Elif Bell

Hi all,

This is my first post. I have a GL450 2006 model which I love but has costed me quite a lot in the recent years with repairs, which given the age and mileage (150,000) is only natural. I've now found out that the latest fault is due to a leak from the roof bars, the wiring is all wet and likelihood I need a new SAM module. There are also some other mechanical repairs that are required, I'm waiting for the potential total cost... Question is are there others who have this age/mileage of GL that didn't make you regret keeping and repairing it or is it likely to turn into a bigger money pit. Due to COVID and lock down, I'm hardly driving it anywhere. Really welcome views/opinions.

Many thanks!

BlownV8

Where are you located?

Max Blast

Absolutely a rare beast, as the first year we got them here in the US was 2007.

Are you in some other part of the world or is the model year a typo?

In any case not worth spending any more money on - this is a $5000 car tops in the US, with water damage to electronics you’ll not come out ahead.

Donate to a tax shelter or sell as is, then find another dry one.

Tsumi

I concur... there's nothing special about a GL450, and if repair costs are too high, time to sell it and move on to the next one. Just take a look at what's available in your market and is in your budget before deciding.

eric_in_sd

Why, it's so rare it almost certainly has the balance shaft / sprocket (sorry, I forget which is the diesel and which is the gasser) issue.

Simply changing the rear SAM might not be too hard. I suppose MB requires it to be specially mated to the VIN.

But this poor fellow sounds like he is looking to pay others to fix it for him; in this case: Sell it for parts.

Elif Bell, seriously, bro, the only way these GLs make sense long term is if you're willing and able to do most of the work yourself. If you're parking it out in the rain, I'd guess you don't have a garage, nor the tools - and probably not the inclination. See what you can get for it, for parts. Don't sell it to a used car place or anything like that; put it up on Ebay with full disclosure of the mechanical condition.

BlownV8

Anyone have the procedure to fix the roof leak?

eric_in_sd

I can't imagine how one would do it without removing the headliner. From the looks of it, the rails sit in rubber gaskets; if the truck is left out in the sun, the rubber decays and cracks. If it's also left out in the rain ... MB could have welded bolt studs or nuts to the roof, but I'd bet anything they just punched holes in the sheet metal and put a nut or bolt on the underside.

You might be able to cut holes in the headliner to access the mounting bolts from the underside.

Or just smear silicone sealant around the gasket exterior. If the surfaces are cleaned beforehand, this should work. It would just look completely ghetto, especially if you use whatever leftover silicone you have sitting around.

BlownV8

It's not like these are worth much anymore. I could probably dress it up.

Max Blast

But no one would ever see it and it will last until it leaks again...and then you still have the matter of the corroded electronics in the subfloor.