Well, i went to the dealer and sat with the sales manager and my salesperson while they called distribution. ALL DIESELS HAVE BEEN ON HOLD FOR QUALITY CONTROL-they are due to be released next week, but that's what the holdup has been.

I haven't fully digested what quality control hold might mean...ughh.

 

I read a post on BenzWorld who had his 320CDI quit with only 800 miles on it. Turned out to be a loose hose connection on some component so maybe that is the reason for the hold and they are checking other items as well.

 

Well, I'll accept that explanation only b/c i have been waiting so long. I would rather them keep it and check it than have it break down on me. I'm now dreaming of the car, which is not a good sign...everything but distronic and only a week away.........

 

See this thread on the BenzWorld forum...it may give you nightmares instead of dreams...:-)

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/gl-c...roblem-gl.html

 

Here is the reference to the CDI...the other thread relates to the 450...

Here is the thread on the 320CDI

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/gl-c...-problems.html

 

I spoke with my dealer last night. They have not received any March allocations for diesels out of Vance. No ML, R or GL. He said he's even having a hard time getting E diesels out of Germany. Said something about demand exceeding supply and that all the engines are going to the Europe market for March. Said that all dealers in the midwest have the same problem. (Maybe outside the midwest as well.) He claims that MBUSA promised some ML and GL diesel allocations for April builds.

Obviously, this doesn't impact models that have been built already and are awaiting shipment, but those of us waiting for build dates may have to wait a bit longer.

 

The lack of March allocations jives with my situation also...if there was a March available I would have been the one to get it. I have a build date of April 26th and verbal contact with the factory rep indicates it "should" be built on schedule as ordered.

 

Hmm... That is the build date of my GL320 as well. When I put my deposit in back in early December, the hope was that I would be getting a Feb car. Then it was pushed to March, then it was pushed to early April. Now the "firm" build date is April 26th.

I will keep an eye on your posts as well since it has the same build date.

 

I don't think there were many Mar builds at all and early April may fall into that slim build category also. I'll post if I hear anything and you do the same. Congrats on a great car selection...:-)

 

I'm wondering how you guys managed to get build dates. My dealer says he cannot even enter the order until he gets an allocation. And he has not yet received April allocations. But somehow you both got firm build dates for April. Did your dealers get April allocations?

I also put down a deposit in December.

 

Well my dealer must have a April allocation since my order has a PO#, has client ID info attached (me) and Distribution in Vance has indicated it will be completed on April 26th. Don't know what to tell you...if your dealer does not have April allocations.

 

I have been in continuous contact with 3 dealers this week. Two of them have no less than 2 April allocations each. The 3rd has used theirs and is attempting to trade for 2 with a 4th dealer.

FWIW, I visited one of the 3 dealers today and was told, on an aside, that Vance has ceased production of the R series! Could this have something to do with Vance being "stalled?" Are they reconfiguring to switch more production to the GL series?

 

Well, now I'm starting to wonder what's really going on with my dealer. He led me to believe that April allocations are not yet assigned. If you've already received your allocations and you have a late-April build date, I'm thinking I may not see my GL until June! Sound like I need to pay my dealer a visit.

Regarding the R...I know that MB has had a hard time moving them. They dropped the MSRP in 2007 by about $5000 as I recall. Maybe that wasn't enough and they have excess inventory. I considered an R320CDI, but just can't get past the exterior looks of that beast!

 

I don't have either an allocation or build date - I'm still negotiating. Part of my negotations include an anticipated delivery date and that's how I gained the info on the April allocations.

 

I totally agree with you. On paper, it's a great vehicle...but just so ugly! the GST Vision Showcar that the R-Class was based on was a good looking vehicle...too bad it didn't translate to production very well. I told a salesman it looked like a hearse, and he glared at me like I had called his mother a *****...LOL!!!

 

Appears the factory hold was on an accelerator nut. Don't know anymore.

Got this info from my service advisor who checked into for me while working on my issue with the hose clamp.

 

There is a TSB for the same. Stated something about checking to see if there were nuts inserted...field fix to check specific serial numbered vehicles w/ a notice that went out to owners I believe as well. It is on one of the user sites with a list of all the TSBs. It is rather new as well.

Thought I had the TSB and the site link, but I have neither.

 

This is about the week mine was built too. But it doesn't include the GL only ML and R


Jan 12, 2007 2006120008A http://www.whnet.com/4x4/tsb_164.html

 

[/QUOTE]FWIW, I visited one of the 3 dealers today and was told, on an aside, that Vance has ceased production of the R series! Could this have something to do with Vance being "stalled?" Are they reconfiguring to switch more production to the GL series?[/QUOTE]

This is not true. And is also a reason NOT to beleive everything a dealer will tell you.

 

That's my original quote, and I had no interest in an R series. I commented that he had none on the lot and that's what he said. I doubted that very thing this weekend when I saw a truckload of R's heading north! (I'm about 2 hours NW of Vance.) Now I wonder why he told me that?

 

My GL 320 is due to be delivered within a week. I only ordered it at the beginning of February, so I am at a loss to explain why I would get mine so quckly when compared to others who have been waiting so long.

 

Perhaps your dealer had a open allocation but based on going RED, it would seem that this is unlikely based of course on your options. Was your car pretty well loaded or did your dealer perhaps modify a order he already had a March build date for? That is really a quick build for a custom order...

 

i just took delivery of my gl320 last week; the dealer had a custom order still spec-able in mid jan, and we took that slot. throughout my constant updates w/him, i never once heard that my vehicle could be delayed and was actually delivered slightly earlier than expected.

 

Congrats on the new diesel! Also a lucky find with the January build still available...would love to see production pick up some for current pending orders...:-)