This is the Most RELIABLE Luxury SUV I Could Buy for $4,000 (Not a Lexus)

[@TheFabricatorSeries]

Awesome meeting you! Glad you made it back safe, and I look forward to watching more of your vids (hopefully with more wheelies).

[@WaldosWorld]

Thanks Justin! Good times 🤠

[@plunder1956]

For some reason I've had problems with my VW diesel twice when replacement of the fuel filter made a big difference. Despite other issues I still have that old bus after 17 years it still runs.

[@scottleggejr]

You taught me how to pie cut a few years back!

[@yshamayev]

​@plunder1956 хжщб Ю.фз😢зщззззяз😢🎉э😢я пт 🎉к'*' 🎉ч Ь 😢

[@_zoid]

your viper is friggin beautiful

[@docohm50]

This is why it's so worth it to learn to fix your vehicle. In 2023 the average car price is $47,000. Here you got a $4,000 used SUV put $500 into it and you're not making $800 a month car payments. I am a retired avionics technician and a shade tree mechanic. I thoroughly loved this video. Keep em coming! God Bless 🙏

[@jml9550]

I always set aside $400 a month into a maintenance/repair/new car fund. Always buy Toyota and Lexus since they last a long time statistically and we keep them until they don’t make sense. Just bought a newLexus NX350H for my wife in April, $51K in cash.

[@davenone7312]

Weird this is my first watch of this guys video and I too am a retired Avionics tech & shade tree mech!

[@miniaddict4534]

100%. Your life opens up to a whole new world when you learn to fix your car while investing in tools little by little. Now I’m not afraid of owning any car. I’m currently in the process of restoring a 20 year old car, and I already can’t wait for my next project car.

[@leftlane1405]

Yes, but it’s not a brand new car, you still will have issues down the road.

[@aarg2609]

​@@jml9550smart man.

[@stex1985]

At Lowe’s they sell a baseball type cap that has led lights under the bill. I brought one several years ago and now I have at least 4 in different places where work is done.Makes working in tight dark places better. So use to having them on while working that I move my head for light adjustment and don’t have a cap on. 🤣 I can stand holding those lights in my mouth. Love the content of your post.

[@KEH-XA]

Hello from Germany. the dpf filter problem is city driving. he has to go on a road trip, put it in a lower gear and drive at 3,000 rpm for 20 minutes. it will clean itself.

[@ClaudeSac]

Who is this short, you say you are owned by?

[@TheRoadhammer379]

Ok genius, so please explain why American semi trucks, which travel 500-700 miles a day are having so many failures.

[@WhiteWolfos]

It's a similar problem for VW golfs with the specific 4cyl engine. They get dirty so quickly and 3krpm for 15mins helps clean off some excess carbon buildup

[@anneli1735]

@@ClaudeSacWe Germans are used to German cars and partly no speed limits here. We call it „you have to go on the highway again to burn your car free“ 😂 sorry for my bad English ☺️

[@porcupinepunch6893]

​​@@TheRoadhammer379This Mercedes *SUV* isn't a semi truck. Hope that helps

[@xNYCMarc]

@20:40 FYI: When working on the diffs of older cars, especially ones you don't personally know, you should get into the habit of opening the FILL plug first before draining the fluid out in case the fill plug won't open. The car will be undrivable until you figure out how to get the fill plug unstuck. At least if you find out first it won't open, you just don't drain it so you can still drive it while figuring it out.

[@darrylm79]

He does this in future videos. It probably didn't cross his mind THIS video.

[@xNYCMarc]

@@darrylm79 Perhaps he does it in future videos because he took on board the suggestion in THIS comment.

[@PresidentEvil]

@@xNYCMarcwhatever helps you sleep at night

[@xNYCMarc]

@@PresidentEvil Why would that help me sleep at night? Wow, people are stupid.

[@Hoggdoc1946]

Actually, I noticed him do that on the transfer case.

[@MehmetArslan-cc3zo]

I love how you move to the right if your not passing every time unlike most of the drivers on us highways

[@WaldosWorld]

Yep, I like to follow proper lane etiquette 👍

[@AnontheGOAT]

Think you meant right

[@alexflosho]

Pretty soon, it's going to be illegal to cruise in the left lane here in FL.

[@MehmetArslan-cc3zo]

@@alexflosho i would love that, cruising speed here is faster compared to some states since there isn’t many cops on the roads, but the left and middle lanes are pretty much always filled with people cruising at the same exact speed

[@smileyguyz]

@@alexflosho It's illegal pretty much anywhere, but it's still incredibly common. It's a combination of zero enforcement, and stupidity. Many people I've talked to that camp in the left lane do it because it's "easier" and get incredibly defensive if you even suggest that it's making things more difficult for everyone else.

[@ja.935g67]

I'm amazed in how nice of condition this vehicle is in for $4,000. Especially the underside! Cheers on the repair mate

[@boyracer3477]

I seen this in other videos where a decent mechanic buys a cheap car from auction with "issues". The dealer that took it in trade doesn't want to gamble and spend $150+ an hour on a mechanic to diagnose and repair the car so just takes the auction money and moves to his next deal.

[@kamX-rz4uy]

@@boyracer3477 And if you don't go looking for the problem you can honestly say you don't know what's wrong with it. Protects the dealer if it turns out to be major.

[@geoh7777]

@ja.9166 "I'm amazed in how nice of condition this vehicle is in for $4,000." I'm amazed at how he is able to diagnose the troubles that this type of vehicle might have, something that would not make this cross-country deal look attractive to 99.99% of people. $4000 is sort of out of the question.

[@nuthinbutlove]

I have to tell you, you were more courageous than I for driving it across country like that with a vehicle you bought on auction, especially with the way it sounded to me as soon as you started it. I'm glad you made it home and were able to handle the repairs yourself. Great score!

[@HotMike]

As a multiple Mercedes owner, this was very informative, reassuring and conformational. Mercedes vehicles can be over engineered and complicated to a degree, but, I work on my own, when I can, and enjoy the relative reliability. Only thing I'm missing are the diagnostic tools, equipment and a decent shop space. Having that would allow me to exclusively work on them. This channel rocks!

[@18_rabbit]

i assume u mean 'confIrmational'. Btw i urge u to not think of MB diesel ownership in the US as something viable longterm if u dnt want to spend a fortune and/or have multiple issues

[@erikkovacs3097]

Get a Creader elite for mercedes. It is hands down the best diagnostic tool for the shade tree mechanic. You can do things on it that requires professional $3000+ tools like setting transmission shift point adaptation and marrying virgin ECU's and TCU's to the car. They go for less than $120.

[@zech007]

Om642 is a reliable engine once you hit a pothole and all clogging exhaust bits falls off. I got an w211 E320 that hit a pothole and it’s clocked at 368k miles tho it’s consuming oil and not leaking at 1 quart/2500 miles it’s acceptable at that mileage. Runs smoothly still looks very good and i pick it up for only $600. I do plan to remove the engine and perform a re-ring & rebuild and get to learn about these engine, there’s plenty of OM642 circulating around in US.

[@7eis]

If it drives it's a steal at $600. I've got a 90ies sedan that burned oil for first 3 years of ownership. My work van was down so I hitched up the trailer to the sedan. After towing heavy for ~30 hours the oil level stays the same between oil changes. Before towing it would go from full to 'refill' in an oil change interval. It might be something else, but mpg went up right at the same time.

[@alouisschafer7212]

​@Feral Man 20w50 in an OM642? what? They are just fine on 5w40. Cheap 5w40 too.

[@tangelaphillips4409]

What is the year

[@tangelaphillips4409]

It's also Great that you know a little about that suv

[@alanclark639]

Waldo my man - you've impressed me again! You are certainly the only guy I know and probably one of the few alive - that don't curse and cuss like a trooper when they drop sump plugs into the waste oil catcher. Great video again and another neat auction buy.

[@vinnyhern]

people like to mess with the cars at auctions to discourage others from bidding on them, they do that in the hope of getting a good deal on the car. because many auctions allow you to start and move them around a little. being that you purchased on line, you knew nothing about its issues.

[@robertwilliams4487]

That is a HUGE factor! (Responding a year later because this hits.) I'm in my 50s, and was raised in the used car lot/auction/salvage yard life, and EVERYONE knew in the 70s that you can trust nothing going on that doesn't have an absolute confirmation of the problem. Yes, there are some true nightmares and lemons/etc, but there are absolutely also some amazing deals that another dude decided was just toooooo sweet to let the next guy have a fair shot at, so they sabotage it.

[@Anonymous99997]

I agree with the recommendation of the 3M headlight restoration kit. The key is that it has a clear coat for the final step which makes the restoration last much longer than just polishing the headlights.

[@SI-fo2hl]

***Waldo, you can probably get this fixed for free at the dealer! We’ve owned a couple of these Ml350 diesels and Mercedes is currently doing a “dieselgate” type emissions system replacement. If it has not been done yet the dealer will do a full emission replacement, give you a check for $2k and slap a 4yr/48k mile warranty on the drivetrain and emissions components (including turbocharger). If this car has already had it done, then it is almost certainly still under the warranty. Either way Mercedes will likely foot your bill 😁👍

[@bilbo_4]

This is correct, I commented on this earlier. It is the Diesel Emissions Program and is the result of a settlement for the diesel emission cheating. If this vehicle has already received the repair it should have an extended warranty on it and some issues with the intake and exhaust systems will be covered.

[@RyanRoadReaper]

Wait, Mercedes got caught cheating emissions too?

[@2810Mad]

@@RyanRoadReaper vw, audi, seat, porsche, bmw, daimler, opel in the eu at least

[@mawa9843]

​@@2810Mad incorrect on BMW. Although it's often claimed, there was no emission cheating at BMW. The only lawsuit was when they themself adressed to authorities that the wrong engine data was put on some 7000 diesel cars (X5 I think).

[@marlu6373]

true that i have a friend just did that.

[@psalm2forliberty577]

Great video, I saw thumbnail & said "Bet it's about the ML / w16X SUV" series ! I know cause I bought, 8 years ago, and ML500, so an 5 litre V-8, 2002 model year, Mercedes SUV, in a somewhat Rare color. Guess what I paid, yes $4,000 ! She had 102,000 miles & now has 184,000 & is my tow rig for sport & work trailers. You are SO right on Colors for Mercedes-Benz, is there a LAW somewhere that commands them to only use Black, White or Silver on 90% of them ??? I dunno but thrilled my ML500 is Gold Metallic instead. But your red / burgundy color is superb ! And the Turbodiesel Bluetec is great IF she's a reliable engine: As you say they're quite rare so hard for me to say. I will say this for sure, in the 98-05 early series ML (w163 series) the related V6 & V8, named m112 & m113 respectively, are legendarily tough & reliable. I'm an occasional,l active forum tech at Benzworld w163 forum & have heard longevity stories that are exceptional. I love unique German cars & trucks like these. (Tip to newbies: body on frame SUV = Truck) I just obtained a seriously cool yet rare German Station wagon you might look into in future: 2018 Buick Regal TourX AWD 5 door wagon - it's an awesome GT car made by Opel of Germany & only imported into USA in 2018-20. But sold much longer overseas in Europe & Aus / NZ as Opel / Vauxhall Insignia / Holden Commodore. Anyhow it's got Euro / German style & vibe quite the unique runner & NOT a carbon copy Subaru or Volvo wagon. Actually size & performance very similar to the $90,000 Mercedes E class wagon, (still made but seldom seen.) Let me know if you wanna know more on the earlier series ML (my channel has a few w163 mod videos) or Regal TourX Wagon. Imma finish your video now. Cheers - David in East Texas

[@nathanokioga]

I have the 2011 gas version and the 2013 gas as well and to be honest the 2011 is my favorite, I love driving it across the country and the seats were well made than the newer ones, it also hauls a lot of weight with no issues. No wonder most were used by videographers

[@manuelpiston]

😂😂😂 you are a joke

[@huski815]

Never seen anyone, US or European, include UK MPG, very useful, thanks!

[@WaldosWorld]

Not many people realize that US gallons are different from British gallons!

[@DrWho-Tardis]

From a 72 year old ‘Baby Boomer’ who loves cars, it is refreshing to see a young man interested in cars and being mechanical as well. Well done, I congratulate you!

[@garyrains5996]

So good to see you back in action. I'm a bit like my area"s "car nerd" and folks think I'm nuts because I'm always recommending the Mercedes ML to my neighbors. They are built like tanks, the interiors are dog-proof, and the four-wheel drive system does not failed. They are cheap to buy and will hurt the other guy if you have a crash. I owned an "07 350 that looked like that color. I always buy red cars.

[@WaldosWorld]

Yeah, that's why they're so cheap, I guess. Everybody seems to think they're bad cars 🤷‍♂️

[@swamp-yankee]

@@WaldosWorld there’s a saying that the most expensive car you can buy is a cheap Mercedes

[@trw8777]

@@swamp-yankee American people say that. In Europe they are considered very reliable. It's the exact opposite for Ford though.

[@bleachstain9785]

⁠​⁠@@swamp-yankee I spent $1700 acquiring my loaded W211 E500 RWD, put less than $1,300 into suspension work and electronics with my own labor and that includes fresh Blizzak tires. Around $3k and I have a comfortable road missile. The worst car you could buy, is one you cannot afford, and one you cannot work on yourself.

[@alouisschafer7212]

I want an old Mercedes E Class Diesel so bad and nobody understands why.

[@motheolebelo]

I love it when you take on such projects without fear. love your DIY maintenance and yes there is plenty of life left in this car.

[@brianovington]

Best video on the w164 i have seen .best of luck with it. Very comfortable vehicle and well built. No squeeks or rattles.

[@JamesDBuzzard]

I always find the parts guys at the dealerships are super nice and always enjoy talking to people doing the work themselves. I had an old BMW parts guy that was super nice and knowledgeable. He helped me a ton when I was doing head gaskets for the first time on my old e36

[@ckm-mkc]

The 2009 and earlier pre-DEF engines are much, much more reliable.... But great choice - looked at buying one of these but chose a diesel Jag F-Pace which has much better gas mileage (38 mpg @ 90mph). Also 5x the price.... but more sporty and fun to drive, also quieter on long trips. Side note - the entire exhaust from the manifold to the tailpipe was replaced on my F-Pace 3k miles before I bought it. It cost $17000.

[@richardflechs1139]

Bought a 2008 ML350 (V6 Gasoline as you say) in white back in 2010. I got it at 60,000 miles, and after 10 years of ownership, I put 170,000 miles on it. It genuinely was a bullet proof car, the most reliable car I’ve ever owned in my life. It only had one major issue towards the end and the repair cost me $1,300. I drove it for 5 days 40 miles a day before I had a day off and take it into the shop, and despite some concerning noises, it still held up. Two of my uncles bought a white ML350 after me, one of them a 2013 diesel with bluetec as well that he sent back to our home country. Now I own a BMW only because I needed a newer car, and the newer Mercedes SUVs aren’t flattering at all, let alone reliable. It’s sad to see how different Mercedes turned out, in my opinion it lost a lot of the style and charm it used to have before 2014/15.

[@djkenny1202]

Both males have gone down hill big time over the years.

[@Spartansrule118]

What was the major issue?

[@Chuckles1418]

Great buying Waldo! Quick tip - when doing an oil change on the cartridge oil filter vehicles open the housing cap until you can see 10mm of thread. It will let the oil bypass the bottom o-rings and drain the oil out of the cartridge for a mess free extraction.

[@weingump2602]

in fact the fuel filter on diesel engine better to be changed every 10000 miles. also, I can tell the cabin air filter must be very nasty.

[@romanmendoza4549]

Their is a emissions recall for most bluetech Mercedes that either replace the exhaust system or the whole charge and intake manifolds. Would highly recommend looking into it to see if the vehicle fits under the recall.

[@p4xl]

Its funny how different the perception of reliability is in Europe and the US is. Over here in Germany Diesel engines are cosidered much more reliable than petrol ones as long as you drive long enough to get the power train to temps. In the end it comes down to the care the vehicle got, I guess. Also: love your content Waldo, not that shiny, quick cut, loud, usual car content - great! :)

[@kenadams5504]

Diesels are very reliable when it comes to toxic exhaust fumes .They never fail to pollute everyone in their vicinity. (notwithstanding a commercial vehicle needing torque from a diesel ).

[@wills5482]

The US has been hit with a massive gasoline shilling for decades. Everywhere you need a vehicle to be reliable, you're not seeing a gasoline engine that need at least 6 liters to make any amount of power

[@osmaks1518]

​@@kenadams5504 yet you would die way sooner in a garage full of gas engine fumes, than diesel engine fumes..

[@athaphian]

Here in The Netherlands the biggest question is how many km's do you drive each year. After a certain amount, the diesel engine becomes cheaper due to diesel fuel being cheaper, but road tax being higher. So when you drive less, you buy gasoline, when you drive a lot, you buy diesel.

[@username8644]

Old diesels versus old gas, diesel is more reliable. Modern diesel versus modern gas, gas is more reliable.

[@gentlesoul1513]

Hello from the UK, I used to work at a chemical plant that produced Anti Freeze, basically its all the same, Ethylene glycol is colourless, we used to add dyes to the production batch depending on the customer requirements, the packing plant was loaded with several thousand branded bottles, filled and shipped, we also blended brake fluid, packaged and shipped in the same way.

[@matthewrees4449]

Waldo’s videos are just so brilliant. Soothing to watch as he deals with every challenge - even if it turns out to be a disconnected sensor. All fun and fabulously entertaining.

[@izz5946]

That’s what I was going to say…. But you said it already 👍

[@nerfthecows]

It always takes me a second to remember diesel is opposite of gasoline where more fuel in the ratio is hotter

[@aelaan12]

I am impressed how you have so much knowledge about the vehicle. These are great vehicles to go for half a million miles. As long as it is maintained and not driven like a madman. These have a lovely torque band. I rented a diesel here in Canada when I was looking to purchase a new SUV, the only thing shocking was the price of the fuel. That did not take away the weekend drive from my home to Ottawa and back. It was humming along at around 2700 RPM and the seats were comfortable.

[@daweigo6851]

They have bad name for reliability in Australia

[@18_rabbit]

@@daweigo6851 for good reason! junk, & /or the repairs are unaffordable to most owners including wealthy ones!

[@akorzan]

We had a 2011 ML350 Bluetec. We had pure headaches with it: timing chain stretches every 40K miles leading to slapping at cold start. In addition, the whole Bluetec system is finicky and we had to replace NOX sensors and Urea Preheaters multiple times under and without warranty. In addition the tumble flaps in the intake manifold will break from carbon. This car should get walnut blasting every 50K miles. It also takes a very specific oil: MB 229.51, which is hard to find. Mobil 1 ESP (the green label) is impossible to find on store shelves. It is important to use this "low ash" oil to prolong the life of the emission components. If you use regular Mobil 1 TurboDiesel oil, you will see an emission failure quickly.

[@briantii]

Agreed - I really wanted a Bluetec but the number of common failures is just insane.

[@erikkovacs3097]

All my emission equipment fell off my GL 320 (dpf, egr, swirl valves). All the problems you listed disappeared. I even use normal CJ4 diesel motor oil now. 250k miles and still on the original timing chain.

[@akorzan]

@@erikkovacs3097 Timing chain issues plagued majority of MB motors made around 2010+. I had it in the 4.7 Litre biturbo at 48K miles. From my understanding, the part supplier just sucked.

[@johnbooth1583]

I bought a 2003 ML 320 with 99,000 miles for $2000,,almost no rust at all,rare for a 20 year old New England auto.My local MB specialty shop did a full service ,and replaced the front drive shaft.Total cost of vehicle and full service,and all new rotors and pads totalled $5000.I've drive it 70,000 miles in 2 1/2 years and love it. A great winter car and a reliable ,comfortable driver.I'd buy another MB 163.

[@jsndwn75]

Can not believe you are not at a million subscribers by now. Been watching from the early days and your content is simply outstanding.

[@jason_l5p]

Waldo I noticed you drove up I44! You drove by my hometown of Washington Missouri!

[@99andrianmonk]

Thoroughly enjoy your channel. Your videos are well done, informative, helpful and easy to watch. Looking forward to your next one.

[@robertkerby2581]

I really enjoyed your cross country trip with you; and how you diagnosed; and repaired most of the issues on your Auction purchase! You did an awesome job at doing maintenance, e.g, transmission fluids, etc. You really scored an excellent vehicle on this one! Well done, Waldo!

[@RicardoEspañaSevilla]

Hi from Spain. One common Issue with The om642 are the oil cooler seals. There is many tutorials on KZbin. Congrats Waldo.

[@BionicRusty]

I have the E Class Wagon in Hyacinth Red. Beautiful car. I did have a Jaguar XF. Bought it at 3 years old. Full Jaguar service and with an extended warranty. In the time I had it, it had over £10K of repairs and then, 2 weeks out of warranty, the DPF clogged and that leaked diesel into the oil sump. The engine destroyed itself. The car was worth ~£16K by now and Jaguar wanted over £12K for a new engine. I sold it for scrap. That was not the first but definitely the last Jaguar I will ever own. Awesome video. Subbed 👍

[@lorenzoshells1951]

What year e class wagon

[@danielmorgan190]

I have an 09 R class bluetec brother to this. It is a beautiful machine when working. Mine was having same issue bogging down, often going into limp mode for boast issues. I tried cleaning out the DPF myself with limited success. But mine fell under the Bluetec settlement (check if yours falls under that), so dealer replaced dpf, def and egr systems for free. It runs much better now. I've also rebuilt the turbo and a small boost leak. If you do decide to rebuild the turbo, it is hard to find a rebuild kit and for some reason the one I got was missing a key o ring. Had to buy the o ring separate. If the T case starts making a horrible teeth jumping noise, you probably just need a new chain.

[@18_rabbit]

yeah, my mechanic forbade me the diesels, and he's an expert , deep level mechnaic for them and the nondiesel euro

[@pilskadden]

So nice to see someone service a Mercedes properly. I think these have unfairly received a bad reputation for being unreliable because people are not maintaining them properly or at all. You do need to use the correct coolant, the correct oil and use the correct procedure for setting the level in the transmission etc.

[@WaldosWorld]

Exactly. I think I should have been more clear in the video, but proper maintenance is key to having a reliable vehicle, especially with German cars

[@tubekazo]

Well for the any car but especially one with DPF "Italian" tune up does wonders - 20-30 mins (or more) at 100mi/hr. + or few hrs. at 80.

[@Bannimann2]

Another great purchase, for a low price. I know a lot of people say they're not reliable and they break down all the time, but in my experience it's mostly caused by people themselves - they buy an expensive +100.000$ car, but then cheap out on the maintenance. I experienced that many times when I had my shop, where people wouldn't pay for the expensive fluids specified by the manufacturer, but wanted me to use the cheap discount stuff because "It was good enough for them!" - yeah maybe, but it's not good enough for your car Mister, you need to use the products specified by the manufacturer, or you risk damaging your car and losing your warranty! 😂

[@anastasiasalem7615]

I bought mine brand new serviced at the dealer and it had a lot of issues with sensors all the time

[@lindaturgeon1618]

I’m impressed! This guy really knows his stuff! Wish my mechanic was as good as he is. Kudos!

[@omeromer1509]

Love the videos and then ever I finish watching I want to watch more that's how good they are

[@michaelscott7706]

I saw that oil in the turbo when you were changing the fuel filter.

[@liammonahan]

Barolo Red is a nice spec. I haven’t seen many of them. Great choice.

[@stephaniemiller3097]

You inspire me to learn more about my 2010 GLK 350 4matic that's still running. 164000 and it's still going. I loved your video and always been a fan of Mclass SUV. Your amazing your wife is Lucky to have you.

[@itsjustme9318]

As usual and excellent job of trouble shooting and changing all filters and fluids especially on a diesel with 200K!! That is one hell of nice ride for 4K. Those Mercedes diesels are bulletproof as long as they are properly maintained. You own a fleet of cars and trucks now what do you do with all of them...lol. ENJOY!!! You could flip that now and make a tidy profit!

[@jarekast754]

In Poland we usually cut out dpfs to get rid of the problem :-) They get blocked usually when you drive around town most of the time.

[@craigadair128]

Does it put vehicle into limp mode?

[@jarekast754]

@@craigadair128 I think a new map is put into the software.

[@Tsitris46]

Dang, the Fabrication Series, I’ve been watching Justin for a while and recently been catching up on your channel! Great stuff!

[@yolo_burrito]

DPF usually gets full from EGR valve stuck open or EGR cooler clogged.

[@peteschiavoni]

I love that color. It’s going to be a fun vehicle. I loved the old straight 6 diesels they had in early 80’s. Bulletproof!! Thanks for sharing Waldo!!!

[@18_rabbit]

yep they were and this v6 diesel aint'

[@djkenny1202]

Those were the last great Mercedes

[@ianbardon8581]

5 s were very good, I had 2, one still running at 20 years old😊

[@gavnonadoroge3092]

waldo, you are perfect german car user. you have mechanical skills, repair shop, and income from other sources.

[@hardlyb]

I found that one of those headlight restoration kits was a good way to get the sandpaper, polishing compound, and clear coat to fix a small boo-boo on my car's body. I had to buy the spray paint separately, of course, but I got the different grades of 3M sandpaper and some easy to apply clear coat - those little wipes work rather well - and the end result is that you have to be a few inches away and stare at it to tell the difference. I'm still waiting for more video on the excavator.

[@duanebartlett4885]

I made the mistake of buying a diesel car 5 years ago.. worst mistake a Californian could ever make. So many regulations, and the car is programmed to start slowing down whenever the smog is out of specs! Hope you have better luck than I did. Chevrolet eventually bought the car back under the lemon law. It was in the dealership repair shop for 7 months because they didn't have a replacement dpf...diesel particulate filter...oh, and the dpf costs over $3000. The fun is just beginning!

[@testi2025]

Turbo is a nice silencer. Had a hole in my exhaust and only noticed when the road inspection failed. With right tools you can force a DPF burn.

[@DNomer]

Waldo is brave, diving into very complex, technical cars that he knows little about, yet with persistence and work and an enquiring mind -- victory in the end. Fairly impressive. Plus it is easy to note that the West Coast cars are much less rotted out than East Coast vehicles, plus places like Vegas are quite dry.

[@jeepercreepers54]

Really enjoy your inspiring videos Waldo. You take your problems in stride and calmly find solutions on everything you encounter. You also perform the kind of maintenance that I like to do on my vehicles. Thanks and please continue to share.

[@rogerdevero8726]

Butch, you said it! It's really all about Waldo's 'Can Do' attitude, and his kind spirit.

[@mjf1036]

Very educational and enjoyable video Waldo! The skills you are teaching are so important for those that want to learn maintenance and mechanics. I just had my 2012 ML350, that we purchased new, in the shop for service and a number of little repairs. Money well spent on a car with 110k miles that will easily carry me another 50k miles. Better choice than buying a newer used car with unknown history. It also feels good knowing all these MB's are made in America. Ok, assembled in America. 😅

[@jameskerherve7487]

This was an awesome video for those who are wanting to pick up a reliable used luxury SUV and can do some of our own maintenance. I was positive my next suv purchase was going to be a 2nd Gen Lexus RX before watching your video. The ML350 could be a contender for me. By the way the headlights look excellent. I too performed this headlight recon on my 06 CLS55. To make sure the Mercedes plastic didn’t fog up again I installed a layer of clear Lamin-x film which came out excellent and still clear 2 years later.

[@thomasassim-ita1787]

Deeply appreciate your effort to get the problem solved. Thanks Waldo 🎉

[@goptools]

Hi Waldo. Seems you've had pretty good luck with your various auctions purchases. I don't know if it is something I would want to try but it is quite interesting seeing the diagnostic steps you take, the repairs and the results. This one was a good one. Thanks for the video!

[@Vielthic]

I think I will stick with my 05 RX330! Great vid!

[@clauslohmar3379]

Not sure if someone mentioned, change the automatic gearbox oil!-!

[@lklpalka]

Waldo this is your mother speaking, would you please wear some kind of glasses while working under a vehicle? I enjoy your videos and would like you to be able to see to make more of them.

[@tarmac1697]

I drive a cls 350 diesel, I’ve owned it for 8 years it’s a 2013. Had 34,000 miles when I bought it, has 110,000 now. I’ve serviced it twice and it’ll still do 150mph on the highway. Fantastic engine .

[@rv9990]

An 2700mile trip back to home! Christ. Thats a real test, for man and machine. Lovley car Waldo. Thanks for the video!

[@beattheswissable]

Thank you for this interesting video, Waldo. I’m neither a car DIYer nor a Mercedes fan nor do I even live in the US any more, but I truly enjoyed watching how you worked thru the various steps to get her back into tip-top shape for the next 200K miles! 👍

[@Dzynerr]

You need to meet a new barber asap :) Video is great though.

[@WaldosWorld]

Hopefully my barber doesn't see this 😅

[@TGoff-fz7yh]

I like it

[@ianhurley6910]

Nah I’m ngl I was thinking the same thing like why is the part on the top of his skull 😂

[@DB-Slugz]

I swear Lolol

[@damian4628]

Yeah cuz the fade ain't fading. You need a black barber

[@robertgiller4246]

Great video for entertainment and teaching purposes. Excellent attention to detail and can tell you put a lotta heart into them. Breaking longer episodes into 25 to 30 minute segments help to maintain attention. Also, excellent video quality. Thanks and look forward to future videos.❤😊

[@xumot]

First thing that came to mind was "isn't this Hoovie's stolen Merc"? Same color, same brand, same body type. I know it's not, but still...

[@daveh2612]

Well and Hoovie had a previous gen w163 ML55 AMG, this is a second generation w164 ML350 Bluetec

[@gaptaxi]

I have been driving Mercedes 6 cylinder petrol engines on LPG for 13 years and I always fit K&N filters for very smooth air flow, I always fit a Pre Filter as well to give myself a bit of protection, a Mercedes demands a very healthy Battery, any drop in charge cripples the car. The M-Class has a great reputation where I live in the Bavarian mountains.

[@bergan1227]

Sometimes if you have a good Mercedes dealer if you pay them a visit and give the service department the Vin they will print out the service sheets of all the maintenance that’s been done over the years

[@BWGPEI]

Having delivered one of these in a snow storm, I completely understand why you wanted it. Very very nice!

[@raytinsman2672]

You are a brave man! Great job!

[@shawna7813]

Gotta check if there's oil in those auction cars before you start them up...

[@mattlaptop5728]

Thanks for taking us along - that oil filter housing gasket is impressive, a lot of thought, design and engineering went into that…..and the rest of the vehicle.

[@CHIEFS8214]

I'm watching your video for the first time and find it excellent. Calm, easy to follow diagnosis and fixes plus not always common sense fluid drains and replacement 👍. You have a well stocked tool supply which makes me curious about your background.

[@trefontaine]

“…and it’s still stalling. Okay, I still have some issues…” Man, I wish my reactions could be this calm while troubleshooting problems with my vehicles.

[@christianrickman4243]

You can take the DPF and muffler out and pressure wash in reverse flow to clean them out, also do a swirl flap delete and put a resistor in to trick the computer into thinking everything is good, also oil cooler seals. Also another common thing if this is a formatic, if you have popping whenever you floor it then you need to put a new chain in the transfer case.

[@darius2640]

lifting a car by driving up onto a curb and then getting yourself under it made me feel very uneasy, a good way to get yourself squished this is. I've done this hack a couple times too but I'm standing clear away from it and only reach in with my hand and quickly tie down a loose bumper with a zip tie or something small like that

[@johnbooth1583]

This is one of the best machine videos I've ever seen.Succinct and very easy to listen to.Thanks Waldo.

[@toastman9297]

This was a good watch. Question though, when are you going to start on the gooseneck build again?

[@WaldosWorld]

Soon! That and part two for the excavator series

[@PatrickKQ4HBD]

25:45 I always called it Earl. As in, I gotta change the earl and get them tars rotated again. 😂

[@madnessBG.]

Awesome video, Waldo. Just a suggestion: please check your injectors, your ML should not start like this.

[@anastasiasalem7615]

There’s a huge recall on this Diesel related to the emissions and the DPF is part of it. I own the exact same model and year that’s fully loaded as well. Also another on the brake boosters

[@Chr.U.Cas1622]

Dear Mr. Waldo. 👍👌👏 Very well done again and as always (video and work). Congratulations for such a purchase. Absolutely no way that you would have been able to buy such a luxurious Mercedes SUV in such a well maintained, good condition so cheap in Europe. Especially not in Germany. Thanks a lot for making teaching explaining recording editing uploading and sharing. Best regards, luck and health in particular.

[@Armaghboy2250]

I have a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 3.0L Diesel (non DPF) Mercedes V6 engine , I think the same as yours. One of the faults those engines have is that around the 160,000Km mark the 'Swirl Valve' fails and the fix is expensive if done by a shop. My headed this issue off by have the 'Swirl Valve' programmed out (deleted). It has been over 10yrs with 300,000 Km plus on the clock and "touching my wooden head" everything has been good so far. When I had the programming done the technician tuned the performance of the engine and I get better fuel economy and better acceleration. You might also want to check the serpentine belt.

[@Fronzel.Neekburm]

"clean concrete floor" Yes Waldo, it's time to do a new series on finishing your workshop🤪Great video mate. Still love your work and always look forward to a new video drop.

[@KenWilcox-b5c]

Best ever dpf cleaner is without doubt, tried and tested dishwasher tablets. Devolve a good strong mixture in hot water, blank off one end then chock the dpf upright and completely fill with the solution. Also make sure there is only one dog/cat on the car. Leave soaking for a minimum 24 hours. Drain and rinse. If you use a decent reader like Aurelius 850 or above. You can do a running check on exhaust pressures before and after the cat/dpf. Pressure at both ends should be similar. Remember to check how many on the car you are testing. If it’s a steel exhaust the cats are usually aluminium or stainless.

[@djlolypop]

Mo-Tool is the way I say it too 😂 I use them for my motorcycle liquids and chain mx

[@thejackaroo4WDcampingchannel]

I run a 2000 Isuzu with a 4jx1 diesel, pre-DPF and it is great. No nanny state driving aids or any interference, just driving.

[@charlesbarry7479]

Quick tip for the headlight oxidation. Brasso metal polish works wonders and is cheaper than most kits.

[@DISOPtv]

Toothpaste works as well and most people already have it, except for Kentuckians.

[@TROdesigns]

​@@DISOPtv lol

[@ckm-mkc]

I use a product called PolyTrol which requires zero effort.... Wipe on wipe off. Note - only works if your headlights are not too bad.

[@DISOPtv]

@@TROdesigns Seriously, it works. Toothpaste, try it. And it smells good :D

[@TheRoadhammer379]

Any mild abrasive will clean headlights, it's the UV protectant that you need to apply to keep them from fading again

[@WilliamBati]

Bro, your channel is amazing and I predict that you'll get to a million subs by the end of 2024. I noticed a ocuple of your videos feature driving cross country. Please add more details of the logistics of those long drives. How long does it take you? Where do you stay? What do you eat along the way? I think it will help some of us planning those long trips. You are an amazing mechanic and a great communicator. Keep up the good work and picking up those older cars most folks look for.

[@shahzain3508]

I think that your stalling issue is relatively common. On older Mercedes like mine, the rpms tend to lower quite a bit compared to my land rover when you shift into gear. Maybe check the flywheel, my 2005 G500 is having worse rpm drops now since I have a very worn out flywheel.

[@Joshg1984]

A bad torque converter can also cause large drop on rpms when putting it into gear.

[@ujash2003]

I own a W166 ML350 Bluetec, very solid suv one of my fav. Very reliable and you get close to 1000km per tank. Do all the maintenance on time (oil change, air filters, fuel filter).

[@hunterm.172]

Hey Waldo, love your videos. Just want to make a recommendation - whenever you took the front diff bolt out I noticed you didn’t take the fill plug out first- You may have done it off camera but I’ve heard horror stories where people have taken the drain plug out and couldn’t get fluid back into it lol 😂😂

[@garym.5931]

As soon as you said diesel and check engine light I knew the dpf was clogged. I had a 2010 GL350 blutec. It also made it burn oil 4 quarts every 800 miles.

[@audi9867]

in germany we call this Getto bomber, because they are driven a lot in bad areas. Because they have a great luxurious look. Driven by mostly non germans

[@WaldosWorld]

Interesting! I was unaware of this 😂

[@garypavis4913]

I like that you are a fluid change person. I am 100 percent the same and a huge OEM guy like you on all my vehicles. Such an encouragement!