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Have monitored this forum since 2007 when I purchased my GL320CDI. It's the gold (Desert Silver/Travertine Beige) GL in first photo,
The GL was only basically equipped and that meant MBTex vinyl upholstery. I do some day long marathon driving, and those narrow seats could get uncomfortable and hot. Due to the obvious need for a macho sized center console, GL seats are a full 2 inches narrower than the seats in the W211 E we owned at the time.
A couple years ago following rotator cuff surgery, I followed my motorcycle buddies on a ride through some curvy mountain roads in my GL at higher speeds than I normally drove it, a run for hamburgers. It was uncomfortably wallowy, which I actually hadn't noticed before that.
My common long drives usually take me through farm country (Kansas, Nebraska) where they are in love with biodiesel. Mercedes only approves B5.
So, last December in Texas I found a nice 2012 GL550 with heated/cooled leather seats, ADS suspension, and with must have factory installed trailer hitch. It's shown in Texas next to the 2007. Don't care for 166 turbo engines, yes my diesel had a turbo, but that's different.
Second photo shows my preferences. Gone are the hideous 3 bar USA GL grille, the 21 inch wheels with 295 tires and the accompanying fender flares (replaced with favorite 19 in wheels) and also gone are the running boards. replaced by the usual plastic sill covers. I'm tall and needed to step over the running boards and it's just a mismatch and I don't care for the looks of them in any event. I also now have interior mirror showing direction of travel, ambient lighting in doors and dash, some version of rear air conditioning, blue fluid transmission, and heated middle seats. Next version COMAND. Drove that same road coming home from Texas and could tell I'm happy with ADS shocks.
I'm including a link to the international version of the 2012 GL sales brochure, where you'll note the 3-bar grille is never shown, even when the 21 inch wheels are. Others got some nicer interior choices than USA got, too.
Congrats. I always though the fender flares made the 550, but each to their own. Definitely a good decision to go with the M273 over M278. I liked my first one so much I'm on my second 5.5L. IMO, it is the perfect engine for an SUV. Smooth, reasonably efficient for a large displacement V8, and instant power everywhere.
Haven’t tried seat cooling yet, nor any lumbar support changes. The perforated leather sure is nicer.
I don't like the cooled seats in my Audi, it feels like I'm taking a pee when they are on... NO IDEA WHY?!? It just cools me in an odd way, maybe because my bottom half is getting cooled but the top half isn't??... my kids love them though.
