Road Test: 1998 Mercedes-Benz ML 320
| OWNER'S PURCHASE CONSIDERATIONS |
| What influenced you to consider a Mercedes-Benz ML320 |
| Prior Mercedes ownership | 69.8% |
| Safety features | 60.4 |
| Auto mag report | 47.9 |
| All-terrain ability | 41.4 |
| Looks/style | 40.2 |
| Performance | 33.1 |
| I would buy another Mercedes-Benz | 94.4% |
| I would recommend the ML320 | 88.5% |
|
Surveyed owners also really loved this vehicle. (Unlike us, few enjoyed it in the dirt.) An enthusiastic 88.5 percent said they'd recommend the ML320 to others. Further, 94.4 percent would buy another Mercedes product. And that's quite interesting because, like us, they also encountered flaws. Some 23 percent of the owners suffered problems with their vehicle's keyless entry system, and 10 percent reported noises and rattles that required service action. Likewise, oil leaks and electrical gremlins occurred in many vehicles. Asked about specific dislikes, 14.2 percent of these owners mentioned quality. "Computer problems made my ML undriveable for months," reported one owner.
Surprisingly, despite rumors, money-hungry dealers resisted pumping up prices. Survey replies indicated the prices paid averaged $39,476 with an overall range from $33,900 to $45,000. (That average is $639 less than the sticker on our own ML320.)
Our normally power-hungry staffers seemed mostly content with the V-6's 215 horses. But a healthy slice of the owners mentioned wanting more "punch." Owners as a group averaged 18.4 mpg. (EPA mileage is 17 city/21 highway.) As promised, M-B now offers the V-8-engined 430 and off-roading's hot-rod the ML55 with a 340-horsepower V-8.
In terms of specific likes, almost 40 percent cited handling and ride. The independent suspension worked at keeping the big contact patches squarely and smoothly on the asphalt. One owner summed things up neatly with, "It looks good. It drives good. And it rides good. I'm a satisfied customer, and I'll probably never own anything else."
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