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GwagenLover
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Winston Salem, NC USA 27104
Vehicle(s): 2016 G550 & 2016 GLE350
Posts: 473
| I've got the itch for a new G550
After thinking about a new G, I heard my wife say the it was getting more and more difficult to steer the 2002 due to our increasing age.
So I have to ask, has the stiff steering been changed to operate with less effort in the new G's?
https://www.yahoo.com/news/2016-mercedes-benz-g550-202500113.html
Edited by GwagenLover 7/3/2016 1:49 PM
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ekapel
Member
Date registered: May 2007
Location: Bend, OR
Vehicle(s): 2007 G500
Posts: 14
| RE: I've got the itch for a new G550
You will probably be happier with a GLS.
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03-Gwagen
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Western Pennsylvania
Vehicle(s): CLK63 Black Series, 2018 G63, 2016 GLE300d
Posts: 888
| RE: I've got the itch for a new G550
GwagenLover - 7/3/2016 1:44 PM
After thinking about a new G, I heard my wife say the it was getting more and more difficult to steer the 2002 due to our increasing age.
So I have to ask, has the stiff steering been changed to operate with less effort in the new G's?
https://www.yahoo.com/news/2016-mercedes-benz-g550-202500113.html
You would love a new one. I traded a 2003 for a 2014 550.
It is so different the the 2002.
It is refined. The steering is easier. It rides better. Holds the road better. The doors open and close with less work. |
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GwagenLover
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Winston Salem, NC USA 27104
Vehicle(s): 2016 G550 & 2016 GLE350
Posts: 473
| Re: I've got the itch for a new G550
Well, I bit the bullet and bought a new G550.
You are right 03-Gwagen, it does drive better and the steering is entirely easier.
I'm not to happy with the function that turns the engine off when you stop.
I'll just have to get accustom to pushing the button when I start it.
I was however surprised when they offered me 30 K for the 2002.
I had however kept the 2002 in excellent condition and it only has 102,000 miles on it. |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: I've got the itch for a new G550
GwagenLover - 7/9/2016 10:49 AM
Well, I bit the bullet and bought a new G550.
You are right 03-Gwagen, it does drive better and the steering is entirely easier.
Electric steering? |
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greynolds
Member
Date registered: Jul 2013
Location: Billerica, MA USA
Vehicle(s): 2017 G63 (Obsidian Black / Titanium Grey Pearl)
Posts: 39
| Re: I've got the itch for a new G550
GwagenLover - 7/9/2016 10:49 AM
Well, I bit the bullet and bought a new G550.
You are right 03-Gwagen, it does drive better and the steering is entirely easier.
I'm not to happy with the function that turns the engine off when you stop.
Congrats! I'd suggest living with leaving the feature that turns the engine off when you stop on for a while as you might find you get used to it. I had the same initial impression, but have gotten used to it. There are some specific cases where you will want to disable it, such as on a really hot day when you don't want the AC compressor to shut off or if you know you're going to need to get moving quickly when taking a left turn and don't want to have the slight delay while the engine starts back up. But I've found that it's no really all that annoying now that I'm used to it on mine.
What color combo did you get? Did you get the optional adjustable suspension? |
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03-Gwagen
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Western Pennsylvania
Vehicle(s): CLK63 Black Series, 2018 G63, 2016 GLE300d
Posts: 888
| Re: I've got the itch for a new G550
Congrats on the G550!
It is a great car. After having a 2002, 2003, you can really appreciate and enjoy the subtle updates.
On the 63, I like the ECO function when in "C" mode. Sport mode shuts it off.
Doesn't the 550 sound great? |
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GwagenLover
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Winston Salem, NC USA 27104
Vehicle(s): 2016 G550 & 2016 GLE350
Posts: 473
| Re: I've got the itch for a new G550
Electric steering?
To tell you the truth, I don't know if the steering is electric or not.
I was told the engine is smaller than the one in the G500, but had twin turbos and 301 HP.
I'm not a fan of the front bars, but the radar has to be mounted somewhere so I'll get used to it.
That fancy bumper will make it difficult to mount a winch though.
The ride is fantastic in comparison to the 2002.
I have noticed that the engine runs rough as I cautiously back out of the garage if I do not turn the stop engine button to the off position.
I guess the electronics thinks I'm going to stop and it is trying to stop the engine.
The sound is great! I however need some time to get used to it.
There is one note I should add, I had bought my wife a new 2016 GLE 350 and the instruments of the G 550 are almost the same design.
I'm now nearing 75 years old and I bet the 550 will out live me.
Edited by GwagenLover 7/11/2016 8:02 AM
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Otiswesty
Administrator
Date registered: Jun 2007
Location: Portland, Oregon
Vehicle(s): 463.241, 461.213
Posts: 3004
| RE: I've got the itch for a new G550
Congratulations on the new G-class to both of you. I'm sure the refinements are pretty swanky.
I think my 1999 G500 will outlive me as well, I am 50. |
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greynolds
Member
Date registered: Jul 2013
Location: Billerica, MA USA
Vehicle(s): 2017 G63 (Obsidian Black / Titanium Grey Pearl)
Posts: 39
| Re: I've got the itch for a new G550
GwagenLover - 7/11/2016 7:51 AM
To tell you the truth, I don't know if the steering is electric or not.
AFAIK, it is not.
GwagenLover - 7/11/2016 7:51 AM
I was told the engine is smaller than the one in the G500, but had twin turbos and 301 HP.
The previous recent G550's had a 5.5L V8 without turbos that put out around 380HP. The 2016 G550's have a 4.0L V8 with twin turbos with around 420HP. The G63 has a 5.5L V8 with twin turbos and somewhere around 550HP. Then there's the G65 with a V12... |
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NHDave
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Dec 2013
Location: Seacoast NH.
Vehicle(s): 2004 AMG
Posts: 466
| Re: I've got the itch for a new G550
Congratulations on your new purchase GwagenLover
greynolds.
HP report from the OP, did seem a bit off.
But the OP is more focused on drivability and it seems he digging it!
You can have ten thousand HP but you will find yourself driving the torque around town, not the HP output. |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: I've got the itch for a new G550
NHDave - 7/11/2016 10:08 PM
You can have ten thousand HP but you will find yourself driving the torque around town, not the HP output.
That's one of the reasons why I like my diesel Audi Q7 so much. That and the trailer pulling ability.
It's also why I wish that MBUSA would import the diesel G. |
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NYG500
Member
Date registered: Aug 2014
Location: NJ/NY
Vehicle(s): 2007 G500
Posts: 43
| Re: I've got the itch for a new G550
DUTCH - 7/12/2016 6:53 AM
NHDave - 7/11/2016 10:08 PM
You can have ten thousand HP but you will find yourself driving the torque around town, not the HP output.
That's one of the reasons why I like my diesel Audi Q7 so much. That and the trailer pulling ability.
It's also why I wish that MBUSA would import the diesel G.
I can only hope that MBUSA will consider introducing a diesel with the new G coming in 2018/19. Rumors are there will be a new series of inline-6 gas and diesels engines from MB in the near future, maybe it will be one of those found under the hood. With the Diesel Range Rover selling well and getting mid-20 MPGs I would expect MBUSA to do the same with the G.
I have a Cayenne Diesel as my other car and its a wonderful. (too bad it is involved in dieselgate and is not likely to be reintroduced for sale in the US going forward). I am averaging 25 MPG driving in mixed 60 city/40 highway driving over 25,000 miles. My best over a 1200 mile road trip was an average of 31 mpg, approx 650 miles between fill ups. Many would like to have that kind of economy and range in a G. |
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greynolds
Member
Date registered: Jul 2013
Location: Billerica, MA USA
Vehicle(s): 2017 G63 (Obsidian Black / Titanium Grey Pearl)
Posts: 39
| Re: I've got the itch for a new G550
NHDave - 7/11/2016 10:08 PM
Congratulations on your new purchase GwagenLover
greynolds.
HP report from the OP, did seem a bit off.
But the OP is more focused on drivability and it seems he digging it!
You can have ten thousand HP but you will find yourself driving the torque around town, not the HP output.
Agreed, but the torque numbers are pretty good too (all the numbers below are from MB literature / website):
2016 G550: 416 hp & 450 lb-ft @ 2000-4750 rpm
2016 G63: 563 hp & 561 lb-ft @ 1750-5250 rpm
2016 G65: 621 hp & 738 lb-ft @ 2300-4300 rpm
2013-2015 G550: 382 hp & 391 lb-ft @ 2800-4200 rpm
2013-2015 G63: 536 hp & 560 lb-ft @ 2000-5000 rpm
I'm pretty sure the numbers for 2013-2015 are all the same. If not, there wouldn't have been major changes.
Having owned a 2014 G550 and now a 2016 G550, I wouldn't say the 2016 feels substantially more powerful, but I also don't feel like I've given anything up. So far my measured gas mileage has been about the same - I can get around 16.5mpg on the highway as long as I'm keeping things reasonable.
I am debating about trading the 2016 G550 in for a 2016 or 2017 G63 at some point, depending on what sort of a deal I can work out. I definitely don't feel as though I need more power, but I'd like to give a G63 a try and really like the optional leather seat option that's available (the 2 tone diamond stitching). I also don't plan to get the all new model in the first few years in case there are issues they need to work out. |
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robwill54
Veteran
Date registered: Aug 2007
Location: South of Houston on the Gulf
Vehicle(s): '12 G550,F350 Superduty, E250
Posts: 140
| Re: I've got the itch for a new G550
I took my '03 in for service and drove a 2012 on a lark. Wow, i traded on the spot and have not looked back. Great exhaust tuning and plenty of power; big improvement over my old G.
On another note, I have driven diesels for 30 years of various makes; I am a Cummins dealer and have made my living working on most all makes in industrial, truck, and marine versions. I have an E250 ( great car) and would welcome a G diesel. I do feel as though all manufacturers hold us up when we choose the diesel option.
Bob |
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Otiswesty
Administrator
Date registered: Jun 2007
Location: Portland, Oregon
Vehicle(s): 463.241, 461.213
Posts: 3004
| Re: I've got the itch for a new G550
The 3.0 liter direct injection motor is a bit underpowered for a G-class. Driving a GL 320 Bluetec will make that obvious, especially being used to the newer G550. I think this is the main reason they do not bring it over. The G400 V8 is another story with respect to power and torque.
The 6 cyl cdi/bluetec is a great motor for the smaller lighter E-class however. |
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GwagenLover
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Winston Salem, NC USA 27104
Vehicle(s): 2016 G550 & 2016 GLE350
Posts: 473
| Re: I've got the itch for a new G550
I had a BlueTec ML. I kept it three months before I went back to a gas burner.
I did however have a 1987 inline 6 diesel that was a definite winner. It ran like a scaulded dog.
After 12 years the paint began to get chalky and the AC was dying. There was too much money to be spent on it for what it was worth so I let it go.
However the 420 HP Turbo charged G550 is my choice even if it does only get 13-14 MPG in town.
And there are those deep rumbling sounds it makes! Kinda gives you the feel of being young again.
I am so happy with the new G550!
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