No civilian G-Professional for Australia

[goingbush]

Ok so my R380 has let us down on a outback trip, A few years ago I had a catastrophic 1HDT engine failure in a Landcruiser, on an outback trip.

One of the feelers I put out about possible courses of action was an email to Merc Benz Australia re when the G-Pro would be available.

Nice man from MB phoned earlier to say that they have one Civillian model to Assess for compliance etc but even though he agrees there is a ready market in Australia they are definitely not going ahead with the G-Professional here

A G-350 is just too nice and paying 25,000 luxury car tax dosen't make sense esp we I don't want the parts that make it a Luxury car.

[MR LR]

Replace the R380....

[isuzurover]

Bugger. The g-professional was one vehicle I would have considered buying new.

You could always fit a 4BD1T and Isuzu gearbox to the defender.

[modman]

If it has been complianced here can you import one off the line??
Dc

[juddy]

I thought it had passed compliance last year.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/07/1210.jpg (http://s856.photobucket.com/user/juddyburton/media/Screenshot2013-07-10at12816PM_zps02a8f71f.png.html)

[Blknight.aus]

nope there are some dumb ADR's that prevent it from passing and Mercedes dont want to mess around reworking it to get it to pass due to the anticipated low sales of it.

From memory

lights (indicator position)
exhaust (exits on the wrong side)
and something to do with the restraints system didnt meet the requirements (probably exceeded them but because of some sniffling discrepencies in something probablly as insignificant and unimportant as the colour of the head of the bolt that holds the seatbelt in)

Im also not sure if the left had drive thing killed it for here either or if they right hand drived it.,

[goingbush]

If it has been complianced here can you import one off the line??
Dc

I did ask that and he said its possible, but you still have to pay import duty and get local compliance,

if you own a vehicle for 12 months you can bypass certain import requirements, so perhaps a 12 month road trip in Europe & driving one home over the next 12 months

Mercedes-Benz Deutschland - Alle Fakten - G-Klasse Professional (http://www.mercedes-benz.de/content/germany/mpc/mpc_germany_website/de/home_mpc/passengercars/home/new_cars/models/g-class/_w463_crosscountry/facts_/gclassprofessional.html)

RHD Price G-Pro Wagon ex Germany is 58,100 Euros = 81,000 AU
G350 ex Germany is 72,290 EU = 100,881 AU

G350 in the shops here is $125,000 (25grand of that is LCT, otherwise not much mark up)


hmm, how about a group buy :wasntme:

[goingbush]

Replace the R380....

its not as simple as that, when the chief financial officer is sitting next to you and we had a Toyota break down on a previous trip, then me convincing her that a beloved Defender will be reliable, and "at least I can fix it if it breaks down" and ( I have ordered a new HD Ashcroft R350) then I get asked can anything else go wrong , you and I both know the answer is yes, and then every time a Jap 4x4 goes past CFO asks "would one of those suit us"

When it comes down to Nuts & Bolts there are two options if this Defender packs up again, 1 Fix it, sell it & the Van & buy an Earthcruiser
2 Fix it, sell it, & the house & buy a G-Pro

I keep getting asked if I want to go to Europe so meybe that is a possibility

BTW the house is still for sale Ayres Road Healesville (http://www.room2build.com) , willing to bargain .

[101RRS]

if you own a vehicle for 12 months you can bypass certain import requirements, so perhaps a 12 month road trip in Europe & driving one home over the next 12 months



Not on newer vehicles you can't. Only applies to 20 or 25yo vehicles and older - someone will know.

Garry

[goingbush]

Not on newer vehicles you can't. Only applies to 20 or 25yo vehicles and older - someone will know.

Garry

This could work, Personal Imports Option (http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/vehicles/imports/import_options/pis.aspx)
but would probably have to bunk / rent somewhere to get a euro address to showed that I lived there I guess ?? if your on a tourist visa you would still be 'living' in Europe (unless you were dead)

Im sure people do this all the time, if you can do one every 5 years.

Im guessing compliance would be easy as per previous posts, most of its would carry over from the G-350 , The Professional is already Euro-5


.

[101RRS]

You have to live there for over 12 months - wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to just buy one of the other G wagen models here - there are a few 2012/13 models on carsales.

Garry

[isuzurover]

You have to live there for over 12 months - wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to just buy one of the other G wagen models here - there are a few 2012/13 models on carsales.

Garry

The models sold here are quite different (IFS, etc, etc...). More like the difference between a D4 and a Defender.

[weeds]

i'm sure i was chatting to somebody.....just cannot remember who.....and they mentioned brisbane mercedes had a professional in the yard

[juddy]

nope there are some dumb ADR's that prevent it from passing and Mercedes dont want to mess around reworking it to get it to pass due to the anticipated low sales of it.

From memory

lights (indicator position)
exhaust (exits on the wrong side)
and something to do with the restraints system didnt meet the requirements (probably exceeded them but because of some sniffling discrepencies in something probablly as insignificant and unimportant as the colour of the head of the bolt that holds the seatbelt in)

Im also not sure if the left had drive thing killed it for here either or if they right hand drived it.,

I take it then the ADF ones are not subjected to ADR?

If you look at the other listing the ADF ones have failed ADR? are they exempt?

[FeatherWeightDriver]

I take it then the ADF ones are not subjected to ADR?

Definitely exempt from some significant ADRs, although on a quick skim none of these seemed to obviously fit the G-Pro:

http://www.ntc.gov.au/filemedia/Reports/ADFframework.pdf

...and as an aside also exempt from basically all of the road rules when operating out of necessity:

Defence (Road Transport Legislation Exemption) Act 2006 (http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2006A00004)

[Blknight.aus]

I take it then the ADF ones are not subjected to ADR?

If you look at the other listing the ADF ones have failed ADR? are they exempt?

essentially yes.

[DiscoMick]

Or you could just fix the Defender and accept that any vehicle can break down, even a G-wagon.

[MBZ460]

Apparently MB Aust won't bring them in because "we won't sell a passenger car without a passenger airbag"

So, MB in Europe and South Africa are so different?

[solmanic]

Apparently MB Aust won't bring them in because "we won't sell a passenger car without a passenger airbag"

So why don't they just sell it as a commercial vehicle alongside their vans & trucks? Sounds a bit like marketing BS.

[UncleHo]

Yeah! or Mr Toyonissabishi has got into their ears like Mr Toyota did in the early 80's and killed the Landrover 90 V8's importation,stating that a coil sprung V8 would be to dangerous for the Australian driver,just after they released their coil sprung 4 cylinder " Bundera" (it only lasted a year on 2 and was gone) but you could take your shorty cruiser and go to a particular workshop in Melbourne and get a 350 Chevy fitted and the Toyjo motor went out the back door and returned to the dealer/manufacturer,just lets say that those in the know at Leyland Aust.weren't happy about it,but the Govt at the time only wanted 3 car manufacturers in Australia.

Rant over.