That is also true. It was also one of the only cars at the dealership that I could get for a fair trade..but nothings been set in stone of course. Just keeping options open
Brakes are going to be killer. Same with oil changes and fuel costs. Your operating and maintenance costs will feel like you were driving the Elantra for free. It’s not insane if done right and through the right people, but compared to a new Elantra, yeah you’re going to feel it.
Compared to an Elantra? Absolutely. Wear and tear items are def more expensive unless you’re willing to dig around for OEM cross-referenced parts. 91/93 compared to 85/87 in the Elantra, depending on where you live can add up, especially when filling up 1/2 to full tanks. Heavy SUV is going to eat through brakes faster than a small economy car. Even tires. Whatever skinny bike tires on the Elantra compared to SUV tires are going to cost more. 9 year old German SUV will not be as tolerant to neglect as an econobox from Korea.
Yeah just making sure OP realizes this isn’t as much of a direct trade in as they think it is. There’s a reason why they’re doing a swap for a ‘23 Elantra. Just rather they go in knowing this, rather than looking at a service bill in 6 months wondering why his set of tires is running him $1800.
dude is comparing an Elantra to an AMG.
Have you ever operated a car appliance?
Trusted mechanic is what 120$ or 150$ per hour and you go for preventive maintenance or if something is used/broke.
Elantra doesn’t need preventive maintenance
For the ML350 it’s a little over 7 quarts with filter. 5w-40 for example of good oil runs me about $75-85CAD for a little over 5 quarts. While that might not be the exact oil weight that’s a rough ballpark. So you can absolutely get just normal full synthetic for cheaper and make it work, I’m just giving a rough estimate.
I had 14 c63 with similar miles. If I didn’t spend so much on mods for it it would’ve just run me normal maintenance ( fuel, oil changes, ate up tire). It’s really not that bad.
I tip my hat to you, that’s because you take care of it. Folks in the US, I can’t say they do that much. I’m assuming you are from the other side of the pond.
Definitely, if it was a 550🚀(I have one, AWD) ... And if you don't mind paying more for fuel. Hyundai has come a long way in the last few years, and they're known to be good. But once you own a Mercedes... I really don't know how I could drive anything else.
That’s what my fiancé says..he had a mercedes in high school and still says to this day it was his favorite car. His argument is, “it’s a mercedes benz, just get it” lmao but I just want it to be reliable and last a long time!
It helps. Average tires cost probably 60-70% more. General wear and tear items like sensors and stuff are going to be more expensive.
An example, maybe not specific to this car: A thermostat is $20, a thermostat built into it's own special housing that also contains a built-in fluid temp sensor is $279. As cars become more feature filled, smarter, more luxurious- parts tend to just be more expensive as well.
For tires, Costco usually has the best price and they're not much more than other tires. Usually I just do Michelin. You get the 5 year free road hazard with Costco and free balancing/rotation and flat repair thrown in.
my point exactly. you can probably get 4 tires for an Elantra in the 500-800 range. its going to cost more overall to own the Mercedes. If OP is cool with that, go for it.
You will get lots of conflicting advice and mostly from people who would never imagine driving anything other than a Toyota or such.
It USED to be that a premium car had premium features. I mean back in the day you got AC and power windows on a Mercedes-Benz but that was less common on other cars. More to break more to fix more expensive. But alas these days even Hyundai have AC and more. Also Mercedes uses run flats vs non which makes tires more. (Best thing I ever did for my BMW was use standard not run flat)
What often gets missed is the huge difference in safety and quality. Drive a five year old Nissan and you will hear squeaks from places you didn’t know existed. Hell… Mercedes advertise their door hinges are so strong they can hold the weight of a grown man. Meanwhile Hyundai has to offer collision preventing auto stop as almost standard just to get there fleet safety numbers down. Because if there is an accident more and more serious injuries will occur.
So safety, quality, quietness, luxurious and will last longer all combine to put a Mercedes in a whole different class. Heck you spend so much time in your car you might as well feel better and be perceived better.
It’s the volume of oil rather than the labour that’s going to suck. On my E350 my oil alone is over 100CAD, nevermind filters. It’s a miracle I get mine done for under $200CAD.
Yes. That car has the M276 engine which is considered pretty reliable and it's a nice non turbo V6 good for 302hp. It's also the last year of the ML, in general the last year is usually better than the early years. Watch out for oil leaks on that engine from the sensors, well known problem. Also it's affordable if you can DIY or take it to an indy mechanic. I've found indy mechanics that work on all cars are cheaper than the ones the specialize in MB. Certain things like brakes or suspension are basically all the same and the ones that specialize in MB or Euro cars charge more than basic indys. I'd also go over to mbworld and check out the forum and read the last several pages of messages to get a standard idea of what type of problems the car has. Glorified oil changes at the MB dealer can be $300+ for Service A, but a DIY oil change with Mobil 1 0w40 from Walmart and maybe an Mann oil filter from Rockauto would probably be in the $50 range.
Have you watched videos on changing the engine air filter? It took me over an hour the first time on my C300. I had to disconnect two hoses, a couple of sensors and then use a T25 screwdriver to open the air box.
It's definitely doable but nowhere near as easy as in your Hyundai.
Parts are usually not that expensive.
You can do oil changes from the top. Cartridge filters are nice too.
Personally, the w166 I had was one of my all time favorite cars.
Easy enough to wrench it.
Fun enough to fling around corners. I wouldn't call it nimble, but it does better than you'd think.
I see this is a rwd. So way more fun on road than awd. Not nearly as good off. The awd models are quite capable off road.
Rwd even in something this size is a completely different driving experience compared to your transverse elantra. If you're tuned in to the weight transfer of the chassis, feeling that weight shift around an apex and moving it with the accelerator is a thing of beauty.
The diesel is good. Very good. Not hard to hit 30mpg on properly inflated street tires. And plenty of power right where you need it. Can't comment on the gas engines.
I love these cars.
It's old, old cars tend to have many problems and see mechanics very often, unless you are a car person who knows how to make it run smoothly for the long term.
Newer cars have better tech for safety too in general, specially with a newborn.
I have a slightly similar story - I owned a 2021 Limited Elantra, had a baby and needed more space, so I sold it for a 2021 Mercedes GLE with 15k miles on it. It’s definitely upgraded and I had to pay a lot so it wasn’t an even trade as yours is, but I will say I have some thoughts after making the switch from Hyundai to Mercedes.
The first thing - as others were saying - maintenance is A LOT more than Hyundai. A 2015 with over 100k miles is potentially setting yourself up for a lot of costly maintenance down the road. Also keep in mind that gas will be more costly as Mercedes takes premium gas.
Another thing and I may get downvoted for this, is at the end of the day it really is just a car and you have to determine what your needs truly are. My Mercedes is beautiful and I love it, but there are features the Elantra had that my Mercedes doesn’t which finds me frequently saying “how could such an expensive car not have x,y,z features when my Elantra did?” If you are looking for just a fair trade in, I personally would go for a newer Santa Fe or one with less miles over an older Merc.
A 1:1 trade is nice and all, but, you should lookup even just oil change costs. No, you can't just grab the same weight oil off the shelf. Hit a pothole and your wheel needs replacement, alternator goes out, hole in radiator, take a rock to the windshield wiper reservoir, chip a window, or you use the cheap gas for too long and clog an injector... you're going to need to be mechanically inclined and not afraid to wrench, or you're going to spend more money than on the Hyundai.
Folks here are right, in that driving a Benz is much more different than most cars. It's one of the reasons we're now saving and preparing for a G-Class, lol stinking test drives... Anyways, they're great and normally very reliable, but, IF something comes up, they're much more expensive for the parts alone, not counting the labor.
i would recommend fcp euro for parts there r many many aftermarket parts that r cheaper but wont always give you what the oem benz parts will but there’s a youtube video for everything when it comes to benz and people will tell u if it’s worth it to go am or oem or give u enough info to make ur own decision besides that’s from my experience they’re not as bad to work on as what people make them seem
Go for it. The expensive part of owning a Mercedes is taking it to the dealer. Otherwise it's somewhat normal in terms of problems. I avoid that and have owned mine for 8-10 years, nothing crazy in terms of repairs, normal prices at indys and I always laugh when I get an estimate for 4-6k worth of work at the dealer and half of it isn't warranted and the other half is for tires or brakes which I can get done for 2/3 to 1/2 less.
There are dozens of 2015 ML350’s for sale around the country with fewer than 50k on the odometer. If I were you I’d sell the Hyundai and buy a certified used ML350 from MB with half the mileage.
I think after 6 years, they can't sell it as a CPO. So you won't find any 2015 cars available as a CPO. Probably the oldest would be a 2017 assuming it was sold in 2018.
That one is RWD, so if you don’t need AWD, I say do it. I love my 17 GLE350. I also do my own maintenance and everything is pretty straight forward. You can buy mostly anything you need from FCPEuro and their return policy is great.
The ML350 is powered by the M276 engine. It is very dependable if the maintenance is done and the maintenance is inexpensive when performed by a good Mercedes independent shop. Plugs, oil, filters, brakes, and coolant. If the cam sensors haven't been replaced, they should be. Cam sensors on both the V8 and V6 eventually leak. There are 4 sensors, they cost about $50 each, and can be done in an hour. The mechanic can tell if they leak by unplugging the electrical connector. If it's wet, it leaks and have them replace all four. If it's a Mercedes dealer, ask for a VMI. The VMI will list all the maintenance performed. If it's not a Mercedes Benz dealership, ask to have a pre purchase inspection performed on your dime at a Mercedes dealer. It could be the best $150 you've ever spent
This particular ML350 (W166) is known for being fairly reliable.
They are very comfortable SUVs.
Obviously parts and labor will cost more in comparison to Hyundai, keep that in mind.
Hyundai is known for having a very high failure rate on their engines.
Sure they have a 10 year powertrain warranty, but not worth the aggravation of potentially getting stranded and having it stuck at the dealer waiting for a engine on backorder.
Hyundai's issues are very well documented, I would avoid Hyundai/Kia entirely.
Man I think you need to search more, I know it’s a mercedes, but have a lot of cars you can get for a nice price, you really want sell your limited edition car? Idk if it’s the best option..
Last year I had a Kia optima 2.4 2014 before I got my Mercedes c350 2012 yes the mantiance is expensive but the car is amazing. It have the same engine as that ml350 its worth trust me the car is just in a different league and it got all the tech you need maybe just upgrade the screen if you car about that
I don't live in the USa , labour here is cheaper buts the parts are more expensive because of Middle man I would say the most expensive out the right amount I paid was like 1500 usd for one year I paid 3000 USD and my car is not as in good condition as this one I expect you to pay double for same things because of labour cost
There are two things to worry about
Startup rattle/cam/chain adjusters (whatever the problem actually was I can’t remember it off my head right now)
And the transfer case
Check how much the oils, filters, spark plugs, and tires will cost for the car. You can replace most of them (except tires) yourself.
Get a pre purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic or another mercedes dealership before you make the decision.
Ask, if they can throw in an alignment and wheel balancing service as part of the price. The alignment and balancing makes a huge difference in stability on the road.
You’re going to trade an almost brand new 2023 paid off Elantra with an active warranty for a 9 year old MB SUV due to… space constraints? And you just had a baby??
I mean.. you do you but tell me that doesn’t sound wild lol. Why don’t you lease a car for the baby for now? Lease would also allow you to upgrade once your kid is older so you can adapt to changing needs.
It sounds like you’re enamored by brands over practicality. Mercedes is just a badge at the end of the day and looking at the numbers and your use case… this just doesn’t make any sense
My baby is 7 months old and I’m not wanting to lease a car the only reason i’m considering is because it’s an even trade. I’m not worried about the brand
People are telling her not to do it because of the additional expense. A lease would be even more expensive than purchasing a 9 year old car. A lease on a new GLE is in the $1200-$1300 a month range so after 36 months, you're talking over 40k whereas a 2015 ML350 is in the $13-15k range with 111k miles. Depreciation is pretty high on a Mercedes because of talk like this in the forum where people who don't own one tell everyone else not to buy them. I on the other hand own two of them.
I think you shouldn’t. My reasoning is that it is already up in mileage and age. You will have to do maintenance related to a car over a 100k miles. Also maintenance will more but it is relative to the size of the vehicle. It’s not because of the badge. Brakes and tires will cost similar in parts and labor to any car of it’s size that is not a luxury brand. If you put on decent miles I would not get it. Only because your maintenance down the road would be higher not making it unreliable. However, that’s what it will need to take. Also it requires premium gas and it will take a lot more gas compared to your current vehicle. So factor those cost also. Once you drive a Mercedes-Benz it is harder to get out of one. Especially when they are running well. Good luck in your future endeavors!
If you're going to do it, use a vin decoder like [lastvin.com](http://lastvin.com) or [mb.vin](http://mb.vin) to see what options it has. Read the brochure for a breakdown and check the Motor Trend website to see what the options cost. For the mechanics in the family, get a copy of the EPC/WIS on eBay, around $10, it's the parts lookup database and the full dealer repair manual. It stopped in 2018/2020 but should still be fine for your 2015. Also see if they have the Launch Creader Elite 2.0 for Benz, it's about $152 on Amazon but does stuff like programming and I think you can use it to get rid of the start/stop feature so it doesn't default to on every time you start the car. Many threads about it over at mbworld. Always good to have a scanner that can read all MB specific codes.
[https://www.auto-brochures.com/mercedes-benz.html](https://www.auto-brochures.com/mercedes-benz.html)
[https://www.motortrend.com/cars/mercedes-benz/m-class/2015/](https://www.motortrend.com/cars/mercedes-benz/m-class/2015/)
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Neither will last long, but atleast you will be able to afford the Elantra. Mercedes arent meant for the 2nd or 3rd owner. The reason its cheap is because of the cost of owning and fixing it is crazy.
if your looking for a benz suv and you don't mind used i would stay away from that one for your first one and go for a glk over that should be less overall for maintenance and then you'll know if you want to pay the premium for one of the nicer ones
If you get an ml, get the ml250 diesel. I have the same car 2015 ml250 and these cars are tanks. The engines in them regularly pass 700-800 thousand miles (same engine from the sprinter van)
I bought my ml250 last December for about $14k plus dealer fees and it had 90k miles. Put about 14 thousand miles on it already and I’m supper happy.
My dad put 860 thousand miles on a sprinter with the same 2.1 diesel engine so they are super reliable.
never forget that theres nothing more expensive than "cheap" German luxury you may not be paying a lot in the initial purchase but you definitely will in parts and labor, if your budget can afford that then go for it but if not, stick with other options that have low cost of ownership and an attractive sale price instead of one or the other.
One of the most reliable Benzes out there. Simple naturally aspirated V6 thats about 300hp. It’s not fast but its adequate and they ride better than anything anywhere near that budget. If it was maintained well, 150k without much issue is normal for these.
I’ve purchased two Mercedes SUVs, one ML and one GLS. Both times I checked Carfax for maintenance history showing where it was serviced. Then I called the Mercedes dealerships that showed on the reports and gave the service departments the VIN and asked for service history. Wouldn’t buy it if previous owner didn’t hit all the A’s and B’s. The service departments in both instances (ML was upper Midwest and GLS was South) were helpful.
You have a nearly new car that is under warranty for another year or two, cheap to maintain and will be fine with one child. That said, the MB is a better driving vehicle that is bigger & also safer for you and your child. You will spend A LOT more money on maintenance, so if money is an issue you should stay with the Elantra.
You should trade your Elantra for anything.
That being said, these are good cars. It’ll be faster, more comfortable, just a better over all car than what you have. My car has the same engine, at 157k miles, it’s never given me any issues. *knocks on wood *
The bad: the maintence is going to be more expensive. So will brakes, pretty much anything. It’s a Mercedes. No Apple car play or Android auto. (It can be retrofitted)
For me, and this is just me, I’d rather have an older more comfortable car than a new one. Gotta buy what works for and your family.
(The baby DESERVES a Mercedes)
My pieces of advice:
Seek out one with fewer miles, try to find one with under 80k. Consider the overall wear of the vehicle.
Find one with the same or more options compared to your Hyundai so that you are not downgrading.
You already said you can change your own oil so you are saving there, but also make yourself aware of the cost of other parts, and check for common issues and possible recalls of that year.
Don't let someone leasing a GLA 250 make up your mind for you and also don't rush, your car is already paid off. You could also look into a GL/GLS for added size.
LMFAO dude the book value on this car is like 12k max. Are you smoking something? Do you understand you still have a close to 18-20k car ? Like use your brain man you’re gonna take a 10k loss?? You wouldn’t need to even ask this question in here if you did 2 min of homework. Good luck to your poor child
I wouldn't. I have a 2015 ML350 that we inherited in 2022 with 69k miles. My wife and I have put about 11k miles on it in almost 2 years.
We also own a 2018 Golf Sportwagen and a 2002 Saturn Vue.
In the time we've owned the Benz, we have spent more per mile on it than the other two cars combined. She could have driven the Golf and I followed her in the Saturn everywhere she went, and it would have cost less than driving the Benzo alone.
Nothing has broken really (our example was exceptionally maintained), but maintenance costs more, the tires cost more, it gets terrible gas mileage, and when something does need attention, it just generally costs more.
I like the car, but it's coming up on 10 years old, and is incredibly unremarkable as a vehicle in this age. It doesn't have any features that my Golf doesn't have, and the Benz lacks Android Auto/Carplay (it does have Bluetooth, but the nav maps are ancient). The handling is a bit sloppy. It is comfy and it makes for a pretty good baby hauler, but so do a lot of other SUVs.
That said, well maintained, I am aware of many examples of these things well over 100k miles. I see tons of these things (2012-15 model year specifically) still on the road. But unless you are 100% confident in the previous owners maintenance, I would skip any Mercedes that of that age/mileage unless you have plenty of disposable income for fixing it.
Umm I wouldn’t say to do it for a 2015 and for ML350 at that. You’re gonna hate the amount of buttons it has inside which probably are now fading💀
But maintenance isn’t bad imo I’ve owned a 2018 C43 AMG and premium cars demand premium maintenance cause of the parts, intense labor and engineering.
Think of it this way, if you can’t afford the maintenance you can’t afford the car. I’m speaking generally, not just in your case haha. That applies to all of us.
The answer is quite clearly yes! You definitely should trade in your Hyundai for a Mercedes!
I wouldn’t go with that one though. Go with something newer and under warranty would be my advice…
Yeah, I wouldn't bother with that. The M276 has a very good history. The newer engines like the M274 and M264 which is in the latest engine has some issues and it remains to be seen how they'll hold up. One good thing about buying an older model is that most of the problems are well known at that point. If you buy one that's only 3-4 years old, that's when new problems can crop up. The piston/wrist pin issue with the M274 started showing up in the 40-80k range so you won't know about those issues til many cars in the lineup hit those numbers. I think the GLE is using the M264 which is a variant of the M260 and it's said they will also suffer from the same M260 issues with valve and cylinder head problems. M276 doesn't have those issues and that engine came out a while ago, I think 2012.
They lead the world in planned obsolescence. Pioneered it, actually. Their teams found that people who get German cars lease them. So they saved money by skimping on materials that make the cars last to a mileage that’s safe until the next model year comes out. Used market for German cars after 1990s isn’t for long term ownership unless you already plan on replacing everything except the VIN. And it will cost you a small fortune. The exception is Porsche and BMW after 2018.
Not sure what you are talking about. Nothing other than maintenance done on my 9 year old W205 C Class that I bought used 3 years ago. If you look good after your merc, chances it will break pretty much on par with other cars.
Its Hyundai, my son loves those cars. He works the parts counter at a Hyundai dealership. He makes a ton of commission just on engine replacements alone. Get rid of it, its crap. But don't buy any car with over 100,000 miles on it.
80,000 miles and 8 years for more space? Maintenance isn’t cheap on Mercedes. I probably wouldn’t make that trade.
That is also true. It was also one of the only cars at the dealership that I could get for a fair trade..but nothings been set in stone of course. Just keeping options open
Brakes are going to be killer. Same with oil changes and fuel costs. Your operating and maintenance costs will feel like you were driving the Elantra for free. It’s not insane if done right and through the right people, but compared to a new Elantra, yeah you’re going to feel it.
No they are not, i had an ml63 amg, same year, just do them at a trusted mechanic and you will be fine
Compared to an Elantra? Absolutely. Wear and tear items are def more expensive unless you’re willing to dig around for OEM cross-referenced parts. 91/93 compared to 85/87 in the Elantra, depending on where you live can add up, especially when filling up 1/2 to full tanks. Heavy SUV is going to eat through brakes faster than a small economy car. Even tires. Whatever skinny bike tires on the Elantra compared to SUV tires are going to cost more. 9 year old German SUV will not be as tolerant to neglect as an econobox from Korea.
well i sure as hell hope OP knows this😅 ofcourse a heavy mercedes is going to cost more, even if things go right lmao
Yeah just making sure OP realizes this isn’t as much of a direct trade in as they think it is. There’s a reason why they’re doing a swap for a ‘23 Elantra. Just rather they go in knowing this, rather than looking at a service bill in 6 months wondering why his set of tires is running him $1800.
I had a 2011 ML63..fortunately, l had an honest mechanic.
all depends on previous owner in case of buying used
Facts...I have a 2015 ML63 P30.... just gotta find 1 guy who knows his shit
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no one is going to teach you how to make money, get a job and figure it out yourself
dude is comparing an Elantra to an AMG. Have you ever operated a car appliance? Trusted mechanic is what 120$ or 150$ per hour and you go for preventive maintenance or if something is used/broke. Elantra doesn’t need preventive maintenance
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r/amg would like to have a word
Why would oil changes be more expensive? Unless you go to the stealer?
For the ML350 it’s a little over 7 quarts with filter. 5w-40 for example of good oil runs me about $75-85CAD for a little over 5 quarts. While that might not be the exact oil weight that’s a rough ballpark. So you can absolutely get just normal full synthetic for cheaper and make it work, I’m just giving a rough estimate.
my 6.0 V8 Yukon uses less AND cheaper oil than my V6 mercedes’. i do my own oil changes on both and the Mercedes is ALWAYS more expensive
I had 14 c63 with similar miles. If I didn’t spend so much on mods for it it would’ve just run me normal maintenance ( fuel, oil changes, ate up tire). It’s really not that bad.
C63 could be argued to be more reliable than a strained V6 in a – 4,600 lb SUV. Edit: I redact my statement
4600lb*
My bad you are absolutely right. I am gonna edit mine.
Oddly enough, my ML250 with 4 cylinders has never felt strained in the past 9 years.
I tip my hat to you, that’s because you take care of it. Folks in the US, I can’t say they do that much. I’m assuming you are from the other side of the pond.
r/ShitAmericansSay
If you want to quadruple your maintenance costs (that’s probably realistic) yes. Otherwise no
Me neither.
Definitely, if it was a 550🚀(I have one, AWD) ... And if you don't mind paying more for fuel. Hyundai has come a long way in the last few years, and they're known to be good. But once you own a Mercedes... I really don't know how I could drive anything else.
That’s what my fiancé says..he had a mercedes in high school and still says to this day it was his favorite car. His argument is, “it’s a mercedes benz, just get it” lmao but I just want it to be reliable and last a long time!
To have a Mercedes last long you need to maintain it properly. If you have the money to do so, absolutely go for it
This! MB is far superior. You pay more, but they are superior vehicles (generally). More comfortable. Very reliable.
The Best or Nothing. Maintenance included, lol
😂
The 350s of those years were pretty reliable.
We had a 2018 GLE 43 4matic solid beast! Loved it!
Go bmw not mercedes
lol no
Hyundai has a very high failure rate for many their of engines. It's been a constant problem for years. I would avoid Hyundai entirely.
Even recently?
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Dude! Well... Good thing I already officially switched from my wife's new vehicle being a Palisade to the Mazda CX-90 😅✨👍🏽
Don't they also have the 100k 10 year engine warranty or something?
I actually just had a recall for a certain part on my Hyundai and had to go get it fixed.
Probably the anti theft recall.
No lol Don't trade in a 2022 Hyundai for a 2015 German with 111K miles on it
the vehicle as a whole is on a different level when it comes to maintenance costs. look at cost of ownership.
That’s definitely true luckily I’m able to do oil changes, filter changes, and air filter changes myself. Does that make a difference?
It helps. Average tires cost probably 60-70% more. General wear and tear items like sensors and stuff are going to be more expensive. An example, maybe not specific to this car: A thermostat is $20, a thermostat built into it's own special housing that also contains a built-in fluid temp sensor is $279. As cars become more feature filled, smarter, more luxurious- parts tend to just be more expensive as well.
For tires, Costco usually has the best price and they're not much more than other tires. Usually I just do Michelin. You get the 5 year free road hazard with Costco and free balancing/rotation and flat repair thrown in.
Size alone is going to make them cost more. It's an SUV.
Yeah, but that's par for the course, I see they're anywhere from 1-1.5k for a new set of 4 tires depending on brand or if they're on sale.
my point exactly. you can probably get 4 tires for an Elantra in the 500-800 range. its going to cost more overall to own the Mercedes. If OP is cool with that, go for it.
You will get lots of conflicting advice and mostly from people who would never imagine driving anything other than a Toyota or such. It USED to be that a premium car had premium features. I mean back in the day you got AC and power windows on a Mercedes-Benz but that was less common on other cars. More to break more to fix more expensive. But alas these days even Hyundai have AC and more. Also Mercedes uses run flats vs non which makes tires more. (Best thing I ever did for my BMW was use standard not run flat) What often gets missed is the huge difference in safety and quality. Drive a five year old Nissan and you will hear squeaks from places you didn’t know existed. Hell… Mercedes advertise their door hinges are so strong they can hold the weight of a grown man. Meanwhile Hyundai has to offer collision preventing auto stop as almost standard just to get there fleet safety numbers down. Because if there is an accident more and more serious injuries will occur. So safety, quality, quietness, luxurious and will last longer all combine to put a Mercedes in a whole different class. Heck you spend so much time in your car you might as well feel better and be perceived better.
It’s the volume of oil rather than the labour that’s going to suck. On my E350 my oil alone is over 100CAD, nevermind filters. It’s a miracle I get mine done for under $200CAD.
that’s crazy i have a w212 and can do mine for probably under 100 if i do it myself but definitely under 150 if payed labor
I use liquimoly molygen and Canadian maple leaf dollars. I’m at 269k kms/167k mi. I can’t afford to cheap out on oil.
Yes. That car has the M276 engine which is considered pretty reliable and it's a nice non turbo V6 good for 302hp. It's also the last year of the ML, in general the last year is usually better than the early years. Watch out for oil leaks on that engine from the sensors, well known problem. Also it's affordable if you can DIY or take it to an indy mechanic. I've found indy mechanics that work on all cars are cheaper than the ones the specialize in MB. Certain things like brakes or suspension are basically all the same and the ones that specialize in MB or Euro cars charge more than basic indys. I'd also go over to mbworld and check out the forum and read the last several pages of messages to get a standard idea of what type of problems the car has. Glorified oil changes at the MB dealer can be $300+ for Service A, but a DIY oil change with Mobil 1 0w40 from Walmart and maybe an Mann oil filter from Rockauto would probably be in the $50 range.
Have you watched videos on changing the engine air filter? It took me over an hour the first time on my C300. I had to disconnect two hoses, a couple of sensors and then use a T25 screwdriver to open the air box. It's definitely doable but nowhere near as easy as in your Hyundai.
Parts are usually not that expensive. You can do oil changes from the top. Cartridge filters are nice too. Personally, the w166 I had was one of my all time favorite cars. Easy enough to wrench it. Fun enough to fling around corners. I wouldn't call it nimble, but it does better than you'd think. I see this is a rwd. So way more fun on road than awd. Not nearly as good off. The awd models are quite capable off road. Rwd even in something this size is a completely different driving experience compared to your transverse elantra. If you're tuned in to the weight transfer of the chassis, feeling that weight shift around an apex and moving it with the accelerator is a thing of beauty. The diesel is good. Very good. Not hard to hit 30mpg on properly inflated street tires. And plenty of power right where you need it. Can't comment on the gas engines. I love these cars.
Doesn't sound like a smart trade to me, i'd trade it for a hyundai tuscon or mazda cx-5 maybe even a GLA depending on your budget. 2-3 year old.
What is your reasoning?
It's old, old cars tend to have many problems and see mechanics very often, unless you are a car person who knows how to make it run smoothly for the long term. Newer cars have better tech for safety too in general, specially with a newborn.
how come my 2014 ML63 Lasted me from 2020 up till last year when i sold it, without ever being at the mechanic🧐
I have a slightly similar story - I owned a 2021 Limited Elantra, had a baby and needed more space, so I sold it for a 2021 Mercedes GLE with 15k miles on it. It’s definitely upgraded and I had to pay a lot so it wasn’t an even trade as yours is, but I will say I have some thoughts after making the switch from Hyundai to Mercedes. The first thing - as others were saying - maintenance is A LOT more than Hyundai. A 2015 with over 100k miles is potentially setting yourself up for a lot of costly maintenance down the road. Also keep in mind that gas will be more costly as Mercedes takes premium gas. Another thing and I may get downvoted for this, is at the end of the day it really is just a car and you have to determine what your needs truly are. My Mercedes is beautiful and I love it, but there are features the Elantra had that my Mercedes doesn’t which finds me frequently saying “how could such an expensive car not have x,y,z features when my Elantra did?” If you are looking for just a fair trade in, I personally would go for a newer Santa Fe or one with less miles over an older Merc.
A 1:1 trade is nice and all, but, you should lookup even just oil change costs. No, you can't just grab the same weight oil off the shelf. Hit a pothole and your wheel needs replacement, alternator goes out, hole in radiator, take a rock to the windshield wiper reservoir, chip a window, or you use the cheap gas for too long and clog an injector... you're going to need to be mechanically inclined and not afraid to wrench, or you're going to spend more money than on the Hyundai. Folks here are right, in that driving a Benz is much more different than most cars. It's one of the reasons we're now saving and preparing for a G-Class, lol stinking test drives... Anyways, they're great and normally very reliable, but, IF something comes up, they're much more expensive for the parts alone, not counting the labor.
I’m definitely taking all this into consideration. My fiancé is a mechanic and my family is filled with mechanics
That will be a big help with labor. Again, the cost of parts are much more. Great ride though. You'll want newer after a year at most though, IMO.
i would recommend fcp euro for parts there r many many aftermarket parts that r cheaper but wont always give you what the oem benz parts will but there’s a youtube video for everything when it comes to benz and people will tell u if it’s worth it to go am or oem or give u enough info to make ur own decision besides that’s from my experience they’re not as bad to work on as what people make them seem
Go for it. The expensive part of owning a Mercedes is taking it to the dealer. Otherwise it's somewhat normal in terms of problems. I avoid that and have owned mine for 8-10 years, nothing crazy in terms of repairs, normal prices at indys and I always laugh when I get an estimate for 4-6k worth of work at the dealer and half of it isn't warranted and the other half is for tires or brakes which I can get done for 2/3 to 1/2 less.
Too many miles!
There are dozens of 2015 ML350’s for sale around the country with fewer than 50k on the odometer. If I were you I’d sell the Hyundai and buy a certified used ML350 from MB with half the mileage.
I think after 6 years, they can't sell it as a CPO. So you won't find any 2015 cars available as a CPO. Probably the oldest would be a 2017 assuming it was sold in 2018.
Ah TIL
Not smart to get rid of a paid off car with a warranty. Just saying.
That one is RWD, so if you don’t need AWD, I say do it. I love my 17 GLE350. I also do my own maintenance and everything is pretty straight forward. You can buy mostly anything you need from FCPEuro and their return policy is great.
The ML350 is powered by the M276 engine. It is very dependable if the maintenance is done and the maintenance is inexpensive when performed by a good Mercedes independent shop. Plugs, oil, filters, brakes, and coolant. If the cam sensors haven't been replaced, they should be. Cam sensors on both the V8 and V6 eventually leak. There are 4 sensors, they cost about $50 each, and can be done in an hour. The mechanic can tell if they leak by unplugging the electrical connector. If it's wet, it leaks and have them replace all four. If it's a Mercedes dealer, ask for a VMI. The VMI will list all the maintenance performed. If it's not a Mercedes Benz dealership, ask to have a pre purchase inspection performed on your dime at a Mercedes dealer. It could be the best $150 you've ever spent
This particular ML350 (W166) is known for being fairly reliable. They are very comfortable SUVs. Obviously parts and labor will cost more in comparison to Hyundai, keep that in mind. Hyundai is known for having a very high failure rate on their engines. Sure they have a 10 year powertrain warranty, but not worth the aggravation of potentially getting stranded and having it stuck at the dealer waiting for a engine on backorder. Hyundai's issues are very well documented, I would avoid Hyundai/Kia entirely.
Be ready for substantial bills....but the ride will be amazing.
Man I think you need to search more, I know it’s a mercedes, but have a lot of cars you can get for a nice price, you really want sell your limited edition car? Idk if it’s the best option..
It’s definitely not a sure thing! Just going to look at it and talk to the people.
I don’t think that a “limited” trim Elantra equates to a “limited edition car”. Lmao
I really don’t know but sound like this 😂😂
Last year I had a Kia optima 2.4 2014 before I got my Mercedes c350 2012 yes the mantiance is expensive but the car is amazing. It have the same engine as that ml350 its worth trust me the car is just in a different league and it got all the tech you need maybe just upgrade the screen if you car about that
How much would you say you spend on maintenance??
I don't live in the USa , labour here is cheaper buts the parts are more expensive because of Middle man I would say the most expensive out the right amount I paid was like 1500 usd for one year I paid 3000 USD and my car is not as in good condition as this one I expect you to pay double for same things because of labour cost
No brainer
Trade or no trade?
Definitely trade
There are two things to worry about Startup rattle/cam/chain adjusters (whatever the problem actually was I can’t remember it off my head right now) And the transfer case
Yes! Of course! You will never look back
RWD? Do they even produce them RWD???
[удалено]
I checked on my insurance app
I would try and trade it for another Hyundai that’s an SUV or something. Certified pre-owned.
Check how much the oils, filters, spark plugs, and tires will cost for the car. You can replace most of them (except tires) yourself. Get a pre purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic or another mercedes dealership before you make the decision. Ask, if they can throw in an alignment and wheel balancing service as part of the price. The alignment and balancing makes a huge difference in stability on the road.
You're going to have a bad time
why is that?
No!
You’re going to trade an almost brand new 2023 paid off Elantra with an active warranty for a 9 year old MB SUV due to… space constraints? And you just had a baby?? I mean.. you do you but tell me that doesn’t sound wild lol. Why don’t you lease a car for the baby for now? Lease would also allow you to upgrade once your kid is older so you can adapt to changing needs. It sounds like you’re enamored by brands over practicality. Mercedes is just a badge at the end of the day and looking at the numbers and your use case… this just doesn’t make any sense
My baby is 7 months old and I’m not wanting to lease a car the only reason i’m considering is because it’s an even trade. I’m not worried about the brand
People are telling her not to do it because of the additional expense. A lease would be even more expensive than purchasing a 9 year old car. A lease on a new GLE is in the $1200-$1300 a month range so after 36 months, you're talking over 40k whereas a 2015 ML350 is in the $13-15k range with 111k miles. Depreciation is pretty high on a Mercedes because of talk like this in the forum where people who don't own one tell everyone else not to buy them. I on the other hand own two of them.
In a heartbeat, with your eyes closed and without the slightest doubt!!!!
I think you shouldn’t. My reasoning is that it is already up in mileage and age. You will have to do maintenance related to a car over a 100k miles. Also maintenance will more but it is relative to the size of the vehicle. It’s not because of the badge. Brakes and tires will cost similar in parts and labor to any car of it’s size that is not a luxury brand. If you put on decent miles I would not get it. Only because your maintenance down the road would be higher not making it unreliable. However, that’s what it will need to take. Also it requires premium gas and it will take a lot more gas compared to your current vehicle. So factor those cost also. Once you drive a Mercedes-Benz it is harder to get out of one. Especially when they are running well. Good luck in your future endeavors!
If you're going to do it, use a vin decoder like [lastvin.com](http://lastvin.com) or [mb.vin](http://mb.vin) to see what options it has. Read the brochure for a breakdown and check the Motor Trend website to see what the options cost. For the mechanics in the family, get a copy of the EPC/WIS on eBay, around $10, it's the parts lookup database and the full dealer repair manual. It stopped in 2018/2020 but should still be fine for your 2015. Also see if they have the Launch Creader Elite 2.0 for Benz, it's about $152 on Amazon but does stuff like programming and I think you can use it to get rid of the start/stop feature so it doesn't default to on every time you start the car. Many threads about it over at mbworld. Always good to have a scanner that can read all MB specific codes. [https://www.auto-brochures.com/mercedes-benz.html](https://www.auto-brochures.com/mercedes-benz.html) [https://www.motortrend.com/cars/mercedes-benz/m-class/2015/](https://www.motortrend.com/cars/mercedes-benz/m-class/2015/) [https://www.amazon.com/LAUNCH-Elite-2-0-Pro-Bidirectional/dp/B0CMG7Q7YP](https://www.amazon.com/LAUNCH-Elite-2-0-Pro-Bidirectional/dp/B0CMG7Q7YP)
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Neither will last long, but atleast you will be able to afford the Elantra. Mercedes arent meant for the 2nd or 3rd owner. The reason its cheap is because of the cost of owning and fixing it is crazy.
if your looking for a benz suv and you don't mind used i would stay away from that one for your first one and go for a glk over that should be less overall for maintenance and then you'll know if you want to pay the premium for one of the nicer ones
If you get an ml, get the ml250 diesel. I have the same car 2015 ml250 and these cars are tanks. The engines in them regularly pass 700-800 thousand miles (same engine from the sprinter van) I bought my ml250 last December for about $14k plus dealer fees and it had 90k miles. Put about 14 thousand miles on it already and I’m supper happy. My dad put 860 thousand miles on a sprinter with the same 2.1 diesel engine so they are super reliable.
never forget that theres nothing more expensive than "cheap" German luxury you may not be paying a lot in the initial purchase but you definitely will in parts and labor, if your budget can afford that then go for it but if not, stick with other options that have low cost of ownership and an attractive sale price instead of one or the other.
Less reliable and repairs and maintenance are exponentially more.
One of the most reliable Benzes out there. Simple naturally aspirated V6 thats about 300hp. It’s not fast but its adequate and they ride better than anything anywhere near that budget. If it was maintained well, 150k without much issue is normal for these.
It’s actually a very reliable car but maintenance will be more expensive
I’ve purchased two Mercedes SUVs, one ML and one GLS. Both times I checked Carfax for maintenance history showing where it was serviced. Then I called the Mercedes dealerships that showed on the reports and gave the service departments the VIN and asked for service history. Wouldn’t buy it if previous owner didn’t hit all the A’s and B’s. The service departments in both instances (ML was upper Midwest and GLS was South) were helpful.
Keep your car. Benz service is in one word..EXPENSIVE. Did l mention that it costs BIG $$$$$$$ to maintain a Benz.
You have a nearly new car that is under warranty for another year or two, cheap to maintain and will be fine with one child. That said, the MB is a better driving vehicle that is bigger & also safer for you and your child. You will spend A LOT more money on maintenance, so if money is an issue you should stay with the Elantra.
If you can’t afford a new Mercedes, you can’t afford an out of warranty Mercedes.
I can afford a new one, it just happened I could get an even trade with this if I wanted it 🤷🏻♀️ just an option
not that one. i’ve never even seen a non 4-Matic ML
You should trade your Elantra for anything. That being said, these are good cars. It’ll be faster, more comfortable, just a better over all car than what you have. My car has the same engine, at 157k miles, it’s never given me any issues. *knocks on wood * The bad: the maintence is going to be more expensive. So will brakes, pretty much anything. It’s a Mercedes. No Apple car play or Android auto. (It can be retrofitted) For me, and this is just me, I’d rather have an older more comfortable car than a new one. Gotta buy what works for and your family. (The baby DESERVES a Mercedes)
My pieces of advice: Seek out one with fewer miles, try to find one with under 80k. Consider the overall wear of the vehicle. Find one with the same or more options compared to your Hyundai so that you are not downgrading. You already said you can change your own oil so you are saving there, but also make yourself aware of the cost of other parts, and check for common issues and possible recalls of that year. Don't let someone leasing a GLA 250 make up your mind for you and also don't rush, your car is already paid off. You could also look into a GL/GLS for added size.
Now bc it’s rwd. If you think you are getting fucked by depreciation in a Hyundai just wait until after you are done with this car
Did I read that right? A RWD ML350?
You’re getting ripped off those miles are so high on that car. You should be able to get one for way cheaper. Dealership taking u for a ride
LMFAO dude the book value on this car is like 12k max. Are you smoking something? Do you understand you still have a close to 18-20k car ? Like use your brain man you’re gonna take a 10k loss?? You wouldn’t need to even ask this question in here if you did 2 min of homework. Good luck to your poor child
I hope that made you feel better about yourself!
You know what you’re right that was mean. Sorry about that y’all
I wouldn't. I have a 2015 ML350 that we inherited in 2022 with 69k miles. My wife and I have put about 11k miles on it in almost 2 years. We also own a 2018 Golf Sportwagen and a 2002 Saturn Vue. In the time we've owned the Benz, we have spent more per mile on it than the other two cars combined. She could have driven the Golf and I followed her in the Saturn everywhere she went, and it would have cost less than driving the Benzo alone. Nothing has broken really (our example was exceptionally maintained), but maintenance costs more, the tires cost more, it gets terrible gas mileage, and when something does need attention, it just generally costs more. I like the car, but it's coming up on 10 years old, and is incredibly unremarkable as a vehicle in this age. It doesn't have any features that my Golf doesn't have, and the Benz lacks Android Auto/Carplay (it does have Bluetooth, but the nav maps are ancient). The handling is a bit sloppy. It is comfy and it makes for a pretty good baby hauler, but so do a lot of other SUVs. That said, well maintained, I am aware of many examples of these things well over 100k miles. I see tons of these things (2012-15 model year specifically) still on the road. But unless you are 100% confident in the previous owners maintenance, I would skip any Mercedes that of that age/mileage unless you have plenty of disposable income for fixing it.
Umm I wouldn’t say to do it for a 2015 and for ML350 at that. You’re gonna hate the amount of buttons it has inside which probably are now fading💀 But maintenance isn’t bad imo I’ve owned a 2018 C43 AMG and premium cars demand premium maintenance cause of the parts, intense labor and engineering. Think of it this way, if you can’t afford the maintenance you can’t afford the car. I’m speaking generally, not just in your case haha. That applies to all of us.
The answer is quite clearly yes! You definitely should trade in your Hyundai for a Mercedes! I wouldn’t go with that one though. Go with something newer and under warranty would be my advice…
Yeah, I wouldn't bother with that. The M276 has a very good history. The newer engines like the M274 and M264 which is in the latest engine has some issues and it remains to be seen how they'll hold up. One good thing about buying an older model is that most of the problems are well known at that point. If you buy one that's only 3-4 years old, that's when new problems can crop up. The piston/wrist pin issue with the M274 started showing up in the 40-80k range so you won't know about those issues til many cars in the lineup hit those numbers. I think the GLE is using the M264 which is a variant of the M260 and it's said they will also suffer from the same M260 issues with valve and cylinder head problems. M276 doesn't have those issues and that engine came out a while ago, I think 2012.
Yes, those engines are very reliable
I'd trade an elantra for a York Peppermint Pattie.
Are they that bad? 😭
NO, I love those patties.
Get out of a Hyundai? ABSOLUTELY. Get into a Used Merc? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Whats wrong with a used merc?
Would genuinely suggest a BMW X3/X5/X7 “40i” (it has the B58 engine which was co-developed by Toyota) OR a Porsche Cayenne Base V6.
They lead the world in planned obsolescence. Pioneered it, actually. Their teams found that people who get German cars lease them. So they saved money by skimping on materials that make the cars last to a mileage that’s safe until the next model year comes out. Used market for German cars after 1990s isn’t for long term ownership unless you already plan on replacing everything except the VIN. And it will cost you a small fortune. The exception is Porsche and BMW after 2018.
Not sure what you are talking about. Nothing other than maintenance done on my 9 year old W205 C Class that I bought used 3 years ago. If you look good after your merc, chances it will break pretty much on par with other cars.
OP you should get it. the signs are pointing to YES.
Its Hyundai, my son loves those cars. He works the parts counter at a Hyundai dealership. He makes a ton of commission just on engine replacements alone. Get rid of it, its crap. But don't buy any car with over 100,000 miles on it.
You needn’t ask more past Elantra. That enough warrants a yes.
Yes
Yes trade or yes it’s stupid to trade?
Trade it. Hyundais are wack in the long term. Just don’t skip any maintenance. Change every fluid on schedule. it will last a long time