This intriguing unit is correctly described as a G320, Model 463 LWB Gelandewagen and is the last year for the reliable M104 straight-six engine.
4WD of course plus the separate locking differentials front & rear, AC, leather, power windows & seats; tires are recent Michelin 225/65/16 LTX M&S's, the correct tire for this unit. The original owner (up to Fall '09 & 145K miles) was a principal in a KY MBz dealership and we have his excellent service records that this truck got pretty much whatever it needed while in his custody...the 2nd owner sold it to "our shop" (Precision Motorcars here in Cincinnati) in Fall 2011 with 152K (it now has 159K miles) and while in Precision's care they did over $2K in updates including all fluids and a new battery. Nice paint and body, truck had some minor paintwork recently (fender dings, etc) but no accidents in the Carfax; interior is nice with no splits or stains (and note that this is a 7-passenger with the 2 rear jumpseats). Some additional info: This unit is light on external "off-road" equipment like grille guards, etc. (all of which is available thru Europa, the authorized North American distributor for G-wagons) for the simple reason that it spent little time on anything other than hard pavement and is evidenced by a very clean underside; this unit is actually quite civilized to drive, driving it reminds us of an older Land Cruiser; secondly, in Fall of '04 at 82K one of the original owner's family members ran this unit at excessive speed thru a large puddle of standing water, creating a bow wave and drowning out the engine which bent rods, etc.;
the owner, having an "in" with the MBz dealership and cutting no corners, replaced the motor with a new MBz long block engine (not "rebuilt", not "short block" ; this is all documented). So - 159K on the chassis, but 77K on the engine (and it shows when driving!) Price? CPI (Cars of Particular Interest, a division of Black Book and widely used in the trade) shows a wide range on these, from mid-teens to $29K so we're in the middle at $21,950. To cut down on curiosity calls we are advertising this unit only in Hemmings and on this website; if you would like more information about the G-wagons we recommend going to Wikipedia and entering "Gelandewagen", you'll get a 16-page education including the original design being for NATO, who/what "Europa" is, the many models & options, and the fact that no less than 35 countries (plus the US Marines) use the rugged G-wagon as a light military vehicle.... |
