ddruker

This is coming home yesterday from Carmel, 83 miles @ 64 miles per hour resulting in 28.2 miles per gallon. It was about 95 degrees outside so I had the air conditioner on the whole time, and I also think this shows the factory "chunky" roof rack crossbars aren't exactly messing up my MPG. Full tank range well over 700 miles. I have very much been pleasantly surprised with the mileage I'm getting from the GL 350 Diesel...

aeggroup

My highway speed usually 75-80 and it's easy to get 26 mile per gallon.
That's the beauty of diesel engine.
On the other hand - I don't think anybody, who can afford to buy GL , especially 550, weeps at gas station stop.

Happy driving to all.

mdadgar

Yep - we went to Disneyland in April and I had the cruise locked at 80 mph for hours and hours on I-5. Averaged 25 mpg for the entire drive and that includes LA traffic at one end and Pacheco Pass at the other.

I can afford to run a GL550 - I'm guessing most of us here can. But why? There's just no real payback for that kind of consumption, IMHO.

Now if we're talking 458 Italias, well, I can justify that mileage in a heartbeat.

- Mark

alx

Actually if yoummeasure the fuel you will find that you prolly broke 30mpg

hubert

For the 4th of july weekend went to Lake George doing steady 78mph i hit 26.7 mpg(ac running plus 4 people and a German Shepherd in my GL). Did around 540 miles on that weekend and still came back with 3/4 of diesel left in my tank. friend had his 2011 camry and he was getting less than me plus all that comfie room i have in my GL

aeggroup

You probably mean 1/4 ?
3/4 would be too good to be true

dbtk

I was similarly delighted yesterday with my GL350. I drove from Connecticut to Williamsburg, VA. It was a nine hour trip in 85-90 degree heat with A/C on and over one-hour of stop-and-go construction traffic (including a side detour thru BWI airport). I had three people in the car including luggage.

EWT

I'm happy to pay the 550 fuel tax. That 5.5L is a great motor even in something as big and heavy as a GL. The 320/350 is very nice for a diesel, but isn't even in the same league for acceleration and especially responsiveness. I'd be more interested in one if MB brought over the bigger diesel. I've gotten 18 mpg on the I5 Disney run, so it isn't *that* bad.

Mark - you're just used to that E30 M3 level of acceleration. :P

mdadgar

Responsiveness is definitely the weak spot of the diesel. It's quite rubber-bandy (which is one of the areas that BMW with their 2 turbos outdid MBZ).

I agree - I'd love the 4.2L diesel. That would be the best of all worlds.

LOL. Could be.

Honestly, I find the GL350's acceleration to be more than adequate. I came out of an Escalade with that ginormous 6.2L, 400hp V8 and I don't really miss it at all.

Having a race car to get my speed fix from definitely helps, though.

- Mark

vntgspd

That's pretty sweet! What are you guys getting in mixed driving, say 75% city 25% hwy???


I'm with EWT on the nice responsiveness of the gas V8 (although I only have the lowly 450) but it's nice to see the efficiency capabilities of the diesels in a big heavy platform. Also, what do you guys get at 80mph on the hwy cuz I just can't do 65!

As a side note, I took a trip to Yosemite in May with 5 passengers, FULL luggage compartment, bikes, and a large rooftop carrier and still managed 18mpg average. That's rolling 80+ on the highway and as fast as I could through the mountains without anyone getting carsick!

mdadgar

25-26 mpg!

- Mark

Fourdiesel

It almost always works the other way - I've never heard of a M-B diesel computer reading that reads LESS than the actual mpgs as measured by volume-at-the-pump calculations.

ddruker

I have averaged roughly 24 MPG over the 4,000 or so miles since I purchased the truck...

pteam

I think that everybody forgot to mention the $15,000 more it costs to buy the GL550 vs the GL350 and THEN the fuel savings!

Even the GL450 is $1,000 more MSRP and THEN the fuel savings.

Not to mention the torque in the diesel during normal driving conditions is awesome and even more durning certain rpms, which makes quick acceleration during normal driving conditions (just not from a stop).

ddruker, take your roof racks off when you dont use them and you will gain a little bit more mpg. Its free money / less gas usage. Put them back on for the occassions you need them which surely wont be everyday use.

dbtk

True. In fact, I run 41F/44R PSI in my tires and found that the car's odometer actually reads 5% fewer miles than actual (based on the mile markers on I-95). I will verify the computer readings when (and if) I fill-up on the way home to CT. With a range topping 750 I may not need to fill-up for a while.

The 5.5L is a great motor. Very smooth. For my "need for speed" I have a Cayenne Turbo (with Fabspeed catback by passes) which is good for 0-60 in 4 seconds (Car & Driver).

giffie

In pure downtown driving... average speed is low...yet mpg is high!

aeggroup

Your picture looks impressive...28 is unbelievably good. Do you press on a gas pedal sometime's or it's strictly downhill? )

No offense, but it looks like your city barely has any traffic lights.
I drive in NYC (actually my wife) and our city driving is no more than 16MPG. My average from the time I got the truck is 18.5 MPG ( NYC driving ).
Of course, when I get on a highway - it usually about 26-27 MPG.

giffie

This is in Miami... so everything is flat. There are quite a few traffic lights here... although not as much as NYC, I guess.

Edit: I also drove from Miami to Chicago.. first loooong drive on the new truck. Got an average of 29 through the entire trip. Am quite happy.

vntgspd

Interesting. So, to my post above, what do you think is the ratio of city/hwy driving that nets you 18.5mpg? Not looking to bash anyone, just trying to get a real world feel for how much more by gas engine costs me in fuel.

aeggroup

I'd say it's, as you said, 75% city/25% highway.
I can't compare with GL450, because I never had one, but my previous BMW X5 4.8i was getting 13.5 MPG. BMW was much faster than GL from the start, but on a highway I like GL better.

hubert

Yes i meant 1/4 of tank left ... Sorry... 3/4 would be too good to be truth lol...

BlownV8

Not quicker according to test results and certainly not a lot quicker. Inside Line has the 0-60 of the X5 4.8i at 7.0 while the GL450 runs it in 6.7:
http://www.insideline.com/bmw/x5/200...mw-x5-48i.html
http://www.insideline.com/mercedes-b...enz-gl450.html

Motor Trend has the GL450 at 6.5 seconds:
http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/...s_pricing.html

HJZ06

If the GL450 and 550 guys wanted to buy a diesel, we would have.

giffie

Yup (j/k)

alx

If the diesel guys wanted to buy a 450 or a 550 we would especially if 2 year used the 350 is the same money (if not more expensive) as its gasoline counterparts...

To each his own i guess. Matter of choice.

Now on the mfd reading - my truck always showed less mpg than pen and paper results.