New to Mercedes

[BHopkins]

@rainman49, would you please give us an update on your GLE 350. How has it been? Are you still pleased with it? Any gremlins?

I'm going through the very same purchase dilemma right now. I'm looking for a mid sized SUV for my wife. I have found a very clean 2021 GLE 350 with under 28k miles, and all the exact options I am looking for. But then I read a couple negative reviews, suggesting that the GLE 350 is prone to glitches, so I started looking at other options. I found a 2022 BMX X5 with the 3l i6, and it is almost identically equipped. The reviews are a lot better, except that the seats aren't as comfortable for long road trips. More power, better handling, better road feel, simpler controls.

I liked how the GLE 350 drove. Although it is a little underpowered for my liking, my wife will be fine with it - just like you pointed out. I haven't driven an X5 yet, but from what others have said, I expect it to be a little more spirited.

I have no experience with BMW, but I have with Mercedes, and am very comfortable with doing my own basic maintenance on MB. I even enjoy working on my E350.

So I was hoping others here, including you, would chime in on any experience with a GLE 350, or with a BMW X5. Any experience on these two cars would be appreciated.

 

[The Critic]

@rainman49, would you please give us an update on your GLE 350. How has it been? Are you still pleased with it? Any gremlins?

I'm going through the very same purchase dilemma right now. I'm looking for a mid sized SUV for my wife. I have found a very clean 2021 GLE 350 with under 28k miles, and all the exact options I am looking for. But then I read a couple negative reviews, suggesting that the GLE 350 is prone to glitches, so I started looking at other options. I found a 2022 BMX X5 with the 3l i6, and it is almost identically equipped. The reviews are a lot better, except that the seats aren't as comfortable for long road trips. More power, better handling, better road feel, simpler controls.

Lots of cylinder head issues on MB's 260 and 264 engines.

 

[rainman49]

We’ve put about 9k miles on the GLE 350, and it’s the smoothest riding vehicle I’ve ever been in. We’ve had zero problems. About to have the Schedule B service done by my trusted indy shop because I don’t want any questions about maintenance should an issue arise. Like I said, the X5 is a great vehicle but we negotiated a better price on the Mercedes.

 

[BHopkins]

@rainman49, thanks for the update. I loved everything about the GLE 350 that I drove. My wife likes it a lot too.

In light of what @The Critic shared, I did some research, and found a lot of bad experiences with the M164 engine in 2021 and 2022 M350 4Matic cars, reported over on MBWorld. I saw one comment where someone said MB had extended the warranty on the M164, because of all the head gasket issues. Have you received anything from MB, telling you that the warranty has been extended on the engine in your E 350?

 

[rainman49]

It’s the M264 and I have not received a notice, but we don’t have the 4matic. Ours was CPO so it had additional warranty and I extended it to 2028. The extended warranty was well worth it on our BMW 528i, which we still have and use for a family spare.

 

[The Critic]

@rainman49, thanks for the update. I loved everything about the GLE 350 that I drove. My wife likes it a lot too.

In light of what @The Critic shared, I did some research, and found a lot of bad experiences with the M164 engine in 2021 and 2022 M350 4Matic cars, reported over on MBWorld. I saw one comment where someone said MB had extended the warranty on the M164, because of all the head gasket issues. Have you received anything from MB, telling you that the warranty has been extended on the engine in your E 350?

Some 260's had an extension, but not the 264.

 

[BHopkins]

It sounds like the only way I should go ahead with a GLE 350, is if I can find one the wife likes, that is CPO, and get an extended warranty.

@rainman49, can I ask how much the extended warranty cost?

 

[rainman49]

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