Hi all-

Long time lurker, not an often poster. I've owned my 02 ML320 since I bought it new almost 7 years ago, and it's been a mostly positive experience (thankfully, and knock on wood!).

My wife and I got a little surprise earlier this year when we found out that #3 is on the way, and will arrive in November.

Since then, I've been on the fence about what to do with regards to a car.

Before we found out, I had been planning on buying a smaller car for neighborhood driving, and relegating the ML320 to longer trips, mostly to offset the cost of gasoline (not that we drive all that much, but the gas mileage I get on city streets, where I do most of my driving, is pathetic).

After we found out, I went immediately to the minivan option (the shrieks of horror ironically came from my wife, who still staunchly refuses to be seen in one).

I took a look at an R-Class awhile back (pretty sure it was an 06), but it didn't seem to me to be an option if you had 3 kids. My kids would be 7 and 5 when the baby arrives, so the only chore would be getting the kids into their seats and then strapping the baby's travel seat in.

Anyone here use this thing with 3 kids that cares to opine on positives/negatives? I'm somewhat conflicted, only because I'd rather not drop the coin on a new R (I work in an industry that will be facing tough times ahead, so I figured a trade-in for a used/certified car might be best) and I don't want to inherit someone else's troubles. Also, my ML has been very reliable, and I hate to give it up.

The really hard part about the decision is that I've got the third row option on the ML, and I almost get the feeling I could eke by with just the third row deployed for a few years until the youngest is older and then buy something like an R (and also give the economy a few years to shake out).

Sorry for rambling - thoughts?

 

Get the diesel!

 

Hi giantcrazy,
I currently drive a 2008 R350 that seats 7. We switched from the Volvo XC90 at the beginning of the year because the R has more leg room, my kids are tall. my kids are 10, 8 and 6. 6 is still in a booster. It's a great car however:
-second row doors open very wide so I have to be extra careful not to hit the other cars in the parking lot when helping kids get in car,
-middle seat in second row is too tight, you can opt not to get it so it's easier for kids to get in and out of the third row,
-if all seats are open, there's VERY little trunkspace,
-it's a much longer car than the ML, I'd recommend parktronic but mine is funny and won't work in the heat.
Other than that, we're happy. It's a pretty flexible car in regards to cargo. We've gone camping twice and have packed it full, I've loaded it with 5 kids and all were comfortable, I've loaded it with kids and their gear and bicycles.
As a mom of 3 I would recommend a bigger car just for the ease and they have good deals on the R whether you lease or buy (used or new) right now. You can also take over someone's lease, we've done that through a lease assumption website.
BTW, I tried to get a Honda minivan but the MB dealership I went to offered me a better deal.
Hope this helps.

 

I can't believe the prices on used 2006 R350s (see ebay). $28K should get you one I paid 40 Cdn for a 2006 this spring (barely used). If you look for 3 or 4 weeks you can pick out the right options (Pano Roof recommended-NAV unnecessary). The ML is still very popular with cool cell phone and go to the gym "moms" and would sell quickly. I have 2 teenagers - 15 and 16, and I've never heard a complaint. I assume you would put the smallest kid seat (using the cool MB ISOFIX child seat mounts) in the easiest place to reach - a middle seat. One of your other kids would occasionally ride in the rear when the spouse comes along - and with PANO roof it's not claustrophobic at all. This is a car you will grow with - and when it wears out you can always trade it in later on a diesel. I find it's the car you want to take, not have to take, and you can always brag it's longer than an escalade. And ... your wife will become one of those cool soccer moms who can still arrive in style, sans mini-van.

 

I have three kids and drive the '06. My kids are almost 5, going to be 3 and 11 months. I fit all the kids, groceries and their 'bags' in the car no problem. I set the cruise control on 80 for a quick 80 minute jaunt to see granny and get approx 23.0 mpg highway.

The car is much bigger inside than the ML, and I personally feel you have more room than an Odyssey. Also, as mentioned above, deals can be had quickly right now on the R's...Odyssey's, well not so much.

Climbing in to strap in the kids is the same if not easier as a mini-van, same process, and just as easy to get 'em out.

I would take everyone down to the dealer and jump in one, make yourself comfy and imagine rolling down the road to see if you can imagine how it would be.

-Ronnie

 

I have 2 kids (3yr and 2yr) and honestly wasn't a big fan of the R. Believe it or not, the CL was the family vehicle for 2 years. My wife and I are kinda anti-SUV.

All it took was a test drive and we were sold. We aquired our new R350 this past February and I must say we absolutely love it till this day. The look, ride, comfort and features. It all felt familiar to this MB fan and I would do it all over again, no regrets.

From a financial standpoint, I was either going to lease new or buy used with a heavy discount. I ended up leasing new. R's depreciate heavily making it a great used bargain. I would stick with 2007+ to weed out any of the 1st year bugs. Good luck! Either way you go, the R is a wonderful vehicle.

 

The R is a great option but do not forget about the GL. In either case, I would get a Diesel.

 

There is always the great diesel debate...the Bluetec that will be available soon would have to really throw some huge numbers on the board because right now my R350 is getting close to the same miles per gallon as the R320 and I'm not paying the high price for diesel fuel, nor am I paying the extra cost for servicing a diesel vehicle. I was so close to getting an R320, but now I'm happy I didn't, to each their own as they say.

By the way, how are you liking the Verde Brook color? I tried to order that color on my old 06 ML but it was delayed and I settled for a different color. Seems to be a rare color around my parts, I've only seen one on the lot.

 

Three kids. 10, 11 and 13. The 13 year old is 6'1" and 220. I have a CDI. It is perfect.

 

5 kids: 9, 5, 3, 17 mos, 11 wks

All fit in my 07 (9yr old in front seat as I just have a 6 seater)

Reiterate from comments above:

Forget about a stroller that's not ultra compact if all seats are up

Very wide doors, our other car has dings from the R's doors being opened while in the garage

Everyone rides comfortably in the car assuming they can buckle their own seatbelt when in the very back.

On the positive side, it's by far the best looking non van family hauler you can drive. Plus it's got the best ride you could ever ask for. Some of my oldest son's friends call it the limo because it has the dark tint and extended sunroof.

Our other car is a Sienna minivan, we're going to trade in the R in a couple of months for a Suburban most likely, 4 is the comfortable limit in the amount of children it can hold in my opinion.

 

You'll need a decent size roof box just like mine.
Mine eats in two full size luggage and one mid size luggage.
Perfect for operation: evacuation!

 

My biggest reservation with buying an R-class was the limited trunk space with the 3rd row up. However, with 3 kids, you can leave one of the 3rd row seats down and get in a couple of suitcases. Haven't had the need for a roof carrier yet. The longest road trip we've gone on is a week.

 

Does anyone fit a car seat plus two kids in the second row?

I personally would want that configuration with my three on trips, to be able to fold the third for luggage.

I don't think it's safe to put luggage next to someone in a half-folded third row unless the luggage is solidly secured.

 

i have to strongly disagree that it feels more roomy than an odyssey. we owned an odyssey and our R at the same time for nearly 2 years. the odyssey has so much more interior room for passengers and luggage that it is a waste of time even comparing them. that said, the R is a great car. but do not fooled. with the 6 seater, passing through the center is a tight fit due to the large armrests. if you have the 2d row center console or 7 seat model, you have to move the 2d row seat to gain access - decent space but a little cumbersome doing the seat slide and fold....and of course if you have booster or car seats in the 2d row you cannot slide/fold the seat access the rear.

i dont believe you could comfortably fit 2 kids and a carseat in the 2d row in a 7 pass model...short trips sure, but for a couple hours withouth them fighting?? maybe if they are eating candy nonstop and watching videos nonstop so they dont notice their proximity to one another....

the other huge problem is the relative lack of storage space behind the 3rd seat. if you dont need the seat, you can leave it folded and have very decent space back there. think of the R as a very large wagon in this configuration and if you need it, you have a very useable 3rd row. just dont plan to use it much if you need storage at the same time...

The R500 is great, but it is great b/c it drives like a car, has good power and more space, utility and style than a wagon or most full size SUVs. It does not have the space of a minivan or oversize SUV.

we just dumped the ody this month and got a new suburban for $17k off sticker ($16,500 off on our R500 at end of 2006). it cruises at 80 getting 18-20mpg and carries kids, dogs and lugguage so well...I cant imagine owning anything else with 3 or more kids....

 

had a 2004 ML350 . sold the ML to my sons 5th grade teacher ( she loves it) purchased a 2006 R350 with 13,000 mi LOVE IT! Black on Black with black Rims. My dad call it a hearse so I drove him up to Santa Barbara for the weekend from our home in L.A. 20min into the trip he was asleep. slept til we arrived . All he could say was the best ride he has ever been on. He is hard to please so enough said............

 

we love our R320CDI. I took the middle console out for a bit b/c we had 2 rear facing car seats that got moved around. we have had some configurations where the kids got in/our of the back and they actually loved doing that (we have all boys).

good luck! we love ours!

 

forgot to say that my kids are 11, 3 and 6 months

 

The Ody does have much more trunk space, but the legroom does not compare with the R's. Thats why some fell the R has more room. But the Odysssey is a bit wider esp in the rear with the 3 across 3rd row.

Has anyone considered taking out the spare and using that space under the floor and using runflat tires? I know a lot of people hate runflat tires, but after 3 years dealing with PAX runflat tires on the Ody, conventional runflat tires would be a blessing - comparatively. BTW if you are not familiar with the Michelin PAX runflats, google Michelin PAX lawsuit.

 

I agree that the seating is better in the 3rd row in the Ody, but it's all a matter of MB design, as both the Ody & the R are 77" wide. But I also agree that leg room, as well as overall comfort, driving experience and quality are much better in the R.

I haven't priced the run-flats in the R, but after two punctures, I'm thinking about it.

 

We have three kids and have driven an R350 since October 2006. It is the perfect vehicle for a family of five. There's plenty of room for everyone plus our black lab. We often drive from Northern Virginia to Maine, so comfort is a key for everyone.

We shopped for a while and compared against Escalade, Volvo XC ??, Sequoia, Nissan (monster) and the R350 blew away the others away.

I just wonder if a new body style is coming out later this year...

 

For three kids, there are lot of choices out there. So go ahead and buy the R. However, for family with 4 or more kids, choices are limited and, yes, minivans should be in your future. Once you own a minivan, you always surprised of the space efficiency of the van. It (Ody or Sienna) is as long as the R but has load of trunk space with all seats up; usable in tight spaces because of sliding doors; adults can get in and buckle up kids without having to bend down low (great in rain). And with the Sienna, you can also get 4WD and also in an 8-real seats configuration.
We bought a Sienna 8-seat to replace our '04 E wagon as a primary vehicle. We did look at an '08 R350 with 7 seats but the tiny middle seat was useless since we still have one full size carseat and 2 booster seats; and not space in the trunk for even a laundry basket (the same goes with the GL). Oh, I have 5 kids -9, 8, 5, 3 and 18 months.

 

We have 4 kids (but none are still in car seats) and the R350 is a great vehicle for the family. Ours is the 6 passenger and there is pleny of room for everyone and the two oldest are 20 and 14. I can't say enough good things about our experience with the R class thus far and don't understand for the life of me why they have not been good sellers for MB. The public doesn't realize what they are missing out on with this car.

 

After five and a half years in a Sienna and then Odyssey, we are ready to get back into a luxury car. Thanks for your evaluation with four kids. All mine are still in booster seats but old enough to do their own seat belts. This is the primary reason for a mini-van, being able to climb around to buckle in toddlers. The trunk space will be less in the R but unless we are taking a long trip, it won't be a real issue. There are always hitch carriers to deal with that. Besides, believe it or not, the R trunk behind the third row is bigger than the GL's! Look it up.

I always thought MB missed out by not building a REAL mini-van. So many middle class parents at the kids' school are in Tahoes and Suburbans because there are no luxury brands building anything large enough for multiple kids.

The R class beats the driveability and fit and finish of both the Sienna Limited and Odyssey Touring.

BTW - this is not a thread about quality but the Odyssey has about the same amount of problems as the 2000 ML320 I had.

 

Agree.

Yes, Odyssey has problem too. Transmission, electric sliding doors.

 

If you have a sample size of one for each, this is well within the realm of possibility. Differences in reliability these days are never as clear cut as "no vehicle ever has a problem" vs. "every vehicle has many problems," even though many people think and talk this way.