Nice review, we would get one, but restrictions in New York and high diesel prices prevent us from doing so, i am just wondering, but what is that vehicle in the garage, an x5? Whoes is that?

 

yeah looks like an X5...i dont think thats his house. lol

 

Generally true, but, obviously, the harder you drive and the more diesel fuel you burn, the quicker the urea tank will run out. 10K miles (or around 15-16 kilometers, in his case) is average......under average driving conditons.

 

Generally true, but it's a Mercedes so average driving conditions are not how they establish limits.

See below:

"The tank capacity is 28 litres in the R 320 BlueTEC and ML 320 BlueTEC, and 32 litres in the GL 320 BlueTEC. Even under more demanding conditions with a higher AdBlue consumption, e.g. when towing a trailer, this is sufficient to avoid the need for unscheduled refilling stops in the workshop. This means that the customer has no need to concern him- or herself with the AdBlue level in the tank. Should the AdBlue level unexpectedly fall below a certain level nonetheless, the electronics provide a timely warning."

 

Yes, that is an X5 in the garage. It's my father's. They drive like no other, but they are a complete PITA to maintain. Can't convince him to get rid of the money pit yet....lol.

Right again. That's my folks place in the city. We live out here

 

what does diesel cost up there? in my part of the world, diesel is 30 cents cheaper than 87 gas....

that looks like paradise to me! i'm jealous.

 

31 cents cheaper here, 54 cheaper than premium...

 

What restrictions in NY are you referring to?

 

I have never used the Benz COMAND system but my E230 has the APS-50 navigation system from Mercedes. It's simple to use and operate but typing in your destination does take time due to the lack of a touchscreen feature.

However, I think it really comes down to the driver. It is his or her responsibility to ensure that whatever action they take behind the wheel doesn't endanger other drivers or close pedestrians. I can operate the APS-50 navigation system while my car is in motion, but I don't. I usually find a spot to pull over and operate the system in peace and quiet. On a few occasions I have operated the system while traveling at high speed or on twisty roads.

Still, I wouldn't advise anyone to operate any type of navigation system, simple or difficult, during driving. The act itself is distracting and dangerous.



It depends. I think it is a little one-sided to give so much credit to BMW in this area when different manufacturers focus on different aspects of the "driving experience". But, as a whole the Germans are very strong in that department. I suppose they need to be because of their roads and cultural aspects (sportiness and such).

I think BMW does the whole sport suspension engineering part very well but their comfort is generally not very good. I've ridden in 3er and 5er BMW taxis when I first moved to Germany (try finding a BMW taxi in Stuttgart, Mercedes territory!) and compared to their Mercedes counterparts I found their suspensions to be too hard. As a whole BMW suspensions strike me as very nervous on rougher roads. They lack that balance that Lexus and Mercedes suspensions do so well, especially Mercedes. BMW suspensions are designed more for sport, not comfort.

Mercedes, in my experience, does the mix between sport and luxury quite well. The C class that I previously drove and the E class I am currently driving had an excellent balance between sport and comfort, something which most BMWs don't really come close too (more sport, less comfort). The S class suspension for example is always praised left and right, no matter who reviews it. That has got to say something about their suspension engineering capabilities. The new 7 series is great, but most reviews state the suspension is biased towards sport while the comfort aspect has been improved, but doesn't touch the S class and LS.

Porsche is another player in this department as is Audi though most Audi's don't quite seem to come close to the sportiness of a BMW and the comfort of a Mercedes. Lexus and Infiniti are also strong here. The LS and G coupe / sedan are evidence of this.

 

Great photo (nice mountains!) and a nice objective review of the ML. Love your IS-F by the way.

 

There is no need to go to the dealer for urea-solution refill. If it runs low during along road trip, just go the rest area and empty your bladder into it.

Congrats on your ML!