ltldog15

This is what I am ordering. Am I ordering anything that is not useful or am I not ordering something that would add to the ride? This is my first MB.

GL450
Steel Grey Metallic
Black leather
Burl walnut

Premium Package 1
Appearance Package
Driver Assistance Package
Lighting Package
Accessory Chrome Package
Harmon Kardon Logic7 surround system
Trailer Hitch
Rear Seat with ENTERTAINMENT system
3-Zone Climate
Rear side air bags
Wood/Leather Steering Wheel
Rear side-window sunshades
Power easy Entry for 2nd row
Multicontour front seats
Heated 2nd row seats
Mud Flaps
Soft close Doors

Thanks everyone!

cookstar

I would take out the rear seat entertainment system and get two ipads instead. I think you lose the heated steering wheel with the wood option. good option to add if you live in a colder climate.

43221B

I would only use Ipads if you have older kids that can manage their own content and deal with their own headphone/wires/etc. Our kids love the RSE system and so do we.

Add:
MB Tex wrapped lower dash and door panels
Adaptive Damping System
Ventilated Seats

Remove: (If you want to cut costs)
Three zone climate control.

I have it now but I didn't have three zone climate control on my last GL and my kids never complained. I rented a X166 without it in San Diego last summer and my kids never complained... so, I'm not sure if I would get it again, particularly if I didn't have the Pano Sunroof. It is one more thing for your kids to fight over and honestly, I hear more, "I'm too hot" or "I'm too cold" now than I ever did when we didn't have it because my kids are aware that the temperature is adjustable. Getting three kids to agree on the temperature can be annoying and I usually just tell them they are getting the same temperature as mom and dad.

JimBarnhart

my first reaction was the same as cookstar's. Heated steering wheel is a really nice option in cold weather (assume you are there since you ordered heated rear seats). RSE is nice for very young kids, but otherwise tablets seem to be more popular with most. I believe that rear side airbags are made optional because of suitability for young children. Might want to ask your dealer about that one.

Many would recommend doing the special order adder and getting the heated windshield wash and the wrapped dash. Both options are pretty cheap.

Oh, and read the thread on rear headrests with the power option. It causes many problems with carseats and middle aged kids.

cadetdrivr

+1 to all

Skip the power "easy entry" seats, IMHO. The included fixed headrests are a problem with car seats, older children, and shorter adults. Besides, it is only "power" one direction anyway and the unpowered standard version is still quite easy to fold/unfold.

ltldog15

Thank you for the suggestions. What is Adaptive Damping System? And there is another option, Active Curve System, that I do not understand either.

john5099

Adaptive Damping System basically controls the suspension on each wheel separately and offers 2 modes of driving, Comfort and Sport. Active Curve system further enhances the Sport mode and lessens the vehicle body roll when taking corners.

Unless you drive faster than the average and take hard corners, probably not worth it.

anothercar

If you live in cold weather climate I'd get the heated s wheel and heated washer system. I have the rear seat entertainment for my grandkids and it's great!! They can each watch their own movie and front seat occupants can listen to music of their choice.

blittle

Rear seat entertainment systems are fast becoming "old school" as kids have their own "personal devices"......Active curve assistance is probably helpful IF you really take the curves a bit faster than you probably should....I don't have it and love the way the vehicle handles. Heated steering wheel is WONDERFUL in a cold climate! I have the soft close doors....but honestly, never use the feature....most of the time I simply forget and close the door as I always have...what IS nice, is that you will never have a door "ajar" warning as the vehicle will always close the doors!

mist68

The heated washer makes huge difference. Works in VT @ 5 degrees.

43221B

ADS automatically adjusts the firmness of your shocks based on driving conditions and allows you to select either comfort or sport modes. Sport mode lowers the vehicle .6". Comfort mode, in my experience, makes the GL ride slightly softer than the standard setup on non ADS equipped GL's. ADS is standard on the GL550. It is a relatively cheap option and that's why I suggested it. I think I paid $800 for it last year. It reduces body roll when cornering when you have it in sport and I think of if as a poor man's Active Curve System. There is a lot of body roll in the X166, more than the X164 had.

The Active Curve System is expensive, that's why I didn't recommend it. It makes the GL corner with very little body roll by locking the sway bars. Basically, the wheels on the outside of a turn can't compress up (causing the GL to lean) into the wheel well without the inside wheels moving up at the same time. When a GL with Active Curve is going straight or slow (over simplified) the sway bars are unlocked hydraulically and wheels on one side can move up or down independently of the other side. This keeps the vehicle from rocking occupants back and forth when turning onto an angled driveway apron. It is an awesome system but really expensive. I would have gotten it but I had so many other options ordered that I had to draw the line somewhere.

43221B

I don't take curves too fast but...when I drive through the mountains on those 70 MPH sweeping turns, my wife has told me that the GL feels like it is leaning an awful lot and I agree. Much more than the X164 ever did. Having said that, it rides a lot smoother in a straight line than the X164 ever did. I think they are using less rigid sway bars in the X166 than they were in the X164. Having said that, I think the X166 handles imperfections in the road much better on fast curves than the X164 did. It seems to absorb expansion joints without the wheel hop/skip that the X164 had.

fabbrisd1

My suggestion.. if your salesman has not reviewed in detail, then dismiss his judgement

Add three things for sure ... (1) Ventilated front seats - senseless not to have this with black leather interior, especially since you have already chosen multi-contour (2) MB-Tex wrapped dash - if factory has this available for your build decade (3) heated washer reservoir - especially aids cleaning 365 24/7

Check... make sure you have confirmed Parking Assist w/surround view - Surround is running "short" meaning it MUST be factory confirmed at time of order - if it is not factory confirmed you will have standard camera only

Review and reconsider... (1) Rear side airbags should be selected ONLY if you plan to have teens/adults ONLY in the 2nds row seats ... for young'ins (and some also consider elderly in this target group) the added rear side airbags are growingly considered dangerous (2) EZ entry headrest are "different" - and can cause fitting and comfort problems depending on the 2nd row passenger (3) Pano roof includes added 3rd row "venting" side windows windows - controlled by driver - 3rd row passengers love this feature (4) rear seat entertainment is either a full yes - or a full no - way too costly to add later whether w/rear-wiring or without rear wiring (5) rear lock on rear storage compartment - if you have firearms, medication, or want to secure small valuables while traveling

By your choices already you have a focus on 2nd-row/3rd-row comfort - all to the good with the GL - but rear-side-airbags in addition to standard side curtains must be reviewed safety wise - for sure...

blittle

I agree with your comparison....I have the OFF/ON road package, and when I select the "sport" mode (which is most of the time ) it seems to take away most of that "lean" feel.

ltldog15

Thank you so much!

ltldog15

I dont need help parking, I am in the city and parallel park often. Is the surround camera worth it if I am not using the parking?

cadetdrivr

I would say so, as long as you understand upfront that the surround cameras are less effective in dark locations.

Dreamszalone

All the options you listed is pretty good almost close to GL550 if aint much difference then why dont you consider GL550, just a thought as you will get V8 compare to V6.

And about option I have and always will go with 3 Zone AC people who dont haul 7 passenger and or have never had this option will never feel what they are missing, for me it was always a deal breaker and even my 2nd seat passengers when sat in the car always appreciated the 3 zone ac where they could them self adjust the temp and fan speed, and it takes less time to cool\heat, again your choice but its a must for me, and you can see there are hardly and GL450's with this option, and its a common sense do you really want your 2nd 3rd passenger suffer for 15 20 min in cold\summer until your AC \Heat reaches from front to back. And FYI this option is standard in GL550 and its there for a reason.

And very important is ADS you can test this option by driving a GL550 which got ADS standard compare to a regular GL450 you will feel pot holes bump more harder with (GL450) non ADS suspension.

And about Power Easy Entry, I say it has got both pros and cons because in my old GL my 3 rd row passengers broke the 2nd row seat handle 2 times in 6 years, and always struggled getting seat up, but in power easy entry it is just 1 click button and you are on your way, my kids love this feature, but 2nd row guys hate the headrest which either go all the way up or down. Just try it before you opt it out.

43221B

I've had both 3 Zone and two zone (for 5 years). I currently have the 3 zone. There isn't much difference other than the rear occupants can choose their temperature separately from the front occupants and this is irrelevant for small kids that don't know 60 from 80. If you don't get 3 zone, the second row still has air supplied from under the seats and the center console between the two front seats. I've noticed that the air coming from the rear system, which only supplies the top four vents by the way, takes longer to get cold than the air coming from the front. I've sat in the second and third row and you can easily feel a breeze from the front vents when the car is first started and is cooling down. It doesn't make that big of a difference. No one is going to "suffer" without it. I may or may not get it on my next GL. Having the Pano sunroof helps make a better argument for having it. Like I said, I rented a GL last summer in Southern CA that didn't have the Pano sunroof. My kids are used to the 3 zone system and they never "suffered" or said anything about the temperature in back.

Dreamszalone

It is one's personal choice of having the 3 Zone AC and I believe there are many who agrees and who don't, carrying 2 3 kids completely make sense and carrying 4-5 adults completely makes difference, the heat produced by Adult bodies are way different than compare to kids, and because of this very reason they have humidity sensor with 3 Zone AC and dedicated system to cool of the rear., In-fact I would opt out of Panorama roof for 3 Zone AC - Don't want heat getting in from outside when temp are 80+, and honestly out off 100 there only 3 - 5 person using the roof actively.

Again my comments are based on hauling 4+ adults, it wouldn't really make a difference if you have 2 Adults and 2 -3 kids because it will take less time to cool\heat and you wont really feel a difference.

43221B

I agree, if you were hauling adults around or older teens the 3 Zone makes more sense considering they have a better understanding of how to adjust the thermostat. All I can do is speak from experience which is that my 3 kids never complained about the temperature once in 5 years in the back of my X164 with 2 zones. I'm not saying it is a waste of money, I'm just saying that you can live without it. Perhaps someone on this board can provide an alternative experience such as they have 3 kids that complained miserably about the temperature in back because they didn't have 3 zone. The GL is also insulated far better than GM vehicles (Escalade) which I think do need vents in the third row.

And remember, it doesn't provide any additional heating capacity or vents for heat. It does however allow the rear occupants to control the temperature of the air that comes out under the front seats. Again, not a benefit if you have smaller kids.

mbraven

Our salesman here says that the ADS is not available on the 450. Is that correct?

ltldog15

I was not offered it while we were building my car so I would say that is correct.

fabbrisd1

ADS = option 214 = $1050 - production limited

Active Curve = option 468 = $2,900 and on GL450/GL350 requires 214 - again production limited

Frankly - if your salesman doesn't have the experience - or if you are pressing for "1st available production slot" - either way you might not be told all that could be possible.

The Netstar Build-Tool - not the consumer site - allows the dealer to create your build sheet - when that build spec gets loaded into the dealer's factory PO slot - any options not available will kick back out.

Let me straighten out a bit of misunderstanding that seems prevalent regarding Surround View at night - when backing up at night - proper procedure is to switch fromDaylight-Surround-View to Night-Time-Rear-View. That's why that switchability is there.

The Feds don't allow a car manufacturer to have "reverse lights" that light up on the side of the vehicle - you'd look like a lite-up highway construction truck for pete's sake.

ltldog15

What is ADS?