...and I have found that the "A" service on my ML hovers about the same in terms of cost...so this is not just a model-specific factor...

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car