GL4504ME

It has been two weeks since trading in a 2010 Acura MDX w/Technology Package for a 2011 Arctic White Mercedes GL450. I didn’t load it up to the gills with options but instead only chose the necessities. The car has the Premium 1 Package, Heated Steering Wheel, Trailer hitch, RES pre-wire, Running boards, Parktronics, and Blind Spot Assist. I was considering the GL Appearance Package but after a lengthy test drive I agree with what I've read on this and other forums, the run flats coupled with the larger wheels made the ride a bit harsh.


I have had more cars than I care to admit on this forum so needless to say, I am not new to Mercedes. Back in 2007 I purchased a brand new ML350 that was great until I paid to have the base stereo system upgraded to something more elaborate. Let's just say, the audio shop f'd it up and paid dearly for their negligence. The car was never the same so I got rid of it. The GL450 is a different beast altogether! My Acura MDX was far from an inferior automobile but the GL’s ride, cavernous interior, and overall solid feeling cannot be matched.


My likes:
1. I like the clean lines and sophisticated posture of the SUV
2. I like how quiet the SUV is even at 85mph
3. I like the vault like feeling once inside.
4. I LOVE the buttery ride and responsiveness of the throttle. After two weeks I am still adjusting.
5. A lot of people have stated that the MB Tex upholstery feels rubbery. I disagree but then again I don't spend a lot of time being touchy feely with the seats.

6. I love the contrast stitching on the seats and dash!
7. I like the accuracy and responsiveness of the voice controls. I don’t see much difference in accuracy from my Acura and they it's considered one of the best voice recognition systems in the automotive business!
8. I like the power flip up/down third row seats. I consider this to be gimmicky but convenient nonetheless.
9. I don’t know how I ever drove without blind spot assist.
10. Parktronic is really cool and has proven useful having to squeeze along side my wife's Lexus in the garage.
11. The Bluetooth connection to my cell phone is almost instantaneous from the moment I start the engine. The MDX required close to a minute to connect.
12. The mids and highs on the non-premium stereo sound great!
13. The front console screen will play a DVD movie, of course when parked!
14. Speed...this thing is a bullet so I can only imagine what the GL550 feels like.
15. Operating the cruise control is so easy, a caveman can do it! :-)

My dislikes:

1. The chrome colored roof rails look fake and plasticky.
2. The chrome fog light housing looks fake and plasticky.
3. The COMMAND, although not as intuitive as other systems, is much easier to navigate once you learn the voice commands. Entering an address is easier in the GL450 than it was in the MDX.
4. I don't know what to think of the non-premium stereo. Some days it sounds great and other days I am wishing for deeper lows. It's not the best non-premium stereo I've heard but it's certainly not the worse. I had a 2009 BMW X5 with the non-premium stereo and my coworker’s non-premium stereo in her Toyota Rav4 blew me out the water! Embarrassing!
5. Since the weather has been crazy lately, I've found myself having to use the heat at night. Regulating the temperature in the GL450 hasn't been the easiest. To receive any resemblance of heat, I find myself turning the dial almost all the way to the right. I am doing this in AUTO setting so perhaps I am using the system incorrectly.
6. I don't like how much door rattling and vibration is caused by the "non-premium" stereo even with the volume at neighborhood levels. How can an SUV this solid sound like a hollow can from the outside.
7. The glove box is not big enough to hold the MB manuals and supporting documentation packet.
8. Brake dust!!!
9. The GL450 drives small but turns big!
11.There is no excuse for an automobile of this price not to have Bluetooth A2DP!!

My wish list:

1. I wish there was a sun glass holder.
2. I wish there was a 12v plug in the center console.
3. I wish the rear Parktronic sensors were easier to view.
4. I wish there was a way to change the COMMAND color to something other than drab brown-ish-orange-ish-beige-ish.
5. I wish the volume button was located on the left side of the steering wheel.

Before purchasing the GL450, I also considered the LR4 and QX56. I chose the Mercedes and couldn't be happier. You'd be hard pressed to find something to complain about in the Acura MDX but it's the intangibles of the GL450 that puts it ahead of the pack.

Questions:
1. What are the two speaker looking grills over the third row seat? They don't produce sound.
2. What is the benefit of the RES pre-wire? Can I use aftermarket products?
3. Is there anything I should know about this vehicle that a newb like myself wouldn't otherwise know?

Pictures forthcoming.........

Brocktoon

press "a/c rest" to get heating or A/C for up to 20 minutes after the cars is off, and the keys gone...

giffie

Thanks... always wondered what the a/c rest is for!

GL4504ME

Thanks! I was playing around with that button today while scratching my head!

blee911

I was told the third row speakers are there for the Harmon Kardon stereo package.

By the way, I couldn't stand the stock stereo system after several weeks so I changed out all the speakers and it sounds much better now... but bass is still too loose depending on the music. I've listened to the HK system and didn't think it sounded all that great.

GL4504ME

Really? Do tell! Do you have a thread on your project? Now I am excited that there's hope.

blee911

I'll look for the thread but it was part of another topic and didn't have much in it. Plus sound is partially subjective so everyone seemed to have different opinions. If you have home speakers at home that you like, it's best to try and match the same type of sound. For example, if you like the soft dome silk tweeter sound, there are a few car speaker manufacturers such as Dynaudio, Morel, Hertz. Hertz is the least expensive which is what I went with. Plus, I didn't want to have to change out the head unit with a new one plus amplification which is probably needed for the high-end ones like Dynaudio and Morel. The mid to high-end Hertz separates seem to be fine with the power coming from the stock head unit. IMO, it sounds much better than stock. I thought the stock system had muffled highs and muddy base. If you do end up removing your stock speakers, you'll see why this is the case. The mids are made of cheap paper with puny magnets. The tweeters are small and look like plastic. Aftermarket speakers will likely need custom made spacers for a good fit.
If you like a metallic sound like what comes out of ceramic or aluminum tweeters, for example, there are plenty of manufacturers out there. Personally, I'd stay away from metallic tweeters. They might sound nice and crisp in the shop, but they tend to be harsh sounding especially in the car when they're right next to your ears.
I don't know what kind of speakers MB uses for the Harmon Kardon system.
Good luck!

blee911

I'm not sure how to forward threads. Here's the link.
https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-...-feedback.html

GL4504ME

Thanks a lot for your in depth response. Over the weekend I searched allGL threads regarding Audio and found the link above. Very good information!

Did you perform the install yourself or did you hire a professional installer? Installers, especially on expensive vehicles, give me heartburn. I've been down this road before and it ended in disaster! Feel free to read about it here........

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w164...007-ml350.html

How does your new setup compare to your old setup? Did the sound improve drastically or marginally? Did you replace ALL the interior speakers AND add a sub? Sorry for all the questions but I am trying to talk myself into going down this road again.

dbtk

Congratulations. Mine had the P2 Pack which included the back-up camera which is useful on a big truck like the GL rather than the Parking sensors alone. And the Lighting Pack eliminated the dual fog lights (a la Brabus) which where are not as elegant as the straight LED bars. Yes, the ride on the run-flats is more harsh.

blee911

I used to do these installs myself... back when I didn't have kids and I drove Japanese cars that were easy to take apart. :-)

I brought my car to Audio Design (Northern California in San Jose). I thought they did decent work. I had them replace the head unit on my Porsche years ago and had no problems. On the GL, I didn't want to spend more than 1K. The biggest problem is the speakers so I decided just to change the speakers and nothing else and hope that it would be good enough. No sub. Both front and rear tweeters and mids were replaced with Hertz speakers. I'm a big fan of Dynaudio but they're alot more $$ plus I would've needed to get a nice amp with good high-level to low-level signal conversion. I've been happy with the Hertz speakers. It sounds significantly better than stock. In fact, I sat in my friend's Lexus that was equipped with the Mark Levinson sound package and I didn't feel it was much better. Both had strengths and weaknesses. Depending on the music, however, I do notice the bass is still a bit muddy and loose. I don't know if it's due to the quality of the head unit and it's amplifier or some acoustic issue (insulation, too much volume?) with the front door panels. Overall, I'm happy and have no regrets with what I did.
Front separates Hertz HSK 165L
Rear separates Hertz ESK 165L

Good luck! If you happen to be in the Bay Area, you're welcome to check out what it sounds like.

scud

nice post GL4504ME. couple of other things i'll add about my wife's GL500.

the drivers memory seat positions. you have to keep your finger on the button until the seat has completely moved. in my wife's old X5 you just pressed the button once and it would move while you were getting in.

also the headlights on auto mode tend to be on during a bright sunny day. i've been told by merc it's called a 'blue sky affect'

not good enough in my opinion, my E63 has no such issues.

and once you go from say reverse to drive, it takes ages for the throttle to respond and get the car moving.

GL4504ME

Yep, I noticed this myself!

skw

Hey, I'm plenty late to this party but I just came across this thread while looking for info on the RES pre-wire. I too had a 2010 MDX Tech. Wife always wanted a GL350 Bluetec but seeling as we only used the MDX's 3rd row a total of maybe 5 times in 2yrs and also considering it was the last yr of the GL while the 1st yr of the ML, we went with a ML Bluetec.

Did you ever find any info on the RES pre-wire or do anything with it?

In the MDX I never used the voice controls but liked how you can also adjust the temp by voice. However the navigation never understood when I said street names. Good thing it let you input address while moving. The COMAND system locks you out while moving but I am amazed how it understands 98% of what I say. And also you don't have to push the talk button every time!

Since you had an e70 X5, I'm surprised you didn't recognize the "rest" feature. My '98 e39 had this feature but I don't see it anywhere on our new w166. I do miss the rear climate control that the MDX had but the ML doesn't.

The Bluetooth as you mentioned loads up much quicker in the MB than in the Acure. Perfect example is when streaming audio (ie: Pandora). I can get in the MB and it starts through the cars speakers in seconds. In the MDX, I'd be driving over a full minute w/ the music still coming from my phone before the car picked it up.

If you see this post, let me know what you think of the MDX vs your GL now that you've had it for a year now. THX!

GL4504ME

The Acura MDX is a fine SUV indeed but it doesn't match the sophistication and cachet of the GL450! The biggest advantage of the MDX is the ability to load it up with options for the starting price of the GL. I never figured out the RES but then again I no longer have the GL450. Like my post states, I go through vehicles rather rapidly. :-)

The newly designed ML is absolutely phenomenal and the premium sound system is the best I've heard across all manufacturers.

skw

I'm on a 2yr cycle as of late but you flip through faster than me! I've been across many threads all afternoon and just realized that it was you back in March waiting for an ML but also liked the E350. If you don't mind my asking, what do you have now and whatever happened to the ML that was supposed to be in transit?

GL4504ME

Yeah the stealership kept jerking me around on the delivery date so I requested a return of my deposit and bought a 2013 Lexus GS350. I had the GS350 for two weeks, hated it, got rid of it, and ordered a 2012 BMW GT 535i xDrive. Love it!

skw

I must say, I love your taste in cars. Enjoy!

Innocent_Stud

Pretty much agree sorta. Depends what other cars you have driven or owned. Compared to my dad's M5 and AMGs, obviously it's nothing but for a full size 3rd row SUV, it's plenty quick. Speed ticket? Check...

Oh and my friend tried to run away from me on the highway in an 09 Audi A4 2.0T which is quick for its class. He got a headstart without warning ahead of me by about a second before I managed to go WOT on my GL450 and even then I was in auto mode where it took ANOTHER second to downshift and accelerate in an non optimum fashion.

I kept up well and seemed to quickly gain back some distance after 88 mph. This was around 50 mph merge onto an empty highway somewhere...

alx

drives small but turns big?

the gl is prolly the best turning large suv on the market imo.

the thing turns on a dime (so to speak) compared to some other large suvs i've owned.

aggst1

In my experience it has a tighter turning radius than a lot of sedans too. I frequently make a U turn near my house and when I drive my GL I can make it without thinking. When I drive my company car (Chevy Malibu) I have to do a three way turn (backup in the middle of the blvd) unless I remember to turn the opposite direction early to gain some room. The GL has an awesome turning radius as all MBs by design.

FastMoneyPlaya

My former Land Rover LR3 had a very tight radius. I looked it up - 18.8ft vs 19.8ft for the GL and 21.5ft for the Chevy Suburban. The Land Rover was a POS, but it was much better than the GL for off road stuff (not that I did much off road besides driving down some dirt roads on summer vacations).

alx

you need to drive any of the black series... especially the sl65 bs...

aggst1

I would also think the LR3 has a shorter wheelbase than the GL which makes for tighter turns

mobinakhtar

I did not notice any replies regarding the RES so here is my 2c.

RES stands for Rear Entertainment System. Early GL's (circa 2007) came with a single screen mounted externally to the rear A/C vent area (on the center console) and a DVD drive under passenger side 2nd row seat. Unfortunately that is what I have in mine. The screen creaks when folded and blocks rear A/C vents when folded as well. It is connected to the fiber optic "brains" because when you block the vents, the rear AC turns off.

Later vehicles came with screens mounted to headrests (the better system). All RES systems in GL use cordless IR headsets that can be cheaply replaced/complimented by aftermarket IR headsets.

RES enables listening to an audio source in front while kids play their audio source (rear speakers can be muted automatically if programmed so). Also RES enables audio to be fed to main COMAND if all people want to listed to the DVD or extra source (could be a dvd/mp3/ipod/etc).

If you don't actually have RES/TV screens - pre-wired literally means nothing (just soem extra wires and harnesses pre-installed). To use any of the RES bonuses such as aux audio via RES, you need the DVD player installed at a minimum.