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colo77bronco
Member
Date registered: Aug 2015
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Vehicle(s): Toyota Tundra SuperCrew and GL450
Posts: 14
| Which one to get?
2005 G55 Grand Edition with 30K in mint condition or 2008 G55 with 65K in near mint condition? The 2005 has the white interior I am in love with but the 2008 has the heated windshield and backup cam and updated instrument cluster.
Edited by colo77bronco 8/27/2015 10:25 PM
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NYG500
Member
Date registered: Aug 2014
Location: NJ/NY
Vehicle(s): 2007 G500
Posts: 43
| Re: Which one to get?
Tough decision. I was between a 2006 and 2007. Both had 50-60k miles and similar overall condition. I ended up with the 2007 because I wanted the heated windshield, xenon lights, updated headunit, bluetooth, camera, etc. Some people say the 2007+ are inferior bc of the 7 speed gearbox but so far (72k miles) I have no issues just change fluid immediately after purchase and then every 24,000 miles or 2 years and it will be good. The grand edition white interior is awesome but both are G55's so even the 2008 should have nicer wood and leather. It also depends on the price difference but go with what feels right!
Edited by NYG500 8/28/2015 12:33 AM
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512bbi
Expert
Date registered: Jan 2007
Location: North western US and Europe
Vehicle(s): 05G55kge,Range rover classic,clk55amg,ML 430
Posts: 1313
| RE: Which one to get?
It all depends on what your priorities are and how much you drive and where.
The 05 GE has all the stainless steel accessories installed at factory and they are worth a ton of money.
Personally if it was me the decision is easy with my background of being a dealer many decades in the long past I never see value in the same vehicles in interior changes and instrument clusters but I look mostly at condition and MILES
With that being said the rest of the decisions are for what you like best and heated windshield is not that big of a deal I have it on my old Rover and never missed it on the G living in Idaho
The outside of the 05 GE has two looks at front with or with out the brush guard which comes of in a minute and these looks are different than the newer one which is really older because it has twice the miles.
Everybody out there evaluates according to age and condition and miles is where the value is at.
An older low miler will cost you nothing to drive for many miles because you can drive a lot and still sell for close to what you paid for.
I got mine with 10k miles and let me warn you they drive these rigs hard on pavement so make sure drive train and chassis components are fine.
I went through tie rods early and never again later and I know today a G55k can get way more abuse on pavement from stupid drivers than hard core of roading for five times the miles
One more reason to go for the low miles and if you decide on later vintage again look for low miles.
What is so special about a white interior on these never seen one and own the same truck a little modified for the dirt
How much are they asking for the 05 if you do not mind me asking
Best of luck
Mario |
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colo77bronco
Member
Date registered: Aug 2015
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Vehicle(s): Toyota Tundra SuperCrew and GL450
Posts: 14
| Re: Which one to get?
$61k for the 2005 which is why I can get into the 2008 for about $5k more. |
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WEBIII
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Oct 2010
Location: Inlet Beach, FL
Vehicle(s): 461.318, 463.241
Posts: 315
| Re: Which one to get?
Just to confuse matters, here's a 2009 local to me in a similar price range but has a bunch of Karl's accessories on it.
http://rmr4x4.com/web/1178/vehicle/1664223/2009-Mercedes-Benz-G-Cla... |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Which one to get?
But no provision for a trailer hitch. |
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colo77bronco
Member
Date registered: Aug 2015
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Vehicle(s): Toyota Tundra SuperCrew and GL450
Posts: 14
| Re: Which one to get?
That's why I need 2008 at the latest. That one does appear to have a hitch though. Interesting! |
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colo77bronco
Member
Date registered: Aug 2015
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Vehicle(s): Toyota Tundra SuperCrew and GL450
Posts: 14
| Re: Which one to get?
Still prefer the 5-speed tranny too. |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Which one to get?
colo77bronco - 8/28/2015 9:03 AM
That's why I need 2008 at the latest. That one does appear to have a hitch though. Interesting!
Karl did make some rear hitch bumpers. Perhaps that is one of them. |
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Otiswesty
Administrator
Date registered: Jun 2007
Location: Portland, Oregon
Vehicle(s): 463.241, 461.213
Posts: 3004
| Re: Which one to get?
The heated windshield is awesome, enough reason to get the '08 |
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Braingears
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: St Petersburg, FL
Vehicle(s): G320 & ML320
Posts: 1450
| RE: Which one to get?
I live in Florida. The windshield is hot enough... |
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512bbi
Expert
Date registered: Jan 2007
Location: North western US and Europe
Vehicle(s): 05G55kge,Range rover classic,clk55amg,ML 430
Posts: 1313
| RE: Which one to get?
I might be prejudiced but the 55k motor is an amazing engine with power and efficiency that makes the vehicle.
The older ones are set from the factory with less boost and mine has proven very reliable with enough torque to climb a wall on idle.
I have to remember in slow serious of road situations to shift to low range to protect the tranny cause torque is so much that you never feel the need even at the slowest speeds crawling with 33 inch tires.
Another point is the K has brakes with too much power also .
When you mod a G for serious of road ability engine power and brakes are needed and this beast has more than enough with bigger tires.
I will not talk much about the fact it has too much power on the street for the chassis with solid axles and trailing arms but this combo of road with enough spring and shocks is more fun than ....I should not say ...
Oh to the point when I get snowed in while camping in Idaho my defrost melts the ice real fast
Mario
Edited by 512bbi 8/29/2015 2:07 AM
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NYG500
Member
Date registered: Aug 2014
Location: NJ/NY
Vehicle(s): 2007 G500
Posts: 43
| Re: Which one to get?
Colo77bronco,
Have you seen either of these cars in person or driven them? Check for service records and underneath for the condition of the body and frame, I looked at some that were rust buckets and showed abused by prior owners. Pays to get a PPI also.
Edited by NYG500 8/29/2015 9:55 AM
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colo77bronco
Member
Date registered: Aug 2015
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Vehicle(s): Toyota Tundra SuperCrew and GL450
Posts: 14
| Re: Which one to get?
My brother is near both of them and I check car fax and eliminate anything that has been registered in a part of the country that has to treat the roads for snow. I found a perfect G two weeks ago in Chicago and requested undercarriage pictures and it looked like a sunken ship that had been under water for decades. I was so disappointed. |
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| Re: Which one to get?
colo77bronco - 8/29/2015 10:42 AM
My brother is near both of them and I check car fax and eliminate anything that has been registered in a part of the country that has to treat the roads for snow. I found a perfect G two weeks ago in Chicago and requested undercarriage pictures and it looked like a sunken ship that had been under water for decades. I was so disappointed.
Why don't you go into your My Profile, and tell us your location? Aurora, CO?? Thanks. |
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colo77bronco
Member
Date registered: Aug 2015
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Vehicle(s): Toyota Tundra SuperCrew and GL450
Posts: 14
| Re: Which one to get?
Done. I am in Colorado Springs but I am willing to ship from anywhere. Anything from areas with snow will require detailed photos of the undercarriage because I have already seen some scary stuff on otherwise beautiful Gs. |
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512bbi
Expert
Date registered: Jan 2007
Location: North western US and Europe
Vehicle(s): 05G55kge,Range rover classic,clk55amg,ML 430
Posts: 1313
| RE: Which one to get?
West coast and preferably from states with dry climates.
California has selection and some can be there from anywhere else.
X out the east coast on anything that has been there over five years
Mario |
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atg
Veteran
Date registered: Nov 2014
Location: Los Angeles
Vehicle(s): 2005 G55, 1985 300tdt
Posts: 129
| Re: Which one to get?
I think you need to get in these cars and drive them. Listen carefully, try all ranges and differential locks, crawl around underneath looking for rust and leaks, take. Hard look at the paint in the daylight. Open and close all doors. Try all accessories eg radio, wipers, lumbar supports, seat controls. Look at the headliners.
61 sounds plenty high for that 05. I thought I did ok last year at 49 with 19k more miles so it would be $660 per thousand miles difference.
Another benefit from buying in the western us is lots of highway vs city miles typically. A mile is not a mile. Having said that, for long term the car with fewer miles has more life left in it obviously. Nobody cares what year a G is they all look the same. An 05 looks better if anything.
You might miss Bluetooth but the 5 speed is solid. Who ares about heated wi dshield honestly. |
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