I drove the 350 first, then the 500 immediately after, and there is no comparison.
The 350, to me, seemed sluggish, and what annoyed me the most was the steering, which I felt I almost had to fight.
I was disappointed until I got into the 500, and, ahhhhh... now *that* is what I was expecting from the ML! Immediate pickup, excellent steering, superb ride!
Having driven on Europe's highways, I would definitely opt for the 500.
I'll say it again! The 500 just never stops pulling once you get down on the throttle. Only thing that can stop it is the wind at the top end. Great hill climber if that's where you live. Mileage??? 18.5 on a 6000 mile trip through the inter mountain west recently! Not a hard choice for me!! Love them V-8's[8D]
Having just spent $65 to fill up, I can't even imagine the rate at which the ML500 would go through a tank of gas. On the other hand, if you don't care about spending the extra $5-10k to get the ML500, you probably don't care about the price of gas [:p]
The 350 hasn't disappointed me and has delivered, especially with the help of the 7 gear transmission. Acceleration is smooth and although I agree, there may be a hint of a hesitation, it's smooth sailing after that. The few times I've had the open road to make use of, the new v6 has produced. The car feels solid and you don't even notice that you're driving (way) over the speed limit [:I].
I personally would have a hard time justifying the purchase of any car with more than a 3.5 liter engine. You will never use all the power you get and even if you have the chance, you better have the driving ability to go with it.
Having just spent $65 to fill up, I can't even imagine the rate at which the ML500 would go through a tank of gas. On the other hand, if you don't care about spending the extra $5-10k to get the ML500, you probably don't care about the price of gas [:p]
The 350 hasn't disappointed me and has delivered, especially with the help of the 7 gear transmission. Acceleration is smooth and although I agree, there may be a hint of a hesitation, it's smooth sailing after that. The few times I've had the open road to make use of, the new v6 has produced. The car feels solid and you don't even notice that you're driving (way) over the speed limit [:I].
I personally would have a hard time justifying the purchase of any car with more than a 3.5 liter engine. You will never use all the power you get and even if you have the chance, you better have the driving ability to go with it.
I tend to agree that a 500 is not for everyone. However the 2 places I use mine are in the high elevation mountains, and on some Cali freeway on ramps that are very short it's nice to be able to reach traffic speed to blend in. Yes, a 500 is not an entry level vehicle. I'm still an advocate of hi-po drivers licenses! Each to their own---the american way!! [8D]
Having just spent $65 to fill up, I can't even imagine the rate at which the ML500 would go through a tank of gas. On the other hand, if you don't care about spending the extra $5-10k to get the ML500, you probably don't care about the price of gas [:p]
The 350 hasn't disappointed me and has delivered, especially with the help of the 7 gear transmission. Acceleration is smooth and although I agree, there may be a hint of a hesitation, it's smooth sailing after that. The few times I've had the open road to make use of, the new v6 has produced. The car feels solid and you don't even notice that you're driving (way) over the speed limit [:I].
I personally would have a hard time justifying the purchase of any car with more than a 3.5 liter engine. You will never use all the power you get and even if you have the chance, you better have the driving ability to go with it.
I attended ML USA road rally two days in a roll. You should check on MBUSA's website for the dates and locations near you.
Tested 350, and 500 over and over on two road course (somewhat offroad with obstacles and pure drag and cornering). On both courses, I prefer airmatic. And on both occassions, I prefer 350.
The difference in acceleration is not noticable. 500's engine sounds much better. HP-wise, not noticalbe but Torquewise, some.
But in gas prices these days and our traffic systems, I would not need 500. The first generation ML's 320 was too weak for the weight of the car for sure. But this car's 350 is just right.
I attended ML USA road rally two days in a roll. You should check on MBUSA's website for the dates and locations near you.
Tested 350, and 500 over and over on two road course (somewhat offroad with obstacles and pure drag and cornering). On both courses, I prefer airmatic. And on both occassions, I prefer 350.
The difference in acceleration is not noticable. 500's engine sounds much better. HP-wise, not noticalbe but Torquewise, some.
But in gas prices these days and our traffic systems, I would not need 500. The first generation ML's 320 was too weak for the weight of the car for sure. But this car's 350 is just right.
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