Introduction

[2012SLK200]

I've joined this forum because I have a mystery problem in my NTG4.7 radio in the SLK and hope to find someone who is a programming wiz. See that post here.

After falling off the roof and fracturing my back, I found the R170 SLK230 ride to be too stiff, so I upgraded to a JDM RHD R172 SLK200 with comfort grade springs and love it.
My oldest car is a 1969 Alfa Spider that has been in the garage for 25 years... really need to get it back on the road.
I also own a 1982 W460 LWB G-wagon 280GE that I bought when it was 15 years old. RHD, it came from the UK and it has 405,000 miles on it, and going strong. But when I fill up, it costs $135 and the trip odometer says I went 113 miles, so it is only used when I need an elephant.
For the shopping cart and grandchild's baby seat, we have a B170 W245 with the glass moonroof.
For house guests, we keep a nicely dented 2005 Honda CRV since many of our roads are not paved. It never breaks, is light and airy and cheap as chips.
We live on an island, so our town car for long distance touring of North and South Islands (New Zealand) is a 2004 Jaguar XJ6.
And going to town on the ferry, I usually ride my Bella Ciao city bike with a Bafang BBSHD electric motor kit.

Pics:

 

[SmartAmg]

Welcome.

 

[zipdip]

Welcome aboard love New Zealand

 

[Sweetooth]

Hi and welcome

 

[Wearsthefoxhat]

Hi and welcome..

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

Hello and welcome to you.

 

[A.J.]

Hi and welcome to the forum

 

[slsprototype]

welcome

 

[pioneercollector]

Hi And welcome - Nice cars! I too have a Honda CR-V, can't go wrong with these! That Spider is beautiful.....

PC

 

[PaulG]

Welcome to the forum

 

[leeway12]

I've joined this forum because I have a mystery problem in my NTG4.7 radio in the SLK and hope to find someone who is a programming wiz. See that post here.

After falling off the roof and fracturing my back, I found the R170 SLK230 ride to be too stiff, so I upgraded to a JDM RHD R172 SLK200 with comfort grade springs and love it.
My oldest car is a 1969 Alfa Spider that has been in the garage for 25 years... really need to get it back on the road.
I also own a 1982 W460 LWB G-wagon 280GE that I bought when it was 15 years old. RHD, it came from the UK and it has 405,000 miles on it, and going strong. But when I fill up, it costs $135 and the trip odometer says I went 113 miles, so it is only used when I need an elephant.
For the shopping cart and grandchild's baby seat, we have a B170 W245 with the glass moonroof.
For house guests, we keep a nicely dented 2005 Honda CRV since many of our roads are not paved. It never breaks, is light and airy and cheap as chips.
We live on an island, so our town car for long distance touring of North and South Islands (New Zealand) is a 2004 Jaguar XJ6.
And going to town on the ferry, I usually ride my Bella Ciao city bike with a Bafang BBSHD electric motor kit.

Pics:

View attachment 134459
View attachment 134460

How do you rate your w460 as an everday car to drive?

 

[2012SLK200]

How do you rate your w460 as an everday car to drive?

When I fill up the tank, it costs about NZ$130 and the trip odometer says I have driven about 110 miles. As an everyday car it has champagne tastes, which unfortunately, I lack. However, this is the only facet where the W460 exhibits conspicuous consumption.

As an everyday car to drive, other than fuel costs, it suits. It is much more comfortable than most 4X4 vehicles because of the coil springs. The view is great with lots of headroom. I reupholstered mine in leather - heavy saddle leather for the back and jump seats (think kids, dogs and horse gear), Italian hand bag leather for the side panels, and soft leather for the front seats (backstory: at the closing auction of the Xena film studios, I bought the leather room for $800 and found a $20/hr unemployed luxury car leather upholster who needed a cash job provided I supply the Pfaff 145 machine which I also got at the auction). The sound of the straight 6 is classic WW-II movie set, especially as it has only one muffler and no resonator... a unique snarl when going up hills and it drops into 3rd.

The only downside with mine (280GE) as an everyday driver, is that it really does not want to go over 70 km/h. Not sure if this is because of the lack of aerodynamics or the 2.8 motor and gearing. I tend to avoid the motorways (we only have three).

But it really is a tool and it comes into its own when a tractor gets stuck on a 20° slope or a tree stump needs to be pulled out. I would say mine gets between 600 and 1000 miles a year, mostly when I need to carry heavy stuff or tow a 3,500 kg trailer. It has 406,000 miles on it and is going strong.

Load: A while back I bought 300 m² of marble and granite tiles for $1,000 and had to get the crates out before the warehouse lease ran out. I could fill the back - with the rear seat removed and take the load on the ferry back to our place. The springs looked low, but it rode like a Cadillac, and the tyres needed 45 pounds of air, but it performed admirably. Thankfully we do not have weigh stations between the warehouse and my place as I expect I was 3X over rated load.

Bulk: This week I have to take it to town because my grandson's father has bought his 3-year-old son am electric ride-on toy Range Rover that he wants us to bring over because we have a lot of land in the country (Dad has a Range Rover and wants to start the boy young). And I'll haul all my daughter's saddles and horse gear over since she now has her own house. When it comes to volume capacity, it's as big as a van. And the roof rack will take immense abuse as well.

Safety: I've never tested mine, but when I had my previous G, that needed restoration, I bought a wrecked G that had flipped and then rolled on the US interstate at 60 miles per hour. Every panel was dented, the roof frame was distorted, it was an utter mess. But every door opened as good as new. It can take a beating, especially because of the separate chassis. For a while one could buy a whole new body from Graz and replace it with a few bolts.

Image: a new G Wagon is polarising, with a rich ***** image (a term used by Labour Party leaders to describe their opposition). A 41 year old G Wagon with faded hunter-green paint and lots of battle scars gets a thumbs up from everyone. I mean like blokes breaking out in smiles when I drive by and making kind hand gestures. On the ferry, men coming up to the windscreen to read the model year (1982) and literally giving a thumbs up. At petrol stations, conversations would strike up about the year, miles and story. Women especially like it, and when we collect guests from the ferry, it gets genuine compliments as they notice their surroundings (think club room goes to war). On Top Gear's Cool Wall (circa 2002), it would get Subzero, the top rating, I would expect.

So I would rate it as a 4 out of 10 if you watch your budget and a 9 out of 10 for cool fun, and a 10 as a farm tool we will keep until they stop selling petrol.