BEST Unimog for under 40K?
- Thread starter Carl
- Start date
762X39
Explorer
You should define your wants and needs a bit more.I think your budget is a bit low for U500.I don't know if you can buy a U1300 where you are.Anything that you can buy in the US will be old,no creature comforts and biased to off pavement prowess, not highway travel but that's just my impression from owning a 404, and hanging out with U500, 416 and U1300 owners.
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Michael Slade
Untitled
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
Your budget is enough for a U1300 (newer) or 416 (older). Your life will be way easier if your Mog is over 25 years old. You'll also want to check with your particular state to see if they'll be any impediment to registering it; a couple states make it difficult to impractical.
A 416 is a big diesel truck, a U1300 is a giant diesel truck. They are comfortable enough, except for the formidable noise, but they will generally struggle to cruise at anything past 55 mph, will be loaded-semi-slow up steep grades and most are not a good choice for routine distance travel in the U.S. If you do get one, though, spending the money for a turbocharged 1300 can be worthwhile if you expect to travel in elevations above a few thousand feet.
There are, in the 4xx series, several variants besides the 416, but be wary of anything with a shorter wheelbase. They look great, but can be downright dangerous at highway speeds (which most of them can't go anyway).
Most near-antique used trucks will likely have reliability issues and Mogs have their share, including components, like the portal axles, which can be prone to failure. Nor are they cheap to keep running, and it's near impossible in most areas to find Mog-specialist mechanics, often making it a DIY job to keep it running. I suggest that potential buyers figure their Mog will end up, at best, 50% transportation device, 50% hobby . . . which may be fine with you, but don't expect to interact with it like a normal truck, not even a normal 25+-year-old truck. For good or bad, Mog journeys are adventures; good if you've got four months to drive to Costa Rica, bad if you have to slog back from the desert in Sunday afternoon freeway traffic.
One thing to think about re: your motorcycle hauling is that the bed of a diesel Mog is usually quite a long ways off the ground, four feet or more in some cases. That's the price you pay for portal axles and huge tires. Could be a real pain getting the bikes in the bed.
A 416 is a big diesel truck, a U1300 is a giant diesel truck. They are comfortable enough, except for the formidable noise, but they will generally struggle to cruise at anything past 55 mph, will be loaded-semi-slow up steep grades and most are not a good choice for routine distance travel in the U.S. If you do get one, though, spending the money for a turbocharged 1300 can be worthwhile if you expect to travel in elevations above a few thousand feet.
There are, in the 4xx series, several variants besides the 416, but be wary of anything with a shorter wheelbase. They look great, but can be downright dangerous at highway speeds (which most of them can't go anyway).
Most near-antique used trucks will likely have reliability issues and Mogs have their share, including components, like the portal axles, which can be prone to failure. Nor are they cheap to keep running, and it's near impossible in most areas to find Mog-specialist mechanics, often making it a DIY job to keep it running. I suggest that potential buyers figure their Mog will end up, at best, 50% transportation device, 50% hobby . . . which may be fine with you, but don't expect to interact with it like a normal truck, not even a normal 25+-year-old truck. For good or bad, Mog journeys are adventures; good if you've got four months to drive to Costa Rica, bad if you have to slog back from the desert in Sunday afternoon freeway traffic.
One thing to think about re: your motorcycle hauling is that the bed of a diesel Mog is usually quite a long ways off the ground, four feet or more in some cases. That's the price you pay for portal axles and huge tires. Could be a real pain getting the bikes in the bed.
burquedoka
Adventurer
Good advise above, don't mistake any model UNIMOG for anything more than a street legal tractor, the US sold Freightlinner models (U500, U400 and U300) and some of the SBU models are a bit less tractor like with the addition of turbos, overdrives and fast axle combinations. The price range you are lookin at should get you a retired military 1300L and still pay for a turbo upgrade. Throw in a few more thousand and you should be able to scrape together an over drive and some fresh tires to handle the speeds. Don't expect anything more that 65-70 with said set up, and thats speaking optimistically.
dzzz
™
I've owned several medium-duty trucks and don't find the U500 tractor-like at all. As the wheel base of the UXXX get shorter I'm sure the ride gets busier, but I've never seen anything but the longest used for a camper.
An empty U500 is busy on the highway, as any medium duty truck is weighing less than half of its GVWR. When it weighs enough for the suspension to move things get better.
Compared to road trucks like the Fuso FG the U500 is a luxury car. Newer pickups do have a nice ride than any of these trucks, however. Personally I don't find older mogs acceptable as long-term long-range campers. But for hauling locally it could be great.
$30-40K does by a very cool mog. But I ain't driving it to Alaska.
Scott Brady
Founder
IMHO, the U1300 is the best Unimog at any price. The 1550 is a close second.
CORRECTION: Had my models wrong
CORRECTION: Had my models wrong
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Scott Brady
Founder
Correction: Had my model numbers wrong. I meant the U1300, not 416. Although I love the 416 too
Tennmogger
Explorer
IMHO, the U1300 is the best Unimog at any price. The 1550 is a close second.
===
Obviously I agree
The 1550 is also a great truck. I drove one from TN to SoCal a few years ago and it was a great ride. Also drove a U2450 from OR to IN and that was a BEAST.
IMHO, any discussion about top $$ expenditure of US$40k rules out the U500. All the electronics rules it out for me.
Bob
Chas Stricker
Adventurer
Some of it is purely your opinion on what looks you like best. I really think the 416 looks betten than an SBU (1250,1300,1500,1700 ect). The SBUs are better for travelling distances....for my family at least. I haven't done the trips that Bob has but we travel towing our travel trailer to Montana/Canada and down to Pismo Beach Ca yearly. We call it making Mogtime. I little slower and stinky but still a lot of fun. Drive them and then buy what you can afford.
Chas
Chas
toylandcruiser
Expedition Leader
Chas I still want to see your truck.
Chas Stricker
Adventurer
I was up on Jumbo grade last night helping some stuck folks and came out on Arrowhead. I flashed my lights........