Why do I keep buying these damn German things?

"EL_ULY" (uly)
08/10/2015 at 11:52 • Filed to: None

Short answer, because up front value that ultimately blinds logic. AKA Tavarishitus

A while back, my dad’s truck was !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and wrecked. It was recovered and currently in process of repair (almost done). With the money saved from the insurance check, my dad was going to get my mom a new Mercedes GLA. Welp... 2 things.

First, the GLA was just too small and cheap as hell. Looks good, but after a couple days with one (thanks to working for a Merc dealer), it just wasn’t a good car for my parents. Good on fuel, but that’s it.

Second, the saved expenses for the truck repair went towards much needed bills and home renovations.

Til then, my mom was getting rides from my little sister since school was out. Now that classes are going to start again, my little sister wasn’t going to be able to drive her around in the E320 i got her for college anymore (best college car ever btw).

With the very little money I had saved and with my dad’s promise to pay me back within a couple months, I went car shopping.

First and best choice was a Lexus RX330/350 for many many reasons.

Main being it wasn’t German. After owning 7 germs, I finally said F those damn troublesome things foreverrr! But, there was a problem.

The RX330/350s are rad and perfect, but still a bit pricey and out of my budget. No worry, still plenty of practical, strong, and reliable Japanese suv’s out there.... right? Well yes... but man are they still pricey for ones with low mileage (under 120k) Acura MDX, Toyota 4Runner, Murano AWD, etc.

I really tried.... but at the end, Tavarishitus kicked in.

At a local Nissan dealer, they had the vehicle in the picture above. 2001 ML320 ( !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ) with 98k miles and fully loaded with everything. Ultra clean inside and out all within my price range after some haggling with the salesman. Plus, free oil changes, state inspections, car washes, and a pretty good list of things that will be free for life. Deal of the year?

Well yes and no. The no mostly comes from it it still being an old Mercedes. So get used to this...

After a week, it developed a very rough idle. No biggie, i’ve diaged it as spark plugs, cables, throttle clean, and a system reset.

Week after that, it developed a steering issue at high speeds. Diaged it as both the p/s pump and rack and pinion. Well shit, that’ll wait.

Finally last night, it developed 2 more things. A/C was not cooling and washer sprayers were now inop. With electrical, it helps when you have 2 cars woth the same guts under the bonnet :]

After a good hour and a half in the 104°F shade, I diaged as having a short to ground somewhere in the harness that links both the washer pump and A/C condenser fan assembley.

Clown on the Lexus RX all you want, but shit like this never happened every couple of days.

TL;DR Fully loaded 2001 ML320 4 Matic > base 2015 GLA

DISCUSSION (35)

bob and john > EL_ULY
08/10/2015 at 11:56

TL “D” R

Takuro Spirit > EL_ULY
08/10/2015 at 11:56

You bought it for the roof strength?

Kinja'd!!!

http://www.wisn.com/news/double-fa…

Party-vi > EL_ULY
08/10/2015 at 11:57

TL;DR:

Fully loaded ML320 4MATIC > base GLA > Fully loaded ML320 4MATIC

duurtlang > EL_ULY
08/10/2015 at 11:59

I’m not the biggest fan of Mercs, but aren’t these the shittiest Mercs you can buy from a reliability point of view? Also, spark plugs/cables seem like common maintenance to me. The rest, well, could be hit or miss in any 13 year old car. Especially one you’ve just bought.

EL_ULY > duurtlang
08/10/2015 at 12:02

12 plugs and 12 cables = $$$$$$

EL_ULY > bob and john
08/10/2015 at 12:02

ay, perdon :]

EL_ULY > Takuro Spirit
08/10/2015 at 12:04

dayum, ready for rally cross with Mathias Rios

EL_ULY > Party-vi
08/10/2015 at 12:04

ciiiiiircle of liiiife!

PS9 > EL_ULY
08/10/2015 at 12:07

Kinja'd!!!

Didn’t know Mercedes had a parts supplier at R’lyeh.

Sam > Party-vi
08/10/2015 at 12:08

And Lexus RX > all the Mercs

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > EL_ULY
08/10/2015 at 12:10

A friend and I just did the brakes on a family friend’s ML350. The ride is supple and cushy, the interior plastics aren’t that bad for a mercedes product.

EL_ULY > PS9
08/10/2015 at 12:11

lolololololololo!!!!!!

Party-vi > Sam
08/10/2015 at 12:16

If you’re over 60 and can’t drive worth a damn, sure.

EL_ULY > Party-vi
08/10/2015 at 12:31

*looks at Merc sales floor* old people EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!

lol stereotypes

Kinja'd!!!

AND

Kinja'd!!!

EL_ULY > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins)
08/10/2015 at 12:32

which is 100% opposite of a new GLA. ML was a good choice for the limited funds

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > EL_ULY
08/10/2015 at 12:36

There was a recall for ML power steering pump issues on certain years for the w163 chassis. I don’t know if the campaign is still active but the dealer should help you out with it.

EL_ULY > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins)
08/10/2015 at 12:40

My chassis number wasn’t eligible. First thing I checked when the issue started :]

EL_ULY > Sam
08/10/2015 at 12:57

not AMG’s.... but yes :]

SFTeo > EL_ULY
08/10/2015 at 13:12

But that isn’t a 2002 ML. My mom got a 2002 ML320 and that was the first year of the facelift.

EL_ULY > SFTeo
08/10/2015 at 13:16

CORRECT, the W210 is a 2002, the ML is a 2001

SFTeo > EL_ULY
08/10/2015 at 13:23

Whenever I see dealers post listings with incorrect minor info, I wonder what else they’re misrepresenting.

EL_ULY > SFTeo
08/10/2015 at 13:27

Nothing incorrect printed, just the ol’ dyslexia working fine :]

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > EL_ULY
08/10/2015 at 14:30

In my opinion, a used Toyota Yaris or Echo is a far better college-student car than any CUV or SUV. And definitely better than any European car.

On the used car market, a used Lexus is worth a lot more for a reason. And used Euro cars are cheap... also for a reason.

EL_ULY > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
08/10/2015 at 14:37

indeed sir. Story of my life. As a tech tho, most of the drawbacks don’t apply when going Euro, but the theory is still valid

Nibby > EL_ULY
08/10/2015 at 16:34

Friend of mine has a 2001 ML430 that his parents gave him (they owned it since new). Has nearly 200k miles and just a few minor issues like one of the rear windows doesn’t go down.

EL_ULY > Nibby
08/10/2015 at 16:36

oh man those window regulator/motors are suuuuuper easy to replace. Part could be found cheap also. This one though is having issues from all directions

pip bip - choose Corrour > EL_ULY
08/11/2015 at 07:33

what you need then is a Mitsubishi

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > EL_ULY
08/14/2015 at 17:00

My wife has an ‘03 ML350, I actually like it a lot aside from the fact that hers is getting a bit rusty. Hooray for salting the hell out of the roads. It’s been mostly reliable though, I really can’t fault the thing.

EL_ULY > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
08/14/2015 at 17:07

I know they are, very actually. I think we just got caught when multiple things happened. Taking it 6 hours down to the border tomorrow :]

pjhusa > EL_ULY
08/15/2015 at 21:55

ML320 ftw :)

EL_ULY > pjhusa
08/16/2015 at 22:58

Indeed

pjhusa > EL_ULY
08/16/2015 at 22:59

What’s the status on Torchbug?

I am just curious

EL_ULY > pjhusa
08/16/2015 at 23:30

Up until 10 min ago, it was heading down under to Australia and then to Europe after K-Roll. Now it seems OPPO mod Dusty Ventures will take it on many awesome adventures before heading out on another world tour

pjhusa > EL_ULY
08/16/2015 at 23:40

Aww. It's too late. I wanted to bring it to Singapore and Malaysia. Has it been to Asia yet?

EL_ULY > pjhusa
08/17/2015 at 01:27

Noy yet we have a good couple of people on LaLD from there that might get a chance when it/if gets to that side