joshg1001

Let me just preface this by saying that my opinions are not meant to attack GLK owners, but the things I bring up are my own observations and are open for discussion.

I dont know how the GLK got passed the boffins in Germany for production because I honestly dont think it deserves to carry the 3 pointed star up front. The one I got is a 2011 model with premium package 1 with pano sunroof. Sticker $42,xxx

I have never sat in a GLK let alone driven in one. From seeing them on the street, I have always though the GLK wasnt a very pretty car. Something about the boxy shape, and the ugly headlights. But getting inside the car was worse.

One of the biggest problems is that the car was built at a price point. At less than $36K it is certainly good value. Owning a 09 C350 myself which had an msrp of $39K versus a C300 at $33K, I though the 3.5 engine was a costly, albeit worth it, upgrade. So seeing as how the GLK has the 3.5 as standard, I would say it is very good value. The hard part is not letting the car show that that it was built at a price point but the GLK falls short here. Even though a lot of the interior design comes from the C, it doesnt flow very well in the cute ute. Ghastly large pieces of wood adorn the dash. Ugly door panels with ugly aluminum door grips. Even the tach looks cheaper than the one on the C class, even though they are practically the same. The color of the middle LCD screen shows less black and white lettering contrast to my eyes.

It sure doesnt help that this particular GLK does not have the COMAND unit. To be fair, I complained about that tiny LED screen on the non MM equipped C classes too. Saving grace here is the media interface which shows album info on the screen.

In general, interior materials feel cheaper to me.

I dont know why someone would buy the GLK. Cargo room for sure shouldnt be a reason. Granted the cargo roof is taller but it doesnt go very deep.

Having a Lexus RX450h in the family, there are just a lot of better options out there. Obviously our hybrid is not in the same price point, but the standard RX350 is starts at a little less than 40K and comparably equipped is about the same price.

I would not recommend this car to anyone I know.

Thoughts?

C300Kid

I've driven the GLK and felt it was pretty similar to the C-Class all around, I also like the interior, very unique and trucklike. The RX, on tue other hand, I hate. Different strokes I guess...

C300Kid

Having said that..if I were looking in this class I'd get an X3, Q5, or Volvo XC60.

xolinlevh

Ive wanted to drive one, i like the size of it (comparable to my moms Subaru) but not the best value/$ i think.

rb23lb

i also hate the RX... most played out soccer mom mobile out there.... i had a rental glk 350 and actually liked it a lot to be honest... felt quick and light and i also like the new design

altawila

Q5 is the way to go in that category.

imbane

GLK has no room inside, and it looks ugly in my eye.
When we were looking to buy a soccer mom car for my wife, we tried GLK & RX350, we all thought RX was much better. Now she is very happy with her RX.

acr2001

I drove a GLK a while back and thought the interior was fine. It's the same exact material quality as the C class, so I don't really see how you can say it's cheaper. The fact that you don't like the wood design is just a matter of opinion.

MBNA109

Please post in the GLK thread so we can get a piece of you OP.
If it was all about what is qualifieable or quantifiable, no1 would buy a vehicle.
Just like you with your starter car - we had to start somewhere with this crossover.

Sometimes there's no explaining it, no way to quantify it. A vehicle just strikes the right chords despite flaws and annoyances.
Written terribly well below.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...z-glk350_N.htm

joshg1001

looks like you did that for me, thanks

There is no need to get offended. I posted my thoughts and prefaced it that it wasnt meant to be insulting. Your vehicle is not an extension of yourself so dont take it personally.


This really sums it up
" the GLK doesn’t quite have a premium feel to go with its premium price."

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...s-benz-glk350/

rb23lb

ive heard people say that about the w204 as well

waiszeto

Lexus sukkk... Just to be honest! No hard feeling to the TOYOTA owner lollll

ucfbeta92

I had a GLK loaner a while back and for the most part it was similar to my C. I liked that it wasn't a gas guzzler (not as much as most other SUVs). The only thing that didn't feel right was the inside door handle: one of the corners of the plastic (made to feel like leather) door handle would easily get pushed in with a little bit of force, but would pop right back out in a second or two.

Other than that, I had no complaints. I was, however, very happy when I got my C back

levale

My wife and I have been leasing a 2010 c300 4 matic and a 2010 Glk 350 4 matic.
the Msrp on the 2 vehicles were within 300 dollars of each other. At the end of the lease, we will buy the Glk without question. ( much better value, higher resale) still
undecided on the C

MBNA109

Quid pro quo:

1) So far 95% of your fellow W204 enthusiasts above have given a thumbs up to the GLK.

2) A review from the USA Today above - basically a national American daily newspaper comparable to the WSJ in terms of widest circulation; Which do you think has more influence?

3) "It may not be the roomiest or the cheapest, but the 2012 Mercedes GLK350 is an impressively built compact SUV that should meet the needs and desires of many luxury buyers."
http://www.edmunds.com/mercedes-benz/glk-class/2012/

4) Still a top seller:
http://www.bmwblog.com/2011/03/27/20...-and-lexus-rx/

joshg1001

That's fine. I made the thread to discuss the situation. Its not that I am upset that people arent agreeing with me...

MBNA109

Make it in the GLK thread & you would have spurred more varied insights that would educate not feed herd like-minded mentality.

But I guess you got neither.

AdidasC230

I feel the GLK is a big C class, its pleasant, not the biggest, has a meh interior quality for a mercedes, but its still a Merc. I like the power since its not the 3.0 but its def not a big car. It is cute and great for people like my mom who dont want to eat the price of gas an extra upfront of an ML but want an SUV because they like to sit high up.

Lexus IS GARBAGE go by a damn hilander hybrid and save the A hole tax, everything toyota makes is deviod of any driving fun, they are apliances not cars

joshg1001

I guess that is why the RX sells 7000+ units a month while the cheaper glk sells around 2000. This is not a Lexus versus Mercedes thread. I was merely saying that there are better options out there

C300Kid

The RX sells for the same reason the Camry sells, not that there's anything wrong with that.

You GLK guys need to chill, he's entitled to his opinion.

C300Kid

He did get varied insights...are you not reading the thread? There are opinions that fall on both sides of the spectrum.

I'm pretty sure he would've gotten LESS varied opinions in the GLK thread, as you all obviously have similar (positive) feelings about the car considering you all own them.

MBNA109

Sure he did
what's 9/10?

hyperion667

LOL, I feel you man, I had one recently as a loaner too, haha.....
wasn't all that bad, I just romped everywhere I went, haha, had fun....
the 350 engine is so sad and slow, but I'm used to a bit more power.....
there is no room in those things for a family of more than three....and that's traveling light...hehe....
made me really appriciate my cars, LOL...

imbane

Well, I have owned 2 Lexus in last 6 years, I can hardly say they suck. They didn't give me one single issue, they were super reliable, I just needed to pump gas and drive, never needed to worry about anything else. Lexus have different characters from Mercedes,but IMO they make nice cars.

C300S 6MT