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What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car?

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Comments

  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    If it is true, it is back to the drawing board and waiting for a chance to drive the Jeep GC and Touareg TDI.

    Thank goodness for the VW T, cuz that one was my first desire before learning of the GLK potential. It's just that the price of admission with that one sorta had me not feeling very excited about the possibilities. It is encouraging tho to have ruking's real life experience so positive with it. I still can't get the timing chain route and all those guides asking it to almost turn itself inside out, outta my head tho..
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    Perhaps if others voiced it too, they very well might have.. I love a full size spare, especially if they don't cheap out and put it on a steel wheel cuz then I integrate a 5 tire rotation right from new. Unfortunately, my present car has it (on cast no less, thank you Honda for not cheaping out) but I bought used and they didn't do it..
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    ya...option$

    crickets.. :(
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Ah, the light rear end. I got pretty good at parallel parking in the snow using the hand brake. :D

    Our Cars: 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL350 Diesel is Smooooth (Motor Trend)
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    I am looking forward to seeing one in the flesh if I can ever free up enough time to go and do that. I could have sworn I read somewhere that the Adblue tank was up front under the hood..mighta been Edmunds tester I read that?
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    haha..hooligan..
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I tried that with the foot operated e-brake in the Quest a couple of times but couldn't get the hang of it. ;)
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Ah the GL350 Bluetec, is quite a vehicle. And it is not a vehicle you can bargain for. Edmunds has it right, TMV is over MSRP. Figure about $80k for a decent equipped GL.

    Overall, the GL’s second- and third-row space was deemed adequate, but the power-folding third-row seats were cool.

    Quite frankly the second row in the GL is not as roomy as the ML. Of course the ML is only 5 passengers. Something else I learned from a couple hours with our MB salesman. The R was a very slow seller new. Used you pay a big premium. Especially if it is the diesel model. I think it is uglier than sin. I'm putting the whole business to rest. Tomorrow is another day and I am going to try and find a Touareg TDI to test drive.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Good question. I will call my new MB manager friend and ask him where the AdBlue tank is located and the filler.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Surprised to hear that about the R Class; I didn't think they sold well new or used regardless of fuel choice.

    That's one thing about car shopping that lots of people forget. It's easy to walk since there's another car hauler dumping new cars off next week.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
    ..."I could have sworn I read somewhere that the Adblue tank was up front under the hood..mighta been Edmunds tester I read that?"...

    I am guessing the JGC TDI has its tank (Ad Blue) somewhere in the trunk. I would further guess it is a component and area shaped hugging design. But its filler location sharing the access with the fuel tank filler under the fuel tank access door is really very logical. Another reason why it is so logical is that Ad Blue (as the population becomes more "mainstream") is going to being dispensed at ULSD stations. Current prices are like 2.79 per gal Ad Blue. A more practical real world situation is if one has a "piddle" incident, one can dilute it pretty easy with H20 at the fuel station. Currently Ad Blue tank sizes seem to range between 5 gals to almost 8 gals.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
    Everything I am reading and starting to understand about the MB GLK 250 is that it hits important metrics excellently, albeit (at higher price points) relative to other OEMS).

    Now for the MB BRAND it is literally a screaming deal. I cite MB spokesperson's saying they are losing monies (grains of salt here), anecdotal information saying invoice and mostly below invoice pricing, MB dealers saying they are DEALING ! Further buzz is created by the limited inventories. I do have a call back to one of the local dealers as they wanted me to arrange a look see AND test drive. The local unit has 10 miles on it.

    Not to be a fanboy of Cars.com, but current inventory are listed @ 737 diesel units of the GLK250 (of 1406 total units= 52.4% diesels)
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I cite MB spokesperson's saying they are losing monies (grains of salt here), anecdotal information saying invoice and mostly below invoice pricing, MB dealers saying they are DEALING !

    Another salesman from one of the 5 MB dealerships I sent emails out for quotes called me. They are pretty large and have 10 GLK250 BTs in stock as of yesterday. I told him I was looking for the best price. He asked how low did I expect them to go. I said below invoice. He said you mean like a $1000 under invoice. I said that was a good figure to start with. His comment was NO Problem. The salesman that I have worked with told me they will not lose a sale over money. Most of the dealerships are owned by large corporations. So it pays to not try and play one against the other from the same tent. My dealer is part of Group One. They own several dealerships in So CA.

    Waiting to hear from local VW dealer on getting a test drive in the Touareg TDI.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    We are not alone in our dislike of RFTs. Here is a good article on the subject. So is having AAA fixing your flat as bad as waiting for days for a replacement tire in podunk Michigan?

    That’s not the only complaint though. While the reduced weight of carrying around a spare might seem like an advantage, run flat tires also have an impact on your fuel economy. Thanks to the tires being heavier and thicker they can reduce fuel economy by 1-2%. Also, due to the stiffer and heavier design, the run flat doesn’t quite perform like its price would indicate. They can often be harsh on the road and don’t provide a lot of grip in low temperatures.

    Lastly, when you do get a puncture, or lose tire pressure, it’s not quite as easy to get them repaired. While some run flat tires can be repaired, they need to spend some time off the rim, and need to be inspected to ensure they can be fixed. If they can’t, it’s time to buy new tires. Conversely, most punctures on a conventional tire can be fixed with a simple repair kit that costs just a few dollars.

    Even with tougher rubber, run flat tires do wear out quicker than regular tires. Many owners on the AutoGuide Forum Network complained that they were replacing their OEM run-flat tires within 20,000 miles. This prompted a lawsuit, which was settled by BMW and Bridgestone. Members of the settlement will receive a full refund for the purchase of replacement tires if they were needed before 10,000 miles. If replacement occurred between 10,000 miles up through 30,000 miles, reimbursement will be 50 percent or less. If buyers are experiencing wear at around 20,000 miles, that’s less than half the life of an ordinary tire.

    Customers though, haven’t responded well to these types of tires. Honda has stopped offering the tires on its vehicles after settling a class action lawsuit last year. The owners of Acura’s RL, and Honda Odysseys claimed unreasonable tire life and unexpectedly high replacement costs.

    Run flat tires may have their advantages, but it still seems like their many compromises are stopping the equipment from taking off. BMW and MINI vehicles get them as standard equipment, and owners (especially enthusiasts) are not happy with them. Vanessa Terrier from Bridgestone’s Communications team mentioned that “As of today, the run flat tire market is mainly driven by car manufacturers and original equipment.”


    Run Flat Tires not in my SUV buying plans
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
    GEEZ. It seems the information is almost universally BAD ! As it relates to the diesel thread, it really has nothing directly to do with... TDI's. In regards to the MB GLK and ML 350 Blue Tec's, the tires for the CUV's are a tad persnickety in that they are a serious of WEIRD compromises, already. When one adds in the 17 in, 18 in, and blingers of 19 in, 20 in it really has to be a real circus.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,097
    I was able to get my car to a grand under invoice with almost no negotiation, too.

    Either MB has inflated its MSRPs to silly levels, with invoice prices likewise and just kicks back money to dealers when sold - or they are losing money on every sale and making up for it with volume. I vote for the former. Margins have to be big on these cars, especially loaded models.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I think the bling wheels are a direct result of NON off roaders buying SUVs. My Sequoia has 17" and that is plenty big enough. It all makes me want to just keep what I got and bite the bullet every time I fill up. My mind was really compromising with the 19"ers on the GLK. Seeing the high MPG fogged my thinking too much. Thankfully the RFTs cleared the fog.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
    To be perfectly honest, the 18 in's on the VW T TDI were pushing it for me. I (in effect) swallowed HARD. BUT, all the stuff about the 19 in and 20 in tire sizes, I have NO experiences (anecdotal) with. The ones that do, ( that I read about in Touareg web sites) almost all, talk of low mileage poor traction as it wears and other faster wear issues.

    Now for me, the verdict is still out as to what kind of mileage and over all satisfaction with the 18 in size. As reported, I am getting between 14,000 and 15,000 miles per 1/32nd. The oem tires came with 10/32nd in and legally bald is 2/32nd in. So in theory if I take it down between 2/32nd in and 4/32n in .... 116k to 87 k miles.

    I thought 16 in tires on the 96/94 TLC's were starting to get WEIRD (275/70/16 S rated) We just pulled down a set with 83,000 miles @ 8 years ( going on 3rd set) , for one tire started to run with a flat spot. It was hard for me to determine if it was a manufacturers defect or some bad hits in normal operations. Obvious (or may be not so) 3 others were good so we saved the best one ( for the under the rear) full sized spare. So in effect, I am doing what you are doing.

    If this is of interest, these are Yokohama Geolander HT/S G051. I would have liked to have gotten the Michelin LTX's, still the gold standard after 2 decades, but we have had two to three good sets and a set is a minimum of $304 more. Great bang for the buck.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    edited June 2013
    What really makes me wonder is why the automakers especially BMW, think no one goes off road with their SUVs. To end up 100 miles from no where without a spare or the chance of a dealer that has those odd ball tires, is insane. At the very least they should be offered as an option for those of US that do like to take the roads less traveled. I know first hand just how hard it is to get parts for some vehicles in Canada. And the RF tires are not going to be stocked at most Discount tire places. My banker has a cool little BMW coupe. First week he hit something and destroyed a tire. It took the dealer 2 days to get a replacement and $380 bill. He was totally unaware of what RFTs were until that happened. And he is not happy about them. They can put them on foo foo gas vehicles, leave our diesel SUVs alone.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
    I am very inclined to agree with you. The (literal) Rubicon Trail is app 80 miles away from the two/three tire places where I would task to do an R/R should the need arise. They have told me they have the TLC tires, but 19 in and 20 in (and run flats) they do not stock and would have to order. Now you will not find me on the Rubicon Trail, but going off road is a normal gig in the Tahoe, CA area. So for me forewarned is forearmed .
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited June 2013
    I replaced the space saver early on in the minivan and put the full size one to good use, having ruined two tires over the years, both in the boonies (5 flats in 14 years). Neither Fix-a-Flat nor an auto club would have worked in either instance.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I also have intimate experience in Lake Tahoe. You have to go to either Sac or Reno to find anything. Would I like driving down that hill with a RFT getting beat up? Not even a chance. A couple miles to a freeway exit is one thing. Although if you are in a big city you would be risking your life getting off the freeway. Give me a spare tire and my 39 years with AAA.

    Still waiting on the VW dealers to call or email. By this time after sending an email to 5 Mercedes dealers, all had contacted me by phone and email. If VW is going to overtake GM by 2018 they better get off their fat behinds and follow up on leads.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
    Speaking about LONG in the tooth!!!! ??? TDI? Almost a no brainer.

    Since 1974

    Too bad NO 73.5 (US aka 128 oz) mpg ( 3.2 l/100km) blue motion for the US markets ! What are the US legislative and regulatory branches afraid of? That we might ACTUALLY USE less fuel ? ;) :lemon:
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
    On the replacement tire sizes for the MB GLK 250 ( for OE run flats) these came up: 235/50/19 and 235/45/20. Tirerack.com does not list run flat replacements. tire replacements for both sizes are pricey. On the whole they are more expensive than the VW Touareg TDI's tires (18 in)
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
  • yankabillyyankabilly Member Posts: 43
    They are already here
    Not only commercial trucks but passenger cars which eliminates the truck space
    And very expansive

    You can also get the truck from fleet service which coast $15000 they send it to Canada to do the add on for Ford.

    For the house we have natural gas so all I would need run pipe and have external unit put in
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    What is crazy is the fact that MB is not putting them on all the GLKs. That makes it hard to determine the right vehicle. I have a Touareg TDI to test drive tomorrow, if I can get away to do it. If I really like the Touareg I would get the LUX with saddle brown leather and make them exchange the 19" wheels and tires for the Sport 18". All for under invoice. I think the next biggest negative of the GLK is the small tank. That kind of defeats the long range aspect of a diesel. I test drove the ML350 Bluetec also and it was very nice. So that is back on the list. The seats are plusher than the GLK.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Carbon Credits is the only thing keeping Tesla going. What a scam. Start a company, sell a few over priced cars to the uber rich and let the competition keep you afloat.

    (They can buy credits from other companies, such as electric-only Tesla Motors (TSLA), that sell too few cars to be subject to regulation yet still earn credits which they are allowed to sell. Tesla made $85 million selling California and federal credits in the first quarter of 2013.)
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    For the house we have natural gas so all I would need run pipe and have external unit put in

    Last I read PHILL went bankrupt. The home unit was about $4000. Not everyone has enough gas flow to their home to handle a CNG system. And the CNG tanks have a fixed life span and are expensive.

    Most countries have adopted similar CNG cylinder standards. Tanks cannot be recertified after reaching the expiration date set at time of manufacture and must be taken out of service. That leaves vehicle owners two options: retire the vehicle or replace the cylinders.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    GTL is the smartest way to use our abundant natural gas supply. Buy a diesel vehicle and run it on diesel from oil, natural gas or algae. All the benefits of a diesel and none of the negatives associated with alternatives like CNG or EV. Can you imagine the premium the dealers would be adding to diesel vehicles if we could buy diesel for half the cost of RUG?

    Smaller-scale GTL plants can produce diesel at a cost of about $1.50 a gallon (the average retail price for diesel in 2012 was $3.92). “The U.S. gas production curve is not going down, it’s going up,” says Sasol CEO David Constable. “We see this product really taking off in the next decade after these plants have been built.”
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited June 2013
    Always something interesting getting posted around here. Guess VW will have to come out with a GTL now. :)

    "Petroleum experts who have sniffed vials of gin-clear GTL diesel speak of it with reverence.

    “It’s a beautiful product,” says Jim Jensen, a Massachusetts-based energy economist. “The kerosene smells like perfume.” (nbcnews.com). Dateline 2005 - so where is it?

    Looks like a lot of federal grant monies are being used to study GTL so I guess it'll wind up being just be a trophy fuel for the rich too. :P
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    It was only smart business that drove Shell to build their first GTL plant in Qatar. They do have the largest known gas reserves in the World. I am excited that they may build them here as well. It is also exciting that so many fleet, bus and commercial vehicles are switching to CNG/LNG. They reduce the demand for diesel making it less expensive for when I finally buy a diesel SUV. Also GTL is Zero PPM sulfur. Now if the Feds would pony up some money to produce diesel from coal instead of sending it all to pollute the 3rd World countries.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
    ..."All for under invoice."...

    It is truly a good time to buy diesel powered passenger vehicles !! It actually has been for a while.

    I also have read in passing that VW is offering 5 or so time (12 mo 24 mo 36 mo 44 mo 66 mo) plans @ .9% financing (less than one percent). I also seem to recall a 72 mo plan but at a higher rate, that escapes me at the moment. So in theory, you could strike a WAY under invoice deal, get a low percentage rate ,9%, drive home with your signature. (money unfortunately would cost you app 37.50 per month) (i.e.. 50,000 * .9%= 450 per year/12)
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    As you have pointed out, even a good interest rate under 1% makes them money and gets people to buy. Big companies are better off lending at a low rate than actually having to pay to keep their money in the bank. If the buyer has a good credit score.

    The only diesel I have found that is not selling for invoice or below is the MB GL350 Bluetec. They are going above MSRP.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
    Just got back from 3 hours @ the local MB dealership. I almost didn't get a word in edge wise. You and Fintail were right. MB dealers (or @ least this one anyway) are SERIOUS and motivated ( and literally on steroids-in a good way) I was taken aback by this, but there was literally ZERO pressure. However the exact car they sent me the information on was already sold and GONE. He had to go to plan B, a much more LOADED one. They were more concern about me knowing "the highlights" and my SOTP experiences. They did drop the (over) emphasis on diesel, when they found out they were preaching to the choir. As a much later in the presentation aside, they said if I was to buy, they would schedule 2 to 4 MORE hours to go over the car,.... IN DEPTH ! :confuse: Gee glad I was only there to see one model (MB GLK250 Blue Tec) !

    Run flat tires and NO spare are standard.
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    edited June 2013
    As you guys know, I am no fan of rims in excess of 17", and 16 in many applications.
    But as I was slugging my innards out today my mind drifts to the CRV replacement sometimes...and today got thinking about those dang 19" even if they aren't gonna be clad with RFTs on the GLK. And I was wondering if maybe larger rims (not wider tho) may actually run quieter than smaller ones, simply because they turn fewer revolutions every mile than smaller ones?? Any thoughts or experiences with this? The large rims seem to be on all the upscale cars, and basically all trims of luxury name brands, where quiet is always one of the desires.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I have to say my wife and I were pleasantly surprised with the Ride, Handling and comfort of the Touareg. The VW diesel at idle is quieter than either Mercedes 4 or V6 diesels as well as the BMW. I put my ear on the hood and could only tell an engine was running. We only got out on the freeway and about 10 miles total test drive. The 8.5 inch NAV screen is superior to both the BMW and MB units. No way to know if it has better routing. The real key is finding a Touareg TDI you like. South Bay VW is one of the largest dealers and they only get them dribbled out. I told him I would want the Lux in white with saddle brown leather. He said that is what the boss drives and it is beautiful. I would try to beat them down with offering to take the wheels and tires from a Sport model. He also told us they had one Touareg Hybrid. After several months on the lot the boss drove it for a month and they sold it as used $15,000 below MSRP. It did not match up mileage to the TDI model.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
    As it applies to the MB GLK 250 I really do not know, as it was not possible to do 16 in, 17 in, 18 in, 19 in ABCD tests. That being said, this car was almost tomb - like quiet. The only thing I could really hear was WIND noise. I could every so slightly feel the twin turbos work. But again with SO little mileage on the demonstrator, I did not want to get on it. Indeed, I really did not want to drive it. The sales guy almost insisted.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    I am glad to hear you BOTH had good experiences. This is purely my .02 cents, but that white and saddle brown combination is SHARP.
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    Would you say your VW T is quieter? Including wind noise?
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
    A qualified yes. I have had the VW T TDI in ALL seasons and all manner of "weirdness." I also run it with 3 psi more. The test drive with the MB GLK250 while it was app 30 min each with the sales guy and me driving, was generally on some of the smoothest freeways around here, no doubt chosen for that reason.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I would say the Touareg, GLK, ML all are smoother and quieter than the X5 BMW. Could it be the RFTs? I would have to sit in them side by side to give a real honest opinion on the seats in the Touareg Lux compared to the ML. Both are more comfortable than the GLK. I don't know if the Sport seats are of the same quality and comfort as the Lux and Executive. I was not impressed with the pano sun roof on the Touareg. It has a very thin cover that let in a lot of light and warmth. If I could order the Sport with NAV and saddle brown seats I would be close to making up my mind.

    Where do you hang clothes when you travel? Or do you put all in the suitcase? Edmunds shows 16 more cu ft of space in the ML vs the Touareg. The Touareg does seem smaller even though they are less than an inch shorter. I think the big question is which company can deliver what I want at the price I am willing to pay. The GLK is off the list for various reasons. It would be a fun economical vehicle for every day running around. But not in a league with the others on long trips.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
    ..." I was not impressed with the pano sun roof on the Touareg. It has a very thin cover that let in a lot of light and warmth. "...

    I was told in passing most MB GLK250's came with the sunroof option and indeed it was harder to get them without that option, albeit app $1,400 more.

    While I do have a sun roof in the 09 VW Jetta TDI (wife wanted it for some reason, even she does not use it much, the kids don't even use it) I have never been a fan. I am glad the Touareg does not have it. Especially for longer trips, the lack of a sunroof seems to leave me more relaxed .

    ..."Where do you hang clothes when you travel? Or do you put all in the suitcase? Edmunds shows 16 more cu ft of space in the ML vs the Touareg. The Touareg does seem smaller even though they are less than an inch shorter. I think the big question is which company can deliver what I want at the price I am willing to pay."...

    I have always been in the habit of all in the suitcase.

    The ML 350 Blue Tec is noticeably bigger than the Touareg TDI, the MB GLK 250 BlueTec is noticeably smaller than either of those.

    That happens to be one of my parameters, so the selections quickly got down to the 1. VW T TDI (2. MB ML350 Blue Tec 3. BMW X5 35 D), albeit more than a year ago. The MB GLK 250 is priced to move but also can be decked out beyond "loaded", exciting and a further compromise still.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I was told in passing most MB GLK250's came with the sunroof option

    That is true. All of the listings I have in front of me have the Premium one package $3450 that includes a sunroof. Emunds show a Premium one package sans sunroof. I have not seen one listed. I had narrowed down my wants to the premium one and multimedia $2790 & trailer hitch. Total $47,094. Several are available close by so equipped.

    No way to get a fair comparison between the GLK BT and Touareg TDI. The Touareg Sprt TDI with NAV offers several more things such as heated seats that would be $750 add on GLK. However the Sport does not have the Sunroof. It lists for $49,510.

    Here would be my quandary. The only thing the T TDI Lux has to offer that I want is the Saddle Brown leather. They are 12 way adjustable with power lumbar vs 8 way adjustable in the Sport version. So the leather and pano sunroof add about $4k to the price of the Lux to $53,450. The one we drove was about $55k so they must have all the add on features available.

    To get a comparably equipped ML350 BlueTec raises my out of pocket considerably. To match what the Touareg TDI Lux has the ML BT comes out at $59,485. The MB dealer I have been working with has an ML350 BlueTec I could like for $61k that would have all I would get with the VW T Lux.

    The big question? Can the VW dealers come up with the colors and price I want before the MB dealer makes me an offer I cannot refuse? On looks alone I prefer the Touareg. To throw a further monkey wrench in I also like the looks of the Jeep GC. However the dealer emailed me yesterday and said the GC diesel was pushed out to August from June. That does not bode well for Chrysler.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Ruking, what is the name of the dealership you use?
    I see Dirito Bros VW of Walnut Creek, has a Lux White with Saddle brown leather.
    There seems to be a lot of affiliation between dealerships. Have to wait for my local salesman to tell me what he has found. I am not in a hurry so I could just order and get what I want.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited June 2013
    ..."No way to get a fair comparison between the GLK BT and Touareg TDI. The Touareg Sprt TDI with NAV offers several more things such as heated seats that would be $750 add on GLK. However the Sport does not have the Sunroof. It lists for $49,510. "...

    So if one (has to have) wants the sunroof option, the VW T TDI Sport defacto gets drop kicked from consideration.

    The deletion of the sunroof option is an outlier request. However, I got a line on two MB GLK 250 sans sunroof, one "inbound" and uncommitted: but one had to come from either Las Vegas, NV, AZ, or NM inventory. (there were more but the other options dropped kicked them out)

    Natch the LA LA area had the most inventory and the ones most loaded . The cheapest were the "inbound" but so called uncommitted cars. One can also special order. In trying to keep it from exploding, I have lines on 6 vehicles. So as the great audience can see, this is getting more convoluted as it goes on ;)

    I would almost totally agree. I have a hard time conceptualizing the two because they are SO different. I only reasonably can compare them now only because I have the Touareg (could be the ML 350 Blue Tec). So naturally the bang for the buck equation and total cost enters into it. A lot of folks will only shop "loaded". In some ways that makes things less complicated as it seemingly makes things more complicated. I think what happens there is the status gig or how many more gadgets on one vs the other keeps the ADD addiction alive. ;)

    The 2.1 L twin turbo definitely has the potential to be exciting !! I really was not able nor willing to explore those angles on such a new car (it had 15 miles on the clock when we started) So for example to properly break in: tires, brake pads/ rotors suspension components, (diesel engine and drive train) etc. I would not want to exceed 55 to 65 mph for app 1000 miles.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I was asking about your VW dealer up there? Fletcher Jones is big in So CA as well. One of the 5 I contacted and got lots of attention from. MB is very much interested in selling vehicles. I did not get near the urgency from the 3 VW dealers I called. Not one VW dealer returned my email request on the Touareg TDI. All the MB dealers emailed me within 24 hours and 3 called as well.

    Did you see the mocha colored leather in the GLK? I thought that was an ugly color. It was not so bad as a trim color with the Almond Beige. I also was not that impressed with the Diamond white on the Mercedes. I did not think it was worth $1515 over the polar white.

    I think I am over my love affair with the GLK250 Bluetec. It would have been a decent daily runabout for sure. The idea of getting rid of the Sequoia and heading out onto long road trips with that little GLK did not keep me excited.

    What are your thoughts on the funny spare in the Touareg?
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    So if one (has to have) wants the sunroof option, the VW T TDI Sport defacto gets drop kicked from consideration.

    I would just as soon NOT have the Sun roof. My only reason for thinking of the Lux is the Saddle Brown leather. I would be happy with the Sport with NAV and the cornsilk leatherette. In fact the Mercedes sales people had me convinced the new synthetics are better than leather. I just like to jab PETA every chance I get. :P

    I would like to drive the Sports model to see how the seats and ride compare. I think the 18" wheels and tires would be better riding.
This discussion has been closed.