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2,500 miles in

2573 Views 3 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  NeedForSpeed
Merry Christmas fellow GLC owners -

I realised I was very active here whilst moaning about the delays for delivery of my car, but a couple months since grabbing the keys, I haven't really been here much.

If you read my earlier posts, you'll know I am a semi-reluctant owner - I believe a large German estate is the ultimate car; space, quality, drive, running costs, and I've always launched into a monologue to anyone unlucky enough to be close by when the topic comes up, that SUV's and Crossovers are daft. £10k more than an equivalent saloon/estate for a car that's heavier and costlier to run and less refined to drive. Essentially £10k for looks and fashion. But my lease was up and whilst I wait for the Tesla Model 3 to get delivered to the UK in early 2019, I need something else, and that something else must be something I can hand to the wife 18 months in. (yes, I know the Tesla model 3 isn't large or an estate....I just *want* one). She likes crossover style and having sat in or test driven them all, the GLC was hands down the nicest.

2 months in, I really, really like it. Perhaps the interior isn't quite at the quality of the e-class or 5-series, perhaps the drive isn't quite as smooth, but it's bloody close and within days it becomes my new "normal" and I think it's a great driving experience, particularly on the 18" wheels with fat rubber (I'm NEVER going back to large wheels and run-flats now). I love being in this cabin, it's a classy, cosseting place to be. The performance of the 220D is certainly adequate and doesn't disappoint, and the car has coped well following the couple of snowfalls to hit the midlands this December.

I've a few niggles I need to go get looked at:
- passenger rear door requires abnormal effort to close
- driver side rear grab-handle is falling off
- no online connectivity, it tries but fails (I should read the manual here, perhaps it's a setting I haven't found, or an option I didn't buy).

I'm about to push the button on a set of winter wheels and tyres. I prevaricated on this, but am now convinced it's a good move. It's not like the tyres really cost you anything, since your other tyres aren't eduring wear whilst they are hanging in the garage, and the wheels...I am confident I can recoup 50% of the cost on ebay when I sell the car. Since I am regularly 100-150miles from home for work, tyres that are built for colder, wetter weather just makes sense. Now I just have to finish the debate with myself as to whether I spend £500 on a nice looking aftermarket set of wheels from MrWinterWheels or £1000 from Mercedes for a genuine set [EDIT: £1739 from Merc for genuine - wow!). Decisions, decisions.....
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Good luck with the Tesla if it aver materialises!

Like you I like German estate cars and not attracted by SUVs but I parted with my 16 month old A6 Avant quatro black ed for a 250d. so 6 weeks and 1100 miles later I'm very happy with it. OK it doesn't corner as flat as the A6 and the boot is very small by comparison but my views on SUVs have changed. If I want some fun on the country roads I can always take out the wifes' Mini for a spin, just road testing it of course!

I looked hard at the competitors from Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Landrover but with the exception of the new Range Rover Vellar which I couldn't afford except in very basic form the GLC stood out for me as the better overall package and now I've sorted the mudflaps issue I'm pleased.

Had it not been fitted with all season tyres I'd have bought winter wheels as well, as I have done in the past but I've always gone for aftermarket alloys as they get hammered during the bad weather and you can buy 2 or 3 sets for the price of OEM wheels.

I love the intelligent headlights now I've got used to them but still haven't had the courage to try the self parking LOL
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Now I just have to finish the debate with myself as to whether I spend £500 on a nice looking aftermarket set of wheels from MrWinterWheels or £1739 from Mercedes for a genuine set.
Why don't you play the clonking card? Mercedes gave me a free set of 18-inch all-season tyres. Can't see why your Dealer wouldn't supply winter tyres in lieu and may even do a discount price on a set of wheels as well if you decided you want to stick to OEMs. If you don't ask, you don't get. ;) Mind you, I got my tyres swopped in the summer when the weather was too warm to verify the clonking problem.
The driver side rear grab-handle is falling off and so early on? That's grounds for under warranty repair or replacement.

As for winter wheels, I usually get some steelies. They may not look the best, but they'll handle a beating and if salt corrodes it then you wouldn't care to much.
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