Thread: WT??....MERCEDES-BENZ has finally signed-off on a $350 million contract with the Aust

Originally Posted by xxXX_LR V8_XXxx

sorta related.... maybe silly question....

can you push start an auto diesel ?

Pete

.....with a TANK.......

I remember reading an article a month or so ago, that said the Australian Army were going to rebuild all their Landrover vehicles and run them for another twenty years.

This was because Mercedes vehicles didn't meet the requirements of the army. I'll have to try and find the article

Why would you attempt to push start an auto? You just reach in with a large insulated screw driver and short across the starter motor contacts. There is enough charge in there to turn the motor over and start it. Have done this a few times over the years on both Fords and Holdens. Sure beats pushing it.

The G Wagen isnt actually a Mercedes product, but rather a Mercedes backed Steyr product. A relation of the Haflinger and Pinzgauer so to speak. They are in common usage throughout many armies in the manual configuration, but I believe that the only country to use them as automatics happens to be our next door neighbours, New Zealand. They have reportedly had massive problems with the auto version, not because of the auto itself, but because they are the only NATO country to use them hence there is no parts availability back up. This is pretty important to a military body.
I seem to recall some vague rumours of the NZ purchasing 'Head Honcho' leaving NZ and coming to Aus, but I dont know enough about this to go much deeper, but all the little facts joined together make for a much more 'sus' larger picture.
Perhaps we should simply wait and see.
Regards
Glen

Originally Posted by zulu Delta 534

The G Wagen isnt actually a Mercedes product, but rather a Mercedes backed Steyr product. A relation of the Haflinger and Pinzgauer so to speak. They are in common usage throughout many armies in the manual configuration, but I believe that the only country to use them as automatics happens to be our next door neighbours, New Zealand. They have reportedly had massive problems with the auto version, not because of the auto itself, but because they are the only NATO country to use them hence there is no parts availability back up. This is pretty important to a military body.
I seem to recall some vague rumours of the NZ purchasing 'Head Honcho' leaving NZ and coming to Aus, but I dont know enough about this to go much deeper, but all the little facts joined together make for a much more 'sus' larger picture.
Perhaps we should simply wait and see.
Regards
Glen

yhea, but it's making for bloody good conversation.....

cheers

I've always wanted a G wagon, lots of standard diff locks etc and a pretty simple vehicle. That was then 15-20 years ago. Now? too many electronic gizmos on the motor gear box etc, hope they supply 5 litres of petrol and a box of matches with them so that our troops can set them on fire when they fail
Fenders of any sort can be field stripped bits replaced and got moving really fast. Even I with no real machanical expertise have managed to strip the gear box and trans case off the vehicle and get it back together in 4 hours by my self.
Being from Africa and knowing how military supply deals are done there, I hope no one received a little brown envelope with a christmas bonus to get the deal thru Any how good to see our tax money hard at work.

i also seem to recall Tata having done a deal with the indian Millitary for 3000+ vehicles, dont think they are too fussed about a complicated 1200 vehicle deal.
Mal

You have hit the nail on the head. Pat

the latest info (and this is some months old now)

yes the landrover has yet another life of type extension. AFAIK its end date is now 2025. The OTRL has been extended the replacement is allegedly going to start phasing in in 2015 as complete unit roll overs, as a unit gets its (whatever they gets) their landies will be removed (I think there will be some overlap to cover training)

The reasons I have heard.

1. mercedes doesnt want to get stung like LR did with the perenties
2. The G wagon is not cutting the mustard in all the fields (they do some things better than the Perentie some things worse)
3. What the ADF wants and what mercedes wants to provide for the price Aint the same beasty.
4. Mercedes cant make the delivery numbers in the time frame.
5. Mercedes wont standardise in the way that the ADF wants them to
6. Mercedes is baulking at the hidden costs of delivering on the contract.


all of those points are the rumor control that I keep hearing. My money says that 1,2 and 5 are the big killers.