Hello All -
Drove the new ML yesterday at San Francisco's Road Rally, and I was disappointed.
Don't get me wrong; I love my 2000 ML and was looking forward to a marked upgrade - it's NOT there. Less cargo space [we can't even mount our bicycles upright through the rear]; my 2000 with full leather is more luxurious inside [for instance the door panels in the new model are actually cultured plastic]; the center consol looks terrible; the rear seats collapse like a Toyota Corolla; the rear side windows don't even open to allow for interior air flow; I don't like the loss of the floor mount gear shift; the gas mileage is worse [at $2.75/gallon I won't stand for a new vehicle which gets 16 mpg]; the price is considerably higher; and I never was that excited about the new body style [although I think over time it could grow on me].
MBZ COULD have made a real statement with a "concept car look" and traditional MBZ styling/luxury - but in my opinion that reason no longer exists.
Now the "rally" really didn't offer much driving at all, but I had enough to know the ride's not appreciably better than what I'm used to. In fact, I like my non unibody ride just fine. Really, this is the first new model vehicle I can ever recall that has ever made me feel I'd rather own the previous year's model.
Spoke to some other ML owners there and their reactions were similar to mine so no, I'm not out to lunch.
Maybe for someone who's never owned a MBZ or ML they might be interested in what is now "just another SUV," but I'll tell you; the reason I purchased my ML was because it was the only SUV that was a MBZ. That reason is now gone.
Sorry; I don't mean to be so down on the truck but I suggest anyone seriously considering this as an upgrade to an W163 take a long, long, hard look before he/she leapz. I'm keeping my W163 and banking the $50K or more and I don't think I am the only one.
Drove the new ML yesterday at San Francisco's Road Rally, and I was disappointed.
Don't get me wrong; I love my 2000 ML and was looking forward to a marked upgrade - it's NOT there. Less cargo space [we can't even mount our bicycles upright through the rear]; my 2000 with full leather is more luxurious inside [for instance the door panels in the new model are actually cultured plastic]; the center consol looks terrible; the rear seats collapse like a Toyota Corolla; the rear side windows don't even open to allow for interior air flow; I don't like the loss of the floor mount gear shift; the gas mileage is worse [at $2.75/gallon I won't stand for a new vehicle which gets 16 mpg]; the price is considerably higher; and I never was that excited about the new body style [although I think over time it could grow on me].
MBZ COULD have made a real statement with a "concept car look" and traditional MBZ styling/luxury - but in my opinion that reason no longer exists.
Now the "rally" really didn't offer much driving at all, but I had enough to know the ride's not appreciably better than what I'm used to. In fact, I like my non unibody ride just fine. Really, this is the first new model vehicle I can ever recall that has ever made me feel I'd rather own the previous year's model.
Spoke to some other ML owners there and their reactions were similar to mine so no, I'm not out to lunch.
Maybe for someone who's never owned a MBZ or ML they might be interested in what is now "just another SUV," but I'll tell you; the reason I purchased my ML was because it was the only SUV that was a MBZ. That reason is now gone.
Sorry; I don't mean to be so down on the truck but I suggest anyone seriously considering this as an upgrade to an W163 take a long, long, hard look before he/she leapz. I'm keeping my W163 and banking the $50K or more and I don't think I am the only one.
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