Kate0506

I'm starting my quest to purchase a new car. Preferably, I want to order it, and make sure that it has all the options I want. Right now, I'm looking at a 2013 GL550. I know what I want, but am stuck on two things.
1) Is the On/Offroad Package Worth the extra 2k?
includes:
2-speed transfer case
6-mode driving program selector
Front underride protection

2) All options included, the car comes out to $102,393.
I'm still debating on whether to trade my current vehicle in or try to sell it myself. (2010 GL450 w/ 68,000mi...the dealer will give me 31,000)
I've e-mailed back and forth with a local dealer, and the "absolute" lowest they can go would be $101,393 without T&L. I think I can get a better deal than this, but I'm not sure since its a new vehicle.

Thank you all so much for your help and I look forward to hearing your input.

xxGenericSNxx

While I can't really answer any of your questions, what I do want to ask is at just a hair over $100,000 maybe you want to consider getting the GL63 with all options? You're already spending so much money, what's another 10-20%?

Does the 102k include the Bang and Olufsen sound ($6,800 I believe) or the Designo interior ($4,500 I believe)?

Another thing to consider is getting a fully loaded GL450 and getting an ECU tune to make it have more power than a stock GL550. The GL450 and GL550 both use the same 4.6liter V8 TT with a different engine tune. So really spending the extra money on a 550 is kind of pointless. If you look at the Renntech website and compare the GL450 and GL550 tunes you'll find both end up with the same 530hp and 606lb ft power ratings. From the same engine! The only difference is the tune.

(But with the 450 you also lose the AMG body kit).

JimBarnhart

Good luck with your search.

Question 1) is one I wrestled with too, so I'm curious what advice you get. I didn't have it on my 2007, so I knew I wouldn't miss it. Also, since I'm getting a diesel, the horsepower is down compared to gas, so not sure 'sport' really means much. So I decided not to get it.

Question 2), there's not a lot of experience on discounts off of sticker, but some appear to be getting them. My dealer wasn't dealing, but I do have a fleet discount through work. I don't know how your 2010 is configured but $31K seems low. KBB of a plain jane is $33K for good trade in value. Add P1/P2, etc and you could be up even more.

SEXYBEAST

agreed, go with the amg GL, 550 not worth it...

Kate0506

Thanks for the replies guys! No, the price I have been quoted does not include the B&O Sound or the designo interior. As for the GL63 AMG- I wasn't able to build it on Mercedes AMG website so I didn't think you would be able to order one. I'll ask the dealer. I was able to get $7,500 off my '10 GL when I bought it new. Just $1,000 of sticker seems a little low for me.

xxGenericSNxx

You can't build the GL63 yet because it isn't released. I think MSRP will be somewhere around 110-120 though, so if you can stomach the wait and pony up a little more cash, I'd just go all the way.

firstgl

You should be aware however that the GL63 doesn't have the on/off road package, so if it is important to you a fully loaded 550 is the way to go.

cmarshack

I have to agree with xxGenericSNxx. I would either wait for the GL63 AMG and get everything in one very nice package or I would buy a fully loaded GL450 and the Renntech tune. The tune will only be 27hp shy of the AMG but it has 45 MORE ftlbs of torque! The AMG body kit will be available at some point so you can add it then.

A fully loaded, every option, GL450 with a Renntech tune will be less than $95 grand and it will blow the doors off of the 100k GL550. But then you could tune the 550 and have the exact same car

scfishnman

I have a 2013 GL450 on order. It entered production at the end of last month so will, hopefully, be here soon. I got $3100 off of MSRP but it appears I will not get the $3000 USAA incentive. The incentive disappeared on Sept 1 for USAA along with any discount -- showing a MSRP purchase price because the vehicle is in high demand. However, MBUSA.com still indicates a $3000 fleet discount for the 2013 GL. My local dealer was not willing to deal; he wanted MSRP. I went to the next closest dealer and got the car equipped as I wanted it with a dealer discount of $3100 below MSRP.

43221B

How does the USAA discount work when you order a car? Is it what is being offered when you order or when the car is delivered? Right now USAA's website is showing $3000 off a 2013 GL effective October 2. Also, can you combine the MBCA $1000 incentive with the USAA discount?

South Ocean1

While I don't have any direct insights for you, my gut tells me you can do substantially better than that. MB is expecting to sell 25,000 new GLs this year so I think that the supply will be there to meet demand, particularly for the $90k and up GL550. I do think that in the case of the GL350, as noted by Jim, where the allocations are more constrained in the U.S. due to the fact that the GL350 is the model that will be sold primarily outside of North America as opposed to the GL550s (heck, the GL450 doesn't even exist outside of North America) that pricing will be tighter as supply will be more limited. That is likely exacerbated by there being fewer dealers to compete with in Jim's home base of Minn. In Chicagoland, I can easily drive to any one of 9 MB dealers to see who is going to be the "fairest". In California, you have a number of big volume dealers to test.

My advice to you - which is nothing new - is to go dealer to dealer seeking their best deal. My experience has always been that one will, for whatever reason, offer a deal that is significantly better than the others. That advice may not hold true for a car like the C63 Black Series, but it should work for a GL550.

Please keep us posted on what you learn in this process.

Good luck!

scfishnman

It is when you close the deal. The paperwork I received when I ordered my GL specified that delivery had to be reported by the end of September for the dealer to collect the $3000 incentive. I just checked the USAA website and for my region (SC) the current USAA price is $2 above MSRP with no incentive. Where are you that USAA is currently showing the $3000 incentive?

I would assume you could combine the MBCA $1000 incentive but that is just a guess. I know that for GM cars the USAA price and the GM rebates could both be applied. The USAA "incentive" which was $3000 when I ordered my GL is actually the MB fleet discount whcih costs the dealer nothing.

ddruker

The USAA discount is treated like a factory rebate by the dealer - you negotiate your best deal with the dealer and then you get an additional $3k off of that. The only bummer the way they have it structured is that you pay sales tax on the full purchase price, not the price you negotiated less the $3K USAA discount.

When I bought my 2011 GL 350, I negotiated a price with the dealer that was below the pricing on the USAA website, and then they rebated the additional $3K on top of this.

ddruker

Just checked on the USAA website.

For a 2012 GL350, the website is showing a USAA price of $56,335 vs. MSRP of $62,445. The $3,000 rebate is included and available, plus a roughly $3k pre-negotiated discount.

For a 2013 GL350, the website is showing a USAA price of $63,307 vs. MSRP of $63,305. No incentives or discounts are showing up on the website yet for the 2013's - but the $3000 rebate is apparently available if you call in. Not sure if there is also a pre-negotiated discount on the 2013's yet or not - I would call the 800 number and check.

GL 450 and 550 follow similar patterns on the website.

scfishnman

Thanks to a heads up from forum member 43221B, I called USAA and got a certificate for the $3000 rebate on a 2013 GL450. The rebate is there, but USAA has yet to update the website where one configures a car.

sraza

Hi all-
apart from usaa about 3K of msrp seems like the going discount for now-

as for the price- I love the 550 but north of 100k would get the GL63.
make sure the gl63 has all options and packages- some amgs ( like the cls ) will end up costing a lot more for options that are assumed to be standard- for example we think the designo interior is standard for an amg but "make sure"!
and if the B&O system and designo is not included in >100k, not sure wht else cost that much!

as for the on/ off road- i too thought about it alot but didnt get it- unless you really go off roading you probably dont need it-

for your GL- you should def get more than 31, from a dealer or private sale-

My question for the forum is- for those who have ordered a gl 550 or any other model - how long of a wait have you been quoted?

good luck-

Kate0506

Hi Guys! After serious consideration between my husband and I versus a GL550 and the GL63 AMG, we have decided to go ahead and order a GL550. I feel I did enough research between the two, as well as 550 vs 450 vs 350. We decided to check around with different dealers on pricing, and placed an order. We also decided to go without ORP.
Diamond White Metallic on Almond Beige Leather
Panorama Roof
RSE
Heated Rear Seats
Parking Assistance Package
Driver Assistance Package
Active Curve
Trailer Hitch
Total of $98,230
My husband got it down to $95,595 not including T&L.

I'm in the process of selling my 450 for more than the dealer wanted to give me.
Was given an estimated delivery date of somewhere in Late Feb, early march. Maybe later.

In the mean time, I'll be driving my daughters car! You know what they say! Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Thank you guys for your help, I really appreciate all of your suggestions.

xoxo

Tomshop

I am curious if Active Curve is worth it.

xxGenericSNxx

Glad you were able to make a decision and that sounds like a pretty nice GL550. Congratulations!

jg8881

The $3,000 back from USAA on a GL 2013 and the dealer markup is 7% .
Ordering one is backlogged until March at best.
Option problems etc as well. Find one on the ground fast before christmas.

jg8881

Have you talked to your dealer??
March at best
On ordering a 2013 GL any the dealers will lie to you on building one .
I ordered in August and they told me March .
I know of 3 other 2013 GL orders same thing.
Dont know why.
Plant and product issues. Then main shipping port in NJ with flood and snow etc , cant get parts or supplies .
They are hideing issues .

jg8881

2013 Gl delivery issue big time , orders majorly delayed