GL450 Ride Quality
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 23
Likes: 1
2015 GL450
GL450 Ride Quality
I am a new GL owner (2015), but on a trip this weekend from NC to NJ, I really felt like the ride was poor. Only 36K miles on the vehicle (air suspension, but not dynamic), but I feel like the truck is wayyyyyyyy too bouncy and bottoms out over large bumps. DO all GLs have such a degree of travel in the suspension? Shocking to me that large bumps transfer to your bum THIS significantly.
Now, if this is how the GLs are set up, can it be improved with better springs/struts?
Thanks!
Now, if this is how the GLs are set up, can it be improved with better springs/struts?
Thanks!
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 50
Likes: 8
GL450
I can't say that I have experienced the same. I also have a new, to me, 2015 GL 450 with 38K miles (same suspension as yours) and I can say it rides like you are on pillows! Very soft ride, absorbant of the road's shortcomings. Having said that, I can't recommend something to check as I don't consider myself a 'car' guy!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 23
Likes: 1
2015 GL450
I can't say that I have experienced the same. I also have a new, to me, 2015 GL 450 with 38K miles (same suspension as yours) and I can say it rides like you are on pillows! Very soft ride, absorbant of the road's shortcomings. Having said that, I can't recommend something to check as I don't consider myself a 'car' guy!
Any other GL owners have any thoughts?
Member
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 124
Likes: 23
MB GL450
Same experience as yours. Mine is a 2015. Feels floaty like a boat. I attributed this to air suspension as I have never had another vehicle with air suspension before. Ride is way more floaty as compared to Q7 or X5
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 299
Likes: 20
From: HHI, SC
2002 C4 Cab, 2014 Audi A5 cab, 2017 X5 35d
All of which is simply my humble opinion.
As a side note...........I hate the pop-up/retractable Navigation screen in the Q7. I know it's efficient and all that but it simply looks cheesy to me.
Last edited by anothercar; Apr 3, 2018 at 08:03 PM.
Member
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 247
Likes: 17
From: Chicago, IL
2015 - GL 550
I am a new GL owner (2015), but on a trip this weekend from NC to NJ, I really felt like the ride was poor. Only 36K miles on the vehicle (air suspension, but not dynamic), but I feel like the truck is wayyyyyyyy too bouncy and bottoms out over large bumps. DO all GLs have such a degree of travel in the suspension? Shocking to me that large bumps transfer to your bum THIS significantly.
Now, if this is how the GLs are set up, can it be improved with better springs/struts?
Thanks!
Now, if this is how the GLs are set up, can it be improved with better springs/struts?
Thanks!
You might be having basic Air Suspension without ADS option, thats why you feeling every bump. Also check out if your car has Sport\Comfort button near the command roller and its not set to Sport because Sport makes the suspension harder too.
And even though if you had ADS you would have still felt bumps but not as hard as with Non-Ads optioned GL. You need Active Curve and ADS to have smoother ride because it minimizes the body roll.
Anyway good luck with your GL other than Crapy suspension the Car is very good and reliable. Just watch out for tires it will chew up like hungry dog.
Thanks
Member
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 167
Likes: 29
BMW 335d
Its too bad you don't have the ADS as mentioned above. That would have probably been exactly the ride you're looking for. I test drove many different SUV's of the same size and I find the GL 'purposes' more than all of them. Its also the only one with air suspension. Although you wouldn't think your struts and shocks would all be worn out with such low mileage but it might be worth having them looked at. Any oil residue means replacement time.
