2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class ML430 review from North America
"Great SUV in need of a better assembly plant"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Driver's door seal came off. The dealer replaced it; however, it is coming off again. I am not very happy with the quality of the USA built Merc. I owned a 400E before and its quality was much better.
Noise in the A pillar of the passenger side. The A pillar was taken apart and a bracket was replaced.
The sun-roof has inordinate amount of noise when on the highway.
The left rear brake light assembly is of poor quality. It needs replacing. The alignment is off and the bare light bulb is showing through.
The brakes squeal a lot. It was replaced at 12000 KM and now the noise has returned. The dealer says this is normal for a Mercedes. I don't buy that.
General comments?
Generally I am happy with the power of the V8 engine.
The interior is bare for a vehicle costing this much. It needs an automatic climate control for one.
Recommended reviews
| High price mechanical boondoggle! |
|
| A terrible, terrible vehicle |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 2000 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.3 litre gasoline Automatic |
| Performance marks | 10 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 11000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 20000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Toyota 4Runner |
| Date of Entry | 15th May, 2001 |