2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class

Strong, comfortable, bullet-proof

Sunday, June 16, 2019

I needed an SUV that could tow about 5,000 pounds - that alone narrowed the field. Truck-based SUV's were the only ones that could do it - The 2015 ML350 tows 7,500, less than a couple, more than most. The biggest difference is, the Mercedes is significantly more comfortable and quiet than most others I considered. It isn't quite as good off-road as 1 or 2 others, not quite as fast and agile as a couple of competitors - But that still means it is better than most in these areas. Overall, for me, it was the balance: Good handling and braking, good off-road, above average towing and comfort and - surprise - reasonably good gas mileage. I live in the mountains, meaning hills and curves, no freeways, but my cumulative real-world gas mileage for the last 9,800 miles is 21.9. For a 2 ton, reasonably quick, 7500 pound towing 4WD SUV, that is great. Problems? A stuck fuel float at @45,000 miles. Even though it was probably due to dirty fuel, it was corrected under warranty, no charge, no arguments, no questions asked. It goes in for service once a year, $250 - $320; So not much more overall/per year than my former vehicle that went in every 6,000 miles. It is capable, comfortable, enjoyable to drive, extremely safe and reliable - in short, just what I was looking for.

Functional, Comfortable, Reliable

Monday, October 12, 2020

I bought this particular SUV because it would haul our trailer (0ver 7,000 lbs towing capacity), was good off road and great in snow, and offered surprisingly good fuel efficiency for a large-ish SUV: Rated 17 city/22 highway, my overall real world average has been 21.3 mpg - and I live in the Sierra with no freeways anywhere near me. It is comfortable, with highly adjustable seats; Even the rear seats have the ability to recline. Good in snow? Yes indeed - I have been able to get home in conditions that stopped other vehicles even though I use (Michelin) all-season tires and not dedicated snow tires in winter. Safety ratings are top notch, and the real world performance of braking systems has proved itself with 2 accidents avoided without drama in 5 years. Add the other safety features - many airbags, pre-collision adjustments to seat and headrest positions etc - and one has vehicle safety that is top tier. Trouble free? Not completely, but there is good news. First problem was the air conditioning simply stopped making cold air one day. Called the dealer, they said come right on in, and by the time I got there the A/C was doing fine again. Despite that, they flushed and filled the A/C with fresh coolant on the premise it might have been a bit of contamination, no charge. covered under warranty.. The second incident was similar - Got caught short and had to buy some brand X gas to get home. About 50 miles down the road the gas gauge went to 0. Stopped and topped up, went to the dealer the next day who told me what I expected: Stuck fuel float due to contamination. What I didn't expect was a repair under warranty - They told me the float should have been able to handle the guck. They dropped the tank and cleaned it, replaced the fuel filter, flushed the fuel lines & injectors and even gave me a fresh tank of gas under warranty. Having dealt with warranty claim dodging makers in the past, I was impressed. So, where am I? Over 60K miles, a car that drives like new with no problems and moderate maintenance costs (yes, moderate), an SUV that is decently quick, reasonably good handling, quiet and comfortable and that delivers reasonable fuel economy compared to other SUV's of similar size and capability. My only complaint is, the steering is a bit numb, especially at low speeds. You can spin the wheel with one finger when parking, and feel improves with speed as the amount of boost cuts back, but I'd still be OK with a bit less boost overall. Will I buy another one? Maybe. I am still on the original brakes, shocks, belts and hoses and just mounted the third set of tires. That despite use on Forest Service trails, ski trips, hauling and trailer towing. Maybe it will wear out some day (prior MB lasted over 430K miles before needing a transmission overhaul) but no time soon from what I am seeing.

I Love my Mercedes!!!

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

I Love this vehicle! The safety features are awesome! It rides wonderful and i never knew how prestigious it feels to drive a luxury car. I have the tow package and it rides wonderful even with a heavy load. Seats fold down to carry a lot of things and it's easy to do. I would highly recommend this SUV!!!