Rockster

Have kind of a bug that has me considering a new (2021) G 550.

My only M-B experience to date is my 2020 Metris Cargo van which I really like. Spartan as all get out but still a fine vehicle. And the M-B dealer service has been superb. (Oh, Bentonville AR dealer.)

Have done some research and nothing scary has turned up. But if anyone has anything good or bad to share about the current G 550 would appreciate it.

SixPointThree

The new gen (2019-current) G-Wagons are very reliable. A little thirsty but so are most large premium SUV's. Also, it looks like the 2022 will have an MSRP price increase so getting a new 2021 could save you some money. Scratch the itch !

Rockster

Thanks for the reply.

Very tempting. Something probably important I left out is the several examples I'm most interested in are over 1200 miles away. Not really interested in flying there and buying (assuming the dealer and I could reach a mutually agreeable price) then driving the new vehicle home.

Also, I don't want to get all tangled up in possibly having to pay sales tax on the purchase there then face sales tax when I bring the vehicle home. There is a trade in involved too. So long distance purchase is really not practical. So how to get the vehicle I decided upon from there to here is an issue. 'course, I will talk to the local dealer Tuesday to see what can be arranged.

Also, hate to mention this as sometimes it gets some riled up but while I see no additional dealer markup that's not "good enough". Wondering what kind of further discount there might be available? I mention this because there are a number of 2021s available. They are not exactly flying off the show room floor.

Hodog16

If you buy a car out of state they should charge you sales tax for your home state. You won't have to pay sales tax twice. It can get messy with a trade in because some states allow for savings on sales tax and some don't.

I don't mean to be snarky and certainly not riled up but that last paragraph doesn't even deserve a serious reply.

Rockster

I knew that last paragraph would rub some the wrong way. It is ok. I have done some research and believe I have an idea of what the market is for these vehicles and thus can arrive at an offer that doesn't involve me handing over a blank check and letting the dealer fill in the amount.

CincyMBGuy

If you can find a new G-Class at a discount or even sticker, please let me know if they have a second one.

SixPointThree

Ya, I'm with Hotdog16 on that last paragraph.

figgie

ME TOO !!!!
But the suspension part or the way it rides worries me !!!

mercedesmax

Whatever you think, its wrong. If you ask a dealer for a discount on a new G 550 they will probably laugh and hang up on you.
Dealers have no problem waiting for the right offer to come along.
There will be only a few 22 G 550's built. Figure a decent price increase and a 21 @ MSRP or even over will look like a bargain.

streborx

I disliked the lane keeping assist and ECO start/stop in my '19 G550. Both were so annoying, I was ready to sell the truck (the dealer refused to disable these driver assistance "features" ). I found ways to permanently disable both - the only reason I still own it. There have been other small annoyances, but nothing that wasn't easily remedied. Right now I'm satisfied with it, but not so sold on G's and MBUSA/dealerships that I would spend big bucks just to have a newer MY parked in my driveway.

Rockster

Maybe. However, I don't call or FAX or email or text a dealer for a price but show up with my check book and announce loud enough for the sales/general manager to hear that I'm there to buy a vehicle today provided we can reach a suitable deal. It is quite effective. But even so I've been turned away before. But I have also several times had a dealer -- sales manager/general manager -- accept a lower offer sometimes to the consternation of the salesman who sees his commission taking a hit.

That said I'm not yet sure I want one. Oh I mean I want one but I not sure I'll buy one. I already have my cargo van for errands. The van works just fine for running around town. I have a 2nd car, kind of a hotrod (Dodge Challenger Scat Pack with 485hp and a 6-speed manual) but I only drive it on average 400 miles a month and that is with driving hardly any miles in the winter. 'course, if I get the G the Dodge goes away to make room in the garage for the G.

But with the G I'm not sure I'd drive the G any more than I drive the Dodge. Even with its all wheel drive system I'd be leery of putting the G out in real bad road conditions. (Lost a new 4 week old Porsche Cayman S one rainy night when a driver of another car lost control and smashed into the side of my new Porsche. Totaled the Porsche.) The G is a nice vehicle but it is an expensive vehicle to just let sit in a garage. OTOH I have considered getting a reasonably sized camper trailer and going RVing -- when the weather is nice -- using the G to tow the trailer.

I'll think about it until Tuesday.

Rockster

Encountered lane keep assist with a Cayenne SUV. Hated the feature. And the auto start/stop feature is not to my liking one bit. My MINI JCW had this but had a cool toggle switch on the dash to disable it. My 1st Scat Pack didn't have the auto stop/start feature but it had some system which under low load conditions would reduce the displacement of the engine, by turning off 4 cylinders of the V8. I drove the car with the 8-speed automatic in manual mode which disabled that feature. My Hellcat didn't have auto stop/start or displacement reduction. My 2nd Scat Pack doesn't have any of those either. It does have a 1st to 4th skip shift that I easily defeat by simply using a bit more throttle in 1st gear. Even my M-B cargo van doesn't have auto stop/start.

Looks like the G has the auto stop/start feature but I believe there is a button just under the engine start button which disables it. But I believe -- unlike my MINI JCW -- this has to be pressed to disable the auto stop/start feature every time the engine is started.

Rockster

Looks like the G market is cooling some. I mean there are a number of leftover 2021s available. In the meantime it costs a lot to floor a G. I have bought other vehicles (though admittedly not in the price range the G's I'm considering are at) under similar circumstances and saved some money. Remember price is not a fact only an opinion. Even sticker price is an opinion given a vast number of car dealers -- M-B and others -- have sold vehicles below sticker in the past and will do so again.

A sold G means the dealer can floor 2 maybe 3 vehicles for what it cost him to floor the G. And he can still make the same profit from the sale of the 2 or 3 cars that he made from the sale of the G. Actually maybe more since lower priced cars move quicker and the dealer would have less money in flooring costs.

'course, the dealer will do what he thinks is best for him and it might be saying "no sale" to a low offer. Dealers are by nature optimistic and believe a buyer will walk through the door any minute. But the flip side it is hard for a dealer to watch a prospective buyer walk out of the showroom knowing -- because prospective buyer told him so at the outset -- he's going to buy a vehicle today if not at this dealer at another dealer on his list.

300SE1993

Just curious. How much over/under sticker do you realistically think you can get a 2021 G550 for?

Poofyo101

With all due respect, you showing up with a checkbook and willing to make a deal today on a G is not gonna make a difference if you aren't willing to pony up the dough. 99.9% sure you will not find one even at sticker on an instock unit.

Rockster

Was thinking at starting at base price plus destination. This is where I have started with other (of course "lesser" cars) but I have been successful.

Hadn't decided what my upper limit was. I might have agreed to MSRP plus destination. Maybe. I'd want to see the sticker first. And I don't doubt it for a minute I could have left empty handled even offering to pay MSRP plus destination.

However, while I like to shop globally I like to buy locally, at least local enough I can go kick the tires and light the fires.

But there are none that close to me, at least none in the lower price range.

The vehicle is an interesting vehicle. It doesn't look like every other SUV. And looks to be solid. Has impressive trailer towing. Plenty of off road cred. And is generally just a very nice vehicle. But I read where its off road manners are better than its on road manners which is great if one is looking for an off road vehicle. I have no plans to take the G off road. Heck, I probably won't even drive it in the snow.

Plus it is a lot of money to pay for a vehicle only to drive the vehicle as little as I probably will drive it. If I'm going to leave a nice vehicle in the garage most of the time I can keep the Dodge Challenger.

So the G is off the table.

But I have found a M-B car I like, a lot, and it happens to be about the half the cost of the G. And a car is more what I need.

So, will speak with the local dealer Tuesday about getting one I like in. Or the car is near enough I can drive to the dealer and buy the car at the dealer where it currently resides. There are in fact several examples for sale within a comfortable driving distance, a distance that I could drive there buy the car and drive home in one (long) day. Although I would probably drive there the day before and spend the night at a hotel then after buying the car maybe spending a 2nd night at the hotel then driving home. Near enough too I can drive there in the Challenger and trade it in and drive home in the new M-B.

Or I could just buy the car with no trade in. Then after I get the car home arrange to sell the Dodge Challenger. I'd drive the van there and if I end up buying the car then driving probably the car home and put it in the garage, then renting a car one way and drive back and drop off the rental and drive my van home.

Have to think about it. But a straight up purchase of the car is easier. I can then sell the Dodge at my leisure.

At any rate you all have been very helpful with your comments. I appreciate that.

Rockster

You could very well be right. One can't know for sure until he tries but I realize I would be competing against buyers who are a bit less concerned about how much the vehicle costs. While I can afford to pay sticker and even over sticker I just don't buy cars that way. I'd rather walk. And I have. But I have ended up finding something else I like and at a price I like, too.

But as I covered in a reply to another poster I have decided I don't want a G. I talked myself out of it. I won't repeat the reasons why. But I was helped by the fact I found a M-B car model I really like. And a nicely optioned example is about half the cost of a G vehicle. Plus there are several examples for sale much nearer me than the G I wanted. I'm but a few hours of driving away from several very similar vehicles so I have some choice.

My plan now is to get the ball rolling Tuesday and speak to the local dealer about getting one of the cars I like in. But the car is close enough I could drive to it and buy it. What I end up doing depends upon the local dealer's reaction to me seeking he fetch a car from another dealer. Although the web site says something to the effect it one doesn't see a car he wants to let the dealer know and the dealer can arrange to have one brought to the dealer. That's pretty common. I had a dealer do this for a VW Golf TDi some years ago and I ended up buying the car although not for what the dealer was asking for it but something less. Yeah I know a VW Golf TDi ain't no G Wagen...

SixPointThree

Correct. Dealers are generally asking $50-100k over for new G550's. There are very few new 2021's still available. Those that are available were late build that just arrived at dealerships in March. 2022's are not expected to be at dealerships until approx July.

tonygwagon

Are we really comparing a Dodge Challenger to a G Wagon?? Lol what a joke...

TBH if you're are able to find a new or fairly new one at MSRP then stop asking questions and buy it or post the name of the dealership so that someone else can take advantage of the deal.

Rockster

As I posted I have decided not to get the G. Of course I'll never know if I could get one at MSRP. But posts by others suggest this would likely not happen. And they are probably right. I had a couple of lower priced examples in mind and even if I could not get the vehicle under MSRP I would have bought the vehicle. But I would have drawn the line at any ADM.

I will mention I found 15 or 16 at the West Covina CA M-B dealership. Several at around $148K. Another example in Flagstaff at IIRC $152K. There were others around a few in that low end price range but others of course are priced much higher.

So if anyone is in the market there you go...

Oh, I found these vehicles at the www.mbusa.com using the "View Inventory" feature and clicking any distance and setting a few filters to just show Gs for sale. Just checked and 24 G's are still available.

But I talked myself out of the G.

No I'm not comparing a Dodge Challenger to a G. I was just making an observation that if I'm going to buy a G and use it as little as I have used the Challenger I'd be better off keeping the Challenger and leaving the $148K (or more) in the bank.

In my researching the G I came across some nice M-B cars. And one of those really caught my eye. So rather than the G I have decided to buy a new M-B car. There are several very attractive examples within reasonable driving distance. But I'll see if the local dealer is agreeable to bringing one of the cars to his dealership.

300SE1993

If you can find a new one at MSRP, I will give you a $5K finder's fee if you hook me up LOL

tonygwagon

Look I get it. Dropping a buck fifty on any car is a lot of money but you absolutely will not regret buying a G especially once you've had it for a while. Plus it won't depreciate in value very much and might even make you some money. Any other MB is going to lose 10-20% the minute you drive off the lot...

gokro

how did you resolve both issues? Thanks!

SixPointThree

It can be confusing because MB dealers post/advertise the MSRP pricing of their cars for sale (not the price that includes any ADM / market adjustment). So when you mention $148k, that is the MSRP price - not the price they are willing to sell the cars for. For fun I just called MB W. Covina and asked about their G550's for sale. They are looking for $75k over sticker (possibly a little less if you are a resident of CA). G63's are almost nearly $150k over (again less if you are a resident of CA). My guess is you could always negotiate a bit but the mark-ups are still hefty.

Best of luck on your search for your next car. Any MB is a great car but the G-Class is unique and just cool. Or continue to have fun in your Challenger - I've heard those are pretty fast and raw which can also be a hoot in a totally different way.

tonygwagon

You can get an ECU module to turn both off permanently. Check out RENNtech.