imtheking

Looked at a 2010 ML350 yesterday in Maryland with 103k miles for $8500. two owner car with 22 service records and a clean carfax

Current owner is a wholesale dealer who said he bought the car from Manheim for his Mom in October 2023 who ended up having a stroke so she can no longer climb in and out of high sitting vehicles. He even showed me the Manheim receipt showing he bought it for $8700.

The car passed MD state safety inspection in January 2024. Owner spent $1000 to replace one strut, address an issue with one of the mirrors and replaced front pads. MD safety inspection is comprehensive so everything like the struts, ball joints, control arms, tires, rack and pinion etc etc etc is checked.

Car looks great except for a few cosmetic issues like minor scratches on the front and rear bumper and an interior trim panel on the door that looks a little faded. The driver seat also has a minor tear.

I'm going to get a PPI tomorrow but what are the first things I need to look for? He did say he replaced the lift gate motor himself recently so I'm going to have my mechanic rip up the spare tire area and look for water.

What were some of the common issues on this car that I should check first? Water in the trunk, manifold flaps, leaks (oil, differential etc)

Think of anything else? Thanks for all your help

Vmaxxer

Check for ABS errors, do a diagnostic for fault codes and check if the air suspension doesnt have any leaks (if air suspension is present)

Tsumi

Water in spare tire well and battery compartment are the two special areas I can think of. Everything else is standard things to look for on a used car.

imtheking

Thanks to you both- I decided to pass on the car. I couldn't deal with the cosmetic issues. The wheels also had a lot of scuffs.

I did bid on an almost flawless 2009 ml350 on "bring a trailer" but the bid got slightly to high and after factoring in shipping from florida, taxes, fees- It wasn't worth it. I was going to be all in for $10,500+ for an 2009 with 137k miles- but god it was pretty with a great service history.

The search continues.....

juanmor40

Keep in mind that MLs have "water intrusion issues" in their DNA --> Always check for water presence current or old in the trunk (both side pods and spare tire area).

Engine-wise, those with the M272 engine after mid-2007 should be nearly bullet-proof. A common issue is the PCV valve letting too much oil into the intake (check hose from PCV -> Throttle body) and gumming up the intake manifold then the lever breaking (it does not throw a CEL but an internal code --> SCAN)

imtheking

Man, you guys on this board are a god send.

I will definetly have my mechanic check for water intrusion and the PCV valve. As a preventive maintenance, is it a good idea to swap out the PCV valve? Whatever ML I purchase, I plan on getting the taillight seals replaced FIRST.

juanmor40

Monitor the PCV valve, and keep it in mind as a maintenance item (some in the forum advice 100K) and that should protect the intake manifold longer.

The issue with the seals of the taillights, as far as I understand, is an "installation issue". So, even new ones can leak if not installed "properly". Also, check for water through the metal sheet overlaps between quarter panels/roof (whatever they are called). I recall a video of a GL (ML on steroids) where the rear washer fluid hose separated and leaked towards the left side pod. Water on some connectors on that pod, and gremlins all around.

imtheking

From the research I've done, the taillights and body area need to be cleaned very well before using the new seal- and the seal needs to be attached to the body of the car and NOT the taillight.

I'll make sure to ask the seller if he has had any water leaks in the car and from where etc....you know, things like this you will never know until you actually own the car and experience some rain. I can't imagine a seller allowing me to spray his car with a garden hose to check for leaks lol

imtheking

Last question- should I stay away from a vehicle that's been in an accident? The ML I like shows it had an accident in 2015- it hit an animal, maybe a deer. but the car looks really clean. Owner is going to show it to me this weekend when he returns from his trip. Pretty good service history.

Last service on carfax (4k miles ago) shows that he got the spark plugs rreplaced along with the intake manifold gasket