Fully optioned 2006 U500 for sale

[charlieaarons]

I have no % in this. Mike Sedor in Kenai area, Alaska wants to sell his 2006 U500. About 9000 miles, cab-chassis, all the good options: CTIS, electroautomatic shifting, H02 hydraulics, working/crawler gears. Plus all the little stuff. He says it’s in pristine condition.
Camper project that never happened; LWB.
He’s asking $120k (like new?)
Call him at 907-242-2466 to negotiate.
PM me if you have general ?s about U500s and options.
He’s going to send me pictures. The paint isn’t weathered like mine with >100k. Supposedly “like new” with only 9k miles, stored at 60 deg N latitude, no smog etc.

 

[charlieaarons]

 

[charlieaarons]

He also has the factory beadlocks which need to be installed into wheels as part of the CTIS. But I very strongly recommend changing to Hutchinson wheels for that. They insure against debeading with pressures at the bottom of the CTIS range.

 

[Rando]

Any idea what a comfortable road speed for this would be?

 

[charlieaarons]

Top speed is 68.5 mph at max governed rpm (under load) of 2200.
I set my cruise control at 1900 (57-58) to decrease fuel consumption, kindness to engine, paranoia about the huge tires heating up (speed rating 55, 62, 68, or 70 depending where you look and interpret what you read). At that speed it’s relatively quiet, fine to talk to co-pilot or listen to music. With big camper (12500kg gross weight maximally loaded) it gets 8.7-9.0 mpg (~27L/100km) on pavement.
All U500s come with an incredibly useful exhaust brake. At 94k miles my original brake linings had >50% left and weren’t deemed needing replacement by a Unimog dealer in Germany.
Dreams of driving big heavy expedition trucks with the huge single tires necessary for traction and flotation (offroad) on Interstates at 80-85mph are dangerous fantasies.

 

[charlieaarons]

Re the price: mine and his were $125k new with nearly identical options (which added up to $30k of the total). They stopped selling them in North America at end of 2006.
If I were looking for a chassis for a large expedition camper, $ not an issue, I would look now at an Acela renewed FMTV with additional $25k 2 speed transfer case (at least $125k), or a renewed Steyr 12M18 by a German firm (similar $, up to 2 years wait), or a near new U500NA.
Current US legal offerings are less appealing. Complex troublesome emissions (getting rapidly harder to reprogram and delete), usually enormous hoods occupying lots of length. Front diff locks, CTIS and super low offroad creep speeds more or less unavailable.
I’d fantasize about the U500NA “stored in the barn” for 15 years.
This is apparently it. I consulted with another Anchorage neighbor who bought one recently that had been used by the USAF to plow snow on a remote Aleutian runway for 15 years. It lacked the desired options, wasn’t pristine, and has some problems. He still paid a lot for it.
Virtually all Unimogs purchased new by private individuals are ordered, not bought off the lot like a F150. The options make the vehicle and Mike ordered everything correctly. Except like me he didn’t order VarioPilot (switchable controls) for use in RHD countries. Wish I had.

 

[kcshoots]

I drove one just like this last week: a 2006 U500 NA with about 50k miles. Had many options but not CTIS or VarioPilot. I had always wanted one (mostly for the CTIS) and it was great to drive it but not to buy it and instead purchase another vehicle . The U500 is a lot of truck for a light camper. The air brakes and many low gears are difficult to modulate deceleration (at least for me in my drive with it unloaded). This one with CTIS is much more desirable as that is a feature I wish I had in my current vehicle at least a few times per month. going from pavement to dirt for a few days and back to pavement. This one is another rare NA U500--looks bread new. Surprisingly does not have the dumper bed which is at least useful for the subframe that it has, but a new subframe can be built specifically for the camper. It's tempting. I hope who buys this will report back here.

BTW, on my test drive I did get it up to about 70, maybe a tad over for a short bit on the freeway, and it actually drove best on the freeway than city streets--endless torque allowed for quick passing when needed.

 

[charlieaarons]

It rides a lot different with double the gross weight. Mine was 3800kg front, 2400 rear when brand new, no bed. Now 5100 front, 7400 rear with rear 2 fuel tanks empty, front 2 full and water full.
All kg.

 

[86scotty]

Any idea what a comfortable road speed for this would be?

At least 35 mph. You're good.

 

[Alloy]

The options make the vehicle and Mike ordered everything correctly. Except like me he didn’t order VarioPilot (switchable controls) for use in RHD countries. Wish I had.

Does this mean it has VarioPilot?

What GVWR did he order?


What is your over all height and width of your 500 Camper?

Thank you

 

[charlieaarons]

As stated, it doesn’t have VarioPilot. It does have X18 option. My camper body is 2105mm high plus 127mm for vent. Width 2360mm plus awning.
Overall height about 3550mm depending on tire inflation.

 

[shortbus4x4]

Wow, I'm drooling. It shouldn't last long with the price. Very nice low mileage pre emissions unit.

 

[Czechsix]

Very clean rig, should sell fast.

 

[4milesurfer]

This is a beautiful U500. I almost pulled the trigger on it a few years back. Mike was very straightforward and seemed like a good guy. Unfortunately, in the end it didn't fit our needs.

 

[RAM5500 CAMPERTHING]

Gawd Dayum! WANT