arich

After months of virtual builds we finally went to the dealer and ordered it.

GL350 BTC
Steel Grey
Auburn Brown/Black Leather
Brown Satin Ash Trim
Premium 1
Lighting Package
3 zone auto climate
Lane Tracking Pkg
Parking Assist PKG
Rear Side Airbag SPC
Manual Rear Sunshades
Heated and Ventilated front Seats
20" Twin Spoke Wheels
Trailer Hitch
Harmon Kardon Logic 7
Power Easy Entry
Illuminated Running Boards
Heated Rear Seats
Keyless Go
Adaptive Damping System
Heated Washer System
Mtex Wrapped Lower dash
All Weather Car Mats

Total 82,500

Our price $77,903

December Build Date

Would love to hear thoughts and opinions. Wife is coming out of a 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser which I will take and second car.

cincy8

Nice build!

For my GL550, 'these people' talked me into Active Curve, On/Off road which apparently has on road features besides snow. I also did prewire should I sell and someone else wants the factory entertainment system.

I have a sister vary badly injured in a recent accident where she ran into a truck backing across the road, so I had to do the the Distronic.

I won't have my car for another month. The longer the wait, the more you want additional features.

JimBarnhart

good build, did you consider distronic? I believe parktronic comes with the parking assist package right? How about black headliner?

Walidtik

Nice package. I would add heated steering wheel if you are in a cold climate.
I would also highly recommend getting the rear quarter power window. Pano roof maybe needed to get the rear quarter window on the GL 350!
Hope this helps

JimBarnhart

see threads on easy entry and issue with headrests, also rear quarter panels don't open on 2014 without a free of charge upgrade.

arich

I told Dealer to look for option 848 power rear windows but he couldnt add it. I think that you MUST have panoramic roof to get the power windows.


Did not consider Distronic. I like to be in control.

Really wanted to wood steering wheel. Truck is garage kept.

Walidtik

Jim,
Are u recommending taking the rear power entry because of the head rest?
My dealer added it this $400 option without charging me! This was nice but I was still not sure about it due to all issues related to the head rest. However, isn't there a new T.B. that fixes the issue?

arich

Wont the Auburn and Black Leather have the black headliner already?

JimBarnhart

It sounds like there is a T.B. with waiver, so probably ok, just might want to talk to your dealer and make sure they would do it.

JimBarnhart

I was under the opinion that the headliner was always the lighter gray, unless black was ordered.

Otis123

I have the Brown with Auburn and Satin Ash (open pore) looks great. I would also HIGHLY recommend Distronic. Once you have it you you wonder how you ever lived without it.

medphreak

I just received our 350 with the same color options. The car is drop dead gorgeous.

Black headliner.

arich

Did you have to order the black headliner or did it come that way?

medphreak

It came standard with the auburn/black interior.

arich

After all that my wife changed her mind.
Now we're ordering:
GL350
Black
Auburn Brown/Black Leather
Brown Satin Ash Trim

I personally think the steel grey would have been beautiful but Happy Wife, happy life.

JimBarnhart

If I would have known Brown leather and satin Ash were available I would have bought them when I ordered mine. Love it on a black vehicle.

brs50

Great look with the Auburn/Black and Satin Ash, exactly what I'm thinking of ordering. I'd seriously consider that Distronic, I drove an S class with it and was quickly convinced that I wouldn't get another car without that kind of system. It was smooth and gave you a super safe feeling that you had vigilant set of hi tech eyes backing you up. It really felt like the vehicle wouldn't let you crash into something. It did not feel robotic or like a sacrifice of control. Running up behind a slower driver with the cruise at 70 and the left lane blocked, it nicely slowed when you'd be tapping the brakes and getting off the cruise normally and shot right back up to speed when the left lane cleared and I moved over without touching anything but the wheel. Effortless and a big plus in high speed traffic when you'd be constantly on and off the manual cruise. When I changed lanes and ducked in close behind an 18 wheeler to make an exit ramp it was remarkable how it slowed the car and kept distance to the truck until I exited. I didn't touch the brakes myself till the bottom of the ramp, you just have to remember Distronic won't do that for you, yet!

JimBarnhart

And just think, you are the early adopters toward what may be the ultimate answer:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505145_1...tself-by-2020/

brs50

We'll have to see about the ultimate "Full" Distronic, I think that co-pilot concept might be the limit. In addition to safety there is a possible financial benefit in the future for cars equiped with these systems. I just read an article detailing the crash statistic for adaptive cruise vehicles. The front to rear crashes (a large proportion of all crashes) was almost 15% lower in MB vehicles and even more on some Volvo models. Insurance companies are sure to take note and possibly offer discounts for vehicles with these systems.

arich

Now that we've had the car for a month I should have considered the Distronic. The truck is so comfortable though I fear I'd fall asleep!!