[rustybulletwound]

hi all,
ive test driven a glc and loved it, we were made aware of the "crabbing"at slow speeds with full lock on by the dealer and she even showed us the car doing it
During our test drive neither of us noticed it while driving and pulling out of junctions at slow speeds and even back in the car park driving slowly and messing about with the parktronic, is it as bad as some people are making out and ruining tyres after 4000 miles?
Do you find it really bothers you that much? the car we drove was a 250 amg line p plus with 20" wheels on

would welcome the thoughts of people who own the car

many thanks

dale

 

[Tony Mac]

Dale,

Not sure where you are - update your profile > Location

We have a 2 year old 250D AMG line on 20" wheels. The crabbing and clonking was awful on the original summer tyres, that lasted 12,000 miles - hoped for higher mileage, but they were completely scrubbed on the outer edges. So had them replaced with All Season options free of charge by MB UK, and these have certainly eliminated the crabbing, although I can feel the wheels twitching through e steering wheel, but no noise. My guess is the crabbing will resurface as these tyres wear. Time will tell...

The posts in the Crabbing and Clonking thread are all from unhappy owners > http://www.glcforums.com/forum/322-glc-issues-problems/3345-mercedes-glc-clonking-juddering-near-full-steering-lock-80.html

Also take a look at > https://www.mercedescrabbing.org

The fault is masked by fitting All Season tyres, making the drive acceptable, but it cannot be truly fixed.

Tony

 

[rustybulletwound]

thanks for the response tony, im in north yorkshire

i will ask which tyres come with car i pressume its all season as the demo car didn't crab for us and only did it slightly on full lock going very slow, but that wouldn't bother me if its all it did

which all season tyres did they put on yours? as im looking at putting the 20" wheels on mine

i love everything about the car but its a bit concerning that if its not resolved it will effect the residual value of the car as no one is going to want a second hand version of this vehicle, probably why it currently has nearly 6k off list price

knowing what you know, would it stop you buying the car or another one?

thanks again

dale

 

[Tony Mac]

Hi Dale,

The dealer fitted Goodyear Eagle Sport - 255 / 45 R20 MO Extended All Season Run Flats.

After 2,500 miles no crabbing, but steering does feel a little twitchy and squibbly - difficult to explain, but not as 'planted on the road' as the previous X3 felt.

We looked at the Mecan and X3 prior to going for the GLC, and in my opinion the GLC looks great, is very comfortable, goes well and you get much more for your money when compare against the Porsche & BMW. Apart from the crabbing that truly was driving me crazy and the slightly clunky Command system ( I feel the BMW I-Drive is more logical and quicker / easier to use ), we are happy with the GLC now it's running on All Season tyres

Hope this might be helpful,

Tony

 

[Philamg]

Funny how we all have different feelings, my wife has the bmw i drive in her mini countryman and both of us prefer the command in the glc for ease of use. My mate has a brand new 5 series and it took him weeks to work out how to save your present location in the nav. For all the complaints about the command I think it is great but would be better if it was integrated in the dash.

I looked at the x3, macan and q5 before I bought and much preferred the GLC for different reasons. The X3 was dated, had a look at the new one and doesn't seem much different, macan was small and by the time you ticked the options list was too expensive and the q5 didn't feel as engaging to drive and looked bland.

Crabbing is a major issue but as long as you don't get a 43 is an easy fix.

My main fault with the GLC is the position of the rear parking sensor lights and the fact they don't beep until the red light appears.

 

[gb93616]

Re crabbing. I've had mine since November (nearly 3,000 miles). I can get it to "crab". I park in a car park each day and one part of my drive out means me having to do a tight 180 turn.
I've found, if I drive a bit faster than I'm comfortable with it will crab. If I take the tight bend sensibly, it's fine, it my "slip" a little bit, but I put it down to being a really tight turning circle...?

It's never happened during normal driving, certainly never pulling out of a T junction, or off my drive etc. I've seen a you tube video of a guy pulling out and turning left and right to show juddering and it _nearly_ put me off.

If mine did that I wouldn't be happy at all. A few people I've spoken to have said their non-mercedes cars have done it as well - one an XC90.

l also looked and the Macan and Q5, but came to the same conclusions as Philamg. I didn't bother with the X3, as there's not a single BMW I like But that's another story...

I love mine, it feels safe, secure on the road, air suspension is just gorgeous, even better than a Range Rover Supercharged Vogue SE I had a few years back, and that's saying something as I LOVED that car too...
...and it's blooming quick as well....

I too like command and dont understand people's dislike for it..Mind you, I preferred Audi's MMI initially as I came from an Audi, but now I like command just as much..

 

[rustybulletwound]

thanks for the responses
i have bought the mrs a 220 amg line p plus with night pack and 20" wheels and pick up on friday and will let you all know how she gets on
from the outset the sales lady has been honest and told us about the crabbing and went out of her way on test drive to show us it
the dealer has told me i can have all weather tyres fitted free of charge ready for pick up or in the future if it becomes a problem, ive decided to just try it and see how it goes
it seems to me from scouring the tinter web the the amg 43 seems to be the worst for some reason and the others can be sorted with all weather tyres
it hasn't put me off the car is stunning and i have no doubts that the dealer will do there best if i have any issues
heres a pic of the actual car

 

[Toobad]

Cars with lower profile tyres are more susceptible to the crabbing phenomenon. You may not experience it at first with brand new summer tyres but as they wear down there will be a reduction in their flexibility and hence their ability to mask the crabbing. Make sure your desired swop strategy is noted and made a condition of accepting the car. There's no guarantee Mercedes won't pull this goodwill offer at any time so you need it locked into the deal. Owners of the 43 have different widths of wheels front and back and suitable tyre combinations have been difficult to source for certain diameters.

The white paint with the night package looks stunning. I have no doubt your wife will be over the moon and you are probably off the hook for many birthdays, Christmases and Valentines Days to come. You will get a free netting load separator which will be useful for transporting the whippet and because there is no spare wheel the space under the load floor is handy for storing an emergency flat cap and supplies of lardy cake

 

[Philamg]

Congratulations on your purchase, I'm sure your wife will love it. As Toobad says MB may stop the goodwill gesture of all weather tyres. My dealer has now got my new wheels with winter tyres, I will have them fitted next winter.
Get the free all seasons for yours in writing or better still ask your dealer to get them now and store them for you, if the offer is withdrawn he will have them.
Let us know what she thinks of the car once she has driven it.

 

[K44ent]

Congratulations on the new car, they are awesome and I'm sure you will love it. As Phil says, get the offer of all season tyres in writing, however I'm using the supplied summer tyres (picked mine up a few weeks ago) and yes my car crabbs BUT only if I make it do it. I can easily drive round it by being sympathetic with the amount of steering lock applied and how much power I apply at sharp steering angles. It's by no means a deal breaker and doesn't detract from the car. I've seen plenty of videos on the net where owners have provoked the car into crabbing then complained, not saying they don't do it but it can be driven round most of the time.

 

[Philamg]

I HAVE TO do a full lock turn onto and off my driveway and the car crabs badly, I am not provoking it into do this it does it, same whilst pulling out of parking spaces using fullish lock. You shouldn't be able to provoke it into doing it, all 4x4's I have had before haven't done this. I picked my car up on March 1st last year and the crabbing was hardly noticeable, this winter it has been a nightmare.
As K44ent says it isn't a deal breaker but shouldn't be there on a car in this class.

 

[Mercedes.AMG]

The Vredastain all-seasons, not only do they stop the crabbing, they give a better and quieter ride.

 

[Philamg]

The Vredastain all-seasons, not only do they stop the crabbing, they give a better and quieter ride.

I wish they could get them for the 43.

 

[AndrewB]

The Vredsteins are currently available in W rating for the 43s 19" rims why Mercedes won't supply them is a mystery to me! Only 9 rears left in stock at Mytyres so better move fast and over £200 each wow!

 

[Philamg]

The Vredsteins are currently available in W rating for the 43s 19" rims why Mercedes won't supply them is a mystery to me! Only 9 rears left in stock at Mytyres so better move fast and over £200 each wow!

I agree Andrew, doesn't make any sense that they could have paid £800 for the Vredsteins for my car when they have supplied 20 inch AMG Multispoke wheels and winter tyres at a list price of over £4500.

 

[LostCause]

Does anyone know if there are changes to 2018 model to minimized the crabbing? Getting the all season tires in 20".(May delivery), so hoping it doesn't appear

 

[rustybulletwound]

ours came with 20" wheels with runflats the car currently doesn't crab at all even though i have tried my hardest, the worst ive had is a slight vibration through the steering wheel when reversing with full lock on, hope it stays this way!!!

 

[Barker44]

Does anyone know if there are changes to 2018 model to minimized the crabbing? Getting the all season tires in 20".(May delivery), so hoping it doesn't appear

Iv just picked mine up this week. Came with 20' wheels and fitted with Goodyear Eagle Sport, All Season/M+S. Not noticed any crabbing as such but still early days.

Guess I was lucky..

 

[LONS]

Hi Rusty, if I can call you that.

My car is similar spec to yours except it's the 250d and in black but same 20" black wheels. Was registered demo model 29th Sept and I bought early November and I tried hard during test drives to get it to crab and couldn't. Car has now done 4000 miles and still fine but it has Vredestein all seasons which came factory fitted.

Mine has intelligent lights ( brilliant feature ), 360 cameras and a factory electric towbar and I got them to fit running boards as part of the deal. I fitted mudflaps which definitely stop a lot of the cr*p blasting up the sides of the car. I don't regret my purchase one bit, your missus will love the car.

As it is my first SUV and never really liked them I looked at everything up to around £50k, Audi Q5, too plain and not as nice as my outgoing A6 Avant quatro, - BMW X3, including the "new" model but I've never liked the sit up and beg shape, - Jaguar F pace, love the style but it's tinny and very poor finish, - Discovery sport, not impressed at all and the Evoque, felt cramped.
I also looked at the new Discovery and the new Vellar as well as the Mecan but by the time essential extras were added they were out of the picture. I test drove a Grand Cheroke and a Subaru as well but always came back to the GLC.

I've read a few niggles about the command system but I prefer it to the Audi MMI I had in my last 3 cars, 2 of were HDD and first was SD card based which was simply horrible. I haven't had a BMW for 6 years so can't compare later systems but my wife has the new Mini Clubman with the BMW i drive which is ok but I'm not wowed by it!

My only minor gripes with the GLC is the position of the turn switch for the wipers which I find a bit fiddly and too close to other controls but I've got used to it. I'm constantly fiddling as I find auto wipers unpredictable and I hate them wiping dry dirty windscreen. Not convinced about the touchpad either, I like it but don't see the point of that in addition to and sitting above the control knob, I'd prefer the knob to be gone and the pad flat on the console.

Bob

 

[Philamg]

Agree about touchpad, not needed.

GLC is a great car, only things I don't like are no heated steering wheel and the parking sensors. They only beep when on the red, should progressively beep on amber and whoever decided to place the rear ones above the back seats needs treatment. Would need an extra eye to see them and reversing camera at same time.

Can't understand complaints about command, my wife has a new countryman with the idrive and command is much better, also streets ahead of system I had in my discovery sport.