LWB G Wagen - advise me
- Thread starter Mike S
- Start date
zimm
Expedition Leader
youre killin me! im not a used car salesman.
the reason i ask, is all g's arnt the same.
i paid 14.9g for my 96 with a nice body and a 3.2, scott paid around 20g for his with a brabus 3.6. an 03 can be had for 25.... etc...
BUT if i had 20-25, id take the time for a nice europa import 2000 over an mbusa 03-04, as interior and electronics on the mbusa's had plenty of issues. also i prefer the old interior for space and i like a tcase shifter.. you may want newer.
alas... it would be easier for me to give my crappy opinion if i knew what you had to blow.
of course if the budget is 40g... youre into a much newer truck and id have a hard time making a case to save money and get an older one, unless you wanted to equip it too.
39Ronin
Adventurer
The key is the diesel requirement, I suggest buying a gasser and doing a diesel swap. You pay alot more a good condition diesel than an excellent condition gasser. If I were to list my 1990 turbo diesel g with all the options available at the time like recaro heated seats, burl walnut trim, power windows. I would ask at least $25,000. It has a fully rebuilt 617A, all the major jobs have been done, larger exhaust, saddle tanks, wheel bearings, drag link and tie rod bar, rotors, brakes anyway a whole list of stuff including all the little annoying jobs like wiper spindles. The price I mentioned is just what I have into it without my time / labour (not for sale just trying to give you an idea). Expect to spend time and $$$ with any G to bring it to your liking.
otiswesty
Regular guy
Well having had a LWB diesel G-wagen, I can say that power is a big concern for highway climbs over 6% and mountain driving. The diesel is nice in that it is more efficient than the gasser equivalent like a 280GE which gives you more range for the backcountry. Having had a 300GD LWB and a G500, the choice is easy for me, I would not go back. I would only consider a diesel if the G was a SWB or cabrio as the weight to power ratio is a little more favorable.
zimm
Expedition Leader
that $$ looks right from what ive seen from shopping, in fact its a few grand low for a starting point.
i guess people love oil burners for the mileage. i admit id love to have one for a spell, but... i cant make the ROI work. when i was looking, a similar quality oiler was 10g more. if you buy a good rig and scrap a good gas motor, youre costing yourself 10g. for that you get slow as molasses, and more noise. 10g buys allot of fuel. id rather have that in the bank than in my motor. if it was somewhere close in $$, or i blow my motor, id give one a shot, but not for the premium wanted to buy. while 1/3 more range sounds nice... i have yet to have an issue finding fuel in north america. aint been to the arctic circle, but on principal id be planning that trip to the "t" and the range wouldnt be a show stopper. two more jerries are doable.
besides, a turbo 617 still isnt a cummins 4bt when it comes to stump pulling.
the reason i got the G was no more $$$. besides putting on a 2" lift, which i havent done yet, its ready to roll. it has lockers and the tcase is synced. whats to add? there are bolt holes in the frame for sliders already, a stick of angle and 2 pieces of dom and youre done. mine has the tow pin bumper. all the other doo dads will cost what it costs to have them fabed, just like a toyota or a blazer.
39Ronin
Adventurer
Check this OM617 turbo diesel tuned up a little:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A83dGHq97VY"]YouTube - 0-60_6.MOV[/ame]
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otiswesty
Regular guy
A 617 motor can be tuned for sure. More fuel, more air, more power, more heat, shorter engine life, that's how it goes. Not saying it is wrong, but if you want more power using more fuel, then why is it better than a gasser. The diesel by virtue of it's flat torque curve is much harder on transmissions, transfer cases, and driveline components compared to the sine wave power output of a gasoline motor. Not only do high output diesel motors have a shorter engine life, they compromise the reliabilty aspect that is inherent to the ignition free diesel engine design.
I melted a piston on a turboed 617 motor. The 617 engines lack the piston oil cooling ofthe 617a motors it's true, but it begs the question of why the Mercedes design team put a 617 motor in a heavy SUV when the 617a motor had been proven in the sedan models already. The answer boils down to reliability. Read Gary Stroh's book on his trip through Latin America in his naturally aspirated 300GD. Slow as hell, in low range over the high passes in Chile and Peru, but reliable as hell too. You hear people talk about the 300GD as the holy grail of Gwagens and as soon as they buy one, the shock of the first highway grade make them start talking about engine conversions.
I pulled big stumps with my 300GD on low range using both lockers, now I do the same with a G500 +/- the lockers. Both are great work trucks, the G500 is just not generally regarded as such because of it's luxury appointments and high price tag. IMHO, it is much easier to create a utilitarian high performance vehicle out of a G500 than a high performance utilitarian vehicle out of a 300GD, although both are possible.
I melted a piston on a turboed 617 motor. The 617 engines lack the piston oil cooling ofthe 617a motors it's true, but it begs the question of why the Mercedes design team put a 617 motor in a heavy SUV when the 617a motor had been proven in the sedan models already. The answer boils down to reliability. Read Gary Stroh's book on his trip through Latin America in his naturally aspirated 300GD. Slow as hell, in low range over the high passes in Chile and Peru, but reliable as hell too. You hear people talk about the 300GD as the holy grail of Gwagens and as soon as they buy one, the shock of the first highway grade make them start talking about engine conversions.
I pulled big stumps with my 300GD on low range using both lockers, now I do the same with a G500 +/- the lockers. Both are great work trucks, the G500 is just not generally regarded as such because of it's luxury appointments and high price tag. IMHO, it is much easier to create a utilitarian high performance vehicle out of a G500 than a high performance utilitarian vehicle out of a 300GD, although both are possible.
zimm
Expedition Leader
didnt you get rid of a sweet 60 years ago?
something else to consider is parts availability. MB is setting things up so you have to go to $$$$ dealerships, and now the pre 2003 imports are going to have no support at all, as the dealerships wont support them, and MB wont let the parts suppliers have any access anymore. its bull****.
otiswesty
Regular guy
Parts for the pre 2002 Gwagens will always be available through our specialty shops like Eurotruck and Fourbyfourclub, it will just take longer and cost a bit more to get them stateside. For the 2002+ trucks, parts will always be available through the dealer with minimal delay. Problem is, Mercedes parts cost $ and are not readily available through the usual junkyard or salvage sources with the exception of Gwagenpreserve in California.
The bottom line is that any well maintained stock Gwagen will probably do anything you want out of the box with no mods. Dual lockers, great clearance and angles, and Mercedes/SDP engineering. :costumed-smiley-007
The bottom line is that any well maintained stock Gwagen will probably do anything you want out of the box with no mods. Dual lockers, great clearance and angles, and Mercedes/SDP engineering. :costumed-smiley-007
zimm
Expedition Leader
yes. and that is an issue. it can turn what was once a daily driver into a weekend warrior.
...and theres nothing like having a trip planned and a week prior a part locked in a vault in germany ****s the bed on you.
i dont think its a service to potential buyers to downplay it.