How much is a Mercedes Benz ML 550?

This blog will answer the following questions: How much is a Mercedes Benz 550? What are the technical specifications of a Mercedes Benz 550? Is the Mercedes ML 550 reliable?

How much is a Mercedes Benz ML 550?

A Mercedes Benz ML 550 is priced between 8000 – 25,000 in used condition. The price depends on the mileage and the manufacturing year of the ML 550. Mercedes Benz introduced the ML 550 model in the second as well as the third generation of the M/ML class. The ML 550 was launched for a 57,000 base price so the prices are really low in the used car market.

The first ML 550 was launched in 2008 and the production lasted until late 2011. It was a slightly powerful version of the ML 500 that was replaced by the ML 550. The ML 550 W164 was the second most powerful model in the M class. It was powered by a 5.5-liter V8 engine.

Mercedes Benz launched the third generation of ML in 2012 and the ML 550 model had a 4.7-liter V8 instead of a 5.5-liter engine. The third generation of Mercedes Benz ML 550 was more powerful because the engine was turbocharged.

It was also completely different from the W164. Mercedes Benz wanted the third generation to be more luxurious. The interior was styled more like an E class, and the massic grab handles in the center consoles were gone. In some markets, Mercedes Benz also offered a third-row seat option.

A facelift version of the ML550 was introduced in 2015 and it lasted for 3 years. The mechanical components remained the same on the facelift model but exterior styling including the front and the rear bumper was changed.

The high-intensity discharge with projector and intelligent illumination headlights were replaced by static LED headlights. The taillights were also updated and used LEDs instead of bulbs. Mercedes Benz also renamed the ML 550 to GLE 550 as the M class nomenclature was also used by BMW for the M-power sports cars.

What are the technical specifications of the ML 550?

The technical specifications for the ML 550 are given in the table below:

Engine

The Mercedes Benz ML 550 has an M278 direct injection gasoline engine. The displacement is 4,663 cc and all 8 cylinders are in the V configuration with a 90-degree angle between the two cylinder banks. There is dynamic balancing between the two cylinder banks and no balancer shaft is required.

M278 is an under-square engine with variable valve timing. The peak torque of 700 Nm is produced at an early engine speed of 1800 and lasts all the way up to 4000 RPM. Peak power is produced at 5250 RPM.

Unlike the naturally aspirated M273 engine in the second generation of ML 550, the M278 has two exhaust gas turbochargers. Each turbocharger is dedicated to a separate bank and it is controlled by a common vacuum-operated wastegate.

The charged air is cooled in a liquid-cooled intercooler with a dedicated secondary coolant circuit equipped with an electric coolant water pump. M278 has an all-aluminum build with an open deck engine block to save weight.

The cylinder walls are lined with Nanoslide coating. It reduces the friction between the piston and the cylinder walls and also makes it more durable to wear. The M278 can easily last for more than 250,000 miles if it is properly maintained.

Transmission

The Mercedes Benz ML 550 has either the 7 G-Tronic or the 9G-Tronic automatic transmission depending on the manufacturing year. The 9G-Tronic is commonly found in the GLE 550 facelift model.

Both transmissions are very reliable and the shift quality is smooth. The 7G-Tronic uses a combination of planetary gear sets and a ravigneaux gear to save more space. It has 7 forward and 2 reverse gears.

9G-Tronic on the other hand as conventional planetary gear sets. It is longer than the 7G-Tronic fully automatic transmission. There are 9 forward gears and a single reverse gear in the 9G-Tronic transmission. 

Both the transmission have a torque converter integrated with a lock-up clutch. The electrohydraulic valve body with the transmission control unit is housed inside the transmission. The 9G-Tronic transmission can even skip gears while upshifts and downshifts provide maximum available traction.

The Mercedes Benz ML 550 has a 4matic drivetrain. There are no mechanical differential locks or low-range gear found in the second generation of the ML 500. Mercedes Benz ML 550 instead uses an electronic traction control system, it can apply brakes on the individual wheels that are spinning and send power to the wheels with the traction.

There is an electrical auxiliary oil pump in both transmissions. It is used to maintain the oil pressure in the transmission when the engine is automatically switched to the ECO or engine cut-off mode.

Chassis 

The Mercedes Benz ML 550 has a length of 480.4 cm which is longer than the W164 ML 550. If there is no third-row seat the luggage capacity in the ML 550 is 690 L. The roof does not slope downwards like the coupe model and the tailgate can be operated from the switch in the driver door.

The wheel and tire size for the front and rear axles is 255/50 R19. There are ventilated disc brakes on all the wheels and the anti-lock braking system is standard. The power steering is electrical and the control unit is integrated into the rack and pinion steering rack.

Is the Mercedes ML 550 reliable?

Yes, the Mercedes Benz ML 550 is one of the most reliable models in the M-class. The ML 550 gets a reliability rating of 2.5 out of 5.0 on the repair pal and the average annual maintenance cost can be 1000-2000 USD.

The service is scheduled every 10,000 miles or at least once a year. The M278 engine with the 9G-Tronic transmission is one of the most advanced drivetrains in Mercedes Benz and it does not cause any breakdowns.

The M278 only suffers from a malfunction in the camshaft adjusters and coolant leaks in the models with high mileage. There are no other major problems with the Mercedes Benz ML 550.

Conclusion

This blog explained the technical specifications of the Mercedes Benz ML550 and also answered the question of how much is a Mercedes Benz ML 550. The Mercedes ML/GLE 550 is replaced by the GLE 53 AMG and GLE 580 in the W167 or fourth-generation model.