FirstSUVOwner

You know how this goes. The more and more you read about options and packages, the more expensive it gets as you add this and that so whats another $1k?

My 450 build is at 79k at the moment. Its fully loaded minus leather seats and night exterior and some other accessories like illuminated star.

I got to thinking, maybe I should look into 580. And here I am. Do you recommend this for a daily driver/long haul road trip car that will see 15,000 miles/year or more?

I love how GLE 450 is very efficient, people say they see 30 mpg on highway on auto pilot. I dont care much about saving on gas but I do like that I can drive 600+ miles without stopping. I did own 4 liter twin turbo V8s before (BMW M5s) and they never got better than 22 mpg on highway even in cruise control. They sucked so much gas that I could barely drive 240 miles with 1 tank of gas. When you are in city, EQ or no EQ, the V8 will probably use much more (maybe 12 mpg vs 18-19 in 450?)

What does everyone think?

I have 3 other cars, combined they are 2000 hp. A 911 GT3RS, C7 ZR1, and a GT350. So I have plenty of power, braking, handling and I am not trying to turn an SUV into a sports car but at the same time if I am fully loading a lower trim to the point its so close to the bigger engine, should I upgrade? But then there is the gas issue. I really want 1 of my cars to be practical.

MBguy013

Have you compared, option to option, the 450 to the 580 to see what the price difference is? Or is it the 1k you already stated? For practicality purposes, I would think the 450 would be the better of the two.

hyperion667

The 580 is 130 more than the 450

And plus: 911 GT3

FirstSUVOwner

Option to option, its $10,000 more. $1,000 was more figure of speech.

FirstSUVOwner

Yes and its straight piped

MBguy013

If it was 1k, no problem but I can find better uses for 10k. Bottom line, your decision as to what you feel is best for you and your situation.

hyperion667

Lets have some pix/vids!

haibieb

About a month ago, my dealer informed me that GLE 580's did not offer a "lease program in terms of financial incentives." Meaning, that you are basically paying full sticker lease price as opposed to other lower trim models where the MSRP is somewhat negotiable. The same for the 43's and 53's models. MB right now is not offering any incentives for the models mentioned for obvious reasons. Also, if you are a first time buyer or leasing for MB's, dealers may not be willing to easily offer other incentives to draw you in the family of MB's. Good luck with your choice.

Ron.s

The GLE’s are all practical in their own way. With your existing stable you might enjoy the V-8 power or even the 53 power & handling.
I told my wife she needed the Audi SQ5 power instead of the Q5 for occasional towing. She’s still happy & her car is way more fun when I drive it.

mikapen

You're about $20k from a "fully loaded" GLE, and, looking at this and your other posts, it sounds like your priorities are noise and drag bragging rights.
A better SUV for you might be the now obsolete AMG63, which is noisy and drives like a brick.
But get one before they update to the modern drivetrain and suspension.
A 580 doesn't seem to fit your stable. You'd have to resort to making snide comments to yourself about being a wannabe soccer mom.

Ron.s

I thought the GLE 63 S was the new drivetrain and Suspension…what’s different? The body & suspension are the same as our 53’s and they have EQ Boost. I’m very close to swapping my 53 for one…a used 53 is worth a lot today. I was hoping for an AMG Hybrid next year but they look at least 2 years out.

MRC50

I have the 580, and it drinks gas compared to the other GLEs. Maybe not quite as bad as your BMW, but the stop-and-go of my traffic hell brings it down to 14-15 at times. On the highway, it's closer to the 22 you mentioned in your post. I get a little over 400 miles to a tank in my type of driving (~60% good highway speeds, the rest the above-mentioned traffic) but haven't taken it on a legitimate road trip yet to see if it can be pushed further at constant highway speeds. My guess is no, since it has a 22.5-gal tank which only goes so far. This is purely nonscientific observation, but the gauge goes down a quarter for every 100 miles.

I love my GLE 580, but if I hadn't purchased it recently, when there have been no 450s to be had on dealer lots, I'd have gone with the 450 or the AMG 53. All of them have their pluses and minuses, for sure.

mikapen

I thought that was a mid-year intro for the SUV, this year. I'm not paying close attention, even though a bit more Oomph would be fun, and I really miss my Burmester 3D.

I was referring to the pre-change 63 which (I thought) could still be found new. My impression of the old one is two words - Burble and Dentist.
It looks like you're right - the old 63 tech is only available used. Thanks.

FirstSUVOwner

Thank you. This is the type of feedback I was looking for.

I dont actually need this car to be the top variant of GLE with lots of power. Every single car I have purchased in the last 15 years have been the top trim of a model and while the oomph factor is cool, you trade a substantial amount of practicality. I actually have tough time right now starting my cars (or the ones in the past like the M5 that I sold) because of how loud they are. GT350 is our daily driver and the cold start of a naturally aspirated 5.2 liter V8 7am wakes the neighborhood. I know 580 GLE is probably not as loud but it must be just as loud as the other twin turbo 4.0 liter V8s like the M5s or the M550i or E class. I actually dont want that for once There are times where I need to go to CVS at 10pm and I cant because of the loud factor.

The thing with the gasoline range is much more about convenience than cost. If I can drive 150+ more miles per tank, that means 1 less gas fill on a 1200 mile road trip.

I probably answered my own question here about 450 vs 580. I can see the appeal to some people who may not be in shoes stable wise but I think I will stay under the radar for once.

mtg-gle

FWIW, I have 2 porsches and a 2020 GLE 450. Mine stickered for around $80K and I am happy with the power, range etc. I see no need for me for the 580.

petee1997

A V8 is a V8. Unfortunately the I-6, as good as it is, is not a V8.

BACnMercedes

How did I miss this thread and getting to put in my input! @FirstSUVOwner what did you end up getting/ordering?

FirstSUVOwner

I have ordered a pretty fully loaded Cayenne GTS. Its been accepted/delivery date confirmed. I had an opportunity to get a GLE 63S AMG for slightly less but in the end did not like the driving dynamics and chose Cayenne over that.

TheOtherDodge

We previously had a 2018 GLC63. Performance and handling-wise it was a monster. However, even in the most comfort setting, it was harsh (kinda weird MB can't make a softer ride in comfort mode). Plus it was a little small as we came from a 2010 ML 550.

So we wanted a little bigger and have good power but not the harsh ride. We test drove the 53 and it didn't have the power and the sound was horrible. Also, the ride was too harsh. We didn't test drive the GLE63 because from driving the 53, we knew the ride would not be what we wanted. So we got the best of both worlds in the 580. While not as fast as the 63 because of the transmission and hp difference, it was a very good compromise.

mikapen

Did the 53 you drove have ARC Active Ride Control? It makes the car, and smooths the ride. The other 53 suspension is harsh, like AMGs of yore, such as yopur '18 GLC63. , and objectionable to me. The ARC fixes that for us. IDK if it's standard on the 63, though.

TheOtherDodge

Hi, no we did not, but just the sound of the 6 and the lack of power was enough to turn us off, even if the ride was better.