JohnMichael

I was ready to order a 2012 GLK loaded up and found out if I order leather I have to have burlwood - no exceptions according to MBUSA. Why do they offer aluminum, burlwood and the new grey wood as options to cars with MBtex but then when you spend more money for leather (1700) you can't choose or pay for anything but burlwood? This makes no sense - neither the dash or door panels are leather no matter what you order. I looked at the '12 BMWX3 and can choose all kinds of options with any seats and in fact get many more options for the same price as the GLK. I don't want a BMW but am at a loss why Mercedes does these stupid option packages.

MBRedux

One word.... marketing.... marketing.... marketing....

420tee

Second word---Greed, greed, greed. I was looking at a Jeep more expensive than the MB and ran into the same thing. The MB I bought off the lot just happened to have nearly everything I wanted and very little I didn't care about. I'm old enough to remember telling the Pontiac dealer what color, what interior, what engine, tranny, rear end etc., etc. I wanted in my '65 GTO and that's the car I got AND less than $3000.

MKenM

In the 2010 model the brushed aluminium was standard. In the 2010 model they realized that more people took the aluminium rather than the Burlwood so in the 2011 model they made a switch and now make you pay for what was standard in 2010.

As far as leather vs. MBTex, maybe MB thinks that leather is classier then MBTex and therefore thinks that wood is classier than metal. IMO

And, like 420tee and MBRedux said Marketing and Greed are 2 great words to describe the situation.

BTW I have the MBTex and it is great and not worth spending the extra $$$'s for leather.

HDRyder9

I have the Burlwood interior but of course there is plenty of brushed aluminum. The burlwood always looks good. The aluminum shows every single fingerprint. I'm glad I have the burlwood.

420tee

I have the wood but it's so heavily finished it looks like imitation plastic.

MKenM

I have the brushed aluminium and never have reason to touch it but I understand your point.

yualfred

I don't remember seeing any finger print on my alu finish.

CJM Online

We also preferred the aluminum trim to the wood...that's not always the case for us, but the aluminum just seemed to look better with black interior in the GLK.

Also very impressed with MB-Tex so far and are happy we didn't go with leather. Suggest giving the MB-Tex a shot.

JohnMichael

One of the reasons I wanted the aluminum is because when I have tested the wood dash cars it seemed there was quite a distracting refection from the top of the wood dash onto the windshield when it was sunny out. I had the salesman cover the top of the passenger side and the reflection disappeared.

MBRedux

shotgun_banjo

I guess people who never own alum. trim inside their cars doesn't know how hard not to have a ding or dent on it. I had a 1st gen nissan murano and it has a lot of alum. trims inside (I mean a lot!) and my god I swear everytime I hit it with a bag, key or any hard object as it scratches easily. When I bought my GLK I made sure that I am not getting the alum trim because of my previous experience with it and all of the used GLKs that I saw on the dealer's lot that has the alum trim has dents on them as well specially on the door handle trim.

It is sporty indeed but I would prefer to see a interior that doesn't have scratches or dings as you will go nuts once you see it and you cannot do anything about it but to replace it. The wood trims are harder to scratch and won't dent.

One more thing....check out the dark wood trim as it is sporty and elegant. Here in Canada, you can get any of the trims at no cost at you. I even asked my sales person about the 2012 and he said you can pick what trim you want for the car without any cost on any packages. So better ask again.

jiw71

Wow, these used GLKs' must be in a rough neighbourhood (lol) I have aluminum trim (since Aug '10 and do not have any scratches or dents yet. Just lucky I guess.

JohnMichael

That is what bothers me in every other country you can order any of the two woods or aluminum trims independant of whether you have the leather or MBtex seats. It just seem stupid to tie the two together in a package that offers leather and burlwood with no exceptions. So to get aluminum I have MBtex seats but I can also order wood if I want either type. But if I have leather I have to have burlwood only. The VW tex seats are made with better nice high quality stitching as are the BMW MB makes the stitching look cheap on the US version of the MBtex GLK, Who comes up with these stupid restriction packages. Why can't we have 17" wheels like the rest of Europe? off road packages too. They even offer some premieum seat option that we can't get here in the US. I gues we are seen as non discriminating idiots with no personal opinions worth catering to,

420tee

Still mad about the war?

MKenM

JM I think you should go the Germany get your GLK the way you want it. Travel around Europe with it. Have it converted for import to the US and have a nice day.

If that doesn't work buy the MBTex there is nothing wrong with it and your neighbors will never know.

The aluminium doesn't dent unless you abuse it.

W210

I ordered our 2010 Canadian model with light grey leather and aluminum and no sun roof.

JohnMichael

I would go in a minute but they said I could only buy the US model at the factory with the US restrictions on options. I'd love to be wrong about that.

MBRedux

Apply for the European delivery and order it EXACTLY the way you wish!

Link: http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/europe...ogram/overview

DCubed

EDP requires you to order off the US order sheet. If the dealer is competent they can talk to the local rep and maybe get a special order exception (just like getting a car sprayed in a MB paint not offered on the model) but it may be more money than what it is worth.

hmy1

What MKenM is suggesting is that you go to Germany and custom-order your European-spec GLK. When you're done cruising the autobahns, import it to the US yourself and have it converted for US driving. This is not the EDP and, yes, it would be costly.

German customers can select from a wide variety of options, in addition to the packages, many of which are not available to US customers. It's pretty amazing. You can peruse them yourself on the German version of the MBZ website.

When I visited the factory in Bremen, I picked up a printed 2011 version of the PDF pricelist found on that website, which I believe has since been updated for 2012 models. When I do the conversion from Euros to US dollars, the GLKs are much more expensive compared to the US prices. Do the Germans really pay that much or do they make that much more than Americans?

NYCGLK

Cars and gas in Europe are prohibitively expensive. We are spoiled in US. We get top of the line GLK here and think of it as entry level luxury SUV. In Europe there are cheaper versions of GLK and other cars as well.

They also make money in Euros so when dollar goes down they do make more relative to you and me and vice verse. Why do you think ppl have been coming to US for shopping from other countries.

hmy1

My point is that even with a 1:1 exchange rate, which we haven't seen in like ten years (and Germany was on the mark then anyway, but I digress), the prices are much higher compared to a similarly-equipped vehicle sold in the US.

MBRedux

You buy it here, (at our prices) and pick it up over there for a short trip around Europe! It's just a tourist trap marketing idea.

hmy1

You missed the point. We're not talking about the EDP here. The EDP wouldn't help the OP since he'll still be limited to the options and packages that are offered to the USA.