scottybdiving

Thank you NJ. There is a price to pay for all that green. Here it is Sept, and the stuff just keeps growing. I usually don't have to mow past mid July. This year we have had a ton of rain straight through summer.

Stumblefoot

ScottyB -

Thanks for sharing the pics and I've got to say, the GL looks fine and dandy in white. See the GL in all of these colors has been fun.

Enjoy mowing all of that grass. Hard to believe those pics were taken in Texas this time of year.

Just to freak everyone out, snow is supposed to come down to 8,000 feet tonight. It was in the 90's this past week and 73 degrees today, so I guess fall will only last 24 hours this year.

gordongl450

Scotty,

Great pictures, looks good, enjoy it. My wife and I have a Sand Beige GL320 ordered for a November delivery.

Friday I test drove a GL320 again (silver), just to make sure my wife and I feel that the 320 has adequate power and after another drive I believe it does. I feel good about the decision to get a GL320.

Good luck.

scottybdiving

I know, my little weather station has recorded 17.49" of rain since 6/1 for a total of 36.76". We were lucky, the night Marble Falls (15 mi away) received 18+ inches in 6 hours, we only received 0.5". Crazy stuff.

I love CO when it is snowing. I used to go there elk hunting every Oct, and it was much nicer when there was snow than not. I haven't been the last 8 years for various reasons.

Not sure what your wife has been driving but mine has fallen in love with the GL 320. Driving has became a pleasure for her. Of course she has been driving a diesel for the last ten years and the power and acceleration is equal to or better than what she had before.

Stumblefoot

If you ever want to hunt elk again, but don't want to hassle with tracking them, just pull up to my backyard and you can take as many as you like. See attached picture.

You can only imagine how many elk were in our backyard as this was just a small sampling of the many babies. We stopped counting at 40.

scottybdiving

What a beautiful sight. I can imagine that a heard of elk could do some damage. Thanks for the offer but I'm not that kind of hunter. When I hunt elk, it's on horseback and tent camping at 11,000 feet. No guides, just local friends that like to watch me pass out from the altitude.

It would take about 5 or 6 of these to make one of yours. Of course we don't hunt these. Although, they are still very wild, there is an unwritten rule that your not supposed to hunt deer that have names.

Newbie_2_MB

Beautiful pictures! The first time I saw a GL, I saw a white one and just had to know what that beautiful vehicle was. Looks great & hope you have many great miles of driving enjoyment

jpeardm

Stumble, I think up on your mountain it's really their backyard and you're just visiting.

Nevada Jack

What I would give to have that kind of animal life here in LV. In SC we backed up to a tidal pond preserve with an island (Deer Island) in the center. Used to watch the deer swim out in the morning for their rest and back in the evenings to feed on the flower beds. Was not as much a shutterbug then as now...was more interested in lowering my handicap...:-)

Stumblefoot

You are so right.

scottybdiving

I gathered from your posts that you were a shooter. This is one of my reasons for working. http://scottyb.home.texas.net/TCI%20...lery/index.htm

GL 4 her

Hi All,
Being a mom and future driver of an '08 GL 320 I thought this would be the place for my question, although it is off topic a bit. I currently drive an '04 toyota Sienna and I want to know if the power of the 320 will at least be comparable. I live in South FLA and drive the kids around - a lot. Sometimes I wish I had more power, but when I drive my husband's R500 it shoots me out too fast (hence a very exspensive ticket while driving his car.) I also like the idea of being a bit "greener" with the diesel engine. After waiting THREE months I'd hate to test drive it (there are never any in stock) and then switch to the 450. Anyway, can anyone comment?

HoustonRider

I don't know the comparison (power vs power) but with the diesel, you've got 400 ft lbs of torque that gets it moving pretty good. I just (about an hour ago) ordered my 320cdi, will be here next week.

I was concerned the diesel would be slow and heavy, but it got up and went pretty good for 215hp.. I have a 305hp Armada and I couldn't tell the difference in pickup (the MB was much quieter under full load).

Should I get the diesel or the gas? Same price... so, where do I save? I drive 30,000 or more per year. I'm gonna save $1500 a year (roughly driving the diesel (green or not).

scottybdiving

I would say "green to you". Congrats on the order. When is the build date?

We have had ours almost a month and 1400 miles. We live in the Hill Country west of Austin, TX. The drive home is 65 MPH through steep hills and curves. The diesel chugs along with all it's torque, and even on cruise control, it never even has to change gears. Unless you came from a sports car, I don't think you will be disappointed with it's power. You will really appreciate not having to fuel up for 500 - 600 miles.

We had the same problem test driving a GL 320. Try driving an ML 320. Although the GL is larger, I found the power and response pretty similar. They seem to be more widely available. We then test drove a GL 450 and were sold on the fact that we wanted a GL, but with the diesel.

gordongl450

GL 4 Her,

My wife has a 2007 GL 450 which we both love. But with stop and go traffic around our small town, driving my son around and running errands, she get sabout 12 to 13 mpg. Using premium gas with that kind of gas mileage is expensive, it just doesn't make sense.

We are changing to a 2008 GL 320 for the decrease in the cost of the fuel and the better gas mileage. It will save about 15 cents per gallon of gas (presently) and get 4 to 5 miles per gallon more mileage. We plan to keep this truck for a long time, so the savings are for the long term also.

We've had the GL 450 for about 5 months now, so we are used to it. We test drove GL 320's two times now and although the GL 320 is a little slower off the line, once you get to 10 to 15 miles per hour, you really can't tell the difference if you are a relatively conservative driver in terms of acceleration.

So you have all of the comfort, convenience and safety features of the GL 450, but in the GL 320 it just costs less to run. It makes sense to me.

Gordon

HoustonRider

Its already built, sitting on a lot somewhere, the dealer is having it traded to him from somewhere. I should have it next week ..

If you're buying for mileage only and you do 15,000 miles a year or less, the diesel is still a good deal, because of the mileage and the price is the same. Often a Diesel is $3-5k more and it only pays if you're driving a ton, or keep for several years. I look for the 320cdi to go up in MSRP over the next few years over the 450. Demand tells MB thats a good choice.

BlownV8

He must have purchased one that was already going through production and just happend to have the options/colors that he wanted. It takes around 2 months to order one and have it built assuming your dealer has the allocation.

oknish

Won't you have to chip in a bit to go to 08 from an 07? And is that cost low enough to justify savings on gas? Just curious.

StevethePilot

Not to mention the loss of several options going from Aught-7 to Aught-8!

I wonder how long it'll be before ULSD goes back down where diesel is supposed to be, cost-wise? I hate having to search high and low for fuel that's below super-unleaded prices!

STP

scottybdiving

The Duramax / Allison transmission option in my C3500 was $8395 MSRP. The Ford 6.4 Twin Turbo / 6 speed tranny option is $8685. The base vehicles come with V-8's. I was completely shocked when I found out that the GL 320 was actually cheaper than the GL 450. This goes against the grain for every diesel vehicle I have purchased over the last 25 years. Since I was in the market for a diesel and expecting to pay a premium, it was a no-brainer for me.

GL 4 her

Thank you, Thank you. I too am in stop and go traffic taking one of our four children somewhere throughout the day. That is why I wanted the diesel engine. I now feel a little less apprehensive about the upcoming delivery (end Sept.) and I look forward to driving it. I test drove the 450 and absolutely loved it.

Thank you for your many thoughts.

scottybdiving

GL 4 her, my GL 320 is actually her GL 320. We have been married 25 years and she has had a lot of nice vehicles. I have to say that I have never seen her so giddy and totally in awe of a car/truck as she is with this one.

oknish

Welcome to the forum, GL 4 her. You will find many thoughts here for sure. Some cogent, some meandering, some funny, and some . But you will see a variety of thoughts

jhcicco

Scottydiving, I can relate to your situation. In the 35 years that I've been married, I've only gotten one new car of my own - F150 truck. My wife has claimed all the other new ones; I get hers when we replace the older 2nd car. She will get the GL 320 until I have to replace the F150, then the GL will come to me and she'll probably get another E (however, my kids are betting that my wife will want another GL once she gets used to driving it.

gordongl450

oknish,

Regarding changing from the 2007 to the 2008 and added cost versus the savings of a diesel. You are correct and observant in asking that question.

I have a little bit of a unique situation that may make the change more cost effective.

First, when we were shopping for a GL in January of 2007 I wanted to know about the diesel then. Our small dealership was clueless about them, no experience with them, no knowledge and therefore no enthusiasm to sell one. So we ordered a GL450 and got it 3 months later.

When our GL arrived it was NOT the way we ordered it. If fact it was NOT the one we ordered, it had a different PO number from the one we ordered. The details of the order problem are controversial, MB-USA called it an "electronic glitch" but our dealer could see that someone at the regional level had released our PO number to another dealer weeks earlier and then sent a replacement for us that did not have the Bi-xenon headlamps as we ordered. However, we accepted the vehicle.

Obviously our dealership feels terrible. So the bottom line is they are going to give us maximum trade-in value on the 2007 and they will give us maximum discount on the 2008. At that point there will still be a cost differential to me. There is a slight chance that the regional manager will cover that cost differential to the dealership, so the upgrade will be cost neutral to me.

However, nothing is in writing, the final numbers are not worked out and I am not holding my breath. It will probably cost me something.

Our delivery date for the GL320 is in November, I will tell the forum what happens.

Thanks,
Gordon

Gordon