While reading your "Best In Class 2008" I was comparing the Ford Explorer with the Mercury Mountaineer and noticed the optional 4.6-liter V-8 engine costs $1285 in the Explorer but costs $3600 in the Mountaineer.
Also, the towing capacity on the Explorer is 7300 pounds, but the Mountaineer can tow only 1500. What gives? I thought these vehicles were twins. Also what's with the optional 6.3-liter V-8 on the Mercedes-Benz ML350 for $43,000; heck, the car only costs $44,425.
Bill Lammers
Ocala, Florida
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Dear Reader,
According to the Kelley Blue Book, the way the Explorer is packaged, the difference in price between a V-6 XLT (the base model) and a V-8 XLT is $1285. On Mercury's side of the fence, there are fewer trim levels, and the absolute least expensive way to get a V-8-powered Mountaineer will cost $3600 more than the least-expensive V-6 Mountaineer. It's all about their packaging decisions. Sorry about the towing-capacity error--the 1500-pound number is the Mountaineer's max payload. Its towing capacity is nearly the same as the Explorer's. And, unfortunately, the $43,000 price for the AMG package is in addition to the $44,425, bringing the total to a whopping $87,425 for an ML63.
- Truck Trend
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