2007 Gl 320 CDI, since delivery, rear hatch latch system never worked right, the driver's side rear door knob button, was erratic. The latch and rear door knob was replaced 2 years ago. Now the driver side door opens only with key button. The fuel deliver system malfunctioned and needed replacement. The chrome decoration on the steering wheel is peeling. Anyone else have these issues? I still have warranty coverage due to buying a 7 year 100,000 mile warranty. Next vehicle wont be a MB. The absolute truth is Mercedes cannot get the reliability up to par. For the same money, Lexus offers a much more stable product.

 

My 07 cdi has none of the issues you present. I have 60,000 miles, did not purchase the extended warranty, and await patiently the new model 2013 GL....
I do not think your experience is the norm...

 

I had a problem with the keyless go feature on one of the rear door handles (it wouldn't unlock the doors when you touched it) but it wasn't a big deal. I just told the dealership about it when I took it in for scheduled maintenance and they replaced it.

 

Trolling troll is... trolling.

 

Doubt it, see consumer reports

 

So your problems are:

A liftgate issue (well documented on 2007's) in most cases has been resolved with a fix by dealer. Maybe your dealership stinks.

Door handle problem. It is a two minute job to replace a door handle. Your dealership can see exactly when the door handle has and hasn't worked.

Chrome decoration is peeling on steering wheel. I haven't ever heard of this. Stuff happens.

Fuel Delivery system. Legitimate issue


I would say that for purchasing a vehicle in the first model year you have done pretty well. I also don't know of a Lexus product that hauls 7 passengers comfortably and can tow 7500 lbs that is within $20,000 of the GL's price. Not to mention handles like the GL on the freeway.

 

I can no longer accept, "stuff happens". It is 2012 and the automobile industry is more cut-throat competitive then ever. I have no tolerance for slip shot reliability, and over priced repairs. All of the things mentioned would have been thousands of dollars without a warranty. Jeep offers a lifetime warranty on their ML like SUV, Mercedes will survive as an aspiration vehicle of choice, but realistic owners will dislike the repair costs.

 

There is a reason Jeep offers a lifetime warranty (if that is indeed the case), it is called their track record. If you have a low tolerance for mechanical/electrical problems I suggest that you stay very far away from the Jeep brand.

 

I want to point out that if it wasn't for MB, there would not be a successfully redesigned Jeep Grand Cherokee..., same goes for Chrysler...

Also, stuff happens, indeed! Find me a high end luxury brand that is extremely reliable. Don't tell me that "my neighbors Lexus, Infinity, Acura is bulletproof" because nothing is bulletproof. Although these are definitely considered reliable vehicles, they are also hyped up by their owners in order to justify their purchase. "I bought this beautiful Lexus that never breaks down and for $20K less than a MB, BMW, Audi..." A lot of them are justifying their decision not to buy an even more expensive car. Of course there are other folks that simply could not care less what car brand they own as long as it starts up! IMO all of the above mentioned brands cater to this group of buyers.

Regarding consumer reports... don't get me started. If we would all listen to them, there would NOT be american nor European cars anymore... only asian brands! Their data collection is so flawed, it is laughable. Do some research and you will see. They compare cars based on number of repair trips back to the dealer! So last year they compared a car that sold 100,000 units in the US with Porsche 911 turbo that sold 1,500 or something like that. They said that Porsche had a terrible reliability record because the average car had gone back to the dealer 3 times (average) in its first year. A Hyundai for example only went back less than once (average). Well statistically these two can't be compared because the population is so far apart that percentages don't tell you the whole truth. Also, there are other factors at play here such as owner expectations, type of owner (commuter or spirited driver), type of use or abuse, and most of all two totally different cars that cant be compared. There are many more systems on a Porsche to break than on a Huyndai. They had these if I remember correctly as their most and least reliable cars on their magazine!

A company that compares toasters, coffee makers and lamp shades has no business comparing cars IMO. Leave this to the pros. I ve always read reports from real people on forums, and long term reports from automotive magazines. These gave me all I needed to make up my mind. Did I always make the right decision? I ve owned 4 Benzes among other cars and three proved very reliable. The jury is still out on the last one (my GL450 is 2 weeks old) but even if it isn't the most reliable, so what? That's life! All this comes from a guy that had a Toyota Corolla in college that was in the shop half the days I owned it (it must have been a lemon). And according to all accords, it is the most reliable car ever produced on the planet!

 

?, if jeep offers a no year or mileage lifetime warranty for the same price as a Mercedes 2 year extension, that says more about the reliability of Mercedes. And jeep was part of Mercedes. No question that Mercedes reliability is poorly rated, compared to Lexus, as well as absurd repair costs.

 

It is difficult to have an objective discussion about Mercedes reliability issues on a Mercedes forum. Everyone here knows how costly it is to own and repair a Mercedes.

 

No, it says that Jeep is acknowledging that the only way they can gain market share is to offer a good warranty. Jeep is famous for poor reliability.

I don't think anyone here is going to argue that MB reliability is on par with Lexus. But we will argue that German vehicles offer driving characteristics that are superior to their Japanese rivals. I don't think that has ever been disputed by anyone including the automotive press. If you can not tolerate occasional minor problems (door handle issues) and the higher maintenance and repair costs then a German vehicle isn't for you. But you knew all of this before you bought your GL. I own a Toyota SUV and a GL. I never expected my GL to approach the reliability of the Toyota. But my Toyota is light years away from the GL in terms of handling characteristics.

 

GL came back from B service, the driver's door knob assembly was fully replaced. Both rear air suspension shocks were replaced, and the steering wheel chrome was replaced.Without an extended warranty, this service would have been $4000. Only drawback of the vehicle is service costs.