Paxfobiscum

For the past two months, I have searched the national inventory for a GLS 450 with all the options I want. However, I could not find any vehicle a 100% match.
I would appreciate if anyone can give me a lead.

Here is what I am looking:
- Designo White exterior
- Micchiato beige leather interor
- 21 inch wheels
- Driver assist package
- Acoustic comfort package
- Heather wood / leather steering wheel
- Heated front seats with massage
- Heated rear seats
- Rear side air bags
- Electric window assist
- Gesture control
- Panorama roof
- Head up display
- Soft close doors
- Trailer Hitch

So if anyone finds one, please let me know.
Thank you.

mercedesmax

An exact car cannot be had.
Ordering one is difficult because of the restriction on the multicontour seats.
Closest car is at Mercedes of Seattle

Paxfobiscum

Yes, I saw that car in Seattle from the MBUSA car search function. What did you use to search it so quickly? I had to go through each and every region to find the new inventory.
Unfortunately, that Seattle GLS is a Polar White and not Designo Diamond.

I am looking at a 2020 CPO in Chicago Illinois, however, it is priced at $92,999 because of the E-Active Body Control option. So basically, its a used car priced at brand new.

Thanks for trying and do let me know.

Paxfobiscum

Also, what do you mean by "restriction" on the multicontour seats?
I can get the entire seat package if necessary.

mercedesmax

It's Diamond White. Their website is wrong. I use Netstar.
There is a restriction on ordering multicontour seats right now on the GLS 450.

Paxfobiscum

Thank you. I will contact them again.
Since we are discussing this and you have been quite knowledgeable ....

I was thinking of just ordering a new one with all the options I wanted. If I put my order in a week, when do you think I will get the new car? I admit, I was hoping to get it by June as I intend to go on a long road trip at the end of June with the family. Any idea? Thanks again.

C280 Sport

Order one brand new?

Psymac

Most are saying here it’s about 3-4 months for delivery of a BTO. I ordered 12/1 and am told early March delivery.

You may want to call around to several dealers and see if you can get your order in production sooner using one of their allocations.

BTW, what is the electric window assist option?

fabbrisd1

Geez, unless I am missing something here - if you're NYC - go to MB Manhattan (MB's only MB owned dealership) and ask them how long to deliver a GLS to your spec... again, please understand as AZ MB has pointed out Multi-Contour Seat Option is very/very restricted/meaning-not-available across all MB models at the moment.

I understand you are "willing to look" across the US for your Perfect MB - but frankly "Perfect" might not be possible - your best bet for a Build-To-Order in NYC "should be" MB Manhattan.

Paxfobiscum

You are not missing anything. I know the drill and going to MB Manhattan was the very first thing I did. I am a 20 year customer of MB Manhattan, as I have purchased other MBs from them before.

The salesman COULD NOT tell me when I would get a BTO car. He said five to six months but could be shorter. I am okay waiting for four months max but I need the car by June as I am planning a long road trip that month. He suggests that I get whatever is in his inventory that is close to the specs I seek. But we could not find anything remotely close so he said he will try to get the cars from dealers nearby if they have it but he could not guarantee that other dealers will trade with MB Manhattan. When I bought an E-klasse a few years ago, they had to get the car from Florida because they did not find anything with my specs. This is the reason why I was looking around just in case other dealers would have what I am looking for. That car in Seattle has everything but it will cost more than $1,000 to ship it to New York, and that is assuming MB Seattle is willing to send it to MB Manhattan.

The search goes on and would appreciate any leads.

Paxfobiscum

Option 297: Electric Rear Side-Window Sunshades ($380)

mercedesmax

Buddy, thats the only car that is anywhere close to what you want..
So you have a couple of choices.
Order a car. I seriously doubt you would have it by June, and the multi contour seat restriction will affect you.
Or, you can buy that car and pay what it takes and have a great car take on your trip.

Paxfobiscum

Thank you. I will head back to MB Manhattan now to do a BTO and put in a deposit on a couple of caveats: Try to get the car by June, or if I find what I am looking for before it arrives, then I will pull out my deposit. I will also find out the feasibility of getting that car from Seattle.

Thanks again. You have been quite helpful

Psymac

If you do end up with the BTO, I'd recommend getting the MBUX Augmented Video ($350) if you haven't already along with the dash camera option, 21U ($200), which is not on the MBUSA build page but is on Netstar at the dealer.

Paxfobiscum

OK, that is good to know. Thank you.

Paxfobiscum

I finally got the GLS I wanted with all the options:

Here are the options I originally wanted:
- Designo White exterior
- Macchiato beige leather interor
- 21 inch wheels
- Driver assist package
- Acoustic comfort package
- Heat / leather steering wheel
- Heated front seats with massage
- Heated rear seats
- Rear side air bags
- Electric window assist
- Gesture control
- Panorama roof
- Head up display
- Soft close doors
- Trailer Hitch

I placed the custom order with MB Manhattan in Feb and initially they said it could be delivered in June. After two weeks of follow up, however, they changed the delivery to July or even August, but they said I would get a $2,000 discount. I kept the order but asked them to find me a car with all the above options in any dealer inventory. They did look nationwide but no dealer had it and those that had something close did not want to do a swap because the car was selling well. I found a couple of dealers in the Carolinas that had cars that came close but those sold in a day (maybe because they were pre-ordered).

I long road trip with the family is scheduled for June, so I had no choice but to find whatever was available in inventory. Most of the cars I saw was in the $88,000 range, and with the options I wanted I had to find one that was in the $95,000 range. I searched the inventory of ALL MB dealers in the country EVERYDAY, and called over 25 dealers in the Eastern seaboard. There were a few in different colors so that was a deal breaker. There was a used 2020 in Chicago that had 12,000 miles but it had black interior.

Finally, I found one in Seattle, Washington -- all across the country. They had it for about two weeks and were not willing to swap with MB Manhattan. I cold called a salesman there and told him I was interested in his car. Initially he did not want to sell it because they wanted to sell to a local who would come to them for service (which is understandable). After I told them I would pay for shipping and did not ask for a discount, his dealer GM agreed. The paperwork went back and forth for two weeks and there were a lot of documents that had to be FEDEXed overnight. Initially my financing was supposed to be with Chase Bank, but they gave me a lower rate through MB Finance so that was nice. They also took care of NY State registration so all I have to do is wait for my new plates. I paid $2,000 for shipping and they shipped the car on a Weds and it arrived on a Tuesday the following week delivered to my New York apartment.

It had all the options I wanted PLUS the following:
- 2nd row Captains chairs
- Rear roof spoiler
- Illuminated sills
- Third row heating
- Heated front cup holders

The only downside is that I could not trade in my current vehicle. Which is not so bad because I plan to sell this privately anyway and get a better price. In the meantime, I will be paying insurance for two cars.

So the saga is over and I can enjoy this new vehicle that came all the way from Seattle.



Thank you.

Psymac

Congratuations! Let us know what you think, especially the power and performance, captain's chairs, and any noise with the Acoustic Comfort.

My BTO is very similar, just the Selenite Grey exterior and added dash cam. Supposedly being built this week with delivery by end of month, original order placed 12/1/20, so four months wait. I've thought the same to get a new one on the lot, but like you hardly any full optioned new 450s available, so thought it might be easier to go with a used 2020 580, which typically has more options but yeah, 10-15K more than a new 450. Hard to find those as well, especially with beige/grey interior (CANNOT. DO. BLACK. INTERIOR. AGAIN). No word yet on any further delays for my BTO, but the dealer hasn't been always up to date.

Paxfobiscum

I will let you know after my road trip from NYC to Chicago (round trip) this week. Before I pulled the plug I considered the 580 as well, but I still could not find a 580 with the combination of colors and packages I wanted. I would not have minded paying for a 580 if it had everything I wanted but I just could not find the colors, especially the interior as the 580s I saw had prevalently black interior. I never had a black interior vehicle so that was a deal breaker for me. I wish I ordered earlier in December (to get it before June) but at that point we were unsure of a lot of things. Good luck with your build.