I heard this on the radio this morning so I googled it. Even for 2007 Mercedes M Class was Worst in Reliability for Mid size SUV. Consumers Report.

cut and paste ---

Midsized SUV
Best: Toyota Highlander Hybrid (slighly better than the regular Highlander)
Worst: Mercedes-Benz M-Class
I still enjoy driving my Mercedes. Its my 1st Mercedes and probably my last.

__________________
Steve Danville
what i did myself.
CPS
rear shocks
MAS x 3.
SparkPlugs (twice)
Fuel pump & Filter
Window switch
replaced both failed horns with Honda horns.
Cleaned ERG Tube
Oil changes
Oil consumption Fix
Brake Pads
A/C Recharge
Anti-Freeze change X 2.
Front Shocks. Monroe. $90
Mercedes Warrenty Work:
Harmonic balancer,power steering clamp. Cat converters.Drive Shaft Bearing.s
Replaced Outer Lower Tie Rods and front lower ball joints at 156,000 miles

I love my ML, too bad they couldn't have picked better suppliers for parts. They need to send their management to Toyota for quality control classes. The new GL isn't helping matters much either, lots of oil burning issues, tire problems and transmission troubles. Really sad for a $65,000 + truck. Mercedes fooled me once but not a second time. This was and still is my first Mercedes and also my last Mercedes. A Toyota Highlander will replace it when the time comes. My 2 cents.

Aren't the ML's assembled in the US? Are they the only ones. Is there a connection between that and their poor quality rating? I had heard this, too.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

The ML, GL & R I believe are assembled in Alabama. Thats not the problem though. A lot of Toyotas, Hondas etc are assebled in the US also. Its a management problem, not where its assembled problem.

Amen!

I do not always trust those reports. Sure the MLs (old and new generation) have had their problems, no dispute there. But, you have to remember that these reports are based on consumer surveys and service visits. Who do you think is pickier about every single thing in their truck working perfectly: the person who drops $60k on an M-B, or the one who spends $25k on a Chevy Trailblazer? Yes, it is an extreme example, but not that far off. Also, think about the technology in an M-B as opposed to some other SUVs--when you push the envelope in that fashion, sometimes things go wrong.

Let's face it, 99% of the people who buy an M-B truck are not the types of people who visit this forum, work on their trucks themselves, and really put them through their paces. They are professionals and spouses of wealthy professionals who expect to be catered to in all respects, and want their status symbol suburban vehicle looking and working perfectly so they can show it off to the neighbors. Stuck-ups like that are why reports like this exist. As a guy who grew up with ford and chvey trucks, I will take my M-B over them anyday. My opinion.

Maybe reliability isn't the greatest on an ML. But, I walked away with no damage on me when I totaled my ML this past weekend. I can just imagine me laying in a hospital, still, from that accident if I was in a Toyota.

I am picking up a 2000 ML320 early next week. 70,000 miles, black w/black interior. All service records. I would not even consider a Toyota, new or used.

It was interesting speaking with the insurance guy. He said he bought his wife a X5 beamer because of his experiences with all the makes of cars. He stated the only good car is a German car. They get banged up, but people walk away. He specifically mentioned Toyotas and how people don't usually walk away, and are usually stretchered away, alive or dead.

I'll take a belt tensioner at 125,000, an EGR at 130,000, a trans at 146,000, and squeeky rear shocks, and walk away from a total.

__________________
Thank You!
Fred
2009 ML350
2004 SL600
2004 SL500
1996 SL600
2002 SLK32
2005 CLK320 cabrio
2003 ML350
1997 C280 Sport

Dear Crash
If I were you I would drive a Mercedes too.

__________________
Steve Danville
what i did myself.
CPS
rear shocks
MAS x 3.
SparkPlugs (twice)
Fuel pump & Filter
Window switch
replaced both failed horns with Honda horns.
Cleaned ERG Tube
Oil changes
Oil consumption Fix
Brake Pads
A/C Recharge
Anti-Freeze change X 2.
Front Shocks. Monroe. $90
Mercedes Warrenty Work:
Harmonic balancer,power steering clamp. Cat converters.Drive Shaft Bearing.s
Replaced Outer Lower Tie Rods and front lower ball joints at 156,000 miles

Meaning what????

__________________
Thank You!
Fred
2009 ML350
2004 SL600
2004 SL500
1996 SL600
2002 SLK32
2005 CLK320 cabrio
2003 ML350
1997 C280 Sport

Did anyone notice that Mercedes and all the luxury brands were in the basement? This tends to lend credence to the pickiness. Even the vaunted Lexus got bit this time around. It will be interesting to see what kind of issues they have with their 8 speed in the new LS. Is Mercedes quality what it used to be? No. But in todays era with the number of gadgets in a luxury car it is amazing there aren't more failures. The days of the simple Mercedes are gone. For the foreseeable future I am buying Benz even if I have to buy used. Hopefully I can hold out until I can afford a decent used ML or GL CDI

__________________
My Daily : 96 E-300 Diesel with 195,000 miles
Retired: 92 300D 2.5 T 345K miles and for sale
Retired: 95 E320 157K miles and currently parked with blown engine

Both retired cars are for sale as is my w124 shop inventory

Oh and the GL got SUV of the year? Mercedes Benz Tuscaloosa must be doing something right. Roll Tide! lol Consumer reports is a useful tool but you must remember what filter they use. Maybe they need a normalized metric like defects per gadget. That would be more valid then defects per vehicle. Also a complexity figure and dealer/manufacturer response needs to be figured in. If you care what consumer reports says you don't want a Benz anyway. Benz is more after the Car and Driver set

__________________
My Daily : 96 E-300 Diesel with 195,000 miles
Retired: 92 300D 2.5 T 345K miles and for sale
Retired: 95 E320 157K miles and currently parked with blown engine

Both retired cars are for sale as is my w124 shop inventory

Hey DieselJim,

You nailed it!!!

I agree 100%...

Rene

__________________
'99 ML320, '00 C280

I cant argue with your commentary.
I for one dont fit into the Mercedes mold I guess. I only read road and track in the dentist office. JD Powers and Consumers Reports gets my attention. I dont care about percieved status. I see Honda Pilots on the road and believe they are smarter richer owners than I. I bought the ML320 because my friend was traiding it in and I could buy a 3 year old ML320 for $13,000. his trade allowance. ( On a Lexus SUV ). For a consumer, since the ML's depreciate like a rock (vs.Honda for example).. A used Mercedes ML can be a good value if one can do his own maintenance. Just one poor working slob's thinking.
me.

__________________
Steve Danville
what i did myself.
CPS
rear shocks
MAS x 3.
SparkPlugs (twice)
Fuel pump & Filter
Window switch
replaced both failed horns with Honda horns.
Cleaned ERG Tube
Oil changes
Oil consumption Fix
Brake Pads
A/C Recharge
Anti-Freeze change X 2.
Front Shocks. Monroe. $90
Mercedes Warrenty Work:
Harmonic balancer,power steering clamp. Cat converters.Drive Shaft Bearing.s
Replaced Outer Lower Tie Rods and front lower ball joints at 156,000 miles

Years ago I decided to ignore consumer reports reliability ratings. Life has been good ever since. Here's why.

What CR collects and publishes is not reliability data of different auto manufacturers. Rather, it is people's opinions of the reliability of their cars. These are two different things. I used to subscribe to CR, and as such, received their survey used to collect the data. The survey corresponded closely to the little red & black circles they publish. What the survey asked was for you to identify the make, model, & year of your vehicle(s), and to identify any areas in which you experienced major problems.

There was no guidance on what constituted major vs. minor, or any other kind of problem. There was no guidance on what constituted a problem (e.g. a mechanical breakdown vs. the radio only has 6 FM preset buttons). Further, no documentation was required with the survey. CR was not examining the repairs actually required on various vehicles. So the data they collect is actually opinions.

The group they survey consists of their own subscribers. For the last 25 years they have been telling that group that Hondoytas are the most reliable vehicles. What would you expect that group to echo back when surveyed?

So I ignore CR and buy what I want. I might have a different view if they collected repair data and failure reports (e.g. wheel bearing failed, right front window doesn't go up & down any longer), collated the data and generated reports from there. But IMHO what they are conducting is an opinion survey, and I'm not interested in what the average consumer thinks of their car.

- JimY

I remember when the New ML in 1998 got SUV of the year also. What a joke.