Since my previous post, I have logged 12,000 trouble free kilometers and it usually gets driven to work and back which is 40kms each way.

I have also towed my Plate Aluminium fishing boat(1400kg) a total of 1,200 kms round trip and again no problems, sitting on 90kmh fuel consumption was 13L/100kms and when on 105kmh increased to 16L/100kms which is damn good.

Drivers side under seat trim there is a mounting point that is broken, just need to remove the trim piece and reglue the plastic and screw it back in. Same deal with the glove box one of the pivot pins have broken, using a rivet as a shaft will fix this as well.

So far "touch wood" I have had none of the major problems described in all of these online forums, but I suspect that my one was assembled in Austria as it has the nokia car handsfree unit fitted and a few have mentioned that they are done only in the Austrian plant, not sure on this but so far I am loving it. The suspension is a little hard but hey its not meant to be a limo its a 4WD. One guy in Australia has taken it across our Simpson desert and finished a 6,000km expedition with one leaking shock absorber and thats it !!.


FWIW there are some lemons out there and the only way to be sure is to get it throughly checked out before buying second hand.


Regards
Russ


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99 ML430 (4 YR REPAIR RECORD)
1. Replaced fuel pump and upgraded line assembly $1000
2. Replaced window switch $100
3. Replaced both rear tie rods $1000

Not bad for 4 years [8D]