G7Wagen
Active Member
This is my 8years (and counting) Ownership experience with my W460 280GE G wagen.
Over the years I have diagnosed and fixed a lot of the issues myself.. with help along the way from a very good mate who also owns and restores
old G wagens.
This is my story...
It took me 3 years to find a G I was happy with... I originally wanted a W463 (later model from 1991-), but after much searching and looking at both dogs and princesses (with big price tags) it became clear that my budget of 8k -8.5k was not going to be enough...
so I decided I would buy a 460...the best i could find... with a view to face lifting it and making it a 463 clone..
I found my G in July 2014 at a local Smart Roadster dealer who took it in part exchange and priced it just right.. she had all the right provenance... but had been neglected a little by its last owner in terms of minor service issues and cosmetic bits n bobs... the under-bonnet soundproofing was hanging off and it had a few parts that needed refurbishing.... it drove well...and appeared rust free.. with 103k miles and only 3 previous owners...and a full history file...despite the flaws.. and a few small dents and scratches.. I decided I just had to have her...
I took the plunge.. a little voice in my head kept saying its not a 463... but after only a few weeks of driving her and tinkering...she had grown on me... I sorted out most the cosmetic issues on the outside. .and serviced everything... there is a certain charm about the 460... its a little truck but it has great big heart... mine is a straight 6cylinder 1990 Petrol SWB 280GE in factory black and black check cloth, it has walnut trim and a 4 speed auto... part time four wheel drive.. it starts and everything works smoothly...and it even has central locking (which wasn't working - it is now !) and electric windows... for me the 463's I looked at at this price were 200,000+ milers...and at these mileages its not just the engine that's gone that far.. gearboxes, transfer boxes, bearings, drive-shafts.. all at the twilight of there service life and with other issues running into the £1000s...these worn out 463s were not what I wanted or needed..
On my little truck I hoped to retrim the interior with leather in a few years.. consideration may or may not be given to replacing the 2.8l with a nice big rumbling V8 engine... larger wheels... and maybe a slight lift in the suspension.... but even as she stands... I love my little 460.... and no longer plan to make her look like a more modern car... she is what she is...and after all 460's are "The Daddy"... of all G's that follow!!
... I made a good decision to buy her... after replacing some parts i discovered she had been 'wax-oiled' from new.... and the layer of this magical substance has kept rust at bay for 32 years and counting!!.... my decision to compromise was due to budget... .... you know what you want... and you know when the right car speaks to you... ... G wagen owners have a passion for this marque and are endlessly helpful enthusiasts... and when the right truck is sitting on your drive... you will have no regrets that you bought the wrong one...
some things can be changed to what you need... (at a cost) the best trucks will always fetch a premium....prices have shot up recently to over 20k! .
Like the perfect partner.. the perfect G wagen only exists in our imagination.... sometimes compromise is needed in terms of equipment.. the most important thing is that its sound and solid and mechanically correct...the rest can be altered later.. but if I had rushed into buying the wrong one based on shiny new paint and bling... I may regretted it later... the seller thought I was mad when I climbed underneath the G... but the rust hides there... the suspension turrets in particular...mine was a good un! and all the good advice I received ..along with research and patience paid off... and I now own a really great G Wagen...
rust free G's are rare cars are tough to find..... but when you do.... the experience driving it.. and of people pointing and asking questions about your G...
makes ownership a special place to be.... in my G !!
I will in my posts here describe and show with pictures all I have done to keep this little G in good mechanical shape, along with a few upgrades I did.. they are characterful vehicles and were born to be military transport... its not fast... I have the SL55 AMG for thrilling driving and acceleration... its not frugal... I have the E350cdi coupe for the long journeys... it is however incredibly capable off road and in the snow.. and I don't think I would ever be able to part with it....
This is how she looked when I bought it... note roller skate wheel size!


After 8 years she now looks like this;


John757
Over the years I have diagnosed and fixed a lot of the issues myself.. with help along the way from a very good mate who also owns and restores
old G wagens.
This is my story...
It took me 3 years to find a G I was happy with... I originally wanted a W463 (later model from 1991-), but after much searching and looking at both dogs and princesses (with big price tags) it became clear that my budget of 8k -8.5k was not going to be enough...
so I decided I would buy a 460...the best i could find... with a view to face lifting it and making it a 463 clone..
I found my G in July 2014 at a local Smart Roadster dealer who took it in part exchange and priced it just right.. she had all the right provenance... but had been neglected a little by its last owner in terms of minor service issues and cosmetic bits n bobs... the under-bonnet soundproofing was hanging off and it had a few parts that needed refurbishing.... it drove well...and appeared rust free.. with 103k miles and only 3 previous owners...and a full history file...despite the flaws.. and a few small dents and scratches.. I decided I just had to have her...
I took the plunge.. a little voice in my head kept saying its not a 463... but after only a few weeks of driving her and tinkering...she had grown on me... I sorted out most the cosmetic issues on the outside. .and serviced everything... there is a certain charm about the 460... its a little truck but it has great big heart... mine is a straight 6cylinder 1990 Petrol SWB 280GE in factory black and black check cloth, it has walnut trim and a 4 speed auto... part time four wheel drive.. it starts and everything works smoothly...and it even has central locking (which wasn't working - it is now !) and electric windows... for me the 463's I looked at at this price were 200,000+ milers...and at these mileages its not just the engine that's gone that far.. gearboxes, transfer boxes, bearings, drive-shafts.. all at the twilight of there service life and with other issues running into the £1000s...these worn out 463s were not what I wanted or needed..
On my little truck I hoped to retrim the interior with leather in a few years.. consideration may or may not be given to replacing the 2.8l with a nice big rumbling V8 engine... larger wheels... and maybe a slight lift in the suspension.... but even as she stands... I love my little 460.... and no longer plan to make her look like a more modern car... she is what she is...and after all 460's are "The Daddy"... of all G's that follow!!
... I made a good decision to buy her... after replacing some parts i discovered she had been 'wax-oiled' from new.... and the layer of this magical substance has kept rust at bay for 32 years and counting!!.... my decision to compromise was due to budget... .... you know what you want... and you know when the right car speaks to you... ... G wagen owners have a passion for this marque and are endlessly helpful enthusiasts... and when the right truck is sitting on your drive... you will have no regrets that you bought the wrong one...
some things can be changed to what you need... (at a cost) the best trucks will always fetch a premium....prices have shot up recently to over 20k! .
Like the perfect partner.. the perfect G wagen only exists in our imagination.... sometimes compromise is needed in terms of equipment.. the most important thing is that its sound and solid and mechanically correct...the rest can be altered later.. but if I had rushed into buying the wrong one based on shiny new paint and bling... I may regretted it later... the seller thought I was mad when I climbed underneath the G... but the rust hides there... the suspension turrets in particular...mine was a good un! and all the good advice I received ..along with research and patience paid off... and I now own a really great G Wagen...
rust free G's are rare cars are tough to find..... but when you do.... the experience driving it.. and of people pointing and asking questions about your G...
makes ownership a special place to be.... in my G !!
I will in my posts here describe and show with pictures all I have done to keep this little G in good mechanical shape, along with a few upgrades I did.. they are characterful vehicles and were born to be military transport... its not fast... I have the SL55 AMG for thrilling driving and acceleration... its not frugal... I have the E350cdi coupe for the long journeys... it is however incredibly capable off road and in the snow.. and I don't think I would ever be able to part with it....
This is how she looked when I bought it... note roller skate wheel size!


After 8 years she now looks like this;


John757