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ML v GL v Cayenne

The thing that would put me off any of those cars is the upcoming crucifiction for driving a pre Euro 6 diesel, which they will all be, I'd just say sod it and get the Cayenne Turbo, but then I don't do 25k Miles a Year, more like 8k.
The 2012+ ML is EURO 6 IIRC so if you can get one in budget that would be my pick.
Good point. Beginning to sound like I need to up my budget.
 
Porsche parts and service costs are worth bearing in mind also......
Same could ve said for serving cost on an ML and GL. I've had a W164 and a W166 and both cost a lot to service, servicing at a main dealer cosg me between £500 and £800+ depending on the service, a replacement door mirror wiring harness over £250 and a faulty tailgate locking mechanism was over £360.
 
If it's comfort you're after, have you considered the Lexus RX450h? Well equipped and a couple of people I know say they're the most comfortable car they've ever had.

Bear in mind though, the 4WD system is a bit limited. It's another electric motor driving the rear wheels when traction, or lack of, demands it. There's no low range either which may or may not be a problem.
Thought about the RX. A friend has one. Have driven it and I didn't enjoy driving it. Agree though that it's probably going to be the most trouble free motoring of all the options.
 
None of the cars you mention would be a totally safe bet at the age and miles you are looking at. So the real question is ‘how deep are your pockets’?

Personally, if I were doing 25k miles a year, the last thing I’d be looking at is a 6-8 year old prestige 4x4 with 100k on my he clock. Within a few years you will be up at nearly 200,000 miles in a 10 year old car. Aside from the fact that said car will be worth nothing to most buyers by then, the chances of getting to a high mileage without a really big bill are quite slim I would say.

For your usage, miles, and budget I think a lesser brand, newer with 50k on the clock would be a way safer bet.

But as I say, it all rests on how deep your post-purchase pockets are!!
 
None of the cars you mention would be a totally safe bet at the age and miles you are looking at. So the real question is ‘how deep are your pockets’?

Personally, if I were doing 25k miles a year, the last thing I’d be looking at is a 6-8 year old prestige 4x4 with 100k on my he clock. Within a few years you will be up at nearly 200,000 miles in a 10 year old car. Aside from the fact that said car will be worth nothing to most buyers by then, the chances of getting to a high mileage without a really big bill are quite slim I would say.

For your usage, miles, and budget I think a lesser brand, newer with 50k on the clock would be a way safer bet.

But as I say, it all rests on how deep your post-purchase pockets are!!

You've got a point. But I spend so much time in the car I want to be as comfortable as I can afford to be.

My plan is to buy the car and keep it until it dies or is no longer suitable for long motorway journeys on a regular basis. At that point I'd use it for kids trips to the park, to the dump, weekly shop, etc. Or, just sell it for what ever I can get for it. (Not fussed about resale value as it will have served it's purpose and be worth pennies anyway.)

Assuming I can get into the 2012/13 ML onwards (I think W166), with the mileage I'm doing, what should I be expecting to pay PA in servicing? I'd want it serviced as Mercedes intended but I plan to use a specialist. A quick google search revels there are 2 local specialists.
 
Well put it this way. My 50,000 mile pampered weekend use only CLK 350 costs between £500 and £1,000 per annum to maintain using a Mercedes independent. That is just maintenance. Add to that insurance, tax and fuel.

The car is 10 years old and only does 6,000 miles a year. It is hardly used.

So I would guess that a high mileage ML doing 25,000 a year is going to require a maintenance budget well north of £1,000 annually. Some years less, some years more. If you need a big item replacing you’ll be facing £000s in repair bills (auto box issues can be pricey as an example). Even simple things likes discs and pads are pricey on these cars.

The reason I mention considering a lesser brand with fewer miles is that my other car is a 7 year old diesel Mondeo. That can does 15,000 miles a year, costs between £300 and £500 to maintain annually. So the Benz does 1/3 of the miles that the ford does, yet costs twice as much a year to maintain. That’s the difference the premium badge makes.

None of this matters a jot if you are happy with the running costs of the ML. But just go in with your eyes open. It won’t be a cheap car in which to rack up big miles.
 
Well put it this way. My 50,000 mile pampered weekend use only CLK 350 costs between £500 and £1,000 per annum to maintain using a Mercedes independent. That is just maintenance. Add to that insurance, tax and fuel.

The car is 10 years old and only does 6,000 miles a year. It is hardly used.

So I would guess that a high mileage ML doing 25,000 a year is going to require a maintenance budget well north of £1,000 annually. Some years less, some years more. If you need a big item replacing you’ll be facing £000s in repair bills (auto box issues can be pricey as an example). Even simple things likes discs and pads are pricey on these cars.

The reason I mention considering a lesser brand with fewer miles is that my other car is a 7 year old diesel Mondeo. That can does 15,000 miles a year, costs between £300 and £500 to maintain annually. So the Benz does 1/3 of the miles that the ford does, yet costs twice as much a year to maintain. That’s the difference the premium badge makes.

None of this matters a jot if you are happy with the running costs of the ML. But just go in with your eyes open. It won’t be a cheap car in which to rack up big miles.

Found a local indy - Nairautos. Will drop by and ask them about servicing costs. I've always looked after my cars so don't mind the cost of servicing. It's usually much cheaper than repairs due to lack of servicing.

I'm based in Harrow so if anyone knows another indy, I could give them a call too for balance.
 
I'm based in Harrow so if anyone knows another indy, I could give them a call too for balance.
Terry Gates at Wayne Gates Harrow is a top bloke and very highly recommended by many forum members, he’ll take care of anything you need.
 
Found a local indy - Nairautos. Will drop by and ask them about servicing costs. I've always looked after my cars so don't mind the cost of servicing. It's usually much cheaper than repairs due to lack of servicing.

I'm based in Harrow so if anyone knows another indy, I could give them a call too for balance.
Wayne Gates is in Harrow and has a good rep.
 
Well put it this way. My 50,000 mile pampered weekend use only CLK 350 costs between £500 and £1,000 per annum to maintain using a Mercedes independent. That is just maintenance. Add to that insurance, tax and fuel.

The car is 10 years old and only does 6,000 miles a year. It is hardly used.

So I would guess that a high mileage ML doing 25,000 a year is going to require a maintenance budget well north of £1,000 annually. Some years less, some years more. If you need a big item replacing you’ll be facing £000s in repair bills (auto box issues can be pricey as an example). Even simple things likes discs and pads are pricey on these cars.

The reason I mention considering a lesser brand with fewer miles is that my other car is a 7 year old diesel Mondeo. That can does 15,000 miles a year, costs between £300 and £500 to maintain annually. So the Benz does 1/3 of the miles that the ford does, yet costs twice as much a year to maintain. That’s the difference the premium badge makes.

None of this matters a jot if you are happy with the running costs of the ML. But just go in with your eyes open. It won’t be a cheap car in which to rack up big miles.
Loads of the wide-boy east Europeans round our way do this.

They see the price of an 08 plated Merc or BMW and their lifelong dream is suddenly complete...until something goes belly up!!

Then it’s back on EBay in desperate need of a service and and load of expensive parts.
 
Just to add my experience of W164 ML ownership..
Had mine 3 years now and (touch wood) it has been the most rewarding and reliable car I've ever owned.
I do all my own work, but will reserve the right to send it to an Indy if it needs specialist tools I don't have , or just because I don't fancy getting dirty that day..
The only big expense I've had is a pair of rear shocks (or more correctly, dampers) (about £50 each) which probably didn't need changing, but I'm picky about handling. I'll be doing the fronts too when the weather improves (about £130 each). Other than a couple of Parking sensors (£10 on ebay) I've had nothing "go wrong" otherwise.
Oil changes take about 20 minutes with a motorised pump through the dipstick, and I do them twice a year. Approved oil & filter are about £60.
I get an average of 27mpg on mixed town (London suburb) and 25 mile commuting. Pretty astounding for a big old bus, but if you were doing ONLY town driving, expect nearer 22-24.
The performance is very good for a heavy car, though the excellent aerodynamics help a lot on motorways where you should see 33-ish if not straying too much above the the legal limit. A Brabus tuning box improve performance significantly (about a second off the 0-60) without affecting MPG hardly at all.
What I don't like is the ride over our third-world roads, avoid large-diameter wheels if you want to keep your spine into your old-age, and the body structure intact. Alternatively, only go for the air-suspension, but bear in mind the increased complexity.
The fake leather is hard wearing
(check for cracks on the drivers boulsters) but the Alcantara (fake suede) they normally come with, I find difficult to keep clean.
When evaluating a potential ML, check for oil leaks at the engine/gearbox interface, and if there's any, walk away. It could be something trivial, but also could be the oil cooler seal leak which will be expensive in labour hours to fix. There's an undertray covering the engine and gearbox, so check if it looks suspiciously clean.
Obviously, also check if the electrical bits work, especially aircon, cruise, mirrors, power seats, infotainment and tailgate lock. Any of these can be expensive to fix.
I agree the W164 with all the bells and whistles would be a good choice, but if your budget will stretch to a W166 (and you can live with the styling) it should be more future-proof and more thoroughly developed.
"Servicing" is pretty unspecific term, what it means is "an oil change and a bit of a look-round". Bear that in mind the next time you pay hundreds. "Servicing" is the original cash-cow.
 
Loads of the wide-boy east Europeans round our way do this.

They see the price of an 08 plated Merc or BMW and their lifelong dream is suddenly complete...until something goes belly up!!

Then it’s back on EBay in desperate need of a service and and load of expensive parts.
That hopefully won't be me. Have owned various cars over the years and have owned a few older cars which have been well maintained and some even heavily modified. So going in with my eyes open but it was useful to know approximate budget of £1k pa. Does help with planning finances.
 
Just personal preference. Else I might consider a CLS shooting brake but haven't checked their availability in the £15-20k budget.
Wanted to add, i'm after something with loads of storage space so the vehicle can be used on weekends with kids and trips to B&Q etc. An estate gives the same possibilities but other than the CLS shooting brake, I don't see what else I would want to drive. (Within my budget, the C and E class don't do it for me.) Only real issue with the CLS is when the 5th person is sat in the middle, I feel like it's a token seat compared to the middle seat in a 4x4.
 
Speaking to a good trusted indy is the best way to get an understanding of the likely costs. 


My local indy (Liam Huxley in Fleet Hampshire) was very helpful before I bought my CLK. I had a chat with him to understand what I should be looking for specifically. We discussed issues with the 350 engine, and ascertained that the car I was looking at was outside the danger zone. I asked him roughly what the cost to run and he estimated £500 - £1000 on average but stressed that unexpected big bills can arise. I've had the car nearly 4 years and that estimate has proven to be bang on the money. 

As soon as I bought the car, I took it to Liam and he spent half an hour crawling over it and listing what needed to be done to get it up to scratch. We went over the car together and he showed me everything that was needed - nothing major, but stuff like discs and pads all round, tyres, faulty thermostat, intermittent SRS fault, steering geometry, bushes etc all needed attending to. Seem to recall a bent track rod arm too.  

We did that work over the first 6 months I had the car and it cost me £1,400 in total using genuine MB part. By that point my wife was going mental at the amount it was costing. 

But once the car was sorted, it settled down. The next 18 months cost around £500. The third year of ownership required the major B service, and it needed some suspension work due to pot hole damage. That year I spent around £900 on it. This year, it has just been serviced at the bill was £300 all in with no particular issues to note. 

So, on average, the £500 to £1,000 estimate is about right. 

The one thing which you can do to cover yourself is find a well looked after car. Mine is pretty much as it left the show room and I think that's why I have had no nasty surprises. Condition is everything as is evidence of proper maintenance. 

All of the above is based on a 3.5 litre CLK, so an ML will have different costs. But not dramatically different I wouldn't have thought as the gear box and basics are not so different.

Good luck with your search. 
 
Speaking to a good trusted indy is the best way to get an understanding of the likely costs. 


My local indy (Liam Huxley in Fleet Hampshire) was very helpful before I bought my CLK. I had a chat with him to understand what I should be looking for specifically. We discussed issues with the 350 engine, and ascertained that the car I was looking at was outside the danger zone. I asked him roughly what the cost to run and he estimated £500 - £1000 on average but stressed that unexpected big bills can arise. I've had the car nearly 4 years and that estimate has proven to be bang on the money. 

As soon as I bought the car, I took it to Liam and he spent half an hour crawling over it and listing what needed to be done to get it up to scratch. We went over the car together and he showed me everything that was needed - nothing major, but stuff like discs and pads all round, tyres, faulty thermostat, intermittent SRS fault, steering geometry, bushes etc all needed attending to. Seem to recall a bent track rod arm too.  

We did that work over the first 6 months I had the car and it cost me £1,400 in total using genuine MB part. By that point my wife was going mental at the amount it was costing. 

But once the car was sorted, it settled down. The next 18 months cost around £500. The third year of ownership required the major B service, and it needed some suspension work due to pot hole damage. That year I spent around £900 on it. This year, it has just been serviced at the bill was £300 all in with no particular issues to note. 

So, on average, the £500 to £1,000 estimate is about right. 

The one thing which you can do to cover yourself is find a well looked after car. Mine is pretty much as it left the show room and I think that's why I have had no nasty surprises. Condition is everything as is evidence of proper maintenance. 

All of the above is based on a 3.5 litre CLK, so an ML will have different costs. But not dramatically different I wouldn't have thought as the gear box and basics are not so different.

Good luck with your search. 
Thanks Eddy77. Fingers crossed I find a good one. Will start searching properly towards the end of the month.
 
If you want
Wanted to add, i'm after something with loads of storage space so the vehicle can be used on weekends with kids and trips to B&Q etc.
..........................................

If it's plenty of room you want, forget the Cayenne.
 
None of the cars you mention would be a totally safe bet at the age and miles you are looking at. So the real question is ‘how deep are your pockets’?

Personally, if I were doing 25k miles a year, the last thing I’d be looking at is a 6-8 year old prestige 4x4 with 100k on my he clock. Within a few years you will be up at nearly 200,000 miles in a 10 year old car. Aside from the fact that said car will be worth nothing to most buyers by then, the chances of getting to a high mileage without a really big bill are quite slim I would say.

For your usage, miles, and budget I think a lesser brand, newer with 50k on the clock would be a way safer bet.

But as I say, it all rests on how deep your post-purchase pockets are!!
A few months ago i sold my 2012 ML350 to a dealer with 44k miles for just £19.5k. Maybe i should have asked for more! The car is still for sale for just under £21k.

2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 3.0 Sport
 
If you want


If it's plenty of room you want, forget the Cayenne.
Yeah, the longer this thread becomes and the more I'm hearing about Cayenne owners experiences, the less likely it is I will choose the Cayenne. (There are still plenty of people who have owned a Cayenne and had no issues.)
 

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