLers would maintain at least two sets of tires and be diligent about changing them as required to suit conditions?
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GregW
I have driven more than one W163 to know what I am talking about. As for having enough driving experience to intuitively react to conditions, I am fully aware of what needs to be done to not only keep a car on the road at high speeds, but how to keep a "truck" moving in snow. Like I said in my previous post, the tires which were on the W163 I was driving were all season and not snow tires. I have never enjoyed driving SUVs but must drive them in certain situations and I drive what I have access to. Comparing the ML to the FX (the only other SUV I have driven for a long period of time) I feel it handles 10X better than the ML.
If you drive a Honda Civic your entire life and step into a C-class, you would know the difference between a car and a Mercedes. If you have only driven a bentley and step into a C-class, you would notice a huge downgrade. Now im not talking Sh*t on the MLs, both my mom and my GF love them and would love to get the W164 (IMO thank god they are not) but everyone has their own opinion. Try test driving other SUVs and compare them to the ML.
If you drive a Honda Civic your entire life and step into a C-class, you would know the difference between a car and a Mercedes. If you have only driven a bentley and step into a C-class, you would notice a huge downgrade. Now im not talking Sh*t on the MLs, both my mom and my GF love them and would love to get the W164 (IMO thank god they are not) but everyone has their own opinion. Try test driving other SUVs and compare them to the ML.
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OT: Whistler, BC
Originally Posted by david_101
although off-topic, have you been to whistler? if so, then would you recommend it for a shaky intermediate skier?
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GregW / Oregon...
you posted just as i was replying to BenzKid200.
if you have a moment, then please EM or PM me with impressions of the snow quality. i've heard both favorable and unfavorable reviews from consummate skiers.
we're very familiar with both the beaver creek ritz (true ski-in/ ski-out) and aspen st. regis. my GF's a medalled collegiate competitor and wants me to advance so i can try to keep up with her. i'm considering about a week of lessons in whistler...if my shins hold up.
any advice would be very welcomed.
thanks again,
david
if you have a moment, then please EM or PM me with impressions of the snow quality. i've heard both favorable and unfavorable reviews from consummate skiers.
we're very familiar with both the beaver creek ritz (true ski-in/ ski-out) and aspen st. regis. my GF's a medalled collegiate competitor and wants me to advance so i can try to keep up with her. i'm considering about a week of lessons in whistler...if my shins hold up.
any advice would be very welcomed.
thanks again,
david
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So I've actually never been to Canada to Ski or Board. I usually try to stay around here in Cali when I go on the weekends because of School. Every year I do go to Utah and Snowboard there. The snow is much better there and there is are a lot less plp but it mostly make for Skiers. Lots of moguls adn stuff. I was going to go to Colorado during Christmas break but I totally forgot about Canada. Where would a nice place be to go snowboarding up there? Any suggestions. Thanks
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BenzKid200...
i can't recommend anything other than the whistler website:
www.tourismwhistler.com . be certain to check out all areas on the map because some of the more interesting-looking places are somewhat out of the way.
greg knows far better than i. but i would always first try true ski-in/ ski-out lodging wherever you go, if it's an option. (i do because i don't care to lug clumsy equipment.) please let me know what you learn either by EM or PM.
hope you have a good time during season. and please DON'T catch air across my path!
david
www.tourismwhistler.com . be certain to check out all areas on the map because some of the more interesting-looking places are somewhat out of the way.
greg knows far better than i. but i would always first try true ski-in/ ski-out lodging wherever you go, if it's an option. (i do because i don't care to lug clumsy equipment.) please let me know what you learn either by EM or PM.
hope you have a good time during season. and please DON'T catch air across my path!
david
Last edited by david_101; Aug 30, 2005 at 08:42 PM.
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Originally Posted by BenzKid200
I've driven my Girlfriends ML 430 in rain/wind/snow and for long distances and I myself drive a CLK 430. I have to say that I feel much safer in my car than I do in her ML and on trips (unless we are going snowboarding or somewhere around snow) we take my car. In wind, the car gets pushed around IMO and you feel like you dont have full control of the car. Driving back from Las Vegas a few times is horrible also. I would be going around 105 mph and get hit by some wind the you would literally have to jerk the wheel to keep it on the road. Not only that but driving the ML over 100mph, he hear a lot of wind noise coming from the driver side door like its not sealed properly. My mom has an ML 430 also and hers does the same thing and we've taken both cars in for it and both times they said the car is fine. As for rain, I'd still take the CLK out just because the ML feels so lose. Breaking in the car seems to lag, I just dont like the feel. For snow, I was in mammoth last year and got stock in honestly > 1" of snow. I had to get shovelled out. The tow truck driver told me it was because we had the all season (all terrain) tired on the vehicle and not snow tires but watever. I dislike the ML very much and even though I'm not sure what the new oens drive like, I dont really car to know. My mom will be buying a G soon and my GF has been looking at the SLKs.
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From: Laguna Niguel Ca
Originally Posted by Chi500
How did you get stuck in 1 in of snow in the ML? I drove my ML320 through 18 in of snow during our blizzard here on the stock all terrain tires with 40,000 miles on them. If you ever get stuck you should put it in low range. I loved that car in the snow.
I guess that's what happens when you drive up straight from SoCal without even changing haha. Later than night my buddy came in with his ML55 and the next day we went for a drive and he spun out making a left turn and went right into a wall of snow. No damage done but it was hilarious. I didn't feel as bad about my incident after I saw that.
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From: Laguna Niguel Ca
Originally Posted by straightSIX
Benzkid, sounds like you're blaming driver's error on the car.
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AFAIK, ML's didnt ship with esp until 99. Benzkid, not that I dont believe you, but many people in northeast survived winters with +12" snow with no problem.
Last edited by straightSIX; Sep 2, 2005 at 06:16 PM.
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Originally Posted by BenzKid200
I honestly got stuck, Couldn't figure out how the hell to get the car into low range (I guess it was probably too late for that anyways). I had to get out of my car in a T-shirt, boardshorts, sandals looking for brush and rocks to put under the tires. I do have to say I was not prepared at all but the last thing that came to my head was getting stuck. After 30 minutes of desperatley trying to get the car out, I had to walk in the freezing cold to get someone to help me. The guy gave me kitty litter and a log which got me out. Went straight to my cabin and took a long long bath.
I guess that's what happens when you drive up straight from SoCal without even changing haha. Later than night my buddy came in with his ML55 and the next day we went for a drive and he spun out making a left turn and went right into a wall of snow. No damage done but it was hilarious. I didn't feel as bad about my incident after I saw that.
I guess that's what happens when you drive up straight from SoCal without even changing haha. Later than night my buddy came in with his ML55 and the next day we went for a drive and he spun out making a left turn and went right into a wall of snow. No damage done but it was hilarious. I didn't feel as bad about my incident after I saw that.
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From: Laguna Niguel Ca
Originally Posted by Chi500
It's probably just because you guys in California don't know how to drive in the snow. We're used to it out here, lack of experience was probably the cause. All wheel drive doesn't defy the laws on physics, your friend ended up in the wall of snow probably because he turned too quickly. I'm still curious as to how you got stuck in less than an inch of snow. Did the tires just keep spinning or was traction control the problem by stopping them?
