2022 Mercedes GLE400d

[cerb4.5lee]

We've just swapped this after 3 weeks short of owning it 3 years and 81.5k miles. I'm going to miss it to be honest, even though it actually wasn't the easiest thing we've ever had to own.

It has been swapped with a 4 month old/2200miles X5 40d. My first impressions are that I actually prefer the looks/interior/engine in the GLE, but the X5 does drive better overall though. Plus I'm glad that the X5 doesn't have the same annoying skipping over potholes across it's rearend like the GLE had.

The X5 is a lovely spec with air suspension/soft close doors/heated rear seats/massage seats/cooled seats/heated steering wheel/pan roof/HUD/HK etc though.

For me personally the X5 doesn't have the wow factor to sit in or look at in comparison to the GLE, but I think it will be a nice car overall to drive in fairness. Looking forward to getting to know it a bit more(especially all the touchscreens!).

[cerb4.5lee]

Cheers Wills!

I did really like the ZF8/40d engine combo in the F13 640d we had as well.

I think the problem we have, is that this is the 9th BMW we've had now, so they get a bit too familiar if you know what I mean? They do always drive well in my experience though in fairness.

I am looking forward to getting to know it a bit more though, plus I've always liked the X5, and this will be the second one after the X5 4.8iS that I had years back.

I know that you've always really liked the 7 series with a similar engine/gearbox combo too.

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Wills2 said:

If you push the trim on the dash and centre console you'll be delighted to feel that it doesn't flex or creak as it isn't hollow unlike the Merc, my 350d should be going in the summer God willing and I can't wait!

I'm sorry to hear that you're not getting on with the Merc bud, and I didn't actually mind the 350d engine/9 speed auto combo that we had in the 2017 GLC350d in fairness.

I guess you'll be going back to beemer then?

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RayDonovan said:

Love to know the cost per mile for running that!

Tyres and fuel would be an interesting number as you say! Plus it also had 5 main dealer services in less than 3 years too!

It was in really decent fettle as well when you consider it had done 81.5k miles, and it still cleaned up nice. It was also still on the original front discs(I only put new front pads in), and the rear discs and pads were still the ones on it from the factory as well. I'll miss it I reckon.

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JakeT said:

Nice. After my dads E53 3.0i went boom at 270k I’m thinking about getting them into a couple of year old X5. Probably a 45e. He doesn’t do many miles now, and wants a Porsche in a couple of years when he retires so this should be a good option. Look forward to see how you get on. I borrowed a 40d and was impressed.

We're both currently a bit torn about the X5 to be completely honest, and as it stands neither of us actually like it that much in comparison to the GLE in fairness.

My missus moaned straight away about how rough the 40d engine sounded/felt in the BMW in comparison to the 400d engine in the Merc for example. Plus we're both quite nonplussed about the interior in the X5 as well(even though it is a very high specced car too).

This isn't coming from an ungrateful point of view don't get me wrong, but we're both honest people who call out what we see though. I've said that we need to give the X5 a bit more time to be fair, but as it stands, it hasn't got off to a great start though sadly.

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Willber said:

Im wondering how you managed to buy it if neither of you like it that much? Not being awkward, just genuinely interested! Is it a case of no other car within budget would do the job? I guess unless you go Porsche, or Range Rover there's not much else like the X5 and GLE. Hope it grows on you a bit more. The BMW engines are generally more gruff im my experience than the equivalent Mercedes. Cheers

Thanks.

It is exactly that as you say. Neither of us are that interested in the Porsche Cayenne, and we love Range Rover, but aren't brave enough for one of those because of the reliability. If the GLE had been more reliable, then we'd be in another one of those for sure. So the X5 is just the "safe" pick really in fairness.

The other problem arguably is that we've already done the X5 thing with the old X5 4.8iS as well, plus we've had a 640d too. So everything is all a bit too similar I think?

I'm hoping it grows on my missus a bit more for definite, because she is the main user of it when all is said and done. So it doesn't matter about the way I feel about it really.

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JakeT said:

Out of curiosity, what made you want to move the merc on? Bar the hideous appetite for rear tyres.

We just didn't have a lot of luck with it really. We had 2 different people crash into the rearend of it, plus with had issues with it going into limp mode, and Merc never got to the bottom of it. It also took 4 visits to the dealer to fix with windscreen cameras, plus it had a faulty rear diff that needed replacing, and it also had to go back into the dealer for a collapsed rear wheel bearing for example too.

Whereas I've had the M4 for 4 years and that has only gone to the dealer for servicing in comparison, so our confidence with Merc's reliability isn't great really. So our hand was forced in many ways to go back to BMW to be fair. However in an ideal world, we'd be in a new or nearly new GLE450d now for sure though, because we both prefer the looks/interior/engine in the GLE over the X5 for definite.

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matt21 said:

Will be curious to see how you get on with the X5, hopefully it wins you over.

As others have said it’s been very interesting following your GLE as you’ve racked up the miles.

My 2019 520d is overdue change, and by some margin it’s been the best car I’ve had. Not one fault in 60k, only routing servicing. Only had a pair of rear tyres, brakes and front tyres are original.

I should have bought 530d originally, and that’s what I would go with no, but unfortunately it no longer exists. Therefore its pushing me into an X5, 30d or 40d. As a BMW man for 20+ years I can’t see myself going to Merc, and like you Land Rover reliability concerns me.

Not thrilled by the new X5 interior with the huge screen but probably need to accept it is the way of the world. Your feedback as the miles pile on will be welcome and may influence my decision.

We've spent most of the day in it today, and my missus seems a bit more happy with it now. She only went around the block in it yesterday, so it was still on a cold engine, so that didn't help with the gruffness of it really. However the Merc's engine was always smooth whether it was cold or warm though in comparison.

The ride/body control has really impressed us today in the X5 too, and it rides the potholes so well in comparison to the GLE. The GLE used to rock from side to side and up and down a fair bit on the air suspension, whereas you can hardly tell that the X5 has air suspension in comparison(in a good way). Plus the X5 doesn't skip across it's rearend like the GLE did either.

The mod cons in the X5 are lovely as well, and stuff like heated arm rests are a nice touch I reckon. Plus the augmented sat nav is quite fancy too.

The looks of the X5 won't ever win us over in comparison to the GLE, and it just lacks a wow factor for us, but as something to drive and live with, I think the X5 will do ok though.

I filled it up today with fuel, and it showed 721 miles on the range, so it will do the long distance stuff well I think too.

I'll keep the thread updated on how we get on with it.

Edited by cerb4.5lee on Sunday 9th March 16:42

[cerb4.5lee]

Notsofastfrank said:

“ I bet it is ace in something like the E400d with that being a much lighter car I reckon.”
It is Lee. Recently changed my M4 for an E400d estate, and initial impression is very positive.
Which MB dealer did you use? I’m roughly halfway between Peterborough and Kings Lynn


The old and the new! No colourless cars here!

I love the colour on the M4!

I would love to experience the 400d engine in that for sure.

We used Listers Mercedes of Lincoln for all our car servicing/warranty work.

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RayDonovan said:

Good luck with the X5, needs a new thread!

Cheers. I was a bit torn regarding that, because the GLE and X5 aren't exactly PH cars if you know what I mean? But I can start one on it though, and this thread has been well received, much to my surprise really.

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matt21 said:

Great to hear about the ride quality. I’ve heard mixed things on the air suspension, some say it’s a little floaty and the standard M Adaptive is better. Seems most cars have the M Adaptive.

That range is impressive!

I specifically wanted air suspension, and credit to BMW because they’ve judged it really well in the X5 I think. It also highlights how poor the air suspension was in the GLE as well for me. The GLE was obviously set up for comfort, because that is what Merc are good at, but it was far too floaty though really, and the rocking from side to side used to get a bit annoying on heavily cambered back roads for example too. The X5 is in a different league in that regard I reckon.

The rear tyres are only 30 profile on the X5 as well, so it is even more amazing how they've managed to get the ride so right really.

[cerb4.5lee]

Neither of us are fully taken with the X5 up to yet, and my missus reckons that we'll be back in a GLE at some stage as well. Plus to add insult to injury, the X5 has thrown up a fault already, and we've only had it a week. Bearing in mind that we've gone back to BMW to try to avoid this sort of stuff!

It has thrown up a front collision warning light fault. I've cleaned all the cameras and sensors all around the car, and it is still showing the fault, so I'll get it booked in tomorrow to get it looked at. I'm starting to get a bit peed off with modern cars to be honest, and I just think that they have too much tech on them really now. The M4 has been golden(touchwood) in comparison for example, but that doesn't have any tech on it though to be fair.

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Tom4398cc said:

Eek! Gutted to hear you’ve had a glitch with the X5. Hope it is an easy fix and then it is plain sailing for a few years.

You make a good point about tech laden new cars. I kind of wonder what they’ll be like to run when they are 10 years old? But me being me, I’d rather have the challenge of older cars, than spend a lot of money on a new car and still have issues. I admire how patient and objective you were in your end of term report on the GLE.

Really appreciate your kind words Tom thanks. Not ideal at all really, especially when you consider how much we loved the GLE as well!

So frustrating to be honest, but I think that we're stuck between a rock and a hard place with modern cars though sadly.

It isn't any wonder why I prefer the older school way of doing things really in fairness!

[cerb4.5lee]

The bottom line for us, is that the X5 doesn't compete in any shape or form in comparison to the GLE. However they're both lovely cars though for sure.

[cerb4.5lee]

Tindersticks said:

Cayenne?

We have considered those a few times to be fair thanks. The only trouble with them, is that they aren't the easiest on the eyes for us, plus you need to spend an absolute fortune on options to make them feel like a "Porsche" as well I reckon though.

[cerb4.5lee]

Tindersticks said:

Fair. Same with a RR I guess.

Are you stuck with the x5 now?

Not necessarily because we've paid cash for it, but obviously we will lose a bit if we change it though. As it stands now though, I can't see my missus wanting to stick with it in fairness.

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RS Grant said:

Sorry to hear the start of ownership in the new car hasn’t been issue-free and a bit underwhelming for you and your wife Lee.

Did you consider the equivalent Audi Q-car? I assume given the X5 purchase that you’d be looking at a Q7 rather than Q5.

Or even a VW, I know the cost for a VW badge will put some people off but I think the new Touareg is a very sharp looking SUV in the correct spec.

Thanks Grant. We're not really big fans of Audi or VW to be honest(although personally I've always really liked the RS3/RS4/RS6 though). The Audi TTS didn't stand up well to the mileage that we did/do, so we wouldn't go to Audi again I don't think in fairness.

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RayDonovan said:

New Land Cruiser?

A good shout, and I think in an ideal world we'd go in the direction of something like the Range Rover Sport if their reliability record wasn't as bad as it is to be fair. However...neither the Merc or BMW are doing that well for us really either regarding that though!

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Tindersticks said:

Is the interior the most important part?

It is definitely one of the most important parts...yes. Neither of us are impressed with the interior in the X5 much at all really. I'm not fond of the interior in the M4 either, but I do like pretty much everything else about it though for example.

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Tindersticks said:

Well as you haven’t had the best luck with the Merc I’d be looking at a RR.

I often think that myself to be honest. Plus if the RR was troublesome, I'm used to being in and out of the dealer fixing faults with the Merc anyway in fairness. The insurance was really high on the RRS in comparison to Merc/BMW last time I checked though.