Opinions Wanted: 2008 GL550 vs 2010 Q7 TDI

The time is approaching to buy the wife a "new" daily driver. We've put 172k miles on our 2003 GMC Envoy XL with the 5.3 Vortec. I've had to put a fair amount of work into it recently to get it tightened back up but it's been paid off for awhile now. I never wanted the Envoy in the first place but it's what my wife wanted and it really has served us well. To the point, while I was shopping for a Mercedes GL450 CDI a couple years back my wife stumbled onto the GL550 and summarily decided that it was what she wanted to replace the Envoy. Those of you who know me often wonder how my wife puts up with me and my tom foolery. So, she deserves to pick her poison. I can think of far, far worse things to be stuck with than an AMG tuned Mercedes.

Hoping not to sound too pretentious with these two automobiles.... I've realized while shopping that one can get into a 2010 Audi Q7 TDI with the Prestige package for about the same money as a loaded 2008 Mercedes GL550. Both with around 50k miles give or take. I'm not afraid of the gas mileage of the Mercedes as the Envoy barely sees anything better than 15mpg most of the time. I would prefer a diesel for the increase in mpg but the wife isn't sold on the look of the Q7 but may change her mind after we drive one. Insurance premiums are nearly identical for both. The internet seems to say service will be nearly the same and many of the niggling points of difference between the two seem to be over the electric 3rd row seat of the Merc being better and the multimedia system of the Q7 being simpler to use. Which tells me it comes down to which one we like better as both would be a wholly pimp choice as a daily driver.

Any thoughts from you guys?

You're hurting my brain. PERSONALLY, I'd slap an extended warranty on the Audi and rock that. Those things are BEASTLY with the v10 TDI. But those are both scary choices IMO. IDK that either are real reliable.

It hurts my brain too at the thoughts of spending this kind of dough but we keep our vehicles for a long time and spend a lot of time driving.

Seem like 2010 was the hump year for the Q7 to work out their electrical gremlins. The Audi comes with VW's TDI, V6 turbo diesel. I'm reading a reflash of the ECU can get the torque easily up to 600lb/ft range. Drag racing the Cowboy Cadillac diesels here in Texas should be fun.

Mercedes is rated very well for reliability but either one I'll be doing most of the service on.

I once saw the power train dropped out the bottom of a Toerag, which needed one of the turbos. It appeared to be a solid cube.

I'm a professional shop, specializing in Volvo, with 5 lifts, and I wouldn't want to do the service on one of those things.

VWguyBruce wrote: It hurts my brain too at the thoughts of spending this kind of dough but we keep our vehicles for a long time and spend a lot of time driving. Seem like 2010 was the hump year for the Q7 to work out their electrical gremlins. The Audi comes with VW's TDI, V6 turbo diesel. I'm reading a reflash of the ECU can get the torque easily up to 600lb/ft range. Drag racing the Cowboy Cadillac diesels here in Texas should be fun. Mercedes is rated very well for reliability but either one I'll be doing most of the service on.

Dang, it's not the v10 TDI? That's not as fun. Either way, I actually prefer Audi interiors. So I'd probably still do the Audi.

Well if the Merc keeps her happy, then that would sway things a bit. I personally would also take the TDI.

Somewhat unrelated experience, but, I would go with the Mercedes. Had a 2010 E-Class from new to ~60K, not a single problem, literally not one. Given that is the honeymoon period of any German car, take it with a grain of salt. The quality of the Merc's is just better than Audi, by some subjective measure I can't put my finger on. Audi design is more appealing, but I think Mercedes makes a better car these days.

My neighbors and friends have a 2008 Audi Q7 3.6, and they've had no end of troubles with it. A lot of electrical problems (to be expected), but also mechanical (the engine was replaced, plus a few little odds and ends). But the what really surprizes me is the incredibly fragile body. The rear hatch just won't stay aligned, the paint is flacking on the sills behind the front wheels and there is rust appearing at the bottom of the driver front door. Thankfully, they took an extended warranty because they would have gotten really hosed if not. If you decide to go for that one, I would really suggest you go with as much warranty as you can.

But I'll admit, it's very nice to drive and the interior is very nice.

No experience on the Merc, but I'm sure it would hold its value better.

VWguyBruce wrote: we keep our vehicles for a long time and spend a lot of time driving.

I actually like your two choices from a "cool vehicle" point of view.

But from the point of view of this quote, I like neither of them. With no personal experience on either myself, I've heard enough and read enough about both to think that neither would allow you to "keep it a long time" nor "spend a lot of time driving." Neither is rated highly against similar SUVs in most publications (in fact, both are rated bottom-half of their "class" in most things I've read - with the caveat that I don't really closely read about SUVs in this class in general)

For similar money, I'd go get a new MDX. If you plan to keep it for a long time and spend a lot of time driving.

Or, perchance, a CTS-V wagon

but, my 2 cents if you have to go with one of the original two choices would be the Benz. I suspect it would be more reliable and have better longevity.

I like the GL. My mother-in-law has a 450 and it's damn nice. Despite the fact that Benzes aren't what they used to be, I still regard them more highly than Audis in terms of reliability. I'd pick the gas version of either model over a diesel, and would pick the GL if all else is equal.

Thanks for the input everyone. I've not dropped the $$$ for the 30 day Carfax but hopefully anything we choose to look at will have some service history input. I think we're gonna have to get a PPI for piece of mind. I wonder how much more Mercedes would charge to get a car certified?

Any of you guys ever mess with an aftermarket extended warranty? I would never buy one from the dealer.

VWguyBruce wrote: Any of you guys ever mess with an aftermarket extended warranty? I would never buy one from the dealer.

Dealer is the one I WOULD buy. The aftermarket ones, from my standpoint as service provider, are hateful. "What's that you say? Your labor rate is $120 per hour, and the job will take ten hours? We will gladly pay you $400. By the way, make sure you use the cheapest parts available. Now berkeley off."

Thanks and thanks!

Since the MDX came up, what year did they introduce the 3rd row seat?

Always came standard.

A coworker has a GL550, although newer ('12 or '13). I've been in it a few times and it's definitely a nice vehicle. Downside: fuel mileage - down in the low teens. Sometimes you get first hand experience where the stereotypes come from: she's blond, about 4'10" and drives a huge SUV... although she admits she liked her old minivan better.

"My wife really wants a Mercedes GL550. She will be happy, and I can afford it. You guys think I should buy a different car?"

Duh.

PLUS, the car you are thinking of buying is known for it's legendary unreliability.

Every time it hiccups, she will wish she had the GL550, and YOU will be sleeping on the couch

You are not thinking very clearly on this.

Q7 TDI, those things are ridiculous and awesome and everything a car like that should be

edit: just read it's not the v10, am sad

I'm confused. If you're doing all the maintenance and plan to have it a long time, why the heck would you let her pick between two fussy, expensive, and extremely complicated German SUVs? Those are both great cars! ...when they're under warranty, as the previous owners knew.

If it's her pick, let her pick. Do oil changes and brakes and tires as usual, but when an electrical (or fuel or turbo or...) gremlin comes up, she'll have to take it to a shop and figure out how to come up with a second mortgage payment for the month. If you plan (are expected?) to do the maintenance long term, I'd suggest you're in pretty deep with both of those cars and you should pick something a little more likely to be able to DIY repairs.

Bryce

These are both more or less status cars. This is not a criticism, but more an observation. Mercedes vehicles have always appeared more upmarket than the Audi counterparts. I can't help but think of Audis as a Volkswagen-plus. If you are paying the same dollars, why compromise?

Nashco wrote: If it's her pick, let her pick. Do oil changes and brakes and tires as usual, but when an electrical (or fuel or turbo or...) gremlin comes up, she'll have to take it to a shop and figure out how to come up with a second mortgage payment for the month. If you plan (are expected?) to do the maintenance long term, I'd suggest you're in pretty deep with both of those cars and you should pick something a little more likely to be able to DIY repairs. Bryce

Sometimes, regardless of impracticality, it is nice to have exactly what one wants. On one or two occasions, I have spent a week's pay on a single meal. Just to see what it feels like to eat without compromise.

Mitchell wrote: These are both more or less status cars. This is not a criticism, but more an observation. Mercedes vehicles have always appeared more upmarket than the Audi counterparts. I can't help but think of Audis as a Volkswagen-plus. If you are paying the same dollars, why compromise?

Well Merc doesn't offer a V10 Twin Turbo diesel. You are the king of the SUV drivers if you drive that car.

In reply to kanaric:

Neither does VW/Audi.

The current VAG 'big TDI' is a 3.0L V6. The V10 has been out of production for a few years now. According to the data I've found, a 2010 Q7 would have the V6.

I hear you guys, I can see everyone's point and appreciate the input. As of right now the local market doesn't even really have any of what we want. We've found out the used car market is VERY strong here in the Dallas/Ft Worth area. The wife is having a hard to time spending the money on something other than EXACTLY what we want.

Shopped all day yesterday and managed to drive a total of 1 vehicle. GMC dealer had a 2010 Yukon XL with everything we wanted so we decided to take a look. Yes, it's American. They also offered a good price to trade-in our Envoy. Yukon is a higher mileage car but the price is reflective of such. We're going back for another look and possibly find a dealer with a Q7 actually on their lot.

Mamma had another idea this morning to unload the Envoy and buy the dealership managers personal car that just came in on trade. Low mileage 2007 525i. She would drive that until the right SUV came along and that would become my daily driver and the E30 would become a dedicated project car. The manager is a no-E36 M3 car guy and said he could help us find anything we wanted.

Wife drove the Q7 TDI yesterday and really liked it. If it wouldn't have smelled like wet dog and had rear bumper damage we might've taken it home. I think her only issue is having gotten used to being in an SUV and their vantage point.

Anyone else's significant other have king of the road syndrome from driving an SUV/truck as a daily driver?

And why won't a salesman admit there's been accident damage when it's obvious?!? I know what the Carfax says but the damage is blatant. We teach our kids to be honest. Denial will gain nothing with me. I expected better from an Audi dealer I guess.

Found a low mileage '09 ML550 yesterday with colors/options we wanted. Drove it and liked it. I was ready to schedule a PPI with Mercedes dealer and my wife, God bless her, is having second thoughts on spending the money. Who knows where we'll end up now. Will know more tomorrow as Texas closes car dealerships on Sundays.