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I'm Looking to Purchase a 2012 ML 350 BlueTec. It's with 68,000 miles. It has always been dealer serviced.
Can someone share with what should I be looking for with this type of vehicle. Is this a good vehicle or will
it only give me headaches down the road. If anyone has an experience in owning this type of vehicle?
Is this something that I should consider? What sort of maintenance will I be dealing with 15 to 20K miles
down the road.
Any assistance from anyone, will be greatly appreciated. Please share your thoughts.
The OM642 diesel engine in this vehicle is a large headache. Read the many threads on this site. MB lost a class action on this, similar to VW Dieselgate.
Owners are entitled to compensation in the form of repairs/retrofits and additional warranty. Owners who have had the class action repairs done report success, so far.
The OM642 diesel engine in this vehicle is a large headache. Read the many threads on this site. MB lost a class action on this, similar to VW Dieselgate.
Owners are entitled to compensation in the form of repairs/retrofits and additional warranty. Owners who have had the class action repairs done report success, so far.
I really like mine but did have to take care of several things after I got it. Most notable was engine oil cooler seal leakage. At the MB dealer I was quoted $3600 to complete the repair. I imagine the bill would have been much high as I also had to air induction piping to the engine due to a worn out PCV assembly allowing excess oil to get into the air intake system. Soot and oil make a very sticky mess, but have completed all repairs myself and now have a very nice running car. Took it on the longest trip a couple of weeks ago and averaged over 34 MPG. Another repair I had to complete was replacing the rear suspension spring coils, both were broken. I really like this car thus far even with the repairs that I had to complete. I have had many Mercedes diesels and this by far is the nicest one I have owned. I have also added the OEM hitch package with factory electronic hardware and software.
RUN away from any MB diesel built after 2006. The same ML350 with the gasoline m276 engine is inherently reliable. The diesel is inherently UNreliable. Any fuel mileage savings you think you're getting will be far outweighed by the higher cost of diesel fuel, maintainence, repairs, and aggravation.
To add, I started driving diesels in 1981, a VW Rabbit, and have been stuck on diesels ever since. I have had (6) Mercedes diesels and haven't had one that I couldn't work on and take care of. yes, some have more issue than others, but what car doesn't. It is always and adventure, since all cars that I have bought have been used. The last brand-new car purchase was back in 2003. I have always enjoyed the quality of materials that you get with a Mercedes, which the American car manufacture fall short on. My last Mercedes diesel purchase before the ML was a 1995 E300D, when purchased it had 260,000 miles and sold it when it had close to 500,000 miles, yes it was tired at that point, but still a very comfortable ride.
OM642. The diesel engine that made the term "limp mode" a household name. What's your plan when the instrument cluster says you have "5 starts remaining" due to the common adblue system failure? It's a junk engine with a junk emissions system. There is really no reason to own one over the gasoline version of the same vehicle. I know over 25 Mercedes technicians from both independents and dealerships. Almost all of them drive at least one MB, and none of them.... None.... own a diesel except one 2006 E320 cdi, which was the last good diesel built by MB in the U.S.
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