ML63: Links to info, reviews, photos ~ V3 UPDATE

[brt3]

Here is my unofficial list of good sources for writeups, information, and photos on the ML63; sorry to keep posting this, but this forum only seems to allow a few edits before locking the original post... FACTORY INFORMATION: Mercedes-Benz USA ~ ML63 info: http://www.mbusa.com/models/main.do?modelCode=ML63 Mercedes-Benz ML-series Interactive Owner's Manual: http://www4.mercedes-benz.com/e/cars...ng/flash6.html AMG Home Page: http://www.mercedes-amg.com/ GENERAL INFORMATION: RSportsCars.com: Specs, Photos, & Press Release: http://www.rsportscars.com/eng/cars/mercedes_benz_m.asp Edmunds.com -- Information: http://www.edmunds.com/new/2007/merc...ing.html?pop=1 Edmunds.com -- AMG 6.3 liter engine information: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=106510 World Car Fans -- AMG 6.3 liter engine data: http://www.worldcarfans.com/news.cfm...ml/country/gcf Wikipedia AMG Page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-AMG W164 Information Page: http://www.whnet.com/4x4/w164.html Kleeman: ML Modifications Page http://www.kleemann.dk/site/Main/thecars/ML%20W164 TESTS: The Truth About Cars: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?p=2579 Edmunds: First Drive http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=110150#3 Edmunds: Follow-Up Test http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...topanel..1.*#3 Motorweek Review: http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/reviews/rt2611a.shtml VIDEOS: Tiff Needell; ML63 at Mercedes World/Brooklands: http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/t...benz-ml-63-amg ML63 vs. Cayenne Turbo S: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_w6a5O1dtY Autobild ML63 video: http://www.autobild.de/projektor/vid...id=11977&pos=0 Factory Video (as above) posted to my site: http://homepage.mac.com/raythompson/...Theater62.html PHOTOS: My Compilation Of ML63 Pics: http://web.mac.com/raythompson/iWeb/...L63%20AMG.html

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[brt3]

Is there a way to turn this thread into a "sticky" -- assuming there's enough interest?

[vraa]

Yes, I'll go ahead and sticky it now.

[brt3]

Thanks, Santa!
(love that Xmas avatar)

[Eye_Candy]

You should add the Car & Driver test:

http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=172766

[brt3]

Originally Posted by Eye_Candy

You should add the Car & Driver test...[/url]

I thought about that, but the article seemed to be long on Airstream and short on ML63. I drooled when I saw the "teaser" on the cover, and was bummed out when I realized they spent 95% of the article on the food in Knoxville and the short-track racing scene -- and only about 5% on the ML63...

[Eye_Candy]

True, but it is a test from a reputable source and gives the lowest 0 to 60 I have seen yet (and we could use some cheering up after that SRT8 video).

C & D are far more credible then that chart I posted earlier that showed the ML ranked 35.

http://benzinsider.com/uploaded_images/1-50-787441.gif

I think you should present the interesting links and let the reader decide what weight they want to give them. Maybe a new heading entitled "dubious tidbits" LOL

[sprins]

How about my ML63 review?

Has nice pictures and a nice video.

The review itself is in Dutch, but hey! http://babelfish.altavista.com/

[brt3]

Originally Posted by Eye_Candy

You should add the Car & Driver test:

C&D hasn't posted their review online yet; guess they wait a month to make sure the 'net doesn't poach on their circulation numbers...

[brt3]

Originally Posted by sprins

How about my ML63 review?

Has nice pictures and a nice video.

The review itself is in Dutch, but hey! http://babelfish.altavista.com/

I really love the pictures on your site, but my knowledge of German -- though it helps me guess at the meaning of some phrases -- is almost useless with the Dutch language...


I can no longer edit the original post, but would ask the moderator to kindly add the following at the bottom of the section marked TESTS:

Autoblog.nl Review -- Review & Photos:
http://www.autoblog.nl/archive/2006/...-benz-ml63-amg

[AMG_55]

Originally Posted by Eye_Candy

True, but it is a test from a reputable source and gives the lowest 0 to 60 I have seen yet (and we could use some cheering up after that SRT8 video).

[Mares]

last weekend I saw for the first time this one baby so I took some pics (btw, AMGs are very rare in my counrty)

[brt3]

Adding this here from another thread:
http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=228331

I ordered my ML63 on December 29th, 2006 and took delivery on March 24th, 2007. Here's a link to my ML63 page: http://web.mac.com/raythompson/Auto/...Car_Pages.html

Ordinarily I would have bought something sportier. My line of progression has been M3 >> E55 Wagon >> ML63. I was actually going to order a 911 this time, but recent knee surgery had me looking for something a little higher off the ground. Since I'm tall (6'7") the ML really helps in this regard.

I loved the precision of the M3 and the sound of its' engine. A true sports car, that. The E55 wagon was, perhaps, my favorite of the three. Brutally quick acceleration from any speed, and very good balanced handling despite the size of the vehicle. Superbly predictable and tossable; I stunned many a 911 driver in that car...

The ML63 is clearly something of a compromise. It's far too heavy to ever be considered a "sports car", or even (IMHO) a sporty car. But -- in the realm of over two-ton SUVs, this car is King.

[Disclaimer: no flames, please, from those who consider the Cayenne to be King. I live near the worst Porsche dealer in the world, and never considered buying a Cayenne]

It's certainly not perfect. I find it difficult to dial in the suspension; it seems hard to ever find a position that really works as well as I think it should. I think the weight of the standard ML suspension components really limit what the engineers can achieve in this regard. Read in-depth articles on the new ZR-1; by killing off unsprung weight they were able to increase suspension compliance while maintaining the handling and grip levels of the Z06.

As a result, there is too little difference between the suspension settings. The car is much like my wife's Lexus LS460L in this regard; I would like there to be a greater difference between Sport and Comfort modes. Because of the damping rates the Comfort setting is still pretty aggressive when you hit pavement irregularities. My wife tends to hate being a passenger in the ML63 because of this; even in Comfort mode you get pitched around a bit.

Of course, I realize you can't have it all, but I would be interested in researching how many of the original suspension bits Porsche redesigns/remanufactures to differentiate the Cayenne from the Touareg.

Let's get to the good bits; namely, the engine. This must be one of the best mills currently in production. Good torque, great horsepower, great flexibility, and it all sounds fantastic. The 7-speed tranny ensures you're always in a good place, and the whole process of 0-100 is quite civilized for anyone who's experienced "The Beast" inside an E55.

Also, no matter how hard you flog this thing, you have very little fluctuation in the engine temps. AMG did a great job keeping things cool, as this was something that bothered me (a little) about my E55. With the superchargers and the tight engine bay there were significant fluctuations in temps when running hard. At shutdown the thing would start popping and clicking; you could feel and smell the heat radiating off the thing. I always worried that it might spontaneously combust after I'd turned my back and headed inside...

The other superb thing that Mercedes has simply nailed in this car are the brakes. Superb. Fantastic. Tremendous. Exactly what you want in something that is perilously close to three tons. I'm assuming the wet/fully fueled weight of this thing is around 5,200 pounds, yet the braking distances are stunningly short -- all while being easily modulated with great pedal feel.

One problem I've found with the ML63 is my failure to develop a deep, meaningful, and communicative relationship with the intelligent tranny. I realize these things "learn" your driving pattern, but I'm not sure it's working in my case. I drive very smoothly until I'm someplace where I can have fun, at which point I drive like a bat out of hell. My "Jekyll & Hyde" personality seems to create problems, as the transmission seems confused by this. After a tranny reset I find the performance crisp and sharp. After it's "learned" for a week or so this goes away, and I'm left with poorer response (on kick-downs especially). I'm not sure there's any solution beyond frequent resets -- or changing my driving habits to full-on Cannonball mode 24/7...

One (seemingly) trivial problem is pedal placement. I'm used to the heel/toe thing, and even in an automatic transmission car I roll my foot from throttle to brake. On the ML I nearly scared myself merde-less, as the first couple of times I did serious braking (nearing the end of a freeway off-ramp at high speed) I got a big surprise. This may sound stupid, but IF you are used to driving this way and IF you wear size 14 shoes, you may be stunned to find that the pedal placement and alignment in the ML makes your old foot habits -- which worked perfectly well in the E55 -- dangerous in a sneaky way.

What happens is this. Hit my favorite open stretch of road, which is the last two miles before my exit. If traffic is light, nail throttle. Delight in how quickly the ML63 can (theoretically, of course: driver on closed course -- DO NOT ATTEMPT AT HOME!) go from 60 to 120 mph. Hit ramp at around 90 mph. Wait until halfway down (level) ramp to initiate braking. Halfway from there to the stop sign ahead, a queasy feeling you're not going to make it creeps in. What's wrong with these normally fantastic stoppers? Oh ****, the pressure from my braking foot, which is grazing the throttle, is pressing the gas pedal down just enough to counteract the brakes. Shift foot and slam on brakes; whew, I just made it!

If that sounds stupid then flame away. I've raced cars for years, and it's hard to change the old ways...

Another thing I dislike about the ML is the styling. I say this NOT in comparison to the previous model, but in comparison to the ML63s predecessor in my garage, the E55 wagon. Now, that car was thoroughly debadged and was extremely stealthy. To most people it appeared to be just a normal Mercedes wagon.

The ML63, on the other hand, is not subtle. In designing the ML-series, Mercedes seemed to be attracted by the Dark Side of the Market -- the Escalade/Bling crowd. Evidence of this can be seen in the new GL550, which has more chrome than a Buick Roadmaster and a three-pointed star (in the front grille) that is larger than the buckle on the WWF World-Championship prize belt.

The beauty of stealth, for me, is three-fold:

1. You can sneak up on 911 drivers
2. Other drivers tend to be less hostile; the amount of testosterone apparent in a vehicle's design increases the blood-levels of testosterone in the drivers around you. People seem far more aggressive when I'm driving the ML63.
3. You can park the car nearly anywhere without it drawing negative attention (door dings, getting keyed, etc.)

So, the ML63 lacks the "Stealth Factor" of the E55 wagon, but is still one of the best all-around vehicles I've owned. Seriously, if you want something that can fit five, haul a full Costco-load of crap when required, and pull a decent-sized trailer on demand -- all while offering pretty stellar performance with regards to overall performance -- what else is there (the Cayenne, perhaps?). Not a lot of choices...

If this review sounds overly negative, so be it. I love my ML63 very much -- but would like to provide the information that helps Mercedes to make it even better.

[lee7758]

Nice car ! I am planning to get one!

[Dr. No]

Hi Gang

Well, the old 2008 black ML 63 is now gone (actually snagged by a family member) and replaced with this new silver specimen! Can't wait to get over the break-in period and have some fun!

Cheers!

D.