chas1025

I am new to the forums here, but have a new car question. We are considering a new GL350. We are in the market for a 3 row suv, and there are not a lot of choices that have a valid 3rd row. We have driven the BMW X5, Acura MDX, GMC Acadia, Dodge Durango (Citadel). Right now the GL and the Durango have the better seating/space. Since the Durango is riding on the next gen Mercedes ML/GL platform will it be the better deal? I should also note that we tend to keep cars for about 10 years.

giffie

We shopped around for 3 months, test driving various "3 row" SUVs and only the Q7 and GL made our final list.
Finally we decided on the GL 350.
IMHO, a Dodge will always be a Dodge... not even close to the ride satisfaction of a GL!

RobertG

Cars are not an investment, they are an expense.

my5rox

you will get slightly biased answers in this forum! but come on, the real choices are the Q7 and the GL. if you want to get anything close to an "investment", go for the diesel GL. just check out the resale values if you want to convince yourself.

i went back and forth between the gl and the Q, but with three kids was convinced that the third row and other space in general....the GL wins out.

good luck!

Brocktoon

Consider the Infiniti QX as well. The only one that is close to an investment is a diesel GL. The only way you can consider it as such is to call the extra cost over something like an MDX as a one-time annuity purchase that pays out and is applied to a portion of the depreciation each month, giving you a slight hedge on depreciation.

If you want to experience depreciation at epic pace and proportions, the GL 450 in Canada would be a good choice, if you are in the USA, the Dodge.

honda90

I came from a Range rover and haven't looked back. Right now I would have to stop and fill up in the Range rover....but in the GL350....ha I still have over 1/2 a tank!!! whoohoo. I'm still in the dark with the command system but will gradually learn it, thank goodness for buttons. I tried the Q7 and imho you can't even consider it, the space is 10x in the GL, the 3rd row way more comfortable for the odd times you use it. On the basis of space go to GL350, on comfort go to the GL350, bells/whistles to the GL350. But the Q7 wins out on the front grille, I do like that one better!!
The only think I HATE HATE about my GL is the running boards, really there are so not necessary with it's stock height. If you use them you're crawling into it, and if you don't then your leg hits it. The GL isn't tall enough for running boards imho, not to mention getting out of it...but I'll live with it counting what I get in return!!! But go diesel all the way, better mileage, and resale is huge compared to anything else.

dbtk

GL350 for similar reasons mentioned by honda90. The amount of time saved by not having to refill your fuel tank as often as other SUVs is priceless. Plus where I live in CT diesel costs almost as little (relative term) as regular--$4.049 per gallon.

Brocktoon

I also came from a Land Rover, but the ONLY option we have on our Canadian spec GL is running boards. We always comment on how happy we are to have them... maybe you are taller than me?

Fourdiesel

For all the reasons mentioned above plus these, the 350 is the better choice.
The diesel was (and perhaps still is - I haven't checked recently) LESS $$ to buy in a new Mercedes than the same torque output gas engine they put in the 450. And the gasser requires premium which is historically very close to the same price as diesel but gets 30% poorer mileage.
Less initial cost plus less depreciation makes a better value. The minuses are, because of the demand they are much harder to find new configured exactly the way YOU want it (color, interior, etc), and nearly impossible to find used 'just the way you want it'. Everyone wants them thus the high resale value. Net result, you order and wait!!

honda90

I love the fact that my diesel costs about as much as regular gas and I get 2x the mileage. I felt like that ikea commercial where the woman comes running out of the store yelling at her husband....start the car, start the car, start the car because she thought they made a mistake on her bill. I almost feel like I'm stealing the diesel...well almost. I was lucky enough that when I happened on the Merc lot that they had a GL350 enroute that was the exact color combo I wanted with the DVD system.

The toughest learning curve I have is the voice command system I'm slogging thru it but it's not easy starting out.

rickgi

For about $500 US plus labor, you can buy the replacement rocker panels (unpainted) and misc. parts to lose those running boards. Just bought a 450, and am considering it now. Being tall, my legs are beginning to protest entering and exiting.

chas1025

I do appreciate the responses so far. To those who mentioned the Q7, I have driven and liked this one a lot also. The only downside for us is the decreased space in the 3rd row and a little less space overall.

The reason I had given the Dodge some thought (I agree with the mention of horrible depreciation) was the new platform and the space, it has as much as the GL. Now after more consideration I have leaned a little more toward a shootoff between the GL and the Q7. The Q7 is more of a driver's car, while the GL is more of a cushy ride (which is not bad). On the ride aspect, do any of you have the Mercedes Active Damping System that you can special order. It is under a grand, but evidently allows you to set the suspension characteristics.

LEOSOPHIE

Huge difference and I never take it out of sport.

aeggroup

If anybody here does not like running boards - I have plastic panels, that installed when the car has no running board option, in my garage. My car came without RB and I installed them in our local shop. I'm attaching a picture with red lines pointing to the part. I'm asking $300. NYC area. Local pick up only.

Maineac

After renting a GL 450 through Sixt, I really thought long and hard about buying one. While I really, really like the Mercedes, I can't really see how the GL has any edge over a top of the line Dodge other than the badge and couldn't justify the huge sticker difference-if you can enlighten me on why it is better with some performance data to back it up, be my guest. I found a 2014 Durango Citadel (V-8, 8 spd trani, Adaptive Cruise, AWD and 4WD low) with 17k miles on it and bought it for US $38,800 (I agree that Dodges drop like a stone, so I let it depreciate from 54 K before I bought one).

BTW I also looked at the Q7 used (2013) for about the same price and I liked it, especially the leather seats, but the diesel and lack of safety features (collision warning and BLIS) in the trim level tilted me toward the dodge.

BlownV8

When did you rent and what year was the GL? The biggest differences are the seats, transmission, engine, suspension, and electronics. If it was a 2013-2014, it had a bi-turbo V8 which is easily tuned to over 500 hp for less than a few thousand. If it was a 2015, it had the V6 bi-turbo and I can see why you were not necessarily impressed with the engine.

Maineac

It was a v6. I assume that it was a base trim due to no distronic, etc. I think that the Mercedes has a just slightly better interior with the Durango having seats that are a tad firmer but comfortable for long hauls. The 8 speed zf trani in the dodge is just as good as the 450. In the two weeks and 1500 miles I put on the GL, I felt no discernible difference.

When you say electronics, what are you referring to? The user interface (odo, sat nav, entertainment system, adaptive
Cruise, etc) of the 2014+ dodge hands down better then the merc.

As far as handling, ride and suspension, nobody passed me as I hustled down the Saw Mill Parkway in NYC unless they were on a Ninja. Kids fell asleep in the back.

Overall, I can't see why one would pay 40-50k more for a similarly equipped car new when the GL 450 is only marginally (by a very, very slight margin) better. Get the GL 550 and I can see, but now we are talking 6 figures.

BlownV8

You probably could have gotten a 2013 450 with the bi-turbo V8 for around the same price. I would hands down get the 2013 or 2014 GL due to the bi-turbo V8 engine alone. Can't argue with your position of going with the V8 Durango over a V6 MB.

With that said, this is the X164 GL forum. The 2013+ is an X166 GL450 so this is the wrong forum for your discussion.

sak335

I rented a Durango up in Buffalo and drove it up to Canada for a week on a business trip. It has a very similar feel to the GL but the interior is not as nice and the suspension was inferior by a long shot. The one I rented had a V6 and was weak compared to my GL350 but it wasn't a deal breaker unless you tow, which I do. Otherwise, you get a decent value and I couldn't fault one for making the choice. There have been rumors around for some time that the Durango will be discontinued in 2018 and I can't get my buddy at FCA to confirm it, but they are selling very slowly nonetheless.

Maineac

Thanks for the advice. With the money I saved I could could actually buy a used 2013 GL with a V-8, but we are leaning toward a 2014 E 350 Convertible for $50K instead.

islandbeef

So much for that.

alx

The Durango I believe rides on a cheapened x164 chassis.

BlownV8

It's on a 166 chassis.