2010 Mercedes-Benz ML 3.5L Diesel · WN60 USB

A largely unblemished MOT history defines this 2010 Mercedes-Benz ML, with the most recent assessment on 17 December 2022 recording a clean pass and no advisories listed. Across eight entries spanning 2018 to late 2022, the only blemish is a single presenter failure in January 2020 relating to an offside front windscreen wiper failing to clear the screen effectively, after which the vehicle returned to the same test station just hours later and passed without any recorded defects. There are no flagged advisories for corrosion, suspension wear, brake component deterioration, or exhaust concerns anywhere in the record, suggesting that under examination conditions the chassis, underpinnings, and emissions systems have remained within prescribed limits. The absence of recurring advisories is notable for a vehicle of this age and platform, where subframe corrosion and air suspension faults are commonly encountered, and from an MOT standpoint the roadworthiness track record is consistent. Recorded mileage of 135,535 miles across approximately 16 years equates to an annual accumulation of roughly 8,471 miles, which is broadly typical for a vehicle of this vintage. The MOT record itself only documents a small sample of odometer readings, with consistent year-on-year presence at testing rather than extended periods off the road, indicating a car that has remained in regular service. While the mileage shown on the speedometer at test time cannot be independently verified beyond the recorded entries, the continuity of annual tests from 2018 through 2022 suggests the vehicle has not been laid up for any prolonged spell. Higher-mileage M-Class vehicles of this generation should nevertheless be approached with awareness that wear on the seven-speed automatic transmission, transfer case, and air suspension compressor tends to be cumulative, and these are areas where MOT inspection alone cannot fully reveal underlying condition. For a prospective buyer, the test drive should focus attention on the suspension system, as the air springs, struts, and reservoir are common failure points on the W164 ML, particularly on variants equipped with Airmatic. With the vehicle stationary, listen for the air compressor cutting in shortly after ignition, as repeated or prolonged running indicates a leaking system. On the move, pay attention to any sagging at the rear when stationary for long periods, uneven ride height between sides, or warning messages relating to the suspension system on the instrument cluster. Steering should be checked for any vagueness, knocking through the column, or clonks over uneven surfaces, which would suggest worn track rod ends or drop links. Given the recorded mileage, the seven-speed automatic gearbox should be allowed to warm up before setting off, with attention paid to any harsh or delayed shifts, particularly between second and third gear, and any shunting or judder on light throttle application. Braking performance deserves specific scrutiny despite no recorded MOT advisories on discs, pads, or pipes. On test, the pedal should feel firm with no sponginess, and the vehicle should pull up straight without any judder through the pedal, which would indicate warped front or rear discs. Under hard braking from around 40 mph, listen for any grinding or scraping that could indicate worn pads or backed-off caliper slide pins. The handbrake operation, given the electronic parking brake system on later ML models, should engage and release cleanly without warning messages appearing. Finally, a thorough underbody inspection or a borescope check of the wheel arches and subframe mounting points is worthwhile, as chassis corrosion on these models can progress beyond what is visible from above, and any bubbling around the rear subframe or lower suspension links should be treated as a negotiating point given the vehicle's overall clean but limited MOT history.