X2. That's why I drive a LandCruiser and not a GWagon.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Now this is what Im talking about! Thanks for all the great information!

Andrew - Thanks for introducing me to an amazing forum!

Zu! - Thanks for the offer, but the more research I do the more I think I want to find a rig that was originally delivered to N America, unlike this G-Wagon that is originally from Bosnia. That said I might still take you up on that offer, if I find a better car for the money (like a 70-series Land Cruiser Wagon).

Mac - Thanks for the carrier idea. I just started looking into custom brokers, but I think a one stop shop could easily be worth the extra $$$. If you wouldn't mind, would you pass along the name of the company you used? I would be greatly appreciative.

Hattersaguy - I am hopefully going to get the chance to drive a 300GD 4-speed manual later this week, and I was able to drive a very rough and out of tune 280GE auto last week. To be honest I am still waivering between finding a 280GE and a 300GD. Its looking like the extra price of diesel will all but cancel out the added MPG and I have always wanted an M-B with the M104, but I love the deliberateness and strategy that it took to drive my '82 300D Turbo quickly and efficiently...as you can see I am still on the fence about this Either way I wouldn't be using the G-Wagon as a daily driver, it would be more about heading up to the mountains to explore, hike and go camping with the family.

Zu! & Kerry - I hear you there. I have spent the last few months looking for the perfect 80 or 100 series Land Cruiser but for better or worse every time I think I have found it, someone buys it the day before I can get out to see it...So it goes. The Land Cruiser is definitely the more logical choice, but a W460 G-Wagon has a coolness factor that a Land Cruiser doesn't quite match.

Do you mean the customs broker I used for the imports I did myself? Unfortunately the company I used is Canadian-based only, so they can only handle imports into Canada. You will need a broker on the U.S. side.

If you mean the carrier-broker... actually I used the same one the two times, three years apart. The first time their service was really professional. I got a call when the car went onto the first 'pickup' trailer, then when it was loaded for the actual trip. I got a call when it crossed the border and a predicted arrival time that was accurate within an hour.

The second time it was awful. The car was offloaded by the second carrier in Detroit without explanation. It arrived two weeks late with no explanation or apology (or notification, I only found it was with customs here by calling them) and the wheel covers had been stolen in transit. I got nowhere calling them. I had to assume perhaps the company had changed hands between my first and second experiences.

Be aware that, unless you hire a very upmarket transporter, such as the ones who advertise in Hemmings, you are usually contracting with a broker who then farms the job out to an owner/operator trucker, or a company -- or several, depending on the run -- who get the car there. The fewer the better. No matter what they 'guarantee' or claim up front, the car will only arrive as quickly as they can broker out the run(s) involved in the trip to the actual owner/ops or carrier companies. Anything else they claim is pure cr@p. (Some companies may offer some sort of 'hot shot' premium service where they guarantee that the car will only move on one truck. It might be worth it.)

So if the route involved here is a heavily travelled one, bullay for you. You won't likely have many headaches. If, other hand, one leg involves going into an area with less traffic, you may encounter delays when the vehicle gets dropped at 'hubs' -- which I found out after my Detroit experience, are often (maybe always) the big regional auto auction lots, where they have 'in transit' areas where cars on the move get stored.

So, after all I've said, if you're feeling adventurous, I believe the transporter/broker I used goes by AA-AutoTrans out of San Diego.

And if you know anyone who works in the transportation business... now would be the time to invite them out for some wings n'brew. Somone on the inside might be able to steer you toward a smooth path.

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Get one that's already in the states. It will save you the first ton of headaches so that you can focus on the 2nd ton of headaches. Sadly most W460s are on their second or third owners with the first ones having taken good care of their G-Wagens with the second or third owners kicking the crap out of them. My 300GD was a prime example of this. It took me months just to get it up to where it should have been from the date of purchase.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/open-discussion/305584-search-has-finally-ended.html

Be patient with your search (It took me 5 years) and get the best possible example that you can find. As Hattie said, these aren't performance vehicles. My cabrio is the lightest G and the performance is adequate. That 4 door weighs a lot by itself....start throwing in power window motors and all the other touches and it starts to make a difference. Being good at driving stick is also a must as 4th WON'T get you up a hill. You're welcome to try mine out if you're ever in CT to get an idea.

It's too bad that you weren't looking at year ago as one sold right in your backyard by a peachparts member who knews what he was doing.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-cars-sale/290529-fs-1980-300gd-virginia-pics.html

I can help point you in the right direction for classifieds but I need to know your budget, requirements and expectations.

__________________
1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

IMHO if you plan on using it for camping buy a V8!

Save up a bit more and buy a later model G, its the same vehicle just with more bang. Or find a gray market one like Mike did awhile back with an M119 under the hood.

4 door G's do real good with about 300hp.

__________________
2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I'm looking for a 4-door, manual transmission, 460 of say the 1984-1991 vintage. I'm still on the fence on 300GD vs 280GE, I really want 2-3 lockers. I'm hoping to spend between $10-15k. End goal, to build a poor mans G Entdecker.

You've found the best place on the interwebs for Mercedes Info.

Blindranger(Matt) gave me my first ride in a diesel Mercedes in his red 300D around 10 years ago, what year was that car?
You could always find a good clean one with a bad engine, and transplant a turbo diesel into it. If the wifey would put up with that.

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I'm in Vancouver right now.
I have seen this ride last week.Been for sale for a while now.I walked away from it...Its too suspicious so many things just dont add up!
My advise? WALK!!

Cheers
Big Dan

__________________
Cheers
Big Dan MEng

Visit my Blog..
http://allformercedesbenz.blogspot.com/

www.benzguy.piczo.com



If at first you don't succeed,
Skydiving is not for you.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS NO
MATCH FOR NATURAL STUPIDITY.

If anything can go wrong,fix it!
The hell with Murphy!!
I never think of the future.It comes soon enough.

Hmm, what stood out for you? What's gets me is that it's a 5 speed and thus its likely a conversion. That can be either a good thing or a bad thing depending on the quality of the work. The fact that someone mentioned that it came from Bosnia is another concern.

__________________
1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

Its not the original engine.has no service record
what so ever.The r/h quarter panel was replaced due to an accident he had in Europe. Didn't get a good feeling from the seller.

__________________
Cheers
Big Dan MEng

Visit my Blog..
http://allformercedesbenz.blogspot.com/

www.benzguy.piczo.com



If at first you don't succeed,
Skydiving is not for you.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS NO
MATCH FOR NATURAL STUPIDITY.

If anything can go wrong,fix it!
The hell with Murphy!!
I never think of the future.It comes soon enough.

Hmm, i'm surprised that someone would replace the original non-turbo diesel with another non-turbo (Or was it originally a gasoline engine?)

Also those front fenders and rear view mirrors are from a later W463, brush bar looks like some aftermarket unit. Hard to tell anything else without better pictures.

This will probably set off a firestorm, but I am considering a 2002 or later ML320.

Examples with less than 100K miles are readily available around the 10K mark and I have talked to multiple Mercedes indie garages who say that these units do not deserve the bad rap they have as long as they have good maintenance records - consistent use of synthetic engine oil is critical - and you avoid earlier model years like the plague.

That being said they have a ton of electronics and the like that an old tank like the G wagen or my 300SD do not have, but that is the same for any newer vehicle.

Why not get a nissan pathfinder, or a Jeep, get the adaptor plate, and put the MBZ turbo engine into it. It's been done and there are links to it.

__________________
1983 300D, the "Avocado"
1976 240D, 4-spd the "Pumpkin", SOLD to Pierre
1984 190D, 2.2L, 5-spd, my intro to MBZ diesels, crashed into in 2002