McGG

We are considering an upgrade from our 535xi wagon. With another kid on the way, we want a bit more room.

The GL350 was an obvious choice, so I started looking at ads for 2010 models.

It seems most dealers are asking $65K +/- for a decently equipped lowish mileage 2010. If my reading is any indication that is about what people were paying for new units, after tax incentives and other discounts.

Are dealers simply trying to get unrealistic prices? Is there a TON of room for negotiation on these units, that are 10,000 to 20,000 miles?

Thanks,

aeggroup

I had the same dilemma when I was searching for my GL and noticed the same thing. At the end I bought brand new nicely equipped car for almost $65K (MSRP $73K) with 3 years maintenance included in that price. At the time of delivery I singed the paper stating that I will not sale this car overseas for 1 year. I think that' s why dealers asking huge price for used models. If export market will be strong in next couple years - this car will keep value very good.

McGG

Are dealers actually getting these prices? Would someone buy a used car for the same, or more than a new car?

I wonder if these dealers would accept something in the $50K - $55K range.

aeggroup

You can easily try, but last time when I checked Manheim prices - 2010 GL350 with about 15k-17k miles was sold for $57K. Look at the attachment. This is actual Manheim interenet MMI report.

McGG

That's the price the dealer paid at auction, correct?

Seems like the GL is one of the worst values in used vehicles. (Good for current owners!).

aeggroup

Yes ...and pay attention how many of them were on the market ....
This is another reason why resale price is so high...

McGG

I am still shocked that people are willing pay the same amount for a used car as a new one would cost.

Unless these are all exported. Indeed, my plan was to import one into Canada. But I refuse to pay premium prices for anything. I like a bargain.

aeggroup

This is not about GL350 )

McGG

Indeed....although it is all relative.

Land Rover, for examples, sees rapid depreciation, so you can find a premium vehicle for a non-premium price in the used market. This is generally the trend for high-end brands: rapid depreciation makes for good deals. Apparently the GL is an exception to this!

Brocktoon

McGG:

I would just buy it in Canada. There are a couple of older threads here where people have imported them and found out that it is not just an instrument cluster replacement that you need to do, you have a cascading replacement of different computers and nobody was really sure where it would end, and how much it would cost because the Canadian gauge cluster disagreed with a couple of other computers. If you are careful with your options, and look out for good promotional rates, you can get a fairly good deal on a new one. Where are you?

McGG

This sounds like good advice. The process is started to not pass the sniff test.

I made out like a bandit on my 535xi wagon importing it into Canada, so I was hoping to repeat the process with another premium model.

I'm in Calgary, Alberta.

B200Turbo

Sadly in Canada to find GL 350 is almost impossible.
Waiting times for new one from factory is at least 7 months unless dealer has open spot form the importer.
But it is a great car worth the wait.

Brocktoon

Me too. PM me with your phone number and I can give you the name of a guy at Hyatt, and tell you a bit about the deal we did on mine.

Texas993

In my case, I ordered and bought a 2010 GL350. Loved it and planned to keep it for years. My dealer called me 1 year later and talked about buying a 2011 GL350, mostly the same equipment. I thought it was a joke until they showed me the paperwork.

Basically, I traded to a brand new GL350 for $3000 additional. My 2010 had 10k miles on it. Made sense to me to flip it. When the 2010 hit the sales lot, it was priced higher than what I paid for the 2011. My USAA deal helps considerably in what I can purchase the GL for.

GSD

Changing the instrument panel is only if you want to retain MB warranty in Canada. Otherwise no cluster change is required to register it in Canada and have warranty coverage in the USA.

Brocktoon

That sounds like all sorts of fun.

McGG

Indeed.

It might be worth looking at a 2009, which won't have much warranty left...rather than one of the newer ones.

Driving to a MB dealer south of the border is a no-go for me here in Calgary.

GSD

I bought my 2007 ML320 CDI in Ohio and drove it back to Ontario, activated Daytime Running Lights and Km/h on the instrument panel, paid RIV and GST/PST and good to go.

giffie

How do you activate KMPH on the instrument panel? I would like to do this *temporarily* when on trips to Canada on a 2011 350.

GSD

Page 110 & Pg 171 for Daytime Lights: in the Manual for C300 http://www.mbusa.com/vcm/MB/DigitalA...350sport_1.pdf

Page 169 for changing the speedometer to KMS per Hr

The ML user guide should be up on the site too under the constant lighting menu

giffie

Thanks for the info...

After posting the question, I went thro the GL manual..
It appears that for the GLs, changing the unit from miles to km is only available in the vehicles sold in Canada (ref: page 221 and page 222 in the GL manual)

This sux, since all other vehicles that I have driven have a secondary 'kilometer' gauge marking in the speedometer.
In the GL, I only have MPH markings.

Will have to print out a 'ready reckoner' card with me when driving thro Canada!

DangermouseCLK

Can the cheap and cheerful dash-mount GPS units (Garmin/Tom-Tom etc) not be set up for either kph or mph? Then just use their read-out.

GSD

See Pg 222 of the manual the computer display will show Kmh in USA too:

http://www.mbusa.com/vcm/MB/DigitalA...al/2011_gl.pdf

Dikigoros

For purposes of warranty however the cluster must be chnages in Canada as it needs to show certain warning signals i.e. "Check engine" in pictogram not word format so that our friends in Quebec can understand. Simply ridiculous. I had my cluster chnaged in US MB dealer for practically nothing and MB Canada said it must be replaced again to ahve pictogram.

KrustyKustom

I had a 13 model on order since first week of December 12 with a tenative build date of late Feb. Dealer called and said build date got slid to second quarter as the dealer allotment was full (wish they told me earlier..). Anyway with the wife driving my big block suburban until delivery time I went on hunt. In stock 350s were hard to find equipped like i wanted, especially needed a hitch but did not want 30k in options.

Then while out at dinner with the wife I saw a awesome silver 11 model behind the infinity dealer, it had just been traded in. 18 months old and 27k of highway miles, owner commuted 180miles twice a week. So clean i literally could not tell from new, interior was immaculate. Made a quick cash deal for 49k, saved 28k from my new one and besides lacking 55ft.lbs of torque felt like i got a good deal. Super car with full documentation.