“Literally flew off.”
A woman who purchased her dream car was left majorly disappointed after actually owning it.
South Florida realtor and investor Taylor DeFazio (@taylordefazio) was once smitten with the Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV, commonly known as the G Wagon. It’s difficult to fault her. The German SUV blends the rugged, boxy exterior of a classic, high-seated truck with the veneer and design aplomb the luxury automaker is renowned for.
However, the perception she had of the vehicle was shattered once it was her daily driver. Now she’s urging others not to buy one.
“So if any one of you were ever thinking about getting a G Wagon: do yourself the favor and just don’t,” she says in a TikTok about the vehicle. Then she explains why she’s no longer a fan of the car. Her main gripe is the cost of maintenance. She also called into question the iconic SUV’s build quality.
“This has been the most expensive car I’ve ever owned. And quite literally the worst car I’ve ever owned,” she says. Next DeFazio records the rear-mounted spare tire. “I was driving one day and this literally just flew off of the car.”
She points to the bottom fastening clasp that encircles the G Wagon to keep the spare in place. It dangles on its hinge after she grips the metal component. “The key here literally just fell out,” DeFazio says. And judging from how its lock chamber mechanism looks, it seems a piece of the cover is indeed missing.
As DeFazio continues, she reveals these issues occurred relatively early into ownership. “I’ve had this car for two years. Two years,” she laments. The costs didn’t stop there, either. DeFazio says that after only 24 months of driving, she “already need[s] new brakes.”
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Mercedes’ aren’t exactly cheap cars to maintain. Consumer Reports compiled 10-year maintenance cost breakdown for 28 different vehicles. Mercedes was listed as the third most expensive brand for drivers to routinely service and repair. According to the research group, the first five years of ownership should cost Benz owners $3,500. After this time period, the average total bill nearly triples to an additional $9,600 through the tenth year.
According to Edmunds, the costs may be even higher. It reports that in five years, owners will fork over $12,000 in maintenance and an additional $10,000 in repairs for 2020 models.
Dependability for the head-turning SUV is a mixed bag, depending on who you ask. Automotive buying/selling site Car Gurus reports that 2009 models and up “tend to have fewer problems and lower upkeep costs.” Moreover, the same piece indicates that “no G-Class model is cheap to repair if things do go wrong.” The outlet adds that “1999-2000 G500s are considered very reliable as are … diesel and six-cylinder gas versions like the 300GD and 280GE.”
CarBuzz claims that the first generation G Wagons, manufactured between 2002-2018, are extremely reliable, but some drivers can experience steering and electrical issues. A CoPilot assessment of the G Wagon seems to corroborate this mark against its mechanical stalwartness. The website points to reports of “prop shaft failure” which culminates in a bumpy ride. Breaker Yard writes that if folks experience weird jostling, they will probably have to get their entire prop shaft swapped out.
The G Wagon may be reliable, but the maintenance costs have proved too much for DeFazio.
“So moral of the story: I am [expletive] getting rid of it. Send me some car recommendations,” she says.
Motor1 has reached out to DeFazio and Mercedes-Benz via email for further comment. We’ll update this if either responds.
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