We Bought the VERY Last Forgotten Off-Roader!

[@TFLcar]

If you’re ever injured in an accident, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. You can start your claim in just a click without having to leave your couch. To start your claim, visit: www.forthepeople.com/TFL Watch all the episodes NOW over at our Patreon before they go live on KZbin: www.patreon.com/tflcar

[@kc0lif]

can't you put commercials on a different channel😡

[@thethomasj1795]

Tommy, nice Moon-Swatch. I have the Misson to Pluto. Get rid of that horrible Nato and put a silicone strap on. It makes the watch so much better. I have the Blancpain too, that watch is 10 times better than the Moon-swatch.

[@seanstewart6292]

don't forget that Mercedes also makes the unimog.

[@dalejones4322]

I love these Saturday morning videos like this. It's great to sit back with a cup of coffee and enjoy. Thanks guys

[@TFLcar]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@EddeLaw]

I agree

[@geoffbob6267]

I love my GL450. Now has over 200K miles, and its so comfortable. Even took it offroad, didnt have the offroad package, but still had fun on the hill climbs. The looks I got at the offroad park that i was at were hilarious. People would get out of their can-ams and razors and take picture of my GL going through the mud and through the water crossings

[@grabir01]

25 error codes per gallon.

[@kyleweightman7019]

😂

[@brentm3]

LMAO

[@Lane-jq3ed]

😹

[@rc07333]

Dead😂

[@uvc175]

😂😂😂😂

[@fscottgray9784]

I bought one brand new the first year.they were available. As I recall the off road package was listed at $2300 and included full skid plates, air ride adjustable with up to 6 inches of rise and a TRANSFER CASE. I had it many years and never had a problem.

[@fscottgray9784]

Of the 5 Mercedes I have owned it was the most reliable of any I ever had.

[@volvo24091]

Should just have bought used.

[@brinkerlong5989]

Lol no. If you want to drive a mercedes, lease a current model. You dont want to be stuck with a mercedes with over 75k miles. ​@volvo24091

[@nothingtoseaheardammit]

You guys should go out and find an old Isuzu Trooper and compare it against the Ineos. The old trooper was a no-frills, offroad beast back in the 80's and 90's.

[@destnotknown]

I had a '91 Trooper and loved it. Isuzu had some great vehicles.

[@destroyerarmor2846]

​@@destnotknowntoo bad Americans didn't buy them

[@LafemmebearMusic]

It was fine we had one,beast feels like a strong word

[@cgrist7000]

I loved my Trooper

[@tdub25]

Those troopers rotted instantly….. you’ll never find a decent one

[@richardscherder8039]

Good deal for $8000. Love that car!

[@CharCharTV]

Yea they stole it at that price

[@Cloud30000]

Yup, pretty sure that was the Friends and Family special; no one is selling one of those it that condition for that price :)

[@luke78333]

Have I seen one in the wild? In Australia, every GL V8 petrol or V6/V8 diesel came with this package as standard. I drive my Dad's GL sometimes. The off road option that Australians had was that you could order these with a front locking diff.. They go for virtually no money these days and replacements on the air suspension are cheap.

[@panji7793]

I like your all Tuareg video,that show underated car with true off road capability,I can't wait to see this GL episode too...great job TFL team!

[@stigzmate]

Back in 2009 I bought a CPO '08 (without off road package) for 60% of the new price - back then dealer lots had plenty of lease returns due to the financial crisis. We kept this car for 8 years and put 160k miles on it and only sold it when both kids went off to college. Only issues were suspension (replaced all four air bags) and an a/c compressor failure. Best family road trip car ever if you didn't mind the high fuel consumption. While searching I did look at and consider one with the off road package (so they are out there) but decided the added complexity was a risk I didn't want to take since I had little use for this capability. Awesome video - brings back some great memories of west coast road trips in my wife's car which was also grey with black leather.

[@M.G.jun.]

Father and son on a journey of discovery. A very rare and special vehicle, especially in this configuration. Of course it has a very long wheelbase. But now larger wheels and the underrun protection complete. Then it becomes a rare and comfortable off-road monster. More of these rare, hidden treasures please.

[@user-fx6tp3gs8s]

End video at 1:15 where the ad starts. No thank you, KZbin already gives me enough ads.

[@milesholland6826]

Love it. There is so much value to this approach. In our consume and throw away culture, I love how you resurrect an old beast to show the world that you don’t always need a newest and greatest thing to get the job done.

[@CoDplayer458458]

My coworker has one of these, and he LOVES it. Never had a serious problem, just regular maintenance.

[@GeoZeppelin1979]

i had this for like 1 week once,it was on LPG so the consumption didnt matter,it was a GL63 and oh boy...........talk about a beast,i LOVED IT!!!! it had a rear diff lock,which is like a holy grail for GL,so yea i enjoyed it while it lasted

[@wagonswest]

I have one of these EORP GL450s and it’s been my daily for the last Eight years. I love it! It’s been the best and most reliable car I’ve ever owned, but then again, I have my own MBStar system, and do most of my own maintenance…and being pragmatic about it now at 237k Miles. The key to letting these cars live to not let them go cold steel, and to keep them dry inside.

[@wagonswest]

So to that effect, the 23 inches of water forwarding, the factory says it has I wouldn’t even even get near that… Because the battery, the bus bars and signal acquisition modules, all live in the floorboards. As I mentioned earlier, it is water intrusion that usually kills these cars And I wouldn’t purposely make water intrude on these sensitive electronics that cost half a house and 14 sheets of plywood at the Mercedes dealer .

[@travelmate8104]

Have 07 with the 3.0 diesel in New Zealand, with the off road package. Goes hard off road with 32s. The skid plates under the engine and transmission are about 4mm thick. Thinking of removing airmatic and installing a 2.5 inch spring lift kit for a wk2 2016+ /Dodge durango from rough country and tuning out airmatic with star/das, then adding 34s

[@Tinovodanovic]

Great footage of the GL taking on Baby Lion's Back and a great video in general. I always had a soft spot for the first gen GL's and I can't wait to watch the rest of the series. I hope you'll keep this treasure of an suv for a long time.

[@ml9867]

Center and rear locking differentials!!! I was happy when the used second gen Expeditions I've bought had the limited slip rear differential.

[@kevincraftsbcs4488]

This is a great find. I really appreciate your outside the box thinking when it comes to finding interesting vehicles to test. I am looking forward to seeing more in this series.

[@dawsonmcclelland9602]

As a owner of one of these trucks (2007 GL450 Offroad pack) its actually missing the main offroad skid plates underneath which are 1/8in steel plates that weigh a ton but protect it.

[@kevinblock2307]

I did not back out of the video and enjoyed it thoroughly with my morning ☕️

[@davidkrumwiede446]

We have a 2009 GL450 as our primary kid hauler. Bought it almost 9 years ago with 130k, now has over 270k. Average of 17 mpg. Rock solid drivetrain. If you view the air suspension as a wear item, you’ll be less disappointed when it needs struts and airbags from time to time. We hope to keep ours to over 300k. Definitely more reliable than any of the newer GLS’s with turbos.

[@ndafarachaitezvi1139]

What a terrific find.Looking forward to a great series as always.Thanks for sharing and taking us along

[@roadsplorer]

The commander would be cool to compare. The commander had Quadra Drive II as an option. Love these videos with rare cars/trucks.

[@cstyle1917]

That's what I've been saying! If they are looking at all these off-roaders with no regard for reliability, then why does TFL not give the Commander the time of day?

[@BYLRPhil]

Because they’re not very good? They should give a 1st gen Sequoia another try

[@cstyle1917]

@BYLRphil fair point, but that's what I'm wanting to see. I'd never have thought a Mazda or a non gwagen Mercedes would be good but they test them. I just want to see them compare a Commander to a Disco.

[@cstyle1917]

Also yeah throw in a 1st gen Sequoia or a GX. Do a Used Family Crawler series.

[@LafemmebearMusic]

That vehicle has to make it up the street let alone to Moab 😅

[@farmer_siv]

We have a lot of these in South Africa. Even the "entry level" GL 350 has low-range with center and rear diff lock.

[@MrJordanwain]

Same here in the UK.

[@juniormeghji2551]

I just bought a 2013 gl350 diesel for 3000k CAD. With a blown motor. Motor blew because of the DPF issues. DPF got plugged which blew the turbo which lead to the engine blowing. So I just replaced the engine and turbo than immediately deleted the DPF/EGR and scr system. Now runs amazing and have no issues.

[@On2wheels94]

Great price for that car. One of you guys' at TFL should definitely buy that for a personal car after the company is done with it. Low miles, well looked after, no rust... will last a long time in comfort, luxury and moderate off-road prowess

[@jeffrey88888]

The side steps are not so useful on the GL because if you step on them to get in your head will hit the roof/door frame (I've hit my head many times on a buddy's GL. Just take them off, the seats aren't so high.

[@TheMeanmarine13]

neat video guys. Good way to start my Saturday morning

[@TFLcar]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@panzerknacker1205]

The on/off road package is also available on the 2013-2016 GL. Very uncommon but they are out there. Low range gearbox, longer suspension travel, underbody protection. Hard to find but definitely spotted (there is one on auto trader near me now in Texas.) Look for the off road control center just in front of the center armrest. One day I’ll find the true unicorn, a Bluetec diesel with off road. I’ve heard rumor of its existence but haven’t seen one yet.

[@ml9867]

18:30 it even has a fog light come on when turning! It sucks many modern vehicles don't offer fog lights at all.

[@CharlesOlcott]

Love my '10 GL550, but the off-road package was nowhere to be found when I was in the market. Even without it, it's been pretty capable, but the locking diff and extra goodies above standard would be great. People like to bash on them but I'm at 200k+ and very few issues, and never hesitate to toss a trailer behind it, load it with tools or supplies, head into the field, and treat it like any other SUV.

[@bt4b4]

Can’t wait for more videos on this GL !

[@jonnyabrudan]

Great deal for $8000, i would love to see the performance of the off-road package with the brand new stock tires at Moab.

[@DarkStarX]

Thanks Roman, thanks Tommy. I’m really looking forward to this series. I really enjoyed the Volkswagen Touareg series. As you guys kit this one out, it should be really interesting to see where this goes and maybe can’t?

[@xziang]

Almost sold my 08 tacoma to buy a 08 GL320 with the diesel engine back in 2017. Sticker for the GL320 new was 65k. Truck was immaculate but air ride system and if anything went wrong was pricey in a big way. Parts and repair costs scared me away from them but MPG and comfort was darn tempting.

[@ComputerGeeks-R-Us]

I had a 2016 GL450 (last year before the GLS). Never would have considered it an "off-roader". Tire selection options alone were abysmal. Never fell in love with that vehicle. Really missed my 2003 Tahoe.

[@rjhein]

Kind of surprised they didn't mention the Lexus LX when discussing the other players (even though they did mention the LC) - the biggest reason is it's likely the most direct comparison to this vehicle. My 2008 LX is also a v8, and has most of the same offroad goodies (except hydraulic suspension vs air which is more reliable), sans rear locker, but with ATRAC - it appears this trac control isn't quite as aggressive as the toyota version though; Anyway this vehicle is likely the closest in price to the LX as well. In any case, super glad they showcased this vehicle, I'm a car guy and I didn't realize MB made this trim. Super cool!

[@christiandulaney1638]

If you talk to my buddy from high school, the last forgotten "offroader" was his Ford Taurus. We got stuck doing donuts in an empty field. He somehow convinced the police officer that the fog "got him disoriented". Shout out Mike!

[@Cloud30000]

He didn’t convince anyone; the cops just remember doing the same thing as kids, and let him off with a warning 😂

[@christiandulaney1638]

Haha! 100% correct. I think they just saw 3 stupid kids, doing stupid things that werent hurting anyone, and played along@@Cloud30000

[@LafemmebearMusic]

No lol just no 😂😂😂😂

[@TheNotimprezed]

Neat car and a good buy, should make for some interesting videos. I think a good companion vehicle to compare with this would be a Q7 from this era. Get a TDi with air suspension and see how they compare. The Q7 wouldn't have lockers or low range but the torque and quattro make a nice soft roader.

[@tbuddy3372]

Them tinder dates kickin yo ass Tommy, you look older every video…don’t let them girls stress you out champ. I remember 2years ago he was damn near a 10yr old boy

[@doggedlydetermined7022]

He’s married haha

[@tbuddy3372]

@@doggedlydetermined7022 bout time he found one…1000 dates later 😳

[@BRAINFxck10]

@@doggedlydetermined7022so he’s even more stressed 😂

[@richfarfugnuven6308]

I can't wait to watch them break this during the summer while offroading...

[@takiman1]

This is the content I like. Cant wait for the upgrades

[@TheOutdoorBeerReview]

You mean new tires lol? What upgrades is anyone doing to a 16 year old GL crossover?

[@markhavelka4924]

Great drone shots!

[@korewest]

I have seen a few GL's with low range, but never with lockers. Awesome find!

[@jasonperry7970]

As much of a Mercedes fan I am that thing would get destroyed off roading in Colorado. The best feature that seems to be missing from nearly all 4x4 is the ability to select low range without locking the center diff. This would be the best vehicle to pull a boat up a slick boat ramp.

[@HEKTO3]

The thing in the glovebox is a vibrator, part of the Excitement package. Very few vehicles sold in US had this option, especially combined with the offroad package

[@jaacina]

I almost bought a 2 year old 2015 GL550 in 2017, but it had too high of mileage for me. It was dark brown and had the off road package. Ended up buying a new Discovery V TDV6 instead. The GL550 was rare, but more likely to have the off road package. And that bi-turbo was awesome.

[@pokFryRicebich]

I bought an 2008 Clean 1 owner 52k miles for $6,000. I knew the Owner and serviced at Benz from Day 1. I spent an Addition $1700 changing Transmission Oil, transferCase oil and front and rear diff oil. Front boots were leaking had Mercedes replace that to at over $3000.00 alone. I got the maintenance list from the Ex Owner it was 2 and 1/2 pages alone. He had extended warranty so most was covered. Its a wonderful vehicle coming in at 11k total for me.

[@secretagent5583]

I had a 2008 gl450 with the off road package and Distronic. It did have steel skid plates, I can’t remember how thick they were but I do remember it being heavy enough to make it tricky to reinstall. Mine didn’t have the side steps. It was a nice vehicle but I did start having some issues around 140,000 miles.

[@guentherwilke2055]

I see a GL450 at elementary pick-up every day. Sometimes the suspension is in standard, sometimes in high clearance mode. I doubt it has the OR package tho. I wanted one of the early diesels as a family vacation hauler for a long time.

[@StardustADV]

I love german SUVs, would love to get one for off-roading. I personally want a gen 1 Porsche Cayenne for off road and towing, but thats because of my mild porsche obsession, hopefully one day.

[@MegaRetr]

You guys should go out and find an old Isuzu Trooper and compare it against the Ineos))))

[@DodgeDurango-de5po]

Excellent video! Looking forward to the continuation....

[@TFLcar]

More to come!

[@simonnovak]

My dad bought a used 1 owner 2008 GL500 with the AMG styling package. So that means AMG vented hood, wheels, brakes, but no AMG engine and somehow no push button start and no offroad package unfortunately. It's great in the snow. We live in the foothills outside Littleton Colorado with a quarter mile long dirt driveway that's about 500ft in elevation from bottom to top, with a pretty iffy drop-off on one side. Lost many vehicles over the years on that driveway in the winter, including a lifted XJ. However the GL500 does amazing even on all-seasons in the snow up the drive, and long winding road heading up to the driveway. Also I believe the 500 is shorter than the 450. No 3rd row either.

[@chandleredwards]

Since you were in Moab and needed a custom skid plate, or future recover,, Matts Recovery can maybe help. What mpg does this bear gulp? 10in ground clearance is awesome Hopefully the reliability keeps up on this gem. Better than the porshe?

[@volvo09]

Those tires certainly held it back, but it did good.

[@haanjamiis]

I also love those hidden gems. And having a larger family there aren't that many cars that can do offroad and haul plenty people.

[@DEEuroworks]

Finally! An off road packaged GL! Nice

[@billylemire5469]

A little story time… My family got upgraded to one of these for a rental car on spring break in Florida growing up. On the way back to the Miami airport after the week a drunk driver turned the wrong way at us on a divided 2 lane road. My dad swerved and hopped the median into the empty oncoming lane to avoid hitting them going at least 60 mph, and the car handled it like a champ! We didn’t have any extra charges from hertz once we turned it in at the airport, so I’d say that’s worth a Jeep badge of honor of some sort.

[@evmotorsports]

Those transmissions though! Also the old Montero ( reg one ,not sport) had the center lock and rear diff and were Dakar proven .i want to say late nineties . But cool did not know the gl had that option . But those gl transmissions!

[@moose201]

I remember seeing one of these in Moab just past Hurrah Pass on the way to Chicken Corners. Definitely weird to see a grocery getter out on the trail.

[@Far2hip]

You know I can let this one go. “Got on the flane.”, lol. 😂

[@sergiolara3038]

Love it!! I agree this vehicle is a forgotten gem. I have. 2010 with 176k miles and love it. Have a hard time trading her in for something new as it has everything i need and nothing i don’t 😀

[@stevekniess3665]

I loved the toureg,i didnt realize how bad ass they were until TFL videos. Excited to see this vehicle with some new rubber.BFG's or FALKEN? Pirrelli scorpion at plus? Very curious on this tire,ive been thinking about putting them on my sierra.

[@99unclebob]

What a great episode to wake up to on a Saturday morning I knew of these , just never knew they had an off road package and the option of a few bucks that is cheap , and if its built by Mercedes you know that equipment will be reliable in powertrain and those V8's have run 250k miles not being opened, 8k is a steal of a deal, thx Roman/Tommi, episode is going to be great 😎

[@ChristianArriola1]

Super cool video! I have a 2015 GL550 with AMG and off-road package. I love the thing except when any dash light comes on. They hurt my wallet bad!

[@charlestaylor8832]

I’m surprised no one mentioned the development history on the GL. Originally it was developed to replace the M-Class and G-Wagon. But then the G-Wagon was selling so well they decided to keep it going.

[@richfarfugnuven6308]

I have a feeling that Falken Tires is watching this and already shipping you new tires...

[@Robert8455]

Cool machine for a mom SUV and a cool father and son road trip. That is a really impressive bus and for 8K maybe a deal too. Kind of sad though that a 75K 'investment' can depreciate that much. One or two 'serious' repair bills though can make keeping it exceed its market value. Some tires better suited for off road will really let it shine.

[@TheNotimprezed]

No car, other than a few limited exotics, are investments.

[@timfranko8354]

Glad you had a nice trip. Makes me miss my dad. 😢

[@kencotton4645]

As I’m watching the beginning of the video, I was wondering if you were going to change to a different tire style instead of the street tires it had when you bought it.

[@arlenenolte8475]

This thing is so cool! I love older MB's

[@calamaridog]

5 minutes in, and I love this video. What a cool vehicle to highlight. 24 minutes in. How many pounds have you dropped out of those tires y'all?

[@felixbaum48]

I leased a C300 and the aluminum rims regularly broke in normal driving. Hope you fared better - they weren't covered by the lease and were PRICEY!

[@rwest5386]

I look forward to seeing what tires you put on this and the report on the improvements it makes in it's performance. I'm kind of hoping it's the new Falken AT4W or Goodyear Duratrac RT's though I'd be happy to see what it does on Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T's or even the new Nokian Outpost nAT's.

[@NJCarEnthusiast]

I love this car! Mine has 160k and runs like a champ.

[@slick240z]

Nice find. Is there a test for the newer Acura MDX SH-AWD and see if it is capable as well?

[@pnwadventures2955]

This is the best special since the w163 series! so good

[@moshichiu9793]

You could use the VIN to check if this engine got updated timing chain sprocket, old sprocket would wear out prematurely no matter how well it had been maintained!

[@jorgechiubomberos]

I had that same car, without off road.i drove it until 188 thousand miles, it still looked and drived good

[@BigOrangeVols]

I mean wow. The music, editing, scenery and y’all’s relationship. Much love from Chattanooga.

[@atmartens]

I’m the same way. I love cars or trucks that are sleepers or better in ways than maybe not thought to be. I will say, and maybe I’m crazy but it really in some angles reminds me of the Jeep Grand Cherokee from that time era.

[@martinlopez5625]

Love the drone angle shots

[@matthewprather7386]

Great video - fun adventure cross country road trip in an oldie but goodie vehicle..

[@CarswithNash]

It definitely did well. Good video.👍

[@elruco264]

These where good cars. My old man had a 2013. The last of the 5.5 v8. Then moved to a 2016 gls with the twin turbo 4.7

[@jon27d]

5:50 - 7:00 - "Advanced" features that my 2008 Nissan Pathfinder LE also has most of 😂

[@MountainTactical78]

Thinking outside the box, love rare finds like this. We definitely need more options when it comes off road capabilities brand choices.

[@Queensizemusic]

Congratulations! I know you’re all stoked.

[@horus909]

You really need to get an audi 5000 turbo quattro guys. Locking center and rear diff, torsen differential. And awesome inline5 sound.

[@kevin9c1]

It is probably more fun to drive with the everything in sport mode. Comfort mode in the engine/transmission starts in 2nd and dulls throttle response.

[@MrIpjrobson]

I love these underdog off roaders !

[@johnbriggs6203]

I always wanted one of these GL450 suvs. I knew the hidden off-road potential of this luxury, mall crawler. Any that I could actually afford were beaten. The nicer (well kept) ones with lower miles were just always too expensive for my budget.

[@backwoodstherapy]

Definitely do a side step delete, some bigger and better tires, and maybe theres a way that, similar to the Land Rover, you can keep it in one of the off road height settings.

[@videowsatcher]

Watch out; despite being advertised and working as an off roader (I beach bashed mine and took into forests) do not drive it into water. The battery is under the floor and it will die. I had my 2009 GL 320 CDI written off for that very reason; water only got to the door level at its full raised ride height. They are also extremely unreliable (based on average industry data); my one ended up with failed air suspension, the turbo was on the way out etc etc. It only had about 70,000 miles (110k + km) and needed over $6000 of work before I sunk it. Mine had diff locks, off road bash plates etc.. The off road pack was standard in my market

[@bombardierboerboels]

Thinking of get one in the Uk all GL up to 2012 had the off-road package not sure what to get cd450 diesel or 5.0 v8 petrol

[@billp5424]

I hope the ambulance chaser ads don’t become a habit.

[@RayanMADAO]

Unfortunately they run a business

[@trebors386]

I miss the old Colorado denim license plates