mbnoowner

Hello MB folks,

I am new here so I will be quick.

I am interested in purchasing a well maintained (according to Carfax) 2013 GL550 from a private seller in FL for $33K with 62K Miles. The car is black with beige interior.

I am in NYC.

I am in need of a 3rd row SUV and the only other option is a Dodge Durango (which a 2014 Hemi goes for 30K around here), and a AUDI Q7 TDI.

here are some thoughts / questions

• Should I buy a remote mechanic inspection? That typically cost $250 dollars
• Would you buy your GL again?
• Whats the anticipated cost ( i hear owning a MB is quite expensive, I've came from Acura which was OK).
• Is the Sunroof shattering thing a major concern, looked scary to me.
• The car will be driving around town and maybe 2-3 hour road tips once or twice a month.
• How is it as a family hauler?
• Any trouble spots to lookout for?

Appreciate any thoughts you can share.

DaveW68

If it is in good condition, accident free, and has been well maintained, then $33k sounds like an excellent price at that mileage.

1. Yes, absolutely get a remote inspection completed. You should never purchase from a private party sight unseen or without a full detailed inspection report in hand.
2. Without a doubt.
3. These trucks burn through tires and brakes quickly due to their massive weight. Maintenance costs will definitely be much higher than your Acura as it's a Mercedes where parts are expensive. For maintenance, you should consider a good indy that has lots of experience working on them to save you quite a bit of money over dealer service rates.
4. I think it's pretty rare. But if it does happen, you can first argue with MB about covering the cost. Otherwise, your insurance should cover it in the rare instance that it could happen.
5. As a family hauler, it is not as practical as a minivan. But the good thing is that IT'S NOT A MINIVAN! You likely wouldn't want to be putting anybody over 5'5" in the 3rd row as there isn't a ton of leg space back there. The 2nd row has average leg room with the front seats pushed all the way back (a little more than a mid-size car), while the front has lots of legroom. The 2nd and 3rd row seats cannot be moved forward or back. So 2nd row legroom really depends on how far back the front passengers have their seats. There could be tons of legroom in the 2nd row if the front row seats aren't pushed too far back. With all rows being used for passengers, there isn't a lot of storage space behind the 3rd row. If you only need to use the first 2 rows for passengers, then there is tons of storage space with the 3rd row folded flat. The 3rd row seats fold down electronically and individually. So you could technically put just 1 person in the 3rd row and allow yourself a lot more storage space.
6. I'm not sure yet what all of the potential problem areas are with these trucks. But they have received decent reliability reviews. The best thing you can do for yourself would be to purchase a warranty for it from a company like Assurance (get exclusionary coverage) or another reputable company. You'd likely pay $5-6k for coverage for 4 years, but it is likely money well spent. Breakdowns on any MB are super expensive, so it makes sense to be insured. To get into that truck for under $40k with warranty coverage is a good deal.

An added bonus is that you can get GL63 performance out of it with just a $1k tune.

Good luck!

NaviTimer1

I also went thru the same thing, Private seller that was out of state.

-Always buy a pre-purchase inspection, I had mine done thru the private seller’s local MB dealer (great piece of mind). Also, go to your local MB dealer and ask one of the service advisors to run the VIN, you’ll have a very good history on what was done to the GL. The CarFOX is very vague on the detail descriptions.
-I would do it again, no question.
-It can be costly if you have the dealer perform the maintenance. As DaveW68 pointed out, find a reputable indy. If you can do some of the maintenance yourself, it’s even cheaper (Cabin filter, Oil, engine filters, rotation etc.). Parts are relative cheap if you buy thru Amazon or EBay, some MB dealer put stuff on online so you know is genuine parts.
-Not sure on the Sunroof shattering, no problems here thought.
-I hear the GL 350's and 450's ride better than the 550's 21 inch rims. I have no complaints on ride quality on our 550, we've taken the truck on several +4 hour car trips and the family has no complaints on ride quality. They all sleep like babies, including the wife.
-The 550 is a monster and the power delivery, its buttery smooth. The 4matic helps put the power down very well. You'll be eating other SUVS with ease. Plus knowing you can tune your 550 into a 63 is always a plus.
-No trouble here (knock on wood). You should not have any problems down the road if you have a good inspection report and service history.What City in FL is the GL? (Rust could be a concern, if its near the ocean).

MBQureshi

I would absolutely not recommend buying this truck unless you can find a way to buy good extended warranty or you are very handy. These vehicle seem very delicate. Mine has had warranty repair several times during the 7 months of ownership. My tires were indeed gone around 25k miles and I don't buy the whole heavy vehicle theory. My Suburban was 5800 pounds curb weight and the OE tires lasted for 82k miles. This truck weighs 5300 pounds.
Specific to your qustions
Yes buy the inspection. Better yet if the seller is willing to take the vehicle to a dealer, call the dealer and see if you can have them do a pre purchase inspection. You could pay over the phone with a CC
Probably not. I would look for a Japanese brand for 7 seater
Service A runs me around $240. Service B between $450 and $500. This is at the dealer so Indy shops maybe cheaper
Don't have any experience but reading through threads sounds like it happens more to the Pano roofs
It is a fantastic family hauler. Fast comfortable and fuel efficient
Look for suspension noise, and leaky air suspension. Your inspection should cover this