Trodas

Hi there,


Im currently driving an 07 GL320 with 26k miles..Ive been offered a great deal on an 09 550..Any thoughts on this?? Thanks in advance!!

MB Fanatic

if u can get a great deal take it. one of the most amazing SUV's out there.

Trodas

What are your thoughts on resale value??? You think one will be better than the other?? Also what kind of life expectancy do you expect out of your tires on the 550??

Kar don

what kind of "great deal" have u been offered? U can use PM if you'd like.

StevethePilot

It's a luxury SUV. Even without the current gas prices, you'll lose a huge percentage of value before the ink dries on the contract.

Trodas

I agree with that STP, but they are both considered luxury suv, so im asking between the two which one does this forum think will hold better resale value??
Also again any experiance about life expectancy on 550 tires??

lkchris

Should be obvious the diesel will retain better value.

I bet your dealer is licking his chops as he'll be rid of a hard-to-sell model and have in return one he can make some money on pretty easily.

StevethePilot

As for resale value, choosing between the two based on that requires a certified working crystal ball. You might end up with more actual cash on a given day for the 550 while still losing a larger percentage of value because it costs that much more to start with. You might find having a diesel to be an asset or a liability. Having the top lux truck does hold more promise as an asset, but how much more? And at what age?

As for tires lasting longer on a 550 or shorter, based on the engine I'd say shorter. But it's the tire more than the model of the car that'll determine wear life, as well as driving habits. Taking it on high speed cruises? More wear. Improper inflation? More wear. Skid pad turns? More wear. However, the '09 550 will have a spare, where the '09 320 will not.

Danno4x4

I concur with the others... The diesel by far... As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the 550 and the 320 are nearly equal in resale after only 2 years.

They should last about the same as the crappy michelin or continental tires that come on the 320, but of course that depends on how aggressively you use them and how well you take care (read: rotate) them.

XRAYAMG

what kind of deal were you offered?

Trodas

Right now a 25k mile 320 is bringing low 40s at auction..the 550s were bringing mis 70s till the 6k rebate from mercedes and thean they still brought 68+ at auction..but the 6k rebate is only for 08 leftovers...so om wondering the 09s will be in the mid 70s again...the 550s had around 15k miles on them when they ran thru auction...Apparently the 550s are being shipped thus the stronger value on them

dieseldoc

Diesel is a better option on resale especially if you plan to hold onto it. There are very few on the resale market. Your dealer is hot to get his hands on your diesel.

BlownV8

I don't know. I'm a big fan of the diesel but, so far from what I've been reading, they have been far less reliable than their gas siblings. Not to mention, when you factor the cost of diesel, the savings from the more efficient engine is pretty much offset in the crazy high cost of diesel in the US.

StevethePilot

Eh, I don't know about that with the cost. I think that given the math, you're looking at a net savings, mile over mile. Not as big of one as it used to be, surely, but someone else here was actually doing the math and the 320 is (if I recally correctly) about 20% more efficient than the 450. Considering gas prices at about 15% under diesel still (thank you environmentalists and boutique ULSD fuel), that's still a 5% net. I think it gets even better against the 550.

If you go in for that sort of thing.

BlownV8

I just checked the diesel vs gas prices in my area. Gas vs diesel, lowest price to lowest price, had diesel at 20% more costly. If you compare the highest price diesel to highest price gas, Diesel was 28% more expensive. At best it was a wash but if you are not careful the 320 will be the more expensive model to fuel. At least, it would be in my area.

I actually had a 320 on order but I picked up a 450 that was less than two months old, a 100,000 mile warranty, and a $10,000 discount off MSRP. I did the math and it would have taken me 15 years to make up the difference between the 450 and the 320. Comparing side by side and given the same options, if you shop for fuel, the diesel will be the less expensive fuel. If you live in Canada, there is no doubt the diesel is the way to go since their diesel is not taxed as high as ours.

Given the issues the diesel owners have been experiencing, I feel comfortable I made the right choice. I'm not knocking the diesel but some of the 320 issues, others have shared on this forum, have been very eye opening. Will the problems disuade me from trading mine in on a 2009 320? Maybe.

Trodas

Personally i havent had any problems with my 320, its been flawless, my wifes on the other hand had a tranny replaced at 19k miles, they say it must have been a fluke thing...what other problems are you talking about???

StevethePilot

I'd say you absolutely, unquestionably made the right choice.

As for finding the prices that make a difference, I know it will sound cheesy but driving a few miles more for a bigger savings in fuel is more worthwhile in the 320 with its better mileage than in, say, a V10 Excursion. (Which might be a non sequitor but I've got one of those, too.)

STP

StevethePilot

There have been one or two issues; first, like many others here, I had a turbo hose blow off. Twice. (Three times? I forget.)

Then there's the crankshaft sensor which had to be replaced. It would cause a complete shutdown of the vehicle.

And then all models have had liftgate issues. Most were minor but still a huge annoyance in a top-end European luxury vehicle.

Somewhere around here is a link to a list of service issues (and recalls?) on the 320. Kind of a big list.

TV550

Plug in your cost of diesel vs gas on this website and diesel still saves you money big time over a 550 or 450. www.fueleconomy.gov

lkchris

There are zip/zero diesel reliability problems.

Replacing a sensor before it fails is not a reliability problem.

I had zero problem with the intercooler hose, too, but I have a new one.

Those two, BTW, are the only diesel-specific recalls and any diesel you can buy now will have those things fixed so it's no longer an issue.

The biggest problem with the diesels is that they don't match as smoothly to the 7-sp transmission, but it's a driveability not reliability problem.

Anything else on the mysterious "list" applies to all models.

It's not really the point, the point being the diesel is only $1K more than the 450 and will return that in a heartbeat with much greater resale value. The original poster is fixing to get raped by his dealer.

Trodas

IKchris..much better resale value??? My 320 was a 69500 vehicle...Now its low 40's.......And my salesman showed me manhein auction numbers, so they are real numbers not fabricated....The older school diesel, i agree with you they held great value, but that was when diesel was cheaper than regular,, now diesel cost more than super, 50-60 cents more

Fifth Ring

Chris:
Sorry to jack this thread, but I was just in your region (ALBUQ, Santa Fe, Durango) and was stuck driving an awful Dodge Grand Caravan. I was wondering how my wife's GL320 would have dealt with the altitude and the steep climbs. I know that in a gasoline engine, turbos make up for the lack of oxygen at altitude. Is it the same with diesels?

PS: To return this to the point of the thread -- we've had the 320CDI for about 4 months now, and it has been literally flawless. I cannot even invent a complaint (other than not liking the brake pedal feel).

PPS: I think the diesel resale advantage will come when (if?) diesel fuel prices drop, and as more and more manufacturers bring diesel engines into the US. It already appears that the demand for the GL320 exceeds the supply. We had to order ours.

dmfick

You are incorrect on 320 resale value - my dealer also showed me Manheim when I just traded in my 18K mileage '07 320 on my new '08 320, and they gave me $52K for it. Couldn't wait to get his hands on it - and I saw why when they resold it for $59K one week later (MB Annapoils)

dmfick

Stev, you are a great resource on this board, but I think you are hanging onto initial year teething issues your problem and others had. I had a mid-year '07 320 and it had only one issue - and it was never a problem for me - the crankshaft sensor - I was not under the recall, for hoses, which only affected early 320 buyers, although it took MB two tries to get it right. None of the other issues cropped up. I now have an '08 and have not hand a reason to take it back to the dealer except tire rotation and Service A. I watch these boards closely and have not seen a single recurring problem on and '08 320 diesels. Please correct me if you have seen otherwise. My 320 is by far the best vehicle of any kind that we have ever owned.

Trodas

You just now traded it in????..within the last two weeks???