Mercedes GLS63 AMG buyers guide

Now that I’m a father, I have to admit I’ve gotten more and more involved with SUVs than ever before. Of course I love my Urus and the G63, that’s no surprise, but what might shock you is how much I really see the GLS63 as a viable SUV option.

It’s a seven seater so great for the whole family, lots of boot space so prime grocer, over 6,000 pounds so classifies it as a Section 179 hack, and it’s a Mercedes so maintenance isn’t as terrible as a Bentayga or would be an Urus.

And if you’re someone with small toddlers or newborns, this isn’t like the G63, it’s lower, meaning it’s so much easier to get the kids in and out of their car seats than with the stereotypical bus-sized SUV, that we often see.

This is an SUV that I’ve seen many members have over the years, never one that I’ve personally owned, so I borrowed one from Exotics Hunter for the weekend to get a feel for it. My thoughts as well as all the other fun stuff are below for you to read and hopefully this will help you decide if the GLS63 AMG is for you.

Being a seven-seater, you might think of it as a boat for cruising around, but it’s actually pretty easy to manoeuvre.

Plus, at the end of the day, it’s an AMG. So if you’re still asserting your dominance and need to take on another flag football dad after practice to show him who’s boss, you can do that.

Under the hood is a twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 577 horsepower and 561 pounds of torque. Notice how I said V8, given Mercedes’ statements that they will no longer produce the V8s, that bodes well for the longevity of this car’s value.

That performance gives the 6,000+ pound GLS63 AMG the ability to do 0-60 in 4.3 seconds and complete a quarter mile in 12.8 seconds with a top speed of 174 mph. That’s crazy for a 7 seater SUV.

Another great thing about driving around in this SUV, you just don’t care that much. In a Bentayga, an Urus, a DBX you are so careful and aware of your surroundings because an accident or a dent, scratch or dent is a major ordeal to fix with these rare SUVs. But with the GLS63 I felt very comfortable and not nervous if I left the car in a public parking garage to have dinner with my family.

One of the most notorious problems with the GLS is that oil leaks are common at higher mileage. And it’s not just any oil spills that can leave an annoying stain on your driveway or garage floor. No, these oil leaks have been found to be the direct cause of many GLS engine failures.

This is an issue that can actually be identified and resolved before you take ownership of your prospective GLS if you have the vehicle PPI performed. Make sure you specifically ask for the belly pan to be taken off and photos of the cars under the shields are taken to ensure there are no leaks for yourself and keep documentation regardless of the outcome.

There are actually a few other recalls affecting the GLS line as a whole that some GLS63 models may be affected, simply check with the previous owner and complete the VIN to ensure all applicable recalls have been carried out and if You should not inquire why not and how they can be taken care of before taking ownership.

For a full list of recalls click HERE

Mercedes SUVs aren’t that expensive to run, it’s rather fair that society talked so much crap about Mercedes for so many years when not many people who held that opinion had Mercedes.

Relatively speaking, if you can find an independent and third-party shop that is certified and knowledgeable about Mercedes, they can do the job at a fraction of the cost that a Mercedes dealer would charge you.

A good rule of thumb: never take the device to the dealer unless it is under warranty. Do your research, find a trustworthy shop, and save some money while also building a relationship with a shop that you can use again and again for this hack and the others that are sure to come in the future.