How Many Miles Does A Mercedes Ml350 Last? [ Answered ]

Car enthusiasts willing to go for a luxury model cannot possibly overlook the Mercedes ML350. After the brand launched this model in 2002, it gained significant popularity, thanks to its dynamic handling and modern technology. Unfortunately, Mercedes discontinued the model after 2015. However, if you have plans to purchase one of the used models of this luxury automobile brand, you would like to know its lifeline. After all, the vehicle gained popularity due to its upscale cabin and performance. So, it’s time to check out the average lifespan of the Mercedes ML350. In this article, we have comprehensively discussed the car’s durability, dependability, and average lifeline.

How many miles does a Mercedes ml350 last?

The Mercedes ML350 can last around 200K to 250K miles, which is equivalent to 13 to 17 years of service. So, if you drive around 15K miles a year on average, the car can last close to two decades with proper maintenance and care.

The Mercedes ML350 has survived the test of time, demonstrating its robustness and features in style. The brand has built the car to last long, even though it might not suit some owners. To make a luxury car last so long, owners need to embrace conservative driving habits and navigate the car sensibly. After 15 years of service on average, you need to shell out frequent repair costs that might be expensive.

Information in different online forums reveals that some of the existing owners have already clocked more than the 150K and even the 200K mile marks. Even though the mileage looks respectable, the maintenance charges and repair costs for big-ticket accessories failures such as the transmission or engine can be high enough. Gradually, the repair expenses would outweigh the actual value of the vehicle.

Although Mercedes Benz has designed the ML350 for sporty rides, aggressive handling can cut its lifeline as the components would wear out faster. So, owners can potentially add to the odometer substantially by keeping up with the recommended maintenance schedule.

What is High Mileage for a Mercedes ML350?

For used car owners, purchasing a Mercedes ML350 with an excess of 120K miles on the odometer can be a risky bet. The high mileage for this model is around the 120K mile mark. After this, you have high chances of technical glitches affecting the vehicle. Besides, you would notice some kind of natural damage to most of the parts. Also, you can’t rule out the chances of major components failing.

However, potential buyers need to look beyond the mileage of these cars. Even if the car has reached high mileage, it might be a good pick under certain conditions.

• Firstly, check out the track record of servicing and maintenance of these cars. Reach out to the previous owner for relevant documents to know how good the condition of the car can be.
• Get across to a trustable independent mechanic or repair store and get a second opinion about the car’s condition.
• The rust problem continues to haunt owners, so dishonest sellers might cover up rusted parts with stickers or paints. Check the undercarriage for signs of rust.
• Once you check the CarFax, you will get a complete idea of the car’s mileage, accident reports, previous ownership, and title. This way, you will get to know whether the previous owner used it commercially or for personal purposes.
• Make sure that the number of previous owners is not too high.
• It wouldn’t be wise to go for the car if you need to spend heavily on repairs, while you keep the vehicle for just a few years.
• Inspect the interiors to get an idea of how well the previous owner cared for it. In case the pedals, shifter, or steering wheel look new, the previous owner might have just replaced those parts after heavily using the vehicle.
• Check out the engine for damages and leaks. In case it appears to be unusually clean, the owner might have washed it to conceal possible oil leaks.

Is Mercedes ML350 reliable after 100K miles?

Luxury cars inherently involve high maintenance costs. After they cross the 100K mile mark, the chances of common technical glitches turn out to be severe. However, given that the high mileage of the ML350 is around the 120K mile mark, the engine would still have some juice at around 100K miles. Moreover, a responsible maintenance record from the previous owner ensures that the parts would be in proper functional conditions. Therefore, Mercedes Benz ML350 can be fairly reliable after 100K miles.

Is the Mercedes ML350 Reliable?

The Mercedes ML350 doesn’t seem to be very reliable. It actually fares moderately in terms of dependability. While the older models had several issues, the more recent models bagged better reliability ratings. Customer feedback and industry data reveal that the car has got an average reliability rating.

The Mercedes ML 320, which preceded the ML350, had several quality issues. However, Mercedes addressed these issues and made significant upgrades in the ML350. This significantly boosted the car’s fuel efficiency, handling, reliability, and power. However, glitches in the electrical system continued to haunt ML350 owners. The malfunctioning heaters often blew out excessively hot air. Besides, in some cars, the turn signals refused to work. Considering all these drawbacks, the Mercedes ML350 received an average rating in terms of reliability.

RepairPal rated the car 3/5 in terms of reliability. Out of 14 SUVs in the midsize category, it found its position in the 10^th place. However, it bagged an impressive rating of 4.6/5 for its reliability in Kelly’s Blue Book. Also, it received 81/100 from J.D. Power, which looks above average.

Some of its competitors fared better in terms of reliability. These include the Lexus RX 450h, Infiniti FX35, Cadillac SRX, Volvo XC70, and the Acura MDX.

Best and worst model years of the Mercedes ML350

The last model year, the ML350 2015 happens to be the best one. The overall reliability rating looks impressive and it received fewer complaints from the existing owners. Even though some of the previous models turned out to be problematic, the brand was responsive enough to address the issues in its 2015 model.

2006 is the worst model year for this car, accounting for the largest number of complaints. Some of these issues even involved big-ticket repairs, as they affected the powertrain and engine. A problematic balance shaft gear in this car even triggered the engine light in certain vehicles. Some of these issues can cost you as high as $6,000 to address. Besides, the faulty electrical system triggered several other problems in this model. The engine seat heater tends to get hot, and you might not be able to open the trunk or the doors due to a faulty key. Even poor wiring can lead to fires in the tail light.

Are Mercedes ML350 Expensive to Maintain?

The maintenance cost for a Mercedes ML350 is above-average. As per RepairPal, owners need to shell out around $1,020 a year for its maintenance and repairs. This looks higher than the average annual maintenance costs of similar cars, which comes to around $807. Besides, luxury cars involve high maintenance charges, which makes it even higher than the average cost across all segments ($652).

The chances of your Mercedes Benz ML350 requiring unscheduled repairs is around 0.6 times a year. Besides, there is around a 13% chance for the car to run into severe problems. Comparing these figures to its competitors, it appears that you have better alternatives out there in the market.

How long will the brakes of ML350 last?

In case of average use, the brake pads of this luxury car would last between 40K to 60k miles. However, if you drive the car in urban areas with heavy traffic, it comes down to 20K to 25K miles. During the rush hours, drivers need to frequently brake and accelerate. This makes the brake pads wear out faster. For a Mercedes Benz ML350, you can expect the cost of brake pad replacement to be between $287 and $313, including labor costs and parts. Premature failure of brakes stems from complete and full stops while running at high speeds. Besides, the brakes tend to deteriorate faster when you adopt a sporty style while driving. To make the brakes last longer, adopt a steady driving style.

Tips to Prolong the Life of Your Mercedes ML350

To enhance the lifeline of your Mercedes ML350, adopt smooth and sensible habits for driving.

• Follow the manufacturer-recommended schedule for maintenance.
• Use branded parts and quality fluids in the car.
• Address small glitches before they significantly aggravate larger issues.
• Keep the undercarriage and other parts of the car free from grime and dirt to prevent rusting.
• Top up the fluid level for transmission, coolant, engine oil, and brake from time to time.
• Store the car in a proper garage with a proper cover to secure it from the elements of nature.
• Rotate the tires regularly, besides opting for wheel balancing and alignment as per the recommended schedule.

Is the Mercedes ML350 fuel efficient?

Mercedes Benz has produced ML350 models for over a decade. Combining all the models, the average mileage comes to 17.4 miles a gallon. However, the last model that the brand released in 2015 averaged 20 mpg. Compared to other cars, ML350 owners would be spending around $4,750 in the first five years on fuel.

Compared to gas engines, diesel engines tend to deliver better fuel economy. So, when it comes to the ML350 Bluetec, the mileage would be 27 mpg on highways and 20 mpg on city roads.

How often does the Mercedes-Benz ML350 need to be refilled?

The brand recommends owners to flush the coolants and refill the same every two years, or 30K miles. Nevertheless, you might manage to travel more without refilling the coolants at times. However, make sure to follow up with the authorized Mercedes Benz dealership to know whether it’s time to refill it. The accumulation of debris and sediment would have an adverse impact on the car’s engine. So, you should dilute the coolant properly to keep the engine in the best of health.

Is the 2012 Mercedes ML350 a good car?

The base model of the Mercedes Benz ML350, that the brand launched in 2012 offers comfortable rides. The car can easily absorb the shocks while cruising along bumpy roads. In the cities and highways, the car delivers a mileage of 17 mpg and 22 mpg, respectively. This mileage is similar to that of its competitors. Even the mileage for the diesel model looks impressive, at 20 and 27 miles on city roads and highways. Therefore, this car seems to be quite good.

Conclusion

The overall dependability of the Mercedes Benz ML350 appears to be lower than average. In case you decide to purchase one of the most reliable used models, it would be wise to go for the ML350 2015. This is the last version that the manufacturers had launched, fixing most of the flaws affecting the previous models. You would also benefit from the depreciation that the luxury car has undergone over the last few years.