BeanCounter

I hate to beat a dead horse but let me get you guys right. You can price out a 2007 GL450 with the options that the GL550 has standard and it prices out around $71,000 to $72,000. Yet your sales people are telling you to expect the GL550 with its bigger engine, bigger wheels, chrome everywhere, inflation adjusted model year, and all of its other bells and whistles to come in around $75,000???????? I honestly don't see it, but if that $75,000 number is right I'll be getting on the pre-order list as well. Back when I ordered mine, my salesperson called me about two months into the process and said the 550's were coming if I would like to wait. I asked about pricing then and was told to option out a GL450 and add $10,000 or more to the price which is why I passed. Just my thoughts and again I hope you guys are right because at $75,000 for everything included that is a very good deal.......

Nevada Jack

+1000

oknish

Amen, BeanCounter. I would be surprised if 550 (minus any options) would sticker at 75K. My guess is closer to 80K and a fully loaded around 88K.

Sorry, Bob Stumble Barker Foot ;D

Stumblefoot

soccerg201 - Great to have you aboard and thanks for the price guess. I'll add it to the Price is Right game!

Stumblefoot

It is standard and order code is #214.

Stumblefoot

Ohhhhhh, silly, silly, oknish.

Please stop scaring the heck out of me with predictions like that.

oknish

What prediction??? That was a poem that I wrote all by myself

Stumblefoot

As you can see, only a couple of folks are thinking that it comes in less than $75,000. This is latest and greatest list of guestimates. We're going to see who's right soon enough.

BTW... Danno4x4 is the dark horse in this little competition with 78-1 odds if you're interested. Personally, my money is on Newbie 2 MB. I've got $100 on her with 3-1 odds.

1: Danno4x4 | 60,675.00
2: DaCeptakOn | 68,000.00
3: Waiting-4-550 | 75,409.00
4: dunderhi | 76,450.00
5: Newbie 2 MB | 76,600.00
6: soccerg201 | 77,254.00
7: oknish | 78,000.00
8: Stumblefoot | 79,000.00
9: cjh6793 | 79,825.00
10: grussel | 79,990.00
11: abcdef | 80,250.00
12: Taz0369 | 80,650.00
13: Dtextransplant | 81,795.00
14: jpeardm | 81,950.00
15: BeanCounter | 82,575.00
16: Nevada Jack | 82,576.50

Waiting-4-550

This is a great webpage... Such great info... I like my third place... Gotta remain optimistic... Can't really lose since in the end I get the truck... This brings to mind a good quote delivered by a very successful individual... "Those who always complain how expensive something is, never wind up owning that thng and getting the associated benefit." This applies to many aspects of life... So even if I pay 5K more than my guesstimate..... my venture gets me the car that I and my family get to enjoy.... Everyone following?

Nevada Jack

Call your broker...buy more Apple!

Stumblefoot

Roger that!

oknish

Yeah, nothing like driving the family limo, I tell ya. Especially, since 7 ride in comfort in GL.

Waiting-4-550

Oknish,

I'm not yet at middle life crisis state yet... As for now the idea of driving family seems real nice.. And boy could it be worse... I could be stuck in one of those disgusting minivans like the rest of the USA.. talk about having your manhood stripped. The GL550 is gonna be a nice way to keep it real with little compromise.. Sort of like guys driving Range Rovers- no feels bad for them...

Wolfgang

These are new ContiCrossContact UHP tires from Continental it seems, and were developed for Mercedes. Good on the tarmac but not so hot on snow or ice. Conti put out this overview:

mbslk350

I was heading in that unfortunate direction until the GL was introduced last year. Even test drove an Odyssey. Told the salesman it's nice for a minivan but sorry, I just can't do it. Now that I've got the GL, my minivan nightmares are over.

Stumblefoot

GL Fahrer -

Any thoughts on the post above for those of us in snow country? I obviously won't be able to utilize these tires if it's true.

GL Fahrer

However, the Cross Contact UHP tread on the GL550, has an "M+S" rated compund found on the GL450.

blittle

Well........I posted quite sometime back about this issue.......right now, there just is not an acceptable snow tire for the GL. MB "reccomends" the Conti Winter Contact tire for my size (18's) but Conti isn't currently manufacturing the tire in that size and load range. Even Nokian, the premium European winter tire manufacturer, does not have a tire in the 265/60 size. Yokohama has a tire with a more aggressive tread that DOES come in my size and seems to get good reviews as far as snow, etc. I may be going there........cuz I have dealt with the standard Conti 4x4contacts on previous vehicle and after about the first 10k miles their snow capability is next to zilch!

Stumblefoot

Thanks for the update and pic.

Wolfgang

Yes, it may take a while before more choice become available. I just added
a Blizzak DM-Z3 in your size here: http://www.whnet.com/4x4/wintertires.html

blittle

Thanks for the info......however, that Blizzak DM-Z3 is load rated 109 and speed rated T MB requires 110H tires in order not to invalidate warranties. I guess that's why they reccomend the Winter Contact 110H tire that you have listed just below that......EXCEPT that Conti. can't tell me when they are going to produce any!

dunderhi

I've heard this before, but I don't understand. Which warranty items does MB invalidate? I would think the tire manufacturer might void their warranty if the tire is misused, but I don't understand why MB would warrant anything related to tire performance. Going from 110 to 109 would mean a reduction in GVWR by 120kg. The GL has passanger & cargo weight limit of 550kg. So 109 tires would reduce that number to 430kg. The same goes for speed ratings. If you never exceed 106mph, then R rated tires will be rated safe enough for your driving style. Is this logic flawed?

As a side note for those whom it might matter, MB may care about the replacement tires if they don't meet OEM spec when it comes to lease turn-in.

blittle

I agree......the logic is not flawed, I certainly never plan to get close to the speed rating of 130mph of the 110H tires......but call MB Customer Service and that is what they say. They don't specify "what" would be invalidated. The other item to consider is that when I talked with Tirerack.com .... a major provider of tires.....they indicated that they would not provide any warranty for tires that are of a lesser load rating or speed rating than that required by the vehicle manufactuer, and, furthermore, their installers might refuse to mount such tires. So.....all in all, it is difficult IF you live in an area where snow tires might be needed. Again.....my biggest complaint is that it is nonsense for MB to be reccomending a "winter tire" that doesn't exist! This winter I may be traveling through as much as 10in.snow.......I would like a more agressive tread tire.

Wolfgang

I just added another one: Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3 265/60R18 110H 30.5"

blittle

Wolfgang....Thanks!

I believe you have found what I am looking for!!!!
This must be a new size as Tirerack does not list it yet, but, Dunlop has it listed on their site. I will be looking into this tire!