Rented a Merc today..

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gaz_l

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The Mrs. and I decided that it would be a good idea to rent a car for the day and get out to do some exploring. Looking at the selection on the Hertz website, it seemed that we could rent an anonymous domestic sedan for $80 + tax or get a GLK350 for $110 + tax so it was a bit of a no-brainer to go for the GLK.. I quite fancied giving one a go.

It didn't quite go according to plan though.. having reserved the car yesterday, we rock up at the desk this morning only to be told the car isn't there and it'll be another half an hour. I manage to look unimpressed whilst retaining the British charm, the lass offers me a GMC Yukon instead. I downgrade the charm a further notch and say that I'd prefer to wait for the Merc. Myself and my good lady head off to Starbucks for coffee and Danish.

30 minutes later, I head back to the rental desk only to find a guy in front of me clutching a Merc key.. "are you returning a GLK?", I ask. It turns out he's a Hertz driver and has brought a car up from the airport, and after talking to the lass on the desk, yes it's mine. And guess what, it's dirty and will need a clean, that'll be another 15 minutes.

As we've been kept hanging around we get offered a modest discount on the rental cost, which we are happy to accept as we weren't in a big hurry anyway. We kick our heels for a few minutes and then head up to the parking garage, only to discover we've got an upgrade too as they didn't have a GLK so have given us a GL instead. Clouds and silver linings and all that..

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An interesting experience, the GL is the size of a house but not really a problem on American roads. It has a reasonable amount of shove for a 2-1/2 ton 4 x 4 but it's uninvolving.. apparently there's a 4.6 V8 under the bonnet but you could have fooled me. It sounds like a washing machine.

The air suspension is good, refinement is excellent. It's nearly silent on the highway. Fuel consumption on the other hand is lousy, 11 MPG (American gallons) and this was driving at 60/70, not exactly caning it.

Glad that I got to drive it, as it's not normally a car I'd pick. Variety is the spice of life etc..

Cheers,

Gaz
 
apparently there's a 4.6 V8 under the bonnet but you could have fooled me. It sounds like a washing machine.

I could live with it,considering :D

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You'd be able to fit them all in too, Dash!
 
Fuel consumption on the other hand is lousy, 11 MPG (American gallons) and this was driving at 60/70, not exactly caning it.

So about 13mpg UK. My Allard (using a 1930s V8) gets about 17. 80 years of engine development, aerodynamic improvements and yet a car does fewer mpg. It's a pretty rotten indictment of the motor industry.
 
It's California registered, hence the lack of performance - too many emissions restrictions!
 
is the GLK the ugly duckling that never made it to UK shores?
 
Damn, that is an ugly fat lump of poo.


Love the GL though :)
 
I don't like the colour or wheels on that one...but I do like the GL.

If that didn't have any vrooom whats the GL320 / GL350 like here?

11mpg outch
 
I wouldn't buy one because I like a bit of frugality but it must be a pretty solid motor.

Floating around California in one sounds fabulous, particularly when I look out at the rain.. .
 

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