Got The GLE300D For The Day
To put some perspective on the matter I currently drive a 17 plate Cayenne SD V8 and my wife has a 19 plate C43 facelift Cab. I will change my car in about 6-12 months and am ideally after an AMG but wanted to gauge size, spec, tech etc as still got my eye on the new Cayenne Turbo! The vehicle I have is a 19 GLE300D Premium Plus with driving assistance pack. I believe it is in Hyacinth red but please correct me if I am wrong! I will hopefully try and answer queries below and took a good selection of pics I will upload later today. The engine feels very refined, smooth and is actually quite punchy. On the move it feels deceptively quicker than on paper,however, it does feel a tad sluggish in my view from standstill. It can be a little raucous when in sport and accelerating hard but then it is a 4 pot diesel so to be expected.
General driving it is actually very quiet and picks the relevant gears to minimise cabin noise. The ride is compliant and not too bouncy. It drives like my Cayenne on the air in Comfort mode with standard ride height. It doesnt feel too wallowy in corner but does have some roll as to be expected. I immediately noticed some of the poorer quality plastics on the lower panels which is a shame as the rest of the cabin feels well built and finished to a high standard. I particularly like the trim and stitching around grab handles and climate control. The display is crisp and clear and very easy to use. The buttons feel solid and make a nice click when pressed. The nappa leather is soft (not quite as soft as my Porsche) but the seats for me did not offer enough bolster or lumbar support. My wife felt they were very supportive but I am much larger than her so maybe thats the problem?
Also I have sports seats in my Cayenne and the Performance seats in the C43 so a tad unfair to compare? I fitted in the third row with my wife in front and I am 6 foot! My head touched the roof lining so could only do a short journey in there! I was not sold on the ash trim. It looked good until you touch it. It feels very cheap and has a plastic sound when you tap it. If it was my choice I would have carbon (not released yet except on 53) so would stick with gloss black or alu. Memory seats are very easy to use and worked when driving, I have not tested comfort access. The massage seats felt strange to me but never had or used before, not something I would use on a daily basis. The air balance package was not overpowering or overwhelming. It was noticeable in the cabin but pleasant.
The energising bits etc on the tech I could not see myself using in reality. I found I tried on my eyes over the red areas and beeping! 聭Hey Mercedes was a show stopper. Intuitive, quick and precise. Navy was easy to use and augmented view a great addition. I did did not use parking systems unfortunately as had no need to. I do like the blind spot assistance but other driving features I generally turn off. I was surprised with the Burmester As have heard criticisms. I have this as a 拢4K upgrade in my Cayenne and it was in my view just as good. It is worth any extra cost purely for the speaker grilles! Overall its a great car and in the 300D form would be more than dynamic for everyday driving. For me I would want air ride and larger wheels along with more supportive seats so would have to be an AMG for me not just an AMG Line. But for a very practical family suv with lots of tech it is perfect. Wiggis- on the driver side the arch had a prominent gap which could be pushed shut and not on the other so seems it is a defect? I have some pics for you I will upload later!
Simply put, Good Photos sell Good Cars. The more photos (within reason) the more likely you'll sell your car. And that's what you want to do, isn't it? What do I hate? Out of focus pictures. Overexposed, lack of contrast, no shots of the engine bay or boot, the wheels and tires, etc. Need I go on? Think of it this way. Your photographs are a substitute for the buyers doing a personal inspection of the car. Would you want to inspect a car in the dark? Have a one minute time limit? I don't think so. Take your pictures either earlier in the day or later, but not at night. The sunlight can wash out details. A bleached out look to the car will make the buyer have second thoughts. Remember this point. At major auctions, the sellers that stay by their cars, answering questions, allowing punters to examine their cars, etc. achieve significantly higher prices.