MBWorld.org Forums - 300d 30K mile update and some advice for buyers

Just wanted to drop a quick update and offer some advice after 30k miles in my 2016 300d...

1) You MUST get the headlight upgrade. I did not, and the standard lights are horrible. Very difficult to see on rural roads. I have a '66 Lincoln that has better headlights. I hear the upgraded ones are great.

2) You MUST get Carplay. I think this is standard in all GLE's now. It was supposed to be in mine, but it was part of a batch of GLE's that missed it. The interfaces are suboptimal without it. (Mapping is not great, takes forever to be able to place a call once you get in the car, voice recognition is spotty, etc.). I think this is a symptom of the GLE being a "tweener" vehicle...an upgrade from the ML but not a totally new SUV like the CLE. I have driven vehicles with Carplay, and it solved the issues.

3) MB Tex continues to shine. After 30k miles with very heavy traffic (lots of long trips, soccer players, etc.), it looks brand new. And I have the tan interior. I've had MB's with MB Tex in the past and continue to be impressed.

4) Real-world mileage is a bit over 30 MPG. Very impressive for a vehicle of this size. I would not consider myself a gentle driver.

5) I don't notice the diesel turbo lag most of the time. But you have to wait an extra beat for it to get going. Power is certainly adequate 99% of the time.

6) Best road trip car I have ever owned. 700 mile range is much longer than my wife/kids bladder endurance, but it gives you a lot of options. So we can stop at a nice rest stop instead of a truck stop.

7) I'm still a bit irritated that you have to put the car into park each time you shut it off. But I have gotten used to it. I am used to cars with electronic transmissions going into park when you shut them off. BMW's, for example, do this. I am used to it now, but I confess that initially I would sometimes turn off the car, pause to do something in the car, and look up to find myself rolling.

8) I really enjoy the feeling of solidity. MB's were missing that for a while, but that feeling is very evident in the GLE.