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So hypothetically, if I'm looking at a 2018 Merc Marco Polo westfalia 220 camper with 29,000 on the clock and 2 owners from new, what should I be looking out for/expect?
On the surface it looks immaculate, the quality of the interior is spot on, it's not got any aftermarket extras bodged in. No idea what it drives like or if everything works as it should at this stage. Just had a nosy and am daydreaming.
But at 30k miles, are there potential pitfalls that any STW experts are aware of?
What would you expect from a motorhome dealer? 12 months warranty/mot as a given?
Why should I NOT be looking at this and should be looking at something else instead (obvious VW or Citroen/Peugeot/Toyota alternative?)
Use case is there, biking trips for me solo, biking trips for me and daughter, family short breaks. Likely second vehicle alongside a small (hopefully electric) city type car.
I've trawled some other forums 😱 and some YouTube reviews etc, but am always interested in the STW font of knowledge and experience!
The 2.2 engine is generally bulletproof but can suffer dpf problems if used for short distances a lot.
It might feel a bit sluggish at 160hp but will safely map to 235hp.
Vitos a generally very reliable and will do mega miles.
The factory infotainment systems sometimes have issues, and the electric sliding door.
We're on our 2nd Westfalia (not the Merc) so I'm slightly biased
The Marco Polo is a very nice looking van with a classic side kitchen just like the VW California (which was originally produced/designed by Westfalia up to the launch of the T5 when VW just took the idea and stopped supplying vans to Westfalia).
Expect the level of finish and quality to be extremely high and far superior to most independent VW van conversions out there and better than most big companies too.
30k is high for a campervan (as they are not in daily use) but I guess it's also been used a second family vehicle so it that high if you look at it that way.
Any van that new, and expensive, should come with a minimum of 12 months bumper to bumper warranty covering both base vehicle and the camper conversion. Everything should work correctly! Westfalia pop up roofs are over-engineered so will be really good.
Do some digging around for info, if the first owner was a rental company it may not have been treated well. On the other hand it could have had 2 very careful owners. FSH and a full file of receipts are critical. On a campervan a full habitation service each year isn't necessary but will help them sell it. Stuff like rubber gas hoses can perish after 5 years and is a good indicator of the level of care taken with it if they've been replaced already. There's tons of info out there so have fun.
Also pop up roofs Vs hi-top vans is only something you can decide on. We've had both and each has advantages and disadvantages
Damp.. get them checked
Mechanically at that mileage apart from egr and dpf issues you shouldn't see anything to worry you. Just make sure there's no black death on the injectors
For an alternative and possibly more family friendly layout, have you seen the Ford Nugget?
They had a nugget at the dealer as well. Had a nosey inside, it was nice but the Merc felt a step up in quality. Could be entirely superficial. I believe the merc is a less van like experience to drive, I've driven a transit before and I enjoyed it to be fair, but I think the more relaxed drive is going to help the transition (for the whole family) into such a vehicle! Drove a T6 camper last year, it was great but it wasn't a relaxing drive 😉
Early days at the moment, need to take much closer looks yet and test drives where possible. Not ruling anything out.
They also had a new caddy California. If I was being entirely selfish and getting something just for me, i'd have that!
My thoughts were purely from a layout point of view. The Nugget layout seems a lot more practical for actual camping use, more like a mini motorhome. You can do more than one thing at once. E.g. cook in the kitchen with the kids sitting at the table. That said side kitchen layouts are far, far more popular. Is it just a trend thing or are they actually the best layout choice?
I've always seen the Transit referred to as "car-like", but never "like a car" 😀
The Nugget layout has been in Transits since the smiley face version so a very long time. It's a very clever usage of limited space. There are thousands in Europe but not many here
We had a 2008 swb pop top. It was fab but got nicked
We have a 2009 LWB hi-roof version - a Big Nugget. It's great.
I'm a nugget bore. Msg me if you want more details
Don't be fooled by the driving experience. The best vans are nowt like a car. The T4 was streets ahead of other vans, the T5 was a small improvement. All the other vans have caught up over time. The best driver is probably the Renault Trafic but it's still nothing like a modern car, more like a 1999 Mondeo estate
I’ve always seen the Transit referred to as “car-like”, but never “like a car”
Well, yes, it’s a big box with a wheel at each corner, but the actual driving position etc is like being in a large car, as is the dash layout, whereas a lot of vans are more upright and where you put your feet etc can be restricted. Drove quite a lot of commercial vehicles, of most of the major brands, and the Tranny was certainly much more like being in a car, kind of like a sod-off big SUV.
My 2p worth, from the driver's seat/ cabin
New Transit Custom is like driving a huge Fiesta
My 2009 Transit is like driving a huge version of my 2010 Mondeo
How does the Mercedes compare to the Transit driving experience?
I wouldn't have a Euro6 Ford due to wet timing belt unreliability/stupid design. Also long term ownership wise I don't know if they have improved on corrosion - my MK7 Transit dissolved before my eyes dispute my best attempts to prevent it.
The driving experience wouldn't bother me - it's a van laden to its plated limit, it's never going to feel like a car.
I maybe shouldn't have used the word experience..... I'm not expecting nor arsed about it giving me any kind of thrill, just that it's supposed to be relaxing and easy in the Merc. It's (according to reviewers) laid back, comfortable, auto, cruise control, relatively quiet etc. Not bothered how fast it goes!
Need to do the research on the actual foot print of the choices, the nugget seems a step up in size, certainly compared to a VW or dispatch/partner, but I think the Merc is actually longer.
Like I say. Early days at the moment!
In the mid-2010s most van manufacturers settled on 5m SWB and 5.4m LWB for this category e.g. Ford, VW, Renault
Merc went their own way and have 4 different lengths of Vito. Beware The sloping roof at the back of the Vito as it restricts headroom if you're tall
Depends how occasional the use is, we own a T4 day van that sleeps me and my bike for boys trips, this is my daily driver. We also had a T4 camper for family trips which worked well till our boy starting riding proper trails, which meant we needed our proper bikes which we weren't happy leaving on the back when we were doing other things.
We now have a converted LWB Sprinter minibus that swallows 4 bikes under a double bed with a rock n roll bed in front of that.
If you are going to use it enough or have enough spare money, I'd recommend cutting to the chase and buying a big un. Ours isn't fancy but we love it. 49 nights last year 🙂