Last summer, my search for the perfect performance SUV led me away from CarMax and into a 2021 Mercedes GLE63s AMG. This Certified Previously Owned (CPO) beast became mine after a lengthy nationwide hunt, culminating in Santa Fe, New Mexico. You can read about the full acquisition story here. Now, 8,000 miles later, mostly accumulated without significant road trips beyond a short stint to North Carolina, I find myself at a crossroads: Do I cherish this machine, or should I sell my Mercedes SUV and start fresh? Unexpected repair bills are nudging me towards the latter, a topic we’ll delve into shortly.
Firstly, for any IRS agents who might be reading, let the record show this Mercedes SUV is undeniably a work “truck”! Even that North Carolina trip? Purely business! (And yes, the “truck” designation is primarily to elicit eye-rolls from my family).
Jokes aside, this is a performance SUV at its core. However, those wide summer tires have presented some challenges. In July, a large nail necessitated a $600 tire replacement – exclusively from the Mercedes dealership. This felt like a setback, especially since all-season tires would be more practical, but now I was invested in these summer performance tires. Then, a month later, another nail in the opposite rear tire, another $600. The thought of switching to all-seasons grew stronger, but finding them proved impossible. Pirelli offers a set through Mercedes dealers, but they were backordered until spring, at the earliest. The issue? The 22″ diameter. While 21″ options exist and were even offered on the GLE63, that would mean new rims and tires – a $3,600 expense. It seems excessive, yet so does owning an AWD SUV rendered useless in snow. Home storage for the summer tires isn’t an option either. I’m currently negotiating 21″ tire and wheel packages with Tire Rack as the weather forecast hints at our first snow this weekend. Looks like my BMW M3, equipped with all-seasons, will be my winter vehicle of choice.
My Mercedes SUV has visited the dealership twice for a persistent issue with the clamshell center console doors. A single button should open both, but in my GLE63s, only the left side consistently cooperates. Mercedes acknowledges it as a known problem, but a straightforward fix remains elusive. The third attempt involved replacing the entire center console storage unit. Similarly, a loose fender flare and a noticeable gap in the rear bumper molding were addressed. The service manager agreed to replace these pieces, paint-match them, and install them—all under warranty. In two weeks, the GLE63s is scheduled for Service A and a fuel pump recall (apparently, Mercedes discovered plastic fuel pump impellers are prone to failure). Fingers crossed for a smooth experience.
Flashback to 1993, during my time at the US Air Force War College in Montgomery, Alabama. Alabama was actively vying for Mercedes’ first US assembly plant. They won, offering land and National Guard assistance for site clearing. Back then, we joked that the upcoming ML SUVs built there would come with optional gun racks. Driving a Merkur XR4ti then, I never imagined that three decades later, I’d own a luxury Mercedes SUV from that very plant.
The thought crossed my mind: could these minor part issues be a consequence of Alabama assembly rather than Stuttgart precision? Then, I wondered about the hand-built AMG engines – German imports or Alabama-made too? The service representative claimed Alabama production after a factory visit. Skeptical, I investigated myself. Popping the hood revealed the signature plate, definitively stating “Made in Germany.” Umlauts speak volumes.
In early December, front brake squealing emerged. A dealer inspection suggested front pad and rotor replacement for $2,600, likely resolving the noise. However, they also noted the pads had 6/32″ remaining, not yet requiring immediate replacement, and no wear indicator was active. A consultation with the shop foreman was mentioned but didn’t materialize. Instead, the glazing theory was proposed. Dealer service expertise seems inconsistent. Ryan, my CarMax service contact in the past, was always more diligent. Mercedes replacements have a 12-month/12,000-mile warranty. GLE63 owner forums suggest brake replacements as frequently as every 10,000 miles! Not ideal. I’m considering FCP Euro pads with a lifetime warranty. Even my local Goodyear offers a 24-month/24,000-mile warranty!
Tires and brakes, being wear items, aren’t covered by warranty, and these escalating costs prompted a thought: selling the GLE63s to CarMax. If they offered close to my purchase price from last summer, cutting my losses and starting over seemed appealing. The car hasn’t significantly depreciated, so I didn’t feel like I had taken advantage of a dealership deal as I have with CarMax in the past. I even miss that aspect of CarMax. CarMax hasn’t had current generation GLE63s in stock (a few 2019 models exist). The appraisal (below) indicated their disinterest. It was $30,000 less than I paid recently and $25,000 under comparable CPO Mercedes GLE63s on the market. CarMax famously buys any car, and they will, but at a price that deters rational sellers. I declined.
Despite the CarMax experience, I’m leaning towards keeping and enjoying this Mercedes SUV, though tire and brake solutions are still pending. A spirited drive through Loudoun County, Virginia’s backroads solidified this feeling. The video’s audio doesn’t capture the true experience. I think I’ll embrace this car. Having not seen another GLE63s on the road in six months adds to its unique appeal. Perhaps at Daytona later this month for “business meetings” coinciding with the Rolex 24, it’ll truly feel like a unicorn.
History does repeat. New Year’s Day 2024, another Covid positive test sent me on a Loudoun County drive to the John Lewis Memorial Bridge for clarity before hotel isolation (family infection avoidance this time). The bridge is on a secluded road over Catoctin Creek. Built in 1889, the county describes it as “a rare surviving example of a wrought iron truss bridge—one of only five still standing bridges built by the Variety Iron Company.” It’s peaceful and familiar.
Almost exactly three years prior – New Year’s Eve 2020 – I drove to this same bridge in Etta, my 2008 Porsche 911 CarMax unicorn, after a devastating Covid positive result. Times were scarier then, pre-vaccines and Paxlovid. Tomorrow, I’ll load up this Mercedes GLE63s, leave my isolation hotel, and return home. If my biggest concern is finding tires and brakes for a 600hp SUV, life is pretty good.
