considering a GL
07-10-2010, 07:42 PM
#1
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Location: NY
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2010 E550 4matic, 2008 MDX, 2011 335i Vert
considering a GL
Hi all. Purchased my first MB last year (E550) and now considering a GL350 or 450 as a family car to replace an Acura MDX. Several questions:
1) is the 3rd row usable for adults and child seats?
2) for those that have the diesel - have you ever had problems finding a station that has diesel? (I am in NY)
3) For those that have test driven both V8's - is the 550 that much better than the 450? For my sedan there was no question between the E350 and 550....but I question whether its worth paying up for the extra liter in this case.
4) Any reliability/durability issues? This thing will get the s--t beat out of it by a pair of toddlers.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
1) is the 3rd row usable for adults and child seats?
2) for those that have the diesel - have you ever had problems finding a station that has diesel? (I am in NY)
3) For those that have test driven both V8's - is the 550 that much better than the 450? For my sedan there was no question between the E350 and 550....but I question whether its worth paying up for the extra liter in this case.
4) Any reliability/durability issues? This thing will get the s--t beat out of it by a pair of toddlers.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
07-10-2010, 08:17 PM
#2
Super Member
Q1 - yes. My 6'2 grandson (age 23) was quite comfortable riding back there along with my other grandson age 4 in a toddler seat on a trip up to Mt St Helens last year. We had 7 in the car and it rode and handled beautifully.
Q2 - never had a problem finding diesel. You will soon notice more diesel price signs once you start looking. Truck stops are best (highest turnover of fuel) if one is available to you.
Q3 - don't know
q4 - the 'usual' new car / new model glitches. Dealer always sorted it out promptly, courteously, and with a rental car furnished.
Q2 - never had a problem finding diesel. You will soon notice more diesel price signs once you start looking. Truck stops are best (highest turnover of fuel) if one is available to you.
Q3 - don't know
q4 - the 'usual' new car / new model glitches. Dealer always sorted it out promptly, courteously, and with a rental car furnished.
07-10-2010, 10:02 PM
#3
Member
My two cents. Q3 - I do not know about the 450, but the 550 pulls hard and the sound is fantastic!!!
07-10-2010, 10:04 PM
#4
I agree with fourdiesel on all answers. To add, the navigation system shows you all the diesel stations. There has never been even the slightest problem finding a station. My GL is my first diesel and I am very happy with it.
I use the Mercedes branded interior cleaner and my GL which is black on black is the easiest car I have ever owned to clean. The surfaces don't seem to scuff easily and dirt cleans off with little effort. I have thee below the age of 5.
I have an 09 and I am very happy with the reliability which seems to have improved over the 07 and 08s. I have had the keyless function fail on one door handle and one dead battery because of a bad relay in 14000 miles. That is all.
I use the Mercedes branded interior cleaner and my GL which is black on black is the easiest car I have ever owned to clean. The surfaces don't seem to scuff easily and dirt cleans off with little effort. I have thee below the age of 5.
I have an 09 and I am very happy with the reliability which seems to have improved over the 07 and 08s. I have had the keyless function fail on one door handle and one dead battery because of a bad relay in 14000 miles. That is all.
07-11-2010, 12:00 AM
#5
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14 GL550; 14 E63s
The rear seats are very spacious; however, if you have two car seats, its a bit of a pain to get in as you have to remove one of the car seats to fold the seat down. I have yet to find two car seats that are small enough to allow the single seat to fold down and allow access to the back. Some other vehicles such as a Escalade/Tahoe have captain's chairs in the middle row and that makes access to the rear very easy.
The styling and features on the 550 are a little nicer than the 450/350. Its a little too much for some. For instance, the star on the front is the size of a basketball!! Plus the tires are an odd size (21) making tire choices limited. But the engine is fantastic!
So far I've had the AC go out (wire issue), a rim fracture and the fuel door latch break, but all easily fixed.
I have two kids under 3 and it takes a beating, but cleans up nice with the black interior. The rear DVD is great.
The styling and features on the 550 are a little nicer than the 450/350. Its a little too much for some. For instance, the star on the front is the size of a basketball!! Plus the tires are an odd size (21) making tire choices limited. But the engine is fantastic!
So far I've had the AC go out (wire issue), a rim fracture and the fuel door latch break, but all easily fixed.
I have two kids under 3 and it takes a beating, but cleans up nice with the black interior. The rear DVD is great.
07-11-2010, 12:41 AM
#6
MBWorld Fanatic!
1) The third row is pretty spacious since it has its own adjustable headrest, as well as its own sunroof. The third row has plenty of space, especially if the second row seats are not reclined all the way. If they are, then the space is just okay.
2) I don't know about NY, but in LA, there are plenty of diesel gas stations. My only problem with diesel pumps, having a GL350 diesel, is that there are no fume blockers on the pump like the other octane gas. My navi also shows me the diesel gas stations.
3) I honestly have no idea about the GL550.
4) My 08 GL450 had speaker issues, Bluetooth connectivity problems, and the headrest didn't work sometimes. My 09 GL450 was pretty okay with no problems. With my current GL, I had the passenger side mirror turn signal lamp replaced since it cracked, one of my AC vents stopped working, and THE NAV SCREEN ON MY GL SCRATCHES VERY EASILY. It's not touch screen and cleaning it with anything except for water makes the reflective coating scratched up. I can't see the scratches though when I am driving, only when the screen is off or when there is sunlight beating on the screen. Also, my black interior shows dirt easily on the seats, but not the carpets. My two other GL's had cashmere interior and looked better, but black hides dirt on the floors easier. Also, the handle to access the third row on my GL is very hard to pull. That issue is probably for my car only. Also, the front seat used to move up in previous model years before 2010 so that when you fold the third row up, it wouldn't hit the rear seat entertainment system. Since they removed memory for the passenger seat, the front seat doesn't move up so if the front seat is all the way back and someone lifts the lever, the seat will hit the rear seat entertainment. Watch out for that! Other than that, the tailgate also doesn't have any sensors to stop if something gets caught in it. So, if your kids stick their hands in it (God forbid), then the tailgate will keep closing and only after a long time, will it start to open again. Watch out for the tailgate! Also, the doorsill and rear tailgate molding may scratch easily, especially with kids.
I chose the GL because the Lexus GX back in 2008 and 2009 was ugly and mini-van "ish" on the inside and the tailgate swung open to the side. I didn't want the BMW X5 because the third row is very small, although the BMW winds in front seat comfort in some aspects. I didn't choose the Cadillac because the ESV model which I was looking at had an ugly interior. So, I settled for the GL.
Overall, the GL is spacious and nice. Besides some small issues, the vehicle is great. I bought the GL since my S550 was too small to have three kids in the back. With the GL, it is easy to take family and friends with ease and style, of course! Good luck choosing.
2) I don't know about NY, but in LA, there are plenty of diesel gas stations. My only problem with diesel pumps, having a GL350 diesel, is that there are no fume blockers on the pump like the other octane gas. My navi also shows me the diesel gas stations.
3) I honestly have no idea about the GL550.
4) My 08 GL450 had speaker issues, Bluetooth connectivity problems, and the headrest didn't work sometimes. My 09 GL450 was pretty okay with no problems. With my current GL, I had the passenger side mirror turn signal lamp replaced since it cracked, one of my AC vents stopped working, and THE NAV SCREEN ON MY GL SCRATCHES VERY EASILY. It's not touch screen and cleaning it with anything except for water makes the reflective coating scratched up. I can't see the scratches though when I am driving, only when the screen is off or when there is sunlight beating on the screen. Also, my black interior shows dirt easily on the seats, but not the carpets. My two other GL's had cashmere interior and looked better, but black hides dirt on the floors easier. Also, the handle to access the third row on my GL is very hard to pull. That issue is probably for my car only. Also, the front seat used to move up in previous model years before 2010 so that when you fold the third row up, it wouldn't hit the rear seat entertainment system. Since they removed memory for the passenger seat, the front seat doesn't move up so if the front seat is all the way back and someone lifts the lever, the seat will hit the rear seat entertainment. Watch out for that! Other than that, the tailgate also doesn't have any sensors to stop if something gets caught in it. So, if your kids stick their hands in it (God forbid), then the tailgate will keep closing and only after a long time, will it start to open again. Watch out for the tailgate! Also, the doorsill and rear tailgate molding may scratch easily, especially with kids.
I chose the GL because the Lexus GX back in 2008 and 2009 was ugly and mini-van "ish" on the inside and the tailgate swung open to the side. I didn't want the BMW X5 because the third row is very small, although the BMW winds in front seat comfort in some aspects. I didn't choose the Cadillac because the ESV model which I was looking at had an ugly interior. So, I settled for the GL.
Overall, the GL is spacious and nice. Besides some small issues, the vehicle is great. I bought the GL since my S550 was too small to have three kids in the back. With the GL, it is easy to take family and friends with ease and style, of course! Good luck choosing.
