Mercedes ML capable? What's it's 4WD system? (1 Viewer)

[Potbelly]

Hello again, was talking with someone today who loved my 96 LC. He has a '98 ML 320 & really likes it. I don't know much about them. As far as I know, they're pretty solid vehicles. Are they capable wheelers? I know they're expensive to fix, and I thought the late 90's had quite a few problems, particularly electrical. Is their 4WD system similar to the LC? Do they have diff locks? Anyone here happen to own both? Many thanks. -Potbelly

 

[SeanAndHis80]

Not at all. No diff locks. Electronic braking of the free spinning wheels gets them along.

 

[jvazquez53]

Never seen one doing real four wheeling.

 

[IdahoDoug]

They're meant as onroad highly mobile vehicles, but in the hands of a skilled wheeler they will go a lot of places. If memory serves, a guy took one through Rubicon with minor mods. Not in the class of an 80 offroad.

DougM

 

[CDFarmer]

The G series or Galendawagon are very capable in stock form, similar to an 80 series, solid axles, low range, etc, the ML's, even with low range, are really meant more for light duty >>>> snow, gravel, DAKAR, etc

 

[IdahoDoug]

Also, the current Mercedes GL is an astoundingly solid vehicle. Look at one on a lift sometime and you'll literally be amazed. It appears to me Mercedes intended the chassis to replace the G wagon but the G's unexpected continued popularity kept it in the lineup. The pieces under the GL are very heavy duty - clearly intended for rough offroad.

DougM

 

[AeroSynch]

My grandma has a 1999 0r 2000 ML320, and it is good for going to the gym and carrying the groceries.

It is a nice truck though, but not something I would offroad hard.

 

[gisham]

My wife drives an ML320- total grocery getter- but been solid as a rock mechanically. Cant say the same for my GWagon, it was in the shop weekly for electrical gremlins but very capable offroad-

 

[Overlander 80]

I borrowed my mothers ML 500 for the past week or so and it feels great on the road (fast as hell and holds a corner well for an SUV), but when I tried to play around in the snow the thing got stuck almost immediately after leaving the pavement. As soon as it got into 6" of hardpack snow it started spinning wheels and the chassis was not even bottomed out anywhere - put it in low range and it still didn't move. And to make matters worse I had to dig it out because it had no convenient tow hooks (I imagine there are some, but they were not obvious to me) for the cruiser to drag it out with. I was really disapointed because up to that point I was really enjoying driving it.