ML500

[E55BOF]

I'm quite warming to this:

Mercedes-Benz ML500 5.0 auto ML500 2004 | eBay

Looks pretty tidy, decent colour, sensible mileage, asking price seems reasonable. I seem to recall somebody saying good things about the seller, or one with a rather similar name, on the forum not long ago, but I can't find it. Does he ring any bells with anybody?

SECOND THOUGHTS: Just checked the MoT history. Maybe not...

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Yep, that's a car that hasn't been properly serviced in the second decade of its life.

But, for a fan who's practical, at the right price, it's probably easy to fettle. It just needs to be taken away from the owner who couldn't be bothered to resolve those issues.

A lot would depend on what condition its mechanicals and electrical are "really" in.

M

 

[E55BOF]

The engine and box will be fine, but it's described as having a "very good" service history. There's another ML on eBay (not from the same seller), no later than a 2004, described as the same, with five - yes, FIVE - stamps in the service book, the most recent about a thousand miles ago; I suppose it depends on your definition of "good" - or possibly of "mug"...

I may have been a little harsh in condemning that ML500. There's nothing too costly in the list of advisories, but while I'm willing to spend up to a grand to bring a £10K E55 up to snuff, spending the same on a £4K ML would be a different matter; the M113 cambox breathers will need resealing, for a start, unless they've been done, so there's a couple of hundred for a start. The ML320 cost me £2.5K, and I've spent £43 in repairs so far...

I think I'll have a word with the seller, and see what the service history amounts to, before I write it off completely.

 

[E55BOF]

Service history is OK (July 2005/06/07/08/09/10/12, Aug 2013, July 14/15/17, all with reasonable intervals. Main dealer servicing until 2010, on 27K miles. The only niggle is it's done 28K since the last recorded service, but if it runs OK I wouldn't see that as a problem. Hmmmm....

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Jesus, Mary and Joseph; you’re relentless man!

What have you got at the minute? E63, ML350 and SLK 55?

You looking at a 500 to replace the 350?

 

[E55BOF]

Jesus, Mary and Joseph; you’re relentless man!

You looking at a 500 to replace the 350?

I know what I like, and I'm getting there... Yes, it will replace the 320, and the E63 must go too; the end state will be one fun car, the SLK, and one dog van, an ML. I like the W163 a lot, I have confidence in the M113 like no other engine, and I don't want a 55 (no spare wheel). A sensible-mileage W164 would do just as well as that W163, but there aren't any that I like on sale at the moment.

 

[Alex]

ML55 has a spare wheel inside. Easily removable. Can even relocate it behind the tailgate:

Go 55.

 

[E55BOF]

Yes, sorry, I forgot that, but for my purposes it effectively hasn't. I need the space inside for my dogs, and the external mount would be in the way when I was trying to get up close to the rear to load heavy items - which regularly includes my big, old, creaky dog...

 

[C36fan]

I got a ml55 and I might sell it pm me if you interested.