4x4 help needed please!

4x4 help needed please!

Author
Discussion

Stalks77

Original Poster:

2 posts

176 months

Friday 21st January 2011
quotequote all
Hi PH community, I need some advise.

Am looking at buying a 07/08 plate either Freelander 2 HSE HST or a Merc ML320 Sport. Main use will be on tarmac but the occasional off road as living in the deepest darkest countryside soon. Idea is to load it up and drive across Europe on holidays. Both have their plus and minus points. Merc is bigger, faster and performs like a petrol engine, Freelander is cheaper to run.
What would the PH community recommend and how much should I be paying for either?
Have seen ML320s with AMG kits for between £20k and £26k and the HST for £20k but is this a good deal or should I wait until the memories of Snow have gone from peoples minds!?

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

205 months

Friday 21st January 2011
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I'm a Landy man, so I'd say Freelander or D3.

excel monkey

4,583 posts

242 months

Friday 21st January 2011
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Definitely wait til spring to buy a 4x4 if you don't need it urgently

Mars

9,511 posts

229 months

Friday 21st January 2011
quotequote all
Definitely the Merc. Ours has been excellent in the snow, once we attyred (geddit?) its feet appropriately.



Wouldn't really say the two cars are comparable. The Landy is probably better offroad - it should be given its heritage, but the Freelander isn't nearly as useful offroad as the Defender or the new LR3 platform cars.

The Merc has a simply incredible transmission and is a genuine 4x4 offroader. Where it lets itself down compared with Landy products is its limited articulation, however the Freelander isn't great in this dept either.

The Merc's 320CDI engine is fabulous too.

Stalks77

Original Poster:

2 posts

176 months

Friday 21st January 2011
quotequote all
Awesome thanks. Really a tough choice. Test drove the ML320 at Merc HQ in Brooklands on their test tracks and it was mind blowing.