Veho

Hie everyone, first post here..

Got my GL450 last week. white with black interior.
I took the appearance pack- the truck looks awesome- and got the P1 and P2 packages too. Rear seat entertainment. Basically fully loaded except for the air-suspension.

The normal suspension I have is just ok, not what I expect from a big and luxurious Merc.. The transmission sometimes changes gears pretty hard specially after braking in low speeds. The Sound system (Harman Kardon) is not what I expected and this was something I thought would have been great in this truck because my C350 Harman Kardon sound system is really really good. So I dont get it, why doesnt it sound as good in the GL... The Command is really good but i really like the central controller system the C merc has. I find it dangerous and clumsy to lean over and play with the command, the C merc system just works better and is A LOT more comfortable.
The parking radar should start beeping earlier and more frequently when you get closer to the obstruction. It should also turn the radio off so you can hear the beeping..

The goods about the car are:
It looks really good with the package I have. I like the appearance pack for 09 with the chrome roof railings and the new rims.
You get that luxurious feeling having a big benz and the interior is really nice. A lot of not only cool but also well working features in the truck. I love when I get in the GL, I just get that good feeling, you all probably know what I am talking about..
This truck seats 7 well! I am 5´11 and could sit in that third row for a long time, thats how roomy it is. For example, I cant imagine me sitting in the third row in a Escalade or Q7 form much more than 10 minutes after trying them.
Rear seat entertainment that they renewed for 09 works really well.

The C350 I have is unbelievable! I cant say one bad thing about the car!!! I can not see how much better they could make a car that size...

Just dont know, I was really excited getting this truck, maybe I had too big hopes cos I´ve been so happy with the C350.. I am happy with the new truck but not blown away... Nothing is BAD in the truck but I expected it to be great in many areas whereas it now is just ok..

Please comment if you have similar or different opinions!

Stumblefoot

Welcome aboard Veho and glad you like the truck.

Most of us still love our GL's, even with a few quirks here and there.

Enjoy the ride. There's not a better SUV imho.

StevethePilot

Welcome aboard and congrats on getting what we here feel is a really good SUV.

As for the disappointments, I've gotta ask (and this question really is not just for you but for several folks with a laundry list of things they don't like about the truck) - were you denied a test drive? Did you try the thing out before you bought it? Not that there aren't quirks and differences but some of the things some people don't like seem to evoke fairly strong emotional responses that surprise me, like you'd never sat in the truck before taking it off the lot.

Certainly I'm not saying we don't have a right to criticize the vehicle just because we've finalized the paperwork, and we all have some stuff we agree on (such as the pre-2009 COMAND system and its components being rather prehistoric) and there have been other problems (campaigns to replace parts, sub-par work on trailer hitches, etc) but simple driveability for an individual - well, it's just odd that you would've settled on a car that's clearly not up to standards.

I dunno, maybe I'm just being overly-protective of a truck I really like a lot more than a lot of other things I've owned.

STP

asg

I have yet to find a vehicle that I love 100% from the minute I take it home. There always seems to be something that bothers me. I keep looking for the perfect one, but I haven't found it yet. There are always compromises. I keep trying to improve on what they prodice for the masses.

Veho

Maybe my first post was a bit too negative.. I do like the GL very much but there are some things that I think could be better. I did test drive the Escalade, the Q7 and been onboard other trucks in the same class (tahoe etc.) I would still have the GL over every other SUV out there. However, that doesn´t mean the truck couldn´t be improved at some areas. To answer your question, I did not test drive the GL. I chose the truck because I have a long history driving different Mercedes cars and trucks and I think that they make the most comfortable and best cars. The GL was exactly the truck for my needs and it is great and as I said, I would choose it again! With the "negatives" I wrote earlier about I compare to other experiences I have with Mercedes. For example when I wrote that the soundsystem could be better I am comparing to my C Mercedes where the sound just is better. I do not think that the sound is bad, just that it could be a bit better.
Mercedes standard is high so even if i come to think of some negatives it does not mean that the truck is bad in my opinion. But as an example, I could not think of anything that I would want them to improve on the C350..

I am a happy owner, just wrote a review because I wanted to see if other people felt the same way or had different experiences. I am happy for every reply

StevethePilot

Never said that. What I said is it sounds like there are very basic driveability issued for several people, which I personally don't find to be true, but had I felt that way there's no way I'd have bought the truck. Ultimately, no matter what else a vehicle has for you, it has to be something you feel safe and comfortable driving and that experience shouldn't annoy you.

Is all I'm sayin'.

STP

StevethePilot

To quote my spiritual guru, "Zoinks!" That is not something I would ever do.

Of course! And every reply that you reply to improves your "status" with the forum. Before you know it, you'll go from "Newbie" to "Member" to "Fanatic!"

Anyway, it's interesting that despite the drawbacks you'd still get the same truck. I'd have to agree and even say that despite apparant improvements in a lot of areas, I'm sticking with my '07 and not going to an '09, even with the really great new COMAND unit.

STP

TV550

WHy can't any of the new 09 owners post some D$$% pictures? Please post pics of your new ride.

Veho

Anyway, it's interesting that despite the drawbacks you'd still get the same truck.

STP[/QUOTE]

You seem to be missing my point...

Veho

Here´s mine!

TV550

Thanks for the pics.

Are the tires runflats or regular?

How is the ride quality of the 20 inch rims?

How is the new navigation unit with graphics and user interface?

thanks

oknish

Awesome, Veho. I think you are the first one to post 09 pics. Would love to see more of the COMAND (in action) and RSE.

Great looking ride. Enjoy in good health as a wise man says

Veho

The tires are runflats. I complained about the suspension earlier but now that I think of it it might be the tires because in bigger bumps the suspension works well but in small bumps or road surface that has cracks it is a bit noisy and a bit hard... Not that it bothers me a lot but it is noticeable. I like the looks of the 20inch rims a lot. Does anybody have experience about the 21inch amg rims?
The navigation or the whole command unit with all its features is great! The only minus I give for the command is that it is hard to navigate thru different menus with the buttons. Doing that while driving is dangerous, i wish they would have a central controller for the command.

Veho

I will try to post more pictures later but I´m on a 9 day business trip right now so i´ll do it when I get back home..
About the rear seat entertainment I have to say it is unbelievable! I can play DVD in the front and feed both the back seat displays. I can also play a different dvd in front and have my guests watch a different movie in the back. And If the back seat cant agree on what to watch, I could put a dvd on in the front for lets say the back left side display while the right side puts on his/her own movie in the back dvd player.
Not bad.

oknish

A perfect example of the Germans knowing what we want better than we do

Where is the back DVD player located? And how many DVD slots do you in front?

Veho

It has six cd/dvd slots in front... and it is not in the glove box (read somewhere that it was there before..?) but the changer is built in the comand.

The back dvd player is located underneath the air conditioning control for the back seat. Neat.

ksdprasad

GL450 base also comes with Air suspension. the ADS package gives more config settings like comfort & sport.

Veho

Yes, sorry I should have wrote that.. I would have liked the ADS... I can still raise my car a few inches if I want to but the ADS would have been nice.