As title

We are looking to replace our main car, it must be able tow a large caravan. (1800kg).
Currently have a Subaru Outback which has been great.

Look at 2 Disco's and both were leaking oil.
Test drove a new SSangyong Rexton with our caravan attached, but one's in our budget seem rusty on the under side.

Just wondering what a Merc ML270cdi are like. (2002-2004) 5-7K ish.

torrsion bar front suspension as per morris minor/marina and really bad build quality. I was for ever working on one the father in law had. Just lots and lots of little bits and pieces that a Merc shouldn't have happen. Think of a Disco with out rot.
I'd go for/will go for in the future, a classic Range rover on Petrol/LPG. Parts are really cheap.Loads of knowledge out there. And they're easier to weld up......

Built in the Chrysler factory in Detroit ... say no more!

Sorry ... just googled it, built in Tuscaloosa Alabama, which isn't much better.

It came second to last out of 142 vehicles in a Top Gear survey for build quality.

[Edited on 19/6/12 by plentywahalla]

My old mans got a ml 270 it's a petrol model tidy enough it had a broken bumper when he bought it has since fixed it ! He's looking for 2k mega cheap drives nice I've towed with it very capable !!

I worked on one where the injector seats had warped. apparently it's very common on them and is a head off job to fix unless you have specialist machinery


Edit p.s my advice is run away don't walk

[Edited on 19/6/2012 by ashg]

I had a 51 plate 270 amg cdi random warning lights but no actual faults in 18 months that we had it, it had rear pads an air mass sensor and routine servicing, i think it will make a diffrence as to the previous service history maintenance, hold out for a good one, and hopefully selling our current car tomorrow and the new car at the top of the shopping list is a new shape ml

Diesels are terrible for injectors chuffing sealing washer passes and they carbon up really badly injectors £170 each having worked for a commercial merc garage for 6 yrs this is the same engine in the sprinter van and we do this repair at least once a week! Other than that pretty good easy way to check is lift top engine cover off and look for signs of carbon deposits where the injectors been blowing by

buy a G-wagon, you'll never loose money, get stuck anywhere and so so cool.

Apparently the interiors are proper nasty and cheap too. I considered one, but decided not to.

I looked at a few but didn't like the build quality. It was miles from what I was expecting from Mercedes! My neighbour has one and she loves it even though it spends a couple of days every month in the garage getting fixed!

Thanks

Looks like another off the list.

I did like the idea of a Disco, as I've had a early Range Rover for nearly 20 years.
But the Disco drove like a car design in the '60s

Could be another Outback or may be a Forester.

What about going for an X5?

That was going to be my next question

What are X5's / X3's like ?

how about another outback? after all, you have said its been good. plus not as... you know... as the rest.

X5 are horrendous in the snow, despite their so called 4x4 capability.

Id happily buy an old Range Rover, does what it says on the tin.