Hi,


I have finally pulled the trigger and booked my GLS450D in India. Here in India we pay a lot more for the car while getting fewer features than what you people might get. We also do not get options to choose from nor can we select the interior and exterior colours. With each exterior colour, there is a fixed interior colour. While I am excited about my new car, I wanted to know what all to expect from this behemoth. I currently own a BMW 630D GT and am quite happy with the way the car drives, but flinch every time I have to send the car for the small niggles that come up every now and then. So far my experience with my older VW family cars has been stellar compared to what BMW has made me go through.

Having said that - I have been wondering -should I brace myself for something peculiar what a Mercedes GLS450D might throw at me? The car comes with no rear seat ventilation/heating, heated/cooled cup holders, HUD, 3D view speedo (though not sure whether any other car other than the S has it), real leather, cooled glovebox, twin sunshades, massaging seats, or even their Air balance package or energising package - which they do provide in the GLE. For all the features that are missing, with a limited options of interior and exterior colours ( Just 5 options to choose from - Black and blue cars with brown interiors, White and Grey cars with beige interiors and silver car with black interiors. And NO - we can not choose the inserts for wood, or piano black or anything - it just comes with the striped piano black finish) - we are paying close to $197,000!! Expensive car by any standards.


Any how - here are a few things I would like to know if someone has kitted their cars with.

1. Is there a way I can change the front grill? It looks ghastly, and to be honest the earlier one looked much better. What we get 4 slats in satin silver which look like cheap plastic. Maybe something in dark chrome or even regular chrome would look better IMHO. Is there a way I can get that from some place?

2. Since the car's running boards are more of a hinderance than being any help while getting in and out of the car, I have been thinking of getting a Maybach type automatic deploying side step. Is it advisable?

3. A dashcam. Front and back. As far as I know - Mercedes doesn't provide one (though I always wonder - why can't the car record when it already has cameras all around) or does it?


I understand these questions might be quiet common for most of the folks here - but since I am a newbie - I thought to take up this opportunity to say Hi and ask all the questions to put me at ease.


CheerS!!

 

I don't have answers to your questions, but wow! Enjoy your new GLS in the crowded streets of India!! Can't wait to see pictures when you get it!!!

 

Hi,

Has no one really installed the Maybach-esque auto side step to their car here?

Really want to know about the pros and cons of it.