Usable Weekender: T5 4motion vs Sprinter MWB 4x4
Discussion
We are quickly outgrowing our weekender VW T5 swb with caravelle seats and factory rock and roll bed. 4 kids and stuff is making the family bus seem somewhat small.
I am looking for a van, which I will convert into a weekender, which we want to take to wales, Scotland and off the beaten track onto some light trail roads and B roads.
Our current van does a lot. Acts as my main vehicle on the weekend. Pulls motorbikes and the odd project car around.
Hits the odd drive through with kids and takes us on contained family adventures on the weekends. We now want to go further afield now.
Essentially we use it as a home from home and its a brilliant tool.
The key thing we need the Camper to be is versatile. We are considering changing the current van to a 2012 or newer Mercedes Sprinter MWB 4x4 high roof (with a rear diff lock).
I was looking at the dimensions of the Sprinter and it comes under 2 meters in width but is 2.7 meters tall.
Questions:
Will the Sprinter fit in most car park spaces?
As we use this as a BIG family car on the weekends and need to park in car parks and sometimes use drive through's... would I be better off getting a low roof model?
I guess I am wondering if I can still use the Sprinter as we do our T5. I think the size is making me think it may be quite awkward.
Any thoughts on this?
I am looking for a van, which I will convert into a weekender, which we want to take to wales, Scotland and off the beaten track onto some light trail roads and B roads.
Our current van does a lot. Acts as my main vehicle on the weekend. Pulls motorbikes and the odd project car around.
Hits the odd drive through with kids and takes us on contained family adventures on the weekends. We now want to go further afield now.
Essentially we use it as a home from home and its a brilliant tool.
The key thing we need the Camper to be is versatile. We are considering changing the current van to a 2012 or newer Mercedes Sprinter MWB 4x4 high roof (with a rear diff lock).
I was looking at the dimensions of the Sprinter and it comes under 2 meters in width but is 2.7 meters tall.
Questions:
Will the Sprinter fit in most car park spaces?
As we use this as a BIG family car on the weekends and need to park in car parks and sometimes use drive through's... would I be better off getting a low roof model?
I guess I am wondering if I can still use the Sprinter as we do our T5. I think the size is making me think it may be quite awkward.
Any thoughts on this?
I don't think size of MH are ever really an issue when it comes to parking. I have a caravan and when coupled with the car we are over 14m long. That is longer then two spaces end on end.
We always find parking at Supermarkets at the back, thats usually too far from the shop to walk. Never a ticket or anything. We take it most places, admittedly not off road though.
Yes town centre car parks are small and often don't have room but there is nearly all ways a supermarket or coach park. In the Caravan we have never had a bad word spoken from coach drivers when parking there. Once commended me on reversing into the space between two coaches.
Width is a bigger issue then size.
If you are outgrowing a T5 then someone on here wants one! See the tread near the top, all I can say is that look at coach built vans they have a lot more room and they are often cheaper and you will have room for the family.
We always find parking at Supermarkets at the back, thats usually too far from the shop to walk. Never a ticket or anything. We take it most places, admittedly not off road though.
Yes town centre car parks are small and often don't have room but there is nearly all ways a supermarket or coach park. In the Caravan we have never had a bad word spoken from coach drivers when parking there. Once commended me on reversing into the space between two coaches.
Width is a bigger issue then size.
If you are outgrowing a T5 then someone on here wants one! See the tread near the top, all I can say is that look at coach built vans they have a lot more room and they are often cheaper and you will have room for the family.
I have a very good friend of mine who has a 4x4 Mercedes Sprinter and parks in car park spaces very easily, I have a Hymer coachbuilt Excis and also park width wise in car parking spaces but take up more in length.
I use it for holidays, have lived in it for a year and regularly go up and down country lanes without any hassles.
Most of the larger vehicles will park in car park spaces width wise but it will depend where you are parking with regards the length, at the present I am away in France etc for a couple of months and can park in all Supermarket Car Parks without problem and also in the towns and villages.
My hymer is 6.75 mtr long
I use it for holidays, have lived in it for a year and regularly go up and down country lanes without any hassles.
Most of the larger vehicles will park in car park spaces width wise but it will depend where you are parking with regards the length, at the present I am away in France etc for a couple of months and can park in all Supermarket Car Parks without problem and also in the towns and villages.
My hymer is 6.75 mtr long
Wow first hand experience! Not sure why I am surprised as this is the correct forum.
I am going to look hard at the MWB 4x4 Sprinter with a high roof. I wonder how creatively I can design the interior to make it versatile.
I wondering if I should start with a Panel van or go for a 9 seater shuttle?
I am going to look hard at the MWB 4x4 Sprinter with a high roof. I wonder how creatively I can design the interior to make it versatile.
I wondering if I should start with a Panel van or go for a 9 seater shuttle?
With regards conversions, look up any of the Mercedes/ Volkswagen & T5/6 forums here is a wealth of information regarding various converters and what they will and won't do & in kit form for DIY as well.
Plus buy the various camper van mags & of course Pinterest these days.
Another piece of worthless information, there are a lot of free Aires throughout France these days and others at 4 - 12€ per 24 hrs
One hell of a lot of the big Supermarkets like Eleclerc, Intermarche have dump points some with electric for charging/overnight,water is about €2 per 50 ltrs and the big Intermarches are very good for launderettes with tumble dryers if you have kids and need lots of washing to be done.
Any other bits I can help with either post here or pm/email me.
All the very best.
KT
Plus buy the various camper van mags & of course Pinterest these days.
Another piece of worthless information, there are a lot of free Aires throughout France these days and others at 4 - 12€ per 24 hrs
One hell of a lot of the big Supermarkets like Eleclerc, Intermarche have dump points some with electric for charging/overnight,water is about €2 per 50 ltrs and the big Intermarches are very good for launderettes with tumble dryers if you have kids and need lots of washing to be done.
Any other bits I can help with either post here or pm/email me.
All the very best.
KT
I can only echo what KT has said - both in terms of the usability of a small coachbuilt (mine Hymer is also 6.7m - albeit a little older than KT's) and also the superb setup and attitude that the French have towards motorhomes - with facilities in abundance.
Have you considered (or do you have the budget) for Hymers latest panel van conversions? There's some clever layouts and TBH, if I weren't living in my motorhome, I'd seriously consider chopping in the car and motorhome for one of their PVCs as a "do everything" vehicle.
Have you considered (or do you have the budget) for Hymers latest panel van conversions? There's some clever layouts and TBH, if I weren't living in my motorhome, I'd seriously consider chopping in the car and motorhome for one of their PVCs as a "do everything" vehicle.
KT - I appreciate the feedback.
I have been looking at the Mercs and indeed a lot of the ones I have seen 12-15 have signs of rust appearing which is scandalous.
Looking at Hymer's it seems that these would save me a whole lot of money from perhaps having to convert my own van.
The only issue I see is that the weekender use of the van and just going to the shops wouldn't really be doable as its a big old girl.
I think my issue is that I want to have the versatility of our current T5 SWB with full Caravelle seating and that of the bigger camper. Hence the idea of a MWB Sprinter with a high roof.
My budget for a LWB T5 4Motion was going to be around 25k, which if I am honest is a bit salty. Not sure If I want to spend that much any longer.
My budget for a base vehicle Sprinter MWB 4x4 to build ourselves was about 15k.
My son was looking at Hymer's and pointed out older Vario based Merc Hymers can be had for around 10k
I have been looking at the Mercs and indeed a lot of the ones I have seen 12-15 have signs of rust appearing which is scandalous.
Looking at Hymer's it seems that these would save me a whole lot of money from perhaps having to convert my own van.
The only issue I see is that the weekender use of the van and just going to the shops wouldn't really be doable as its a big old girl.
I think my issue is that I want to have the versatility of our current T5 SWB with full Caravelle seating and that of the bigger camper. Hence the idea of a MWB Sprinter with a high roof.
My budget for a LWB T5 4Motion was going to be around 25k, which if I am honest is a bit salty. Not sure If I want to spend that much any longer.
My budget for a base vehicle Sprinter MWB 4x4 to build ourselves was about 15k.
My son was looking at Hymer's and pointed out older Vario based Merc Hymers can be had for around 10k
This is interesting...
VW T5 LWB (what most of the conversions seem to be based on is 5290 Long
this..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SWIFT-SUNTOR-630G-GARAGE...
is 7000 long thats only 1.7m difference, there are almost always end on end spaces in every car park. These sort of coachbuilts have fewer miles on too.
We looked at Small caravans to start out but went and blew the budget and got one with a fixed bed. We haven't looked back.
VW T5 LWB (what most of the conversions seem to be based on is 5290 Long
this..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SWIFT-SUNTOR-630G-GARAGE...
is 7000 long thats only 1.7m difference, there are almost always end on end spaces in every car park. These sort of coachbuilts have fewer miles on too.
We looked at Small caravans to start out but went and blew the budget and got one with a fixed bed. We haven't looked back.
Hi,
Again repeating what your Son has seen and Spuffington will be able to confer better than me, but the older Hymers really are far better than the new ones.
Mine is now 2yrs old the end of this month, and is starting to show that the build quality is definitely not as good as the older models.
I am quite sure Spuffington will be able to give you some better advice regarding the older models than myself.
Have fun, but any questions just ask.
KT
Again repeating what your Son has seen and Spuffington will be able to confer better than me, but the older Hymers really are far better than the new ones.
Mine is now 2yrs old the end of this month, and is starting to show that the build quality is definitely not as good as the older models.
I am quite sure Spuffington will be able to give you some better advice regarding the older models than myself.
Have fun, but any questions just ask.
KT
So I like the old Vario based models as they have friendly space barge look to them.
Some real bargains crop up on eBay but some of them require work.
There is a ex Lotus Hymer on there which requires work. Unfortunately the Black and Gold scheme has be painted over, which if you ask me is a real shame.
Some real bargains crop up on eBay but some of them require work.
There is a ex Lotus Hymer on there which requires work. Unfortunately the Black and Gold scheme has be painted over, which if you ask me is a real shame.
Hi there - happy to opine on the Hymers.
Not sure what is meant by the "vario" thing you mention, but certainly the older trucks have a reputation for being solid and reliable.
Mine was built in November 2001 and has the more modern bug-eye front to it with a smile. Considering it is coming up 16yrs old, it's standing up very well and although every now and again it needs some money spending on it, it's far from vast sums and with each incremental amount added, the chances of me ever trading it on are getting slimmer, since I'm gradually refurbing the thing. Although I tend not to, DIY is do-able on these things. The only reason I don't is because of time constraints. The kind of things I'm getting are purely age-related rather than anything to do with build quality.
The Sprinter 416cdi upon which mine is based has a proper amount of grunt, only done 40k miles and good for 8x that before Sprinters tend to have injector issues. So far servicing and routine maintenance is cheap, as are tyres (even for six of them!) and VED also cheap at £160 p.a.
TBH, I wouldn't be without ours.
Depreciation is also minimal - bought for £26k from Travelworld two years ago. Given how rare both the 640 layout is and the 416 (4.6t chassis), I could probably sell it privately for not an awful lot less given the things I've done to it and the stack of history I have for it.
Not sure what is meant by the "vario" thing you mention, but certainly the older trucks have a reputation for being solid and reliable.
Mine was built in November 2001 and has the more modern bug-eye front to it with a smile. Considering it is coming up 16yrs old, it's standing up very well and although every now and again it needs some money spending on it, it's far from vast sums and with each incremental amount added, the chances of me ever trading it on are getting slimmer, since I'm gradually refurbing the thing. Although I tend not to, DIY is do-able on these things. The only reason I don't is because of time constraints. The kind of things I'm getting are purely age-related rather than anything to do with build quality.
The Sprinter 416cdi upon which mine is based has a proper amount of grunt, only done 40k miles and good for 8x that before Sprinters tend to have injector issues. So far servicing and routine maintenance is cheap, as are tyres (even for six of them!) and VED also cheap at £160 p.a.
TBH, I wouldn't be without ours.
Depreciation is also minimal - bought for £26k from Travelworld two years ago. Given how rare both the 640 layout is and the 416 (4.6t chassis), I could probably sell it privately for not an awful lot less given the things I've done to it and the stack of history I have for it.
As a daily driver the height could easily be at least a little restrictive. My Bongo with the factory pop-top roof is only 2.1m high and there are some places I can't go, obviously many multistory car parks are out but also some other surprising places, for example all of the Park and Rides in Edinburgh are above ground parking but have 1.9 or 2m height restriction purely arbitrarily, also quite a few other places have height restrictions of around about 2-2.1m that can be tight even for my van, for example the car park at Fewston reservoir is 2.1m. Even our local hospital car park is too low.
Edited by JimbobVFR on Sunday 5th March 09:41
Gassing Station | Tents, Caravans & Motorhomes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff