We Bought a Cheap 20-Year-Old Mercedes And Drove It 1400 Miles: The Results Were As Expected...

[@bm9074]

Great video guys father and son having agreements and disagreements real world situations a classic keep up the great work guys

[@regsparkes6507]

I really like how Roman seems to get a kick out of baiting Tommy....although, one of these day's I have a feeling that karma may catch up with Dad! Hahaha!

[@sierravortec2494]

My favourite thing about TFL channels is that it is never overly edited or fake

[@centrice12]

I am so happy to see you deciding to do your own repair. This is something that has been missing from your channel and improves your credibility. It also has great entertainment value. Good job fellas!

[@Clawson_customs]

It was obvious that the old dude did not want to fix it he wanted to haul it home and pay someone way more money to fix it but his kid did the right thing and fixed it and drove it home

[@bekabeka71]

I've had 3 of these in my life, I'm 25 and I still have ml320 1998 and ml350 2009. These are built as tanks. The best SUV ever in terms of reliability and convenience. Even Toyota land cruiser drivers were spending thousands on maintenance where I never had to spend anything apart from oil change.

[@petergoldberg7509]

4000 is a lot of money for a 99 ML320.

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

Definitely, I’d of left it on the freeway after the breakdown. It needs to go to the junkyard.

[@hEXordo]

depends on the mileage, id pay 6000 for a good low mileage one

[@Clawson_customs]

@@hEXordo really I have one I'll sell ya

[@hEXordo]

@@Clawson_customs 4x4? location? miles? year? model?

[@aceventura1980]

@The hooptie garage yeah around my way northeast there around 1500 to 2500 for a extra clean 1.

[@MDC2020]

I had a ML 320 and had 336,000 miles on it 200k of that I put on it and can't remember any issues other than basic maintenance

[@bekabeka71]

I still have ml320 98 and ml350 09. The best SUVs I have ever have had

[@wagonswest]

The m112 v6 is very trouble free. So is the 5g transmission. The rest of the car, you got lucky.

[@memonk11]

Dude, not a lot of sympathy about being cold when you’re standing OUTSIDE a truck stop with your jacket open.

[@bryanclark3739]

I agree with memonk11, No sympathy for Tommy. Everyone knows that a jean jacket before 40 degrees is about as useful as a “screen door on a submarine”.

[@mariosroom8023]

memonk11 pretty sure it’s for the skit LOL 😂

[@nolefaninil]

I remember when these first rolled off the assembly line here in Alabama. The Saturns, the Mercedes M-class, and the BMW M3 created the Southern auto industry. Thanks for doing a Bama Benz project!

[@heartofdixie67]

William Hendrix Blountsville Alabama in the House ! Roll Tide !

[@robertshea4652]

RIP Saturn

[@crs9557]

William Hendrix Nissan: "Do I mean nothing to you?"

[@nolefaninil]

@@crs9557 Nissan, you(and Toyota) mean so much to me, but Saturn, MB, & BMW led the way down South.

[@marvinmontgomery1291]

Owned all three and Saturn was the best

[@BigbillFairbanks]

My super reliable 05 tundra lost it's alternator at almost 150k miles. That's an alternator thing, not a Mercedes thing. Hope you all have fun with it off road. I look forward to the videos.

[@karenmarieh.j.3842]

You know a lot of other Toyota and Honda owners are laughing at your statement. I have a F150 with almost 300k and its original and I deal with a lot of domestic truck owners who are also on their original alternators. My aunt has a Kia Sportage with over 200k and i think the original belts. It's not an alternator thing its just a car thing. Some times things just naturally break and an alternator failure is actually a blessing in the grand scheme of all of the voodoo that is going on under the hood of your car. Lastly ... most folks do not say that a Toyota or most cars these days are super reliable with under 200k miles. Now days unless you have a car such as a ML Mercedes, Land Rover..etc., most are reliable past 200k miles.

[@sspadair1675]

2003 Tacoma, 225,000 miles, original alternator. 1999 Avalon, 215,000 miles, original alternator as well.

[@randyt.7970]

99 ML 256k original alternator.

[@Y10Q]

clearly something flew at it from the engine and damaged it. Alternators will last closer to 250k miles from what I have seen.

[@ZacharySolomon0429]

@@Y10Q although the Ford "smart" alternator from 05 to 08 I think they went. Those tend to not last as long as a normal alternator because they put the electronics in the alternator. Heat and electronics don't go very well together.

[@davidmiller2973]

I just took my overland modified 2000 ML320 through two days of driving through all sorts of terrain in the Arizona Strip. Everything worked beautifully. Traction control does wonders. Car is bullet proof. Just needs to be maintained properly otherwise it could cause problems. Like any other car. W163 is an over engineered truck that is among the best.

[@mccmac2]

Agreed, I have an offroad modified 2001 ML320 - thing will do trails that will definitely surprise jeep guys. Adjust the torsion rods for extra clearance, space the rear struts, and mount 255/85r16 tires for 33in - they fit great without rubbing and offer a ton more clearance. The gas gauges are unreliable and yours needs motor mounts - but the m113 engines are bulletproof!

[@davidmiller2973]

mccmac2 I put 285/70R17 KO2s on mine. Front is lifted and has Bilstein remote reservoir shocks. Rear is lifted with plates above the struts and washers below. No rubbing. Drawer system. Front and rear bumpers. Rooftop tent. It goes everywhere and does so more comfortably than any truck I’ve used. The 4WD system finds amazing levels of traction if you know how to use the electronics. I also drive old Alfas and know that “unreliable” cars are mostly unreliable because owners don’t take care of them.

[@danatkinson6698]

VW Tuareg vs Merc ML vs Porsche Cayenne in moab would be cool. A neat test to see if they'll make it and then off road prowess.

[@TFLclassics]

You got it!

[@fortis6215]

Don’t forget to take the LR3!

[@danielpetersen3831]

And Baja bob..

[@aquaboy1650]

Also X5 E53 please!

[@geoffbob6267]

I believe Hoovies Garage did something similar to that, but not in Moab. A Porshe Cayenne turbo vs. a Mercedes ML55 AMG vs. a $600 Jeep.

[@Mcmerc01]

Totally loving it guys! I have had two and they are very good off road! A few recommendations: 1. Fuel gauge issue is common, check both your fuses first, it is usually them, if not, it is the level sender in the tank. 2. Lift it! 20mm rear spacers will give you +40mm lift at the wheel. When you do this, re-spline the front torsion bars and THEN crank them up. Make the front end slightly higher than the back, as it'll sag down a little in a few hundred miles and then become level. 3. You can also get king's lifted springs to go with the spacers, but you lose any little flex it had. Good if you want to focus on clearance but disconnect rear swaybar to make up for it. 4. 33" tyres are the biggest you can go to retain your gearing, 35" will fit when lifted but sucks up hill. 5. You definitely need a bash plate to protect the fuel tank, the rest of it is well protected enough. The other weakness is the front driveshaft coupling out if the transfer case, keep it well lubricated if you go through mud 6. Bullbar from a early 00s Nissan Frontier will fit, you just need to make brackets to go around the front x-member. 7. Snorkel from an 80 series LandCruiser will fit with some heat to bend it into shape to follow the window Hopefully this helps :)

[@arttafil6792]

More than likely it’s the regulator that’s easily changeable. ML320 with 317,000+ miles currently. Mine went out at 230,000 miles. It’s been on 1,500+ mile trips and is completely reliable. On the interstate I always get between 24 and 25 mpg. And all ML’s take premium gas only!

[@avalanche520]

Go for the Jurassic Park look, that’s how the first generation ML was presented

[@elsnidostoycompany9777]

I always wanted the JP version because it had a stick shift. I don't think I ever saw one in person with a stick.

[@rubenhaftvani800]

@@elsnidostoycompany9777 Only Europe got the manual version, and even then it's still rare.

[@jerroldshelton9367]

If I can't vote for "push it off a cliff" or "light it on fire," can I vote for "light it on fire, then push it off a cliff"?

[@carlbutcher9854]

that is one huge money pit right here

[@numbnutz9398]

How about push it off a cliff THEN set it on fire!

[@alexmobil7463]

LOL!

[@sportxlh1614]

This will be a fun series to watch. I had a 99 ML320 that I drove for 10 years and 230,000 miles and really didn't have any problems until the last year and last 20,000 miles I owned it.

[@brandonfiore8982]

Hi, I manage an automotive repair facility, and I drive a 2001 ML320. My ML320 has 265/75/16 Falken Wildpeak ATW3 tires, 4000 watt stereo, and 130k miles. After 130k miles the fan clutch went out, and I found one from Napa for $125. The purchase price was $3000, the stereo was $4000, and the clutch fan was $125. I enjoy my 22+ MPG, and cloudlike comfort. I want to thank the dude named Jeff in Alabama that put together my ML320 in 2001. Thanks Jeff.

[@louishernandez8040]

4k wow . I had bought a 99 ml320 6 years ago with 100k miles for 1,800 . After daughter totalled it less than a year later we got back 4,500.

[@wilsonb6508]

Love that you guys chose a 99 Benz ML model. I’ve got a 2000 ML 430 with the 4.3 V8. Picked it up with 48,500 miles for $2000. Wish you guys got one of the V8’s. Best of luck to you guys with it as they do like to have random things fall off/break.

[@BushcraftQuebec]

should of changed the belt at the same time dude

[@claudiofilipeferreira]

You are going to love that powerplant in that ML. Had a friend in Portugal with one and only after 155.000 miles the head of the engine developed a tiny crack. But it was total dependable. And you have the old style gearbox. The newer has electronics problems across the entire MB range after 1999. Bring it back to life! Has the most lovely v6 exhaust sound for an SUV as I can recall until today!

[@claudiofilipeferreira]

Daver G do you see the selector? Its different. No +- just the old box of 5 speed of the early 90s. This one is more reliable. But really what matters here is not the gearbox, its the electronics are different and after the 99 restyling they went bust from the C class all the way to the CL. The early MLs are not plagued with gearbox issues on the account of its eletronic module.

[@claudiofilipeferreira]

Daver G I am sorry but I beg to differ on the accounts of the electronics involved for the functions added for the +- selector that tend to fail compared to the type of electronics of the old gated type! Had also a friend that lost it on CL class. Mechanically they are fine but electronics command how they operate, and the unit shown here is the first electronics module for the gearbox that doesn’t tend to fail. A totally secured option cause replacements are expensive and time consuming!

[@richardmorholt1175]

2007 223000 miles, alternator went also, replaced it ultimately with another OEM alternator, all good. Changing an alternator every 223000 miles, not bad. It is a diesel, ML-320 CDI @ 24/30 mpg on this model and using the cruise control often.😎 Use the vin # , very important to get the correct part!

[@zachtravers]

I have always loved these, since Jurassic Park. I prefer the pre-refresh cladding, but I like the post-refresh headlights that they put on it.

[@ronaldrecio8912]

Very capable truck. My 03 ml320 260,000 miles and still running strong. 33” tires and 2” lift. Not a rock crawler but gets the job done.

[@corkins9917]

Can’t wait to see this thing off-road 🙌🏼

[@jerroldshelton9367]

It's probably just a couple of major and costly repairs away from being "off road" entirely at a 'Pick -A -Part" salvage yard somewhere in the Inter-mountain States.

[@kiskiller3]

@@jerroldshelton9367 mls dont break really.. and are super cheap to fix.. all the misconceptions about fixing mercedes.....

[@RegularGuy76]

My dad had one..... here in FL it was jaw dropping back then to be honest...... had some good dates with it.........

[@K-Rivs]

$4,000 for a 99 ML...YIKES. Those can be had for a grand or so around here. Great video though. Love all the TFL channels

[@philtripe]

im sending you guys a genuine Mercedes hood removal kit...its just a 14 millimeter combination wrench...that way you can access the motor more easily

[@kiskiller3]

dont need that.. they have a service position for the hood wich raises it 90degrees..

[@skywalker2852]

Hey look, the alternator's cracked - wonder how that happened? closing scene - here's the stick we used to beat on the alternator to try to get it to work, lol. I think we just solved that mystery.

[@98triffid]

You're thinking of starters and hopefully just the smaller bit with the solenoid in it, unless you're just in it for the LOLs

[@krisperkreme6021]

I bought a 2002 ml55 about 1.6 years ago - put 6500 miles on it since without any problems. Knock on wood.

[@517sf6]

Guys it’s 20 years old with 155k miles, I would expect the alternator to go out. We had an IS and the alternator went out after 10 years and 140k so I’m not surprised

[@bekabeka71]

Best suv ever built

[@freedomairconditioner6152]

Thanks for breaking it down for us. Even though TFL Classics said it’s a 1999 ML 320, most of us thought it was only a few years old, with low miles. Now that you explained it, wow. Who knew? You see things that others never could see or realize...and then you tell us! Amazing!

[@517sf6]

Freedom Air Conditioner damn someone just got dumped...

[@freedomairconditioner6152]

Or dumped on.

[@98triffid]

I've owned a couple of Toyota's and one (gasp) Dodge that have never needed alternators during decades of ownership. Age may add some terminal/commutator corrosion but not wear per-se

[@hEXordo]

gas gauge isn't broken, its the fuel level sender, its a lever that's attached to the fuel pump, my old c240 had to replace both fuel pumps and it fixed that issue

[@crash93ssei]

Did you seriously use tow/haul mode to pull an empty Uhaul trailer?

[@secretagent5583]

I had a 2000 ml320 and ended up lifting it. I had 3/4" spacers made for the top of the rear struts, cranked the torsion bars, added 30mm wheel spacers, and put 285/75R16 AT tires on it. It actually looked much better. Never even got a chance to off road it, traded it for a w114. I had the same issues with the fuel guage.

[@unballisticr.i.pdadloveand7055]

To every one slagging the ml I’ve had Jeep Land Rover and Toyota and they will not keep up with this motor once it has been lifted and 33 tyres fitted loads of videos on KZbin to back this up built like tanks and don’t breakdown like the ones above great video 🤟

[@theevilwitchtheband]

I have a 2000 ml for a couple of years and its a great drive on mud and snow, certainly not a rock crawler thou.

[@garylgoldberg]

I had a blue & grey '99 ML320, loved it, never had problems with it until it got wrecked in 2006. The diesel 2007 W164 I replaced it with was certainly more luxurious, still have that. And a manual 2-door JK because of the TFL guys. (Thanks!)

[@michaelbaka4777]

This is NOT a "Mercedes" issue; it's a mileage issue. It could happen to ANY vehicle with over 150k on the clock. I really dislike all the Mercedes bashing, I've had one for years now and it's one of the more dependable cars that I've had! If you beat on them and don't properly maintain them, like ANY VEHICLE, things will break!!! Good luck guys!!!

[@gh3860]

I believe we have the same taste in cars! As a connoisseur of 90s luxury vehicles currently own a 1998 Range Rover, 2001 BMW 740il and E36 328i I'd have to say the ML 320 W163 is a fine weapon for the trails however you guys should buy the Range Rover P38 or a classic next! The 3.5, 3.9 and GEMS 4.0, 4.6 were the most reliable blocks since the later rover v8s suffers from slipped liners.

[@jayjobes5344]

I have owned my 2001 ML 430 now for over 15 years and 200k miles. I also off road the crap out of it. It is anally maintained and bulletproof reliable. Simply one of the most reliable cars I have ever owned. It has explored Moab (far from pavement), towed ridiculous loads, and hauled myself, friends and motorcycles from Idaho all over the western US without a fuss. It is a BEAST off road going places you will never think it will go. Get all the maintenance items up to par (and do them yourself) then enjoy it. And BTW, search KZbin, there is a reset procedure in the fuse box to fix that fuel gauge issue. Thank me later.

[@bradleyriles3889]

My friend gave my son a ML320 with 96k on it for his first car. It needs the ignition key resinced to stay running, so we think. Grandpa left the boy $2500 for his first car. I hope that gets us there. It's a nice looking car and my son is 230 lbs and 6'2" and growing so the usual first cars like a Civic would be a tough fit.

[@BretM]

You guys should've seen how easy just the voltage regulator replacement would have been, I'd guess the brushes on that one were completely worn down. Less than $30 fix and you probably could've done it without removing the alternator.

[@neil3858]

Agreed. From a prior mercedes tech. These things are tanks offroad.

[@MrGreatness412]

Yeah u gotta pull the alt but even still super easy about 1 hr. Of work

[@timlepez4958]

Great project! I drive a 2001 ML270cdi with 350k Kms on it. I love it. You should definitely lift the car, which is fairly easy. Spacers in the back and tighten the front torsion bars. But alignment can be a real pain in the ass after lifting it...

[@guyforlogos]

I like that you buy and build up older trucks as well as the new truck tests. I myself never buy new, a gigantic waste of hard earned money in my opinion because where I live they rust away in very little time. So I do buy old stuff in the southwest, bring them back to Minnesota and fix them up, these vids help me make decisions on what I might look for next!

[@yazanbaddawi9683]

The gas gauge problem is a persistent issue with MLs. My 2004 had the same problem.

[@Gwolf888]

Drive Mercedes ML 320 drive it off road and want to see go up against newer Toyota RAV4 in off road challenge

[@Jackmerius_Tacktheretrix]

It would beat the rav4. It has a low range transfer case for starters and a truck frame. It would wall all over the rav4 offroad. On road and reliability are another story, the rav would own it in that area.

[@randyt.7970]

universally hated but loved by many mb enthusiasts, mb techs, and Russians. These things are cheap and bulletproof (minus some electronics). Parts aren’t bad and they are EASY to work on. Junkyards are full of them too. Maybe you guys could make a video about the positive sides to these vehicles. They really had a bad start with quality problems but 20 years later they have a decent following for the people that know.

[@04silverado6.0]

I was given one of these for free awhile back. A water pump a set of used tires and some tlc and she was on the road for about 800. Still will hit a top speed of 109.

[@mastriaj]

I had a 99 ML320 as a ski car about 5 years ago. I bought it from an old lady who kept hitting things with it. Tons of big dents, but a full dealer service history. I Paid $2000 for it (It had a gash in it from where she scraped it on a landscaping boulder and a big dent in the tailgate). I took it off road a few times, and put 15K miles on it mostly in the mountains. I then sold it for $2200 (it was ugly when I got it, and even uglier when I sold it!). I looked at Subarus and some other 4wds, but in Denver, for $2k they all had tons of issues and way more miles and weren't pretty. I thought I'd take my chances with merc. Also, it was the only thing I found in the price that had side airbags. It was comparatively awesome. I remember taking it out to Moab shortly after buying it - sunroof open, heated seats on, the Bose stereo was pretty good, and effortlessly going 90 mph up and down i70. They are really underrated.

[@infidel24]

Be thankful that the hatch struts on the touareg aren't bad. They are a bear to change. And hope your touareg alternator doesn't give out. I love mine which is just like yours color and all, the alternator is a pia on them.

[@indicharlie]

I have a 99 with almost 180 K miles. I drove it for 17 years and it has been a great car for someone that can do their own work. Parts are available and it runs like a champ. I would like to sell mine if anyone is interested.

[@patrickmason6971]

W163’s had a rare option called a Skyview roof. Look it up.

[@jalopyjordan89]

I have a sky view ml430... unfortunately my sky view is broken.

[@williamkerdasha5273]

Might have been just a voltage regulator going bad. Common on many of those older Mercedes. Have a 99 c280 and always carry a spare with me.

[@codycrawford2385]

This is the first W163 ML I’ve seen with out a sunroof

[@kiskiller3]

normal sockets fit on the e torx. and the e torx is faaar superior to the normal hex bolts.. never ever stripped one. they snapp before that. i have a lifted ml and i worked on 4 others and theyre awesomne machines. btw they tow amazingly even as much as 5000lbs.. that engine and trnamission is also bullet proof.. we offroad our mls often and as long as the esp/ets works its very very good. much much better compared to other 4x4.. you can lift it for cheap and easily with a strut spacer in the back and cranking the torsion bars in the front. also. you can fit any alternator from a m112/m113 engine. theres only 2 wire you need to run an alternator 99% of the time. the battery + cable. and the enable/ignition/stator wires. the other wire are not needed most of the time. i upgraded my alternator to a s class alternator that ouputs alot more power it was really easy.. ets still holds up comapred to modern tracions controls. but ets+ in the facelift mls is even better. theres so many things you have to learn about the w163 to fully appreciate how cool the w163s are haha.

[@wsc31]

We had a 2000 ML430 for five years and 75000 miles. It needed the 268hp V8 to properly motivate all that mass. Mileage was not spectacular even on cross country trips. By today's standards its performance was pathetic but at the time it was quite good for an SUV. Never left us stranded and the only problems were taken care of under warranty. Since then we had an ML350, ML550 and the GLE450 coupe and have never regretted those choices. Good luck with the new/old SUV.

[@rossbowman202]

Turn this car into the new recovery vehicle. Give her a lift, roof rack for the spare tire, winch, led lights in all directions, offroad jack across the hood, and Jurassic Park vinyl wrap.

[@karenmarieh.j.3842]

That is good idea...

[@robb5792]

Oh this is funny!! On Jan 26th we flew from Vancouver BC Canada, to Charlotte North Carolina via Atlanta Georgia. To take an uber 1.5 hours out to Rockingham NC to buy an RV. It was NOT as described. But drove it to Vegas, with multiple misadventures. And was so much FUN!

[@josephwhiskeybeale]

Turn it into the one from Jurassic Park 2 😂

[@theturtle2121]

In 2002 my best friend bought a blue(with painted bumpers) 2000 ML 320. Have so many good memories in that tank. He had her for about 12 years and she had over 220K miles on it when he sold it. If I recall the harmonic balancer was replaced twice, and she went through four sets of catalytic converter‘s! The no maintenance transmission LOL, was serviced every 50K miles and she was starting to show signs of death at 215k miles... better then most ML’s. A lot of the European technology was disabled for the US market like rear fog light and front fog lamps👎 So sad the US did not get the option of a manual transmission!!!

[@Chasbr549]

We bought one new......a '99 model too. Loved it. Gave it to the kids and now it has nearly 300k on it. Bought another...'02 for the wife and it has been great. For on road, the 4 wheel drive system is safe and awesome. Off-road...spins too much before moving and could shred tires. The Range Rovers had a much better system for off-road......or my Unimog is pretty decent too.

[@LMacNeill]

I had a Mercedes where the fuel gauge would get stuck at 1/4 tank, and then drop to zero with literally 2 miles before Empty. I learned to treat 1/4 tank as E and I always filled it up when it hit 1/4 tank.

[@Ren200Z_MotoringLife]

this are great once all maintenance is done they are solid, have mine for over 5 years ml430 great midsize v8 smooth decent mpg would trust it going on safari or around the world

[@jtr990]

Here's a quick tip. When changing serpentine belts without upper body strength, get a longer ratchet, breaker bar, or a serpentine belt tool kit. Your arms will thank you.

[@oneslowwdsm]

My dad just got rid of one of these, had 210k miles ran great before timing chain gave up. Gave us 10 years!

[@o.c.3958]

Raptor liner the entire car use 80 psi to paint it the finish will be sweet, lift the rear with spacer blocks on top the struts, the front is torsion bar system easy to raise the front just tighten the bolts for the torsion bars. LED light bar roof rack off road bumpers, winch. All set for off roading.

[@peterroy6801]

Lol, I did the alternator once in a parking lot too! :-) W163s are amazing beasts. I have around 600,000 miles on them. Ran one from 0 to 350K miles, then gave it to a homeless buddy and he lived in it and drove it for another couple of years. Super easy to work on. I have abused the crap out of them and enjoyed every minute! Allowing them to overheat very badly (warping heads) is the only thing that kills them. I drove one 10 miles back and forth to work for a week when I didn't have time to fix the water pump; with only bags of ice on top of the manifold, with no cooling system the temperature never got above normal. Beasts!

[@DJ_Underwood]

Hey 1st comment! Honestly alternators aren't a Mercedes problem, they just sometimes go out regardless of manufacturer. Keep warm guys!

[@sashoxxx]

Yea actually these water-cooled Mercedes alternators are extremely tough, powerful and reliable. Most likely just got "lucky" on that one ;)

[@ssweetener]

I bought a 99 ML430 with 225,000 miles on it. I drove that thing all over hell and back through snow and mud and it never needed a thing. I ended up selling it with 270k+ lol. But, I had never seen a vehicle with a better service history in my life. Owned by a Mercedes employee in GA of course...

[@gmtcolt45]

Should do a build in a first off road vehicle style. Start with small, cheap and easy things like a small lift, a different exhaust, maybe a snorkel or something for the intake. Things people could or should do when they first get into off roading

[@coyconner1983]

Own a 99 since october 1998. Been a great vehicle!

[@nightkiler56]

My 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer is still rocking the original alternator at 247k miles. I am also powering two amplifiers for my sound system. The headlights dim a bit under heavy bass, but I am very surprised the alternator is still kicking! I guess Mitsubishi makes solid alternators, I did not know they commonly fail around 150k/7 years.

[@hughmangus2324]

i had a 2003 ml270 cdi turbo diesel.. paid $4000 AUD with 370000km... still went strong and reliable.. only let down was how expensive it was to maintain.. now only japanese cars no more german!

[@DarrenCoull]

So, reliability-wise, you're off to a good start with "German Engineering" :-)

[@piratasdecordoba]

...and "built in the USA"...:-)

[@MY93SHO]

You can tell Tommy is young! My old mans 78 Chevy C30/454 got 7 mpg without the trailer and 5 mpg with the trailer.

[@awdanthony]

One thing you guys didn’t talk about is that the center differential doesn’t lock. Even in 4 low it’s still open.

[@sashoxxx]

That's true. But they will probably talk about things like this in future videos while actually offroading it. Also, while it lacks center diff lock, it does feature a unique for Benz stability control that's put only in the W163 and the G-Class - called 4-ESP, which works surprisingly well in most conditions. Aggressively and extremely quickly braking any wheel with lost traction. While it's not a real locker, it does work quite well in my experience and works way better then most of the competition for decades ahead. Still not the most offroad worthy vehicle, but it gets the job done better than most in it's mall-cruiser-status class. Hope they talk and test these things out in their future videos.

[@bobbyparedes8586]

*"Why buy German cars they are money pits 😂😂😂😂 if you buy old Toyota Celica you will still on the road"!!!! Scotty Kilmer*

[@paul9912]

Yes he was right

[@williamegler8771]

@@paul9912 this vehicle has actually been seen moving. When was the last time Scotty's Celica has turned a wheel? I see a lot more of these on the road than 20 year old Toyotas..

[@paul9912]

@@williamegler8771 no you don't lol there's so many old Camrys and Corollas on the road lol. You're clueless dude. At least when he does drive hes Celica it doesn't blow its alternator on the first trip LOL

[@williamegler8771]

@@paul9912 your hilarious! High mileage Mercedes Benz are everywhere . In Europe and Africa the are the choice as taxi vehicles and routinely exceed a million kilometers or more. A failed alternator on a twenty year old car with 155k miles... Big deal. So when you call someone clueless I assume you are looking in the mirror.

[@zedfourme5085]

A poverty spec ML320 for 4 grand with 150,000+ miles. That ain't cheap, that's crack smoking expensive. They go all day fully loaded in NYC for $1,000-$2,500.

[@brjha]

3 bolts off, 20 minutes, & 3 bolts back on will have it back on the road. Mercedes MLs are bulletproof.

[@stephaneleblanc5468]

My brother and I both own these to beat in the bush and other then their usual defects for the year( lots of sensors) they actually make really good off roaders. Just put some good mud and snow tires and turn the screw clockwise under the frame for the torsion bars and give it a little extra clearance and voila! All you need now is a lost world jurassic park paint job and you are ready for the jungle😛. Just subscribed to your channel and very excited to see what you guys will be doing with it!

[@davidpedder9048]

Brings back memories. Had a 2000 ML 430

[@andrewrozario4114]

Crank the torsion beams, get rear spacers or G500 coils and get it out on the trail! We want to see what this truck will do!

[@cyclesingsleep]

This was refreshing and a perfect example of why I like your channel - under the all-hat-no-cattle-luxury-pickup review sheen, there are really just nice, everyday people doing what the rest of us really do : )

[@BretM]

With the cloth seats I'd guess it was a MB dealership car used for roadside or something! Neat car.

[@shanevaughan6980]

Now this video is great a father and son working together on a old car

[@Fuzzy_Noodle]

I had a 92 Nissan Pathfinder that without fail every fill up would go down to a quarter then back up to three quarter. Sometimes you had to guess wether you were on the first or second time you were at a quarter tank.

[@personator907]

Alternators aren't too bad to change, as long as they aren't buried. That one didn't look too bad. I had to help a friend change the alternator on the family Grand Caravan with a Pentastar, and that was a real pain to reach. Being 20 degrees and dark didn't help...

[@wellshodgarage2752]

Those clear frames look flossy like a modern home design from the future. Minus 10 years. Achievement unlocked.

[@chickengrasshead]

I drive a 96' S320 and the fuel gauge has been faulty on mine for years! Half of the time it'll show the right amount of fuel I got but the other time it'll just go to empty or show wherever it wants. I just use the trip miles next to the odometer and reset each time.

[@Sir......]

6 mins in, as a fellow parking-lot repairman (strategically by a harbor freight) , i like this video so far

[@josephwhiskeybeale]

Y’all just love buying these unreliable heaps that are circling the drain, y’all got lucky a few times but it’s gonna bite ya in the end 😂

[@gtasandman]

And overpaying for them. A decent running ML goes for 2-3k here.

[@AWDfreak]

I had no idea the first generation Mercedes-Benz ML was a body-on-frame vehicle. I always assumed they were all unibody, I guess only second generation and onwards are.

[@TransitAndTeslas]

Why did people hate this? I love my M class. It also feels special because this car was also built because of Jurassic Park!

[@regsparkes6507]

I'm with Roman, I would have hauled it back to base on the U-Haul trailer, just because! Now, let's see how this MB- ML works out! Gotta love TFL!

[@Buc_Stops_Here]

A high mileage Mercedes with 155,000 miles on it, sounds like it is going to give you fits in keeping it running without a full rebuild. The electrical problems on a 99 are going to be fun!

[@dgtlrssn]

Wow, someone put KO2's on a Mercedes.. when in Rome I guess lol

[@jerroldshelton9367]

We don't really want to "Do as Roman does," though. Not in this instance.

[@PoshCountry]

There is a lot of people that actually lift these and put larger tires on them.

[@Jonesec1]

The ml are surprisingly good off road as long as the traction control works. It's not and never will be a rock crawler but I think it would be fun to run some mild trails in it.

[@jamesjetty625]

If you all love swapping alternators in the cold. Got a 05 grand Caravan around I25 and 54 th that needs a new alternator in it with the 3.8

[@BRBTechTalk]

13:07 Gas gauge goes up while driving. I had put an auxiliary tank in one of my rigs. It would pull gas from the auxiliary tank but the return line was in the main tank so as I drove the full auxiliary tank would fill the main tank :)

[@MrJamesLuz]

Put some king or fox shocks on it, a custom skid plate, and go hit some sand dunes. Bonus points if the transmission takes a dump on the highway before you make it.