GL Class (X164) 2007-2012: GL320CDI, GL420CDI, GL450, GL550

Public Perception

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Old May 30, 2006 | 09:29 AM
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Public Perception

Seems like a few people have been taking delivery and I am somewhat jealous. I am wondering how do you feel other people are viewing the GL? I liken it to a Denali or Escalade, but better built. However I know that some will have the narrow minded "He's a snob in a benz attitude". I've always felt the Land Cruiser and LX470 were rather inconspicuous vehicles--what do you all think. Is this thing viewed like a Denali/Escalade or like a Range Rover or LC/LX.
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Old May 30, 2006 | 10:37 AM
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Dont worry, be happy.

Originally Posted by reed
Seems like a few people have been taking delivery and I am somewhat jealous. I am wondering how do you feel other people are viewing the GL? I liken it to a Denali or Escalade, but better built. However I know that some will have the narrow minded "He's a snob in a benz attitude". I've always felt the Land Cruiser and LX470 were rather inconspicuous vehicles--what do you all think. Is this thing viewed like a Denali/Escalade or like a Range Rover or LC/LX.
Everybody is different and we must work with what works best for us. For me. Screw em. If you are a snob you are one driving a Buick or a BMW. If you are not then you are not. Dont worry about what people think. Do you like the car/truck? Then get it. You go work, you pay your bills, make yourself happy by rewarding yourself with what YOU want. Now I am not saying, damn them all its just me me me. But dont make yourself unhappy worrying about what other people think. Dont follow the trend, set it.

Thats just me and that works for me. To tell you the truth, if I let other peoples negative thinking stop me, I would never have been able to even buy a Benz in the first place.
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Old May 30, 2006 | 01:04 PM
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12 CLS550, 09 CLS550, 04Cooper,10 Cooper S
At the pricepoint, simply put, this car is a bragain for all that you get!
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Old May 30, 2006 | 01:35 PM
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Originally Posted by LETO
At the pricepoint, simply put, this car is a bragain for all that you get!
How true. Love that competition. But compared to the options you get standard on a Audi Q7. You would have to pay around $8K-10K more on the GL to match it.
The butt burners are:
leather, navigation, heated second row, panoramic sunroof, xeon, powerlift gate, memory seats mirrors, bluetooth, 4 zone climate control, keyless entry, 19s, rear camera all for just 59K. Other things that are not equivelent are:

Do you like the Q7s looks. Outside no, inside nice.
The Q7 is slower. 0-60 around 8-9 seconds
The Q7 is heavier.
The Q7 3rd row is child sized (stopped evaluating the car there, may have gotten a Volvo but the 3rd row is important to me)
Dont know about diesel on the model in the future.

People dont get their panities in a knot when you buy an Audi. Still like my GL-450 though. Only got the sunroof (didnt want it, never used on many cars) and entertainment package (so I could use a bluetooth phone). If I had it to do all over again probobly would have gotten the 3 zone, apperience, liftgate, memory seats, keyless go, rear camera, entertaiment (just for bluetooth). I still think MB needs to add more options standard.

I MIGHT loo
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Old May 30, 2006 | 03:02 PM
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I did 80 miles in an 07 Denali Friday, mixed highway and city, test drove two GLs within a week, and looked inside a Q7 Monday. I wasn't even interested in driving the Q7 after seeing the interior. I'm a former Audi owner and love their interiors, but this one didn't seem up to par materials wise (maybe if I had looked at a premium there would have been a difference). Also, the Q7 third row is useless except for kids.

The Denali has lots of power and when loaded has all the goodies one would want (with the exception of bluetooth). I was looking forward to it due to the high horsepower and new 6 speed auto, but came away disappointed. I felt the transmission was sluggish and always in too high of a gear. The truck is also a little too noisy (in the way of a camaro).

Now the GL, has plenty of power, lots of space, and the transmission is well paired and works seemlessly. The power folding third row is an amazing advantage over the manual one in the Q7, and so much better than the land cruiser/denali flip up/away thing.

I still havent been able to get an answer to the question about what is actually included in the 1650 leather option--is it actually higher grade leather than the MBTex (I know MBTex is not leather, but it does a good impersonation) on the entire seat and dash?
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Old May 30, 2006 | 04:03 PM
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From: central pennsylvania
12 CLS550, 09 CLS550, 04Cooper,10 Cooper S
the leather option gets you full leather seats.....leather covered dash (same leather), burl walnut wood trim and ambient lighting. While MBtex does a great job doing what it does, the difference between the real stuff and MBTex is night and day.

The leather covered dash is great and elevates the interior of this vehicle to a new level
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Old May 30, 2006 | 04:19 PM
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Best way to get straight answer, visit factory follow a GL with Leather Interior full option, see what they put in it.

Base cars have MB TEX, No Leather, you can tell difference. Other deal is Leather on seating surface only.

Leather for 1650 buys you full LEather on seats, not sure on dash.

Dealers don't know anything, you can be looking at a car with full MB TEX, they still will tell you, no that's Leather. I know more about the cars than them, which is sad, as they supposedly went to seminars on it.
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