Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
Hard to believe one of the craziest and most bizarre vehicles in the car world, let alone from Mercedes-Benz, is now over five years old. These made enormous noise when they first came out and despite only around 300 made, they really aren’t hard to find if you want one. However, just because there are plenty on the market doesn’t mean they are all that inexpensive.
In a shocking but understandable news leak a few weeks ago, word is that Mercedes-Benz is putting a pause on all nearly all their V8-powered vehicles for the 2022 model year. This isn’t for fuel regulations, but rather for extreme supply chain issues that the world continues to struggle with. For the almost the entire line-up, this isn’t a big deal as they can utilize the inline-fours and V6s, but for the king of the hill G-Wagen? Well, there it is a problem. Since both the G550 and G63 AMG use the twin-turbocharged V8, that means there will be no 2022 model year G-Class. This piggybacks on the fact that dealers are already selling them before they even hit the lot. What will that mean? Supply goes down, price goes up. Thankfully for this 2019 up for sale in Texas, this price isn’t insane just yet.
One of the more surprising stories in the niche car market is that basically every used second-generation W463 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen is selling for way over sticker price. I am not underplaying it by saying “way over” sticker price: a new G63 AMG starts at $156,000, but these are now hitting the market for $225,000 even with a bunch of miles. Blame it on a bunch of factors, but basically the modest factory in Graz, Austria just can’t build them fast enough. Almost every market in the world wants them, and there’s apparently enough money and demand to outstrip production. It is a far cry from just 15 years ago, when Mercedes sold just 587 examples for the entire model year in the US.
This 2021 up for sale in Florida has 5,700 miles already accrued, and it is already on to its second owner. But the price? Well, you guessed it.
The new W463.2 Mercedes-Benz G-Class has been out about three years now and they literally can not make enough of them. At almost every Mercedes dealer around the world, as soon as a new G comes in, it is usually gone before it can get comfortable and/or the sales manager hot shots it around town. You might be saying “What about all of them for sale on eBay?” and you are correct, but most of those used examples are still at sticker or above sticker. For that price, people just would rather buy the new one, especially if those people were lugging around the first-generation W463 for the last 15 or so years.
Thankfully Mercedes was ready for the influx of new buyers and had all the little treats for those willing to pay for them. No few than 36 different colors are offered, ranging from standard no-charge up to $6,500. It doesn’t stop there. Nine different sets of wheels, 29 different leather colors, and seven different accent trims. If you want to order a black G with black wheels and a black leather interior, reevaluate your decision. Today, we have a 2019 up for sale in Arizona finished in the cool designo Manufaktur Sea Blue Metallic. Now we are talking.
Ever since about March or so when the American passport suddenly became worthless, people who usually travel by plane to vacation spots suddenly were packing up and driving to where ever wasn’t their house. That meant normally pleasant national parks and camping spots looked like Disney World in July. That’s not a good thing. Good luck even finding a parking spot at an outdoor venue and suddenly the sleepy little resort towns in the Midwest are overrun with tourists. To combat that, people had to go even further away into some true expedition exploring, but mom’s Honda Odyssey minivan wasn’t the ideal vehicle for the job. Enter the overland rig.
The overlanding community has always been strong, but never in your face about it. You could usually tell if you saw a roof-top tent or some serious suspension and wheel/tire combo, but that was about it. Jeeps and Land Cruisers are the preferred vehicle of choice, but you’d get your Tacoma and other trucks as well. What you usually don’t see, are $100,000+ luxury SUVs, even as capable as they might be. Taking a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen into the woods and putting trail damage on one is a bad idea unless you plan on being buried in it, but it looks like this 2013 up for sale in West Virginia of all places is exactly ready for that. Notice I said “ready” and didn’t used any past tense language on that one. Let me explain.
