Buyer's guide how to buy best used SUV "Mercedes Benz M-Class (1998-2005) 4x4 second hand review"

BestUsedCarReview - The Mercedes Benz M-Class is nominally a rival to the premium Land Rovers and Jeep Grand Cherokee but has a very different feel to it, with very little in the way of adventurous off-road styling and a sleek but rather bland body and uncluttered interior that makes it seem more like an MPV than an SUV.While on that point it’s worth noting that some were kitted out as seven-seaters, but don’t buy one until you’ve checked that the seven potential occupants can all sit comfortably inside - we don’t think that will happen because the interior just isn’t that roomy.

The promotional material at the launch emphasised its capability as an off-roader, but in spite of its excellent permanent four-wheel drive system, low range gearing and in some versions height-adjustable suspension, the M-Class is not a car that takes kindly to mud-terrain tyres and winch bumpers so don’t consider one, even at a budget price, unless it’s purely for use as a road-only family estate. As a road car we liked the Mercedes from the start, praising the ride comfort from the all-independent suspension and the light but balanced steering, pointing out in an early road test that it seemed very reasonably priced compared with, for instance, the similarly road-biased BMW X5. All versions of the

Mercedes Benz M-Class have a good basic specification, including climate control, electric seat adjustment and remote central locking, while the SE has enhanced interior materials including burr walnut inserts. The Sport model has 19-inch alloys, extra chrome trim outside and Alcantara leather and aluminium trim inside. Even so, first buyers will have added a whole range of luxury extras in some cases adding well over £10,000 to the original purchase price of their car, features that now simply add to the value of buying one secondhand at a knockdown price. Look out for leather trim, the Design two-tone upholstery with wood trim originally a £4420 option, also the electric sunroof – find one with the glass sunroof, the louvred one had a tendency to jam and is expensive to put right. Bose sound systems, perhaps with bootmounted CD autochanger, satnav and cellphone preparation were popular upgrades, some will have bi-xenon headlamps, resist one with the external spare wheel carrier, it restricts the rear view when you’re driving.

With £3000 to spend you’ll find yourself choosing from a wide range of early-generation cars dating from anywhere between 1999 and 2005 depending on mileage and equipment, most of them with the 2.7-litre turbodiesel engine, though for better refinement and performance do consider one of the smoothrevving 3.2-litre or 3.7-litre petrol V6 variants. An interesting indication of how depreciation can hit luxury cars is how little dealers are willing to offer as a trade-in value on what ought to be seen as a desirable premium SUV,  even more than 10 years on. As a result you’ll find large numbers of higher-mileage older ML320 and ML270s being offered for sale by private sellers. Buying privately can be advantageous if you take the usual precautions such as making sure the registration certifi cate matches the name and address of the seller and making sure it all runs well on a test drive.

The interior of the ML is unquestionably opulent, particularly in the higher-specification SE versions, yet compared with the Range Rover it seems rather blandly styled. No matter, since the driving position is quite natural and controls are all well placed, higher specification models featuring a whole raft of fingertip controls on the steering wheel, on some models this includes paddle-shift buttons for the automatic transmission. 

You can’t expect an old car at this price to be in perfect condition, but there was always some concern about the assembly quality of this Americanbuilt vehicle, so look for excessive sagging of the seats and attempts to hide or bodge dodgy trim and upholstery fabric. 

The 2.7 CRD turbodiesel is the engine of choice if economy is important, though as even with an oil-burner make sure it doesn’t blow excess smoke on acceleration which could point to worn injectors or a failing turbocharger – it could equally point to an aftermarket performance upgrade, smooth, quick acceleration will tell you but reject any car that feels sluggish, hesitant or jerky. The transmission on the turbodiesels also has to handle that low-rev torque so make sure the six-speed manual shifts smoothly and the clutch takes up progressively; similarly if the five-speed automatic is fitted check that it doesn’t slur changes too much and responds properly to the Tiptronic-type override.

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Buyer's guide to buy best used SUV "Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4 second hand review"

BestUsedCarReview - We’ve always considered the Jeep Grand Cherokee to be a good-value purchase, and that’s particularly true for second-hand examples, since for a mere £3000 you’re talking a high specifi cation second generation Limited with the Mercedes 2.7 CRD engine, a car that sold for nearly £30,000 new in 2002 with a specification including leather upholstery, electric seat adjustment with heating and independent memory functions in each of the  two key fobs, dual-zone climate control, eight-speaker stereo with steering wheel controls, electrically adjustable and folding rear view mirrors, cruise control and rain sensing wipers.

If you’re looking for an off-road plaything there are high-mileage examples going for under £1000 - some with close on 200,000 miles on them which has to be some sort of commendation for the engines, which in most cases at this level will be the 4.0-litre straight six or 4.7-litre V8, the latter being particularly desirable as a relaxed and torquey off-road power plant, and no thirstier than the old-tech petrol six. It is worth shopping around for an Overland which has the superb Quadra Drive system which automatically locks front and rear differentials when conditions get difficult; note that this was also available as a £600 option on Limiteds, you might be lucky enough to find one of these at a good price.

The styling of the second generation Grand Cherokee was similar to the original but smoother and more aerodynamic, the leather-upholstered interior was just as opulently equipped, but more importantly improvements to the suspension settings and bushings meant mechanical refi nement and road behaviour were markedly better. In this respect the Grand can’t match the ride comfort of a Range Rover or Discovery, because although it has a thoroughly modern highrigidity monocoque bodyshell it rides on heavy-duty beam axles, coil-sprung but not as supple as an all-independent arrangement. This does at least qualify it as a worthy hard-core off-roader as well as a luxurious family estate, not to mention a competent towing car with a 3500kg capability.

Earliest examples from 1999 included a turbodiesel, the 3.1-litre VM unit, but this is best avoided as it lacks the refinement of the later and more powerful 2.7 CRD as used in the Mercedes M-Class. All versions have a four-speed automatic transmission with permanent four-wheel drive and a low range transfer gearbox. At first only the Limited specification was available, but for 2004 a base Sport and upgraded Overland versions were introduced; the Sport has cloth upholstery and a simpler air conditioning system, but it retains the electric seats, electric windows and remote locking. The Overland was the range-topper, the enhanced specification including a CD autochanger and an electric sunroof.

One key special edition to look out for is the 60^th Anniversary edition, introduced in July 2001 for a limited period, which was based on the 4.7 V8 Limited but adding the electric sunroof, a CD autochanger and metallic paint.

With the end of the run approaching, September 2004 saw three new topspecification variants on the scene, the Limited XS with 4.7 V8 or 2.7 CRD engine, the Platinum with the 2.7 CRD and the HO Platinum with the 4.7 V8. These all have satnav, as well as the electric sunroof, plus heated door mirrors and parking sensors, but these will be rare at under £3000.

Even at this low price it’s worth looking for a car with a good service record since the engines and particularly the automatic transmission are very sensitive to the quality of lubricants. The petrol engines - especially the ‘bulletproof’ 4.0-litre six - are generally reliable, and while the 2.7 CRD has Mercedes credibility, it can suffer the same problems as any other high-mileage diesel such as worn injectors, fouled recirculation systems and failing turbo bearings. Make sure the engine starts instantly from cold, doesn’t hesitate under acceleration and idles smoothly. It’s more important to ensure that the transmission works properly, look out for delays in gear selection, excessive engine revving between changes and excessive whining noises. One symptom is a reluctance to select fi rst and top gears, so the car pulls away in second and doesn’t go into its overdrive top when cruising, defi nitely one to avoid.

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Buyer's guide to buy best used SUV "Mitsubishi Shogun 4x4 sport second hand review"

BestUsedCarReview - We’ve always considered the Mitsubishi Shogun to be a bit overpriced, since it’s a used SUV with a reputation that somewhat embellishes reality. Even in its sleeker third generation form from 1999, the Shogun was always less refi ned and more cumbersome to drive than many of its rivals, yet its popularity - originally spurred by the realisation that it offered a more reliable and cheaper alternative to a Range Rover - continues unabated to an extent that your £3000 is unlikely to get you anything newer than a year 2000 model and with 150,000 miles on it at that; even higher-mileage previous generation (and more truck-like) models can command over £1000.

Nevertheless the post-1999 mitsubishi Shogun 4x4 sport has appeal for its more aggressive Dakar-inspired styling, particularly in the short-wheelbase version, and in the seven-seater functionality of the long wheelbase estate.

This was the first Mitsubishi Shogun to shrug off the conventional off-road vehicle transport structure and instead of a separate chassis and rigid axles it boasts a monocoque bodyshell and all-independent coil-sprung suspension, along with rack-andpinion steering the result being a more compliant quality of ride and sharper steering response. The Shogun is quite car-like to drive, though some might find the powered steering a little too light. However, the big estate rides comfortably and corners without too much body lean. Both diesel and petrol variants are lively performers, though the V6 needs to be revved to give of its best, while the strong mid-range torque of the diesel calls for fewer gearshifts to regain speed after a tight bend, making for more comfortable overall progress. It is also a better engine for off-roading, with torque peaking at 2000rpm. A five-speed manual transmission was standard, though an automatic was an option, some were four-speeders, others had the newer and more desirable five-speed box, so check the transmission before buying.

The Super Select four-wheel drive system is arguably more complex than it need be, particularly in a car that is unlikely to venture off-road, but it has appeal to gadget-lovers; for this generation a quieter chain-drive transfer box is used. In terms of straightforward off-road traction the Shogun is unstoppable, but it does lack ground clearance and the long wheelbase estate has a debilitatingly long overhang limiting its capability in tortuous terrain.

Equipment on all models of used car Mitsubishi shogun sport 4x4 is good, even the base GLX has tilt adjustable steering column, alloy wheels, electric heated mirrors and a four-speaker stereo, while the GLS adds a roof spoiler, body side-mouldings, front fog lamps, headlight washers, automatic air-conditioning, cruise control and height-adjustable driver’s seat. From 2001 the Classic replaced the GLX and Equippe replaced the GLS, while a new range-topping version, the Elegance, was introduced. Look out for the later Field, Animal and Warrior special editions, though these will be rare at under £3000.

The bold exterior styling of the used SUV mitsubishi Shogun is reflected in the interior with its heavy dashboard featuring a massive centre console giving the driver a feeling of being tucked into a cockpit, the comfortable and supportive armchair seat helping to enhance the driving experience. It’s nevertheless a roomy vehicle, with plenty of elbow room and headroom. The rear bench in the five-door is shaped to take three adults and has reclining backrests, with very little in the way of a transmission tunnel to make life uncomfortable for a central passenger. The mitsubishi Shogun sport stays good to 4x4 vehicle transport tradition in having the spare mounted on the sideways-opening tailgate, and so has good boot space, easily enough to accommodate the extra fold-up seat, which can be removed to leave a useful underfl oor storage space.

In spite of its reputation, the Mitsubishi Shogun sport isn’t totally infallible, listen for the groan of worn wheel bearings and the click or rumble of worn CV joints on the front axle, check for oil leaks from the rear differential and check the state of the brake discs as well as pads, which wear quickly especially on a car that’s been used for towing. Engine failures are not unknown, check for signs of ‘mayonnaise’ under the oil filler cap hinting at the possibility of impending gasket failure, and make sure the timing chain and its tensioners have been replaced on schedule - if you can’t be sure on a higher mileage car have the job done yourself as soon as possible, because a slipped timing chain can wreck the engine.

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