X5 3.0Si 2009 vs. ML350 2009

[alewifebp]

I had the 2006 ML500, and it drove a little truck like and "bouncy". Like I said, the ML is a solid car, handles reasonably well, provides a compliant ride, and still has more than enough electronic gizmos. The ML stlyling is a little more sedate but still looks like a Benz, just like the X5 still looks like a BMW, and you can go pro or con on either of those.

Drive both and decide. If you are purchasing, they will be about the same. If you are leasing, like I am, the X5 will come out to be less, particularly the 4.8, which on a lease costs about the same per month as a similarly equipped ML350. Yes, I said 350. The 550 is running over 1K/month for the most part.

And trust me, the new COMAND in the 2009 is just as maddening to use as the older COMAND, and just as maddening as the iDrive. Go check out the Infiniti FX nav system and around view monitor. It blows the Germans out of the water by a long shot, in my opinion.

[autoque]

^I think OP's case may be different, 'cause he's leasing in Russia.

[NOVAX5]

Originally Posted by FSETH

You are comparing a bone stock, e70 without even an aero package to a Brabus pimped ML?

Also, the base MSRP is about $46k for both the ML 350 and the X5 3.0si.

I know the OP was talking about the 3.0, but the 4.8 with the sport package blows any ML away as far as looks are concerned, IMO.

Does the new ML still drive like a truck? The old one sure did.

i understand that you are or we are bmw enthusiasts, if you are comparing the new 4.8is with the new ml550. the ml550 beats the 4.8is in every ways, price, horsepower, looks, class. bmw needs some catching up to do. and no sir, the new ml doesnt drive like a truck.

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by NOVAX5

i understand that you are or we are bmw enthusiasts, if you are comparing the new 4.8is with the new ml550. the ml550 beats the 4.8is in every ways, price, horsepower, looks, class. bmw needs some catching up to do. and no sir, the new ml doesnt drive like a truck.

You have brought up price twice now and I don't follow you. Here were MSRP's taken from BMWusa and MBusa;

X5 3.0si $46,200
ML 350 $46,600

X5 4.8i $54,800
ML 550 $55,300

So, both MB's have a higher MSRP than comparable X5's.

The ML 550 does have more horsepower than the current 4.8i, but the twin-turbo V8's are just around the corner.

I can understand it is your opinion that the ML looks better and has more class or whatever, but IMO the ML looks like an updated version of the old ML, which looks like a soccer-mom driving rollerskate. The old ML had a very truck-ish feel to it and I would bet the farm that the new ML doesn't compare to the car-like handling of the X5 anyway. Really, no MB can compare with the sterring and chassis feel of a BMW anyway. As I said before, pretty much any Mercedes is a very Lexus like driving experience without the good reliability of a Lexus, so why bother. Unless you are stuck in the early 80's when everyone thought that MB was the ultimate status symbol.

Also, the X5 has the option of a third row seat, gets better gas mileage and has much better predicted reliability. In fact, the only SUV's below the V8 ML's in consumer reports are Land Rover's/Range Rover's if that tells you anything.

[deutsch100]

The ML delivers better real world fuel economy than the X5 (regardless what the EPA says). The old ML (1998-2005) was frame on frame construction, and did have a somewhat truck like drive (but not bad at all). The new ML (2006-2009) is a uni-body construction and drives amazing. It is smoother and silkier than the E70, and NO MBZ HAS EVER FELT LIKE A LEXUS, for the user who keeps insisting this. We've had 14+ Benzes, and NOT ONE has ever driven like a Lexus. Sorry!!

[golfer4life]

To each his own. Some people like the ML and some like the X5. There's no right or wrong here, just differences of preferences and opinions.

The bottom line, this is an E70 forum. If I want to tell people how great the ML's are, I would go to the ML forum and brag about it and vice versa.

The OP wants to get people's opinion if he should get a 2009 E70 or a 2009 ML and most people will tell him to get an E70. I did. The few who told him to get an ML are "most likely" the one's who are unhappy with their E70. We have to admit it, there are unhappy E70 owners out there.

I posted this same question at the RR sport forum before I got my E70 and most RR enthusiasts told me how terrible the E70 and it looks like a wagon etc. The RR Sport is exceptional and "reliable".

If you'll ask me, the RR Sport is the best "looking" SUV in the market. This is just based on looks alone.

What do I think of the old and new ML? As FSETH would say, it looks like a "soccer-mom driving rollerskate". Then again, it's just my personal opinion.

I'm just thankful to be driving an E70 every day, no matter how expensive gas prices are!

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by deutsch100

The ML delivers better real world fuel economy than the X5 (regardless what the EPA says).The old ML (1998-2005) was frame on frame construction, and did have a somewhat truck like drive (but not bad at all). The new ML (2006-2009) is a uni-body construction and drives amazing. It is smoother and silkier than the E70, and NO MBZ HAS EVER FELT LIKE A LEXUS, for the user who keeps insisting this. We've had 14+ Benzes, and NOT ONE has ever driven like a Lexus. Sorry!!

I got the fuel economy figures right off of BMWUSA and MBUSA.com. I also checked at www.fueleconomy.gov. Both have just highher for the X5 (only about 1 mpg nothing big).

It may be just opinion, but dynamically, MB doesn't compare with BMW as far as handling and driving experience.

Also, I am not big on the MB style of shoving huge displacement engines into everyhting and equipping every car with auto only transmissions. Just my opinion. It is hard to argue with MB's piss poor reliability though. Especially the V8 SUV's.

BMW's and MB's are two different types of automobiles and typically appeal to two different sets of people, although some like both.

By the way, it is just my opinion that Lexus and MB are very similar and very boring. You don't have to agree with that, but at the same time neither of us are wrong. It is all opinion.

[NOVAX5]

yes, we are stating our opinions here in order to help the OP to decide which one he would purchase. if bmw comes out with the turbo or m version x5, mercedes is already there with the ml63 amg. again just my opinions, the new ml won me over the new x5. as deutsch said, mercedes benz never feels like a lexus. i know its hard to convince based on the fact that this is a x5 forum, i just state my personal experience with both brands. again, i am not an unhappy x5 owner. to the OP, if you happen to purchase the new x5 make sure you add the aero kit. those plastic trim (too much) will kill the look.

[BGM]

IMO MB is not as soft as Lexus but not as athletic as BMW.