Sad to say goodbye

[indy4x]

Bought this off a mate about 2 years ago who was in the process of selling everything and then going off around the world.

It's a 1988 Mercedes G Wagon, 300GD, mechanically good, chassis was mint but bodywork had seen better days.

Had every intention of doing a full rebuild on it but lack of space, work, life, her indoors etc meant no progress was made.

Having done a few ground up restores 20 years ago am aware of the commitment needed but as the mate I bought it off had returned to the UK he eventually persuaded me to sell it back to him and picked it up earlier this week

If you've been following my other thread today then you know it met with a fatal accident

 

[gordon stephenson]

Thats a shame, Lovable vehicles, I had a 280GEL for quite a few years long ago, Fantastic build quality,Chassis was still shiny like stove enamel, Hydraulic diff locks back and front. Prone to petrol tanks rusting out,

 

[indy4x]

I think LR could learn a lot from Mercedes in making a chassis last, don't know what they painted it with but it's rock solid stuff and really protects the chassis, this one was still shines if you rubbed of the dirt

Being a normally aspirated diesel it certainly didn't set the world alight but the hydraulic difflocks are a real bonus

It also had the fuel tank replaced with a plastic one so no rust problems there

 

[Shox Dr]

I think LR could learn a lot from Mercedes in making a chassis last, don't know what they painted it with but it's rock solid stuff and really protects the chassis, this one was still shines if you rubbed of the dirt

But it's a Chelsea tractor for people with more money than taste. The closest they get to mud is the grass verge outside Tarquins Fondue class.

 

[8ob]

But it's a Chelsea tractor for people with more money than taste. The closest they get to mud is the grass verge outside Tarquins Fondue class.

Probably true of 75% of the 4x4`s on the roads today.

A friend of mine was an owner/ member of the G wagon and anorak owners club, he managed to con me into doing service and repair work through our workshop for about twenty of the club members. Our fitter at the time could not believe the cost of parts, he overhauled a front axle on one and it came to £2,300 in parts alone, then there was a rear wheel bearing needed on another one ( pressed on the halfshaft with a shrink sleeve behind it) and Mercs wanted to supply it with the halfshaft as an assembly for £800 . Managed to get that off , push on a Merc van bearing and make a new shrink sleeve in the lathe . Expensive to maintain if you are not handy with a spanner and I personally thought they were ergonomically atrocious, that said they do have a following.

Bob

 

[gordon stephenson]

The G Wagen forum is usually pretty good at knowing which identical VW van parts will fit for a cheaper price.

 

[Shox Dr]

Probably true of 75% of the 4x4`s on the roads today.

A friend of mine was an owner/ member of the G wagon and anorak owners club, he managed to con me into doing service and repair work through our workshop for about twenty of the club members. Our fitter at the time could not believe the cost of parts, he overhauled a front axle on one and it came to £2,300 in parts alone, then there was a rear wheel bearing needed on another one ( pressed on the halfshaft with a shrink sleeve behind it) and Mercs wanted to supply it with the halfshaft as an assembly for £800 . Managed to get that off , push on a Merc van bearing and make a new shrink sleeve in the lathe . Expensive to maintain if you are not handy with a spanner and I personally thought they were ergonomically atrocious, that said they do have a following.

Bob

For sure, probably higher now farmers use the small 4x4 type buggys come ATVs.

LR haters love to knock them. A mate of my lad brought a Hilux for my to "look at" the other day, and that was all I did, never been off road, family owned since new, and it was rotten, parts are stoopid money, and then there's Nissans falling in half in less than 10yrs.

Give me a LR any day. Well if I didnt have a gret lump of yank iron

 

[Swift&Bold]

Shame that, I've fancied owning a LWB G-Wagon for many a year.

 

[indy4x]

But it's a Chelsea tractor for people with more money than taste. The closest they get to mud is the grass verge outside Tarquins Fondue class.

Before I reply to this I am in no way a LR hater, am now into my 4th year of owning a Td5 Disco and have also had a P38 as well

Same could be said of LR, most of what they sell never goes off road, the days of them producing a rugged off road type vehicle is a thing of the past

My comments over the chassis are well founded, my D2 chassis is not great and you just have to look at the market for galv LR chassis to know that they do rust whereas the Merc chassis seem to be built to last.

Front and rear difflocks as standard plus a transfer box where you can switch between H & L ratio while moving make them a competent off road vehicle

Yes the newer G's are Chelsea tractors, the older ones weren't and were designed to be a rugged off road vehicle. The G that I had was used off road, lots, and had the scars to prove it and my intention was to do the same

 

[Ton-up]

Shame that, I've fancied owning a LWB G-Wagon for many a year.

Although I'm into my Landrovers, I have wanted one of these for a few yearS -

 

[gordon stephenson]

One of the things that I liked about my G besides the reliability and capability was the way the doors shut, Sounded and felt like the doors on an old fashioned railway carriage, Really nice solid clunk,

 

[Shox Dr]

Before I reply to this I am in no way a LR hater, am now into my 4th year of owning a Td5 Disco and have also had a P38 as well

Same could be said of LR, most of what they sell never goes off road, the days of them producing a rugged off road type vehicle is a thing of the past

My comments over the chassis are well founded, my D2 chassis is not great and you just have to look at the market for galv LR chassis to know that they do rust whereas the Merc chassis seem to be built to last.

Front and rear difflocks as standard plus a transfer box where you can switch between H & L ratio while moving make them a competent off road vehicle

Yes the newer G's are Chelsea tractors, the older ones weren't and were designed to be a rugged off road vehicle. The G that I had was used off road, lots, and had the scars to prove it and my intention was to do the same

Oh they rot all righty, but so would anything dipped in cow/sheep/pig poo and mud, day in day out.

Difference is, parts are available and dont cost the earth.

 

[indy4x]

LR do, and don't need to spend their life dipped in poop and mud to do so, plenty out there that haven't and are still rotten.

But yes, Mercedes parts can be eye wateringly expensive however given the choice between an old G Wagon or LR then the G would be my preferred option but that's just me and I do love LR and appreciate them for what they are

 

[R-D-R]

I've owned 5 Discos all from new over the last 12 years and the quality has been going down purchase by purchase. My first D3 was superb, the latest D4 had 13 snags on delivery plus weld problems and electrical problems and there is quite a lot of rust underneath already ( only done 18k miles). You would have thought given the D3/4 model run was for 12 years they would have it nailed by now.

 

[Shox Dr]

Doesnt anyone have a new vehicle protected underneath anymore? It was common practice once.

The cost of having it done is a tiny fraction of the cost of the vehicle.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Doesnt anyone have a new vehicle protected underneath anymore? It was common practice once.

That's what happens when the bean counters get a foot in the door.

You may be familiar with the definition of an Accountant - "The person brought onto the field of battle after the event, not to count the dead but to bayonet the wounded"