Man Finally Finds Mercedes G-Wagon Dealer Who Doesn't Do Mark Ups. Then He Realizes There's A Catch: '$60,000 Mark Up!'

Finding a dealer willing to sell a car at or near sticker price shouldn’t be so hard. But when it comes to the Mercedes-Benz G-Class it's apparently next-to-impossible.

The Mercedes G-Class, more commonly known as the G-Wagon, is historically sold way over asking price. That’s considerable, given that the most basic trim starts in the mid-six figures.

Car dealership sales manager Odanis Salomon (@odanis.salomon) says he heard of a dealership with a $60,000 markup on their G-Wagons, “and they sell out every year. That's crazy."

"To mark up a car 60k and still sell 100% of them every year is wild," he wrote in the caption of a recent TikTok.

There is one dealership that’s known for giving customers a fair deal on the coveted G-Wagon, but there’s one catch and it's a big one.

Salomon says he follows a TikTok creator called Benzs and Bowties, whose store reportedly doesn't charge a markup on G-Wagons.

"I think he says that although they don't charge markup, his store only sells the new G-Wagons that come in to previous customers of theirs. So you have to be a previous customer, and you have to trade in a G-Wagon as well," Salomon explains.

How Does The G-Wagon Policy Work?

In a video, Doug Horner (@benzsandbowtie, the account Salomon refers to) explains how the policy works in real time as the dealer shares a real call he had with a customer.

"I can't get him at 63 … not unless he's already a client of ours. Sounds like their dealer's charging 30 over,” Horner is heard explaining. 

He explains that they either have this policy in place, where they only sell to their own clients, or they’d have to do what other dealerships do and ask for tens of thousands over MSRP. “And we don't wanna do that,” Horner says.

Without this screening system, the waitlist would be unmanageable, he adds.

"If it was just everybody that wanted one could buy one at MSRP with no criteria, I would literally have a 30-year waiting list, because for as many people as reach out to all of you, I get at least 10 every two days,” he says.

He acknowledged not everyone is willing to go along with the trade-in requirement.

"A lot of them are okay with it. There's an equal number, if not more, that are like, 'No, I don't wanna do that.' And then they convince themselves in their head that if they try hard enough and long enough, they'll eventually find a dealer that will sell them one at MSRP. And it never happens."

In the caption Horner sums it up, "We don't want to charge over MSRP. That's not our model. But if there wasn't a system in place, there'd be a 30-year waiting list. That's just the reality of supply and demand.”

How Did G-Wagon Markups Get This High?

Dealer markups on the G-Class aren't new. Back in 2022, during the pandemic-era inventory crunch, buyers were already paying an average of $30,000 over the G-Class's roughly $175,000 base price at the time. One Mercedes dealership was reportedly asking $337,000 for a 2021 AMG G63—more than $150,000 over MSRP, according to ABC News. 

An Edmunds analyst told ABC markups get "crazier" the higher the price point climbs, and even automakers like GM and Ford stepped in at the time, warning dealers to stop overcharging customers on high-demand models.

Why Does The G-Wagon Cost So Much?

Even without a markup, the G-Wagon's sticker price is already high for reasons that go beyond the badge, according to SlashGear:

• Military roots and heritage. The G-Class was originally built for the Swiss, Norwegian and Argentinian armies, giving it a particular image, prestige, and quality association.
• A rare combination of luxury and real off-road ability. Most luxury SUVs aren't built to leave pavement, and most true off-roaders aren't genuinely luxurious inside. The G-Class does both, which puts it in a category with very little direct competition.
• Celebrity demand. The G-Class has been a fixture among Hollywood and international elite since it officially reached the US in 2002.
• Expensive factory customization. Options like the $5,000 Exclusive Interior package or $3,700 AMG carbon fiber trim add up fast on top of the base price.
• A massive aftermarket tuning scene. Companies like Brabus and Mansory build even pricier, more customized versions, reinforcing the G-Wagon's reputation as a vehicle people pay a premium to stand out in.

The G-Wagon Tax Loophole

There's also a financial angle that has nothing to do with looks or off-road chops. Business owners can potentially write off the entire purchase price of a vehicle under IRS Section 179, but only if it weighs over 6,000 pounds. The G-Wagon comfortably clears that threshold, as Motor1 previously reported. 

Under the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," 100% bonus depreciation was reinstated permanently for qualifying vehicles placed in service after Jan. 19, 2025, reversing an earlier phase-down of the deduction. 

It's not a G-Wagon-exclusive loophole. Trucks and SUVs like the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade qualify too. But it helps explain why a six-figure SUV keeps showing up in driveways next to other assets meant to offset a tax bill.

“You Can’t Buy One First”

Comments on the videos include a mix of questions, skepticism, and horror stories about G-Wagon markups.

“How do you trade in a G-Wagon when you can’t buy one first?” one wrote.

“During Covid, the store I was in was getting $100K over MSRP on a G63. It was wild,” another shared.

One person who fell into the skeptic camp opined, “Probably undervalues the trade-ins substantially. Then sells them for a ton more (it’s not considered markup if it’s used).”

Motor1 reached out to Salomon via email and TikTok direct message and Horner via contact form and Instagram direct message and Mercedes-Benz via email. We'll be sure to update this if any of the parties respond.