nikb

Dear friends ,

firstly i read :
(GL Class (X164) 2007-Present),so i hope i am posting in the right section! Excuse me ,if i am at the wrong spot.

Secondly ,
I have tried reading all the previous threads before posting here.

Background: I have always been a Honda Guy for over 14 years.Always bought new. Cars have been reliable ,efficient ,performed like a work horse and economical to run and maintain.Now comes time when family is growing and i have always been fascinated with Mercedes .Don't want to buy a Honda MINI van or The pilot SUV as i don't think the price tag for the new is justified.Hence thinking of going in for a pre owned Mercedes.

GL320 Bluetech VS Gl450

I need a very reliable ,luxury vehicle ,as i drive a lot and most of the days have client with me.I drive about 40,000 km/year. So Millage and reliablity are big factors .

My questions :

1) Is it recommended to go in for quieter gl 450 while giving up fuel mileage of gl320?
2)with Diesel and Premium fuel almost at par (Greater Toronto AREA) ,does diesel still make more sense?will there be a significant difference in annual fuel bill ?
3)is bluetec more expensive to service? (adblue,fuel filters etc).is cost of service any different on Either of the Models?
4) I have heard horror stories from CDI owner of the car not starting in sub -15 degree temps.Does Bluetech have same problem? My vehicle do need to stay out in those temps in day and even overnight.I have never had issues with my current vehicle (hondas)

your input on these will help me make a informed decision.

Thanks

N_Jay

No diesel likes very cold weather, but proper fuel conditioning seems to address most of the issues.
If I lived in the Great White North I would probably invest in a engine heater of some kind.
If you need a dead reliable car, go get a 2 year old Pilot. (I had one for over 180K miles and 10 years), however it does not compare with the GL for quiet comfort.
I went pre-BlueTec because I tow and wanted a spare tire, but again, if I was concerned with reliability, I would go with the newest and best maintained I could afford.
Still, they seem to have a few high maintenance items, so be ready to service some major items over a multi-year period of ownership.
Air suspension, steering rack, oil cooler, random Limp Mode issues. etc. (sounds like you read all the posts).
Or you could get lucky and have no issues.
So far I am keeping my fingers crossed on mine.


P.S. Don't forget to read the ML W164 forum, as the cars are more the same than different, and there are a lot more cars (and posts)

nikb

N_jay,Thanks for your Input. I am targeting a 2010 model mainly for the facelift.Now only thing is gl 450 (gas) or gl 350 diesel. If i could request your advise on:

1) do you think diesel will offer significant fuel saving than the gas counter part ?I will not be using the vehicle for any Towing.

2) As mentioned in your post ,i am prepared for maintenance cost but wanted to know if diesel version costs more to service.

3) Because i spend a lot of time in the vehicle (with clients also) noise levels are also important factor. Is benz diesel louder than the gas counter part ?

4) I will not have a heater option and vehicle will be parked in the driveway most year round. will i have trouble come winter time?
other member ,please share your input.

N_Jay

The diesel does get better mileage, but the maintenance is a bit higher (10K mile instead of 13K mile oil changes (US Spec))
Dealers here charge a small premium for diesel service, and you need a fuel filter every other oil change.
Other than that normal maintenance should be about the same per visit. (Except more visits)

Some of those costs should not be too bad with a good independent mechanic.

DPF fluid is not too expensive if you buy at a truck stop.

The diesel is certainly louder then a gas engine, but overall it is not objectionable, especially inside. It is quieter than our old Honda Pilot.

Someone in Canada probably has a better answer about the cold starts.

a2j

1. To me, there is no difference between gl 450 and 320/350 in noise. This isn't some F250 diesel from 90's.
2. I'm saving ~$800 per year driving GL320 vs GL450. But it is an estimate since that number is based on other people's mpg numbers on their GL450.
3. I do most of the maintenance in my garage/drive way. It's just a little more expensive than other cars I've owned.
4. My GL starts in -22F (-50F windchill) without any issues. Just make sure your battery is up to the task. But if you live in the cold, I'd get some kind of block heater or some other heater.
I hope this helps.

jonathankreb

I just had my first incident with my GL 320 and cold starting. Temps dipped below 0 F at night, and it appeared the diesel fuel had gelled over night the next morning. Got it into a garage, and warmed up, and everything worked normally again. My guess is that the fuel I was using was not in any way blended for cold temperatures, as it was bought in northern Texas, plus it may have had some biodiesel in it, which I am told exacerbates the gelling problem. I used a fuel additive for the rest of that trip that was supposed to fortify the fuel against gelling down to -40F, and had no problems after that.