PeteyV

Hello members. I am trying to gain more visibility in my push to try and get the W166/X166 (ML/GLE/GL) forums merged into one group. My thoughts are that the ML/GLE are essentially the same vehicle just with a changed name plate, in regards to the W166. And the GL/GLS is also the same in regards to the X166 chassis code. I believe merging these forums together will increase visibility of issues, conversations, and actions in our respective forums. It will also help old and new members in their search for answers and opinions.

The thread that I started is in the Group suggestions sections of the forum.

Below is the Link:

https://mbworld.org/forums/suggestio...one-forum.html

If you could please comment your thoughts here so that the admins will be able to see that there are many group members that support this; it will greatly help.

Thanks!

whitewagon

would make the forum too large. prefer separate forums

SUV John

Not interested in searching through outdated model information, sorry.

PeteyV

Weird considering the ML and GLE carry the same Chassis code (W166) and are the same vehicle just a change in nomenclature.....

PeteyV

How do you explain the WIS for the ML and GLE of the W166 chassis code being the same?

kajtek1

I think it will add to the confusion.
Typical sample is separate diesel section, where owners of the same engine from different platforms can get wider response, but you will still find diesel question in GLE section.
I made a topic about differences between ML and GLE and it is pretty confusing.

PeteyV

I'm not sure I follow you. Why is it confusing for there to be a diesel question in the GLE forum? The GLE did come in a diesel - GLE300d, GLE350d, GLE350de, GLE 400d. The chassis codes W166 has nothing to do with engine type. The forum is not reserved to only North American users - users from all over the region can access the W166 forum. Different regions received different engine types. So since the W166 does not have a specific engine designation (besides the separate AMG forums) users from all over the world can ask a question about their W166 GLE.

kajtek1

I don't know when diesel section come to this forum, but I started on benzworld and I voted for years and voted hard before they would open diesel section.
So having dream come thru, why would anybody waste their time posting diesel questions on GLE forum, where there is only handful of diesel owners, when you can find big thousands of diesel owners, with years of experiences on diesel forum?

PeteyV

The W166 GLE forum is not a gasoline engine only forum - the majority of members just happen to have gas engines. However, this doesn't mean that a diesel owner can't ask a question in that forum. Not all questions or comments in forums are related to the drivetrain either. What if a W166 Diesel owner had a question about brake pad and rotor replacement? Thats the same for most GLE's minus sport package and AMG models...

kajtek1

For me diesel section is for diesel-related questions only.
It sure happen that diesel owners ask there about brakes, but mostly it is well organized.
So talking about merging sections, shouldn't the administration cancel diesel section, so diesel w166 owners will ask all the questions here?
For me the dilemma is easy to resolve.
If all the sections have good traffic, why fix something that works? Would ML section be dead and ML owners would start asking question in GLE section, then let's merge.

PeteyV

I am not stating to merge the diesel section anywhere. I am stating to merge the W166 ML/GLE/GL forums into one forum. All diesel members that have diesel drivetrain questions can still go to the diesel section. Also - the diesel section encompasses all chassis and is not reserved to separate chassis. I don't follow your whole argument because if we were to merge the W166 ML/GLE/GL forums it would essentially be the same as the diesel forum because the W166 ML/GLE/GL use the same powertrains, chassis, and components for the most part.

kajtek1

The same powertrains are used in several sedans, several SUVs and Sprinters.
But I am not voting for making separate drivetrain, or separate 7G transmission section, or merging them neither.
Somebody made a decision to make it working the way it is and I don't see any reasonable complains?

PeteyV

Not sure why you started talking about diesels then. What I know for sure is, you won't find anything on your Model T in the GLE forums lol

kajtek1

I just did.

SUV John

It isn't whether or not the chassis codes are the same or not. It's the features and options that change over the years that, without a detailed analysis which I am not asking for, change over the years. I appreciate and want a dedicated user forum like this or I'd have joined a general Mercedes Benz forum.

That, and it's just my initial thought to the question asked and is how I feel. Looking at the replies on this topic, it's clear you like the idea more than others and that's fine. Now, however, is the time to recognize that the opinions of others may be different than yours and move on. I'm sure kajtek1 would appreciate it as well.

PeteyV

Understandable, but then why do vehicles that did not have a nomenclature change (S, E, C, etc) not have separate forums after they have feature and option changes that occur? Do you think that other nameplates within the Mercedes line up do not receive refreshes? The W222 S class has the same forum from 2014 - 2020. The W212 E-Class from 2010 - 2016. The only reason the W166 has two separate forums is because of the nomenclature change in 2016. The nomenclature change only happened so that the SUVs in Mercedes lineup follow the same nomenclature as the passenger cars (A, B, C, E, S, etc). Otherwise they are mostly the same from 2012-2019; which follows Mercedes Benz chassis update timelines. This is why I believe having the forum for W166 merged - at least having the W166 ML/GLE together and then the X166 GL/GLS together - actually makes sense....

Kein Ersatz

For me granularity is good, the question is would generalizing provide more benefit than white noise. I think more white noise.

PeteyV

Respectfully speaking, it's frustrating and mind boggling that some members of the W166 GLE forum believe that their car is different from the W166 ML. And that is why the forums should not be merged? But there is no issue for members in, let's say, the W212 group to allow 7 model years of questions in there. Yes they both have numerous refreshes year over year - but that's the case with all nameplates in Mercedes and other manufactures. The W166 ML just happened to be part of the nomenclature change for Mercedes SUVs and that's what was "refreshed".

I guess this is me waving the white flag.

threeMBs

As a current owner of both W166 ML and W166 GLE, I have no issues combining W166 ML/GLE, but agree with a much earlier poster that adding X166 GL/GLS on top of it, will make forum too large. Agree regarding W212 - W212 2010-13 is "W166ML" and W212 2014-16 is "W166GLE".

However, combining W166/X166 is equivalent to combining W212/W207 (they do carry the same name) or W207/C204 (they do have the same interior when C204 had a facelift and W207 was based on C204 platform instead of W212's).

kajtek1

You can read my topic where I ask about differences between ML and GLE and most of the replies says it is big.
I did own W163 ML years ago and the 2016 GLE I just purchased is totally different concept.
The older ML was build as workhorse and light rock climber, when it doesn't look like GLE is design to leave paved roads.
Still did not get the answer if W166 MLs come with lower gears, like the older models did.

PeteyV

The W163 ML and W166 GLE is without a doubt different. But the W166 ML and W166 GLE, not so much. Typical facelifts that every Mercedes goes through during its life cycle, the W166 ML just happened to get a nomenclature change as a facelift in 2016.

I don't know the answer to your lower gear question, but just with many other Mercedes chassis generations - there are drivetrain changes that occur within the model. For example the W166 ML550 being only produced until 2014 and then the ML 400 (GLE 400) taking its place. Lets take the W221 S Class for example. The S63 had the M156 engine from 2006-2011 but then from 2012 - 2013 it received the M157. Yet they were still both W221 S63 AMG (and both are under the same group in this forum)....

Respectfully speaking the W166 ML/GLE follow the same design updates year over year as all other chassis in the Mercedes lineup. They should be under the same group forum.

chassis

I am in favor of the proposal.

threeMBs

Yes absolutely they should, as X166 GL/GLE should (but kept separate from each other). X166 GL/GLS should NOT be merged with W166 ML/GLE.

Mijanboy

Merging ML with GLE is possible because ML is until 2015. From 2015 facelift is GLE = Merging is logical.
But not ML / GLE + GL / GLS, because the GL / GLS is a different car. It cannot be invoked that it is based on the ML model. The Mercedes Vaneo w414 is also based on the Mercedes A-Klasse w168 ... they have the same engines, transmissions, chassis ... but every car is different. If you connect Das Xentry diagnostics to w414 and enter w168, it will not work. It also does not work if you enter W164 / ML / instead of X164 / GL /.
So if you want to merge something, use your head.
The ML / GLE can be merged because it is the same car that has been renamed the GLE since the 2015 facelift, which means an SUV for the E-Class.
The GL / GLS can be merged because it is the same car that has been renamed GLS since the 2015 facelift, which means an SUV for the S-Class.
ML / GLE merge with GL / GLS can only merge crazy, because then it will not be a forum but a madhouse.

kajtek1: compare w126 and w223 you will also be very surprised by the difference. But it's still the same S-class - it just shows how things are moving forward. As with GLE compared to w163.