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M Class in Snow?

Dippy1952

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Joined
Dec 31, 2010
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I already own an E Class 350 CDI which is predictably poor in the snow. Am thinking of getting an M Class but am concerned that it's performance in snow, despite four wheel drive, will be poor. I live on a Scottish hillside up a forest road so the car needs to be capable of getting through reasonably deep snow at times. Currently get by because we have a Jeep but sick of the E Class being useless for nigh on three months of the year.

Can anyone offer a view on the M Class capability?
 
4 wheels drive obviously will give you more grip but without winter tyres my '04 ML is sometimes as useless in the snow as wife's C-Class. Low Range helps to get by on sloppy hills but I've heard new MLs don't have it as standard anymore. Bottom line, it will be better than "E" but it ain't a Unimog.
 
I had an ML320 and thought it was reasonably competent in mild snowy conditions, driving carefully. However, friends who live in Switzerland who experience a lot of snow scoffed and claimed the ML was useless in snow! Just their view maybe, but I pass it on anyway. For some reason, they rated the Toureg...
Have you seen the video of the X3 comparing performance with and without winter tyres. That demonstrated how 4x4s without winter tyres can still be very unstable, and maybe indicates that whatever you choose you will also need winter tyres...
 
Our ML is pretty much unstoppable in the snow.

The W163 generation came fitted with M+S (Mud & Snow) tyres as a standard, so unless the wheels have been changed or non-OEM tyres fitted then you have an additional advantage when it comes to driving in snow.

I doubt there's a better 4x4 in the snow - even the Range Rover with it's "Snow" button - providing the right wheels/tyres are still on the car.
 
Our ML is pretty much unstoppable in the snow.

... and that's the problem! ;)

The W163 generation came fitted with M+S (Mud & Snow) tyres as a standard, so unless the wheels have been changed or non-OEM tyres fitted then you have an additional advantage when it comes to driving in snow.

I doubt there's a better 4x4 in the snow - even the Range Rover with it's "Snow" button - providing the right wheels/tyres are still on the car.

I have stock AMG wheels and there's nobody out there making winter 285/50 R18 tyres for my car. Local Merc even went on to check with German counterparts but no luck. They offered to sell me smaller dia wheel set with winter tyres though.
 
I already own an E Class 350 CDI which is predictably poor in the snow. Am thinking of getting an M Class but am concerned that it's performance in snow, despite four wheel drive, will be poor. I live on a Scottish hillside up a forest road so the car needs to be capable of getting through reasonably deep snow at times. Currently get by because we have a Jeep but sick of the E Class being useless for nigh on three months of the year.

Can anyone offer a view on the M Class capability?

You say your 350 is "predictably poor" in the snow...what have you done to make it better? Have you fitted winter tyres? Blame the car when you have done all you can to make it better, but blame yourself when you have done nothing.
 
Our w163 Mk2 has M+S tyres, and drove superb. Much better than the Jeep Cherokee I use to own.

My wife drove it to drop one of the kids friends off 10 miles away. Major roads where covered and all small roads where closed. When she came back I asked her how she found it and her reply was "what snow!" ;-)
 
You say your 350 is "predictably poor" in the snow...what have you done to make it better? Have you fitted winter tyres? Blame the car when you have done all you can to make it better, but blame yourself when you have done nothing.
Point taken but I live on a hill plus the house is up a forest road and has a relatively long steep driveway so I would still be very wary about attempting to take her on that type of surface. Often the forest section isn't ploughed so can be quite deep.... I also have a Jeep Grand Cherokee which manages it fine but that means leaving the better half at home without transport! Why did I get an E350 you might ask! We had several very mild winters so thought the periods with snow would be minimal..... the very first winter after buying the E350 the snow appeared with a vengeance as it has this year.
 
I had an ML350 Inspiration W163 (2004). It was pretty good in the snow - apart from on one road which turned to ice - then it didn't matter what you were in! I was stationery on the road (everyone just had to stop). While waiting for people to edge away - the car started sliding sideways - I hadn't turned the wheel or touched the accelerator - I was in Park gear! :crazy:
 
:wallbash: Errrr, yeahh, I was sitting there like a paperclip :doh:

I shall write it in the margin 10 times, so I remember

Stationary
Stationary
Stationary
Stationary
Stationary
Stationary
Stationary
Stationary
Stationary
Stationary
 
hi all.

i must say my ML55 AMG was an absolute hoot in the snow; i found myself doing more daft stuff just to see if i could get it stuck...which never happened:bannana:

just to compound it, mines runs on the latter 20" AMG alloys from the ML63 AMG, but tyre width never caused any problems.

i would definately recomend one, especially with the 'low range' set up, although i am a bit dissappointed if that wasn't carried over to the W164 model as another poster mentioned. i actually pulled the low loader recovery vehicle free that was stuck in my street that had been sent to recover my neighbours Land Rover that had decided not to work just when it was needed most:wallbash:

the look on peoples faces as i was horsing past in the snow with my ifor williams trailer on the back was also priceless:rock:
 
I'm always getting my "ery" and my "ary" confused. Is there a pneumonic to sort my stations out?
There are ways round it of course like the use of the word stopped for stationary and office sundries for the "ery"
Just something simples would help.
 
I was being absent minded - I usually remember it with an 'e' for envelopes :thumb:
 
Point taken but I live on a hill plus the house is up a forest road and has a relatively long steep driveway so I would still be very wary about attempting to take her on that type of surface. Often the forest section isn't ploughed so can be quite deep.... I also have a Jeep Grand Cherokee which manages it fine but that means leaving the better half at home without transport! Why did I get an E350 you might ask! We had several very mild winters so thought the periods with snow would be minimal..... the very first winter after buying the E350 the snow appeared with a vengeance as it has this year.

With the right tyres it will be fine.
 
Dippy 1952, sadly few buyers seem to specify the Off Road Pro Package. Worth its weight in gold for what you want.
It only adds £1320 to the price and includes two-stage low-range transfer case with additional ratio, 100% locks on centre and rear differentials, automatic transmission with manual mode, underguard and extended ground clearance adjustment range.

Avoid ‘Sport’ with large wheels with hardly any tyre depth. Proper tyres plus the off road kit and you will be fine. Worth a go at Mercedes World on their 4x4 experience. Amazing what the beast will cope with.
 
To be honest hawk20 I cannot see why MB did not make the off road pack standard and add the basic cost to the list price.

The sport wheels look the biz but for the use the car is needed a set of smaller alloys, with winter off road tyres and you'll have a formidable car.
 

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