cablvr

I've had 2 merc in 8 years, both S class. We have found the hood ornament to be a guide for the front of the vehicle when parking. Is it possible to replace the flat MB emblem on the GL with a star ornament? Has anyone found it difficult to park without the star? Will Parktronic eliminate the need for this guide. TIA.

MoTorque

The Parktronic works very well.
I do too like to use the star as guidance for the front of the cars that have it, but in this case the hood ornament will clash terribly with the large one on the front grille IMO.
I think that installing the hood star calls for replacing the front grille with a less louder version (i.e. S550).

cablvr

Mo,

Excellent point about the grill. The 320 grill is not as pronounced as the 550, but I agree the star hood ornament would clash.

Stumblefoot

cablvr,

I've never owned an MB before, so I guess I don't know what I'm missing with the star! Anyway, I've been able to park the front just fine without it and parktronic works as advertised.

Glad to see you're just a few weeks from gettin' your GL. You're going to love it!

StevethePilot

Think aiming reticle on an old iron-sights WWII fighter jet. It used to help me decide if I was going to nail the pedestrian dead-on or just deliver a glancing blow.

Stumblefoot

Now I get it!

ReachWest

Parktronic is fantastic. I've had a couple of older MB units with the star and I don't miss it.

My only fear with Parktronic is that I become too dependant on it!

emayer

Miss the star as well but I admit the parktronic works great.

A couple of years back my father pulled onto the the shoulder of the Autobahn to have me straighten the star after it was hit by road debris! Guess he couldn't center the car without it...

oinick

Parktronic works great, especially in reverse with the back up camera. It does make you dependent on backup sensors. I am uncomfortable now when I drive a car without it.

ima55r2

I've had the MB standing star ornament with a 1/4 turn locking feature accessed from under the hood. The GL has no hole in the hood framework under the emblem and maybe no hole in the hood itself to make it work. The stock flat star is probably taped or glued.

Nevada Jack

I agree with all the comments above. I had a problem determining where the front of the GL was but with practice and the Parktronic it is second nature now.

When the car wash would not get the star straight on my other MB's thru the years I would go nuts until I got home to correct it...it drove me nuts to see the star misaligned...:-)

oknish

So far, sheer luck is keeping me from ruining bumpers on wife's car.

jhcicco

NJ,

When you sit in the driver seat and look out the front windshield, where the hood disappears - that's the front of the GL.

Glad to help you find the front of your GL.

Nevada Jack

Ah-ha....now I understand...:-)

chilledbenz

A couple years ago I hit a deer with my 00 ML and when they replaced the hood I asked for the old emblem. Its still the same emblem on the GL, its plastic and has two "pins" in the back, look almost like rivets. It could be that its just riveted onto the hood because you can't get to it from the under side. The thought did cross my mind to swap out the current emblem on the hood of my ML for the Star, but realized from looking underneath you couldn't get to it like on the sedans.