Unimog u500 For Sale

[dan johnson]

For Sale 2004 Unimog U500. I purchased this unimog new from a dealer in the midwest. It is the long wheel base model with all the options. The new list price was $153,000. I added a 25,000lb hydraulic winch, a couple of tool boxes under the bed and a stereo system. I used the truck to haul a large boat to Alaska. I have been working for years on building a camper that mounts on the back in place of the 3 way tipper bed. The camper is about 90% finished but I have not make much progress in the last year or so. The truck has under 18,000 miles on it. The truck runs and rides great. I has lived a pampered life. I have never had a bit of trouble with it. The camper is liveable at the present time but needs the ceiling finished, the table made, the plumbing hooked up and all sorts of little things. There is a 2 way fridge, propane heater, propane stove, outback inverter and a couple of deep cell batteries. I have a solar controller but used the panel on another project. The propane has been plumbed and pressure tested. The camper is about 10 ft long 7 feet wide and 6.5 feet tall. There is a mount on the back of the camper for the spare tire but no lifting system is installed. The camper has four lifting hooks one on each corner. I use a car lift to mount and unmount the camper but I have a set of camper jacks that will probably work. I drove the truck about 1000 miles last year and have lost interest in the project. It needs a new home. I would like $95,000 for everything or $85,000 just for the truck. The truck and camper are located in Fairbanks Alaska. I have a shop available if you want to get it a little more liveable. Alaska is always great place to tour in the summer.
Dan drj@networkscompany.com 907 978 5044.

 

[haven]

Welcome to ExPo, Dan.

Your ad would be improved with photos of the truck and camper.
If you are having difficulty posting the photos, send them to me
an I'll add them to this thread. The email address is
haven at muchomail dotcom (say it out loud).

Chip Haven

 

[mhiscox]

For the information of those with an interest in this truck . . .

Dan Johnson, Dr. Dan, is one of the country's premier Moggers--experienced, knowledgeable and a very nice guy. Since selling my Mog last year, I haven't kept track of Mog events, but for the six years I had my 416, Dan Johnson was the sort of Mogger all of us duffers wished we could be.

Dan's had several trucks, the most "special" of which was probably his giant U2450/L38 with a near-unique Twin Disc automatic transmission. With 240 horsepower and magic shifting, I enjoyed my drive in this truck immensely.

Among other accomplishments, Dan was a member of the Mog group that annually visited the Altar Desert in Mexico, the sort of adventure travel that always struck me as highest-and-best use of their Unimogs. This is a picture of Dan's 1550 from one of the trips.

(By the way, going to http://billcaid.com/ will get you some of the best Mog-related adventure travel reports and photography available anywhere. Well worth checking out.)

And Dan's closest-to-home project is the heavy-duty trailer he made from the cabin shown mounted on the 2450. My Mog buddy George Reiswig and I bought this from Dan a couple years ago. It's an amazing piece of work, with a lifting roof and a very clever layout. We're in the process of building it out for George's use with his family.

The point of all of this is that, while I have no specific information about this U500, Dan knows his business and is a good person to deal with. Additionally, it's likely that the truck was well chosen and that whatever work he's done in designing and building the camper is probably well worth the money. In any event, consider this a high recommendation.

 

[haven]

Here are photos of the U500 provided by Dan Johnson

(The height of the conventional trailer hitch gives you a sense of how large the U500 is!)

 

[mhiscox]

On either a switch-per-dollar or warning label-per-dollar basis, this truck appears to be one helluva bargain. :sombrero:

 

[kerry]

Any pictures of the camper?

 

[adventureduo]

Insert :drool: here.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

With the newer models are you still limited to a 55-65 top speed?

Not a buyer just interested...

 

[dan johnson]

This model is the long week base model 3900 (153") and has the high speed option. It can go 70 mph. That being said at 65 mph the road noise gets pretty loud with the XZL tires. On a 4000 mile trip I found that 55-60 mph was very comfortable. It has cruise control so you set it and sit back and enjoy the view out the picture window. You can carry on a normal conversation. The more you are carrying the better the ride.

I stated the truck was a 2004 but I was mistaken it is a 2005.

Dan

 

[mhiscox]

Dan's sent some camper pictures for your consideration. FWIW, if you've ever tried to figure out what a camper cabin cost to build out, it sure seems like the $10K that he's asking as an increment for tossing in the cabin is a massive deal.

 

[mhiscox]

And some more . . .

 

[dan johnson]

I keep getting asked about the options so here is a list of the one on the 2005 U500. I was unable to determine what all the option codes were. Maybe someone who knows more can help fill in the blanks. These codes were taken off the Mercedes build card.

Thanks
Dan

U500 Options

A30 CTIS
A31 Other parts for CTIS
A52 Differential lock in from axle Crawler gears in the transmission. This truck has crawler gears and super low crawler gears for a total of 24 gear forward and probably that many in reverse.
B42 Air glads for air trailer brakes.
C47 Radiator Protection
C50 This option lets you move the steering wheel, petals and instrument cluster from the left to the right side of the vehice. Would be great for an expedition vehicle that is planning on going to New Zealand and Australia or other place where they drive on the right.
C88 Vertical exhaust.
D12 Front mounting plate. I have a 25,000 lb winch attached to the plate. The winch can be removed by removing two bolts and lifting it off.
D50 Rear attachment brackets
E44 Jump start studs. There are below the battery box. I you need to get jumped or to jump someone else you just pull of the plastic caps and hook up you cables to these studs.
E45 Front mounted 7 pin electrical plug
E47
E53 Prep for CB/mobile Tel 12 volt including antenna
E54 This is a prep for 2 way radios 12 volts including antenna
E55 Antenna and two loudspeakers
F43 Additional Heater with Engine pre heating. This is a Wabasto diesel heater that had a timer. You can set the timer to heat cab and engine any time you want. I have used this in Alaska to pre-heat the engine and cab.
G21 Working and crawler gears
G48 This is the auto shifting option. You can chose manual shifting and a clutch petal folds out or Auto where the clutch folds in and the shifting is automatic. The good thing is that transmission is a geared transmission that is shifted via the computer in the auto mode. I works really nice and I rarely use the manual mode.
H08 This is the hydraulic option. There are two hydraulic circuits in the front and four in the rear. There is also some on the side and one for the dump cylinder.
H14
H57
H58
H59
H61
H68
H75
H76
H78
H79
H85 All of the above have to do with hydraulics. I think it has more hydraulic than most people need.
J48 Warning light for tip cylinder. This tells you any time you bed is not all the way down.
L07 Daytime running lights
L47 Raised headlights
L58 Support for rotating beacon. There also is a beacon
M54 Block heater
M55 Fuel and water separator with heater.
M89 Grid heater on intake.
N08 Front PTO
N18 Retrofitting possibilities for PTO
P01 Quick release for tipping cylinder. This is lever that when pulled will detach the tipping cylinder from the bed.
P40 Tipper body
Q20 Pintle hook
R34 Rims for CTIS
S02 Air ride drivers seat and timed engine pre-heater
S10 Air ride passenger seat
S26 Heated windshield
S39 Power windows
S82 Wide angle rear mirror
S83 Downview mirror
S86 Right hand mount wide angle mirror
U82
V97
X18 Upgrate to 33,000lb GVW
Y31 Tire inflation Hose
Y76 Front license plate holder
Z43 Cold weather package for starting
Z68
Z99
9678

 

[a.mus.ed]

wow.

 

[Rovertrader]

Wow it is!! Email and vm sent.

 

[mhiscox]

I know something about U500s from previous shopping/drooling. This is a BEAUTIFULLY-optioned truck, not missing a single thing you'd want. Full gears, CTIS, dual hydraulics, VarioPilot, even power windows. Somebody with a use for it, please buy it before I do something foolish.