Doug DeMuro is parting with one of the strangest and most distinctive vehicles in his long-running collection. His 1999 Mercedes-Benz G500 Cabriolet is now up for auction after seven years of ownership and roughly 23,000 miles added under his care.
The short-wheelbase convertible G-Wagen was never officially sold in the United States, which makes this an unusual vehicle straight off the bat. DeMuro’s car goes a step further because it has been fully federalized and certified by the California Air Resources Board, allowing it to be legally titled and registered in California.
According to Doug DeMuro, the G500 is being sold through Cars & Bids with no reserve after becoming less practical for his growing family. The Cars & Bids listing adds that the SUV currently shows about 101,500 miles and remains relatively close to factory specification.
DeMuro has also invested heavily in keeping it usable rather than treating it as a static collector piece. Years of maintenance, rust remediation, suspension work, and mechanical repairs have turned this into a thoroughly documented ownership story rather than a low-mileage garage queen.
This G500 Cabriolet Was Never Sold Here New
Mercedes-Benz introduced the original G-Class as a rugged utility vehicle before gradually transforming it into a luxury SUV. The W463 generation brought more comfort, and later versions of the Cabriolet added a power-operated soft top to the traditional short-wheelbase body.
DeMuro says only around 2,600 power-top G Cabriolets were built over their long production run. His 1999 example was originally sold in Europe and later imported to the United States, where it underwent the necessary federalization work.
The California certification is particularly unusual, and DeMuro believes only around 10 to 12 imported Cabriolets went through the full CARB approval process, making this one especially appealing to buyers who want to register the vehicle in the state without workarounds.
The V8 Makes About 292 Horsepower
Power comes from Mercedes-Benz’s 5.0-liter M113 V8, rated at approximately 292 horsepower and 336 lb-ft of torque. It sends power to all four wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission and a two-speed transfer case.
The G500 still has all the hardware that made the original G-Class famous off-road, including full-time four-wheel drive and locking differentials. At the same time, equipment such as leather upholstery, heated front seats, power mirrors, remote keyless entry, rear parking sensors, and the power convertible top make it considerably more civilized than many open-roof SUVs from the same era.
The car has been lightly modified during DeMuro’s ownership. Cars & Bids lists LED headlights, rear child-seat tethers, and an Alpine Bluetooth head unit among the main changes.
DeMuro Spent Heavily On Maintenance
DeMuro says he spent more than $50,000 maintaining and repairing the G500 over seven years. The accompanying records show extensive work covering the engine, suspension, brakes, steering, driveline fluids, convertible top, and underbody.
One of the biggest rounds of work came in 2024, when the underbody was cleaned, corrosion was addressed, and protective treatment was applied. That service also included rocker-panel repairs, Bilstein B8 shocks, new brake rotors, pads and lines, power-steering work, and replacement fluids for the differentials and transfer case.
More recent work continued into 2026. Cars & Bids notes that a K40 relay module and rear top fasteners were replaced in July, while April brought OEM five-spoke wheels, fresh brake fluid, and an oil change.
It Still Has A Few Imperfections
This is not being presented as a flawless collector car. The listing notes miscellaneous wear, some corrosion around paint blemishes and underbody hardware, an inoperative cruise-control system, and rear parking sensors that only work intermittently.
The convertible top also sometimes needs to be guided over the rear headrests during operation. DeMuro says this behavior is typical of power-top G500 Cabriolets rather than a unique failure on his example.
The sale includes extensive service records, EPA and CARB import paperwork, two sets of keys, the original running boards, and an extra set of later-style G-Wagen wheels. The current BFGoodrich KO2 tires carry 2023 date codes.
Seven Years Of Family Use Are Coming To An End
DeMuro purchased the G500 in October 2019 and used it as a family vehicle for years, including beach trips and everyday driving with his children. He says changing priorities and the arrival of a third child have made the compact four-seat layout less practical than it once was.
He also admits that maintaining a 26-year-old imported Mercedes no longer fits his life quite as well as it once did. His family’s fun-car focus has shifted toward cars like his Porsche 911 Turbo and Toyota Supra, leaving the G500 with less of a role in the garage.
That doesn’t make the sale an easy one. DeMuro has made clear that he considers the Cabriolet difficult to replace, particularly with its V8, California certification, and unusual history.
This is a genuinely rare open-top G-Wagen that has been driven, maintained, documented, and enjoyed rather than simply preserved behind velvet ropes, and it’s easy to see its appeal.