Nevada Jack

I don't know if I am the right buyer for the GL550 or the GL320.

I really don't buy a car for what it can do or whether it fits my requirements. I buy a car because I like the style and/or the features it has. I don't justify my purchases. I buy it because I want it...:-) When I shared my car buys with my wife, then there was more discussion, but if we both liked the car, then we bought it. We traded a 1958 Olds 98 Convertible for a Chevrolet Corvette in 1960 because we both liked it. It was a bad decision for our needs but we liked the car...:-)

I like the GL550 because I am used to the power in my S and know I will enjoy the engine/tranny match. Had the GL320 offered all the features of the 550, then I would probably have re-ordered one and adapted to the power adjustment. The more aggressive styling and the availability of ADSII were two things that I liked and reacted to the GL550.

It was probably a logical step for MB to build the GL550 for the US market with "bling" since they needed it for the competitive pricing slot in the line. They have produced the same car without the bling for the EU market for a year.

StevethePilot

Gordon,

I think that if you paruse the remainder of the MB lineup you'll see they've tried to stretch the market of most models. There's a diesel model of the GL, the ML, the R (shudder), and the E. There's two size engines on the "sport" version of the C, and a "Luxury" that's actually the smaller engine as well. There are three E's (four counting the wagon), even three S's. In fact, the only model with one engine size, style, and configuration is the G! So for each model that Mercedes can load up with toys, power, and bling, they're going to. It may not seem like a logical progression from the outside, but from the inside it's what Mercedes has always done. They present a model that turns out to be successful, and then press it into something even more luxurious. Yet it maintains that stoic German precision and engineering, and as different as the rides, trims, engines and styles are you can still tell, whether you're getting into a C230 or an S600 that you've sat in a Mercedes.

That's really what it's all about.

STP

Prefo

"where did you get the 10K difference in msrp ? number of 10"

Thanks to all for your comments.

I'm in Canada; MBZ Canada has a base MSRP difference of $10k between the 320 and 450. Here's the link if anyone's interested. http://www.mercedes-benz.ca/index.cfm?ID=5443

Another factor that has me leaning towards the 320 is the price of fuel in Canada. Premium Gasoline is ~ cdn$1.20/litre or converted ~ usd$4.50/gallon. Diesel is ~ cdn $1.05/litre or converted ~ usd$4.00/gallon. ....our lovely government levies more taxes on our fuel.

gmartin

We were going to buy a 450 from the 07 MY but couldn't find the right options at the time we looked (70 K SUV with vinyl seats?). The discount you get with the option packages on the 550 makes the engine upgrade cost minimal IMHO. My wife likes the aggresiveness of the new grill. We could care less about the Bling - which I feel is muted compared to the Denali and Escalade. That said I think the hp of the 450 is adequete and probably would have bought the 420 if it was available in the states.

sraj

Gordon,

I wasn't trying to be smart either, sorry if I came off that way. We actually came pretty close to buying a 320; my wife liked it a lot (it will be the family car primarily). However, she was not 100% convinced about diesel availability on some of the rural roads we drive to visit her family in southern MD. I didn't share this concern, but I drive a performance BMW sedan (2001 540i Sport) and I was not comfortable with the off-the-line performance of the 320. I have seen 0-60 times of 9.5 secs, which seems about right. Everything else about the car was spot on, so we tried to obtain a 2007 GL450, but it was late in the model year and we could not find one equipped the way we liked. We ordered a 2008 GL550, since the price premium for a 550 over a 450 equipped the way we wanted was minimal, and especially since the multi-contour seats are now available only on the 550. The extra power and styling changes were a bonus, since the 450 is plenty powerful. Having said all this, I do think that the 320 makes more sense for buyers who are not as concerned about acceleration as I am. It is beautiful inside and out, versatile, comfortable, luxurious, and obviously economical.

regards,
Raj

gordongl450

Raj, OK I understand where you are coming from.

Raj and everyone else, once again, thanks for the great discussion on this thread. All the points are well taken by me. We all buy stuff for complex reasons.

Gordon

Waiting-4-550

Can't believe there' snottiness even among MB owners.. ALL MBs ARE SPECIAL AND WORTHY OF RESPECT.. We don't need to get a 440K SLR for respect

sraj

Who was being snotty? I've reread the posts in this thread, and everyone offered their opinions in a civil manner. The original poster solicited these opinions; should we have sugar-coated our responses and thereby made them useless?

scottybdiving

After one week, I have driven the new GL 320 about 350 of the 800 miles logged. At the first fill up, it achieved 22.75 MPG. My ultimate goal has been realized by it's torquieness and that diesel feel that I have grown so fond of. It's response is more than addequate to my taste and the turbo-lag is acceptable. Maybe this comes from a long history of driving over-sized crew cab pickups, or as one friend nicknamed them "Urban Assault Vehicles". Of course this couldn't be further from the truth since all of my vehicles have seen extreme off-roads duty on an "almost daily" basis.

The ride is amazing for a vehicle in this class. I had it out in a 2" downpour yesterday. I experienced multiple chances for hydroplaning and it simply trudged through. I would willingly take it offroads and sling some mud with it, if it were not for a fear of getting something pinched off, of my person.

I tried the Nav system, plotting a course to a party within a gated community and it was able to give precised directions all the way to their entry. After passing through the gate, it was not able to direct me to the correct driveway.

I had hoped to post some photos since it is Arctic White and there hasn't been too many posted of that color. It looks bigger, kind of like white pants on a big a$$. Unfortunately, this totally freaky rainy weather pattern persists and I was not able to get photos. Maybe soon.

Prefo

[QUOTE=scottybdiving;2395383]I have driven the new GL 320 QUOTE]

Congratulations on your new GL 320. Thanks for sharing your experience. Looking forward to gettng mine in a couple of months. How long did you have to wait from the time your order was placed?

scottybdiving

[QUOTE=Prefo;2396541]Thanks, it has been a pleasure so far. I was on the verge of ordering one with a Jan '08 build. I started searching Houston, San Antonio, and DFW dealers and found one very near to what I was going to order. In fact it had a few things I probably wouldn't have ordered. I picked it up that week.

HoustonRider

the 320cdi fits my needs. I'm in South Texas and I drive 40k+ per year. the extra mileage is worth it to me.

Would I rather have the 550? sure, but not for almost $20k more. I'll just put the AMG 20's on my 320. lol

jpeardm

Wow, 40K miles a year, I guess the fuel savings will add up all right, MB should give you the 320 gratis as a reliability mule!

scottybdiving

It's amazing hom many miles you can put on a vehicle in Texas. I do about the same amount of miles / year. Unfortunately, they are in a C3500 with a Duramax and not in the GL 320. The upside is the 320 goes from our garage at home to the garage at the state capital every day and rarely gets exposed to the elements, unless I get ahold of it for a few hours. I can really get in trouble that way.

Good luck on your search.

HoustonRider

I'm in Corpus now, I cover 150 miles North and 150 miles South (about 36,000 square miles)... BUT, it should be comfortable in this car.

Speaking of search ScottyBDiving... I sent you a PM.

StevethePilot

It's almost (ALMOST) worth it for me to think about the drive between my house and San Antonio again, if just to go from my home to nearly Fort Stockton (maybe more?!) on one tank of gas. The one problem, of course, is where to buy a big brick and some bungee cords for the steering wheel so I can sleep between the two.

scottybdiving

Check out the top right hand corner of this page for your PM's. I sent the info you asked for. Sometimes your pop-up blocker will block the notice.

scottybdiving

Hey I haven't been through there for a while but I heard IH 10 is 85 MPH limit between El Paso and Ft Stockton. It would almost be worth it just to set that baby on cruise control at 85, and crank the Harmon Kardon.

HoustonRider

its actually 80 from Fredricksberg to El Paso.... 85 will get you a ticket

G55K

My wife has put 1000 miles on her GL320 and we love it. Best SUV we've owned. We test drove the GL550, GL450, and GL320 and decided to go with a loaded GL320. Up here at altitude the turbo diesel engine really shines. We get about 650 miles between fill ups.

Most diesel engines have a slight delay if you floor them off the line. Try pressing the accelator just to the soft stop point and you shouldn't experience any delay. I believe the hesitation has to do with the tranny ECU program. I also own a turbo diesel pickup and if floored from a standstill it will hesitate for a brief second. Give this a try and see if it fixes the problem.

StevethePilot

This soft stop point may be what I've tried to describe as "half throttle" here. But MB still has more trouble than anyone else, it seems, when it comes to tranny programming. I have the "latest" software in mine and at speeds below 50 or so, I have to tell it to shift to the highest gear. This has affected my MPG, which was my biggest reason for getting the diesel over the gas truck. Mind you, once the tranny and engine join hands in the torque band, it's a thrilling experience, but that's just a side benefit of all that low-end torque. Ounces per light year mileage is what I'm looking for.

Just glad I don't have Add-Blue technology on this beast.

STP

StevethePilot

SERIOUS? Five MPH over will get you a ticket? That's just un-American! Now here in parts of the great state of Arizona - that'll be The Grand Canyon State, or The Copper State depending on whom you ask - there are a few highways where the speed limit may be posted, but it's rarely enforced. I mean seriously, on I-8 between Gila Bend and Yuma, you're as likely to hit a crossing Camel as you are to find a dangerous speed. It's long, straight, flat. Hell, it's more dangerous to do the 75MPH speed limit for risk of falling asleep. Crank 'er up! It was on this stretch coming back from $an Diego where I tripled twice the school zone limit with the cruise control on and found out just what was used to tune the suspension. Like riding on a cloud - a well controlled, tight cloud, but a cloud nonetheless.

Stumblefoot

Man... those camels can sure be dangerous. I hear they don't just roll right off the vehicle like our elk do out here.

scottybdiving

Nevada Jack

Beautiful GL scottyb! Nice setting for the pics also...looks great in White. Enjoy in good health.