W116.org

I have spent the last 10 months fettling my 6.9 and driving it to work one day per week but this weekend I put it to some more serious work for the first time and drove it for about 300km with 100km on the open road above 100km/hr.

When I purchased it, Herbert from The Star Shop said "Don't park it - It must be driven" (In a German Accent).

Apart from the fact that the car drove and handled beautifully the high speed running settled a single noisy lifter which had bugged me all the time to the point where I was going to replace it.

And yes the 6.9 just gets better the faster it goes and yes the suspension tightens up with speed and yes it averaged 20.9 litres/ 100km and yes I am becoming more fond of it as time goes on.

Bill

Bill,
how fast were you going if you got 21l/100!  if you had >100km open road driving, you shuold get about 16-17 per 100 if at 100kmh!

I notice the improvements with my car after a good run on the open road. Not that it is running poorly otherwise but everything just seems to run more smoothly. The car loves to be driven and rewards for being driven.

I chose my words carefully as I was in a 110 area most of the time but of the 300 km - 200km was Metro Driving with only 100km at speed (and I was passing a lot) so 21 is about what I would expect.

My ML 500 averages just under the 15L/100km for metro driving and can get as low as 11.8L/100 km on a run if I am careful with the passing manoeuvres.

Tends to average low 12's on a normal run and I can neither confirm nor deny my true cruising speed.

My wife's ML320 CDI averages 10.3 Litres/100km in metro running with 9.0 and lower at cruise and unlike the older ML270 she had before it has enough grunt to pass at speed.


Bill

I feel sorry for people that can only drive their 116's now and again. 

My everyday "hack car" is the 280SE which I have done 57,000 kms in 31 months.
(Average of over 400kms per week.)

I've done 20,000kms in the 6.9 over a period of 28 months.
(Average of over 160kms per week.)

I use 98 octane in the 6.9 and found that the more I drive it, the better economy I get.
I have got up to 16.6 litres/100kms, but I average about 18.8 litres/100 kms.
(The 280 gets 14.6 litres/100kms.)

The reason I have done higher mileage than normal is because I live rural and every drive is a blast down the freeway to Adelaide........Love it!!!!!!!!!!

Gotta get me one too!
Next on the list for sure.
Chris M.

MY w116's are in the extreme -

280SE - 240 000km in 9 years
trusty rusty - about 90km since I've owned it.   

My poor 116 is down due to a noisy rear axle and my 500 is down i think due to a ignition module and my 190 is down due to a transmission rebuild, so once they are all running again i am going to be one happy man with a heavy foot!  I want a 6.9 badly though!

You're on a winner there Bill..  These puppies love the open road, and as pace picks up they feel more and more sturdy on the road.

The 450 loves long trips and good rev's.  I've been told by many people that just sedate driving / idling in these car's fouls things up and once in awhile they need a good 'cylinder burn'.


As for petrol consumption I never add it up, but on my recent long trip to melbs (bout 700km's) I just make sure I fill up at 400km on the tacho and then again on arrival.. drive around for a few days, race at the track, then fill up again twice before getting home.  Needless to say, I don't actually eat when i make long trips.. the fuel bill alone is not one that's nice to add up. 
IT'S FUN THOUGH!! 

Just quickly Bill, on the ML500 fuel consumption.. I'm thinking of leasing one as a towe vehicle for the track car, would you recommend them?
Probably a 2002-2004 model (somewhere in there).  It would also be used as a daily driver.  Or would you suggest the 320?
And final question, Diesel or Petrol (i'm inclined to go petrol).

Cam.

I started a thread like this on the NSWMBC site coz we're going to replace the Terri sooner or later and there's only one choice - ML55   Then I found out as a govt employee we can't lease V8's so it's likely going to be an ML 350 eventually, same year build 2002-04.  I hate diesels for no particular reason at all   

The best thing about using a tow vehicle for the track car is that they wont go too fast and attract radars.   Though you'll probably prove me wrong     Of the same importance is that if you do go ML as a daily, your going to appreciate the w116 drive days more and the w116 fuel bill wont be a problem.  You'll just plant the foot and be happy since it wont be your daily.

Hi Cam,

If you buy a 163 make sure you buy the second series with the foglights in the bumpers - they almost totally rebuilt the car and the second series is much more reliable. Having worked on my wife's previous 270 CDI they are a delight to work on - take off the front wheels and remove the plastic inner guards and you have total and complete access to both sides of the motor. The 163 - ML500 has the same 3 valve motor as mine has and I would imagine would be at the limit of power vs handling. Nathan's dad has one so ask him what he thinks of it. I found the 270 a bit slow for me but quite usable and incredibly economical for what it was - ours had a lifetime fuel consumption over 125,000 km on the trip computer of 9.9 litres/100km.

The 164 is a whole new breed and apart from the name there is little in common. My 500 ML has the off road-pro pack with height adjustable air suspension, adjustable damping and a seven speed auto with full manual override and although it only has the 302HP motor as opposed to the newer 5.5 4 valve 368hp motor that 7 speed really lets it fly off the mark and the traction on wet or dry will make sure very little keeps up in the traffic light drags. On the open road when passing it is quite scary how fast it gets to those hand-cuff type speeds the other side of 1-6-0 for such a big car. First 30,000 km average consumption 14.7 litres/100km - usually driven in a spirited fashion.

The ML 320 CDI is also surprisingly quick off the mark and lively to drive. The 7G-tronic auto was really designed for Diesel power delivery characteristics and it shows when driving it. Unlike the 270 it has real performance on the open road and I often feel ashamed that a mature sensible person like me drives the V8 everyday and he should be using a diesel that has averaged 10.3 litres/100km since new and has similar real world performance at legal speeds.

They all tow beautifully just watch your total towing weight but there is now a new hitch system that extends the towing weight upwards by an extra 800kg. But then unhitch the load and nothing beats a V8.

Bill

As Bill noted,
dad has the 1st gen (163) preupdate 430...he was one of the first to have this delivered when the ML was brand new...he thought it would have the same ability and durability as the Gwagen, without the impracticality!  luckily he got the extended 5 year warranty as it needed quite a few expensive warranty things including roof lining of all things!  not up to par in many respects but very good in others.  as Bill states, the updated 163 was a much nicer machine without as many flaws as i understand. 
only driven a 164 a couple of times and these were very very nice!

Id recommend at least a test drive in the diesel before you make up your mind - these oel burners are now very very nice.

what about a 6.9 to tow it around!

Hahahah.. i'm right there with ya.  I just can't f*kn stand diesels, probably to do with the rattly sound under the hood.    Being a lease, the petrol will be included, so not like I won't be paying for it - but i'll be aiming to clock up km's.  Would love the 55.. 


So is the ML500 the second series??  Is the foglight bumpers the main tell?
Total towing weight will be a bit over 2 tonnes i think...reducing all the time.

Ideally i'd love to get a 6.9, but all these people in the western land KEEP BUYING THEM ALL!!    This time next year i'll have one..  Also would like to get an older gelanderwagon 500 - but too old too lease they say...   

Gonna try get some test drives in on saturday, will post the results..


PS. Oscar, is that deadset?  Govt employees can't lease a V8??  Do you have to use Ethanol fuel too?    Contracting has it's bonuses i guess. 

Well actually, that was a NSW govt rule so not sure about Fed.  When you talked of leasing I thought it must have been a novated lease arrangement that we're doing now.  Guys at work have done it and noticed no difference in take home pay.  Of course, the best part is just handing over that fuel card rather than a credit card.

The V8 rule is ridiculous.  You can get a 4WD, you can get a car that weighs well over two tonne, but you can't get a V8 sedan.  Our Terri uses way more fuel than a V8 Statesman. 

No mention of Ethanol.  You should be able to stipulate the fuel that the fuel-card or motocard for the car accepts, whether it be 91ron,98 ron or diesel.  I haven't heard of anyone being limited to anything other than what their cars should take.   However, if the leased car is on 91ron as per manufacturer and the card is for 91unleaded only, you might have to foot the bill if you use 98.  I accidentally put 95ron isntead of 91 into a work commodore years ago and the caltex card wouldn't work, I had to fork out the $   but later I got reimbursed

EDIT:  Another rule change that came in for us is that we can lease used cars up till 9YO.  Hence why a 2002-04 ML is appealing rather than comitting to a new car price.  Is that what you can do too?

Standard Towing capacity has been 2000kg up until about three months ago when a new hitch set up which can be retrofitted has apparently raised this to 2800kg.

Yes the second series of 163 is distinguised by the foglights in the bumpers but watch for people who may have retrofitted these.



Here is a picture of my wife's ML taken some years ago showing the foglamps, body coloured trim and wheels.

Usually the bumpers are also body colour and wheel size went up an inch and styles of wheel changed. There are so many detail changes as would fill a book but significant ones include extra internal strength in Automatics. The only real hassle with them is that they like rear brake pads which is not a big deal if you don't pay the $350 for the genuine ones and are happy to fit them yourself.

2002 to 2004 seem to have had firmer springing and handle more securely with less body roll but the last couple of years production seem to have had softer springs and roll around a bit. Bilstein front shocks improved the ride and the handling at the same on my wife's 2003 270CDI.

We had no significant repairs in 125,000 km other than tyres and brakes except after replacing the leaking front shocks I replaced the battery and then promptly sold the car for the 320CDI.

Bill