I can agree with you on the design and engineering on these mercs. I have a 2006 CLK 350 as a runabout and it’s an absolute pleasure to work on, thoughtfully designed so that all the regular service parts and things like brakes are easily accessible and it’s fantastic to drive.

I’m not sure what I’m going to do when my 322 gets to the end of its life (currently on 82k), I don’t really like the 405’s so may end up going down the bigger Mercedes route.

Just happened across this thread, and felt compelled to post given that I have a Merc too! As others have pointed out a read on the MB forums will soon tell you they have their issues too. My SL has the infamous ABC suspension. Also, there is a terrible lack of supply of MB parts, many of them NLA - which is disgusting.

As for the design of the RR, my 2003 SL has a lot of common design faults and equipment that will fail at some point. Car makers in general don’t give a toss about faults and malfunctions. More money for them. Imho a lot of the time they are bordering on not fit for purpose.

Good luck with the MB they’re great cars too. But having owned a RR for just one week I already understand the “sense of purpose” you get when driving one - it’s an occasion!

Last edited by Richie N on 19th Jan 2024 10:15pm. Edited 1 time in total

Perhaps that should have been sense of occasion 🤷‍♂️🙄

I note the recent comments on my move from my 2012 4.4 VSE TDV8 to a 2011 GL350 CDI Blue Efficiency 9 months ago, in May last year (2022).

I am very happy with the GL after a trouble free 9 months. The most pleasant part of the ownership is the peace of mind due to the reliability of the vehicl compared to the three Landrover products owned over the prior 8 years, each of which resulted considerable maintenance, repair and ultimately replacement costs amounting to 10's of thosands of ££££s.

The GL has performed faultlessly on two trips of 3,000 miles each across Europe and use as a daily driver both in the UK and Europe. Other than the complete fluids and filters change when the GL was first purchased, maintenance has been minimal, consisting of 2 oil and filter changes.

There have been no issues with the Airmatic suspension, said to be notoriously unreliable. Likewise the exhaust system, in particular the DPF, even when driven in a hugely congested major European city for months on end at less than 40 mph. There have been no issues with sensors, electrical glitches or mysterious battery drains. No blown gaskets, oil leaks, or hoses.

Does it compare to a 2012 4.4 VSE TDV?

Road presence... Yes, it's huge, real 7 seater, with massive load space when used as a 5 seater.
Comfort..... Yes it's supremely comfortable whether driven on the motorway on a 1,500 mile journey or around town.
Fuel consumption... Fuel consumption is between 35MPG on long motorway runs and low 2os mpg around town... With only 7 gears and a V6 3.0 L engine, fuel consumption compares favourably with the 3.6 TDV8 and is only slightly worse than the 4.4 TDV8.
Off Road.... Whilst I do not generally drive off road other than occasional green laneing in the mountains in Europe, the 4matic system performs perfectly when called upon in the deep snow and muddy conditions that I have encountered.
Bodywork.... Rust is not an issue on my GL, anywhere on the vehicle... it's totally rust free.... the paintwork is immaculate.
Luxury.... Whilst my GL doesn't have a heated steerng wheel or armrests, it compares well with the 2010 3.6 TDV8 and 2012 TDV8 Vogue SEs that I have owned.

Was it the right decision to move to the GL? Yes, for me, absolutely, no regrets.

As to the Mercedes forums, the Mercedes forums cover hundreds of Mercedes models from the A Class right up to the Maybach models and of course there are the usual issues that are due to vehicle age and mostly associated with poor maintenance.

The forums specifically for the GL range of vehicles are not busy at all.... barely one or two posts per week if that.

 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)