Hey all,
So I need some advice on what to do. I brought my 2024 GLE 350 in for servicing just to check out some things I noticed in the last 9 months of owning the car just to find out if they were normal or in fact issues. Long story made shorter, they gave me a loaner. Another 2024 GLE 350. When I drove it home, I felt the acceleration was more responsive, and the vehicle felt a lot more peppy. So I called the MB service center were my GLE was and spoke to the service manager. I told him that I for sure think something is off on my car even if it's not throwing any codes or check engine light etc.. I told him it's not something that was a subtle difference, that I felt it was like a night and day difference and it felt like a different car completely. He said they would check some things even though there were no codes, he also said he would test drive it and also have the shop foreman test drive it. I got a call back and he goes "I hate to disagree with you, but your truck drives beautiful, I didn't notice anything, I really think you are just over thinking it, just enjoy your truck" So I didn't know what else to say except to reiterate that it really was a noticeable difference and that I know it's not just in my head and I'm not crazy. So then I drive the loaner again today for a longer trip (50 miles each way) and again, I kept thinking "This SUV is for sure much more responsive, more peppy and takes off with more power than mine" Every time I accelerated, I felt this. So I emailed the guy back (I didn't want to bug him on the phone again). I haven't heard back from him but I'm going to pick up my car tomorrow and I'll speak to him I'm sure.

So what can I do? If there is no doubt in my mind, that the loaner is much more responsive and peppy and MB tells me it's "perfect"? Every ounce of my soul tells me something is off with my GLE. I guess I can take it to another MB service center, but I really feel they will tell me the same thing. It's like if the computers don't tell these guys there is an issue, then they say there is no issue. I feel they don't really investigate extensively and I'm sure if they did, they would find something is off with it. I do believe there can be issues that perhaps are not severe enough to warn the computer something is wrong. Perhaps it's slightly out of the variable range they are monitoring. So I just have to live with it and accept what they tell me even though there is no doubt that something is off? Are there specific things I can tell them to check? Specific non-computer tests they can do? Driving this loaner has made me hate my car now and I feel as if it's "handicapped" compared to the loaner. I do not think Lemon Law would be approved as it's not breaking down or anything, is just not as responsive/peppy as the loaner. How can I prove that on paper when all I have is the experience of the drive?

 

For a dealer service to do warranty repair they need to prove that something is not working or broken, else MB will not pay for it.

 

Are you using premium gas? That could make a difference.

 

Yes, always use premium gas (93 octane).

 

Have your service manager drive both cars. He should spot the difference.

 

Yeah I did say that in my email to him towards the end of the day. I asked if he could just humor me and drive the loaner when I pick mine up tomorrow. Hopefully, he will. I just hope he just doesn't tell me "I don't feel a difference" even though after driving my care for months and months then driving this one all of a sudden, I clearly feel a difference in responsiveness and pep. If they don't want to do extensive testing to find it out because it's a pain to get MB to pay for it, I'd be willing to pay whatever it took for them to do extensive testing and troubleshooting. Honestly, I loved my SUV before this, now, I'm actually thinking of getting rid of it and getting a different brand car completely, I would take a pretty big loss on it though.

 

If you have the loaner or access to the same vehicle from a friend, take it to get dyno’d, print the results. Then get your car back and do the same. You’ll have data points through rpm ranges to reference and compare.

It’ll cost you a few bucks but you’ll now have physical data to reference to either confirm or debunk your butt dyno.

 

Is the loaner 4MATIC as well or RWD? RWD is faster in case of the GLE 350. 4MATIC and AWD in general has higher drivetrain losses. They are often masked because of the traction advantages off the line, but in case of the GLE 350 the 4MATIC is 1/10th of a second slower 0-60 compared to the RWD version. 4MATiC also adds weight. The curb weight of the RWD is 4806 lbs and the 4MATIC is over 100 lbs heavier at 4916 lbs. With only 255 hp moving an almost 5000 lbs vehicle you will feel those 100 lbs difference and the almost doubled drivetrain losses of 4MATIC vs RWD.

 

The way you break in your car can affect its performance.

 

Why not MEASURE the differences between the two cars?
Have a drag race.
or take the loane somewhere and get 0-60 times.
Then do it in you car.
If you do it by hand stopwatch you can have errors up to 0.25 (if not more) seconds due to human reaction time.
But for you to feel it I am guessing the 0-60 time would need to differ by more than a second.

Or get an accelerometer and measure acceleration G force. Stomp pedal what's accel meter say?
That would be all the prove you need

Worse case put em on a rolling dyno.


Good Luck.

 

Soory to read about the experience. Welcome to MB ownership.

 

What is your driving style like in your own car?

For starters, I think it's safe to assume the loaner has probably been driven a lot more spiritedly as loaners tend to be...

I think it's either a case of break-in differences (but unlikely) or just each car adapting to the way they've been driven (more likely).

If your car was only babied and the loaner only raced around, the loaner will feel peppier and more responsive. When you get your own car back, try driving it around more spiritedly for a bit and see if that makes it any better. Have you ever done any full throttle acceleration in your own car and let the engine fully rev through its entire power band?

 

I think if you want to dealer to do something, you need to provide objective data, as mentioned above. That means using an accelerometer or other device to get actual measurements. (I would not hand them a blank check to diagnose your car. You will pay even if they find nothing.)

One thing I did on my SL400 was to have @BenzNinja perform his transmission mod to enable the Agility/Sport+ transmission mode to my car. It was a matter of his programming to enable an existing capability versus a custom transmission tune. You will have to check with him to see if it is available on your car.

https://benzninja.com/mods-price-calculator/



NOTE: I happened to have found that Agility is the same as Sport+ and is quite aggressive. Additionally, BenzNinja tweaks the accelerator for better response.

 

Play with the drive modes and see if that changes things. I know with our 580 there is a significant delay in throttle response when in comfort mode compared to sport mode.

 

Thanks, I had to give the loaner back this morning so I don't have it anymore. If I get a dyno test on mine, would they be able to tell me if it's fine or abnormal? I asked the service center this morning, and they said they don't have a dyno machine. They keep insisting that if something was wrong, it would throw a code. I then asked if it's possible if there could be an issue but hasn't hit the threshold to be severe enough to throw a code? They said it's possible. My reasoning ws if it's a computer program, then it's watching for variables to be in/out of a certain range. What if it's slightly out of the range they are looking for for throwing a code. The guy drove the loaner and said he sees no difference, however, there is for sure a difference. I drove the loaner there and mine back and I felt again, that mine is less responsive when I give it gas. After driving one after the other again, there is clearly a difference to me. I wouldn't say mine is horrible, but it's for sure less responsive.

 

I usually drive in Comfort mode or Eco mode, rarely in Sport, but I will give it a try.

 

The loaner actually had less miles on it than mine. It only had about 2300 miles on it, mine has almost 8,000. I do baby my car, so perhaps I will change to a more aggressive driving style to see if it can "re-learn". With the loaner, the second I stepped on the gas, the car moved, with mine, it feels like there is a slight delay before it moves.

I do use 93 octane gas, but I think I will also try using a different brand a gas as I always use the same brand mostly (BP because I get 15 cents off a gallon with their CC).

 

It was also a 4Matic

 

Good to know. As others have said, these cars adapt to one's driving style. If you are a grandma style driver, always doodling around in Comfort mode, it will adapt to that and be less responsive. Loaners as said see many different drivers, so they don't really settle on a particular driving style. For example because I drive an AMG, whenever I get a loaner I have to put them in Sport or Sport+ depending on the model, otherwise I can't stand them. So folks like me teach these loaners a more spirited driving style. All depends on how the loaner was driven previously.

As some others have said, try to drive yours more spirited for a while. Use Sport and Sport+ regularly. You may even like those modes better. Comfort mode isn't meant to be spirited or responsive. As said, I can't stand regular Mercedes-Benz models in Comfort mode. They are super laggy for the most part. Sport/Sport+ drives more normal. Not sporty at all, for proper sporty driving you have to go AMG, but those modes don't feel neutered in the name of fuel economy.

 

Loaners are always peppy to begin with, since most who drives it punches it off the line any chances they get. Drive yours like you stole it for 2-3 days straight and see if it would be peppier. Pedal to the metal all the time, or at least be at 3/4 throttle for 90% of the time. Brake late and when you turn, do it in a fashion that triggers the traction control.

Also any difference in the wheel and tire combination?