GLK v GL
 

I am looking for a car for the wife to drive and want it to be a birthday surprise. About 6 years ago we had a 2008 GL320 which we loved. I ended up selling it and ever since she has complained about me selling it ever since. I have a buddy of mine who is retiring and has offered to sell me his 14 GLK350 with 130k for $6500. It is in good shape but is red and has the clear coat peeling issue, mainly on the hood. I asked her off hand the other days if she liked the GLK and she said she preferred the GL. A 2008 GL320 with 207k miles has turned up for sale for $5900. This particular one has had tons of work done on all the failure points by the PO, it has already had the transfer case done, timing chain, all new air struts. I am not sure if the oil cooler has been done but it does have a small oil leak so it likely will need the oil cooler done soon. My other 642 powered car also currently needs the oil cooler done.



I have never had a GLK and am not sure which way to go. I like the fact the GLK is newer and lower miles, but I honestly prefer the GL myself as it has more cargo room and can actually tow something. I am also more of a diesel guy. As far as values go, both are under book but the GLK appears to be way under book, even with the clear coat issue. Unfortunately it will need to have paint work done at some point which is not something I can do. Anything mechanical with the GL I can handle. My thought is maybe the wife would like the smaller GLK because it is newer, but might not like the peeling clear coat. Just looking for thoughts as to if I am crazy for considering going with the older GL over this newer GLK. I would ask her opinion but it is supposed to be a surprise.

My wife daily drives a 14 GMK350 that is coming up on 200k miles. She likes it alot.

I also have a 2013 GLK250 that I bought new, currently has 107K and has been a great car.

IMHO the 'surprise' thing isn't a great idea, this is too important a decision and the person that is driving the car should be making the call.

As you point out the GLK frame is quite a bit small than the GL - the mission profiles are quite different.

Going forward I'd think the GLK will offer fewer longer term issues the the GL.

I ended up buying the GL yesterday. It was too good of a deal at $5k to pass up. Within the last 1k miles it has had all of the air struts, compressor, and timing chain done. PO paid a ton to get it repaired then decided to dump it. It is identical to the one we used to have and the wife loves it. I am afraid she would have thought the GLK was too small and I think the peeling clear coat would have been a turn off. Also, it will be another month or more before my buddy will be ready to sell it. I may still end up buying it as well

IMO, the PO was smart and fixed and dumped it before anything else went wrong. I still don't see any benefit to owning a post 2006 diesel. People go on and on about the fuel economy, but cost per mile leans to the unacceptable side to me. I work on all of these just about everyday. The GLK is a cheap w204. The GL 320 is, well, a diesel. Any Gl has the pesky airmatic. It doesn't matter if it's all been gone through. It seems like the cycle begins all over after the last part is replaced. If one wants one of their trucks. Just be done with it and get a ML350 with the late 272.

This exactly. You have to be a glutton for pain to try to own any of these. Any money you save on fuel will be lost 10 times over on repairs. The complexity of modern diesels is their undoing.

Personally I'll hold on to my daily driver 98 E300 as long as I can.