Mercedes Benz GLC vs. BMW X3
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 51
Likes: 11
2017 GLC 300
The way the internet works: Less than 1% of customers who are pleased with their cars come on the internet to rave about them. These are the true enthusiasts--many of whom frequent a place like this. On the other hand, 40% of customers who have a problem with their cars come on the internet to complain about them.* So internet forums are always biased toward problems with products, and often the most serious problems.
* = these statistics are completely made up by me, but probably pretty accurate.
* = these statistics are completely made up by me, but probably pretty accurate.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 51
Likes: 11
2017 GLC 300
Brake squeal does not equate to unreliable though. We forget that People buy Mercedes with higher expectations and standard, as well they should. However the GLC is actually very well priced compared to the typical “reliable” brands like Toyota, Honda, Mazda...etc.
i can complain about excessive wind noise and MB will take care of it. If I take my Subaru in for excessive wind noise I would just get a blank stare.
so far I don’t see any major reliability issues with GLC and air have read through all GLC forums. Yes all of them, every thread. I did so before making the purchase. I am more concerned about electronics like power steering column, power seat, lift gate and any other electronic gizmo you guys overpaid over brake squeal. The brakes are fanstastic imo fingers crossed.
i can complain about excessive wind noise and MB will take care of it. If I take my Subaru in for excessive wind noise I would just get a blank stare.
so far I don’t see any major reliability issues with GLC and air have read through all GLC forums. Yes all of them, every thread. I did so before making the purchase. I am more concerned about electronics like power steering column, power seat, lift gate and any other electronic gizmo you guys overpaid over brake squeal. The brakes are fanstastic imo fingers crossed.
And yes we buy a Mercedes-Benz for quality and luxury and everything else that's comes with it. Therefore I can not accept the nasty sound of break squeal and squeak while I drive. That is why I paid that kind of money for a Mercedes-Benz.
When my neighbor hear me coming in to my driveway and told me that I should have bought a Chrysler....well I will let you readers decide what that means.
Last edited by Rockyrainier; Jul 28, 2018 at 08:49 PM.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 51
Likes: 11
2017 GLC 300
You are right, the GLC is a beautiful car but if you have the nasty sound of break squeal and squeak, it's only a matter of time before the car get real old and ugly. Our sights, sound and touch needs to be balanced.
Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 104
Likes: 40
2017 GLC 300
With 54,000+ miles on my 2017 GLC 300 I can't find much to complain about. Sure, I've got the brake squeal, first thing in the morning when I back out of my parking space, then it goes away. Nothing to get my knickers in a knot over.
The only genuine warranty claim I have had, as opposed to recalls, involves a speaker mount that had come loose and was rattling. The front suspension liked to do a dance on rough roads when I first got the car, but the dealer took care of it mostly and the rest of the cure was a set of Michelin non-run-flat tires. The dealer also cured excessive wind noise by installing acoustic side windows, but neither that nor the suspension were reliability issues in the sense that something broke.
I've griped about the Command system a lot, being harder to use and more limited in capabilities than on either my Audi or BMW. On the other hand, I've never had it fail, unlike both my Audi and BMW, and I've learned to work around its limitations. I use the Mercedes ME app almost exclusively for entering destinations via voice-to-text.
The poor Consumer Reports reliability rating seems to be based on the recalls, of which I grant there have been too many. But it doesn't seem fair to lump recalls in with reliability issues. After all, the car runs fine.
I chose the GLC over the X3 in large part because the seats were more comfortable. I've had seat problems with other cars that were bad enough that I had to trade them, incurring some pretty stiff losses, and didn't ever want to have to do it again. It turns out that the GLC's seats are so good for my lousy back that they are downright therapeutic. That's right, my back feels better after a 2-3 hour drive than before.
Now if I could just get a doctor to write a prescription ("One Mercedes-Benz 300 GLC, drive 2-3 hours a day or more as needed for back pain") and get my insurance company to cover it.
The only genuine warranty claim I have had, as opposed to recalls, involves a speaker mount that had come loose and was rattling. The front suspension liked to do a dance on rough roads when I first got the car, but the dealer took care of it mostly and the rest of the cure was a set of Michelin non-run-flat tires. The dealer also cured excessive wind noise by installing acoustic side windows, but neither that nor the suspension were reliability issues in the sense that something broke.
I've griped about the Command system a lot, being harder to use and more limited in capabilities than on either my Audi or BMW. On the other hand, I've never had it fail, unlike both my Audi and BMW, and I've learned to work around its limitations. I use the Mercedes ME app almost exclusively for entering destinations via voice-to-text.
The poor Consumer Reports reliability rating seems to be based on the recalls, of which I grant there have been too many. But it doesn't seem fair to lump recalls in with reliability issues. After all, the car runs fine.
I chose the GLC over the X3 in large part because the seats were more comfortable. I've had seat problems with other cars that were bad enough that I had to trade them, incurring some pretty stiff losses, and didn't ever want to have to do it again. It turns out that the GLC's seats are so good for my lousy back that they are downright therapeutic. That's right, my back feels better after a 2-3 hour drive than before.
Now if I could just get a doctor to write a prescription ("One Mercedes-Benz 300 GLC, drive 2-3 hours a day or more as needed for back pain") and get my insurance company to cover it.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 51
Likes: 11
2017 GLC 300
With 54,000+ miles on my 2017 GLC 300 I can't find much to complain about. Sure, I've got the brake squeal, first thing in the morning when I back out of my parking space, then it goes away. Nothing to get my knickers in a knot over.
The only genuine warranty claim I have had, as opposed to recalls, involves a speaker mount that had come loose and was rattling. The front suspension liked to do a dance on rough roads when I first got the car, but the dealer took care of it mostly and the rest of the cure was a set of Michelin non-run-flat tires. The dealer also cured excessive wind noise by installing acoustic side windows, but neither that nor the suspension were reliability issues in the sense that something broke.
I've griped about the Command system a lot, being harder to use and more limited in capabilities than on either my Audi or BMW. On the other hand, I've never had it fail, unlike both my Audi and BMW, and I've learned to work around its limitations. I use the Mercedes ME app almost exclusively for entering destinations via voice-to-text.
The poor Consumer Reports reliability rating seems to be based on the recalls, of which I grant there have been too many. But it doesn't seem fair to lump recalls in with reliability issues. After all, the car runs fine.
I chose the GLC over the X3 in large part because the seats were more comfortable. I've had seat problems with other cars that were bad enough that I had to trade them, incurring some pretty stiff losses, and didn't ever want to have to do it again. It turns out that the GLC's seats are so good for my lousy back that they are downright therapeutic. That's right, my back feels better after a 2-3 hour drive than before.
Now if I could just get a doctor to write a prescription ("One Mercedes-Benz 300 GLC, drive 2-3 hours a day or more as needed for back pain") and get my insurance company to cover it.
The only genuine warranty claim I have had, as opposed to recalls, involves a speaker mount that had come loose and was rattling. The front suspension liked to do a dance on rough roads when I first got the car, but the dealer took care of it mostly and the rest of the cure was a set of Michelin non-run-flat tires. The dealer also cured excessive wind noise by installing acoustic side windows, but neither that nor the suspension were reliability issues in the sense that something broke.
I've griped about the Command system a lot, being harder to use and more limited in capabilities than on either my Audi or BMW. On the other hand, I've never had it fail, unlike both my Audi and BMW, and I've learned to work around its limitations. I use the Mercedes ME app almost exclusively for entering destinations via voice-to-text.
The poor Consumer Reports reliability rating seems to be based on the recalls, of which I grant there have been too many. But it doesn't seem fair to lump recalls in with reliability issues. After all, the car runs fine.
I chose the GLC over the X3 in large part because the seats were more comfortable. I've had seat problems with other cars that were bad enough that I had to trade them, incurring some pretty stiff losses, and didn't ever want to have to do it again. It turns out that the GLC's seats are so good for my lousy back that they are downright therapeutic. That's right, my back feels better after a 2-3 hour drive than before.
Now if I could just get a doctor to write a prescription ("One Mercedes-Benz 300 GLC, drive 2-3 hours a day or more as needed for back pain") and get my insurance company to cover it.
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Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 25
Likes: 2
2017 GLC300W
Hard to say exactly. Drove the X3, just didnt like it.
My GLC300 rides on airbags, which no test drive of anything had. My GLC300 drives nice and I use the hatchback often. I do however like Lexus more than MB, but the GLC300 fit my needs.
An AR Giulia Coupe is on my list, still saving some $$ for that.
My GLC300 rides on airbags, which no test drive of anything had. My GLC300 drives nice and I use the hatchback often. I do however like Lexus more than MB, but the GLC300 fit my needs.
An AR Giulia Coupe is on my list, still saving some $$ for that.
