Used 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV Consumer Reviews
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Love/Hate Heartbreak
Schaffs04, 06/08/2016
updated 12/11/2017
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class GL450 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (4.7L 8cyl 7A)
102 of 106 people found this review helpful
The GL was a dream come true for me at the beginning. One owner, 2011 GL450 with a clean carfax and good looking maintenance history. Purchased from an MB dealer in April 2015. On the upside it was incredibly comfortable, fast, elegant, and as capable of hauling 6 adults in comfort to dinner as it was pulling a trailer with 3 tons of rock. When it was right, it was a thing to behold. When it went wrong, as it often did, it was like getting kicked in the gut. In 12 months and 20k miles: *Front Airmatic failure: $2,450 to repair *Primary and Secondary Battery Failures: $550 to repair *Blown underhood fuse panel: $450 to repair. *Standard maintenance for the year: $800, and that was skipping the spark plugs due at 60k which would have been another $600. Insult to injury was the depreciation in just one year: close to 40%. It has gone away and I am back to a nice, reliable, Japanese Infiniti. No need for 7 passenger so I also downsized. The only way this truck makes sense is if you can either do the work yourself, or have no worries about significant unexpected repairs. Wanted one for 25 years and after a year with the Benz, I suggest if you want a 7 passenger SUV that can tow, save yourself the heart wrenching experience of a GL and buy a GMC Yukon or Lexus LX570.
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New to MB
srpastor1, 03/27/2011
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class GL450 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (4.7L 8cyl 7A)
55 of 60 people found this review helpful
It's been a month since I traded my Lexus LS430 sedan for a 2011 GL 450 SUV. I researched the luxury SUV segment for more than 6 months. I ordered it with the P2 option, entertainment center and other luxury options. After 1000 miles, I realize that German engineering is very different from Japanese. The GL is very quiet, roomy and an attention getter. The drivetrain is excellent and smooth. It is awkward getting in and out of the cabin. Sitting high is excellent for urban driving. Overall, I like this vehicle but am still acclimating to MB luxury. It meets my needs for additional seating with a luxury nameplate. As I expected, the gas mileage is consistent with this segment.
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Rock Solid So Far
cyk, 11/17/2016
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class GL450 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (4.7L 8cyl 7A)
21 of 23 people found this review helpful
We purchased a 2011 GL450 with 77k miles for $27k in Jan '15. So far the car has been reliable with the only repair being a set of front pads & rotors that set us back $600. We've racked up 25k miles and in that time have come to a few conclusions. 1) The build quality is not like MB of years past (we've had a few) where the doors had a tank-like closure and this GL feels comparatively "tinny". Materials are also a point of contention in that a car that had an original MSRP of $75k should come standard with leather seating, not the weird feeling MB Tex that comes standard. 2) The ride, while quiet, is heavy handed and feels unrefined over harsher pavement; poor compression damping would be my best description. 3) The engine's power is adequate, but I feel like another 100hp would be just about perfect. Considering the car lives at 8k ft with high gradient roads, an extra 100hp would offset the lack of O2. 4) Aesthetically, the car's exterior has held up quite nicely and still looks relatively new. The paint and trim all continue to have a high luster. 5) The depreciation on these is astounding and makes it a poor choice to purchase new. Our expectation is to run this car well past 200k miles and it has worked better than expected to date. Understanding repair & maintenance costs will be relatively high, the big MB mostly delivers for its intended purpose; i.e. family hauling and comfortable commuting.
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Dont buy used
mbpoorquality, 05/12/2015
updated 05/13/2016
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class GL450 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (4.7L 8cyl 7A)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
A used Mercedes, who brags about quality, should not need a new cylinder head at 65,000 miles. Running rough? When they do a compression test, dont be suprised if it is number 2 or number 4 on the passenger side. It will cost you $5000 and you can forget about warranty coverage. The electronics are way out of date. Save yourself money and frustration...do not buy used. And dont be misled when you get a call from Mercedes "corporate". It is some hourly employee who gets paid to tell you how special you are but they wont do a thing about their crappy motors. I will never buy another one. My AUDI Q7 is much better all the way around.
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Seduced by Styling
rcf8000, 12/28/2010
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class GL450 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (4.7L 8cyl 7A)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
The GL is a mixed bag of the great and not so great. The latter would include the ride quality and road noise, although my car has the 20 inch wheels and runflat tires, which may be worse than the standard 19 inch wheels. I find the seats to be a bit too firm, but then I find most luxury car seats to be too firm. The nav screen is a joke. It's too small, and the lettering is too small. And I can't read it at all when wearing sun glasses. But the guidance to programmed destinations works well. My car has the running boards, which make getting in and out somewhat awkward. They look good though!
Grey Ghost aka GL450
terp97, 12/07/2010
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class GL450 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (4.7L 8cyl 7A)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
Turned in 08 for a new 11 and once again very happy. Navigation is improved but still short of Acura/Lexus. Rear Entertainment screens are nicer but placement is horrible. They should have stayin the headrest. DVD in the center counsel is great location and it would be nice to control the DVD playback from the command not just from one of two remotes. It would be nice if the 550 grill and fender flares could be had as in option. The grill is massive and really sets the GL off with out sucking up all that gas like the 550 not that the 450 is any better.
The most unreliable vehicle. Never Again!
Just a car Guy, 01/05/2019
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class GL450 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (4.7L 8cyl 7A)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
We absolutely loved our GL350 when it was working and really wanted to love Mercedes-Benz; however, here are some of the repair challenges we had to deal with in only 100k miles of ownership. All 4 air struts timing chain replacement Timing chain tensioner failure/replacement Engine mounts Torque converter NOX sensor DEF filter failure/replacement Urea Fluid heater/gas tank replacement Coolant hose leak/replacement two engine oil line leaks Constant grey sludge being dropped from the vehicle on the driveway almost every bulb that produces light in the front of the vehicle. 3 batteries i'm sure there is something else i've left out We just cant justify spending additional money on the repairs at this point and Mercedes USA is no help so we had to get rid of her. We have moved on to Tesla ( i own a 120K mile Model S that has been an absolute dream to own and drive). We just purchased another one. Please don’t buy this vehicle or anything from Mercedes... You have been warned!
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Delightful Improvements
beechtiger, 01/20/2011
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class GL450 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (4.7L 8cyl 7A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I was delighted with significant improvements in Mercedes GL450 in the last few years. The firm seats are comfortable for both short and long distance driving. As a previous Land Cruiser owner, I am mighy pleased with the third row seats in GL450 as compared to Land Cruiser. It was a very simple push-button to set up the third row seats.
Follow Up to My 2016 Review
cyk, 06/19/2019
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class GL450 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (4.7L 8cyl 7A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
To recap, I purchased a ‘11 GL450 almost 5 years ago for $27k with 77k miles. The car now has 147k miles and I can say it’s been a stellar car. The utility of 7 seats and plenty of cargo room speaks for itself. The economy has also been acceptable, consistently returning 18mpg. Materials have stood up quite nicely to the daily abuse of a growing family. Maintenance costs have been minimal and reliability has been stellar. Outside of replacing brakes and regular oil changes, the only repair has been a suspension airbag. The original plan was to run the GL to 200k miles and if the last 70k miles are any indication, we may go much longer! Considering our great experience, we will be taking a very close look at a new GLS when the time comes.
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Had the suv for 4 years looks good
Has , 11/21/2019
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class GL550 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (5.5L 8cyl 7A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Get the good warranty for everything which I did and then your air shocks collapse and not covered because they called shock absorbers and i own a lot of Mercedes cars and suv 2011Gl 550 is a beast on the road handling is good safety is good but issues with air bags On shock are junk and Tire ware is unbelievable every winter new tires and expensive tires
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What a Luxury SUV Should Be
Mr. Jim, 04/07/2016
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class GL450 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (4.7L 8cyl 7A)
8 of 11 people found this review helpful
We used to own a GMC Yukon XL Denali. That was a great roomy SUV but frankly it felt like driving a school bus around town, and long trips were kind of draining despite the fact the vehicle was roomy and comfortable. Our GL450 on the other hand has a little less room on the interior, but it is the best SUV I have ever driven. It steers and feels more like a big luxury sedan than a "truck". The seats are comfortable and look almost brand new on a car that is nearly 5 years old. There is plenty of room for our family of 5 and the third seat can be split or both side folded down to give cavernous storage room. The GL450 accelerates very well, brakes great and shifts smoothly. Some of the controls take a little getting used to and yes, it is a Mercedes so the maintenance can be a bit pricey. That said, we have had nothing major go wrong in the 2 plus years we have owned it. A couple of quirky things required fixing but were covered under the extended warranty we purchased. The GL450 has been really reliable and although the services can be costly, we always get a loaner and are treated with tremendous respect and courtesy by the Mercedes service staff. I think a lot of folks don't consider the loaner value when they complain about the cost of repairs. When I get our Ford or Buick fixed I'm usually out anywhere from $50-$100 to a rental car place. The GL450 looks great, is a safe and reliable luxury SUV.
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American All-Star
Zach Vannoy, 09/27/2010
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class GL550 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (5.5L 8cyl 7A)
5 of 13 people found this review helpful
After coming from 2011 "American" Escalade (Made in Russia)I have realized that I have been missing out on the Best SUV for the last 4 years. Since 2006 I have been buying a Cadillac Escalade for me, and a ESV for my wife. The GL provides a replacement for both. The third row is larger then the ESV's yet the car itself is smaller then the regular Escalade. Its far more easy to navigate around town, provides a better ride,has more passing power,and looks better in and out. Test drove the new Infiniti QX and the Lexus Lx. The third row seat in both of them were far smaller, and didnt handle as good. The Qx did have a nicer center row r, but was inferior elsewhere. Very Pleased overall.
7 Months More Than Satisfied
Oregon Owner, 04/19/2024
2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class GL450 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (4.7L 8cyl 7A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We bought a 2011 GL-450 with 149K, one owner, and a CarFax showing all maintenance completed like clockwork at a Mercedes dealer for thr life of the vehicle. Some interesting maintenance history (replace fuse box, etc.) and we did go in understanding the “pay-to-play” concept that comes with a Mercedes. We’ve budgeted $80 p/month for repairs hoping the sinking find stays ahead of any problems. That being said, we’ve had the truck now for just over 7-1/2 months, have had no mechanical issues, and so far have over $800 in the maintenance sinking fund. We’ve driven the truck just over 5K and we have been really enjoying it. The truck is like new. All equipment works perfectly, the body has barely a small scratch anywhere and no bumps. The white paint is luminescent on a sunny day, the leather seats are infinitely adjustable and so comfortable, the engine has plenty of power, the standard sound system is very good, and it is a pleasure to drive. It is a very agile vehicle for being as large and heavy as it is, rides smooth always, and has very minimal road noise. For 7 months, our GL-450 has been our dream car.
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