vcci

i'm actually an E63 owner and spend most of my time here on that board but now its time to get the wife a new car. She currently drives an 08 Escalade which is at the end of its road(or at least it feels like it). Them GM cars really dont last. Anyway i'm looking to buy a GL450 and notice that the 07-08 are priced much lower than the 09-10 and up. What should i look for when checking out these cars? anything problems these cars are known for? Did engine/transmission get an upgrade throughout the years? any info would be appreciated.

alx

the 09s and 10s are still under warranty. that is why they are more expensive. they are also subtly facelifted a bit. the 07/08 dont have the urea tank in the trunk so that is a plus.

underneath they are all the same.

common problems are front and rear airbags, rear hatch and clunky suspension. you also get the occasional conduit plate burn out in the 7g tranny and malfunctioning random door handle. that is pretty much it.

they are fairly simple trucks with large easy to service parts

good luck.

vcci

thank you very much.

wlee69

I've had a '07 and now a '10. The mechanical parts of the car are exactly the same as the previous post indicated. Besides the facelift, there are some electronics that did get upgraded. LED lights with the Xenon's, upgraded version of Comand, and a better Rear Entertainment system.

From a reliability standpoint (for me), they are both very good. No major problems with my '07 nor my current '10

aggst1

I agree with most comments above except that they are NOT simple trucks with easy to service parts. (Was this a joke? hence the smiley?) As you know from your E63 Mercedes electronics are very complicated and require expensive diagnostically equipment to diagnose so only MB shops can work on them. Also parts are very expensive. I am on my fourth Benz and know a thing or two.

alx

As Mercedeses go- the gl trucks are about as simple as they come nowadays.

Parts are expensive, but they are easy to r&r compared to most other tightly packaged benzes.

hubert

Link to add, http://www.globalautosports.com/car/...V-82434%2Ehtml

enferrari

I wouldn't buy a Gl450. Its by far the worst car I've owned. If you dont need the rear seats go for the Porsche Cayenne S or Turbo (dont get the base model). Mercedes used to make reliable cars (2000 Mercedes ML320) but the 2007 I had is crap. The extended warranty easily paid for itself so if you end up buying one definitely get an extended factory warranty ($0 deductible). Im not sure if people are getting lucky but on my first 2007 GL450 I had so many problems and it eventually got totaled when someone slammed into the back of it so I bought another one assuming I just got another one and this is just as bad.

philfna

I have had an 09' which was problematic with the airmatic, but been clear sailing with 11 with P2. I'd get another but WOULD get P2 and extended warranty...things can get expensive.

alx

actually the gl is stellar when compared to the old ml class (especially the pre-2001 trucks).

remember, most happy campers do not post on forums. so it is easy when reading a product forum to get the impression that product is bad.

most post 2006 benzes (after the main retooling) are very reliable given the amount of technology they incorporate.

Mr Snappy

I did the same thing you are about to do...traded in my wife's 08 Acadia. I have a 2011 E-350 that I bought new, but was NOT going to drop $79K on a new GL...However, I was bored on day and went to the dealer to poke around and found a gorgeous 2010 GL-450 CPO. Bought the truck the next day. It's a terrific SUV and we love it. I have only had it for 7 months, but so far the only thing that has gone wrong is the light-up door sill on the passenger side went out.

LOVE the 450's V8.

We will have to wait and see how it holds up over the next 4 years, but so far, I have been very happy

UDWANIT2

2010+ and get with extended warranty...

nynd

Get the GL350 - Diesel, if you do alot of driving, it'll pay for itself.

N_Jay

We have put about 6000 miles on our '08 GL-320 since getting it in January. (It has 103K)
So far nothing unusual except a Glow Plug controller ($135).

Almost as nice a ride for long trips as the E350 and the extra room is priceless.

sak335

I'm a new MB owner ('12 GL 350) after 19 years of solely BMW ownership. I have racing buddy (I race a BMW 325) who is a service adviser at a BMW dealership in NC. I spoke with him pretty extensively at the race track this spring and talked about the GL as I had narrowed my search down to the 350 for use as both a daily driver and a tow vehicle.

He steered me away from the earlier GL's (2007-2009) as they definitely had some teething issues with some of the parts. He told me to ask specifically about the seals on the oil coolers on the diesel versions as they are very problematic in those years and it's apparently 11 hours of labor to R&R them. Most of the other problems were fairly benign.

There will always be an unhappy owner from time-to-time and what causes one person to swear off a marque forever may not bother the next guy.

I had the records pulled on my '12 and it is spotless from new (19k miles) which is a good sign. I'm not terribly worried about an extended warranty since I'm very comfortable working on German cars, but I can certainly see a benefit if you don't have the tools or expertise given the labor rates at MB dealerships.

alx

this is not common.

your common problems are rear latch, rear and sometimes front airmatic shocks/ bags and keylessgo door handles, steering rack (mostly due to user error though)... those problems exist across all model years.

RidingDonkeys

Tuning in. I've been reading up on the GL all morning. I've almost convinced myself to trade my precious Rubicon for a used GL320. More space, better towing, and better fuel economy sound nice. Now I need to figure out what gremlins to watch for as I start look at used ones.

N_Jay

Just got back from a 2000 mile trip towing my trailer.
Love'n the GL!

RidingDonkeys

Without starting a huge debate, am I reading correctly that the CDI gets better fuel economy than the Bluetec?

Also, is the 100k mile warrany only available through CPO programs?

Fourdiesel

CDI of course is the 'direct injection' diesel V6 in the GL. When the government required more restrictive NOx controls and limits, the SCR - urea [Blutec] chemical reactant technique was chosen by just about all manufacturers.
CDI engines achieve NOx controls (that met then current requirements) by recirculating exhaust gasses into the combustion chamber to lower peak combustion temperatures thus lowering the amount of NOx produced. Recirculating exhaust reduces efficiency (and thus mileage) in diesels from what is possible without that technique. Higher engine loads mean more EGR is necessary and the computer controls the EGR flow.
Blutec engines use BOTH EGR and urea reactant to get the NOx down to required levels. Since the use of urea makes it possible to rely LESS on EGR technology it is THEORETICALLY possible to get a bit higher mileage with these engines BUT, at the price of another complex piece of highly engineered technology and, in some vehicles by adding more inefficient runflat tires [heavier and high rolling resistance] because the space for the required amount of Blutec fluid to last an oil change interval took up all the space available for the 'normal' spare tire. The run flat tires alone probably use all the energy saved by using urea instead of Exhaust Gas Recirculation.
The real world difference in mileage due to these two factors is probably very small.
Hope this helps

RidingDonkeys

Yes it does.

Most of the CDI's I'm seeing used are hovering around the 70-80k mile mark, which has me a bit concerned. I have to wonder why so many are being sold around the same mileage. Coincidence or mechanical/cost reasons? I'm still trying to figure that out.

However, I'm assuming that major engine maintenance will be easier on the CDI over the Bluetec. I don't plan on getting rid of this vehicle quickly, and I thoroughly intend to stack some miles on it, a lot of which will be towing.

N_Jay

I think it is just the years and typical warranty expiration.

When I was looking (Dec/Jan), I found a bunch just under 60 to about 75 and a bunch just under/over 100.


If you are going to buy a warranty make sure you are under 100K as the coverage goes down and the cost goes up at that magical line.

RidingDonkeys

I set out to look at a few GL's in Georgia today. Right before I went to bed last night, a new listing hit for a '09 with 52k miles for a good price. I checked it out first this morning, then looked at all the others. I came back to the new listing, negotiated a much better price, and gave them the keys to my precious Jeep. GL secured.

I'm impressed with this engine. I think it is going to make a great hauler. However, the electronics are a bit counter-intuitive, especially the navigation. I foresee my wife still carrying the Garmin Zumo around.

N_Jay

The NAV is not great, but is very usable.

Update the disc, get used to the quirks and be happy.

I have retired my Garman and Magellan to rental car use.

RidingDonkeys

That's the plan. Once I get back to NC this week, I'll be sorting this thing out. First things first, I have to find a way to get at least one 12v outlet up front. Having that ash tray open to charge a phone is going to get really annoying really quickly. Next, I have to update the GPS. I'm guessing I have to talk to MB about that.