ML320 vs. XC70

[RHagan]

Hi guys(or gals),

I would really like some replies from mechanics who work on both. I am trying to decide on another ML320 or XC70. My price range is $5k or less. I am not looking for answers about power/or mpg - just purely reliability - what things will keep my car undriveable and my head under the hood working on it. I am a mechanic, and do my own work for EVERYTHING transmissions to diagnostics. If I cant scan it, I buy the factory scan tool to get the job done. I typically will buy cars with mechanical problems, fix and drive.

I have never owned a volvo or worked on them, so I don't know the expensive things that plague them. What is going to be the most expensive or problematic thing that will consume my time with the XC70? For example: The ML's achilles heel that I have found on them is two-fold: 1. transmission's around 180-200K (easy fix, just rebuild them $600 in parts, and easy too, just something that consumes some time) and 2. MB's passlock or immoblizer system will only let you re-issue 8 keys, then you have to buy another ECU.

I realize what a loaded ques. I ask, I just don't have months of time to research volvos to see if I want to live with the demon I know (MB) vs. the XC's and learning them.
Thanks ahead for any info!

[dcninja123]

if you have 5k you'll get a lot more volvo for that than you will mercedes.

[JRL]

You're info on the trannies is all wrong and any ML350 for 5K will probably be a royal POS
1997-2001s were AWFUL cars, (not much better until 2005 or so)

[acools]

So I have worked on the XC70's for the last 5 years, and occasionally on a brother's ML500.

2001 XC70's have a poorly designed valve body, and I believe also the clutch pack.
I would avoid these like the plague.

Otherwise, the classic weakpoints are:

Angle gear (develops a leak and needs to be removed/re-sealed, check for fluid drops vs. fluid 'film')
Throttle body (Xemodex offers reasonable pricing on re-furbished units)
DEM (Electronic dash cluster, fails entirely, also possible to do with reasonable pricing)

As always, if the vehicle is cared for, they can last a long time.
Neglected and you can have a host electronic problems, AWD problems, transmission problems and the like.
One masking or building onto another.

Andres

[dcninja123]

to piggyback on what acools said. anytime you neglect routine service on a car you will have issues, idc if it's a honda or anything else. More so with volvo, mercedes, and higher end cars. Another thing to keep in mind is usually there are repairs that need to be made to used cars. Tack on an extra thousand to the price of the car to service it back up to spec. There's a reason people get rid of cars, and usually it's not "because I got bored" usually it's because there's another problem that needed to be fixed and they got tired of throwing money at it and figured they'd start fresh. Just keep that in mind.

[RHagan]

acools, Thank-you for your reply. That will give me somewhere to start. Any idea on why the dash unit fails? My guess is bad soldier joints?

[RHagan]

You're info on the trannies is all wrong and any ML350 for 5K will probably be a royal POS
1997-2001s were AWFUL cars, (not much better until 2005 or so)

JRL, thank you as well for your opinion. My info on the ML transmissions is correct (ML 320's that is). I have rebuilt enough of them I can almost do them in my sleep. I have not owned or worked on the ML350, so I cannot speak for them, Those are later years and with that I agree on. So from your experience, which XC70 year is the best?

[JRL]

04 and newer

[acools]

acools, Thank-you for your reply. That will give me somewhere to start. Any idea on why the dash unit fails? My guess is bad soldier joints?

Exactly correct. I think you can replace DEM for $400 or so.

[acools]

04 and newer

+1 on 04 or newer. The refresh took place in 05, some prefer the newer lights but the 04 was pretty sorted.
I have performed all maintenance (OK, including the OCD maintenance!) and have had a troublefree 40K+ miles.

Andres

[acools]

Some items I forgot:

Timing belt, even if you haven't hit the mileage, the 07 XC70s are basically 7 years old (as most US cars were built late 06-early 07).
Make sure they are changed (tensioner and belt), the engine is interference.
To lose an engine over a $100 part is a sin.

PCV system, at 100K miles, most cars need the breather system replaced.
It is a PIA, and requires removal of the intake manifold but ignoring this commonly leads to oil leaks.

Flush the transmission fluid, Volvo calls their fluid lifetime.
This is garbage, and the Gibbons method (search in the forum) is easiest.
By the way, Volvo calls the OEM or you might find mobile One 3309, but the Toyota T-V fluid is identical at 1/4 the cost

Hope this answered your question

[JRL]

I meant 320s
Early cars (97-2000) are like 2001 Volvos, pretty bad vehicles, VERY bad vehicles

[KevinR]

I owned a '98 ML320; I bought it with 105k miles and sold it 9 months later with 120k miles. I didn't have a lot of trouble with it, but I did have a failed air conditioning compressor. I have read about others having issues, but that wasn't my experience. (I have also had an '01 V70 and an '02 V70 XC, both of which were reputed to be problematic, but I haven't had those issues.)

The thing that eventually made me sell it was the fact that I could only get 12 mpg in city driving, even though I routinely saw around 25 mpg on the highway. That being said, I'm not sure that $5000 is enough to get a good, dependable example of an ML or an XC.

[RHagan]

KevinR, Good food for thought. My mind unfortunately will not let me buy ready and turn-key. I gravitate to the bargain pricing with "needs transmission" then end up putting the same amount into one as I would if I would have just to buy already running. Advantage: once you rebuilt/repair a major, you have to some degree insured that part for a while, where as the other way... one doesn't know.

If my ML's were getting that mpg I would have dumped them too.
Roy

[RHagan]

acools, Yes your answers are spot on what I need. Was secretly hoping someone would scare me away from Volvos, but find them more intriguing..Not scared by the transmissions now. Found ATSG rebuild manuals on the AISIN 55-50SN, these have the same basic trans as certain models of GM, Nissan, SAAB, Saturn, Suzuki, just rebadged with a different part number. (and I would assume different casting for bell housing pattern) This builds a bit more confidence for me. I just need to decide if there are electrical gremlins that are immune to Factory diagnostic tools/scanners.
Roy

[n00bkiller944]

I have actually owned both a 1998 ml320, GREAT VEHICLE, and my lovely 2005 XC70 so maybe I can help you out here. Both are expensive cars to maintain, that being said they are both very nice cars. Take what I say with a grain of salt as my XC us 7 years newer, and I drove my ML from 80k-125k and my volvo has been from about 30k to the current 82k.

Both cars were amazing to me, never had a break down or any real serious issues. That being said I spent plenty in maintenance working on both. I found my ML to be cheaper to maintain and found myself working on it much less than my XC. However, the ML drives like a truck and is quite uncomfortable on long drives. The seats are very uncomfortable, but they legroom and space is much better with the ML. My XC is also faster, more comfortable, and gets better gas mileage both city and highway. If I had to do it again I would buy and own both like I did at the time. They were both great cars and both suited for different uses, however, if I could only choose one car I would probably pick the XC as long as it was a 2003 or newer otherwise I would go with the ML.

If you have any questions feel free to ask me man. I could give you a breakdown of all the work I did on both cars but that might make me cry. LOL :) However, beyond general maintenance the only work I did on the ML in the 45k I owned it was a serp belt tensioner, window switch pack (common), and a fuel pump (VERY COMMON, the gauge just floats and gives an inaccurate reading.)

I also disagree. For 5k you will get a much better ML then you will with the XC. However, I have found that many used ML's were just beat to hell and you have to look at that. Unfortunately, I sold my ML in PERFECT shape with brand new suspension ($$$$$$) for only 3200 an insane price, if I could have kept both I would have.

Sorry for the lengthy post but to close here are some pictures of my two babies!

http://imageshack.us/a/img827/3599/img2025y.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img32/9599/img1746sp.jpg

Would look cool with pegs :) lol

http://imageshack.us/a/img7/8211/img0440cc.jpg

[n00bkiller944]

And to JRL saying early 320's are terrible vehicles. Incorrect, they WERE terrible vehicles, particularly the 98's they had a lot of issues, recalls, and warranty claims, however, now with all of them sorted they are pretty reliable, strong vehicles. When I was working at the benz dealer I regularly worked on ML320's with 150-300k with owners who loved the vehicles and had had very little service problems beyond maintenance after all the "quirks" were sorted out.

[KevinR]

I should have also added that I regretted selling my ML320. I replaced it with a sedan that was more suited to my needs at the time, but there were occasions (more than I would have guessed) that I really would have preferred to have the SUV. I should have kept it as an extra vehicle.

I still see my old ML on the road almost every day and one of the mechanics I use is still working on it for its new owner. It has been beaten to within an inch of its life, but it just keeps on rolling. (197k miles on it the last time I looked.)

[RHagan]

n00bkiller944,

Thanks for your input here. I'm going to have to start test driving some XC's as it is appearing to me repairs may be about the same between the two - all depends on to numerous to mention...previous maint, type of driving its had (hwy vs. city) and so forth. My biggest concern was things that force one to go to the dealer on, as I fix, and scan everything myself.
-Roy

[giorgio]

I have actually owned both a 1998 ml320, GREAT VEHICLE, and my lovely 2005 XC70 so maybe I can help you out here. Both are expensive cars to maintain, that being said they are both very nice cars. Take what I say with a grain of salt as my XC us 7 years newer, and I drove my ML from 80k-125k and my volvo has been from about 30k to the current 82k.

Both cars were amazing to me, never had a break down or any real serious issues. That being said I spent plenty in maintenance working on both. I found my ML to be cheaper to maintain and found myself working on it much less than my XC. However, the ML drives like a truck and is quite uncomfortable on long drives. The seats are very uncomfortable, but they legroom and space is much better with the ML. My XC is also faster, more comfortable, and gets better gas mileage both city and highway. If I had to do it again I would buy and own both like I did at the time. They were both great cars and both suited for different uses, however, if I could only choose one car I would probably pick the XC as long as it was a 2003 or newer otherwise I would go with the ML.

If you have any questions feel free to ask me man. I could give you a breakdown of all the work I did on both cars but that might make me cry. LOL :) However, beyond general maintenance the only work I did on the ML in the 45k I owned it was a serp belt tensioner, window switch pack (common), and a fuel pump (VERY COMMON, the gauge just floats and gives an inaccurate reading.)

I also disagree. For 5k you will get a much better ML then you will with the XC. However, I have found that many used ML's were just beat to hell and you have to look at that. Unfortunately, I sold my ML in PERFECT shape with brand new suspension ($$$$$$) for only 3200 an insane price, if I could have kept both I would have.

Sorry for the lengthy post but to close here are some pictures of my two babies!

http://imageshack.us/a/img827/3599/img2025y.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img32/9599/img1746sp.jpg

Would look cool with pegs :) lol

http://imageshack.us/a/img7/8211/img0440cc.jpg

Pegasus on a truck ?[mad2][mad2][mad2][mad2][mad2]
:o:o