German Car Forum

Hi guys

i need some help and advise from people on hear

ok i have a ml320cdi and i want to sell it and buy a 7 seater i was thinking off getting a gl 320cdi but the price is a bit off a issue..


ok the r class has just been launched i south africa


now i no most off you hate it ..


i have never seen one in real so i need advise please


ok can those who have driven a r320cdi or any r class tell me what your impressions pros and cons


and those who driven all three or two what do you guys see as better in a r to a ml or g or so on...


also is the r better consumpyion wise and power wise to a ml


and how ist the handling and drive ,,,,


obviously i would like to no on the faclifted r bec that is the one i am thinking off....


also what you guys think off the interior compared to the ml i have seen a few shots and the interior looks quite nice


also comments on ect front and rear

thanks to all in advance

Christian drove one:

http://www.germancarforum.com/r-class...%2A%2A%2A.html

I have never driven it - but I think, it's not a bad car - it's just the thing, you love it our you don't!!

thanks ree

yeah i did read christains review

i think he drove the pre facelift so i was hoping someone who drives or owns the newer one can tell me something especially if they have also driven the ml


thanks though

wimmer or anyone else with some help here ...............

I work for Benz. My dad has an R350. I tried to convince him to get the cdi, but he wanted the gas. One of my good customers has the R320 cdi and says he loves it better than his S-class. He gets 27 to 28 mpg on trips. It is a great touring vehicle. It's not going to be as nimble as the ML, because of its length. It's big. There is excellent leg room in all three rows. Keep in mind we only have the long wheel base in the USA. I've had two six foot adults in the 3rd row who were comfortable. However, there is little luggage room with the 3rd row up.

I've driven the R regularly and I love it for a family vehicle. Basically it's a minivan that drives and looks better with no sliding doors. The rear doors are huge, so be careful parking it.

The biggest negative is there is no tow package. And I haven't found anyone who will add one aftermarket.

I only have one daughter, so the R doesn't appeal to me as a daily vehicle.

thanks tenmb what is the tow package


ok i think here in sa we will only get the std not lwb base


but regarding spcae at rear for loading is it less than the gl or more


ye si am buying it for family reasons i have a little c220cdi to drive around when alone


thanks for your help and what you think off the r class interior in terms off design and quality compared to ml


and do u think the r is slower or are they about the same....


thnks

tow package. trailer hitch. So you can pull a trailer.

the R is a little slower because it is heavier than the ML. But not a big difference at all. The standard wheelbase will be lighter and more agile.

The GL has a little more room behind the 3rd seat, but it's negligible. They both are limited in that area.

thanks tennmb

Shipments in January were up, have you seen some renewed interest in the R-Class? Do you know if the CL550 will get a 4Matic option for 2009?

M

Hi Fortuner,

Ree already gave you the link to my review, I hope it helped.

The R-Class is a great family car and the '320 CDI is the only realistic engine choice in my book. Powerful and yet efficient with fuel as well.

The R-Class is comfortable, has safe handling and is very spacious on the inside. Like I said, a great family car, probably the best family car in the MB lineup.

hey wimmer yes thanks i read your review and enjoyer reading it as usual

just a few things

how do you find driving it compared to a ml320cdi

and yes i am only thinking off the 320 cdi


alos what you think off a white r class because i heve never seen a pic off a white


i am thinking off white or silver

Well the ML and R-Class are two different cars when you compare them to one another. Both are great family cars, but the R-Class has the edge overall in that criteria. I actually felt the R-Class also handled a bit better thanks to a lower center of gravity and generally felt more tossable than the ML. It was also roomier, obviously. Both '320 CDI ML's and R's I've driven had very quiet engines with a high level of refinement, so picking the '320 CDI model is not a mistake at all.

The ML was an equally fun to drive car and the high seating position adds to that aspect. It's better offroad than the R-Class but I suppose that's not much concern to you, right?



White? White looks gorgeous on the ML and R-Class. In fact white looks very good on all Mercedes;.

thanks wimmer yes i am not worried at all off the offroad capabalaties basicaaly just the ride handling and interiro quality that important and the main thing is space for 7 people


i am thinking off a white wih beige or a silver with black or grey interior

at the moment the white is in favour


also just regarding pricing is the r more expensive than a ml in germany europe or usa

thanks again wimmer

Do you really need 7 seats? The 3rd seat on the second row is not that big from what I saw...

The R-Class was mainly thought as a 6-seater, the 7th is here just in case! Never sat in a 7seats R-Class, just saying that from pics. Maybe it is more the big side seats that give this impression that the 3rd is quite small.

I only sat in the pre-FL. The independant chairs are really comfortable, it is a really very pleasant car to live with. It gave me a roomier impression than the GL!

The finition, compared to the ML...hard to say. The dash and overall impression is better than the ML, however some details deceived me a bit. Some pieces were slightly out of place. It was mainly a feeling, and it was only the pre-FL.

As a passenger car, it is more or less unbeatable. And driving it is surely even more pleasant than the ML given the lower CoG and the more aerodynamic shape, so less wind noise. The 320cdi will have less work moving the whole, too.

I think if the look of it is not a problem for you (the FL is better, it has some AMG hints in it I find), it's a truly excellent car.

thanks coolral

yeah i need atleast a 6 seater and 1 seat for my nephew who is stilll 3 so essentailyy a 6 seater with 1 seat and maybe sometimes 7 adults

yes i did see in the pic the middle seat looks small but i was thinking maybe once the row is 2 gether 3 may be comfy


well on the looks side i havent even seen one in real so icant comment really i no its not the best looking car from pics ..but i really dont think its that bad looking a car maybe when i see one in real i will have a proper judgement..


i am thinking off white or silver what do you think...


also have u driven a r class or just sat in one ......


and yes if i but it will be a 320cdi ,, in this type off car what alternates you think their are besides a r

I've never driven an R-Class. Only sat into.

With the proper wheels (the 19", the same as the ML Pack Sport, for instance) it does not look bad. The front lights are a bit strange, ginving it a kind of surprised look...

It is not really good-looking either. It has a premium feel, a premium look, but it is not particularly attractive. The pics give a good idea of the car, only that it looks much longer and much higher than you imagine from the pics. It's quite big actually, especially the LWB of course.

I wouldn't take it in white, but it is mainly because here in Europe (especially in France) white is still uncommon for a private car. White here was the colour that only Sprinter, Transit and Traffic had, untill recently. Now it begins to change quite fast and you see more and more white cars.
So here my opinion is "geographically biased"

I only saw it in silver and black. I would take silver I think.
and for the interior, generally I like grey interiors. Black too, but I often prefer grey. I saw both in the R-Class, and both look good.

I don't really see any competition for the R-Class. The vans are far less luxurious and comfortable, whereas GL, Q7 and others are less roomy and less practical.

The interior is really impressive, clear and roomy, luxurious, very comfortable. The only problem of this car is really its van look. And the GL..
The GL looks much better imo, but is a more like a bigger ML. When you are inside, you don't really feel it is immensely vast. In the R-Class you do, it has a bigger legroom, headroom, everything-room.

I can't help you more, did not drive it...

If you really want to get a R-Class - get it in silver or black!!



But I think, silver looks most awesome - with tinted rear windows...etc. Like the 19' or 20' AMG rims. They can make the R-Class a good looking car. I don't know which seat options you'll have in south africa. But here in germany we can order it with 5 seats, 5+2 or 4+2!!

thanks ree and coolraul


yeah coolraul you have helped me a lot thnks

yeah i drove a q7 and gl just trying to get a ride in the r arranged befor i make a final decision..

i would like a gl but the price is a issue

on the q7 i found it a waste as far as a 7 seater or a suv is concerned the thing is so cramped i dont see the logic off a q7 for a family rather a gl anytime the q7 is too cramped and the 3rd row seats are for kids only with no lugage space after that


so now i need to drive a r and decide on white or silver irradium or cubanite

I am a new owner of an R350 and also just love it for my 2 teenagers and wife. I think most of the negative press I've seen simply comes from a lack of understanding / time with the vehicle. As before, Mercedes has created something that will be valued in the future more than it is presently. It's smooooooth to the max - and at mid-life age, who needs to have razor like handling - buy a Cayman if that's what you want. We still go to hockey games with the kids all winter.

A bit OT, but doesn't the ML come as a 7 seater?

nope the ml is just a 5 seter the previous model had the 7 seat option but not the current one i think due to the gl it would hurt gl sales

yet i think mb should with the next gen do a 7 seater gl and ml and make the gl based on a s class and the ml on the e class

The 7 seat option just doesn't make sense in an ML or any other SUV this size. The BMW is a joke. THe old ML was a joke. It isn't exaclty huge in the GL.

The R class has the best room of the bunch, by far. You can comfortably fit 6 six foot adults in the R. It is the look that turns most off, although I love it. I like the SUV look, but I also like the modern flowing lines on the R-class.

I'm biased since I own and drive an R. If you can swing the dough the R320 is the smart choice - although they have a de-tuned diesel version (R280?) available in Europe - for the same reasons as the 7th seat - to broaden the car's appeal (improved fuel econ. and more passengers). Keep in mind it was intended originally as an executive jet with elbow room for passengers. One person commented on mine "it's like a limousine" due to it's long rear side doors. The Americans would be happy to sell you any used R class for between 30K US and 34K US - and I've noticed shipping info to Germany as well as Canada, the latter country showing the car on its "admissibility list" since this world-marketed model seems to have been over-designed to meet most (if not all) safety specs world-wide without need for significant changes to bumpers, headlights etc. There is a reason other manufacturers are now coming out with features such as a "Glass Roof" (ie. the Mustang for 2009). Mercedes leads the way!! You'll find a small and growing group of R devotees out there, especially if they alter sytling or stop manufacture in coming years.