Mercedes ML250

Nybo
Nybo Forum Participant Posts: 2
edited March 2016 in Towcars & Towing #1

Hi does anyone tow with an ML250 as I have placed a deposit on a 2013 model and am about to move from a Discovery 4 2010 as the merc feels more comfy and will work out a lot cheaper to run? I am looking to see more than anything if it labours/overheats?

Comments

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
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    edited March 2016 #2

    Wait for Mollysmummy to get to you, he will tell you all you want to know and some.   Wink

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2016 #3

    Wait for Mollysmummy to get to you, he will tell you all you want to know and some.   Wink

    I was thinking more like Brian aka Tigerfish. I know he will suggest that the ML250 is down on the number of cylinders under the bonnet to the tune of two. Cool Thing
    is, Nybo is asking after he/she's placed the deposit Innocent

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #4

    Wait for Mollysmummy to get to you, he will tell you all you want to know and some.   Wink

    I was thinking more like Brian aka Tigerfish. I know he will suggest that the ML250 is down on the number of cylinders under the bonnet to the tune of two. Cool Thing
    is, Nybo is asking after he/she's placed the deposit Innocent

    Write your comments here...Sorry  Surprised

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2016 #5

     ....Sorry  Surprised

    Why? Undecided 

     

  • omendri
    omendri Forum Participant Posts: 75
    edited March 2016 #6

    A friend has a (bought new) 2014 ML250 to tow a Sterling Continental 645 (1900kilo). Cost to fit tow bar and upgrade the cooling etc for towing was around £3k ish. The Mercedes dealer will key the VIN into terminal and come up with a "kit to fit" list and cost - if I remember correctly the parts list filled an A4 page.

    Fuel consumption when towing (normal) is similar to my (bought new 2013) Discovery4 (+ Swift Elegance 645 1900kilo) at around 24mpg - on the lumpy stuff and on long uphill drags (on the run down to Lyon) the ML will be under 20mpg and struggling a bit for poke. Invariably my friend will lose something like a quarter of a mile on the long hills (on my outfit which will be on cruise control.) For this reason on foreign travel I will normally lead. 

    Solo at a constant speed(cruise control)  on a motorway run the ML is far more economical - ML not far short 40mpg - the D4 36/37mpg at best. Around town and give and take motoring not much difference (ML to D4) in fuel consumption though my friend does claim that his wife (who mostly drives the ML) did learn to drive at the Ayton Senna school of motoring. However he does say when he is driving the fuel consumption is much improved  to around 28mpg which is two or three mpg better than I get. 

    My friend does say that he wouldn't have a Discovery at a gift (he boringly quotes the "old" Land Rover days as the reason) though he acknowledges that the D4 is the consumate vehicle for serious towing. He likes his ML and thinks it's a good compromise vehicle - good for normal use and OK for for towing. As he says he tows for maybe 2.5k miles a year so his priority is normal motoring. My needs are different - I tow for 7k or 8k miles a year, a lot of the time in mainland Europe - miles without the 'van on the hook are minimal so solo economy is not an issue to me. Nothing wrong with the comfort, ride and quality of my HSE - it also has a few more toys than the Merc.

     

    Ome "n" Dri

     

  • Nybo
    Nybo Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited March 2016 #7

    Good stuff thanks for that Omendri that has helped me a great deal. The deposit is fully refunded if I cancel within 14days and I still vave 8days to research a little more. I like the comfort of the Merc and the deals on used are very good with low mileage
    as opposed to upgrading the Disco as they are all high mileage. I may change my order to a ML350 which I know has no issues with towing as my friend has one.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2016 #8

    Hi does anyone tow with an ML250 as I have placed a deposit on a 2013 model and  ...

    Does it have Airmatic? Innocent 

  • tigerfish
    tigerfish Forum Participant Posts: 1,362
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #9

    Firstly can I say that you will not find a more stable tow car than the Mercedes ML series. They are also very reliable. I have the ML300CDI the 3 Litre V6 model. That is very smooth and is also very good on fuel and tyres. 34/5 MPG solo on the road and 24 MPG towing heavy Coachman 4 berth.  37K on a set of Tyres and I always change early

    Very comfortable ride and an excellant all rounder. Perhaps the best way of putting is to say that i have kept my ML for 5 years. That is 2 years longer than I have ever kept a car before!  Why?  Total satisfaction thats why!

    Cannot say too much about the 250 model which I beleve is a 2.2 Litre.  I understand they are pretty good but as MM says I prefer 2 more cylinders. cannot now get the ML300 so will look for a 350!

    TF

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2016 #10

    Always have more cylinders than doors Cool

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
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    edited March 2016 #11

    Always have more cylinders than doors Cool

    Write your comments here...Laughing  Laughing

  • tigerfish
    tigerfish Forum Participant Posts: 1,362
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    edited March 2016 #12

    Took the Caravan out for its first long run over the past few days. I was wrong about the towing MPG as 22/23.  I ran at an average of 25.4 over 150 miles!  Not bad .  Happy with that!  Again I think it was down to Tyre pressures which I had increased by
    2PSI all around!

    TF

  • tigerfish
    tigerfish Forum Participant Posts: 1,362
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    edited March 2016 #13

    Nybo,  You are right, Go for the 350. That is what I am going to do.  Sadly the 300 is no more, It has been replaced in the range by the 250 which is a 4 cylinder, and whatever they say, its more highly stressed engine will not go on delivering like the
    V6 in the long term. So I will definately go for a fairly recent 350.  The trouble I am finding is that most of the ones that I have seen have been funerial Black.  No way am I buying a black car.

    TF

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2016 #14

    .....  The trouble I am finding is that most of the ones that I have seen have been funerial Black.  No way am I buying a black car.

    TF

    It seems that most Mercedes are either black or silver. Colour wouldn't put me off buying a car if it had the other gizmos inside ... within reason. Interior trim colour would though, MB do a vile (IMHO) tan, and that would stop me from buying an otherwise
    well spec'd car. But I never buy new. Wink

  • tigerfish
    tigerfish Forum Participant Posts: 1,362
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #15

    MM   My main reason for disliking black is that I simply do not want to spend half my life cleaning the Bl***y thing.

    Black is acceptable for a few minutes after washing it, but soon shows every speck of dirt.  Mine is a dark silver, almost Gun Metal, I think it was called Paladian.  Anyway it is great for NOT showing the dirt etc.

    I agree re not buying new!  I did buy the ML300 new but lost too much. Like you will buy a 1-2 year old one in future. The main problem is too many small engined ones about.

    Getting Off theme.

    TF