GL or ML - that is the question!

[peterg1965]

Hello,

I love the look of the GL, it sure looks bigger than a Disco or Q7 ?

They have 320cdi models at our stealers for £499 a month although I think you can get this less.

A GL420Cdi would do me


These are some pics I took a couple of years ago at the Geneva show

A210AMG, thanks. I want to park my current Disco 3 next to the GL just to gauge the size difference. I do know that the Disco is marginally wider, we are talking a few cm's, but the GL must be a 30cm or so longer. I looked at the Q7, nice car but it is too squat in the cabin, the loadbay height is much less than the Disco or GL.

Why do you say you can get less than £499 on the GL deal? That was the one I saw on the website. I would definately go for the 320CDI, the 420 is just too expensive. In 320 form it is actually more economical than the auto TDV6 Disco. Insurance is a little more expensive, Group 14 Vs Group 19/20.

Great pics by the way.

 

[glojo]

We have recently driven both although the GL was the 420CDI. How tall is your wife and will she drive these vehicles? If she will drive it then make sure she is happy about getting into and out of the GL as it has a very high seating position.

The GL is quite a big vehicle but very easy to drive and manoeuvre, the boss was even turning it around in our driveway , a very impressive vehicle but you will not be mister popular with all the 'Carbon footprint' nut cases out there. The vehicle we had for the day was a fully loaded '57' reg vehicle with the V8 diesel and all the goodies but the price was only £48,000. Some depreciation.

I was impressed with the room inside the ML and had to compare it to our E-class. we have the reinforced plastic type floor for our E-class so I tried putting it into the M-class. Width wise the ML interior may be about an inch narrower than the E-class as the mat was curled at both sides. Length wise the M-class has a longer stowage space by about two to three inches. I was amazed and if I had not seen this with my own eyes then I would not believe it. The mat fits the E-class perfectly but when fitted into the ML there are a couple of inches of carpet between this mat and the rear door, so stowage is better than the E-class offering more length and of course height.

What did I prefer? The GL without a doubt, but I would also be comparing the very latest V8 diesel Range Rover. This vehicle does not have any type of reputation regarding reliability, but has this new model broke the mould?

Decisions, decisions
Regards
John

 

[peterg1965]

We have recently driven both although the GL was the 420CDI. How tall is your wife and will she drive these vehicles? If she will drive it then make sure she is happy about getting into and out of the GL as it has a very high seating position.

The GL is quite a big vehicle but very easy to drive and manoeuvre, the boss was even turning it around in our driveway , a very impressive vehicle but you will not be mister popular with all the 'Carbon footprint' nut cases out there. The vehicle we had for the day was a fully loaded '57' reg vehicle with the V8 diesel and all the goodies but the price was only £48,000. Some depreciation.

I was impressed with the room inside the ML and had to compare it to our E-class. we have the reinforced plastic type floor for our E-class so I tried putting it into the M-class. Width wise the ML interior may be about an inch narrower than the E-class as the mat was curled at both sides. Length wise the M-class has a longer stowage space by about two to three inches. I was amazed and if I had not seen this with my own eyes then I would not believe it. The mat fits the E-class perfectly but when fitted into the ML there are a couple of inches of carpet between this mat and the rear door, so stowage is better than the E-class offering more length and of course height.

What did I prefer? The GL without a doubt, but I would also be comparing the very latest V8 diesel Range Rover. This vehicle does not have any type of reputation regarding reliability, but has this new model broke the mould?

Decisions, decisions
Regards
John

Thanks John. My wife is very comfortable driving big cars, if I mention it I get a hard time for patronising her!! The Disco is a very high driving position too. I don't give a monkeys about the green brigade, neither will I have to pay VED so frankly I'd love to enagage in a 'climate change' discussion with some hippy. I will, off course, advise them politely to **** off to China and complain about the opening of a polluting conventional power station every week . In any case I don't subscribe to the view that climate change is man made!

Interesting point about the comparision with E Class estate and ML. I haven't quite written off the ML yet, just awaiting the announcement of the 2007 Q1 finance offers!

 

[glojo]

Thanks John. My wife is very comfortable driving big cars, if I mention it I get a hard time for patronising her!!!

I only mentioned it as my wife had to slide off the seat and lift herself up onto it. Nothing wrong with a high driving position, she drives our Sprinter which is much easier to get out of, no sliding off the seat which will cause wear.

Regards
John

 

[A210AMG]

Hello

I'm sure my dad spotted a better deal than £499 will ask him,

As for 320cdi or 420cdi, I thought it was a 'free; upgrade?

I don't do the miles to worry but the 420Cdi with the V8 would do to tow our van

I parked next to a GL at my stealers and it make my ML (older shape) look small, the GL is Much higher and longer

 

[Brett]

Hello

I'm sure my dad spotted a better deal than £499 will ask him,

As for 320cdi or 420cdi, I thought it was a 'free; upgrade?

I don't do the miles to worry but the 420Cdi with the V8 would do to tow our van

I parked next to a GL at my stealers and it make my ML (older shape) look small, the GL is Much higher and longer

The finance deal that is running for Q4 2007 was EITHER the free engine upgrade OR the finance deal with the dealer contribution. Not both...so if you were happy to pay full price for the 320CDI and not take up the finance deal, you could get the 420CDI engine "for free". Whilst in 320CDI form it is no slouch, the 420CDI engine suits the GL particularly well...

Here's hoping the deal rolls over into Q1...there was a deal in Q3 but the deal in Q4 was a lot better...

 

[glojo]

Forgot to mention fuel consumption On second thoughts if you can afford the 420 thwn you won't worry about the fuel bills. The 420 make the GL fly, it's a brilliant engine with terrific performance.

Is the 320 a good combination for the GL? I have no experience and cannot comment but it is a big beast and the 320 will have to work which in turn I would expect to use fuel?

The ML will be much better suited to the V6.

John

 

[peterg1965]

The finance deal that is running for Q4 2007 was EITHER the free engine upgrade OR the finance deal with the dealer contribution. Not both...so if you were happy to pay full price for the 320CDI and not take up the finance deal, you could get the 420CDI engine "for free". Whilst in 320CDI form it is no slouch, the 420CDI engine suits the GL particularly well...

Here's hoping the deal rolls over into Q1...there was a deal in Q3 but the deal in Q4 was a lot better...

I wish I knew what deals were on offer in Q1 2008! If the deals are dependant on the number of cars in UK stock hopefully the GL deal wil carry forward. There appeared to be loads of them! the 320 CDI engine figures are much better than the Disco 3 with the TDV6 2.7litre engine. The 320 CDI will be absolutely fine for our needs.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I can't believe I'm going to type this...

Last night I dreamt I went out for a spin in a GL with John and Mrs Glojo - a test drive from a very glitzy American bling-mobile specialist. Hummers, Escalades and Avalanches everywhere, with chrome spinner galore.

Upon returning from the test drive, Mrs Glojo parked the GL in the showroom. John promptly started negotiations with the sales man beside the battered old 70s caravan that stood in the middle of the showroom, and served as the sales manager's office.

John's opening line was that he'd take the car there and then but wouldn't pay a penny more than £46,000 (against an asking price of £46,600). The sales man said there was no need to be aggressive, and at which point John pushed him into the caravan, afterwhich I only heard muffled moans.

I must point out it was only a dream, and I have no hesitation that John remains the perfect gentleman even in the heat of battle - I mean negotiation.

Thanks John for an entertaining nights sleep!!

I can't believe I shared that with you lot. Best keep it quite, eh?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I wish I knew what deals were on offer in Q1 2008!

I wouldn't worry to much, as pretty much the same deal has been running for 6 months now. People aren't spending much money at the moment, and the months following a quiet Christmas aren't going to see MB shifting much stock.

Even if the published deal is less competitive, I suspect they'll still struggle to sell, and so may just open up an easier conversation for bigger discounts. End result should still be a good deal.

I say a quiet Christmas on the basis that I saw some tumble weed in Birmingham today. OK there were some queues in Primark (there always is), but the rest of city was fairly quiet.

 

[glojo]

Last night I dreamt I went out for a spin in a GL with John and Mrs Glojo -

It was no dream but I only offered £44,000.

The bloke told me where to put it so we went inside to see if it was physically possible!


Thanks for making me smile
Regards
John

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

It was no dream but I only offered £44,000.

The bloke told me where to put it so we went inside to see if it was physically possible!

My ears aren'y what they were, so the mix up on how much you offerred is understandable

The muffled groans of seeing if it would physically fit were unmistakable though. I took Mrs G back out to the limo to spare her blushes!!


Not sure what was more surreal - the dream or explaining it to Mrs D when I awoke!!??

Mrs D has no concept of online community, nor any idea why I would dream of a man I've never met giving a sales man a hard time!!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

John - see if you can get the keys for an AMG tonight (not the T55 though, I'm thinking something more like a 63 as a minimum), and I'll do the driving this time!!??

I'll send you in for the negotiations and cheque writing though!!

 

[peterg1965]

There are some surreal conversations going on on here!!

I wouldn't worry to much, as pretty much the same deal has been running for 6 months now. People aren't spending much money at the moment, and the months following a quiet Christmas aren't going to see MB shifting much stock.

Even if the published deal is less competitive, I suspect they'll still struggle to sell, and so may just open up an easier conversation for bigger discounts. End result should still be a good deal.

I say a quiet Christmas on the basis that I saw some tumble weed in Birmingham today. OK there were some queues in Primark (there always is), but the rest of city was fairly quiet.

I hope you are right Bobby Dazzler. As you rightly say UK consumer confidence is ebbing away slightly and people seem to be 'tightening their belts'. Lets hope MBUK see it that way too, maybe they will be even more generous with their offers!

Regardless of what happens I will ask the dealership to match the offer from this quarter else I will walk away and buy a Land Rover or an X5! They can only say no.

It is the APR on the PCP which is important, the difference bewteen 10% and 5.9% APR is HUGE on the overall interest payable and hence the monthly payment, especially on the GL!

 

[wobbly]

Peter, if you do go for a ML, please get the 320cdi, the 280cdi is just a little underpowered. The 320cdi is a great combination of power and economy.

 

[peterg1965]

Peter, if you do go for a ML, please get the 320cdi, the 280cdi is just a little underpowered. The 320cdi is a great combination of power and economy.

Wobbly, thanks for that. It probably comes down to price and stock I suppose. I would prefer the 320, although I was looking at the 280, I don't think there is much in it in economy terms, the residuals should be slightly better too, so it probably wont make an enormous difference on monthly payment terms. The GL is still very much out front though!

 

[Rory]

It is the APR on the PCP which is important, the difference bewteen 10% and 5.9% APR is HUGE on the overall interest payable and hence the monthly payment, especially on the GL!

Don't get blinded by the APR though - look at the whole deal. You could get a very low APR by whacking up the deposit. And APR's on PCP always look higher than HP (because you're paying interest on the final value for the whole term).

 

[peterg1965]

OK, does anyone when know when MB updates its website with the latest bew car finance offers? The current offers end Monday 31st Dec. I can't believe there are too many people who will take advantage of the current deals in the next four days!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

IIRC, this quarter the offers appeared on first day of the quarter.

 

[marcos]

I love my ML320 CDI but after having a new GL420 CDI I would get one of those if at all possible, very fast and powerfull for such a large car and fun with stacks of room.
The 320 engine suits the ML really well but I'm not sure if it would feel slightly underpowered in the GL.