Fuel economy numbers with my GL

[Talonman]

First trip with the 21RS and I got 18.5 l/100 on a 289km trip, the way out was blowing hard into me so I got killed on the way there and traffic on the way back but still good. Had 1/2 full grey (40) and black (40) with a full FW (50) tank, 2 20 lb bottles and 2 batteries plus gear, so I figure we were 5500-5700lbs.

The GL worked great and I had no issues or white knuckle moments and I was in some very high head and cross winds, great shake down run.

Next time you go shopping for a new tow vehicle do not overlook the German diesel SUV's.

[itat]

That's outstanding fuel economy but those rock hard Mercedes seats are a deal breaker for me not to mention the initial cost. I hear lots of rumours about expensive German parts. What's your experience with parts costs?

[Talonman]

My seats are great, put in 13 hour days driving it home and was no problem

I have yet to buy anything for it but rockauto has all the parts I have looked up so far and they were all cheap IMO or at least right in line anyway, can't paint a brand based on hard seats and $$$ parts as it is not accurate. Cost of ownership may be higher but only time will tell, you can get these for under 25K cdn...

Great daily driver too, I get about 24 mpg driving back and forth to work as well, flat cargo floor, inside spare tire, huge fuel tank, etc.

[dcheatwood]

Not sure what a GL is but your numbers look pretty good. I tell folks to expect your MPG to be cut in half when you hook up the tt or 5er, and if you get better tyhan half, you're pleasantly surprised. Of course TV, tt weight, speed you drive, terrain have a place in the quotient also.

[Talonman]

GL320 3.0l V6 diesel 7 passenger SUV

Totally and wind.

Calgary to Mt. Kidd.

The real test will be Shuswap later this summer but I expect to get up into the 13-14 mpg range.

[RabidRoo]

Much better than my towing average.

[Happy Vibe]

he is talking 18.5 l/100km which is 12.7 mpg, that's about the same as I got with my 3.8l minivan towing my vibe. If the cost for parts is anything like the European cars I've owned you will be opening up your wallet if it is anything that is brand specific (other than normal wear and tear items)

[Talonman]

My X5 has been good to us so far as well and again with rockauto and all the online dealerships the parts are not that bad at all.


Off topic but its my thread so... Driving nicer cars is a bit of a double standard I find as well, I pull up in my used GL with 177km on it and people look at me with the "it must be nice" look, a guy pulls up in a 3/4 ton diesel that cost as much or more and its no big deal, drives me mental!

Most people don't know how affordable used luxury stuff can be.

[itat]

Originally Posted by Talonman

My X5 has been good to us so far as well and again with rockauto and all the online dealerships the parts are not that bad at all.

Off topic but its my thread so... Driving nicer cars is a bit of a double standard I find as well, I pull up in my used GL with 177km on it and people look at me with the "it must be nice" look, a guy pulls up in a 3/4 ton diesel that cost as much or more and its no big deal, drives me mental!

Most people don't know how affordable used luxury stuff can be.

While that's true, it's also true that in every brand a used vehicle is more affordable than a new one. Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, etc. make great cars but generally speaking they are mostly a status symbol. Most people can live perfectly well without the bells and whistles and refinement offered in a luxury brand.

Ultimately, it's a matter of what you can afford and the value for that money which is different for everyone. You decide what kind of vehicle you need/want and then judge the value based on the cost of ownership and operating costs over the long term.

You can't compare your GL to a 3/4 ton truck (other than on price) because they're built for different purposes. But the Mercedes GL does offer extra value over comparable sized SUVs from domestic, Japanese and Korean manufacturers in that it has a diesel engine. Apparently the GL's 6 cylinder diesel can pull a trailer weight to rival a non-max-towing 1/2 ton and get better fuel economy doing it. It seems to be in a niche of its own. Still, with my 1/2 ton, I have a pickup bed and I get to be the friend with a truck!

[Talonman]

Not comparing the two, just making a point when people say they cost too much but a 3/4 truck of the same value is looked at as ok.

I had a truck for daily use and it just did not make sense hauling around a big truck and using fuel so I could tow, miss my truck but not enough to go back yet.

[motodude79]

I tow with a 2013 GL450. It's a twin turbo Gas v8. All the GL's have the same tow rating Diesel or not and the torque between diesel and gas is just about identical as well. The diesel has about 50 more lbs of torque but they both have 100 percent of their torque at around 1000 rpms. The gas version has so much because it is a twin turbo. My toy hauler is about 8000lbs and the GL towed it flawlessly. My friend towed a trailer that weighed about 3000 less with a dodge durango and would always complain about lack of power. The GL has auto leveling suspension, built in anti sway and my gas engine got about 11mpg towing 8000lbs. the E450 on my class C with the v10 doesn't even compare power and stopping wise. the merecdes is 100 times better. I know its not a fair comparison but its all i have to compare to.

[Talonman]

It really is a stout tow vehicle at the end of the day.

[RoamingBadger]

I'm getting 8.9 with my 5.7L