Jeff (Beddo) replied:

Interesting to hear that the Hummers self destruct up there - how the hell would they fit down some of the tracks like the OTL - would think the width of these would result in them getting stuck at Gunshot etc - how do they go and where do they fail generally.
I like the Toyota stuff mainly because they seem to hold together a bit better than many other vehicles - corrugations soon make a new car rattle and the Toyota's seem to rattle less with constant rough stuff and corrugations - judged on performance of similiar styled vehicles of different makes over 50 000 Km - gov't vehicles.
Been in a couple of Jeeps but know nothing about them long term - comfortable to drive in though. Maybe Jeep could make a ute and give it to me & I'll put a fire unit on the back & test it being pushed along rough fire trails full of water - that will test the American Iron. I suppose running for 50 000Km up to Bamaga and back from Cairns would too.

Cheers, Beddo Surf KZN185 <- Yengo NP, Central Coast NSW

Steve replied:

Rob : plenty Jeeps down here especially the late model V8 units , my neighbour has one .. it's got all the usual Jeep probs.. We also have Hummers,.. and Suburban's which seem to be used by painting contractors as their prefered mode of carrying ladders and paint etc.. really, they are pretty spacious . Up your way imagine the Toyos are the way to go but can only speak as a blow in from the city who couldn't hire anything else and ended up buying one!

herkman replied:

Well as a person who owned a ML270 for 41.000 kms I would like to say.

As a tow car it is without equal, lots of grunt, and fuel economy which is without equal.

As an off roader it too will perform well, but the tyres would need to be changed, and take their shovel mudflaps off. In sand they have no equal, but I also suspect that off road the shockers would be their weekness.

Now the Grand Cherokee, is actually speced a little better than the ML, and the price as you say is much lower. What is more important you do not have the six month wait for delivery.

The engine and transmission are straight MB, but from the transfer case onwards it is all JEEP. Wheels on JEEP have gone to 17", which again will reduce range of tyres, until tyre companies understand, that the latest Prados are running them too.

I honestly do not know if the latest JEEP is a good car or not, I note that they do not hold their value well.

We in the future will see more input from MB, into the other makes of cars they now own.

Regards

Col Tigwell

StephenF replied:

It's ironic that the M-Class Mercedes is built in the USA while the Jeep is built in Austria!

Stephen.

herkman replied:

In actual fact, the ML270 used to be built in the same plant as Jeep in Austria.

However when MB opened their big plant down in the South of USA, they moved the ML270 to there too.

What is not commonly known, is that MB produce a ML400, which is a V8 diesel, but we will not see it here, because it can be only made in LHD.

BMW have either or are about to, move their X5 diesel into the same factory in Austria.

Regards

Col Tigwell

herkman replied:

What you say is correct, for current models.

However MBUSA have indicated that they will release the E series with the diesel engine later this year.

Their official stance was the fuel until now, was not good enough.

However many people suspect they would have trouble in selling the ML350, which of course is petrol, if the 270 was available.

Reminds me of a story given to me to a friend who works at Toyota.

Why cannot I have a Prado diesel, equiped to top of the range petrol model. Answer is that Toyota were concerned if they brought them up to petrol model standards, that it would impact onto the petrol model sales.

I said to him, that maybe you should listen to the market, it is trying to tell you something.

I note that on the latest model, that there is now no difference in the two types of engines.

Regards

Col Tigwell