W460 G wagon

[Rick007]

Picked up an early G 280 GE from auction a couple of weeks ago ...   
Think they are the coolest cars ... and prices are on the rise , so its time to pick one up.  Especially a good SWB or convertible version getting tougher to find .

Any other Gwagon fans amongst us ?

     

[Pawel66]

Yes, as you see in my signature! 
Big time!
W463 300GE, SWB, 1991
W463 G55 AMG, LWB, 1998

[Rick007]

Yes the G55 AMG  ... Great car 

Mine's a 1988 W460 with only 59000 km and the old checkered interior.     
Really starting to love these cars ...and sure that they will get high appreciation from classic car lovers in future. 

   

[Jonny B]

Really cool Rick. Not an owner, but always a fan of these.
Perhaps you should start looking for a 6X6??

[Pawel66]

Or 4x4square? 
The G55 is the first series of G55 - no kompressor, no electronic aids, just pure power - fun to drive. She spent most of her life in Dubai in the Police. She was white. She had 70k km milage when I bought her 7 years ago. I have all the papers. Now she has ca 80k. No rust. I worked on interior a lot as the Police were not necessarily very careful...

The Grandma, 300GE, has 260k milage, but still is like a spark. I just had to replace head gasket 2 years ago. She is nice and swift, my wife likes her a lot.

[zak]

Yes I love them and am looking for a 463 euro import exempt from emissions ( + 25 years old).
There seems to be a lot of them coming over.
I had a 2002 G500 but traded in on a new ML CDI in 2007  when gas prices approached $5. bucks a gallon in US and the G was getting 10 mpg.


jz

[CCollum]

Where are the best places to look for G wagons? Starting the search for one myself.

[WRe]

Hi,
do you know Hans Hehl's G-Wagon website: http://www.hehlhans.de?
...WRe

[CCollum]

Hadn't seen that site yet. Thank you.

[JamesL]

Got a LWB G400 (463) with a 4litre twin-turbo-diesel in the front. 19 years old and spent most of it's life in Spain so there's sand and dust in every nook, but no rust. Yet

Bought it from Mr Stick on here and that does remind me, I need to book it in with him for a service and MOT

(there has been some discussion in my house about selling it and the Evoque and going to a very late 463)

[zak]

I read that the 2019 Gwagons have eliminated the solid front axle and gone to a double wishbone set up.
I presume that is for hi speed cruising.
My G500- 2002- was never comfortable over 75+ mph.
In my 2015 ML 250 Blutech I can cruise at 100 mph all day long at like 2200 rpms.

Buy the G Wagon is a far,far cooler ride!

Pawell, how fast can you cruise comfortably in your beast G55?

jz

[pch2021]

Right here! '94 G320! good find!

[Pawel66]

I read that the 2019 Gwagons have eliminated the solid front axle and gone to a double wishbone set up.
I presume that is for hi speed cruising.
My G500- 2002- was never comfortable over 75+ mph.
In my 2015 ML 250 Blutech I can cruise at 100 mph all day long at like 2200 rpms.

Buy the G Wagon is a far,far cooler ride!

Pawell, how fast can you cruise comfortably in your beast G55?

jz

With ear plugs cruising at 100mph it is easy.

But seriously - I never experienced big issues with the way the car is handling at speeds in the range of 160km/h on freeways.

LWBs are better than SWBs.

I think the main issue with old Gclass at high speeds is noise, as the shape is square. I did not feel anything bad about the front axle at hogh speeds on freeways. It is, however, quite terrible on corners. It looks like the new Gclass, which I think is brilliant, addresses both - it has some more round shapes here and there that do not ruin the concept but probably help in reducing noise - by how much I do not know. And the changed  front axe must be helping in driving comfort.

[zak]

I see many used euro import G-Wagons for sale in US now- years 1991,92,93. Many short wheel bases which are not seen in US too much.
They are 463 models so nice interiors and exempt from US EPA emissions requirements.
Next year- 2019- the first year 1994 G320's will be eligible for importation.
I scan euro used G  websites and planning a spring buying trip.

In reading some G enthusiast websites there the G seems to require a lot of maintenance. It is always a topic of discussion.  Why would say a  2000 G500 need more maintenance than an S500 of the same year?
Or a 1994 G320 vs a 1994 e320 ?
Doesn't make sense to me.

Pawell and Pierre, do you find the G is high maintenance or no?

jz 

[Pawel66]

Zak,

I have 1991 (manufacturing) and 1993 (registration) W463 SWB 300GE and 1998 G55 AMG. Prices went up recently in Europe. Go to mobile.de to see.

Maintenence: there is more, I think, not related to engine care, but you have 3 propeller shafts (instead of one), 3 differentials (instead of one) and two gear boxes. You also have the electro-hydraulic system of 3 differential locks. Earlier cars had cardans on propeller shafts, later had homokinetic joints, which were easier to maintain (not sure if I got the names correct in English).

I think this is the difference. You need to have a mechanic who knows these cars.

Some people may have this impression also because some cars are taken off-road - and this makes a big difference, as you can imagine.

Other than drive train and results of off-road - maintenance is similar to the other cars in my view. In MB dealership you will have higher price per hour than in some of the "flat" cars.