To ML320Guy: On page 196 of my owners manual it states for the first 1000 miles not to drive at a steady speed and don't go beyond 2/3 of maximum RPM. Max being 6000, so 2/3 would of course be 4000 rpm. I haven't done that! Final drive ratio on a 2005 Ml500 is 3.70 X .83 overdrive= 3.07 final. With 29.1 tire diameter @ 2700 RPM = 76 MPH. I've done that! @ 4000 rpm your speed would be 112 MPH. I'll probably never do that! I have 1500 miles on it now and the oil level hasn't moved. I drove the 430 I had the same way and it never used any oil up until I sold it with 46K on it. I think with the hard aluminum cylinder walls and low tension rings in the 133 engines you're pretty safe. The biggest danger to going fast in a new vehicle could be the ring and pinion gears. My 500 had 28 miles on it when I picked it up, so I don't know how it was driven before I got it. All I know is I'm happy with it, and in the end my dealer will take care of me. He always has!! Thanks for your input!!
