I bought a new expedition rig. Welcome the G500

[spencevans]

I sold the Montero to the neighbor because it took on a little damage to the front fender and I wanted something that would seat more than 7 passengers because the baby is due in a month. First off, the Montero is an amazing rig and I will miss it dearly. It is the most underrated offroad vehicle I have ever driven and I definitely prefer it to the 80 and 100 series Land Cruiser. That is just a personal preference and I am sure I will buy another Montero here in the next year or two.

I thought long and hard about what to get and I several vehicles met my qualifications. I wanted seating for 8-9, decent offroad ability for overlanding, reliability, comfort and safety. After looking at many different vehicles the wife and I settled on getting a 2003 Mercedes G500. I know it is not a main steam offroader here in the states but I think it will fit my needs very well. I have driven about a dozen or so and I really like how well built they are. I fly out to pick it up Friday morning. Hopefully all goes well. I will post pics when I get them.

So does anyone have experience with these rigs or have any knowledge about them? I know they are kind of rare, but they are legendary in the offroad community.

 

[SAMI]

Legendary for sure...

"....six out of its seven G-Wagons have been crippled by broken rear shock absorbers seven days into the drive. The lone undamaged vehicle is actually a specially modified military-spec vehicle called the G-Professional"

http://i.autoblog.com/2011/08/08/australian-outback-cripples-fleet-of-mercedes-g-wagons-during-pr/

 

[spencevans]

Yeah I read that, but I don't consider an OEM shock failure a real issue. They use the same OEM manufactures as Toyota, MItsubishi and other offroad manufactures. It is not a Mercedes issue.

Legendary for sure...

"....six out of its seven G-Wagons have been crippled by broken rear shock absorbers seven days into the drive. The lone undamaged vehicle is actually a specially modified military-spec vehicle called the G-Professional"

http://i.autoblog.com/2011/08/08/australian-outback-cripples-fleet-of-mercedes-g-wagons-during-pr/

 

[SAMI]

Point is, it shouldn't really matter what vehicle takes you out in the hills.. I think the "perfect expedition vehicle" is the one that you use to explore.

It's a 4x4 vehicle that was build for road comforts. You'll take it on some car camping trips and call them "expos".

... And then you'll sell this Gwagon for a Pinz so that you can fit the 10 kids in it, while maintaining that everything is better than an 80 and 100 series Land Cruiser, but that the Pinz narrowly beats the exponess of the Montero, and Gwagon.

 

[SAMI]

I'm sure this rig will work for what you will use it for. I bet that any rig rollin on OE shocks would get eaten up on the Canning Stock Route just the same.. To MB's credit, all the Gwagons made it to the end of the trip after addressing the suspension issues.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

The G-wagon has tons of power and traction, plus they ride very smooth for having solid axles front and rear.

 

[Unimog]

I've been offroad a fair amount with g-wagons in our unimog travels and I've been generally impressed with their capabilities and reliability. Anyone who has spent much time outside the US, especially in third world countries, will not be surprised that Mercedes is the largest heavy truck manufacturer in the world. Although no vehicle is perfect, there is a reason they hold that position.

 

[JL Rockies]

We take a lot of them in as trades for Escalades, we just wholesale them out because the recon expense it too great. In defense of Mercedes though, we do the same thing with the Maserati vehicles we take in.

 

[lenny]

I dig it, different and fun to drive

 

[sixstringsteve]

got any pics spence?

 

[Spork]

I'd wheel it. Of course the standard warning that I like bastard vehicles and I'm not afraid of wheeling something different apply.

of course this leads to the question PICS???

 

[spencevans]

Yeah I got some pics, I just need to post them up, I have some much fun driving it, I have not had time to upload the pics. I had it up to the Bountiful "B" the other day and she performed flawlessly. They are an interesting vehicle. They run a divorced transfer case which is tucked up nicely under the vehicle. All the other vitals are tucked up between the frame rails. It's amazing how well thought out the under carriage is on the g500. The frame looks like it belongs under a 2 1/2 ton truck rather than a midsized SUV. Because of the beefy frame, it feel like an old CJ7 whenever you hit a bump, but I don't mind that feeling. The steering is on the heavy side, but that is normal for the g500. The power and acceleration are very adequate and I have been averaging 16.3MPG with mixed driving over the past 3 tanks. The downside is it does require premium fuel which is more expensive. I will try to post some pics before I go backpacking to the Uinta's but I can't make any promises.

 

[spencevans]

I was able to take the G down to Moab and the Swell over the weekend. All I can say is I was very impressed. While I did take my kids on some easy trails, we also did some very difficult trails. Several thing impressed me about the G. Because of its narrow track and short over hangs it handled like a Suzuki Samurai on the technical trails. It's like it didn't care that it had stock 30" tires. It just did its thing and conquered all the trails with out rubbing once. While the G is not for every one, I would highly consider it if you are thinking about getting a Defender, JK, or FJ80. In stock form it will keep up with any rig on the market. Where my LX450's came up short, the G excels. I love that it has more than enough power, but still returns 17-18 mpg. I also love that it has short over hangs and the rear end does not rub on every rock. What I do miss is the after market support that the FJ80 and JK enjoy, but the G really doesn't need it.

Here are a fe pics from our trip to Moab and the Swell. I do have a few plans for mods but they are pretty basic because the rig is perfect right out of the box. The G class is one of the best kept secret in the offroad industry. I just plan to add some larger tires, Bilstien shocks and a roof rack so I can mount my roof top tent.

 

[lenny]

Awesome! Any plans to lift it? Can you run like a 265 on it without lifting? Hows the reliability been so far?

 

[Kevin B.]

I would be afraid to put that thing on gravel, and it wouldn't have anything to do with whether or not it could handle it. That's a lot of money to be that close to a lot of sharp rocks.

 

[blznnp]

I remember watching a car tv show years ago and they did a feature on the G-wagon, they gave it a lot of praise for how well it did offroad for a stock vehicle.

 

[spencevans]

Awesome! Any plans to lift it? Can you run like a 265 on it without lifting? Hows the reliability been so far?

The stock tires are 265/60/18's which translates to a 30.5" tire. Because it has large wheel openings and adequate power same owners will run 325/60/18's (33.5") with out any trimming or modifications. With small 1" body life you can fit 35" tires on a G-class. other than a small body lift and and 1" suspension lift not much is available. But I really don't think it needs it. I plan to run some 32" tires. It think the 32's would be a good compromise. As far as reliability goes it has been excellent. The G500 has a history of being a very reliable vehicle and this one is no different.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I would be afraid to put that thing on gravel, and it wouldn't have anything to do with whether or not it could handle it. That's a lot of money to be that close to a lot of sharp rocks.

You can actually find them cheaper than you would think, but the best option is to find an older td model out of Canada and import it.

 

[spencevans]

I have been shopping around for a few accessories for the G wagon. I am going to pick up a Baja Roof Rack so I can mount my roof top tent on the G 500. I am also working on getting some 16" Hutchinson Beadlocks in matte black so I can mount some 235/85/16 mud terrains.

Hey Greg, if your out there, where did you get the cover of the 1st gen Mombossa tent? I would like to see if I can get one in gray or black. If not, I will have to have one made to match my ride.

The baja roof rack

The Hutchinson 0492 run flat, dot approved beadlock wheels. These are the ones used by military forces around the world. Hutchinson also make the 1207 Dot approved beadlock that has less back spacing, so they stick out more. I like the military look.

 

[Greg]

Hey Greg, if your out there, where did you get the cover of the 1st gen Mombossa tent? I would like to see if I can get one in gray or black. If not, I will have to have one made to match my ride...

Oh, I'm out there... :freak:

I'm pretty sure I got the cover from Camping Lab - http://www.campinglab.com

They were left-over new-old stock and IIRC, there were only a few left... and that was a few years ago. IMHO you'll be luck to find a cover in stock for a 1st Gen Mombasa.