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We are in process of buying a pre-owned Certified GLE350 at the moment but I'm a bit nervous about making the move to MB after having a trouble free experience with Lexus for well over a decade now.
Deciding factors/pros and cons - the GLE sits taller than the RX and also has CarPlay which the RX only just added in 2021. GLE likely wins on cabin space as well, but I am a bit bummed that it's vinyl seats - pretty cheesy for a luxury car...yes it's an "option" but there were hardly any out there with it. While the RX feels more luxurious, the GLE feels more like a tank and might actually be quieter (though it's a newer car so maybe that is apples to oranges in comparison)
We have a couple of other MB cars though - an E-Class Cabriolet and a (soon to be sold) GLK - these are hubby's cars and he will get another SUV to replace the GLK - maybe a second GLE! They have been pretty reliable though I saw this post regarding service/repairs in another thread and wanted feedback..
I want to make sure I know exactly what needs to be done because I am going to have my Indie do the service and I don't want any warranty grief from MB.
Interesting that warranty grief might be a possibility? I wouldn't normally even consider taking a MB to a dealer for out of warranty (or routine) service (oil changes/tires/wipers/brakes etc.). 1. Expense and 2. Proximity are two reasons we would not go. We would go if it's covered - or a proprietary service only the dealer can do (recalls etc).
Costs of MB maintenance are worrisome, while I was largely able to avoid the Lexus service department entirely (my RX was excellent) - are we pretty much locked in to going for scheduled maintenances through dealers only until the factory and CPO warranties expire?
The W166 (the model you are considering) GLE 350 is one of the more reliable Mercedes of the past 5-10 years. The 3.5L V6 gasoline engine has above average reliability for a Mercedes.
Lexus reliability is several notches better than Mercedes. There is no other way to put it.
The vinyl, called MB-Tex, is quite good. It is rugged and easily cleaned. I like the appearance and comfort.
You aren't "locked in" with dealers for service, but if you choose to use independent shops for regular service, be sure you have rock solid documentation. Mercedes dealers in my experience push back on warranty claims in the majority of situations. If you are lacking complete service documentation, they would likely use this to argue against warranty coverage. There is a wide range of experiences people will post about on this site, relative to dealer support. My dealer has been poor in this regard.
In total, I like my 2017 GLE 350 4MATIC. I would not buy the latest 2020 and newer V167 GLE 350. The new model is plagued with problems.
When it comes time for me to replace the GLE after hopefully high mileage, I will be looking at BMW or Porsche, or possibly returning to a 4Runner.
It's a no brainer for Benz on this one, but for the GLE make sure you pick one that has the LED lighting package. It makes all the difference, exterior look and brightness at night.
My gle350 has been trouble free up to 49K miles where I am at now, I also use it to tow my jet skis and works great. Super comfortable and quiet smooth ride.
So we got the car - now looking at the scheduled maintenance, I'm wondering if we shouldn't have made the dealer do the 3 year service on it before delivery. The last time it was serviced was 8-9k miles ago in July 2019. :-(
There are no service lights on anywhere - but it hasn't turned over 20K miles yet....
We got it in San Francisco as a CPO - which sort of implies everything is done to the highest standards and up to date. I would think they would do everything as part of that certification, but it's not on record. But it seems maybe we're short on one service already on taking delivery! Were we cheated here?
As part of this question - also wondering if indie shops are able to go "on record" digitally when performing maintenance - there are no stamped records in the paper book in the glovebox so I'm thinking it's all digital now and I'm hoping to avoid high end dealer costs on simple items.
Ask the dealer who sold you the car if they performed the service before selling. You can have it serviced wherever you want but make sure to have whomever is doing the service stamp it into a service logbook so the dealer doesn't deny your coverage.
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