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If Mercedes expected failures, why did they not have spare shocks?? Or have good aftermarket suspension that may have reduced the number of failures??
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Cheers,
Andrew.
2008 NS Diesel Auto - stock as a rock. Planning Tow bar, dual battery system, cargo barrier, bullbar, winch, lights, roof rack and suspension.
Jayco Starcraft 17.58-3. -
Hmm. Not very good marketing! Those are $170K trucks!! I wonder if they consulted anyone who had done the CSR before??
Spend $1500 on each truck upgrading the shocks beforehand, or spend it anyway, plus $5K in freight, plus $5,000,000 in lost sales afterwards!!
2008 NS DiD GLX, ARB bar, Warn winch, BFG ATs, Bilstein/Lovell 2" lift, Milford barrier, VMS GPS, Rhino platform rack, Uniden UHF, Mobile 1 antenna, MMA tow bar, DIY dual battery system, Outback rear storage, Bushskinz bash plates x 3, custom steel sliders, Airtec snorkel, Narva HIDs, Ironman awning, ERPS, Glind hot waterComment
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Priceless! A failure-rate of 85% is worse than Toyota recent recalls!Originally posted by CeeJay View Post
Must realise that if Mercedes did put $1500 of decent shocks on those G-classes, that would probably bump the price up to $180K, knowing Mercedes 'gold-plated' prices!
Steve
Steve
Runner-Paj; '95 NJ SWB 2.5L TD GL J-Top, low kms Project-Paj; '92 NH SWB 3.0L V6 GLS Hardtop Triple-pack, also low kms. Donor Paj; '92 NH SWB 3.0L V6 GLS Hardtop Triple-pack, with some parts & goodies to go onto other GLS.
"I try to take life one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me all at once!" Comment
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So, I wonder if 2 or 3 mates bought these G Wagons and decided to do this trip, - would MB go to the same trouble to help them under warranty ???Comment
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classic...but i wonder how an off the shelf...insert Pajero, Prado, 200 Series, 76 series / Troopy, Disco 4, RR Sport or Vogue, Defender, Patrol...would have performed? OME shocks on any of those would struggle, let alone other things on a full CSR product test. Perhaps the Troopy would be the most likely to get through unscathed (or a Defender if it was lucky enough to be assembled on a good quality day!).
Good on Merc for trying their kit out.
beats me why G Wagens are still essentially hand made in Austria (hence their exorbinat price...why they can't be put together in a massproduction factory in the Brazil / South Africa / Romania / Greece / USA or other 3rd world countries where the Germans have outsourced production to.
I would serously love one of these...definately my 'win lottery' wagon...ahead of a Disco 4 or 200 SeriesGone: 2004 21st Anniversary NP DiD Auto with 215ks, EcoShot diesel gas, bullbar, drive lights, snorkel, UHF, 2nd battery + Redarc isolator & wired for fridge + trailer Anderson plug, Mits 2.5 ton towbar, Lovell 50mm HD springs + shocks + Polyairbags, torque converter lock-up.
Selling some touring kit - see Marketplace
Arrived: 2011 Discovery 4 2.7 TDV6 - The difference is amazing... Paj definitely designed in the 1990s and at a lower price point!Comment
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PMSL!
2007 NS VRX Cool Siver, Mitsu Alloy BB with spotties, MM towbar, Family Pack, ARB Awning, Duel battery with Optima yellow top starter, Bushskinz intercooler and sump combo, 2" lift with Bilstein shocks and HD Lovels, Ultragauge (Sold 2014)Comment
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To be fair to Mercedes, I suspect that when the rep said they "expected failures" he meant that they didn't expect to complete the trip without failure - I don't believe they expected the shock absorbers to fail.
The whole idea behind doing a trip like this with stock vehicles is to discover weak points. Mercedes have simply done this on a larger scale, and a little more publicly than most manufacturers would.
I give them full marks for not only taking on the trip, but being open about what's happened.
Oh, and it was OEM shocks that failed - Original Equipment Manufacturer - not OME - Old Man Emu.
NT Platinum. DiD Auto with 265/70R17 ST Maxx, Lift, Lockers, Lockup Mate, Low range reduction, LRA Aux tank, bull bar, winch, lots of touring stuff. Flappy paddles. MMCS is gone!
Project: NJ SWB. 285/75R16 ST Maxx, 2" OME suspension, 2" body lift, ARB 110, 120l tank, bullbar, scratches, no major dents. Fully engineered in SA. NW DiD & auto in place - a long way to go....
Scorpro Explorer BoxComment
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bite me!!!!!
Gone: 2004 21st Anniversary NP DiD Auto with 215ks, EcoShot diesel gas, bullbar, drive lights, snorkel, UHF, 2nd battery + Redarc isolator & wired for fridge + trailer Anderson plug, Mits 2.5 ton towbar, Lovell 50mm HD springs + shocks + Polyairbags, torque converter lock-up.
Selling some touring kit - see Marketplace
Arrived: 2011 Discovery 4 2.7 TDV6 - The difference is amazing... Paj definitely designed in the 1990s and at a lower price point!Comment
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I guess, but pretty dumb also. I have not read one guide book or trip planner which doesn't say 'upgrade your shocks for the CSR and carry spares' orsimilar advice. i don't think there's one forumite here with more than a year's experience who would attempt it on OEM shocks. To not even carry spares is not 'brave' in my book, it's dumb.Originally posted by AJC View Post
2008 NS DiD GLX, ARB bar, Warn winch, BFG ATs, Bilstein/Lovell 2" lift, Milford barrier, VMS GPS, Rhino platform rack, Uniden UHF, Mobile 1 antenna, MMA tow bar, DIY dual battery system, Outback rear storage, Bushskinz bash plates x 3, custom steel sliders, Airtec snorkel, Narva HIDs, Ironman awning, ERPS, Glind hot waterComment
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Couldn't fit them inside, or on the racks, because they needed the space for the cartons of Beck's!Originally posted by CeeJay View Post
Steve
Steve
Runner-Paj; '95 NJ SWB 2.5L TD GL J-Top, low kms Project-Paj; '92 NH SWB 3.0L V6 GLS Hardtop Triple-pack, also low kms. Donor Paj; '92 NH SWB 3.0L V6 GLS Hardtop Triple-pack, with some parts & goodies to go onto other GLS."I try to take life one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me all at once!" Comment
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Not bringing spares shows the "outback specialists" were either duped or as clueless as MB themselves.
That said, while spares should still be brought, OEM shocks on genuine off road vehicles at this price point should be able to withstand such a trip. The spare wheel mounts should too.
Mitsubishi, Toyota or Land Rover should try and beat them to the finish line
2011 NW SWB Auto 3.2TD, Black, UK (5,000 mlles)
2010 LC200 Auto 5.7L, White, US (23,000 miles)Comment
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New Drive article...
Now Mercedes-Benz are claiming that they are the first vehicle-manufacturer to conquer the Canning Stock-route!
If a plane is needed to finish the trip, it's hardly anything to boast about. Sort of like climbing Mt Everest & doing part of it with a helicopter!
Despite what is said about Land-rover reliability, Len Beadell (http://www.beadell.com.au/ ), drove through very remote areas with LRs that were standard from the factory (although he did have a grader with his team if it really ended up in trouble).
Steve
Steve
Runner-Paj; '95 NJ SWB 2.5L TD GL J-Top, low kms Project-Paj; '92 NH SWB 3.0L V6 GLS Hardtop Triple-pack, also low kms. Donor Paj; '92 NH SWB 3.0L V6 GLS Hardtop Triple-pack, with some parts & goodies to go onto other GLS."I try to take life one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me all at once!" Comment
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That's sucks. I can't believe Mercedes will have an issue like this. I used to think that they are one of the company that provide tough SUV like these. If they continue to put weak Mercedes parts on there SUV, then no one will buy their off road vehicles.Last edited by mark_andrews; 26-08-11, 11:15 AM.Comment
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