The Mercedes-Benz W163, particularly the early models, often receives a lukewarm reception, especially from those who have owned them. While later iterations and the subsequent W164 generation addressed many initial shortcomings, the first generation M-Class, debuting with models like the 1999 Benz ML, is frequently associated with build quality issues and the less glorious era of the Daimler Chrysler merger. For many, the mere mention of the W163 platform conjures images of a low point in Mercedes-Benz history.
Prior to my own brief ownership experience with a 1999 Benz ML430, I confess I would have echoed this sentiment. The reputation seemed well-deserved. However, as time passes and I reflect on my time with this vehicle, I find myself harboring surprisingly fond memories. Perhaps the key was managing expectations. Mine was undeniably a beater, purchased with the intention of being just that. My low investment and effort level aligned perfectly with what the truck ultimately delivered.
My usual Mercedes benchmark is my W123 240D, a car I genuinely enjoy despite its tendency to morph into a larger project than initially envisioned. “Scope creep” is a familiar phenomenon in automotive endeavors, isn’t it? The initial plan for the 240D was simple mechanical sorting for reliable driving. Yet, the allure of small improvements proved irresistible, and expenses mounted. Such is often the nature of project cars. The adage “nothing is more expensive than a cheap German car” rings true, even with DIY repairs on the W123. Of course, the car also lives up to its other clichés – solid engineering and timeless design – so complaints are minimal.
It’s through this lens of “cheap German car ownership” that I’ve reassessed my time with the 1999 Benz ML. This US-made Mercedes, surprisingly, proved to be genuinely inexpensive to run. I acquired a silver-over-grey 1999 ML430 in late 2016. It had around 160,000 miles on the odometer. My needs were simple: ample space and towing capability for a side venture that, alas, never materialized. It also needed to be a practical daily driver for errands, weekend getaways, and the occasional longer trip. Being a Mercedes enthusiast, the ML seemed like a viable, if budget-conscious, option. “How bad could it really be,” I reasoned, intending to handle maintenance myself?
Over 18 months, I added 12,000 miles to the 1999 Benz ML430, including two round trips between New York City and Northern Wisconsin. For a subway-reliant city dweller, that’s considerable mileage, not to mention the wear and tear of New York City street parking.
The truck, when purchased, showed clear signs of neglect from previous owners. My Brooklyn lifestyle, lacking time and dedicated workspace, meant I didn’t lavish it with attention either. Yet, it persevered, becoming an integral part of significant life events. Crucially, this 1999 Benz ML was the vehicle that moved my belongings and me from New York to Washington D.C.
My 1999 Benz ML430 represented the top-tier model for that year, preceding the introduction of the ML55 AMG in 2000. It boasted the robust 4.3-liter M113 V8 engine and the 5-speed automatic transmission, powertrains that found widespread use across various Mercedes platforms in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Optioned generously, and from a distance of 20 feet, it even looked quite presentable. Closer inspection revealed the less-than-perfect repair on the notorious “headlight trim” piece, inexplicably executed with wood glue by a prior owner. These headlight trim pieces were indeed emblematic of Mercedes’ mid-90s quality dip. Their poorly designed plastic tabs likely failed on a vast majority of W163s.
Inside, the 1999 Benz ML430 bore the scars of time and use. Rips marred the front seats, cracks spiderwebbed across the cheap plastic trim around the driver’s seat base, and the headliner sagged with tears from years of cargo loading. The interior materials were demonstrably inferior to the MB Tex and Zebrano wood trim found in my older W123.
The service history of this 1999 Benz ML was a mystery, and pessimism dictated my assumptions. Major maintenance tasks, likely deferred since its first lease, were probably never addressed. However, remarkably, all the issues I encountered were peripheral. The core components – the engine and transmission – remained steadfastly reliable.
The air conditioning system suffered from a significant leak, a problem I opted to manage with periodic refrigerant top-offs rather than a full repair. The water drainage system was another poorly conceived aspect. I recall the disconcerting sound of water sloshing within the car’s undercarriage. Eventually, I discovered that the door sills housed drains prone to clogging. A few pokes with a screwdriver unleashed a feeble stream of foul water that took hours to fully evacuate. Similarly, the windshield drain was perpetually dysfunctional.
Rain invariably meant a soaked driver’s side footwell in the 1999 Benz ML430. Attempts to rectify this led me to a clogged drain beneath the windshield cowl and wiper arms. Clearing this blockage required wiper arm removal, complicated by Mercedes’ questionable choice of dissimilar metals in the assembly. Corrosion would fuse these components, making disassembly a formidable task. Faced with the prospect of wrestling with frozen wiper arms, I opted for a simpler solution: a squeegee in the map pocket to manage footwell dampness after rain.
Another notorious weak point of the W163, and potentially affecting the 1999 Benz ML, was the electronic shifter mechanism. Countless Mercedes from this era appear on classifieds at rock-bottom prices, often misdiagnosed with “trashed transmissions.” My suspicion is that water-damaged electronic gear selectors are the true culprit in many cases. Even a trace of moisture in the selector could trigger limp mode. Disassembly and drying of my own shifter restored normal function. The problem stemmed from the center console-mounted selector’s proximity to poorly designed cupholders, a recurring theme in late 1990s and early 2000s Mercedes. If you question the possibility of bad cupholder design, examine the center consoles of a W208 or W220.
However, the most significant issue with my 1999 Benz ML430 lay within its fuel delivery system, plagued by multiple failing components. The fuel pump itself seemed adequate, as power delivery never suffered. But the fuel sender was defunct, rendering the fuel gauge perpetually inaccurate. This led to two instances of being stranded due to fuel starvation. Thereafter, I adopted the practice of carrying a spare gallon of fuel. Despite developing a sense for fuel range and consumption, I still ran dry another two times on long road trips. Once, I even managed to coast to a gas pump on the freeway while towing a fully loaded trailer, the engine finally sputtering to a halt just as I reached the pump. Furthermore, a faulty check valve, designed to maintain fuel pressure for starting, resulted in embarrassing extended cranking times. Letting the pump cycle a few times before starting became a routine. Replacing the fuel pump assembly, in retrospect, would have been a relatively straightforward job and spared considerable inconvenience.
Despite these shortcomings, the 1999 Benz ML430 successfully completed two cross-country road trips without requiring any major mechanical repairs. The only significant maintenance I undertook was a complete brake service. Ultimately, the truck fulfilled its intended purpose. It demanded minimal attention to remain operational and possessed impressive towing prowess. After a few months in D.C., I parted ways with it rather hastily, my 1999 Benz ML ownership concluding unceremoniously at a CarMax, netting a mere $700.
In conclusion, while the W163, and by extension the 1999 Benz ML, was undeniably built to a lower standard than, say, my W123, its negative reputation might be somewhat overstated. Perhaps even a “bad” Mercedes retains a degree of inherent competence. Or perhaps I was simply fortunate to escape before true catastrophic failures occurred. What remains undeniable is that my particular 1999 Benz ML430 served admirably as a beater, and despite its flaws, it provided some genuinely fond memories.
