42177 Mercedes G500 4X4

[Maaboo the Witch]

You know you've been waiting for this - it's Sariel's review!

 

[thekoRngear]

Finally!

I think he spoke truth about the wobbliness of the bodywork. That one thing is really stopping/confusing me from buying it. Ofcourse it will remain a great source of parts and also a hub for mods from EB and various other Lego community but, for us, who seats in the middle, it's a bit confusing. Maybe that wobbliness and flimsiness is not a deal for many but the amount of work that I had to put to make my 2-wheeler Ford Raptor sturdier I just don't wanna do that. Defender was mostly free of this (body structure rigidity) where modding community would (mostly) happily design/modify other important stuffs.

It's also addressed here

Howevr, I will see if people come up with smart and brilliant solutions, then my decision might change!

Edited August 3 by thekoRngear

[efferman]

Yeah, the body deserve not the "G" badge. Totaly flimsy on many points.

Technic models have to live with gaps, but this is strange.

A side by side comparisation to a smaller 4x4 squared scale model. I know, it is dirty and incomplete but i got it with a very big discount.

 

Edited August 4 by efferman

[Erik Leppen]

I got the set with a discount and I built it yesterday. I actually love the set. It's miles beyond the Defender.

Yes, there are a few parts of the bodywork that are a bit loose and some people complained that all the small parts make it lack a smooth finish (I disagree with that though), but I'll take a bodywork with a few loose pieces and lots of small pieces 1000x over the Defender's bodywork that feels rushed and stuck together from a few huge custom parts that are totally ineffective for MOCing. All doors of this G500 have a proper window frame, and everything looks very nicely angled, and all the angled parts that should be parallel, actually are. Of course the #7 connector is a big help, but there's also some clever angle work in other places that exactly matches the angle of this connector.

The only reason for me to get this set were the reddish orange pieces, and it is exactly because of the way the bodywork is designed that we get really large numbers of very useful small pieces. Also, we get all lengths of straight liftarm in reddish orange, which is a rarity these days with new-colored sets. Just compare the selection of olive-green parts in the Defender - it's impossible to MOC with that. With the huge array of reddish orange pieces from this set, plus the few panels we got from the Space sets, and the part availability at least for Technic parts is immediately up to par with many other colors. It remains to be seen how well the McLaren scores on that aspect.

i'd rather have seen other colors for the seats, colors that pop more and add a bit of variation to the part selection. Byt iself, the black + dark-gray color patching of the seats is very well done, but parts-wise, the set has a LOT of black. It looks nice on the model, but it adds a lot of parts I already own.

I was a bit afraid for the huge amount of extra parts spent on "extras", but it's only a box, a roof-frame with ladder and a frame around the spare wheel, which is not overdone.

My biggest complaint about the set is, what is it with Lego Technic sets that fake engines so often run so terribly slowly? It would have been much more fun if everything runs at least 5 times as fast. Right now it just looks dumb IMO. Also the gearbox still looks more complicated then needed (not sure it can be made simpler, but the gearing takes some weird routes IMO), but I'm really happy it doesn't spend the entire chassis on gearboxes the way the Defender did and there's actually interior space. The chassis feels much better designed overall, also thanks to the 19x3 panels.

It's a bit of a shame t hough that after bag #6 (of 20) the functions are basically done. One could wonder why the other 14 bags are even made of Technic parts...

The suspension works flawlessly, I like how the front and rear axles have a different setup (more variation in building). I also really like how the model is not too wide (thanks to the deep rims), and of course the 12t and 24t clutch gears are long-overdue but very welcome additions to the part selection.

Edited August 4 by Erik Leppen

[thekoRngear]

1 hour ago, Erik Leppen said:

but I'll take a bodywork with a few loose pieces and lots of small pieces 1000x over the Defender's bodywork that feels rushed and stuck together from a few huge custom parts that are totally ineffective for MOCing.

NOPE. That is an over-statement. I do not agree with that and I am not even further argue with you because it is a fact. The following post to my previous post reflects that. Funnily enough, I can recall those days when many people INITIALLY defended 42110’s transmission that it worked flawlessly for them only to realize it does not for most of US. Personally I think 42110’s bodywork was done with most care, with resources available back then. Sorry, your “MOCing perspective” does not reflect the fact.

Edited August 4 by thekoRngear

[Erik Leppen]

Well, @thekoRngear, to each their own of course, but by presenting your view on things as fact, you disqualify yourself from the discussion. Which you don't seem to want to have anyways, so whatever :)

For clarity: I don't care about realism. I wouldn't recognize any of these cars on the road. I judge a Lego set on whether I think it is an interesting Lego set (this includes the part inventory). Which I think this G500 very much is! I consider it worth picking up if you find it at a good price.

About the bodywork, I personally just find the G500's bodywork to look really nice (the color helps), and this set proves to me that one can design a car with standard parts only, without having to resort to designing a specialized Defender wheel arch piece and then, as a company, try to justify the piece by using it in other sets, where I can't remember having seen a single time where I found it appropriate parts usage. It always felt out of place to me, also in the Lego system of parts.

Also, I haven't used the olive green parts in a Moc in the past years, so that shows the lack of MOCing potential for me.

(Note: obviously, all of the above is an opinion, not truth. Everyone can have their own take on this).

Edited August 4 by Erik Leppen

[nerdsforprez]

16 minutes ago, Erik Leppen said:

by presenting your view on things as fact, you disqualify yourself from the discussion. 

Agreed. . 

One cannot litigate preferences. There is no fact here, only preferences and perspectives.  Some may be more accepted by others, but hardly accepted as "fact"

[howitzer]

1 hour ago, Erik Leppen said:

... one can design a car with standard parts only, without having to resort to designing a specialized Defender wheel arch piece and then, as a company, try to justify the piece by using it in other sets, where I can't remember having seen a single time where I found it appropriate parts usage. It always felt out of place to me, also in the Lego system of parts.

But haven't custom wheel arches been used in wide variety of shapes in wide variety of sets for a long time? I mean, sure the Defender got its custom wheel arch which then has been used only a couple of times "properly" (notably the Volvo hauler) and few times in NPU fashion (like the City moonbase set and the Robot inventor) where it wasn't really necessary. But doesn't the same apply for every wheel arch, Technic and System alike, and for many other parts where the shape could be approximated with standard parts only?

It would be easier to agree with your opinion if the Defender had also stuff like custom hood or custom grille or something along those lines, but it only had the wheel arches which tend to have subtle but noticeable curves in very tight space, which makes them hard to replicate with standard parts so I think custom parts are justified there. As for the G500, the shape is of the liftarm-built wheel arches is passable but those prominently visible pinholes look pretty bad.

[gyenesvi]

Great that we are getting a fairly good amount of parts in this new color. Agree that the Defender's olive green parts are pretty hard to use for any MOC-ing, haven't seen many in that color except for the alternate models.

About the wheel arches, I always wondered if the Defender's fender parts were designed for the Defender itself, or rather for the Volvo, or actually both in mind, as the release time difference is not that much. But I always felt that it is a better fit for the Volvo, than the Defender; it is just too large for the Defender in every direction. Those wheel arches actually work quite well with 95mm tires, with good steering geometry the wheel can turn under the arch and does not get caught up in it because it has no edges on the inside. It could also look better with the new 87mm tires, the Defender's 81mm tires are just too small for them and look ridiculous.

10 hours ago, howitzer said:

As for the G500, the shape is of the liftarm-built wheel arches is passable but those prominently visible pinholes look pretty bad.

This; it's true that the shape in general can be built, but the style of these fenders built from liftarms is so unrealistic (and old-shool). It just does not match the modern paneling system. I am still waiting for lego to come out with some better fender parts for off-roaders. Something that is just 1 stud wide and can be mounted in two points at the top, so that the bottom can end smoothly so the wheels don't get caught in it. Circular and angled variant.. in different sizes of course :) And let's just start with black.. that can be matched to many body colors.

[kbalage]

On 7/31/2024 at 4:52 PM, burak said:

Most likely. Perhaps TLG is still checking whether paper bags in this form are generally accepted before all factories finally switch over

TLG is gradually converting its factories to the new packaging method, the plan is to complete the changeover by 2025. 

23 hours ago, Erik Leppen said:

My biggest complaint about the set is, what is it with Lego Technic sets that fake engines so often run so terribly slowly? It would have been much more fun if everything runs at least 5 times as fast.

There could be 2 factors - the first is the resistance, the faster the engine, the higher the resistance will be in the drivetrain, and we've already seen the consequences of that with the Defender. The other could be a simple perception thing, as you can easily distinguish between slow and moderately fast than between fast and super fast :)

[Sokolov Edward]

I decided to assemble the subject from what I had from other sets. IMHO the model is not so impressive that it would be placed on a shelf next to supercars, but I already have a dark green Jeep Defender from MK and it is more beautiful. Replacements for new gears and suspension parts were made quickly. Six 1-liter cylinders were replaced with 3 2-liter cylinders with a classic crankshaft - it stood up as if it was there. I just had to modify the lid. The chassis has already been assembled without loss of functionality. The end result will be a “black gelik”.
In the instructions, a gross error was found in steps 28 and 29 - inserting a red pin with a green bar will not work even for a strongman. Green bar 87994 must be installed separately at the very end of the step. I hope those who have collected other models know this, but a beginner here can get stuck for a long time.

Edited August 5 by Sokolov Edward

[kbalage]

1 hour ago, Sokolov Edward said:

In the instructions, a gross error was found in steps 28 and 29 - inserting a red pin with a green bar will not work even for a strongman. Green bar 87994 must be installed separately at the very end of the step.

You mean this moment? :) 

[Paul B Technic]

it is great to watch some of these reviews and see the differences of ideas and opinions on this. I am still on the fence, it would my first large set in a few years.

[Sokolov Edward]

1 hour ago, kbalage said:

You mean this moment? :) 

Unfortunately, in Russia there are problems with YouTube, but I have problems with English. 

This trick doesn’t work on Chinese parts - everything is already tough there - I did without the green bar.

Edited August 5 by Sokolov Edward

[RussianGuy]

2 hours ago, Sokolov Edward said:

This trick doesn’t work on Chinese parts

So, the "gross error" is that TLG didn't anticipate you using shitty parts instead of LEGO? :)

[SNIPE]

Still only book 2/2 on the lego instructions website..

Oh well ive finished book 1 so

[damian_kane_iv]

My biggest pet peeve is that they dont use the bew wishbone in the front suspension and that they didnt make it more rigid.

I also agree with anove comments, Lego was smart this time and spread the new orange across multiple sets so we get a full complement. Olive is very tricky to moc with

[AVCampos]

1 hour ago, damian_kane_iv said:

Olive is very tricky to moc with

That's also my beef with 42039 and 42069.

[gyenesvi]

1 hour ago, damian_kane_iv said:

My biggest pet peeve is that they dont use the bew wishbone in the front suspension and that they didnt make it more rigid.

How could they have used it? The new one is 7L and already the current 6L is too long here as it does not allow the diff lock to be fitted. Instead they should have used 5L ones and made a 5L steering link to accompany it.

[Sokolov Edward]

2 hours ago, RussianGuy said:

So, the "gross error" is that TLG didn't anticipate you using shitty parts instead of LEGO? :)

Either think about how to find an extra 500 euros for Lego, or finish off Chinese parts with a file for 0.01 euros - IMHO the latter does not torment the soul so much.

2 hours ago, SNIPE said:

Still only book 2/2 on the lego instructions website..

Go to the Lego website as if from France and get the first part with an introduction in French.

[SNIPE]

59 minutes ago, Sokolov Edward said:

Either think about how to find an extra 500 euros for Lego, or finish off Chinese parts with a file for 0.01 euros - IMHO the latter does not torment the soul so much.

Go to the Lego website as if from France and get the first part with an introduction in French.

https://www.lego.com/en-gb/service/buildinginstructions/42177?marketfallbackfrom=en-fr

still only book 2

[Sokolov Edward]

1 hour ago, SNIPE said:

still only book 2

https://www.lego.com/fr-fr/service/buildinginstructions/42177

Edited August 5 by Sokolov Edward

[SNIPE]

35 minutes ago, Sokolov Edward said:

https://www.lego.com/fr-fr/service/buildinginstructions/42177

Ah thx

[damian_kane_iv]

4 hours ago, gyenesvi said:

How could they have used it? The new one is 7L and already the current 6L is too long here as it does not allow the diff lock to be fitted. Instead they should have used 5L ones and made a 5L steering link to accompany it.

I didnt think of that, maybe make the whole model larger lol

[gyenesvi]

35 minutes ago, damian_kane_iv said:

I didnt think of that, maybe make the whole model larger lol

Just to use the new suspension arms? I think it's large enough..