experience with my ML63

[mike_balt]

I've got an '07 ML63 that I'm up to 88K miles. Of course I love the motor. the torque is great and it's got a wonderful power band. That said, I have to say it's getting time to replace the vehicle and I'm really questioning whether I'll get another Benz. If this is their best effort, hand made etc. then I just don't know. Here's my experience of things that just plain should not have happened:

- intake manifold gasket started leaking, they had to tear it apart to replace
- Another time it through the serpentine belt and once at the dealer they said it was because the pulleys and brackets were worn! Really at 80K miles? Mercedes put their top engineers on the case to develop this high line product and they did not design the pulleys to last even 100K miles? pathetic and it was an $800 repair
- now at 88K miles, the motor is leaking oil. the dealer put it on the lift and showed me the oil pan gasket is leaking. just crazy. what they could not spring for some locktite? or did the craftsman who hand built it not have a torque wrench? I had a $5000 5 liter mustang in the 90's that I ran on road race courses at redline all day, up to 140,000 miles and I never did anything but change the oil, yet this $100,000 technological marvel is pissing oil on my garage floor because it's been driven around town. I called Mercedes to see if they would do anything and they said no. the dealer said they would split the repair with me, but it will cost $1000 to repair due to the things they need to pull out of the way to get at it, also they said it's suggested that I replace the actual oil pan when I do it. WTF.

Absolutely unimpressed. not to mention the issues that do not pertain to the motor. My right front driving light comes on when it feels like it and once a month my rear passenger cooling fan blasts on high for no apparent reason and there's no way to stop it unless you shut off the entire system and restart it.

Unimpressed

[MB-SV]

IMO, I don't consider any first or second ML to be representative of Mercedes best effort.

My lowly current gen 2008 C-class sedan is far more reliable, better-engineered and solid. Nearly Lexus quality even at 90K+ miles.

[templeton]

That why I lease Mercedes, 2 or 3 year lease, get rid of it before warranty expires. Mercedes are great cars while it's under warranty.

[W126 Dr.MB]

Just a quick few silly questions... Did you buy it new or used? And if it were used, what did the history or title say (meaning did you make sure it wasn't a lemon)? Hey man, I feel the pain you have right now but shit happens.... I would never compare it to a mustang that old because cars back then were built by people who knew WTF they were doing. Btw, if i were you just for the hell of it, talk to the other guys in that specific forum for ML and see what they got to say about their MLs at different mileages. Good luck.


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[MB-SV]

Unimpressed, not unexpected

[altamonte]

Ahh - see - MB's these days are made for either 1) people who lease and change them out ever 2-3 years, or 2) for people that have 6-7 cars and only drive any one of them 3000 miles each year. Either way the MB is a fantastic machine.

I have a 1982 S300D - 5 cyl - with almost 500,000 miles on it at my home in Mexico - runs like a top - bulletproof. I also have a 1993 W140 with over 280,000 miles on it - diesel - admittedly with a replacement engine as the original bent a rod - but other than that - it's a very very nice machine back from when Mercedes built "the best or nothing".

That went out the window when Lexus / Toyota starting mid '80s could build an S-class (ahem LS) and sell it for a profit for 1/2 the price of a Mercedes. After the W140 which was already on the drawing boards, that's when MB quality went in the toilet.

MB is now into cutting corners. I have both an 08 and 09 ML - the 09 being the facelift / cost reduction car. I've had them apart to the painted metal interior - and I can tell you example by example how bits are being saved which might at first glance mean nothing, but overall show the difference that occurs once the bean counters start meddling.

As to AMG - those are high strung cars which demand either a crew chief and a shop full of mechanics, or babying. I have a 43 year old Lamborghini which takes about 3 hours or tuning for each hour of driving. The AMG is not quite as bad, but after 50,000 miles or so - my opinion is that it's used up.

But then again, I'm getting old too - so maybe I should not complain.

[morbid angel]

I ran into a guy who told me his 2008 ml 63 with only 60,000 km had the engine explode. It was out of warranty, and mb would do nothing. Replace amg engine is anywhere between 30k-50k...that's reliability!

[Torrekens S]

Issues with the M156 engine in mine too. Unimpressed by the issues, but even more unimpressed by MB's attitude, especially the attitude of the Customer "Care" people at the Maastricht centre.

Been very pleased with the former Mercs though. So message so far: stick to the normal models and avoid the 63 AMG's ?

[Master Certified]

cmon, all cars are going to have problems, that is why i have a job. the vehicle has some 50 computers in it, that mustang maybe had 2. trust me, any vehicle of this caliber is going to have problems, BMW, AUDI, JAG, etc. they all will brake, and they all will cost a fortune to repair. only differance is what company your money goes to..

[Hary Gahtoe]

No offense here but the AMG lack of quality and the rush to build is inexcusable.
I'll take my airmatic 500, with 20's, drilled slotted rotors, ceramic brakes pads, intake improvements/exhaust; add a Sprintbooster and not have to worry about replacing a $30,000 motor. After hearing the reprehensible quality and horrible lifespan, a 500 is an overall better ride longterm albeit slightly slower.