Used Mercedes-Benz G-Class Bonnet Strut

Yes, the G-Class does use gas-charged bonnet struts rather than a prop rod, so this is a genuine part you can source from a breaker. The struts hold the bonnet open automatically when raised and are a known wear item on older examples. You'll typically find one strut on each side of the engine bay.

The G-Class ran on the W463 platform from 1989 all the way through to 2018, when the current W464 generation was introduced with a significantly redesigned body and engine bay. These are completely different generations with different bonnet designs, so a W463 strut will not fit a W464 model. Stick to parts from the same generation as your vehicle.

The W463 ran from 1989 to 2018 and received a significant facelift around 2012 that updated the front end, so it's worth confirming with the breaker whether the strut from a pre-2012 car crosses over to a post-2012 example against your exact registration. Within the same facelift period, struts are generally shared across the range, but it's best to let the breaker verify the part number before committing.

Trim and engine choice do not affect bonnet strut fitment on the G-Class — the bonnet and its supporting hardware are shared across petrol and diesel variants, and AMG models, within the same generation and facelift period. You won't need a different strut just because your car is a G63 AMG rather than a G350d. Confirm the generation and facelift period with the breaker and that's the key information they'll need.

Both a 2009 and a 2015 W463 fall within the same generation, but the 2012 facelift sits between those two years and brought changes to the front end. Whether the strut itself is identical across that facelift boundary is something you should confirm with the breaker against your registration, as they can cross-reference part numbers to be sure. Don't assume pre- and post-facelift struts are interchangeable without that check.

All standard production G-Class variants — whether short or long wheelbase, diesel or petrol, AMG or standard trim — use gas bonnet struts, so there are no common variants where the strut is absent. If your struts have simply lost their gas charge and no longer hold the bonnet up, replacing them with used items from a breaker is a straightforward and cost-effective fix. Just make sure to match the generation and facelift period as described above.