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  #1  
Old 10-26-2013, 06:57 PM
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GLK 250 European delivery

Well I never thought I would consider a new car (last one my 240d in '81, but here I am looking at a glk 250 diesel. The big selling point for me is the 7% discount for Euro delivery and of course the European vacation. If anyone has had any experience, bad or good, I would be interested. Thanks.

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  #2  
Old 10-26-2013, 09:20 PM
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Can you do the European delivery on the GLK? I thought they were all made in Alabama.
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  #3  
Old 10-26-2013, 10:29 PM
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GLK 250

Gator, they make the GL class, M class, R class and one other to be announced for 2015 in Alabama. So as of now, the GLK is still made in Germany.
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Old 10-26-2013, 10:47 PM
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You bought a 240D new in 1981? Wow!
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1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

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  #5  
Old 10-26-2013, 11:11 PM
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The 240d is the best car ever made according to my wife's uncle who was involved in stock car racing in the 40's to 60's. He and his brothers have been selected to the Nascar hall of Fame. He had an auto repair business in Long Beach where a number of Hollywood people had their exotic cars serviced. Someone brought a 240d to his shop with 300,000 miles and he could find nothing wrong with it. Obviously, He did not race 240d's but they drove hornets and Ford's mostly.
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  #6  
Old 10-27-2013, 06:47 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oilyrag View Post
Gator, they make the GL class, M class, R class and one other to be announced for 2015 in Alabama. So as of now, the GLK is still made in Germany.
Ok gotcha. I thought all of the SUV's were made there along with the new c-class which I think is the one you are referring to in 2015.
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  #7  
Old 10-27-2013, 08:46 AM
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Originally Posted by oilyrag View Post
Well I never thought I would consider a new car (last one my 240d in '81, but here I am looking at a glk 250 diesel. The big selling point for me is the 7% discount for Euro delivery and of course the European vacation. If anyone has had any experience, bad or good, I would be interested. Thanks.
I picked up my GLK 250 in European Delivery on May 21. It's the third diesel I've picked up over there and by far the best of the experiences I've had with the process. I ordered the car when its introduction was announced in January and had to wait through a number of delays for the process. The car replaced an E350 BlueTec I picked up over there in August, 2011. I highly recommend the process. As professional as you would expect from Mercedes.

I picked my date for delivery, which they accommodated. Went a few days ahead of time to enjoy the M-B museum which I had to rush through in 2011 because of my time constraints. It takes a whole day to really see everything. There is another museum, the Sinsheim Museum just north of Stuttgart which was also on my agenda. Even more Benz and other cars there. It also takes a whole day, or more.

After picking up the car, traveled through Germany, into Austria and Northern Italy, into Monaco then to Nice from where the car was turned over to the shipper and returned home from there. The car is transported to the port for shipping in Northern Germany, and in my case, shipped through the Mercedes Vehicle Preparation Center in Long Beach, California, where is it is cleaned up and converted to North American safety standards and passed through Customs. It was then shipped to my dealer in Northern California where it was delivered "as new" by the dealer through whom I negotiated the purchase, my second one through the same individual at this dealer. The knowledge and experience of the person in the dealership with the process is quite helpful, but there is major help also from a department in New Jersey that handles the details of the European Delivery. In my particular case I utilized them extensively and was very impressed with their efforts and help. They also have a travel office in New Jersey that's helpful in assisting with the trip. I didn't utilized them at all. One of my daughters with whom I made the trip, is a frustrated wannabe travel agent. She negotiated and got much better deals in planning the whole trip than any travel agent could. We put 2200 miles on the vehicle over there. We put over 3000 miles on the W212 over there 2 years prior.

The shipping agent, the third different one with whom I've had experience, was outstanding in this case. I had significant problems with the second one in the delivery to them in Paris a few years back. In this last situation the process was made the way it should be. Took about 30 minutes to handle the paperwork and inspection of the vehicle, and I flew home from Nice via Paris. The time they give you for delivery of the vehicle to you is quite conservative. Even with some minor paint repair which was required, I had the car home 8 weeks after I turned it over to them. Mine had to go through the Panama Canal that sometimes delays things. There are VPC's on the east coast in Brunswick, GA and Baltimore where cars destined for dealers in the east go through the process. On gentleman in Michigan with whom I was in contact for advice on the process, turned his car to the shipper in Bremmerhaven and had it in Michigan 4 weeks later, from early September turn in to delivery in Michigan 4 weeks later.

Should I ever want to acquire another one I would do it again.

If there is any other information you would like, let me know. I'd strongly urge you to do it. Incidentally, you can buy through ANY dealer anywhere in the country and it will be delivered through a different dealer near you. I say this because some dealers will negotiate the price to you. There are vehicles delivered for additional discounts over the 7% offered in the program by Mercedes Benz.

PM me if you like and I'll be happy to give more information privately if you like, or post it here if you prefer.

Here's a picture of my first sight of the new car in the factory at Sindelfingen:


When the dealer called me for pickup, they played a bit of a game with me. This is my view of the entrance to the front door of the dealership. I walked past the shrouded car in the foreground to the offices in the rear of the show room. That was MY car under the shroud, and they had a little ceremony of the unshrouding and delivery! Nice touch!

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  #8  
Old 10-28-2013, 02:57 PM
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GLK

I had a '11 GLK350 and liked it although it was a bit of a gas hog on premium fuel and I was looking to trim expenses so I traded it off for a Subaru XV Crosstrek. Drove mine for a little over two years, put 18K miles on it. Was never back to the dealer for any warranty work.

I liked the car, it's very well put together and nice to drive. The back seat is a little small, so wouldn't choose it for hauling adults around back there. And there's not much cargo space.

Other than that I think you'll really like it with the new diesel motor.

That said, if money weren't an issue I think the ML is a much nicer vehicle. The fact that the GLK is still made in Germany is a plus however.
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Past Benzos: 71 250 • 83 240D • 84 190E • 04 C240 • 11 GLK350 • 13 c250 Coupe
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...ine=1276896801
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  #9  
Old 10-28-2013, 03:52 PM
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Originally Posted by cjbrown View Post
The back seat is a little small, so wouldn't choose it for hauling adults around back there. And there's not much cargo space.
Five adults, with luggage, toured Europe for almost 4 weeks without a problem!
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  #10  
Old 10-28-2013, 04:10 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oilyrag View Post
Well I never thought I would consider a new car (last one my 240d in '81, but here I am looking at a glk 250 diesel. The big selling point for me is the 7% discount for Euro delivery and of course the European vacation. If anyone has had any experience, bad or good, I would be interested. Thanks.
Keep us posted. It sounds like quite an adventure / learning experience to me!

Quote:
Originally Posted by oilyrag View Post
The 240d is the best car ever made according to my wife's uncle who was involved in stock car racing in the 40's to 60's. He and his brothers have been selected to the Nascar hall of Fame. He had an auto repair business in Long Beach where a number of Hollywood people had their exotic cars serviced. Someone brought a 240d to his shop with 300,000 miles and he could find nothing wrong with it. Obviously, He did not race 240d's but they drove hornets and Ford's mostly.
Well, I would wholeheartedly agree with your; "wife's Uncle." My Father and Mother bought several 240Ds new in the '70s. One new ('77) was driven for over 20 years and nearly 400K miles by our family. Terrific cars!

Last edited by Skid Row Joe; 10-28-2013 at 06:31 PM.
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  #11  
Old 10-28-2013, 04:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Bob338 View Post
Five adults, with luggage, toured Europe for almost 4 weeks without a problem!
Congrats. But that doesn't make it any bigger!
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"OC", So-Cal
1979 240D, 122K, 4spd, Colorado Biege w/Tobacco, Pwr Roof, AC, Cruise, Becker Corona - SOLD
Past Benzos: 71 250 • 83 240D • 84 190E • 04 C240 • 11 GLK350 • 13 c250 Coupe
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...ine=1276896801
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  #12  
Old 10-28-2013, 06:53 PM
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Congrats. But that doesn't make it any bigger!
Nope it doesn't, but there were no complaints with 3 in back. It's just not a problem.
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  #13  
Old 10-28-2013, 07:08 PM
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Nope it doesn't, but there were no complaints with 3 in back. It's just not a problem.
Hmmm...the pitbull...

They must be the quiet type. I wouldn't think of hauling 3 full size adults in the back seat for a month long trip. Good for you if you did that.

Among professional reviewers, the small door opening and lack of legroom is a chief complaint of the GLK. As long as the OP is aware going in then they have a better chance of being a long time happy owner. The back seat is just not a first-choice for adult passengers on a regular basis.

I'm done here.
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Chris Brown
"OC", So-Cal
1979 240D, 122K, 4spd, Colorado Biege w/Tobacco, Pwr Roof, AC, Cruise, Becker Corona - SOLD
Past Benzos: 71 250 • 83 240D • 84 190E • 04 C240 • 11 GLK350 • 13 c250 Coupe
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...ine=1276896801
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  #14  
Old 10-28-2013, 09:23 PM
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Hmmm...the pitbull...
Pot calling the kettle??

Bob,
3 in back is no doubt a bit tight, but obviously you did it! Door openings are slightly small, but lots of sitting room inside. The cargo space is a little narrow, but quite deep and lot's of height. Lots of room to pile stuff.

I have a GLK250 on order. What I am concerned about, is the lack of a spare and the Adblue error on the GLk250. I am sure the latter will be corrected. Re spare, we will probably carry a full size spare either in cargo space (we checked and there is lots of depth even for the 19" wheel.) or maybe on roof.
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  #15  
Old 10-29-2013, 12:10 AM
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Yeah, you have to be "friendly". Suitcases on end in back and miscellaneous piled on top of them. No looking out the rear window!

Explored the spare tire options. In another life I was a road warrior and put probably over a million miles on cars throughout the West and Texas, and many miles since that time. I don't ever remember changing a tire on the road, and that was when tires weren't what they are today. Did many miles in the W212 BlueTec, also with no spare and never a problem. Did throw a bunch of treads on Firestone tires back in the 70's when they had all their problems, but that was all in Los Angeles. I think the spare tire issue is a personal one. I'm going without anything and I'll be skiing many hills in the West and Rockies, as usual. May regret it some day but . . . .

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