I picked up a 2001 ML430 very cheaply at the auction, and decided to keep it as my "beater".

I just came back from a 1500 mile road trip and it was an excellent vehicle. I get the stability, comfort and acceleration of a car with the ride height of a truck. The interior quality is pretty good, in my opinion.

Compared to my BMW X5 4.4 that I sold years ago the whole thing looks cheap, but I like the drivetrain in this car a whole lot better. My X5 was a gas pig, tires wouldn't last more than 30,000 miles in the rear and were un-alignable, and burned as much cash as gas to keep running, but the interior quality and handling was way ahead of the ML.

I couldn't imagine buying one new for the price it sold for, but it sure is alot of bang for the buck now. Looks are kind of blah; thinking of covering up the nose with a grill guard.

Averaged a solid 20MPG for the trip with my heavy foot. Totally reliable. I'll most likely turn it over to 150,000 this month.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Why are they so cheap? Any expensive time bombs?

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Remember, Safety Third!
'99 E300 Turbodiesel, '82 300TD, 1996 12V Cummins Turbo, '94 Neoplan - Detroit 6V92TA

Yes.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

They are actually pretty cheap to keep running.

Parts are abundant, and the drivetrain is pretty bulletproof.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

Here's a suggestion....

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[GONE] - 1995 Mercedes E300 Diesel - 130k miles - Smoke Silver (702) over Mushroom leather (265) - Bladder blasting, coast-to-coast work machine.

"Please come to the white courtesy telephone, a call for you is holding on line 2 !"

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

My buddys mom had an 01 ML430 that she got new, they have 300,000k on the original engine and transmission. Had none of the problems I hear are typical. I agree, the interior is very "plastic" but overall any car that will give you 300,xxx miles is good in my book.

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2001 G500 (45k and counting)
1991 350SDL (211 and counting)
1998 C43 (50k) Silver/Black (sold)
1995 E500 (40k and counting) Pearl Black/Anthracite (sold)
1991 300CE (50k and counting) Silver/Black Cloth (sold)
1983 300D - 79k Classic White/Blue Leather
2002 E55 Obsidian Black/Black
1996 S600 Coupe - 75k Black/Black (traded)
1984 300D -145k (sold)
Silver Blue Metallic/ Blue Leather
1985 300D - 87k (sold)
Manganese Brown/ Palomino Leather
2005 E55, 50k(sold)
Flint Gray/Black

What are the bigge$t nightmares relative to early ML's?

Resale value?

Engine: M113... Thor's hammer

Transmission: 722.6... Odin's Spear.

Transfer Case: Used sub-100k examples going for $300-$500. Cheap, meaning not much demand for the part.

Electronics: Pretty simple, usual niggles

Suspension: Really tough stuff, no air ride to worry about

Brakes: W163 never had electronic brakes like the W211. No worries.

Body: I don't see many rusty MLs compared to W210s, no spring perch issues to worry about. Body on frame like a truck. Not car body with a lift.

Build quality/assembly/materials: Here's where there's the conjecture. Feels cheap and not the usual fit and finish you'd expect with the marque.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Didn't some of these things have the dreaded harmonic balancer problem?

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I'm sick of .sig files

I encountered a wobbly harmonic balancer with a 2002 E430. Really scary looking. Easy to inspect and replace if needed. Not good to ignore and let explode, taking your timing cover and whatever else.

At least you can inspect it, unlike the vacuum pump on a 617.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

What about the ML3xx? Completely different animal, or just underpowered?

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

IIRC, the ML320's were the ones with the harmonic balancer problem. The ML430's weren't as popular becuase of the more thirsty engine (and the GL-class was instruduced soon after ?)

Thanks for the note Tyler - I'm always on the looking for longer-lasting vehicles.

-John

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

I don't have much experience with the early ML's but my boss' (wife) has a 06 ML350 which I've driven on multiple occasions. Not impressed by the interior build quality at all, the drive train is nice though.

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http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z...-RESIZED-1.jpg
1991 300E - 212K and rising fast...

I don't think its very thirsty in comparison to the 320. Goldie averaged 19MPG for the whole trip, including all the stop and go in Dallas, Austin, and Houston. I have a heavy foot, so I was very surprised.

The only harmonic balancer failure I've had was with a 2002 E430. Heavy wobbling, catastrophic failure imminent.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!