Mercedes ML270

[midget_nick]

My Dad is looking into them and would like to know what they are like.

He doesn't want to use it offroad but for a work car. Just wondering if there are any problems or things to know about them. Is there much boot space for tools etc. Are they reliable? and are they a good car?

I found you can get used ones under $30,000 so they seam pretty cheap for what they are.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Nick

[Alpine]

A friend of mine who has an ML500 describes it as the most expensive lemon he's ever bought. Squeaks and rattles, goes thru tyres like there's no tomorrow, expensive to maintain, electrical problems. It's a good looking car though, but in my opinion there are much better value for money vehicles out there than the 1st gen ML.

[Gwagensteve]

Mercs normally have excellent resale value..... they are cheap for a reason.

Maintenance bills will be quite high and they are not as well made or engineered as older, or german built Mercs. One of the girls at my work has one - A ML430. It is heavy on tyres (takes the inside edges out) and has had some electrical gremlins.

According to a merc specialist a know, Mercs engineering started falling away around 1992. They are still lovely cars, but they don't have the indestructible feel they used to.

Steve.

[Vanne]

If yourb gonna grab one, make sure its one thats been put together in germany, most of the later gen ML's have been put together in the states, and all those are crap. (or so ive bin told)

My sis had a 1st gen ML, and its comparable to a kids mover, mini van. Very nice to drive, but exy on parts when breakdown/ esp electricaly. No idea how these things go off road, ive never seen one off road.

That said though, the Older Merc 4x4 the "G" or Gerando model is absolutly the ducks nuts. and if you can grab one, do so. Probly the most capable off road (out of the shop) truck there is from that side of europe. diff locks as standard, crawl gears also as standard.

they also include factory winches but are rough to ride in. loads of army joints in Europe use them.

anyways, i guess merc isnt all bad.

[Gwagensteve]

If yourb gonna grab one, make sure its one thats been put together in germany, most of the later gen ML's have been put together in the states, and all those are crap. (or so ive bin told)

My sis had a 1st gen ML, and its comparable to a kids mover, mini van. Very nice to drive, but exy on parts when breakdown/ esp electricaly. No idea how these things go off road, ive never seen one off road.

That said though, the Older Merc 4x4 the "G" or Gerando model is absolutly the ducks nuts. and if you can grab one, do so. Probly the most capable off road (out of the shop) truck there is from that side of europe. diff locks as standard, crawl gears also as standard.

they also include factory winches but are rough to ride in. loads of army joints in Europe use them.

anyways, i guess merc isnt all bad.

All ML's are made in the US. Even the German market ML's are made in the US.

Ahhh, the Gwagen. They are super capable, but I don't think I would recommend anyone in their right mind should buy one. I have owned mine for nearly 10 years.

They are far from rough to ride in - they are all coil and have very soft spring rates. "Crawl gears" are not available. They have just over a 2:1 transfer, just like any other 4WD. They do have deep diff gears, but this is because many are very underpowered and need to keep the engine spinning. Later, more powerful variants have much taller gearing.

Yes, diff locks were standard on all australian market G's. There are some very early European Gwagens that have a rear diff lock only.

I am not aware of a "factory" winch. My research in owning one for 9 years has never uncovered a factory fitted winch Most general service military vehicles don't have winches. ARB did make a bull bar for them through that would take a 10,000lb low mount or 8000 high mount winch.

They were last sold in any numbers in australia in 1986 and are now very cheap, but like the ML example, this is because they are very expensive to maintain, especially if you have to pay someone's labour.

They never really achieved the army contracts they were looking for. they were originally developed for a contract on 25000 planned under the Shah of Iran (who was deposed in 1979) so the contract disappeared. After that, Benz and Styer-Daimler-Puch, who jointly developed the vehicle (they are built by Styer in Austria, alongside diesel Jeeps) went looking for military contracts. The French bought some badged as Peugeot P4, I think the Danish army and the Austrians bought some - but they have never been adopted as widely as say the Land rover. The most common army versions are for general troop movements and run very small tyres and are terribly underpowered (2150kg 4door wagon with 55kw?)

Many armies have a few though - even the US have some, but the last significant contract was for the Canadians who bought about 1800 in around 2005. They're very cool with 34" tyres on beadlocked rims and stuff.

Steve.