Buying a 04 G 500 w/ 150k Miles

[pdx disco ii]

Hi All,

I've always been a Rover guy and know them very well (issues, maintenance, etc). But, I'm seriously considering buying a 2004 G 500 (over a LR3 or LR4). Compared to Land Rovers, I don't know anything about the Gelandewagen. I have 2 main questions for you, more knowledgeable enthusiast out there;

1). The Gelandwagen I'm looking at buying has 150k on the clock... Is this too many miles to consider buying? Keep in mind, I'm tired of repairing my rover(s)... I want a turn key 4x4, that I'm not going to be constantly be working on.

2). What are the big issues that I should be worried about? I heard about the window regulators and drive shafts are known issues... But is there anything else out there that I should be worried about? Is chassis or body panel rust an issue on the 04'? What are the big engine/trans issues that these have? Suspension issues?

What do you guys think? Is the Gelandewagen the right choice for me? Or should I look for a lower mileage LR3 or LR4?

Thanks a ton!

 

[zimm]

150k?

sure, you'll be buying 1/3 fewer parts than the rover, but they will be 3x more, and dealer installed when you find you need the special $2000.00 MB whatchamadohickie to wrench it.

• NOTHING with 150k is assumed to be turn key.
• prima donna $120,000 cars dont know they are old. they still want $120,000 parts, and more of them.
• 25,000 buys a quality car for those that arent brand insecure.

your taste may be S Class, but your $ is a nice used 4runner. if you close your eyes at the wheel, you'll never notice. at least not for long.

 

[zimm]

id take a long look at this before an 03-4 mbusa model at 150k miles.

http://www.mastodon4x4.com/2000-Mer...wagon-G-class-G-wagen-Denver-CO-80033/5978352

 

[pdx disco ii]

Thanks for the reply, Zimm.

I was hoping to pay cash for a $30k - $35k G-Wagen... But from the sound of it, I'd be better off buying a lower mileage LR3, LR4 or Range Rover with the money. Thanks again for the reply

 

[MetalDog]

I sort of disagree with Zimm on a couple points. If you purchased a 150K Landcruiser 200 series, it would be turnkey and almost maintenance free. I've owned 2 range rovers, a Discovery II and a LC 200 series... and now a 2015 G550. The Rovers were all horrid experiences... I would gulp, even own a wrangler before I purchased another one. Oh, and I've owned two wranglers, so I sorta know what I'm talking about.

If you get a garage queen G, then aside from the actuators and other known issues you shouldn't have too much of a problem. Just find a reputable german repair shop and do a pre-inspection of the G, and keep up with its maintenance. It will never be a LC, but hey, nothing is.

 

[pdx disco ii]

Thanks MetalDog. I appreciate your take on it.

 

[ILIAN]

A 2000 G500 will be a lot better than a 2004.

 

[ricardo]

Thanks for the reply, Zimm.

I was hoping to pay cash for a $30k - $35k G-Wagen... But from the sound of it, I'd be better off buying a lower mileage LR3, LR4 or Range Rover with the money. Thanks again for the reply

Look for one of few "Real" ones imported to the US like the 461 series, they are like a Defender's, silly simple to work on (Made to be work on in the field with a limited amount of tools, only Russians do it better) , the quality of the parts is exceptional (way Better than great Mercedes quality), honest (Harsh), stubborn when it comes to give in up, yes the parts are crazy expensive but they seldom fail..

We end up with a 100 land cruiser since I don't like to be at the mercy of the monopoly Importers, customs, DHL, the fluctuation and trends of the market, but in Europe that spare parts are somehow plentiful if you have the right connections (I do not anymore)

New Range rover's oh boy not unless you also get a Ford F350 tow truck, even better wait for a Tesla automated tow truck, is going to cost you less at the end..

PS: We did have a 95 RR Classic and sincerely it was a great truck, zero deep mechanical issues in three years of ownership and "John" always had the part I need at my door in about 3 days and for super cheap)

 

[rjl]

FWIW, LR3's and LR4's apparently have a small fraction of the problems that earlier Rovers (and a lot of Range Rovers) had. I once owned a 94 D1 for a year and a half (when it was 3 years old with 20k miles) and it had lots of headaches.

My LR4 has been problem free in the 8 months I've owned it.

That said, I bought my LR4 with a CPO warranty; you know, just in case.

From another penny pinching vantage point, however, G-Wagons retain their value a lot better than Rovers, presumably because old ones and brand new ones look similar to untrained eyes--and there are just not many of them on the road in the first place.

 

[DUTCH]

If you're tired of repairs and want a turn-key vehicle, a G-wagen could not be further from your goal. I say this as someone whose last four vehicles were all MB and BMW. Grab yourself a LandCruiser or 4Runner.

But was a G-Class one of your four?

 

[pdx disco ii]

If you're tired of repairs and want a turn-key vehicle, a G-wagen could not be further from your goal. I say this as someone whose last four vehicles were all MB and BMW. Grab yourself a LandCruiser or 4Runner.

While I do appreciate the reliability and capability of Toyotas... They just don't do it for me.

My wife has a 2016 TRD Pro 4Runner... The truck is awesome, she really loves it, and it's definitely capable off road. My good buddy has a built 2014 Tacoma... Also an awesome truck. He also has a series 100 Land Cruiser... All of these Toyotas are very capable and very reliable... But, there is just something about them that doesn't do it for me... Maybe it has to do with being a Land Rover guy for so long.

I know the easy solution to "turn key," is buying a Toyota... But, I suppose I would rather have to deal with a Gelandewagen having issues every once in a while (or Rover having issues pretty often) than spending my money on a vehicle that I'm not that into (that will never have issues).

 

[NYCRover]

I actually just sold my 04 G500 with about 140k on the clock to buy a 2016 LR4 w/ HD package.

Honestly, I wouldn't really sweat the mileage on a G. The drivetrain and engine of those years are pretty robust. What will cost you will be things like a front end rebuild, window regulators, power steering, locker vacuum, etc. Mechanically, aside from having to replace the wiper linkage (entire dash had to come out), all four window regulators, and some new steering components, I didn't have any major failures. Most issues you could potentially have with the G will likely come as a result of where the vehicle lived most of its life. Mine was a northeast truck and rust issues were starting to become more and more apparent. Plus the gas mileage was really starting to annoy me.

As others have said, replacement parts will be expensive, but if you wrench yourself you can save $140/hour for labor, which is what the G-specialist in my area charges.

Your concern is probably one of, why should I buy a 12 year old vehicle vs. a couple year old vehicle with potentially a CPO warranty?

While the G is so freaking cool and a rolling bank vault, I realized I was going to be spending most of my time on highway, commuting or traveling to run moderate forest roads and trails for overloading purposes, so better fuel efficiency and comfort were key. At the end of the day, I think I have lost the stomach for multiple several thousand dollar repair bills and would rather have the peace of mind of a factory warranty vs. the roulette you play with any aging luxury vehicle. Driving something new is just a great feeling and I don't have this worry in the back of my mind if today is the day something fails.

The G is so unique and a kitted one is a big head turner. If we could get a modern diesel variant here in the US, I'd be all in. However, the one thing I love about Land Rover is the large and active community, whereas the G community is somewhat illusive and often times very regionally dependent.

 

[pdx disco ii]

I actually just sold my 04 G500 with about 140k on the clock to buy a 2016 LR4 w/ HD package.

Honestly, I wouldn't really sweat the mileage on a G. The drivetrain and engine of those years are pretty robust. What will cost you will be things like a front end rebuild, window regulators, power steering, locker vacuum, etc. Mechanically, aside from having to replace the wiper linkage (entire dash had to come out), all four window regulators, and some new steering components, I didn't have any major failures. Most issues you could potentially have with the G will likely come as a result of where the vehicle lived most of its life. Mine was a northeast truck and rust issues were starting to become more and more apparent. Plus the gas mileage was really starting to annoy me.

As others have said, replacement parts will be expensive, but if you wrench yourself you can save $140/hour for labor, which is what the G-specialist in my area charges.

Your concern is probably one of, why should I buy a 12 year old vehicle vs. a couple year old vehicle with potentially a CPO warranty?

While the G is so freaking cool and a rolling bank vault, I realized I was going to be spending most of my time on highway, commuting or traveling to run moderate forest roads and trails for overloading purposes, so better fuel efficiency and comfort were key. At the end of the day, I think I have lost the stomach for multiple several thousand dollar repair bills and would rather have the peace of mind of a factory warranty vs. the roulette you play with any aging luxury vehicle. Driving something new is just a great feeling and I don't have this worry in the back of my mind if today is the day something fails.

The G is so unique and a kitted one is a big head turner. If we could get a modern diesel variant here in the US, I'd be all in. However, the one thing I love about Land Rover is the large and active community, whereas the G community is somewhat illusive and often times very regionally dependent.

NYCRover, THIS IS THE REPLY I WAS LOOKING FOR! Thanks for the feedback. Nowadays, I'm not putting on the miles like I used to... I work remote in Central Oregon, commute to Portland twice a month... Obviously an LR3/LR4 or G Wagen will get me over the passes all year round. Other than that, I drive around town maybe 3 times a week. BUT, living in Central Oregon, there is a lot of moderate - easy off roading and tons of weekend overland trips that I enjoy.

The big thing that you touched on, that i can really relate to, is the feeling in the back of your mind of "is today the day." I'm currently driving around my D2 (but have a M Coupe I drive sometimes in summer), and commuting back and forth to Portland (a 3.5 hour trip each way) in the Rover, that "is it going to break" feeling is there the entire drive. I want a car I can drive down to Moab if I want, and not worry if it's going to brake along the way... In the D2, I won't go further than Portland (ideally less). Like I said above, driving my wife's new 4Runner is a great feeling because that thought doesn't cross my mind at all... But, as previously stated, the Toyota's don't do it for me.

I'm no stranger to wrenching (having a D2 basically forces you to learn to be a Rover mechanic), but I'm tired of doing that stuff. Every once and a while, sure. But, being forced to work on your truck every couple of months gets old, quick.

The G wagen definitely has the "cool factor" (similar to a defender for me)... But, I've found LR3's with less than 50k on them for under $20k.

So I guess the trade off may be the piece of mind of a low mileage Rover not breaking, vs. the cool factor of the Gelandewagen.

 

[ricardo]

NYCRover, THIS IS THE REPLY I WAS LOOKING FOR! Thanks for the feedback. Nowadays, I'm not putting on the miles like I used to... I work remote in Central Oregon, commute to Portland twice a month... Obviously an LR3/LR4 or G Wagen will get me over the passes all year round. Other than that, I drive around town maybe 3 times a week. BUT, living in Central Oregon, there is a lot of moderate - easy off roading and tons of weekend overland trips that I enjoy.

The big thing that you touched on, that i can really relate to, is the feeling in the back of your mind of "is today the day." I'm currently driving around my D2 (but have a M Coupe I drive sometimes in summer), and commuting back and forth to Portland (a 3.5 hour trip each way) in the Rover, that "is it going to break" feeling is there the entire drive. I want a car I can drive down to Moab if I want, and not worry if it's going to brake along the way... In the D2, I won't go further than Portland (ideally less). Like I said above, driving my wife's new 4Runner is a great feeling because that thought doesn't cross my mind at all... But, as previously stated, the Toyota's don't do it for me.

I'm no stranger to wrenching (having a D2 basically forces you to learn to be a Rover mechanic), but I'm tired of doing that stuff. Every once and a while, sure. But, being forced to work on your truck every couple of months gets old, quick.

The G wagen definitely has the "cool factor" (similar to a defender for me)... But, I've found LR3's with less than 50k on them for under $20k.

So I guess the trade off may be the piece of mind of a low mileage Rover not breaking, vs. the cool factor of the Gelandewagen.

The typical RR joke...

"Lucas electrics, 100% Reliable, 23% of the time"

Is this your Transport/Commuter/life line vehicle for secondary roads, trails..??

Don't play with fire, just get a 4runner/tropper even a american truck..

Or is this you "hobbie-Fun toy", if yes buy whatever you want, but make sure you have friends and parts stash along the road to get you home..

Reliability is everything to me, I had sold plenty sexy motorcycles because I did not trust them, now especially with my family, I rather drive a pink sienna mamivan that is never going to leave me stranded, than the fanciest rally car that needs engine overhauls every ten hours..

Actually what about a WRX, Forester or even a outback, we have a 2002 H-6 that can not be Kill and i try pretty hard..??

 

[cols110]

I have had 3 110's & still have my 2002 TD5 110, my Wife had a 2004 D2 which we had for 10 years and sold it a couple of months back mainly due to similar reasons as yourself, it was becoming more maintenance intensive and overheating in summer, I also do all the work myself on the fleet, I had just had enough, 2 head gaskets over the years and I knew the 3rd one was somewhere around the corner.

I also have a 1999 build G55 as my daily drive and it shares the off road duties with my 110, I would have to say even though my G is the oldest in the fleet so you do expect some issue on a vehicle that is 17 years old, it is probably in the region of having 50% less issues than our LR's. I still do a lot of work on it but most of it is preventative maintenance which I think you really need to stay on top of if you want reliability. Things like keeping the grease up to the centre CV joints etc, it all takes time but is better than spending the money waiting for them to fail and basically need to do the same job. So yes I work on it quite a bit still but to date is has been a lot more reliable than our LRs ever were, being an older one they do not have the issues with window regulators etc so I have been spared this misery, it is also far more basic and has much less to go wrong compared to the post 2002 G's.

I was in a similar position as you of what to replace my Wifes D2 with, I love the LR4 but as I live in Dubai pretty well all vehicles with air suspension start having the air bags fail and deteriorate due to the heat and harsh climate, couple this with my previous experience with LRs I decided to give it a miss. Our next serious contender as my Wife loves driving the G was a 2010-2012 G55, but for similar money and a 5 year unlimited KM warranty we could get a new 2016 200 series LC.

The heart was with the late model G55 with no or little remaining warranty but in the end we went with the new shape 2016 LC which offered long warranty and long term reliability. We now have around 6000 km on it and my wife loves it, it is a fantastic touring vehicle, probably the best you can get, it effortlessly eats up the miles and is a pleasure to drive but it is boring. If you like a drivers car this will bore you, I am glad we have it in our fleet as for the long trips it comes into its own and is far better than my G, but to be honest I love the G as my daily drive and if I really get bored jumping into my 110 really brings you back down to earth.

If I was in your position and could only have one 4x4 I would probably push the boat out and get the best G55 you could afford in the 2008-2012 year range to minimise the maintenance issues, yes they are expensive but they also hold value unlike most other vehicles and to me if it is a long term keeper the initial purchase price is not to much of of issue as if it is looked after and you keep the maintenance up to it you should have many years of happy motoring with a fantastic driver experience.

Otherwise I would go for the LR4 or 200 series over an early 2002-2007 G.

As you do most of your own work the Gs are of a similar nature to your D2 to work on, much better build quality but you will need a few new tools as there are a lot of torx fitting and a few other specialist tools required but once you collect the tools you are good to go. Prices of most service related spares are comparative to the LR items if sourced from Bosch or other suppliers and not from your Merc dealer, but yes some of the items which you need to get genuine can come at a cost as is the case if you need to get genuine LR items from the dealer, but if you have time most spares can be sourced at a decent price.