The 463 chassis is a proven, durable platform on which to build a capable off-road vehicle. It looks like a heavy duty vehicle and it drives like a heavy duty vehicle. Since the chassis and drivetrain are relatively simple, they don't seem to have many issues. Some early U.S. G's needed modified steering damper brackets to cure a vibration when driving on bumpy roads. Others had problems with premature traction system intervention due to the vehicles' high center of gravity. This was cured by modified software in the ESP control module. All in all though, pretty reliable.

Some of the G-Wagen's electrical systems are nearly identical to the W203 C-Class. The climate control system, power seats, and a few other things are all borrowed from the 203.

Before you take the plunge though, make sure to get as much "seat time" as you possibly can. If you plan on owning a G-Wagen as your daily driver you've got your work cut out. I had the use of a G500 for two weeks back in July and I was glad when it was over. The steering requires much more effort than any of the other MB trucks, the doors are hard to close, and the ride just plain sucks. At the end of a tough day, the G-Wagen doesn't offer much in the way of comfort. Another thing that bugged me was driving at night. Every piece of glass on the G-Wagen is flat. It was like driving around with a bunch of mirrors in the truck. The headlights of the surrounding traffic coming and going made for a distracting ride. Of course, these are personal observations. You may find the G-Wagen to be a dream ride. Good luck