Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[clan chieftain]

Greeney mentioned his GWagen on the semi classic thread and it just came to mind that there is one lying in a barn in Coatbridge. It has been there for sometime but I reckon it could be saveable if it is for sale.It is red in colour but nigh on impossible to get near it for a photo. Dont know if anyone up here has one or not. I always thought it was a Land Rover but its definitely a GWagen.
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The Clan Chieftain

[Salopian]

I had a 1988 300GD for 10 years from 1994 until 2004 and about 60000 miles. Comments follow-

1. Only good for 22-23 mpg and completely gutless.
2. Body rots everywhere. I pumped wax etc into mine but a waste of time. Watch the corrosion on the windscreen surround which does not show until you need a new screen.
3. Not bad off road with the cross axle diff locks but poor axle articulation means you need these.
4. On road not a pleasant drive.
5. Everything expensive apart from service items (filters etc) which were cheaper from main dealers than motor factors. Prop UJs staked in and cost about £80 a joint to have done aftermarket or a front prop over £600 from dealer.
6. Looks hideous.

I knew a petrol engined owner locally - do you
fancy 15 mpg or less overall? The engines in general are not suited to off road use the both diesel and petrol having poor low speed torque. Mine was the 5 cylinder diesel but the later 6 is not much better.

Good points

1. Great robust chassis was wax filled and solid - no rust usually.Pity this did not apply to the bodywork.
2. Certainly the 5 cylinder diesel made up for its total lack of guts by its durability. Go for ever given regular oil changes.
3. The badge.


I replaced mine with a 300tdi Discovery - brilliant on road reliable and if not cheap to repair plus 30 plus mpg. Why I put up with the G wagons awful performance for so long is a mystery to me looking back. As a towing vehicle it was totally pathetic.

Summary - avoid unless the three pointed badge is important to you.
Please don't because you will never be able to sell it buy a petrol LWB --
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Jonathan Butler
Alvis SD 12/50 1928 MG TD 1950

[52classic]

Never liked them when current but now I think they are quite stylish.

I considered one as a replacement for my Pajero but they seem to have quite a cult following. - Fetch big money, rust badly and now we hear they're thirsty too! Seem to have a variety of trim options and I don't think I could live with the more basic ones.

[Jonv8]

I would also add that they dont really suit RHD - esp the shift on manual box ones.
I did quite alot of repairs on them and was frustrated by each car being slightly different from any other - a nightmare when rebuilding a transfer box as I did. The rear brake adjusters were overcomplicated and a pain to work with.Many of the fixings under the car had fine threads which were prone to rusting up and stripping when undone.
I run a Land Rover workshop,but I have to say the above is not sour grapes,just observations.(Land Rovers are even worse now in just about every way.)

[Greeney in France]

If I want to be honest I can say I agree with some of the item that Jonathan has said about the Gwagen BUT and it is a big BUT
Yes the first series up to 1991 used to rust in the back area especially but after that they were improved amazingly
I still have my 300GD and have done for 12yrs
It needed a bit of work but I caught and corrected the reasons it rusts 10yrs ago and it has been fine ever since
They are a utility vehicle
I have done 150000miles in it and it has NEVER let me down
Yes the 5cylinder Diesel is sluggish but it will top 80mph on a motorway and sit there forever after 1991 the turbos helped
I get 23-26mpg at all times
I dont agree with what he said about towing, the torque is amazing I have pulled Trees out of the ground, I have pulled a lorry out of a ditch countless other vehicles including 4x4 that have been stuck.
I have pulled caravans for 5 years and it was only the GWagen that saved our lives by its control on the road after our caravan got swiped, disintegrated at 60mph and on a motorway in France, I have seen countless OTHER 4x4s that have rolled over when the caravan has gone out of control
Last year I completed a 4000mile trek around Europe and helped raise 110k for Help for Heroes in my friends GE280 the petrol version yes we only got 18ish to the gallon but it was one of only 3 out of 40 vehicles that did not have a problem
I have never found parts to be expensive because in 12yrs I have hardly had to replace anything apart from service item and this I do every 3/4k miles. In fact I have found service items and I always buy MB surprisingly comparable in price
I changed the viscous fan for a Kenlowe when I changed water pump (80£) and had rad re-cored 8yrs ago



I actually thought Jonathan's description could apply to the majority of classics
I think the early G has classic status
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www.OldFrenchCars.com

We do these things not to escape life but to prevent life escaping us

[Greeney in France]

Sorry I wanted to add this photo too


And this is my faithful G
How can you say that is HIDEOUS!!

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www.OldFrenchCars.com

We do these things not to escape life but to prevent life escaping us

[Salopian]

We will have to differ Greeney - the figures for BHP/torque for the non turbo'd 300GD engine are around 82/130 or so. The only way to get any power out of it was to rev its nuts off!! Not ideal off road or towing.

I remember a road test where the 0 to 60 time for this engine was the slowest of all that year in the low 30 secs.

Great pity because so much was right about it. The Discovery was superior in every way I found mainly because the engine figures at 127/180 and the torque maxed at 1800 rpm made it so. Don't get me wrong I loved my G but after 10 years it was a revelation to be Land Rover mounted! The far superior fuel economy merely iced the cake.

Anyway each to their own and I always felt if MB had fitted some decent engines the G would have been a world beater. Mind you until the Tdi Land Rover engines were pretty dreadful in terms of power for fuel consumed.
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Jonathan Butler
Alvis SD 12/50 1928 MG TD 1950

[Greeney in France]

After 1992 they got many times better
They still make them now even with a V12 and a V8 a bit more blingy though!!
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www.OldFrenchCars.com

We do these things not to escape life but to prevent life escaping us