Just agreed to buy a 10 plate ML 300 Blue Eff - any advice gratefully received!

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nictry

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ML63
So today I pulled the trigger and paid a deposit on a 2010 ML300 which I have not even seen and is over 200 miles away from me!

Yes I am probably bonkers but having bought my last 3 cars without seeing them I hope I won't be disappointed when I go and collect it (possibly this weekend) but I would appreciate any guidance, advice or general thoughts from the community about my purchase.

I have a few questions based more on my google research which may or may not be true or relevant that hopefully someone can also advise on?

It has 20" wheels (agreed to have 4 new ones as part of the deal) but I believe for off road or snow etc. these are about as bad as it can be and really needs 17/18" with winter tyres to get the benefit of the AWD? However coming from an Audi A6 will the basic wheels on it now still be a big step forward during bad weather etc.?

It has Comand so from what I can see it had an SD card for music, is I that simple, stick card in (does it cope with big 32gb capacity etc.) and it plays ok? It has a media interface too, what is the use of this? Also re the sat nav (I assume Comand has this as standard?) how do I know which version it has?

Real world driving/mpg, seems 25mpg around town is ok/good and possibly 30+ on motorways? Realistic or possibly a bit better with sensible driving?

Anything else to look for or check when I pick up? It is from an MB dealer with full MB warranty etc. so am hoping shouldn't be too many shocks but I guess would be good to know of anything specific to look out for?

Thanks in advance, haven't been on the forums since I got rid of my e class a few years back but good to see everything on here is still going strong and good to be back :)
 
Couple of other small question if anyone can help?

It seems the days of my 2x32gb SD cards in my A6 are well gone as the most the ML Comand can hold is 4gb (is this truly correct as feels very 1990s!!!) Also if it has the media interface is it better to just connecy a big capacity USB key instead (or an Iphone/Ipod?)

Cheers.
 
Couple of other small question if anyone can help?

It seems the days of my 2x32gb SD cards in my A6 are well gone as the most the ML Comand can hold is 4gb (is this truly correct as feels very 1990s!!!) Also if it has the media interface is it better to just connecy a big capacity USB key instead (or an Iphone/Ipod?)

Cheers.

There's a set of cables you should have with the car , connection to theses via the i pod , phone etc are a great way of listening to the music !! If you don't have the set of leads you can get them off ebay cheap !!!
 
So today I pulled the trigger and paid a deposit on a 2010 ML300 which I have not even seen and is over 200 miles away from me!

It has Comand so from what I can see it had an SD card for music, is I that simple, stick card in (does it cope with big 32gb capacity etc.) and it plays ok? It has a media interface too, what is the use of this? Also re the sat nav (I assume Comand has this as standard?) how do I know which version it has?

Real world driving/mpg, seems 25mpg around town is ok/good and possibly 30+ on motorways? Realistic or possibly a bit better with sensible driving?

Anything else to look for or check when I pick up? It is from an MB dealer with full MB warranty etc. so am hoping shouldn't be too many shocks but I guess would be good to know of anything specific to look out for?

Thanks in advance, haven't been on the forums since I got rid of my e class a few years back but good to see everything on here is still going strong and good to be back :)

Make sure the media interface leads are there !!!!!!!
Check inner walls on tyres !!! They do tend to eat them !!!
I have a 350 blue eff , does 37 mpg sometimes if I'm driving it ok , but get 15 /19 when I'm driving it hard !!!!
The sat Nav is command , this would be updated free for the first 3 years off the vehicles life !!! Ask them to update the system to the latest edition !!! Will cost you £80 to do , tell /ask them if they will do it free of charge !!! :D
If your ml has air matic play with it to ensure there's no problems !!!!
If electric seats , ensure they work ok too !!!
Apart from that things should be ok , hope it helps regards Jon
 
gl boy said:
Make sure the media interface leads are there !!!!!!! Check inner walls on tyres !!! They do tend to eat them !!! I have a 350 blue eff , does 37 mpg sometimes if I'm driving it ok , but get 15 /19 when I'm driving it hard !!!! The sat Nav is command , this would be updated free for the first 3 years off the vehicles life !!! Ask them to update the system to the latest edition !!! Will cost you £80 to do , tell /ask them if they will do it free of charge !!! :D If your ml has air matic play with it to ensure there's no problems !!!! If electric seats , ensure they work ok too !!! Apart from that things should be ok , hope it helps regards Jon


Cheers for the replies, I have got them to replace all the tyres so should be no issue there. I have confirmed today it will have software/firmware and the latest maps added (not sure if will be 2013 or 2014 but they said would be latest ones) it doesn't have airmatic but will def check the seats for electric and also heated to make sure all ok.

Mailed them tonight to check it has the leads, didn't realise they weren't hard wired in so thanks to both of you for mentioning that one.

All on for Sunday now, so just a 9+ hour round trip to look forward to!!! Let's hope the return journey is nearer 37 than 19 mpg...eeek!
 
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Check inner walls on tyres !!! They do tend to eat them !!!

Really? Much more likely that owners mistakenly believe that, just because they are driving an SUV, they can traverse speed cushions by driving over their centre line and that they are some how immune to the effects. That sees off tyre inner side walls.

Any car driven under normal conditions shouldn't be eating away its inner sidewalls - that is almost impossible to achieve as nothing comes into contact with them.
 
Thats good to know, was wondering why this would be?

On the subject of tyres any recommendations for 'winter' wheels tyres, I assume 17" wheels but for good snow/off road any recommendations?
 
So after a 10 hour driving day am back home with the ML, have to say other than a couple of small scuffs on each wheel arch which the garage have agreed to pay to be rectified by my local body shop the car was pretty much as described, being black it does seem to show every swirl and tree scratch etc. so need to decide whether maybe worth getting it detailed and back to decent paintwork all round (may think on his for now as nothing it too bad)

Overall very happy, journey home was great, comfortable, everything working as it should, achieved average of 35mpg which was probably more than I expected, as was the stop at the petrol station (£100+ from a quarter of tank to full made me draw breath!!)

Seems a few concerns mentioned earlier in the thread are there, the memory card I popped in was 32gb but seems only the first few folders show up so not quite sure what's happening but the USB stick through the media interface seems to show everything on it so will just use that instead which is fine. Phone use is a bit different ie using the address book etc is not too easy, having said that it has the speed activated feature which I set up in 10 mins and is superb and seems to work very well so will use that for now instead of pushing buttons.

Otherwise am very happy loved driving it, happy with fuel economy and lots of toys to learn how to play with once I sit down with the manual this evening.
 
Looks all ok, I think with the map update as showing as V9.0 which I think is this years (which is a bonus if it is)? Can anyone confirm and if the other data shows everything is updated too?
 

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nictry said:
Looks all ok, I think with the map update as showing as V9.0 which I think is this years (which is a bonus if it is)? Can anyone confirm and if the other data shows everything is updated too?

Ok so it looks like it was 2013 so better than 2010 I suppose!
 
Ok so after a couple of days major irritation that hopefully someone can advise on?

There is a rattle/sliding noise coming from under the passenger seat which is driving me nuts! Nothing obvious there with the seat forward or back, nothing loose and the plastic (I think air con/heater vent) seems secure enough but I can't find what is moving around/rattling so any ideas as to what it could be would be massively appreciated?
 
Ok so after a couple of days major irritation that hopefully someone can advise on?

There is a rattle/sliding noise coming from under the passenger seat which is driving me nuts! Nothing obvious there with the seat forward or back, nothing loose and the plastic (I think air con/heater vent) seems secure enough but I can't find what is moving around/rattling so any ideas as to what it could be would be massively appreciated?
Possibly something fallen into the heating duct? Money more than likely.
 
DavidT99 said:
Possibly something fallen into the heating duct? Money more than likely.

So the next question is......... How the hell do I get it out as it's driving me nuts!
 
Hold on, I thought the earlu NTG2.5 (your comand) supported 4gb cards, but the later update allowed it to play 32GB cards?

I would ask this in the electronics section of the forum for a quicker answer, but looks like they have not updated the firmware.
 
gIzzE said:
Hold on, I thought the earlu NTG2.5 (your comand) supported 4gb cards, but the later update allowed it to play 32GB cards? I would ask this in the electronics section of the forum for a quicker answer, but looks like they have not updated the firmware.

It takes a 32gb card fine but only shows the first few folders?
 
Bizarre SD card now fine and showing up everything on the larger file size card so that problem sorted.

One feature I cannot enable whatever I do is the text message reader? The issue though appears to be the IPhone not the MB as searching the web suggests I need to 'enable notifications' using the Info button alongside MB Bluetooth on the phone (once connected to the car) only problem is my IPhone 5c doesn't have an 'enable notifications' option, just forget device, sync contacts, phone favourites, recents and all contacts

Anyone had this issue or am I missing something really obvious?

Also re the possible coin etc in the heating vent really would like to know if this is something I can get to myself as can't see the local dealer offering to sort it out for me?
 

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