SparksterC43

Our ML320 CDI has been fantastic. 98k and tow,s the boat. Brabus wheels and chip. Dealer replaced the steering column under warranty because of a leak. That's it!

sheepdog8

I love my 320cdi, but the main thing I'd like to change is: a thicker steering wheel (like an X5) with a quicker steering ratio & better feel. Maybe some stronger brakes too. I bet I can fix the braking feel & performance with some Hawk or Stoptech pads next time.

NegroC230

I have an 08 CDI and hate this "mercedes" product!!! ABS sensors faulting, powers steering leaking, oil cooler leaking, hose to turbo leaking oil.....building cars for over 100 years and they still cant get their **** together!!! Working and testing on their "premium" fluid, and yet they cant make a proper o-ring or seal to hold it in place!!! Second and last mercedes until im 60 years old!!! Waste of money!!!

N4HHE

If you want a car with no faults, guaranteed, buy new. Unload it before the warranty expires. Yes, it costs more than bargain hunting 5 year old cars but thats why 5 year old cars are bargains.

chikoo

that is a pathetic reply. I have owned cars for 7 - 10 years and upto 188k miles. Never did any do anything like this.

chikoo

wow. I like to think the w164 has a tomb like smooth ride. How much better can it get?

chikoo

learn to refuse it. I just did that with my first service on my pre owned w164. They want $130 as part of service for what do other car dealers offer for free .... A 121 point visual inspection.

edit: the dealership wanted $250 for service.
When I asked for cost breakdown, it came down to
1. $120 for oil and filter change - Mobil1 synthetic
2. $130 for visual inspection of car

N4HHE

Don't test drive a W166 until you are willing and able to replace your W164. An X164 is very similar to W164 and I drove X164 and W166 back to back. Huge difference.

N4HHE

You bought all those used cars without paying a trusted independent mechanic to perform the inspection which you seem to be incapable of performing yourself? You trusted Carfax? Fools get lucky sometimes, but eventually luck runs out.

N4HHE

Sounds like the kind of advice one would expect from a man who bought a leaky car.

A $150 pre-purchase inspection would have saved you (and us) a lot of grief.

chikoo

What are you talking about?????

Who's leaking what? when I got my car, I did pay $175 to be checked inside out by an autoshop that specializes only in Mercs and BMW.

That said, on a daily basis if you cannot check the fluids, condition of belts, leaks in a huge engine bay such as the ML350, shame on you.

chikoo

seems like I touched the nerve...maybe you represent one of the MB dealerships and hurting with such reviews?

chikoo

I said, I have owned cars for this long, not purchased cars this old.
I hope you understand the difference.

N4HHE

My apologies. Got chikoo confused with NegroC230 who obviously can not perform a pre-purchase inspection and didn't pay to have one performed and is now searching for means of making others remedy his mistake: https://mbworld.org/forums/m-class-w...ar-issues.html

I would agree in a perfect world one who can not put air in one's own tires, check fluid levels, and look for leaks should not be allowed to own or operate a motor vehicle.

I too refuse to pay shops for visual inspections. If they want to search for something to repair they can do it on their risk. Last time that happened was a long time ago when a Firestone shop doing a wheel alignment, rotate, and balance, insisted I was in dire need of a new water pump. I knew it was weeping but wasn't an immediate issue. Just for fun I asked "how fast and how much?" Days to get in their busy queue and 10x what I paid for the new pump I had waiting at home. "Sorry, no. I'm driving 1000 miles this weekend and can't wait." That was answered with predictions of doom and gloom.

About 5,000 miles later the leak got bad enough to have to add coolant so I put the new pump on. And new timing belt while I was in there. And only took me twice as long as I sat in their waiting room getting a wheel alignment. 1986 VW Golf.

Oh, and I never went back to Firestone for service or tires.

chikoo

Phew. Thanks mate. For a while I was indeed left scratching my head.

Cyber GS

IMO it's not even close, judge for yourself and drive a W166..

Now granted, my W164 was a POS but I have driven and been in other W164's and the W166, while not perfect is still ahead of the W164.

chikoo

Maybe it drives like a Lexus Rx350 ...lol

docvb

Love the vehicle but....

Have had for 16000 miles, bought at 38000:

In the year, no mechanical issues but the exterior has gone to ****. All 4 door window strips started peeling, all 4 wheels have corroded and pitted (stock 19"), all lug nuts corroded plus everyone seems to want to ding the doors which ding quite readily, the rear bumper has been bumped anonymously and the damned right front and rear doors got gouged with a hunk of concrete that popped out of a pothole. Yeah the last 3 are bad luck but its getting silly.

Add to that the expense of those runflats with what--30000 mile life spans--and this thing is rough but expensive to own. At least the DEF is cheap--buy it in bulk at the truck stops: pump yer own! Average about 22 mpg overall--2 1/2 mpg less than the damned dashboard says.

Sure tows nice (28 1/2 foot powerboat and enclosed snowmobile trailers) and is surefooted in WI winter snows. Comfy interior with room but hate the mbtex vinyl (why isn't there seat cooling on this thing) and the navigation is sort of like a 1st generation loran unit. Use my Android phone instead every time.

In all a keeper but sort of stunned at the low-end exterior durability. Too bad it seems the exterior parts were sourced from Chrysler. Reminds me of the Durango I owned for 8 months when they first were introduced. Was falling apart by that time too.

Looks sort of rough already but--hey--where else can you touch a diesel for mid-30's?

AVB-AMG

Hello Everyone... Here is my long-winded answer to the OP’s question….

I began a 3-year lease in June 2007 for a new 2007 ML63 AMG. During the last several months of my lease I started the investigation of what my next vehicle would be. I ultimately decided that I enjoy this vehicle so much and have kept it in excellent condition that I would purchase it at the end of my lease.

Thread Title: “How happy are you with W164?”

My answer is that I have been very happy with my W164! I realize that no mass-produced automobile will be perfect or without some issues. How it ultimately performs will be influenced on variable factors including how and where you drive it, how often you properly service it and where and how you store it.

As an automobile enthusiast, I want to drive an automobile that makes me happy. Happy to look at it, happy to drive it and enjoying the entire experience of driving it and its ownership, regardless of whether it is my daily driver or some other vehicle that is only driven occasionally. For me, the most important actual and subjective variables for my vehicles are:

1. Safety features/design
2. Attractive aesthetics
3. Fun driving experience
4. Decent (if not good) gas mileage.
5. Powerful (meaning, fast acceleration, for fun and safety)

M-B has a proven track record in their design of vehicles for safety. The M-B W164 had the highest safety rating from a number of Transportation/Highway Associations, so it would be hard to do better than the ML in that category.

When I first leased my ML63 AMG back in 2007 I drove it as my daily driver, using it to commute to and from NYC. I averaged approx. 15.5 mpg for these trips... not great gas mileage but what was advertised when I originally selected the vehicle, so not a surprise. This vehicle requires the use of premium gasoline to run properly and therefore I am now on a first-name basis with several gasoline station attendants in my town.

The W164, and the ML63 in particular, works wonderfully as a very fast, comfortable, and fun long distance cruiser, capable of accommodating and carting all of our luggage and "stuff" on our long weekend excursions and vacation road trips. It really is only on the long trips in this country on interstate highways where the ML63's incredible acceleration capability is able to be best used in the most appropriate way, such as on entrance ramps and for lane change passing, etc. I rationalize the ML's poor gas mileage as just one more vacation cost and realize and appreciate that it is also part of the cost of putting a silly smile on my face whenever I am driving it....

In the summer of 2010, my '07 ML63 AMG's 3-year lease expired. After much deliberation whether to get a new similar vehicle such as the new ML63, (while having many improvements over the W164, has a body that is far less attractive to my eye….), and competing vehicles such as the BMW X5M and Porsche Cayenne Turbo, I decided that the most cost effective solution was to buy my ML63 from Mercedes-Benz Financial at the end of the lease since it only had about 37,000 miles on it. I realized that since my '07 ML63 was loaded, I had everything I really needed in that vehicle other than the latest electronic communication/entertainment gadgetry. I determined that if I purchased my vehicle off of lease it would cost me about half the cost of buying/leasing a new one, ($50,000 vs. $100,000). I was able to negotiate with MBF what I thought was an acceptable deal to buy it for approx. $2,000 below my lease's stated residual value of the vehicle. As an enthusiast, I always baby my vehicles and had the MB Dealer always perform all of the necessary regular and preventive maintenance and servicing so the vehicle was and remains in great shape. I have always had the engine oil and filter changed at approx. 7,000 miles. I even had my M-B Dealer upgrade the rear tail lights to the later generation LED's, which look really good.
In early 2011, at the 50,000 mile milestone, I had my M-B Dealer perform all of the M-B recommended servicing items noted below that were recommended to be performed and 50,000 miles, as well as those recommended to be performed at 60,000 miles, as a precaution, since I was buying the vehicle off of my original lease. (Mercedes-Benz Maintenance Services: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12 & 20). I also had all brake pads and rotors replaced on all four wheels, replaced both batteries, tire rotation, 4-wheel alignment, replace rusting lug bolts, (a common problem on all current M-B vehicles), and replace all 3 wiper blades. The total cost for all of this was $3,998.

In the summer of 2012, at the 70,000 mile mark, I had my M-B Dealer do the following recommended service on the vehicle:
1. Perform Mobil One synthetic oil and filter change
2. Perform a 4-Wheel Alignment after they remove my Winter Snow Tires and reinstall and balance my Summer Performance tires on the OEM rims
3. Flush & refill brake fluid (M-B Service 4)
4. Replace A.C. combination filter (M-B Service 5)
5. Replace air cleaner insert (M-B Service 8)
5. Change transmission oil & filter (M-B Service 20)

I paid off my car loan in Feb. 2013 and now own the vehicle outright, with a Kelly Blue Book value of around $30,000 - $32,000. In August 2013, I reached the 75,500mile mark, now will be averaging approx. 10,000 miles per year. I plan to hold onto this ML63 for another couple of years until I reach 100,000 miles and will then sell it.

For the most part my ML63 has been very reliable over the past six years. The issues that I have experienced since new have all been relatively minor, (except for number 6 and 8 below), and all were all corrected by my M-B Dealer and were covered under the original MBUSA vehicle warranty or my M-B Extended Limited Warranty, (except for number 8), and included the following:

1. Air Conditioning Compressor leak (lost refrigerant). AC Compressor was replaced in 2008.
2. Both metal running board tops were oxidizing and were replaced in 2008.
3. Two OEM 20” AMG alloy wheels experienced growing corrosion around the hubs due to clear coat failure. Both wheels replaced in 2009
4. One of the LED video screens in the rear of the passenger side head rest failed and was replaced with a new unit in 2008.
5. Rear tail gate closing issue due to faulty striker and bumpers were repaired in 2009.
6. Replace failed engine serpentine drive belt and isled pulley in 2010.
7. Replace a loose sunroof contact switch in 2013.
8. The ETC module, (the automatic transmission's computer brain), connected to the valve body / conductor plate inside the transmission had malfunctioned and had to be replaced, at a cost for parts & labor of just under $1,000 in Aug. 2013. (Note: my previously purchased MBUSA Extended Limited Warranty had expired on May 30, 2013 so I had to pay this cost out-of-pocket).

The important fact to keep in mind is that all of today's AMG vehicles are very expensive to repair, especially if there is any issue involving the engine or transmission, (see #8 above….). The cost of replacing the entire 6.3 engine alone has a MSRP of over $65,000! So in April 2011, nearing the end of the original M-B mfgrs warranty, I decided to purchase a Mercedes-Benz Extended Limited Warranty (ELW) for the ML63. The ELW can be purchased from any M-B Dealer and is available in a number of different mileage/months combinations at different costs. I elected to go with an ELW for an additional two years and/or 25,000 miles (up to 75,000 miles on the vehicle). The ELW was not cheap at $4,171 (which includes 7% NJ sales tax), but there is no deductible and I view it as an additional "insurance" cost that gives me important peace of mind. Repair or replacement of just one key covered component on this vehicle could easily total this amount. So if you have or buy a ML63 that is still within the original mfgrs. warranty I strongly suggest that you seriously consider exploring getting a M-B ELW that works for your budget and time frame in order to have the peace of mind of having that ELW coverage, just in case....

I believe that these vehicle, if property maintained, will last for quite some time and provide many satisfying miles of spirited driving. This strategy allows me to continue my enjoyable ownership and driving experience of my ML63 for a couple more years before I make a change. My current daily driver is a new, (as of June 2013), 2014 BMW M6 coupe, which also puts a wicked smile on my face when I get in it and start its engine, even though the the ML63’s wonderful naturally aspirated AMG engine’s baritone rumble sounds better to me….

AVB-AMG

ML500guy

You are a freaking millionaire, lol

You have a mini dealership, don't you?

AVB-AMG

ML500guy:

I work hard and have made a good living for myself and my family....
We currently have four cars. If I had more space for storage and more discretionary spending money I would probably have a few more, but unfortunately I do not have either.

But I am grateful for what I have and enjoy these cars immensely. I really appreciate a wide variety of other nice current, special interest, vintage and historic automobiles and love to share stories, thoughts and opinions about all of these vehicles with other owner's who are as passionate and enthusiastic about them as I am about mine....

AVB-AMG

ML500guy

Absolutely, I'd love to have all these cars too, if I could afford.

On a side note, have you ever had a Porsche Cayenne? That will probably be my next one down the road.

AVB-AMG

When the Porsche Cayenne first came out I test drove it and was not that impressed. I conducted a second test drive with the somewhat facelifted model in 2010 and while an improved vehicle I was not convinced that it was for me.
As for the most current model (Turbo S), I think Porsche has made additional improvements mechanically, electronically and aesthetically so that IMHO it is probably the best all-around performance mid-sized SUV on the market. I certainly think it is the best looking one of the current crop of performance SUV's, having made major improvements in its styling cues over the past half dozen years.

Unfortunately, it also happens to be at least 30-40% more expensive compared to a comparably equipped M-B ML63 AMG or BMW X5M. Therefore, it does not really work as a "value" lease or purchase. This would be an ideal vehicle to purchase as the 2nd owner, off of a 1-3 year lease and get a CPO from an authorized Porsche Dealer. Also, I am impressed what Porsche has done with their diesel and hybrid versions of this vehicle. Both M-B and BMW had better pay close attention to ensure that their Owners' do not defect to Porsche in the next couple of years.....

AVB-AMG

ML500guy

I agree with you, I never buy new, to me it has to be at least 5-6 y.o so I can get a good price and opportunity to make my purchase while the car is still in good working condition. The basest Porsche Cayenne starts at $50K , it can be an option too for me next time around.

I just like how it looks (really beautiful) plus the MPG beats the hell out of the Benz, I drive a little yearly(6K or there about) so MPG it's not a matter.

I really like the look of the BMW X5 4.4 and 4.8S (year 2005-2006) though I talked my BMW mechanic and He told me it would be a risk, many of them have/had/could have a lot of problems, so reliability wise I went and still a great look I went with W164, I'm still thinking whether or not I should save for the Cayenne S later or buy an X5 4.4 or 4.8S 2005 or 06, I love how it drove as well.

To me Porsche Cayenne is just a notch above ML500 in luxury and performance and quality, but I really like my ML500. I would not put BMW close to these 2, I'd also take Audi Q5 over X5.

Rick Hohwart

So far, not very.

I have less than a two weeks on a 2011 CPO car with 30k miles. This is my wife's dream car which she has been talking about for the past few years. We were driving an '02 Xterra (110k miles) which was on its last legs and required more in service costs to keep it running that the car was worth. So perfect time to upgrade and get a car that my wife really wanted and which I think is pretty nice as well.

We love the styling, and cruising on the freeway or highway the thing drives like a vault. The MPG is much better than the Xterra (15 vs 18-19 so far) although not great, it is acceptable for our carpool commute.

But on surface streets with any irregularities the thing creaks. shakes, and rattles like there is no tomorrow. It is hard to imagine that a vehicle that can take on the nastiest bumps like they are nothing sounds like it is going to fall apart going over what appears to be an insignificant bump in the road doing 35.

I have never driven or ridden in anything this bad! And I have owned a wide array of cars and makes including VW, Alfa Romeo, Saab, Ford, BMW, Mazda, and driven countless POS rental cars with no crazy noises. Although my other Mercedes (C55) is pretty bad itself. I attributed some of its rattles to the nature of the vehicle - low profile tires, stiff suspension exaggerating the problem; plus it is 9 years old. The C55 is a fun car and the problems are easily overlooked. But a huge 2.5 year old Mercedes Benz SUV with 30K miles that you expect to be rock solid but makes a bunch of noise is a real bummer.

It is my fault for not taking an extended test drive which is what I would suggest for anyone. AC running in the hotter than normal SoCal weather probably made some sounds less apparent and a sales guy in the back seat did alleviate some of the noise coming from that area which was noticed later and "fixed" again when I rode around in back. The quality of the roads was pretty good as well.

The car goes in for service on Monday to try and fix some of the issues. But I know it is going to be a long process and I don't expect a miracle. I have tried some of the internet "fixes" for some rattling and none seem to work or don't work very well. Plus I located some problem areas and attempted simple fixes to no avail. I have a feeling the ML is what it is and we will have to live with it for a while then sell it earlier than we expected.

Even if they fix the rattles, I'll never buy an MB again. It's embarrassing to own and feel like an idiot for buying it.

My advice to anyone that has to have an ML would be to really check it out and take an extended test drive on a variety of surfaces and speeds before pulling the trigger on a purchase. But I'd suggest avoiding it completely.