kenfried

Can anyone from personal experience compare the ride of the base suspension without ADS to the ride with ADS on the offroad package set to auto/comfort? I find the ride on the base GL450 just a touch floaty. Does ADS in auto/comfort mode make this better/worse/no change? No dealers in the Baltimore/Washington area have any GLs with the offroad package to test drive. A couple of salemen have told me that they thought the ADS made the ride firmer (in a way they didn't like), even in auto/comfort setting, but I can't trust their opinions as completely objective. Thanks for any input.

Stumblefoot

I unfortunately can't answer your question directly, because I haven't driven a GL with ORP. While the GL may seem floaty in auto/comfort, did you try in sport mode? I promise it feels exceptionally secure. Personally, I've never felt as in control of such a big vehicle like the GL feels in sport mode.

blittle

Well.....I'll give this a try. MY 450 has the ORP...............the only 450 I have driven WITHOUT the ORP was my test drive prior to ordering mine. I did not notice any difference between the two vehicles at slow to moderate speed. I found the test ride vehicle and my ORP equipped 450 to both be "floaty" but at the same time firmly "planted" on the road.....if that makes any sense! When I get mine up to cruise ( 65mph + ) I don't sense the "float" and feel very much in control of a. very heavy vehicle. Most air suspension cars that I have ridden in seem to have a feeling of "float" ..... most likely because that enhances the "luxury ride" quality............but the GL is a compromise.....it approaches the ride of the S class but its' bulk and SUV utility function require firmness and the ORP option takes programing a notch further. I don't bother with changing the "sport/comfort" mode..........I find that the computer makes the changes needed as speed and road conditions change. I have experimented with manually changing the sport/comfort settings at low speeds and honestly can't tell much difference. Somewhat long........but hope it helps

Nevada Jack

In the 550 it is hard to determine between Comfort and Auto, but in Sport mode there is no mistaking the firmness. I agree with Stumble and when on the highway use Sport mode almost all the time. If the road has concrete-itis, then I shift it to one of the softer modes to quiet the noise and make the ride more pleasant. I also use Auto when in the city to soften the ride over the rougher roads.

Stoneseller

I also have ORP on my 450, purchased from Herb Gorden's in Montgomery Auto Park. When I was looking to buy, there were no vehicles with ORP to be had anywhere in the DC, MD, VA region. I was looking for over a month. H.G.'s just happened to get one in at about the time I was ready to give up.

I don't notice a huge difference in mine versus the the non-ORP's I test drove. I concur with the other comments regarding the "floatyness" of the suspension. I came out of an X5 before my GL, and at first thought the GL was way too spongy. My opinion changed dramatically over the coarse of a month or so.
I actually leave my ADS set on comfort level almost all the time. I really like the ride this way. The handling is quite confident even at the most mushy setting. When I tighten it up by selecting Sport mode, the main difference I feel is more bumps from the road.

When I want to get real performance on corners, etc, I park the GL and go out in my E550, set to sport

jh87

Just drove my new GL450 with offroad package from North Califonia to LA, see my post https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-x164/217064-unable-find-off-road-package.html
With the sport setting, the GL has a close feel compared to my 2005 BMW 330i. Definitly feel more secure, espcially with hight speed passing on freeway. I was driving at 90-100 with confident control. The auto setting does have more floaty feel especially if there are several humps in a row, which made me a little bit nausea. I think I just get used to the BMW ride. Although I prefer the sport setting, I have to say the auto setting is better than I thought. I did not try the comfort setting on freeway.

soapy

I can tell the difference very easily on my GL with ORP in the 3 different modes. I leave it normal around town and on comfort for long drives unless I come to the twisties then it is in the sport setting.