Hi all,

I have been lurking here for some time reading and learning. Like many of you, I like to do my research and hope to make the best choice for my needs. I find myself looking for a more spacious vehicle, it has to be AWD/4WD and I want a premium brand that has sufficent goodies to keep me happy. Examples are HID, Keyless Go, backup camera, heated leather, DVD NAV and entertainment, rear climate control, capable of towing 5000+....

Earlier, I had narrowed my potential choices down to a GL, the new LX570 and the QX56. The GL series seems to offer the most of what I am looking for, but it does it with a price penalty. I then started to look at the LX570, since my wife already drives an 07 Lexus and the dealership has been a pleasure to deal with so far. I can tell you right now, the central controls look rediculous, and the rear third row seats are a deal breaker for me. I still can't figure out why they can't be removed or fold flat in the floor for so much money? I drive the current body style Pathfinder LE from Nissan. It fit the bill for us 3 1/2 years ago when we bought it. We have three teenage kids, but at the time they were younger and smaller. Having the third row for family trips equated to a good spread so everyone had thier own space. Now that two of them are well over 5' tall, the thrid row is a torture chamber.

The QX56 seems to have a lot going for it in terms of size on the inside, but the size on the outside concerns me. I really don't want to drive a truck that large every day. The price also makes me consider it over the GL, since I can fully load the Q and still not hit $60K. Did any of you seriously consider the QX and what ultimatly nudge you in the GL direction?

Anyone with Teenage kids? I would love to here from anyone that has more than two and need to use the third row for family trips. I sat in the back of a GL550 and thought it had good room for an adult sized person, but the back of the QX was huge in comparison.

I love the packaging size of the GL, and can see myself using it after the kids have left for school in a few years. I can't see myself driving the QX56 after the older two head off to school. It just seems huge.... did I say that before?

You may have noted that I keep refering to the GL as just that; the GL. I still havent; made up my mind as to whcih one I want. Like many of you, I still struggle why MB doesn't allow more option choices to be used across the range. Idealy, I would love to have the GL550 style and interior with the CDI engine and the Off Road Pkg only offered in the 450. This kind of stuff drives me nuts! A loaded GL450 is what gets me as close to what I want, but even then you still lose out on some of the great things the GL range has to offer.

Thanks for your opinions and I look forward to hearing any experiences you can share.

Rob

 

Not for a nanosecond.

 

If your long distance travels are mostly with you, your wife, and three kids, then I think you'd have no problem with the GL. Two the front, two in the middle, one in the back. The third row is more than enough room for one 6' tall person.

 

When I first considered the purchase of another SUV (coming off of a '03 GMC Suburban), there was nothing that crossed my mind other than the GL (OK, maybe the ML for a moment at the request of my wife who thought there was a huge $ difference).

We have had MB in the garage since 2000, and there is nothing I've driven or rode in since that gives me the combined level of comfort and safety than MB. It's like fine wine, once you've tried the finest, it's hard to drink anything else.

I'm sure the QX is a fine vehicle, but is it directly comparable? Call me a snob, but how do most existing drivers of MB shop for a new vehicle? Price, prestige, comfort or safety? IMHO, MB and other fine motorcars are comparable at the subjective level (comfort and prestige, maybe safety) and not at the objective level (price).

 

Thank you for the replies.

Based on the responses, maybe I am out of my league in this endeavor. I would love to shop with an open checkbook and go straight for the object that will bring me the most pleasure, but I can't just do that with a clear conscience. Maybe it was the way I was raised, but I do find it difficult to part with so much money on a depreciable asset. I'm sure many of you are able to shop for cars, homes, and luxury items with out giving it a second thought. If this describes you, then I envy the place you are in your life. I'm sure I will be there some day, but obviously I'm not there yet. The difference between $60k and $80k is huge right now. Both are obtainable, but one sure hurts more than the other.

I really do appreciate the information and I understand about the subjective differences that you get when you purchase the best. I am sure a trip to drive both back to back would open my eyes even quicker, but my home town doesn't have both dealers. I do plan on traveling to a larger market that will allow me to experience them both in the near future. I apologize to those who feel I have unjustly compared the vehicles. For me, both are premium brands and would appear to fulfill my family’s needs.

I would be interested in hearing more if anyone is willing.

 

You may want to look at low mileage used GL's that have been certified. That way, you will avoid the initial high price and depreciation hit. Not to mention, you will have a 100,000 mile warranty to boot.

I've read about many isues with the QX. Many owners are saying they are a POS. I like the way they look and have great room but I'd be afraid of owning a lemon.

 

It looks hideous and too much like that Armada or whatever its called from Nissan.

 

There is absolutely no reason for you to have to apologize.

 

I replaced a Nissan Armada with the GL450. My brother also has the QX56.

It was a bit bigger, mostly in width and the second row, I find my three kids with car seats struggle a bit more getting past each other (kids are 8,6,4 yo).

The Nissan/Infiiniti were feature rich for the money, but lack the fit and finish of the mercedes, both inside and out. At the time I tolerated it for the size, but I am glad to be back in the mercedes.

I also like the more "car-like" ride of the GL. Smoother at speed.

I also like the no brainer AWD for my wife. I used to run the Armada in 2wd for a bit better gas mileage, but she would not know to flick it to auto or 4hi in bad weather.


good luck shopping.

dr dave

 

CCROB, you mentioned you would like to have a diesel. Well, I also was looking for a diesel SUV and when I found one, it had a MB attached to it. This is my 1st MB and the price probably would have been outside my comfort zone if it were not for the good resale value of my previous diesel, a Ford Excursion. Paying 1/3 down made payments a lot more palatable.

 

ccrob,

you're maturity and upbringing will make the correct choices.

The reason I chose the GL was for safety reasons. I used to own low-end vehicles like a Passat (though I felt extremely safe in them). But vehicles priced at this range have reasons for being an envy of many out there. We in this community are fortunate enough to be able to afford them. My wife and I are physicians and our profession makes it quite easy to spend for safety reasons. I personally was not raised to splurge even if we had the means to do so. We live in a small home and take ample vacation to maintain sanity at our work. But we chose this vehicle because of near death vehicular accident which I do not wish to enclose. Though large SUVs like the Ford Excursions, Hummers and Escaldaes have been some of our choices and all mentioned can provide ample protection from a collision, they cannot provide the satisfaction of driving in a straight line when we over correct in situations where others cannot maintain control. The GL provides luxury and the comfort of driving an MB. What stands out is the satisfaction of being able to return home to a family intact and safe.

 

rob - you have to do what you have to do and only you can be the best judge of that. Opinion on this site will be biased (did I say that before ).

I, so far, have not seen a lot of discussion here on comparison between GL and QX, FWIW.

 

Yeah, not really much mention of the QX56 as oknish noted. Only a couple of threads:
https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-x164/130960-gl-vs-qx.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-x164/144412-opinion-q56-vs-new-gl.html

I remember around '05-'06 I had a short review (first impressions as I messed around with it at the auto show, didn't drive it) of the QX56 written out but I lost it and never felt like rewriting it.

 

In general, I think the QX is a great SUV. But…..while I don’t take Consumer Reports as the bible, the QX was their single least reliable vehicle 2 years in a row. I can’t ignore that the way I took a little chance with MB’s less than stellar reliability.

The QX is getting a little older now. Like you, I’m fairly well off but not rich. So, if I’m going to spend that kind of money I want something pretty up to date. Three years ago, I was more impressed with the QX. It’s barely changed since.

The engine, like a lot of truck engines, has a lot more torque than horsepower. This tends to make them ‘run out of breath’ at higher speeds. So they don’t accelerate say from 70 to 80 or 90 that well. My GL 450 is great at this.

Finally the QX dashboard, aside from the wood, seems a little cheap.

You mentioned features. I think a certain amount of features are nice. But, I’m sure I could have gotten more per dollar somewhere else. What impresses me more is the execution of most of the features and the vehicle as a whole on the GL.

 

NO, not really. I've got a bud who's a realtor and drives the QX because it's big and pretty roomy. And it has a killer nav system, like all the Jap cars do.

But I don't think it is in the same league as the GL, X5, or new LX.

The nav is great. GL's nav sucks. Wish I could have gotten the GL with PII without nav, since the NUVI is so much better and cheaper.

 

You basically answered your own questions. The owners of the GL have reached a financial level where buying a GL is a no questions asked type deal financially. If you can only afford a QX or other brand you must do what your budget allows and not shop for a MB or consider the GL until you can do so in the future.

If I could not get the GL I would go for the Sequoia, QX, MDX etc and not even put the GL in the equation.

 

We've talked a great deal of leasing on this forum... I am a huge fan of leasing a depreciating asset. Especially for business sake. (here come the nay-sayers!) That aside, a lease brings the payments down quit a bit...MB has some pretty attractive offers going now.

But you are correct in that MB buyers have reached a point in their life where it's time to spoil ME!

 

Thanks for all of the great opinions and advice.

Here are my concerns: I would love to have the GL, and I'm sure I can find a way to buy one. Experience has taught me that I need to buy new; every little ding, scratch and/or blemish on a vehicle is painful for me. Owning/buying 4 new vehicles out of the the last 5, I found out the hard way that I really need to buy new rather than used. I do like the thought of the reduced depreciation on my part by purchasing a certified preowned, but it will surely come with mental anquish on my part.

I've never leased a car before, and this may be the first time I have truely considered it. But for the GL I would only consider buying it. The QX I would lease for these reasons: I know I don't want to drive it for more then 3 1/2 years. When the older two kids leave the house, I don't want to drive a vehicle as large as the QX. I suspect the price of gas will go up, and demand for a vehicle like this will slow. I really don't want to get to the end of 5 years of payments only to find I can't get rid of the QX or have very little value left. (let the dealer have to figure it out after it is turned back in) Leasing makes a lot of sense for me on this truck, I don't have to be so **** about every little scratch or blemish. And lets face it, with three kids, this vehicle is going to get some serious use.

I could see myself being happy with the GL for 5 years. But even then, I doubt it would be much longer as I too like to have the latest and greatest. When I look at the leases on the GL, they don't make much sense to me if I plan on keeping it more than 39 months. But it doesn't make much sense to buy it and keep it no more than 5 years either. Yeah, I get way too wrapped up in my purchases. The only wild card woudl be the GL320, there seems to be a greater chance for higher resale value at the end of 5 years.

Part of me struggles with this too: the reverse snob factor. My wife and I have been fairly successful, and have a wonderful life. We have a beautiful, large and well kept home. We have very nice and safe vehicles. Our children are very smart and well behaved. Both of our families started from very humble beginings. My wife grew up on a very small ranch in western Nebraska. They had very little money, actually, they were poor. I'm all but poor white trailer trash, (once removed) My family moved from Kentucky to Utah and were slaves in the coal, uranium, and salt mines. (no joke) Both my wife and I have strived to obtain more than we could ever think of as children. Our siblings on both sides have been successful too, but none of them have a Lexus parked in a three stall garage of a manison. That's what they call our house, but it really isn't. Does adding a MB in my garage really send a negative message? I doubt the Infiniti sends quite the same message as it really is just a chromed Nissan. I justified the Lexus as just a semi-expensive, little foreign car; I can't justify (in my mind) telling our families that the GL550 beast sitting in the driveway is anything other than an automotive masterpiece. Does that make sense to anyone?

Thanks all, I still have plenty of time to decide before our trips start this summer.

Rob

 

Rob...try and delete all the social factors effecting your decision and it is not necessary to apologize or explain anything or any part of your life or position it in.

The GL is only another car in your life and if you like it and it fits your needs (or wants) and you have the resources to obtain it...then write the check and enjoy it until the next model or brand strikes your fancy. I happen to be a brand loyal Mercedes fan so the decision is pretty easy for me when the time comes to try something new. I realize others like yourself study the market and look at all the factors before buying. There is nothing wrong with either buying process since in the end, if we made a mistake we can correct it with another order. Expensive sometimes but life is short so enjoy the "ride"...and I mean that literally...:-)

 

IMHO, when you have an MB in your garage for more than 3 years, it's not a "trophy". It's a motorcar. When an MB looks and runs in 3 years as it did upon delivery - it's achieved it's masterpiece place in life.

 

Beautifully stated! Should be the title page on a MB brochure...:-)

 

This is funny. I struggled with this a bit. I’ve owned a few cars that were not particularly attractive and none were the least bit trendy, but they were usually fun and/or useful to me. In other words I’m not known for caring what other people think.

So it’s ironic that last year, although I was totally in love with the GL, I’d convinced myself to buy a Denali XL because of what people might think of me getting a Mercedes. Maybe it’s that Lutheran family history coming through. If it hadn’t been for the GMC dealer taking too long finding a Denali with non-retracting running boards, I wouldn’t have had time to clear my head of that stupid decision. I’m convinced I made the right choice. There’s simply more than the $10k worth of extra truck in the GL. And thankfully my mom didn't say "What the heck were you thinking!!!"

 

Don't let social factors affect your decision. Now go call Greg Weiler at MB Westminster and he will take care of the deal.

 

This was the only reason we replaced our 2000 GMC Yukon XL. Diesel is what attracted us to MB and now we are hooked. I did look at Infinity's large SUV,, but to me it was in no way an upgrade from our GMC Yukon XL and the gas mileage was similar. Beleive me, we actually struggled with our decision to buy GL 320 CDI, because the wife really liked extra room Yukon XL provides. Now that we have the GL we will never go back to any other large SUV

 

Funny you should post that, as I struggled with the same thing. My wife and I are both from small-town humble stock, but have enjoyed relative 'success' by today's societal metric. We live in a modest house in a mid-range neighborhood, and try to be practical about our decisions. We enjoy our good fortune through sharing fine food and wines with friends, a little travel, and the knowledge that our children will have access to the best education we can find for them.

Stay with me, there's a point to this...

We've always tried to find the minimum that will suit our needs, with some minor allowance for 'fun' or 'pampering ourselves'. In anticipation of our first son being born, I sold my '01 Pathfinder (worst vehicle I ever had) and got into a Volvo XC70. I wanted something that was Übersafe, but also combined utility, AWD, and moderate towing capacity with fuel efficiency. I also started to feel the desire for something nice and comfy, with some 'je ne sais quoi'.

The XC fit the bill perfectly. Understated luxury, great fuel economy, tows 3300 lbs, European feel, and safe as a Volvo. I loved it so much, when the lease ran out I flipped it for another. Then....

Number two is on the way, and guess what? The Volvo won't take two car seats (today's car seats are HUGE) with my seat all the way back. Trouble.

Armed with the same needs, I went looking for a car. So-called 'domestic' offerings weren't in the cards, so my search was limited to Volvo, Honda, and Toyota. My experience with the Pathfinder precluded any Nissan products entering the race.

The search was easy, because what I need comes in two forms - SUV (cringe) and minivan (cringe cringe). I was sad.

Then I saw the R-Class, and my dreams came true. I hadn't considered Mercedes, but it was hard to argue with the R as the ultimate family car. Diesel!! Yes!! Awesome interior!! Yes!! Luxury!! Yes!! Towing!! No!! What? No. No towing. None. Never. Verboten. You have to be kidding me, right? No sir.

Depression set in. I saw a Toyota Sienna or Honda Audacity in my future. I'm a long-distance motorcycle guy, and I told my wife that I needed at least two new BMWs to offset the van. Minimum. Maybe a dirt bike as well. A big one.

Days were long and fitful, and evenings were stained with red wine as I pondered my new reality. Then one night, I bolted upright in bed. Do the Mercedes SUVs come in Diesel? I donned my housecoat (to prevent the unfortunate visual for y'all) and ran to the computer. Sure enough, the ML and GL came as 320s, and the fuel consumption was better than my Volvo.

A few test drives later, and I decided on the GL320. As far as I'm concerned, the incredible utility, combined with the miserly - relatively speaking - fuel consumption is beyond comparison at this time. The fuel thing isn't about the money - we don't use our dryer either, but it isn't because we can't afford the electricity - it's about the reality we face with our outrageous emissions, and the waste.

So, that was a long-winded hijack on how I came to the GL decision. Thanks for listening, I think I need to pour a nice glass of Crôzes-Hermitage

On the QX, well, my dislike of Nissan products notwithstanding, I find that all, and I mean all, Japanese products have no soul - especially when compared to the Europeans. I've been a Toyota / Honda fan since age 16 - and that's more than 30 years. I have owned several of each marque, including a beautiful LandCruiser and a sporty Acura - but they just don't do it for me anymore. They're either dead boring, or look like gaudy toys you'd give some giant kid to play with. The interiors seem cheap, and their option packages can border on absurdity.

Bottom line, ccrob, do whatever feels right for you. Look at your needs and desired, and damn the torpedoes. On a more melodramatic note, in my business, over the course of my career, I've lost friends with alarming regularity. We only get one kick at our time on this little blue sphere, so don't waste it. You only regret what you didn't do.