should I buy a G?

[BKCowGod]

Zimm - $3k will get you a pretty nice FSJ, several 90's American pickups, a somewhat rough Disco or a nice RR classic, an 80's Toyota, most Isuzus or Mitsus from the 90's... At least here in California, any of the above will be clean and rust free, passing smog, with all accessories working. This is not just anecdotal. I have never paid more than $5k for any vehicle... The BMWs and all my 4x4's were all under $2k.

 

[zimm]

Zimm - $3k will get you a pretty nice FSJ, several 90's American pickups, a somewhat rough Disco or a nice RR classic, an 80's Toyota, most Isuzus or Mitsus from the 90's... At least here in California, any of the above will be clean and rust free, passing smog, with all accessories working. This is not just anecdotal. I have never paid more than $5k for any vehicle... The BMWs and all my 4x4's were all under $2k.

if you say so. id love to see a full size 4x4 pickup that you could reliably put 15000 (1year) miles on, and not have repairs adding up. toyotas? been buyin them all my life. with the resale they have, you cant find a clean 3k one. you can find good runnin rust bucket though. land rovers? please. the brakes cost 4x more than a chevy's. i would NEVER buy a 3000 dollar disco.

so how much do you think you spend on 4wd rig, thats road worthy, and you could drive till the wheels fall off?

thats a 3k truck, fella. a 3k truck aint a keeper, unless its some emotional attachment.

the last sub 3k truck i bought was an fj 60. it was the perrrrrrfect rig to drive the wheels off of. 2 years cost me 200 bucks cause a fella bought it for parts.

 

[BKCowGod]

if you say so. id love to see a full size 4x4 pickup that you could reliably put 15000 (1year) miles on, and not have repairs adding up. toyotas? been buyin them all my life. with the resale they have, you cant find a clean 3k one. you can find good runnin rust bucket though. land rovers? please. the brakes cost 4x more than a chevy's. i would NEVER buy a 3000 dollar disco.

so how much do you think you spend on 4wd rig, thats road worthy, and you could drive till the wheels fall off?

thats a 3k truck, fella. a 3k truck aint a keeper, unless its some emotional attachment.

the last sub 3k truck i bought was an fj 60. it was the perrrrrrfect rig to drive the wheels off of. 2 years cost me 200 bucks cause a fella bought it for parts.

Not to get into a pissing match, but every vehicle pictured below (including my dad's Jeep and my friend's Toy) was under $3000. True, the orange one was a project vehicle, but the rest were dirt reliable in all weather in all conditions for many miles. The baby in my fleet is my wife's M3 with only 150k on it. The rest of my vehicles generally had at least 200k.

 

[michaelgroves]

where do you live, that 3k can even buy a vehicle that runs for more than a year w/o having to dump 3k or more into it? i really fail to see where my hoard has any bearing on your point, when 3k is below the reliable 4wd threshold anyway. unless youre damn lucky, thats beater truck fundage.

What you were endorsing was this comment: "Buy what you want and use it, use it up for this price. Lifes too short." In other words, the 3K is well spent, just to play with the truck, no matter what.

What I'm saying is that 3K is too much for the likes of me to spend on a toy that I will just "use up". If I were to spend $3K (or any amount, really - "spare" money is an alien concept to me!), it would have to be on something I really want, and will last a reasonably time. And I'd think long and hard about it first.

Your "hoard" is germane because you evidently have a fair amount of money to put into vehicles, and so don't have to make as many choices as some others. It's a nice position to be in, but don't assume everyone is as fortunate!

Btw, again, your assumptions about pricing must be very local to you. Here in the UK, a good diesel Discovery 1 can be had for well under £2K, and run very very cheaply, since LR parts are incredibly cheap.

 

[4Rescue]

Man I say go for it. If It's got F/R lockers and it runs (and the 4wd works) it's worth at LEAST 3k. Like someone said, that truck here in the states would go for 10K plus. The G-Wagen is built Hell-for-stout so no matter what engine it has in it you're at least starting with some good quality running gear. What's to stop you from throwing in the diesel of your choice shoulod you deem it nessescary??? If for nothing else, just buy it so we can all drool over it

For point of reference:
Bought my 1st Gen 4Runner 22RE 5spd and in IMACULATE shape for 1500 (admitedly from a friend who knew how much it meant to me), droped in a clutch for 200 and away I went for 2.5 years before I had to replace the 22RE (@ 250+K) for another 1800 that brings the grand total to 2k spent ... So so 3500 bucks get's a very collectable truck that'll last another 200K at least...

I'd say a 3k truck is very attainalble, you've just got to be patient adn keep your eyes open. Course it helps if you start with the right truck (I doubt you could get a Disco for the same money that'd run/last as long...)

Cheers

Dave

 

[michaelgroves]

The problem in the UK is the relative running costs. The MB trucks are reliable, but things do break and wear out. If you off-road one for kicks, it will start to cost an arm and a leg. If you're considering it for expedition use or a DD, then you probably want to start with one that's a bit newer or in better condition, and spend quite a lot more than $3K.

You can buy a Discovery with a pair of ARBs, which will more competent off road, for a LOT less money than a G-wagen in similar condition. You don't get the quality and reliability, but even so, the Discoveries are dirt cheap (by comparison) to run, maintain, and kit out.

 

[Gurkha]

The G Wagen is indomitable off road so even of its a bit more costly to run, its over engineered, breaks far less and can take hits which will bend others. Best of all, it is a dream off road, will do things in 2WD mode that will need 4WD mode on others.

 

[4Rescue]

The G Wagen is indomitable off road so even of its a bit more costly to run, its over engineered, breaks far less and can take hits which will bend others. Best of all, it is a dream off road, will do things in 2WD mode that will need 4WD mode on others.

*Cough*... 70 Series Landcruiser...*cough*

I agree the G is a really neat truck but there are certainly a few others that are right there with it in terms of quality and capability. Hell, an LJ Rubicon will GO anywhere a G will (might even do better in the mud/goop with the 4.0L I6), it just might not be in as good of shape when or if it comes home

Cheers

Dave

 

[michaelgroves]

*Cough*... 70 Series Landcruiser...*cough*

I agree the G is a really neat truck but there are certainly a few others that are right there with it in terms of quality and capability. Hell, an LJ Rubicon will GO anywhere a G will (might even do better in the mud/goop with the 4.0L I6), it just might not be in as good of shape when or if it comes home

Cheers

Dave

Agreed. The G-wagen is excellent in its own way, but it's not in a class of its own. Like any 4x4, it has weak points, and at least three spring to mind: 1) it's heavy; 2) it has mediocre axle articulation; 3) it lacks power. Futhermore, its main offroad party trick is having lockable axle diffs - which these days isn't such a big deal. I'm not sure what "it will do things in 2WD mode that will need 4WD mode on others" means, exactly, but I expect a Rubicon or a Disco 1 or 2, or a Defender fitted with axle lockers would all acquit themselves very well against a G on any trail.

My point to the OP about the viability of the G as an off-road "banger" plaything, though, was more about the cost of add-ons and the inevitable breakages and maintenance that need to be factored in. It's about why someone would buy a G-wagen as opposed to another truck, which is an even more complicated question than "which is the best off-road".

In fairness, one thing that is heavily in favour of a G-wagen, is that depreciation is relatively low compared to similarly priced vehicles. However, again, that is more an advantage if one is not buying the truck as an offroad plaything!

 

[Gurkha]

*Cough*... 70 Series Landcruiser...*cough*

I agree the G is a really neat truck but there are certainly a few others that are right there with it in terms of quality and capability. Hell, an LJ Rubicon will GO anywhere a G will (might even do better in the mud/goop with the 4.0L I6), it just might not be in as good of shape when or if it comes home

Cheers

Dave

I have owned 80 series TLC, I still respect TLCs and find them quite competent and reliable but they can't take punishment like the G and the G has quite an edge with two lockers engaged. Also I find the G has far better powertrain, in terms of engine, I will give the HINO build diesel on TLC equal footing with OM616/617 and better rating than the other MB engines.

If you just want to bang around off road for cheap, nothing and I mean nothing comes close to a rebuilt Willys JEEP. They are light, cheap to fix even though they break often and very easy to run.

 

[michaelgroves]

If you just want to bang around off road for cheap, nothing and I mean nothing comes close to a rebuilt Willys JEEP. They are light, cheap to fix even though they break often and very easy to run.

Here in the UK, a Willys would be horribly expensive to run! (And, like a G-wagen, they are too valuable to be just a toy). The most popular 4x4 bangers are old Land Rovers (Series, Defenders, RRCs, Discoveries, and hybrids). Also Suzuki SJs, Daihatsu Fourtraks, and Lada Nivas.

 

[mauricio_28]

Gurkha, out of curiosity, if I were looking for a 1990s TDI "G", what would be the year and model number/letter to get?

 

[Gurkha]

Gurkha, out of curiosity, if I were looking for a 1990s TDI "G", what would be the year and model number/letter to get?

300GD, stick your sights to that. Check for rust and proper functioning of diff locks, also look for excessive steering shake, little bit is fine, excessive, walk away from it.

 

[Gurkha]

Here in the UK, a Willys would be horribly expensive to run! (And, like a G-wagen, they are too valuable to be just a toy). The most popular 4x4 bangers are old Land Rovers (Series, Defenders, RRCs, Discoveries, and hybrids). Also Suzuki SJs, Daihatsu Fourtraks, and Lada Nivas.

Michael,

In India there are a lot of them and you can find them being used by enthusiasts in various JEEP off road events. In fact JEEP guys are rabid fanatics here and in their motto, nothing else will do. If they can't afford Willys then they go for the JEEP made by Mahindra using Peugot diesel or modified JEEP petrol engine which Mahindra converted to OHC from side valve.

 

[michaelgroves]

300GD, stick your sights to that. Check for rust and proper functioning of diff locks, also look for excessive steering shake, little bit is fine, excessive, walk away from it.

I've never owned or even driven a turbo diesel G-wagen, so I can't comment on whether the 300GD is better. But I own a 300GD (it's a 1985 LWB model 460), and without a turbo, it's very underpowered, even by Land Rover standards. This doesn't matter too much to me, but it would make it less of a pleasure as a DD.