RIP GLK
About a year ago I pulled into a rest stop and thought "oh, that's neat. 3 of the same Lexus in a row. I wonder if it's a meetup?" Then I realized one was a Ford, and one was a Hyundai. All 3 had the same body shape, same windows, etc.
Sad that the representation of said androgyny in the automotive design studios is the jelly bean with a few slices to house the wheels. Very, Very uninspiring. I can hardly tell a MB GLC, from an Audi.
MB I hope you realize that the GLC name has already been used. (Mazda used it for their cheapest econbox cars from the mid 1970's till the late 1980's when it became the 323. GLC stood for Great Little Car
That was the my first thought when I learned the GLK was morphed into the blandness that is the GLC. So given how uninspiring the MB GLC version is compared with the also uninspiring Mazda GLC. I guess the name makes since.
Last edited by super7pilot; Aug 7, 2016 at 11:12 PM.
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It used to be the back logo on MB was larger than most, if they even had a logo, and showed off something. Now, the back logo on MBs are among the smallest. Crooked Hs (for Hyundai), Saturn-looking Nissan symbols, and everything else learned to mimic pronouncement in the logo.
I am new to this forum. We are planning to get a used 2013 Benz GLK with the M276 DI Engine. I have learned about the carbon buildup issue with DI engines but have not been able to find anything related to this particular engine. For those of you who have this engine, have you experienced any carbon buildup by now? This engine has been in production for quite a few years now and I'm assuming that by now there should be enough sample size and mileage in relation to this issue. We really like the interior upgrades of the 2013 GLK compared to the 2012. However, the DI engine is a concern to us, and if the carbon buildup is an issue with this M276 engine, we are going to look into the 2012s withe M272 engine. Thank you!!!
Now 2 years later the GLC has arrived and it's a fine MB with more space, more creature comforts and more safety features but it ends up looking like a last model Q5. It was designed to be non-offensive to men and women equally. The GLK is/was polarizing...you loved it or you hated it.
In my 2 years of daily driving, I have loved these things more than I thought I would:
1- the mileage. I get 550km to a tank where my 4 cyl Kia only reached those numbers on a highway run. It was usually empty at the 440km mark. I get this up and down hills in mixed back road/highway driving.
2- the engine is really sweet. Less jumpy than a previous owned X3, slightly more relaxed feeling that kicks down in sport mode like nobody's business. It's a Jekyll/Hyde thing with 2 distinct personalities. Climbing my highway route up the mountains, I so appreciate the extra oomph my 269 hp 6 cyl engine has with power in reserve.
3- MBTex. When Mercedes decided to create a leather look and feel fabric that wipes clean, seems to be pierce and cut resistant yet never seems to get leather hot or vinyl cold...one appreciated the comfort. With two messy dogs, cleaning up takes minutes with pretty much whatever cleaner is close by.
4- the build quality certainly makes for a heavy car, but knobs, switches, seat frames and little things like the back storage area design and strength pay off over the long run.
5- long wheelbase for a small car, much like my old Civic from 1995, this length creates a super smooth ride that rarely gets choppy. Most compact SUVs from Japan and Korea, not to mention US brands are based on car platforms but don't adjust the suspension and ride properly leaving the front and back ends of the vehicles heaving somewhat. Tried RAV's, CRV's and most of the popular models out there and they all felt like small rollercoasters whenever you braked firmly or hit the gas. The GLK has poise and balance that was really unexpected.
6- 4Matic fulltime is a blessing on so many accounts. We all cannot be pro drivers of RWD cars. I make errors by applying too much gas on take off but 4Matic seems to find a way to reign my errors in. I forget that ½" of wet fallen leaved on the driveway can put me into skid but 4Matic takes care of this (with reason and laws of nature). But most of all, 4Matic gets me up icy and snow covered roads that have yet to be plowed when lesser vehicles fishtail and would be in the ditch.
So as I enter into my third year with the GLK, I am thinking that my usual 3-4 year ownerships of cars may get extended. Maybe I'll look for another GLK but newer, say 2014/2015 as I head into late 2017. Find another great used one with a few more bells and whistles on it. I am not sure that between all the cars we have owned in the last 20 years, that the GLK has been the biggest surprise and the best balanced vehicle for me/us.
"They were not very prevalent like the X3 or Lexus competitor..."
Lets face it, MB is in business to sell vehicles, and if the "Jelly Bean" make a vehicle 'prevalent', that is what they will make.
This being said, neither lacks much in any of the criteria listed above.





