range rover or ml ?

toomuchtime

hi , just looking for any advice on buying either Range Rover 2.5 DSE or Mercedes ML270 ? After reading horror stories on Land rover forums about overheating,compressors,air suspension etc. i started looking at the ML...then I saw some thresds on this site about reliability and costs....so now confused ! It wont be a work horse - probably something 1999 to 2001 with FSH and wont be used everyday. The main aim is to use in summer for driving to the South of France...we felt the car was too squashed the last time. So Im looking for comfort,reliability and decent air con. and then I can lash in TV DVD PS2 etc....my plan is to trade in a convertible that I dont think Ill be using much this year ! Any advice appreciated

fonecrusher1

I cant say i know too much about either car but i like the range rover a lot more than the Mercedes ML.
The Rangey would make a fool of the Merc off-road all day long. Its a proper 4x4.

I actually prefer the 1994-2002 Range Rover to the current one.:)

I have also heard horror stories about the complex suspension systems in this car so be careful.
Having said that im sure the ML is far from faultless.

I suppose if motorway comfort is the priority & 4x4 ability comes second then maybe the Merc is the one for you?
Great help i am eh?:D!!!

Mr.Boots

If its for touring...get a people carrier instead.
More choice
cheaper to run
cheaper to insure
cheaper to tax
ect
ect

toomuchtime

hi Mr Boots
i had thought about people carrier, but i couldnt see one with large boot + leather interior + space for kids to stretch out ....for similar money to a 00 or 01 range rover or ml . I have family saloon that i could put a roof box on if i didnt want a bit more luxury for the drive. Which people carrier would you suggest ?

Bearcat

Buying a P38 2.5 diesel is madness especially if its going to be occassional whip. The engine in these jeeps are asmathic and together with the air suspension....pure trouble. If these jeep are left to lie around the air bags just crack, and do anyway and its an expensive job to replace bellows. Also the electrics are a nightmare on the p38's....the alarm chews batterys and if the battery goes flat you may have to get the jeeps ecu reprogrammed.....how do I know? I had a 4.0 p38.

Re the merc....those 5 cyl diesels are a good motor....interior and switch gear a bit flimsy but far outflanks the RR if I had a choice.

As a previous said, why a 4x4 unless your mouching around mountains etc etc

CharlieCroker

If your gonna be mainly using it to go to france and the continent, how about thinking outside the box?

LHD, 7 seats, huge space, leather, all the toys and if its not doing day to day stuff, won't cost that much more to run than the ML or RangeRover.

http://www.boatwright.co.uk/american-cars-stock.htm

spaceHopper

You're mad - buy, service, tax, ensure a 4x4 to go to france - take less crap - fly and rent a car there it'll cost far less, same you time.....

CharlieCroker

The journey is half the fun, in the right motor!!

Owen

If you'd like to experience the emotion of owning an ML, get a cheese grater, and use it on your testicles. We had one in a garage where I worked, and it was sold 4 times, and 4 times it was thrown back at us because the mechanics in our place, in Mercedes, even in an auto electricians couldn't find what was wrong with it. And it was a horrible drive. And I felt like a pensioner in nappies every time I drove it.

john hanrahan

hi i am also considering buying a range rover but yet to be convinced,
a friend of mine had an ml and he could not wait to get rid of it maintenance was very expensive and the intervals narrow.

i really just don't like the look of most 4x4s and when you live out in the country normal cars get destroyed.

i'll watch with interest

broro22

toomuchtime wrote: »

hi Mr Boots
i had thought about people carrier, but i couldnt see one with large boot + leather interior + space for kids to stretch out ....for similar money to a 00 or 01 range rover or ml . I have family saloon that i could put a roof box on if i didnt want a bit more luxury for the drive. Which people carrier would you suggest ?

sounds to me what you need is a 5 series or an e class estate. way more comfortable than an ml and a million times more reliable the range rover. more economical and way better for blasting down motorway.

si_guru

The P38 Range Rover is notoriously unreliable and that BMW motor struggles to move it...

...then again the ML was badly put together in the US..

Get a Land Cruiser... it should last 20 years without seeing a spanner.

joewicklow

Dont go for the Range Rover or ML. Get a high spec Land Rover Discovery. A great drive and when the weather turns bad like the last 3 weeks you have someting to use instead of the regular car.

si_guru

joewicklow wrote: »

Dont go for the Range Rover or ML. Get a high spec Land Rover Discovery. A great drive and when the weather turns bad like the last 3 weeks you have someting to use instead of the regular car.

Actually I agree... LR3 Disco is not a bad motor with a decent engine too.

toomuchtime

..i didnt enjoy that cheese grater experience one bit :mad: so i take it both range rover and ml are out.
Great to get feed back on the P38 - confirms everything I read.
Has the discovery not the same suspension system as range rover ?
I assumed a lot of parts were off the same shelf !
I luv the day van idea ...absolute luxury ...but 5+ litre petrol
If the 4x4 idea fails completely -as Broro22 suggests - it will be high spec BMW or AUDI.
We've done the fly drive thing loads of times..but at this stage try getting 3 girls to pack one case each, minimum 15kg !! as Charlie Croker said half the fun is in the drive

si_guru

toomuchtime wrote: »

.
Great to get feed back on the P38 - confirms everything I read.
Has the discovery not the same suspension system as range rover ?

Latest Discovery... 2004 onwards is completely new. Not at all related to the debacles and P38 predecessors... also has lovely PSA 2.7TDi V6.

101sean

Disco 3 has little in common to the P38 Rangie. Yes, airbags do go in any of them but so do bushes etc go on coil spung vehicles. Cheap and easy to replace, gets expensive if ignored and the pump goes through overwork. Any P38s (ie pre 2001 shape) left on the road will be pretty sorted but it's best to own the diagnostic equipment.

Early L322 Rangies are getting cheaper in the UK, if it has a service history any issues will be sorted. BTW, Range Rover Sport and Disco 3 are on the same chassis, D3 is the better vehicle.

The MLs before the current model were, as si points out, poorly built by rednecks in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The current model is supposed to be better built but is no way in the same class as a Range Rover

We've probably confused you completely now!

Theanswers

Buy a L322 RR in the UK. Bring it into this country as a commercial. €50 VRT, Cheap tax. While it's here have it commercial, and when you going abroad put seats and belts in the back. 10 minute job. Just sort the insurance as a car and you will be grand. It's going abroad so no one will care... That's my advice.

toomuchtime

i reckon there's two problems there !,first .... dont you have to show where the bolt position for the back seats are permentaly covered and second.... the customs at the Roslare !( ...helpful people ..actually went out of their way before to explain the law to me )
Some prices here are better than UK + I was hoping to get some waranty from an Irish Garage even for 3 months. Some of the land rover dealers have stock at competitive prices with FSH so i would hope they have sorted out the lemons.

the airbag man

hi. forget about both of them, if you have to buy a jeep buy a smaller one, 2litre or 2.2 diesel, an aging ml or range rover even will a service history, will break your heart and the bank a 100 euro fill at the moment will return 400 mile in a range rover or ml and thats driving light footed. the ml at this stage will have squeaky suspension unless all bushings have being replaced and the turbo will be on the verge of blowing again unless replaced. if you must buy one of these go for the ml, old merc`s find it hard to die they just keep getting ill. if the range rover is a total head wrecker.
buy a jap jeep landcruiser if it has to be a large one, santa fe if going for a small one, get a full service,timing belt/chain done asap and keep the gearbox oil changed if an automatic
a seven seater 4x4 can cost up to 1500e to tax a year.

toomuchtime

I agree on the spec.in the UK the last 6 cars i bought including current ones ...i went over to Uk and brought them back . Other than the fact when you return from France via Roslare ....is where you meet the customs !! ...not to mention that 3 of them live in the same village as me.
Never mind the sniffer dogs ..i think some of those guys are trained to sniff out trouble .
Anyway would love to go to UK for next motor ,but as I said I have to off load a convertible so I reckon I can only trade it in here

E39MSport

Stay away from the Range Rover Sport and the current Disco although the disco is better than the rrs. I agree with theanswers re: the L322. It would be the one to go for if you really want a fancy LR I reckon. I've heard and read awful things about the ML.

I recently purchased an 00 Amazon and love it. For much less money and a great spend versus reliability ratio you could do worse than a nice 90 series cruiser. They're a great machine imo. Had one for a while and for not much money you can replace the bushings for the rack, control arm and shocks etc which make a huge difference to the ride quality.

The current 120 is a differnet story.

Slidey

Guys, I have had to delete some posts.

Please don't discuss VRT dodging. It is illegal.

Thanks