AF330i

Hello Everyone,

Currently we have a 09 GL450 with the 19" wheels and no runflats.

We received a call from my dealer and they have a nice deal going where they pay your last 6 lease payments and put you into a new 2011 GL450.

The car they have in has the 20" wheel option with the runflats. How does this truck ride with runflats, one thing we love about our GL450 is the smooth ride.

My 650i has the runflats and they have a hard/firm ride which is fine for a sporty coupe and not nearly as bad as the 335i I had in 2007. That 335i had a hard ride and I know if we had that ride in our family SUV my wife and kids would not be loving it especially on long trips.

I am not a fan of the running boards either but this seems to be part of the package ... I like the look but in winter as an adult they get your pants dirty when leaving the vehicle.

Anyway, thank you for your advice.

Brocktoon

There will be a new GL out next year. If your car is doing fine, you might want to hang on for that. If you decide to go with it, you will have to train yourself to step out on the running board, not past it. It will save your suits.

AF330i

Brocktoon ... are they really come out with a new GL for 2012 ?

If that is the case we will definitely wait ... please confirm this is going to happen.

thanks

LEOSOPHIE

My wife's 2011 335 coupe rides great on run flats and has M sport suspension. I fought her all the way because I wanted an E550 coupe but have no regrets with the 19" run flats.

43221B

I think you really need to test drive the GL with the runflats to figure out if they will meet your needs. One mistake people are making is they have been saying that they have driven a car (usually a BMW) with runflats in the past and the ride was harsh. Keep in mind that MB uses two different runflat tires (Goodyear and Bridgestone) and they are very different from what BMW was using pre 2009. Bridgestone developed a 3rd Gen runflat that wasn't released until 2009 that significantly reduced sidewall stiffness. I have the Goodyear tires and I'm very happy with them. They are great for my roads but might be too stiff depending on where you live. You just have to try them.

Brocktoon

It will be on sale next year (or sooner) as 2013 model, probably within a few months of the new ML.

mdadgar

Late 2012 as a 2013 model is what I'm hearing from a friend who's connected high up at Daimler in Der Vaterland.

Since I'm never again buying the first model year of ANYTHING, I went for a 2011.

- Mark

NevadaNick

Do any of them make Winter tire runflats ?

dougpark714

Agree, first year productions usually have more problems.

Good news with 2011 model is that it's been refined over the last 5 years. Car has been trouble free so far.

20" runflats are very smooth and responsive. Better than our X5 with 17" non-runflats. The runflats are "all season" tires, and performs very nicely in the snow. A bit slippery given the wide diameter of the tires.

ima55r2

A typical 7-year production run puts a new GL as a MY2014, arriving in 2013.

newyorktoLA

A new ML is coming (dealer showed me the ordering guide). A new GL is definitely in order

AF330i

I spoke to my dealer and asked him about the new model ... he said to me it is coming out in August and it will be a little bigger.

Hopefully he is right so we are going to wait it out an keep our 09 GL450 until September

aceman

FYI -

I got appx 27-30K on mine, and the good year eagle LS 2's at 275/50 R20's
cost freaking 530-550 each installed.

Steer clear if you drive a lot!

Aceman

SixPak

There's no way 2nd generation GL is coming out this August. More like late 2012 as MY2013. Even then, I would stick with your current '09 GL until new model coming out.