2013 and earlier-Mercedes Benz GL-Class Prices Paid and Buying Experience

bugati

"... Trying to get a deal in January in a northern location is probably going to be difficult (mitigated somewhat I suppose by the growing fear dealers are having about the economy)... " => so... is it supposed to be easier to deal... (or you mean winter/snow season) ?...

"... NY metro area ...".... Can you share the dealer name?

eights38

bugati - I have helped several friends get great deals on the Mercedes GL and Acura MDX in the Tri-State area. Please email me if you would like the name of the dealer and sales person.

derwin

I just bought a new 2007 GL450 with p1, blue tooth, capri blue, panorama sunroof, bi-xenon lights for $53.5k, MSRP less $10.1k. Was offered a new 2008 from another dealer for MSRP less $5k but decided to go with the '07 and put $ in my pocket.

bugati

eights38: you are my man... :-)... Email has been sent... Please check your CarSpace mail box...

bugati

There is not much different between 07 and 08 model....
must be East Coast...?..... 10K less is an awesome deal ...

derwin

Am in NJ, bought car from dealer in Virginia.

bmwconvert

I meant that, all else being equal, getting a good deal on an SUV when entering the winter months (or really, right prior to winter months) is tougher. Not this year -- it was over 60 degrees in NYC this past wednesday. Regarding the all else being equal --- it's not. The economy is hurting and dealers are worried about being able to move cars. I'd bet you can get a great deal.

After a LOT of negotiating, Benzel in Englewood was willing to sell the car at invoice.

To those quoting MSRB less some dollar amount, that doesn't help anyone because who knows what your msrb was?? msrb is exactly 7% over invoice, so quote it percentage off of msrb or percentage above invoice so everyone knows what you're talking about.

It wouldn't surprise me if some can find a vehicle below invoice, given a lower demand color and/or option package (it'll have to be a P1). There are tons of P1's out there, but relatively P2's that aren't loaded with thousands of dollars of other options as well.

ADVICE: AVOID THE MB-TEX SEATS IN MACADAMIA. They suck. 3 weeks after delivery, they get discolored. Salesman said it's from blue jeans and there's nothing to do about it.
I will never buy another mercedes with that material. Pay up for the leather.

bugati

bmwconvert: Thanks for the info... and many thanks for warning about Macadamia....... We were thinking about Formal Black (or Obsidian Black) and Macadamia... We thought it looks great...

lbibum

Can you tell me what Dealer in Virginia? And how are you going to get the car up to nj....Did they have any left?

derwin

Got it at Tysinger in Hampton. Wife flew done and drove it back yesterday; it was the last '07 they had. We searched autotrader for new 2007s and found a bunch. We also considered a barolo red with similar package from Mercedes of Austin Texas and an Iridium Silver at Valencia MB in California. Dealers can arrange shipping to your home. Shipping from Texas is about $800. You can easily get a new '07 for $10,000 off MSRP. Shipping from California will run you more, but the California dealers have more cars and were willing to cut a better deal. With shipping it was a wash versus the car in VA, but wife wanted the Capri Blue.

bmwconvert

Our GL is black, and my wife and I like a light color interior, hence our choice. Unfortunately the results didn't work out to our liking. If I had the choice again, I would try to find a macadamia leather interior. The problem though is that it's very difficult to find this car, and when you order from the factory, negotiating a competitive price is next to impossible.

I should have known better. A friend had the same interior on an '07 model. His wife became so incensed with the "dirt" on the seats that they complained to their dealer and were ultimately able to trade the car in for a new one with black MB-tec. I convinced myself that the problem must have been unique to him. It was not. I intend to raise my complaint with Mercedes. I will post the outcome.

Another general comment about the MB-tec material. It has the appearance of being high quality (until it gets dirty), but it definitely doesn't feel that way. It has an almost rubbery, tacky feel to it. It's not so easy to slide in and out of. Your backside kind of grabs when you try. This must explain why the light material picks up the dye from blue jeans. I took delivery of my vehicle in November so I haven't yet had it in warm weather, but I suspect that it's going to be awful during the summer. Nothing worse than sweating against a synthetic seat.

Readers are probably thinking "then why'd you get it". My mistake, but again, it was hard not to. Mercedes has so few leather cars built, the color options are limited and those that are available had a bunch of useless options that I refused to pay for ($500 illuminated door sills anyone?). Several salemen I spoke to all said the material was "just like leather". Trust me -- it is not.

Honestly, I find it to be an outrage that a nearly $70k car doesn't come standard with leather. I can appreciate that there are those out there that may prefer a synthetic interior for ethical reasons, but the reality is that the vast majority of mid range and above vehicles have leather, and that's because it's what most consumers prefer.

BTW: aside from the seats, my wife, children and I all love the GL. It's exceeded our expectations in every other way and is an absolute pleasure to drive -- in fact the best riding and handling SUV I've ever been in.
I just completed my JD Powers new owner's survey. 4,000 miles in and not a single defect or reliablity issue has arisen. I am happy (and maybe lucky) to be able to say that the vehicle is flawless.

wopel

I have an R320 cdi (because I needed a car and couldn't wait another few months for the GL), and have the macadamia MB tec seats. I have never been able to understand why my seat is always dirty. I can't keep it clean.
I had a 320E wagon for many years and miles before this with MBtec - a light tan color, and it never was a problem. It's still going strong with another owner, and still looks good at 10yrs of age.
I thought it was me! Please keep us posted.

kyfdx

Ever see the movie, Lost in America, with Albert Brooks? circa 1985..

He is ordering his new Mercedes over the phone... and gets into a whole discussion with the salesman about MB-Tex..

It's hilarious..

occarfan

I also own GL450 with 5000 mile. White w/ macadamia interior. You're right. The fake leather look 2 yrs old already. Our 2003 S-Class looks newer even with the kids abusing it. I should have persisted and found leather interior. I had no idea the fake leather was so bad. The salespeople are there to sell cars, so they'll tell you whatever it takes to sell that car.

chile96

Unfortunately I'm stuck in a single dealer town in Texas with the next closest dealer 5 hrs away. We've decided on an '08 GL 550 with an MSRP in the low 80's. We are trading in our realtively new tahoe/offroad vehicle for the city kid hauler.

Any suggestions on negotiation and ralisticexpectations would be kindly appreciated

chile96

Local dealer just offered me $1500 off without any haggling on a price for a 550. Is this what I should expect or go for more....realistically?

ocautoseeker

You'd be better off buying the vehicle at or near invoice, and then having it trucked to your front door from a volume dealer like Fletcher Jones Mercedes in Newport Beach California. Seriously! probably cost you $1k or so to have it put on a flatbead.

danf1

The only problem with that is that it is becoming difficult to find a dealer that will not require you to sign papers in the presence of a dealership representative. There is a rampant problem with these vehicles being bought in the U.S. and shipped overseas. When that happens the dealership faces a very large financial chargeback unless they can prove due diligence in verifying the identity and intentions of the purchaser.

chile96

I would buy from anywhere in the country if I could get it at invoice or close to. My last 4 cars I've purchased out of state and would gladly buy from Fletcher Jones if they really could do that. Is this just internet jargon or do you have definite knowledge of their pricing?

ocautoseeker

FJ Mercedes is the #1 volume MB dealer in the US. They sell over 4500 vehicles/yr. Here in SoCal, driving a Benz is like driving a Ford in Detroit... they're all over and thus pricing is very aggressive out here to say the least.

It was just a suggestion as I was trying to save you money. It's worth a phone call to Fleet.

chile96

I have already sent out a price quote request and told them the exact options I was interested in. I mentioned that I'm in TX but would be willing to fly out immediately for the sale if they could do it at invoice. Now if the pricing difference were only a grand or so, I'd just assume buy locally as my hands are full and time is precious considering I just opened up my own medical practice.

chile96

Well called FJ MB to see if they could really do make this happen but unfortunately they don't listen to their VM's I told them what number to call me at since I had left my cell at home and never heard a peep from them all Saturday. Finally got home late from the office and sure enough, there was a msg.

I just sent them a long email asking for them to fax the specs on cars that fit our wants so we'll see how that goes Monday. It's ashame b/cI was already to wire the money yesterday and fly out to drive back today - but what do they say about the best laid plans of mice & men????

mbewildered

It seems a few people have had this exp. I bought my new GL last week and didn't suspect they would have put Yugo Leather in a $70k automobile. I picked it up at night so i didn't have a chance to "study" the leather. by the time i got home i became curious to the Quality of the seats because they were so uncomfortable. Investigation revealed that my vehicular living-room was equipped with MB-Tex (code word for plastic) interior. I called the next day an asked if it were possible that MB put rubber seats in my car and they were shocked I was concerned saying these were much better than leather. Reminding me of when I was trying to be sold on a pair of pleather shoes I lost a lot of respect MB. These seats suck, sticky, uncomfortable and likely very hot since i already sweat in them in 70 degree weather. A sales person once told me Lexus asks what the customer would like MB tells you what you get. I wish I was told I'd get 50's dinner seats with this car. any others frustrated, is my warrentee voided with a 3rd party repair /upgrade? :confuse:

chile96

Fletcher Jones MB responded with some guy saying he would be my sales rep and just to tell him what options and color I wanted and he would get the car for me. Well, I responded with a very nice email with black/tan and trailer hitch and rear entertainment package. I also gave him my address and 3 different contact numbers so we could hopefully do the deal and I'd wire the money out to him first thing today(Monday). I sent that email around 11am his time on Saturday and still haven't heard ANYTHING from him. I even called him today and left him a voicemail but nothing. This guy is acting like he doesn't want to sell me a car??? We didn't even get to talk price yet

ocautoseeker

Sorry that you're having such a fiasco with that dealership... perhaps try MB of Laguna Niguel. They are the second largest dealer in Ca. Ask for Fleet.

occarfan

Sorry you're having such a tough time. But great deals are common in Orange County. I bought my 03 S430 for 16% off MSRP in Laguna Niguel. And my 07 GL450 for 10% off in Anaheim. No haggles. Didn't even take much negotiating.
I even negotiated the GL price before I came in.
I have looked at FJ in Newport Beach, but was never happy with their sales people.
The cars I bought were well below invoice. For the GL550 I don't think invoice is out of ther question even though it's relatively new. I notice lots of them sitting on the lot when I go to get my GL washed.
If you want I can inquire with my salesperson about what you're looking for and see what kind of price you can get. Or I can give you his contact. Or tell him to call/email you.
I am new to this blog and don't know how we can contact each other via email. I don't even know if I'm able to give the salesperson's name at this site.
Let me know if I can be of help.

bmwconvert

As noted in my earlier posts on this topic, I intend to complain -- loudly -- to MB about the MB-Tex... just haven't had the time to do so yet. I doubt I can win an argument on how uncomfortable they are, despite how bad they feel. I do however think the discoloration issue is a legitimate defect. My hope is I can either get the front seats replaced with leather, or at the very least get some money back to cover the cost of high quality sheepskin seat covers. I suspect my kids in the back seats will have to continue to suffer.

It's a real shame because I otherwise unconditionally love this vehicle.

occarfan

I agree with you. My 07 GL450 is only 6 months old but look 5 yr old. I will never buy "fake" leather again. MB says it's my 1 and 3 yr old. I wasn't aware they sat in the driver's seat b/c that seat look the worst. I've had 2 other MB in the past with leather and never this problem.

british_rover

Its funny because back before the merger of equals MB-Tex wore like iron but looked and felt so much like real leather that sometimes you can't tell the difference. I get the occasional late 90s early 2000 MB in with a MB-Tex interior and unless I really study it I can't tell the difference between it and real leather. MB must have changed the formula the use for the MB-Tex because it is of much lower quality then it used to be. You can find Fintail Mercedes from the 60s with MB-Tex that still looks brand new but this new version starts to wear out in a year or so.

occarfan

I don't think we can do anything about it, can we?
I think MB knows we will still buy their product, but with leather next time.

jayme5

I am also very disappointed with the MB Tex. My seats are dirty all the time from my jeans! I really think there should be a recall on them. Something is not right. Everything is perfect with the call except for the seats. If you have any info please pass it on

andy1993

I live in alabama. recently brought gl 450/p2package/19inch wheel pack/leather pack/voice control/ipod/illuminating sills/tailor hitch/etc. mrsp 75180. got for $4572 less. Is this a good deal?

thanks

occarfan

Pretty good deal. It really depends on how much competition there is in your area.
In Southern California, especially with gas prices, I know 10% off is easily had.
They gave me that deal for my GL450 by phone. I just went in to pick it up.
Actually, salesman agreed to it so quickly that I wished i asked for a larger discount. Oh well. Pleased with the GL. I'm sure you'll enjoy yours.

mhay

any big differences between the two years?
would you recommend buying a 07 with 19,000 miles on it for $59
thanks

chile96

Well I finally got toi talk to the fleet mgr today who was real nice. I was straight to the point saying that the local dealer had given me $3000 off of a GL 550 but the word on the street was that these 550's went for invoice at your dealership. I indicated if so, I would be on the next flight with check book in hand. He was very polite and said that to his knowledge the most they had given off of GL 550's was $2-2500 and he definitely knew that he had NEVER sold at invoice or even near.

So I have disproved yet another internet myth - I just wish people would tell the truth on these forums rather than claim to get incredible deals on cars just to make themselves feel good.

chile96

If you could ask your salesman telling him I know exactly which 550 I want - white/tan with entertainment in headrests, tow package, heated steerin wheel, illuminated door sills. I'd be interested as the FJ didn't pan out at all. You can reach me at [email protected]

Thanks for any help!

ocautoseeker

Which "people" are you referring to?

chile96

it's just frustrating to think that I will get invoice and tell the salesman I'm ready to catch the next flight out to pay in cash and he was very polite but indicated that they don't sell anywhere near invoice. i gave him all my contact info so hopefully he could tell i was not a "price shopper".

anyway, all too often we hear claims of these great prices that don't pan out. all i'm ensinuating that we offer real info and accurate first hand knowledge on this subject. i'm pretty sure 100% of these board members would agree.

ocautoseeker

I don't believe anybody on here is trying to advise you on the "impossible." I simply gave you a suggestion on who might be able to sell you a GL for a lower price. I never said they would, however I'm very surprised that they wouldn't.

There are a number of possibilities that could have affected your price quote. If you'd like me to explain, I'd be happy to as I worked in the car biz (as a manager) and understand how things work.

I apologize if you felt misled, but I truly believe that the people on this site are here to help and the overall intentions are to see others get great deals.

glfan

I totally agree with Chile96. I think we all need to understand that the info here is for sharing only, and the prices could fluctuate based on the market availability and more importantly the dealer and the salesperson that you're dealing with. The economy is soft. Lux SUV are not moving. That's a good thing for the buyers. As for the dealer, you'll get better luck with dealers owned by large nationwide chains who may be more aggressive on the volume than the per vehicle profit. Lastly, it's very important that you deal with a fleet manager, a fancy term for someone who has a say in price. I always appreciate the contents at this forum but as always, YMMV--Your Mileage May Vary. My GL was bought at $2k below invoice over a year ago when it first came out, thanks to the info here at this forum.

chile96

Geez - $2K below invoice???? Care to share any info. My email is fomcgehee at yahoo dot com. Now we're talking. I'm gettin sick & tired of habing my local salesman he can't talke much more off because he's got a family to feed. Welll, guess what so do I and I bet it's bigger than yours

Seriously, glfan, i would appreciate any info or from others for that matter. Tomorrow being the end of thebmoth and my 7 mos pregnant wife's birthday, I figure tomorrow would be my best shot for now. I've got cash in hand.....

Thanks for any help from anybody. If I get a true lead for invoice or less,. send me your address to a toekn of my appreciation.

Take Care All

bmwconvert

Just to weigh in, one shouldn't take a salesman's (or fleet manager's) negative response on a phone call to mean a certain price cannot be reached. We all know how the game works. I think it's relatively rare that you can get your best price on the phone -- even in these days of internet savvy shoppers and much greater transparency. It's a good bet the guy you spoke to thought you would just use the information he provided to you to purchase from a local dealer (which most people do). It's not until someone is in the show room AND there's actually a car either in possession or easily locatable that the real negotiating can begin. If they have a car that's been sitting for a while and costing them carry, and it's one that's not a super-popular color or option package, etc., then...

For what it's worth, I bought my '08 GL P2, black/maca at invoice and remain pleased (didn't pay the roughly $400 coop advertising fee either!). I'm sure the dealer still made ample profit on me -- fair enough. They do need to earn something.

Good luck!

chile96

To report an accurate sales price, in Texas, on a loaded GL 550 I was able to negotiate $2K off after a couple of weeks worth of back and forth.

occarfan

Sorry you feel what is said on the internet is exageratted. But I can assure you I got great deals in Orange County. But as I wrote on March 11, I was never able to get a good deal with FJ in Newport Beach. I'm more than glad to call my salesperson today or tomorrow. I just didn't before b/c you didn't answer me if you wanted my help.
I'll contact the salesperson. If it looks like a good deal, I'll either give him your email or email you myself.

occarfan

Got some news. Spoke to my salesman. He said should be able to do invoice.
It was too easy. Maybe I should have asked how low can he sell the 550 for.
I told him what you wanted as far as color. He asked who is this person. When I told him you were from Texas, he said that might be difficult b/c MBZ fines them if they sell a car out of state. He said he would have to check. I asked him to contact you and discuss it further. Hope it's ok I gave him your email. I'm not sure about fines out of state. Maybe you should inquire to see how much and if it's still worth your time. Let me know if you hear or don't hear from him.
Hope I could be of some help.

carabel

I just found out that you can't get a GL from Germany and that they are completely built in the US - Alabama to be exact. Yes ? Not that it bothers me, but that I have to get use to this idea. Sorry for being so ignorant but is this the case ? And the 550's are 60K-80K around here. I do like the MB brand for their tradition. But do their SUV's live up to their car branding ? I know their cars carry the brand well. How's the SUV's ? Or is the Cadillac a more authentic SUV choice if MB SUV's are built here anyway.

occarfan

I don't think where the GL's made is as important as it's engineering. As most people know, MB quality was horible 10 yr ago, but has gotten much better.
I've never driven a Cadillac SUV, so I can't comment on quality or ride.
I do know that the GL's ride is just like a car. Many of my friends have commented on how quite and soft the ride is. The ride is nowhere near our S-Class, but better than the C-Class we previously owned. You're right, the GL is costly, but it is the top of the line SUV for families. I think it's up there with the Range Rover.

ocautoseeker

Does anyone else think the GL looks like an oversized Honda Pilot?

carabel

Actually, the Pilot is a tad larger than the GL - I drive a Pilot now and it will never compare to the GL. Just 2 very different levels. I think occarfan is right that the Range Rover is more the comparison - and with that, I'll ditch the Cadillac idea. The Pilot however, is very economical and very adequate in terms of road handling. But it will never compare to the GL. Range Rover is definitely worth looking into but I'm sure the 3rd row will fall short of the GL.

sprtan

I am looking to purchase a new SUV for my wife within the next 2 months. She has had a Lexus RX300 for about 8 years and really loves it. However, she is interested in getting a 3rd row. Based upon that, she had locked in on the GX470 until...

She saw the Mercedes GL 450. Really liked the look of the vehicle. Thought it was more spacious and the fact that it was a "Benz".

I suppose on the plus side for the GL is that it is bigger and probably has a different "drive" than the Lexus. What I don't know is what about the GL rationalizes the ~$10K-$15 difference in price tag (similarly equipped).

The other factor that I am taking in is that it will be driven in a cold weather state in a fairly hilly area (Morris County, NJ). Don't know if this should have any impacts on decision (eg. gas mileage, horsepower, handling, etc.).

I was wondering if anyone has had either experience with both vehicles or faced a similar dilemna. Your input would be greatly appreciated. - Lee