From 110 to G55

[cols110]

G'day all.

After the last couple of years of putting up with increasing unreliability from my 110 as a daily drive I started looking for a replacement, after looking at many options I stumbled across this immaculate 2000 G55 Classic with only 61000 kms on the clock. With 360hp on tap out of its 5.5 ltr AMG V8 it certainly pulls a little better than my TD5.

I am yet to determine its exact role in its previous life, but it started out with the Dubai Government as a part of the Royal Fleet, then was briefly owned by a 3rd party who sold it for a profit after it was released from the Governments fleet to the next owner who was a German owner who lovingly owned if for around 4 years and sold it due to circumstance of a growing family & the need for a GL500.

It is a 99 build with a M113.982 Engine, I think it was probably part of the security detail as it has an armoured vehicle front axle which is heavily braced, ORC +40mm rear springs, 3rd row seats, factory fitted siren and a communication system where you communicate externally without having to lower the windows. It also still has a pistol holster in place next to the drivers leg. It initially came with 16's fitted & I am not sure when the current 9.5 x 18's were fitted but they certainly suit the vehicle.

Apart from a few minor scratches & paint chips it is in as new condition, there are not many vehicles of this age in this condition so it was a sale I could not refuse.

For the time being the G55 will remain my daily drive & tourer and my long suffering 110 will remain my vehicle of choice for heavy duty off roading as it is better set up and does not matter if damaged.

So far my only plans are to fit a set of 285/65/18's or 275/70/18's when the current 285/55 series tyres wear as I am in desperate need to get some more clearance under the armoured front axle housing which currently acts as a large plough in the sand which is not ideal for desert use.

It is a beautiful vehicle to drive, a Defender in body but Range Rover in all other regards. The build quality is in another world compared to the Defender as is the price when new.

This is it's first trip to the desert, I hope to get some photos of it next to my 110 in the desert sometime soon which I will post.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/10/1196.jpg (http://cdr.smugmug.com/Off-Road/G-Wagon/i-F6KtgHk/A)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/10/1197.jpg (http://cdr.smugmug.com/Off-Road/G-Wagon/i-sCDd5H2/A)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/10/1198.jpg (http://cdr.smugmug.com/Off-Road/G-Wagon/i-R2kZ4p9/A)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/10/1199.jpg (http://cdr.smugmug.com/Off-Road/G-Wagon/i-fncmHKf/A)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/10/1200.jpg (http://cdr.smugmug.com/Off-Road/G-Wagon/i-dSNKgjV/A)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/10/1201.jpg (http://cdr.smugmug.com/Off-Road/G-Wagon/i-Cd2LNV4/A)

[33chinacars]

Nice looking rig that. Sure you will enjoy it:)

Gary

[solmanic]

Perhaps we are going to need a specific G-Wagen area on this forum soon. Makes more sense here than on a Mercedes-Benz forum if you ask me.

[cols110]

This is probably a decent forum for all related G topic's & yes most G owners a very similar to LR owners, they all want something a little different that is not just another boringly reliable bland Japanese vehicle.

[uninformed]

thanks for sharing. It would be great to see some underneth pics of all the tech stuff (driveline suspension etc) :)

Looks like a great desert vehicle :cool:

[cols110]

Thats not a bad idea mate, when I get a chance I will try to snap a few photos of it inside, out & underneath.

[spudboy]

Looks fabulous!

Dubai would be the right place to be owning a V8 5.5 litre monster :D What's the fuel consumption like?

[cols110]

Funnily enough the consumption is not to bad considering, I average around 19//100km which is about 1-2lts better than our V8 DII with similar driving.

That is combined driving & when on the highway I set the cruise for about 120-125kph and for similar driving in my TD5 110 but only cruising at about 100-105kph I average about 13/100km. Diesel is almost twice the price of petrol here so driving both the G & our V8 DII is cheaper than driving my TD5.

I am yet to take it on a longer trip & check out its consumption on the highway but I am guessing it will be around 16-17 depending on cruising speed. You only get booked at over 140kph here so we cruise much faster than back home.

With petrol costing around 55c/p/ltr & diesel at $1 it is a no brainer which vehicle to own. The only real advantage of the diesel is its better consumption on longer desert trips.

[cols110]

In Feb we took to Inlaws down into Oman on a 6 Day 2000 km trip for my Father Inlaws 70th Birthday as he loves Oman.

There was not a great deal in the way of off roading apart from venturing onto the beach in several locations.

We spend a couple of nights in Barasti huts on the beach near Muscat, then drove south to Maseriah Island where it is a 19 km ferry trip to the Island. Maseriah is a great place to kill a couple of days as there is an abundance of marine life and beaches to see. The trip back was not great as there was a 20-30 kt wind blowing and the vehicle was covered in salt spray and a few breaking waves. After that was a drive in a sand storm about 450 km North along the side of the Wahiba Sands to Nizwa where there is an old walled town, every Friday morning there is an animal market which is good to see.

Over all the vehicle drove like a dream full of people & gear, the only down side was the fuel economy of 25.5lts per 100 km into the wind, otherwise it averaged about 19 lts per 100 km. Luckily fuel in Oman is in the region of 45 cent per ltr so the amount used is of no real consequence.

Oman, Muscat, Maseriah Island & Nizwa - CDR (http://cdr.smugmug.com/Off-Road/Oman-Muscat-Maseriah-Island/)

[spudboy]

...the only down side was the fuel economy of 25.5lts per 100 km into the wind, otherwise it averaged about 19 lts per 100 km. .

Boy - that is pretty high fuel consumption! We manage to get 25L/100 out of this:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/04/1001.jpg

although the acceleration is somewhat more sedate of course :)