G-wagen Diesel? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

polarisrmk · #1 08-11-2009, 12:23 AM

I know they are rare but does anyone know where i could find a Diesel G-wagen. I have seen a few around but i have never seen one for sale. I would love to get my hands on one.

BodhiBenz1987 · #2 08-11-2009, 12:27 AM

Try eBay and craiglist. I've seen a lot float up on eBay. There used to a be a real nice looking GD350 around this area, and I actually saw it for sale on eBay. He wanted $15,000 and it had a bad head gasket, so I didn't even look. It was nice, though, and I think by the time they put that engine in the G it was redesigned to avoid rod bending.

I've always wanted one, too. They tend to attract pretty high bids due to their rarity, I guess, and a lot of them seem to have sort of shady pasts. I'm sure if you know what you're doing though, a pretty good 617- or 616-powered G could be easy to find.

polarisrmk · #3 08-11-2009, 12:32 AM

i would like a 617 powered GD just for reliability and i am used to the 617 engine as i have an SD. were they sold in the US? what years am i looking for?

i-osprey · #4 08-11-2009, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polarisrmk

i would like a 617 powered GD just for reliability and i am used to the 617 engine as i have an SD. were they sold in the US? what years am i looking for?

I'm pretty sure they were never sold here.

They are all grey market models that would have been imported.

polarisrmk · #5 08-11-2009, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i-osprey

I'm pretty sure they were never sold here.

They are all grey market models that would have been imported.

thats what i figured.... i wonder how hard it would be to import one here

Fulcrum525 · #6 08-11-2009, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by i-osprey

I'm pretty sure they were never sold here.

They are all grey market models that would have been imported.

There are some 300GD's around. Some are conversions, others are imports, make sure you know which you have. A true rarity is a G with a 617A (Turbocharged) conversion.

Grey market G's are so rare that I would settle for any SWB cabrio, gas or diesel. I'm still ticked that the particularity nice 1990 300GE from Texas slipped past me once again.

Also keep in mind the fact that some people charge and expect to get an absolute fortune for these trucks............

280GE....what should I expect?

BodhiBenz1987 · #7 08-11-2009, 12:59 AM

No diesel G was ever marketed to the U.S. However, many were imported on the gray market. I have seen a lot of 617-powered five-door (long wheel base) G's pop up on eBay and craigslist. I don't know the dates off the top of my head, but most seem to be from the early to mid 80s. I believe importation rules changed in the late-90s making it pretty much impossible to import a car. There used to be a place in Calif., though, that would import and adjust Gs to meet U.S. emissions. I can't remember what they were called, and I'm not sure if they still exist, but most of their Gs were expensive.

JimmyL · #8 08-11-2009, 01:02 AM

They are extremely rare, and when they do pop up it requires a very large pile of $$$$$$ to make it your own......

polarisrmk · #9 08-11-2009, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BodhiBenz1987

I believe importation rules changed in the late-90s making it pretty much impossible to import a car.

I have searched and searched on procedures to import a car and everything has led to a dead end. my friend was in the military and purchased a VW golf TDI 4motion in germany and they let him bring it back to the states! they paid for the shipping and everything! it now sits in the garage under a car cover and only goes to rallys

polarisrmk · #10 08-11-2009, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

They are extremely rare, and when they do pop up it requires a very large pile of $$$$$$ to make it your own......

Uggghhh not what i want to hear! i want one so bad!!

Fulcrum525 · #11 08-11-2009, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BodhiBenz1987

No diesel G was ever marketed to the U.S. However, many were imported on the gray market. I have seen a lot of 617-powered five-door (long wheel base) G's pop up on eBay and craigslist. I don't know the dates off the top of my head, but most seem to be from the early to mid 80s. I believe importation rules changed in the late-90s making it pretty much impossible to import a car. There used to be a place in Calif., though, that would import and adjust Gs to meet U.S. emissions. I can't remember what they were called, and I'm not sure if they still exist, but most of their Gs were expensive.

Europa was the biggest. I know of a shop in G & K Auto conversions that appear able to pull the same trick.

I called G & K a few days ago and I was annoyed by the fact that they wanted to charge me $400 for a simple mileage lookup on a vehicle that they converted some years ago. "Well its in our files so we have to search manually....." Seriously, how hard is it to hire someone to do data entry

?

Fulcrum525 · #12 08-11-2009, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polarisrmk

Uggghhh not what i want to hear! i want one so bad!!

They exist don't worry. Buying a Grey market G requires a lot diligence and even more patience.

BodhiBenz1987 · #13 08-11-2009, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fulcrum525

Europa was the biggest. I know of a shop in G & K Auto conversions that appear able to pull the same trick.

I called G & K a few days ago and I was annoyed by the fact that they wanted to charge me $400 for a simple mileage lookup on a vehicle that they converted some years ago. "Well its in our files so we have to search manually....." Seriously, how hard is it to hire someone to do data entry

?

Europa! That was it! I called them once, quite some time ago, to ask about the costs of importing a G and the guy kind of told me it would probably be out of my range ... he was right, but it seemed a little weird to just assume that about a caller. Guess I didn't sound rich! I could probably afford one now, but it doesn't seem like a very good investment. I'd rather wait until I have more restoration skills and grab a fixer-upper from eBay (which will still not be cheap!).

BodhiBenz1987 · #14 08-11-2009, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fulcrum525

They exist don't worry. Buying a Grey market G requires a lot diligence and even more patience.

Yeah, it's kind of an epic quest, I think. There were a few brought over, so it's possible to find one. Just have to hunt ... and don't jump on the first one you see!

polarisrmk · #15 08-11-2009, 01:11 AM

This quest originally started as a quest for a 190DT but if i am going to put that much effort into searching I decided to go for the GD