V8 ML's go through brake pads rather rapidly - even if you drive carefully. Expect to replace the pads every 20,000 miles or so and rotors every 40,000 miles.
At the other extreme, some heavy footed types have been known to go thru' a set of pads in 8,000 miles !
Also keep a close check on your rear pads - they have been known to wear out faster than the fronts.
As for squeaky brakes - amazingly my ML hasn't suffered from that malady, but it has suffered from plenty of others. Mostly electrical related.
__________________
Tim (Formerly a senior race engineer / designer at Cosworth Racing UK for Formula 1 and CART engines)
'00 ML430
Replaced with Lexus RX400h 4x4 (0 to 60MPH in 6.5 seconds and 30MPG city)
My other 4x4 '03 Colbalt Blue Porsche Stage III 996 Twin Turbo (60 to 130MPH in 8.7 seconds and 12 MPG)
2005 Mini Cooper S, a pocket rocket
2002 VW Beetle, daily hack
Past cars of note:
'02 Porsche 996
'99 Porsche Boxster
If you're going to go by what you hear, then you must factor in the following (and I do not think you find it to be disappointing news): I have over 19K miles and still about 50% left on all four brake pads. Our '00 ML430--same brakes--had two rears and 1 front set replaced during our 74K-plus miles of ownership.
You might not think my experience is typical, but I've followed this site for years, and I can tell you that the only thing "notorious" is the b.s. that some of the more frequent posters sling. The need for more frequent replacement is strictly a function of your driving style and the type of driving you do.
The ML's brakes are the best you'll find, but on a 5K pound vehicle, they will go quickly if you always stop quickly, &etc.: same if you were driving a Suburban, a LC, an Escalade . . . lighter vehicle, less brake wear for the same kind of driving.
If you imagine towing a 5,000 boat, for instance, and how you'd plan for stops rather than wait 'til the last second to haul everything to a dead stop in a short distance, that would be one extreme of brake usage, i.e., extremely low. Contrarywise, actually driving the ML like a car--just because you can--is the other extreme and results in the greatest wear: you could call this "premature" pad replacement but factually, it is reasonable pad replacement, under the circumstances.
Quote:
ahopeter - 5/26/2004 11:10 PM
. . . cause i heard the 500 is notorious for premature brake wear? i have an 04 500, and only have 1k miles so far...but curious about what to expect in the future.
Do your own research, draw your own conclusions...
From my personal experience and that of many others, even when driven carefully V8 ML's go thru brakes a lot faster than ML320's. Quite why, I don't know - but there you have it.
Sorry Mac, this is not BS as well you must know. If you like I could post a ton of links about the rate of brake wear on V8's.
Maybe you don't use your brakes too much because you're too busy racing Porsche 911's in your ML500 and beating them of course, even when driving leisurely !
Now is the time you can educate us on how the V8 MLs wear out brake pads quicker than the V6s, despite the fact that the V8's brakes are larger, because the V8 is a whopping ~50 lbs or so heavier. Let me start it for you: "I know why, but . . ."
Remember, when you post your "ton of links," make sure to discount the data accordingly, e.g., when you have a prodigious ditherer with 4,000 posts on your list, make sure to give my experiences 20x more weight. If you want to be fair that is; otherwise, just keep on posting like you usually do. [8D]
That matches true ML V8's owner experiences and matches non-mountebank's MB technicians experienc.
That matches true overall ML V8's owner experiences and matches experienced non-mountebank's MB technicians experiences/observations..
ML V8's seem to last around 8K-20K and ML V6's seem to last around 20K-50K. In my case, my V6 ML front pads has been lasting 30K and the rears has been lasting around 60K (less than a milimeter were left on the rear pads). Though, some of my Houston friends V6 ML's have lasted only around 20K and 35K respectively. I am getting this mileage, on my ML, regardless of my heavy footed Houston driving..
AC
__________________
2005 ML 500
Black, 18" AMG Wheels, 285/60R18 Falken Ziex ST/Z + Bi-Xenons(+ Drew's e-code mod), Yakima roof bars. Former vehicle 2001 ML 320 with 108K miles, when traded, and a large repair/defect history. After 3 years of owning my current 2005 ML 500, it has become another unreiliable vehicle with a very large/expensive repair/defect history..
RE: make sure to give my experiences 20x more weight.
Here's a tip.
If you are to claim that your statements eclipse all others' for credibility, drop the "I beat that 911 off the line while smoking a cigar and reading the paper"
You may do well to remember that your experience is not the only experience people ever have had with an ML. Mercedes-Benz would be in a world of pain if you were their only ML customer.
Consider yourself lucky, and because you are such a lucky guy, keep a healthy perspective that would give others the benefit of the doubt when they state they've had problems with their ML.
Of course, one wonders why nothing on your side is ever substantiated, while all my claims are duly documented by the local Mercedes-Benz dealer, in their work orders (Hey, Mac, ever thought Mercedes-Benz dealers were in on the anti Mercedes-Benz conspiracy, that would make for credible posts).
Mind you, I have never complained about excessive wear on the brakes. I first changed them all around at 16K miles, along with four tires, two important safety components I never mock with (BTW, if you doubt this, I do have the work order documentation and of the work performed and the price for each, along with ancillary things (my choice to do intermediary oil changes, a cleaning of the A/C vents and conduits) the bill was for $1400, and you would be hard pressed to find me complain about it at the time. I have posted on this when it happened last summer (can't get the search function to work...) and also mentioned that we had been made aware of the brake wear before we bought the ML and it did not disuade us. While I am convinced that my driving the ML harder than most contributed in great fashion to the wear on brakes and tires, their is evidence that the V8s eat more brakes than the V6.
If you'd rather people shut up about issues with their MLs, why don't you blatantly say so, maybe Drew could oblige and have a new forum created for you specifically. Otherwise, this forum is a great outlet for people with issues to find other users who have had the same problems and have a resolution to contribute, unless, of course, your Mac-nanimous self cannot bear helping those MLers in need. The squealing brakes corrected by pasting the back of the pads is not an uncommon procedure on MLs, contrary to what you would have the world believe.
Drew,
If you read this, can I give up my 4000+ post count to Mac? He seems to have an unhealthy fixation about post counts. He claims there exists an inverse relationship between number of posts and usefullness of said posts (he shamefully forgot to cite you as the exception). After all, if he believes that it would improve his status and credibility, we might as well entertain him in his dilusion.
PS. I shamefully have to report that I was beat by an Enzo off the line. I have no excuse, my driving skills are clearly deficient, my RT was simplyu atrocious.
PPS. I did catch up and passed him at the next corner, red cars simply cannot take corners as fast as brilliant silver trucks!
__________________
Seal Clubbing Champion '95 '97 '98 '01
Proud member of PETA, People for the Edible Treatment of Animals
Amateur Gynecologist & Cunning Linguist
I noticed, too, that many service advisors advise people to change their pads at 3-4 mm, which is
I noticed, too, that many service advisors advise people to change their pads at ~ 3-4 mm, which is about 1/3 of the life of it ( 10 mm ).
In my case, my SA recomended me to change my brakes when they were around 3 mm, which I kindly refused since I prefered to wait until the break pad sensor came on since ML's brake pad sensors are designed to correctly and safely indicate worned pads.
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