Mercedes-Benz M-class (ML320, ML350, ML500 and ML55) 2005 and earlier

rjlim · April 2001

Drew;
Thanks.

spikethedog · April 2001

NAV SYSTEM....

As much as I would love to have a built-in MB nav system in my center console, the $1550 aftermarket price is too steep if I still expect to buy dogfood.

However, for those of you with Palm Pilots, a nav module can now be bought for $65!

Sure, sure, it's not the same thing as the MB, but it's only $65!

Here's a link on the Rand McNally web site to it.

(I don't know if you have to log in......)

http://www.randmcnally.com/rmc/jump?gps3

Best of all, Spike can run a Palm Pilot.

tarik · April 2001

How does this sound?

FOLIA TEC®, the Carstyling Factory, introduces a clairvoyant innovation: HYDRO-VISION. This is a transparent, self-adhesive film for exterior mirrors which improves vision in rain or fog, and can be applied in a few minutes. The innovative safety feature in HYDRO-VISION for which a patent is pending, is its hydroscopic effect which lasts for approximately six months. Unlike conventional, water-repellent exterior mirror films, this novel film actually absorbs water. Daylight makes the film hydroscopic, enabling the coating to absorb humidity and bind it in a micro-thin film of water. As the surface tension prevents the formation of water droplets, rain and fog hitting the coated mirror are evenly spread over the mirror surface. By counteracting irritating distortions, HYDRO-VISION produces considerably clearer vision. The UV-radiation in the daylight recharges the film.

http://www.hydro-vision.de/index.shtml

Tarik

howvood · April 2001

There is an MB rooftop carrier listed on e-bay. It is #580143868

biker5 · April 2001

Tarik, do you know how much are these hydro vision? i went to the site and the price isn't mention. for ML i don't think you'll need it because the side mirror are heated, right...
I am interested to use it for my other car.
TIA
Jim

tarik · April 2001

Jim,

No further info at this point, I just read about this foil a few days ago. I will keep you posted as I find out more... ...if you want to see really weird stuff, go to http://www.foliatec.com/

The side mirrors on my <cough> RX are heated too, but I think such a coating would still be beneficial.

Tarik

dt77 · April 2001

wow. that's some weird crap they sell ! hehe..strange...the dummy window vents ...hmmm...strange...

dt77
http://fullspeed.to/ml

ctic · April 2001

Foliotec.com is very nice. Even the website is well designed. Someone should tell them that sportive is not an English word :-)

Can any of these products be found here in the US? I wouldn't mind getting the grill for the front of the ML.

biker5 · April 2001

ctic,
where did you see the grill for the ML? maybe its just me i didn't see any picture of thir product exept the hydro vision. this folia tec is really a weired site.

repo4sale · April 2001

I'm thinking of going from an S Class 140 Diesel to ML Class. BUT after all the "problems"... yowzeee...

Will the ML come out with a Diesel motor, 6 or V8? Does anyone know?

repo4sale · April 2001

Oh, forgot to say I drive 5-6000 miles a month. Some on dirt roads. Doing repos of California Real Estate! Yup, still got those! More to come! Last 50 deals averaged over 800% proft/tax free!

How long do the tires last? Sams club sold me 7 year "unlimited miles" Micelin tires. Use a set every 10 months and it costs me about $10/month to replace 225x60x16 Michelin XSE tires.

Anyone gone over 100,000 miles? & can they email me their opinions directly repo4sale@netzero.net?
Please! Diesel MB last 300-400,000 miles, so a 100,000 mile ML owner's email would be ver appreciated! Thanks very much!

kenyee · April 2001

repo4sale:

No diesel on ML until we get cleaner diesel (less sulphur) here. The new generation of diesel engines being used abroad would croak in a few years w/ our fuel. Your S uses the older less efficient diesels.

You might want to ask some of the folks on the m-class mailing list: http://www.off-road.com/mbenz. I think the longest time owners are there. I know a few have racked up over 60K mi already.

p.s., any good tips on getting cheap dot-bomber real estate? ;-)

kenyee · April 2001

Thanks repo4sale. Folks on the m-class list also speak highly of the Topsider for oil changes:

http://www.boatus-store.com/mc_online/Browse.asp?ShowItem=16467

mlevinedc · April 2001

Does the topsider actually remove all the junk on the bottom of the oil pan? I've wondered whether it actually cleans out enough "stuff" to make it worthwhile. BTW I received a mailing from MB indicating that synthetic oil was the endorsed preferred oil in the ML et al.

biker5 · April 2001

WOW, the title block is back...IMHO Top sider is not going to work for me.

mlevinedc,
what year is your ML? you are the third one I knew that the MB sent you a letter telling they are now using Mobil 1

kenyee · April 2001

Someone on the m-class list actually took the oil plug off after using the topsider and no oil dripped out. Your dealer also does not use the oil plug technique. They use a machine that sucks stuff out the top, though it may be a touch more powerful than the topsider ;-)

mercara · April 2001

I got a letter from MBUSA informing me that they now recommend that only fully synthetic oils be used in cars/trucks with FSS. For those who are not using fully synthetic oils they have advised to switch to synthetic at the next FSS.

ctic · April 2001

It's not a specific grill for the ML, but that silver gauze like stuff that they recommend for grills. I think it's made of metal.

It's a universal size and "can be cut to fit easily". It's only about US$25 so, it's a great deal considering that the ML55 grill I'm considering costs about $250.

mlevinedc · April 2001

My ML430 is a 2000. 17K miles.

biker5 · April 2001

ctic,
check this website they are fabricating grill for ML its all stainless, I just don't know how good is the finish look. But its look nice..very diffirent.

www.j-jent.com

biker5 · April 2001

ctic · April 2001

Thanks, checked out the site. Where are you guys finding out about the sites?!

It doesn't have a price and doesn't look good. The type of grill I like best is the SLK sports grill, a plate with a lot of round holes drilled through it.

starbuck1 · April 2001

Been a long time since I visited Edmunds, lots of changes. My problem is squeaky brakes. Have 22,000 kilometers on my 2000 ML430 with the last 10,000 or so having the brake problem. My dealer has changed all the pads once & cleaned them many times. I have seen the bulletins from M-B Canada instructing the dealer to "educate" the owners on the fact that this is normal with high performance metallic brake pads but I am not buying it. Anyone else having this problem & is there any solution? IE: after market pads? Thanks in advance.
Bruce

marylandml320 · April 2001

I received a letter from MBenz yesterday informing me that Mobil 1 synthetic is now the required motor all for my 00ML320. They also recommended valvoline, castrol and shell. They also addressed tire rotation, and said that "tires should be rotated according to the manufacture's schedule" (not dealer's recommendation) and that trie rotations are performed on an as-needed basis under the FSS "B" service schedule. The letter also stated that it is not necessary to check seat belts or replace dust filters according to the FSS "A" service, but remain part of schedule "B"

Dave L.

biker5 · April 2001

Where I found this site, by accident. BTW I have the same opinion like you, I think the grill is ugly its look too trucky, and its an insert not the whole grill, meaning the insert will be extended out to the grill.
Price I asked for a qoute and they give me the BIG $199.00 plus shipping. I'd rather get the OEM ML55 grill from performance even its just a chrome. EOM
jim

biker5 · April 2001

Mercedes will share parts to Big Chrysler CAR

click the link:

http://just-auto.com/news_detail.asp?art=27026&dm=yes

ctic · April 2001

No problems there, as long as it's not MB which is using Chrylser parts to save money. If it was, I'd no longer be driving MB.

thor8 · April 2001

I agree with you, but for good measure I think people should let MB know how we feel about it, I am afraid the bean counters will try to slip Dodge parts into the assembly line if they think they can get away with it.

ctic · April 2001

From what I've read, and it's old news, it's no longer a merger of equals. Chrysler is definitely under the MB thumb as witnessed by the dismissal of all the US CEOs and replacement of CEOs from the Fatherland.

After watching last night's TV, I can imagine the Germans firing them by saying "You are der veakest link, Goodbye."

But any bean counters will probably be German. I don't think even German bean counters will want to dilute German purity with Dodge parts.

thor8 · April 2001

I can't see that to be case, first of all MB paid something like 32 billion, that should give them some say so, second Chrysler was a disaster on the making, unknown to MB at the time, had they waited longer they could have adquiered into Chrysler for a lot less, was it not for MB's pockets paying for all the losses, they would be crying bail out by now, if I remember correctly MB has paid something like 1,4 billions in recalls and buy backs from Chrysler.

I would not be too sure about bean counters, they speak a common language that transcends all known dialects, for instance, 123 is understood in any language.

Joking asides, when I visited the MB factory in Alabama we were told that Mercedes is in a globalization mode, their new motto is not "made in Germany" but "made by Mercedes Benz", and how their plans are to build mercedes in factories all over the globe, like the ML in the U.S. and the E class is made in Egypt and the C class is made in Spain and can't remember what in Brazil and so on, only the most expensive ones like the S class, SL, Unimogs and the engineering is to be done in Germany. It clearly indicates to me that the bean counters are in a ranpage.

ometofu · April 2001

Went to NY Autoshow yesterday and was disappointed with every vendor... sigh... MB display is ordinary....

I'll upload more picture later tonite... Here are some to start with

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=851026&a=12627277&p=46795693&f=0

biker5 · April 2001

this post was from ernest...slk board at mbnz.org
Mercedes-Benz USA, Inc.

Models: Mercedes Benz M Class Year: 2001

Number Involved: 377

Dates of Manufacture: January - February 2001

Defect: Certain of these passenger vehicles have an All Activity Module II
(AAM II) with a sub-component that could cause the module to intermittently
not function properly. The AAM II controls a number of systems including the
high beam lights, instrument cluster, door locks, and wiper systems. This
condition could cause an intermittent failure of these systems.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the AAM II. The manufacturer has reported that
owner notification began Feb. 16, 2001. Owners who do not receive the free
remedy within a reasonable time should contact Mercedes-Benz at
1-800-367-6372.

[NHTSA Recall No. 01V061/Mercedes-Benz Recall No. 2001-02001]

itsui · April 2001

I want to replace the stock bulb to blue bulb. Which one looks better (cool blue, blue vision and so on)? Please give me some suggestion?

jn320 · April 2001

Does anyone else have a problem inserting or removing the gas nozzle when they put gas in their vehicle? We have had the problem since we owned it. Took it to MB right after we got it, they said there was nothing wrong with it. Last night it got stuck and we chipped the paint to get it removed. Any suggestions to remedy this? Thanks.

gpvs · April 2001

I'm having problems with it sometimes, too. I thought it was just me. It's harder to insert the nozzle but even harder to take it out. I just kind of wiggle it out so I won't do any damage to the car. I think it depends on what gas station I use. I recently frequent another station and don't seem to have that problem. I think it depends on the nozzle, really. I think the gas tank opening is kinda small and the lip of the gas tank is some what at an angle that some other nozzle with the bigger rubber skirt or collar gets caught on the opening of the tank.

drwag · April 2001

My ML 55 AMG: At the end of the two mufflers one can see black soot. I think normally they should be grey. Has anyone else the same problem?

marylandml320 · April 2001

I had that same problem once, I force it so hard that I broke the plastic housing for the filler-door lock. Dealer fixed it for FREE, but have not had that problem since. I think it was the nozzle, some of them have a really large "shroud" around them I guess for EPA reasons. I usually use AMOCO gasoline and there nozzles are more streamlined...

Dave L.

rjlim · April 2001

1999 ML 430 AMG! Is there such a thing?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=579064311&tc=photo6337

gpvs · April 2001

I think this is a custom ML, because there is no 430 amg that i know of. Looks nice though.

dleungnyc · April 2001

IMHO, that's not a real AMG. Probably a "badged" 430. One quick and easy way to find out is this, ask for a picture of the engine compartment and the brakes. You should see some AMG labeled parts.

dt77 · April 2001

that wouldn't be a real one. haha funny though.

He just put a nice entertainment system in and bought the AMG badge and stuck it on. It appears the only part of that ML that is AMG is the AMG badge the owner stuck on.

dt77

http://fullspeed.to/ml

bertram60 · April 2001

badge that some one's buying!!! I'll sell my wife's 2000 430 with 13k miles for that number and add all the bars and stereo stuff!!! I'm a pretty big audiophile, and didn't see $14k of stereo stuff (especially by Clarion!).

nofeer · April 2001

Any info or update, any pictures or the dash, what about features and content? Will they finally get (please) dvd based gps?

eversons · April 2001

I checked the chrome tips of our ML55. The soot is pure black. The same color as the exhaust residue on the tips of our Acura NSX. Both cars are running just fine.

Scott

dt77 · April 2001

http://members.nbci.com/lynxis6/figsnpix/crtwothou/wildride.htm

dt77

http://fullspeed.to/ml

rexconde1 · April 2001

I bet drew doesnt have one of those....

Robert

thegurtons · April 2001

Does the Mercedes integrated Time port phone accept Sprint PHS service?

dagill · April 2001

Gave ML to my wife. A litle one is on its way and we are looking for the ML baby seat. If anyone wants to part with his for $$ please email me. Baljas@hotmail.com. apparently they deactivate airbags when used, making it safer for babies.
Thanks
Dave

kenyee · April 2001

thegurtons:
Yes. It's tri-band. The old StarTac did not work on Sprint PCS...

dt77 · April 2001

Heh, maybe he will soon

dt77

Mercedes-Benz M-class (ML320, ML350, ML500 and ML55) 2005 and earlier

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