Need Help Making a Decision
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2015 ML350 4MATIC
Need Help Making a Decision
I'm looking at getting my first MB M Class, I have narrowed it down to two, and don't know which to pick. The first is a 2015 ML350 4Matic with 22k miles. The second is a 2014 ML550 with 37k miles. The 550 is listed for about $2k more. Both have a little bit of manufacturers's warranty left, but neither are sold by an MB dealer. Is the maintenance on the 550 a lot more than the 350? Is the V8 awesome, because that's what I am thinking it would be and the 550 has real leather vs the MBTex. Both a 2-3 hrs away so I can't do a good side by side. I'm not a rich guy by any means and want a nice cool car, I just want to make sure I'm making a good decision. Any help from the experienced owners would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Boston, MA
'14 ML350, '13 C220 CDI, '07 C280, '98 ML320
I'm looking at getting my first MB M Class, I have narrowed it down to two, and don't know which to pick. The first is a 2015 ML350 4Matic with 22k miles. The second is a 2014 ML550 with 37k miles. The 550 is listed for about $2k more. Both have a little bit of manufacturers's warranty left, but neither are sold by an MB dealer. Is the maintenance on the 550 a lot more than the 350? Is the V8 awesome, because that's what I am thinking it would be and the 550 has real leather vs the MBTex. Both a 2-3 hrs away so I can't do a good side by side. I'm not a rich guy by any means and want a nice cool car, I just want to make sure I'm making a good decision. Any help from the experienced owners would be appreciated. Thanks.
Either way, if you can do preventive maintenance yourself after the warranty period, you will save lot of money.
If I were you, I'd choose 2015 with lesser miles.
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'13 GLK350 4matic,'10 C207,'15 GLA250,'07 Honda Odyssey, '18 GLE 43, '24 EQS 580
If you dont care about paying a little bit more for gas and want a lot of power then go for the 550. I would say you will pay almost 1/3 more gas compared to the 350. The 350 has descent power and should be enough but if you have a power, speed hungry right foot you might feel it will lack the omph. I would prefer the MB tex over than the leather as it is a more stronger material. The leather will get wrinkles over time which the mb text won't. You also need to maintain the leather were as the MB tex will only need plain water to clean. Again a choice between a real cow skin vs man made skin. I would look at the options of the car as well. Dont let mileage be the primary factor in getting a used car as long it is not more than 10k miles apart as 10k miles is very easy to accumulate when you drive a lot of highway miles.
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From: TX
2023 GLE3502W, 2024 GLC3002W, 1967 Pontiac GTO 4 sp (sold...sniff)
My '14 ML350 with leather and a/c seats.
MBTEX puckering on newer GLE's
If you dont care about paying a little bit more for gas and want a lot of power then go for the 550. I would say you will pay almost 1/3 more gas compared to the 350. The 350 has descent power and should be enough but if you have a power, speed hungry right foot you might feel it will lack the omph. I would prefer the MB tex over than the leather as it is a more stronger material. The leather will get wrinkles over time which the mb text won't. You also need to maintain the leather were as the MB tex will only need plain water to clean. Again a choice between a real cow skin vs man made skin. I would look at the options of the car as well. Dont let mileage be the primary factor in getting a used car as long it is not more than 10k miles apart as 10k miles is very easy to accumulate when you drive a lot of highway miles.
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2015 ML350 4MATIC
Thanks for the input, now I am really leading toward a cpo because I tend to keep my vehicles for more than a couple years. I am hoping that I can offer list price on the cpo I like and get them to throw in the extended mb warranty on top of the extra year that comes with the cpo for little to no extra $. Is this just wishful thinking on my part?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 187
From: TX
2023 GLE3502W, 2024 GLC3002W, 1967 Pontiac GTO 4 sp (sold...sniff)
Thanks for the input, now I am really leading toward a cpo because I tend to keep my vehicles for more than a couple years. I am hoping that I can offer list price on the cpo I like and get them to throw in the extended mb warranty on top of the extra year that comes with the cpo for little to no extra $. Is this just wishful thinking on my part?
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From: Southern Illinois
, 2023 BMW X4, 1991 190E
In your case I would buy the ML550 since neither are from a MB dealer and not CPO. With everyone one going to smaller engines, i.e. 4 cylinders with turbos, I think having a V8 would make your car an exception and alot of people would be envious of you. If one was a CPO over the other then I would go for the CPO. I purchased a 2015 ML350, CPO and have been happy with it but the idea of a V8 is really tempting. As I have lamented on this site not buying a ML550, I have heard from several ML550 owners who say the power increased is not that dynamic, but the ML550 has other features beside the engine that are options on the ML350. I guess I just need to grow up and stop wanting a ML550. I would bet when the new version of the GLE comes out in 2018, it will have a 4 cylinder like the Volvo XC-90, Which I feel are under powered.
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Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
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From: Ottawa ON Canada
2015 ML350 Bluetec
Thanks for the input, now I am really leading toward a cpo because I tend to keep my vehicles for more than a couple years. I am hoping that I can offer list price on the cpo I like and get them to throw in the extended mb warranty on top of the extra year that comes with the cpo for little to no extra $. Is this just wishful thinking on my part?
Last edited by Koenig1; Oct 12, 2017 at 07:21 PM.
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2017
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2015 ML350 4MATIC
I'm in central Illinois but the car I like is up near Chicago. I'd like to negotiate most of it over the phone because once I drive up there I'm going to pretty much have myself committed to buying something that day.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 323
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From: Ottawa ON Canada
2015 ML350 Bluetec
GL
