GregGebhardt

I am a long time Lexus owner including two LX570. Drove a friends two year old ML350 and fell in love. Went to my local dealer just to look and an hour later I find myself driving over the Buckman bridge in a fully loaded black on black ML350 BlueTec.

I am impressed. I thought I would be settling for a little less of a luxurious ride yet I find my ML350 to not only be as nice but handles way better.

Looking forward to learning much here, please be patient with me. Just called the dealer and asked if my spare tire was missing and he said there is not spare tire! So much to learn I am carrying my iPad with me with the manual downloaded.

What a nice piece of hardware.

Drano64

Congrats! I've had my Black on Black Bluetec since Sunday night. Couldn't be happier.

ripnbst

Seems bluetecs are getting more and more popular here in the states. Good, I hope the price of diesel comes down to where it should be. Cheaper than regular gasoline.

Drano64

$3.61 per Gallon here in Phoenix

mist68

Greg-do you still shoot a lot of photos?

Kartergreg

Wow, interesting. My 2013 Bluetec has a spare. Wonder what's in the space where the spare was? You must have run flat tires. Not my favorite kind of tire.

xMB007x

The 2014 bt I test drove at the dealer had a spare.

Is your ML equipped with the B&O stereo? That option requires run flat tires.

DUTCH

+1 I would not drive a car without a spare. In fact, I just purchased a separate full sized wheel and new tire so that I have a full sized spare for our upcoming trip to AK and back pulling a camper. It will also be used in a 5 tire cross rotation sequence.

bud.jones

It's still over $4.50 here on Oahu

GregGebhardt

Around $4 here in Jacksonville!

Yes I do. Photography and offshore fishing are still my favorites. You must know me from DPR? It is a small world, indeed!

Time will tell if they are my favorite tire. They are the Pirelli Scorpions run flats.

Yes on the B&O stereo. This ML350 has virtually every option offered. You got to wonder why you are required to have run flat tires if you want their best stereo?

I have need to AK and if I were going to travel, pulling a camper, I would likely toss a spare in the back, too.

I only got one question that even the manual on the iPad can not answer. How do I change the AC zone setting so that when I change the drivers temp, it changes the passenger temp at the same time. I want all the temps to mirror the driver's selection. If any one can help, please let me know. I can not find a "zone" button like shown in the images. I got "Auto" inside my temp knob and the "recirculate" button on the passenger side.

Thanks everyone.

DUTCH

I'm pretty sure that the "Zone" button is only present on the #581 3-Zone Automatic Climate Control special order option. I looked for it on mine, too; and it ain't there.

GregGebhardt

No wonder I can not find in the manual.


Does that mean there is no way to get the settings to sync with the driver setting? No a big deal but every vehicle (Lexus) I have had would allow us to sync these settings.

DUTCH

Not that I've been able to find. If you do find a way, please post it. My Audi Q7 had that capability, too.

GregGebhardt

How about changing the volume on the woman's voice that helps in navigation. She is a little on the loud side and I usually turn the voice off.

DUTCH

See pp 29-30 of the COMAND Manual.

We just about need a college level course to learn how to do everything on this vehicle.

Oh Cool

To change the Nav volume press the +/- button which is located on the right side keypad on the steering wheel while the Nav woman is speaking. The same +/- buttons also control the phone and radio volumes when those are in use.

GregGebhardt

Thanks all. Got it. Logical but most other vehicles had a volume control. I have the nice NavGirl muted.

mist68

Greg-I do recall you from DPR-the Nikon forum. Still shooting; D3s and D800e. Interestingly I also fish offshore-the Northeast.

Picked up a new GL550 yesterday-by coincidence my prior SUV is a Land Cruiser (keeping it as utility vehicle). As you know the Lexus & Land Cruiser share same bones. As good as the GL550 may be, it will never be as indestructible or as reliable as the LC.

Regarding volume of the nag-while the Navlady is speaking simply increase or decrease the volume with on/off knob. But, she must be speaking for it to work.

Best

GregGebhardt

I have been around the DPR Forum for so many years now. Believe it or not I was at a car show in Ponte Vedra and I and another photographer were talking about the advancement of the hardware and he remembered my name from a DPR forum. Not sure if this is good or not.

I test drove a GL550 and it was very nice.

GregGebhardt

Been busy getting used to all the things going on in my ML and had ignored the B&O stereo until this weekend.

Had a chance to put a CD or two in the unit this weekend and WOW! About the best sound system I have had in a vehicle. Made my Lexus Mark Levison sound "muddy" in comparison. The B&O has some serious sound quality, even at higher volume.

DUTCH

The Harman/Kardon option isn't too shabby either.

mist68

We looked at B&O option also on new GL550-issue is no spare and run flats-although I wouldn't want-are not available on 550 or AMG. We have a no spare issue with our 997s Cab and it clearly limits where we drive.

Interesting that it is much better than ML in LX570. Other than limited volume, the ML is great.

GregGebhardt

The idea of the run flats does not really matter that much to me. If I can ride on it to the closest dealer or any tire place, I am good with it. I talked to someone who had a flat with the run-flats and they said they would have never klnow they even had a flat until the TPM went off to tell them. They said the tire looked and rode near normal.

I live in the city of Jacksonville and do travel to Atlanta, Savannah and on occasion to Beach Mountain. I might get the can of "goo" and a 12volt airpump but right now I am not too concerned.

Barry45RPM

The problem is: "Many" times I have gotten to the dealer for a tire replacement, and they're out of stock and they have to get them. Somehow its always a day or two.

GregGebhardt

I would keep driving until they got one. Worst case, I would get another tire on the rim while waiting. Out of my two dealers in Jax, FL, one keeps a single tire in stock and replaces it when it is purchased.

I have always had to order tires at time of replacement and they have always had them either the next day or day after.