Is there anything good about an ML320?

[Supashake]

Most people that comment on cars on forums have really had nothing to do with them anyway. I Asked and got bad feed back and I'm happy that i got an ML anyway. Window piller trim is the daggy part of the trim and was very cheap to get a trimmer to put perfect.
Will keep buying them now.
Mate has a new ML63AMG, what a beast.

[itsnotagsr]

I think the plastics just didn't age well and become brittle. I broke the foot rest for example.

[Euroboost]

It's worse than that, they were made in Alabama (still are, aren't they?)

No, Went to Austria I believe in early 2000s.

The W163 was built in Tuscaloosa Alabama, except the ML55 AMG which was assembled in Austria. Iirc the ML500 was also assembled in Austria.

If you must get a W163, first shape, get the latest one you can afford as in theory it should have the least issues. But on these condition is more important then year, have seen an early ML320 7 seat luxury declared an economic writeoff due to the costs of fixing it. Hint, never tell your soon to be exwife you'll be taking the ML off her unless you do it straight away. Dogshit is hard to clean out of A/C ducts!

[Typhoon]

Get them to change the battery out for a new one before you buy the car.
I think the 320 has the battery under driver's seat, either that or the 500 does.
Every one of these Merc 4wd's I worked on came in with just about every warning light on the dash glowing, too expensive to get serviced/diagnosed the owners all said...probably bought them for $10k and freaked out that they had a lemon.
They do have a pretty solid body structure and Hayman Reese do a big towbar for them, but you're looking at a solid chunk of work getting a bar installed, wiring is not something the fit in your driveway towbar guys would comprehend, so get one with a bar installed or be prepared to drop $1k on a bar.

[peal]

The alternative may not have a merc badge, but there are a million better 4wds out there.

[MRMOPARMAN]

have seen an early ML320 7 seat luxury declared an economic writeoff due to the costs of fixing it. Hint, never tell your soon to be exwife you'll be taking the ML off her unless you do it straight away. Dogshit is hard to clean out of A/C ducts!

i call bullshit..

these things are worth around $15k yeah?

couldnt be worth more than $3K to pull the dash and heater system, pressure wash and reinstall?

[Euroboost]

Get them to change the battery out for a new one before you buy the car.
I think the 320 has the battery under driver's seat, either that or the 500 does.
Every one of these Merc 4wd's I worked on came in with just about every warning light on the dash glowing, too expensive to get serviced/diagnosed the owners all said...probably bought them for $10k and freaked out that they had a lemon.
They do have a pretty solid body structure and Hayman Reese do a big towbar for them, but you're looking at a solid chunk of work getting a bar installed, wiring is not something the fit in your driveway towbar guys would comprehend, so get one with a bar installed or be prepared to drop $1k on a bar.

Eh? The factory setup wasn't that bad to install, granted I only did 3. Hardest part was making it look pretty for the wanker customers, oh and remembering to fit the crush tubes in the rear crossmember!

i call bullshit..

these things are worth around $15k yeah?

couldnt be worth more than $3K to pull the dash and heater system, pressure wash and reinstall?

Mercedes labor rates for removing the entire interior, cleaning/replacing all the fucked bits which was pretty much everything, 5 new 17" SUV tyres, full service, replacement of everything else that was fucked added up to more then $25k, I suspect the bill was loaded to avoid the job. To be honest the car was badly neglected and was one of the very first ones so had a shopping list of issues.
Imho the best of the first series is the 2001 on ML270 CDI auto. The rare as hell manual didn't make sense.

[WRXCunt]

My mum had one when they first came out (2002 model ML320), now has a 2007 ML320 cdi, both from new.

First ML320 (the petrol v6) was great for the first year, but had a few problems after. Worst was the ECU died causing it to only run on 3 cyl, that happened twice, was a 3k+ fix (on warranty thank fuck).

She traded it in once the 5yr lease was up, and I the new one is miles ahead in terms of build quality, reliability, power ect. I get to steal it once or twice a week at the moment, love driving it.

[Captiva Fan]

I saw two of the 1st-gen ML320's broken down by the side of the road yesterday!
That's a breakdown-per-unit-sold ratio that's not been seen since Alfa Romeo in the late 80's ...

[Typhoon]

I saw two of the 1st-gen ML320's broken down by the side of the road yesterday!
That's a breakdown-per-unit-sold ratio that's not been seen since Alfa Romeo in the late 80's ...

When I used to do breakdown towing under NRMA contract in the inner city of Sydney, Mercs were around 15-25% of our breakdown work.
Talking to the owners led to the imperssion that, since Mercedes Benz's are so reliable, they don't need maintenance....I also got the impression the owners of said cars were flat out making the repayments on their image car and couldn't afford actual maintenance.

[itsnotagsr]

All the haters....

[Supashake]

I just got back from a 6 day trip along the south coast of WA in the ML.
1500ks on $130 worth of Diesel at $1.38 a liter as the cheapest inc Bush tracks and some rough beachs so that was a good effort. Car was great, Camped in the car as it has plenty of room and really enjoyed how easy it is to cover the miles in it as its smooth and handles very well.
Only downside now is I did listen to Internet Forum crap when tyre replacement time came.
Everyone said the Perreli scorpion tyres it was fitted with are crap and Coopers are the Ducks nuts so I replaced the Scorpions with Coopers and wish I had not as they dont handle as well and are not going to last anything like as long, Yes I did buy the correct load rated Coopers.
All I can say is Forum facts are still a Fiction read.

[GTREA]

Whoever told you Coopers were good!

Just google 'Coopers vs' and pretty much every thread you read would have at least a 70% bias against them.

BFGs are all I will swear buy and recommend

[Captiva Fan]

I just got back from a 6 day trip along the south coast of WA in the ML.
1500ks on $130 worth of Diesel at $1.38 a liter

Wow, you put American diesel into your ML320? And it continued to run OK? I am impressed, I'll have to ignore the experienced unpleasantness involved in driving one - they're damned hardy!!

[Supashake]

Patrol etc Forums at the time said Coopers.
The current tyres should see the ML to trade in time I hope.
Asian Cheapys on my Patrol have been fantastic even copping the Powerline trip without trouble.
I want an ML350CDI or a VW Toe'rag next, Tried an X5 BMW Off road and it was 100% Usless so thats out and I spent time in an Audi but it was just to Ugly.