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Westified Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2012 Posts: 401 Location: Miami, FL
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 8:48 am Post subject: |
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I have to agree, if Mercedes brings in the Marco Polo I would seriously consider it. As long as they have good parts and service in the US and Canada. It could tow my Boston Whaler, fit in my garage in case of a hurricane and have good AC. I wish VW didnt abandon the US market. _________________ 1984 Westy Wolfsburg, owned since 1987. FAS 2.0 NA engine conversion in 2022. |
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ThankYouJerry Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2012 Posts: 2271 Location: Shakedown Street
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 9:09 am Post subject: |
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I would consider the Marco Polo if there was a "Weekender" version . _________________ 1990 Multivan - "Ohana"
1.8T, Auto w/3.27 R&P + Peloquin TBD |
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Zeitgeist 13 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009 Posts: 12103 Location: Port Manteau
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 9:29 am Post subject: |
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I love Mercedes engineering, but their contemporary vehicle design has strayed way too far from the old Form Follows Function credo. Too many swoops, dips and curlicues.
I prefer the old school inside-the-box box of boxes treatment.
VAG got my memo. Just a box of boxes. No ribbons or bows
_________________ Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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Dana Champion Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2012 Posts: 633 Location: Ventura County, CA
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Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 10:26 am Post subject: |
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Winnebago Travato
20' 11" long
Ram Promaster Chassis -
280-hp, 3.6L V6 gas engine, 6 speed automatic 62TE transmission, 180 amp alternator
4 Wheel ABS brakes
LED ceiling, power awning lights
Pretty Sweet !....
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Dana Champion Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2012 Posts: 633 Location: Ventura County, CA
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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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Ok, You might think that I like the Winnebago Travato....
Well, I do!...
Just looked at this newer floorplan at my local RV dealer. Very spacious, for a van conversion. Nice bed sitch. Dining space is a bit small. No real table, but this thing is pretty nice. The Fiamma rack, and red paint, are optionial.
Coming soon : Optional 3.0L Ecodiesel I 4; 174 hp /295 lb-ft of torque
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Merian Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2014 Posts: 5212 Location: Orygun
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 12:31 pm Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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This pic shows why the Sprinter can never really replace a Westy Vanagon - it is just too large:
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Tristar Eric Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2004 Posts: 1241 Location: Portland, Or
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:23 pm Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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Larger yes, more modern drivetrain, yes. They drive rather well, and who wouldn't want more space?
The 144" wheelbase version is very manageable. I've driven the 170" version, that one is long and has a hard time fitting in a parking space.
come to the dark side! _________________ Vanagon/Transporter flares here: www.terrawagen.com
[email protected] |
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Merian Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2014 Posts: 5212 Location: Orygun
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 8:00 pm Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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I have a LOT more space - I just open the slider. To me, the point of a camper is to camp, which means some degree of interaction with the ambient environment.
OTOH, when I was a 20-30 year old who used a Bay to drive from one trailhead to another I did not think about having a fridge or stove (or water-cooling)...
So maybe a garganuation RV thing is in my future when I hit 90... things should be pretty dark by then. |
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westyventures Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2004 Posts: 2305 Location: Oregon Outback
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 8:07 pm Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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Tristar Eric wrote: |
Larger yes, more modern drivetrain, yes. They drive rather well, and who wouldn't want more space?
The 144" wheelbase version is very manageable. I've driven the 170" version, that one is long and has a hard time fitting in a parking space.
come to the dark side! |
Having just returned from an insane ice, snow, and wind-filled 7200-mile trip east, north, and back to central Oregon in my '03 140" Sprinter, I didn't miss my Westy as much as I thought I might. The stability in the winds, traction control, ABS, and plenty of power to cruise all day long at 75-80 loaded, AND not worry about breakage - priceless. Loved the space, turning circle about the same, but I'm not done building yet...and 4x4 parts yet to bolt in. |
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Zeitgeist 13 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009 Posts: 12103 Location: Port Manteau
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 8:14 pm Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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This ain't that much bigger than a T3. We have its 2WD Doppelganger driving around my town, and it's a sweet little rig
_________________ Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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ThankYouJerry Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2012 Posts: 2271 Location: Shakedown Street
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 9:01 pm Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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Zeitgeist 13 wrote: |
This ain't that much bigger than a T3. We have its 2WD Doppelganger driving around my town, and it's a sweet little rig
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That is indeed a nice compact version of the Sprinter. Is it the smallest available Sprinter? What is the interior cubic foot comparison to a Vanagon? Is a pop-top version/conversion available? Available in the US? Inquiring minds want to know! _________________ 1990 Multivan - "Ohana"
1.8T, Auto w/3.27 R&P + Peloquin TBD |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 10:18 pm Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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ThankYouJerry wrote: |
Zeitgeist 13 wrote: |
This ain't that much bigger than a T3. We have its 2WD Doppelganger driving around my town, and it's a sweet little rig
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That is indeed a nice compact version of the Sprinter. Is it the smallest available Sprinter? What is the interior cubic foot comparison to a Vanagon? Is a pop-top version/conversion available? Available in the US? Inquiring minds want to know! |
Only sold in 2002 and 203 I'm pretty sure, it is the 118" wheel base. Very few sold, so they are rare. It has the same engine as the larger ones though so it has a LOT of giddy up as it weighs so much less... _________________
Gas struts to pop your top easily!
Pop Top strut kits now available for late Bay window Westies
Samba ad here.
DIY artificial rain gutters (ARGs) |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 10:19 pm Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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Merian wrote: |
This pic shows why the Sprinter can never really replace a Westy Vanagon - it is just too large:
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The NCV3 vans are a lot bigger than the 1st generation (T1N) vans, based on the fender to tire wheel gap that sprinter looks like its 4wd too which makes them ~3" taller than the 2wd vans... _________________
Gas struts to pop your top easily!
Pop Top strut kits now available for late Bay window Westies
Samba ad here.
DIY artificial rain gutters (ARGs)
Last edited by jackbombay on Wed Jan 13, 2016 10:28 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 10:27 pm Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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westyventures wrote: |
plenty of power to cruise all day long at 75-80 loaded |
Yep, I can load 1500 pounds of tools food toys and water in my van and I'm still ~1000 pounds under max allowable vehicle weight, (I have about 600 pounds of built in weight for my DIY conversion) and even with all that cargo I get %25 better fuel economy than a westy...~23 MPG at 70-72 MPH
I know a lot of people around here like to brag about loading their vans past GVWR, but I much prefer to keep machinery in its "happy zone" that means using it largely as the designers intended. Going for a 2+ week trip in a westy and staying under GVWR is tough... _________________
Gas struts to pop your top easily!
Pop Top strut kits now available for late Bay window Westies
Samba ad here.
DIY artificial rain gutters (ARGs) |
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westyventures Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2004 Posts: 2305 Location: Oregon Outback
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 10:38 pm Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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jackbombay wrote: |
Yep, I can load 1500 pounds of tools food toys and water in my van and I'm still ~1000 pounds under max allowable vehicle weight, (I have about 600 pounds of built in weight for my DIY conversion) and even with all that cargo I get %25 better fuel economy than a westy...~23 MPG at 70-72 MPH
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And mine is a 3500, so it laughs at heavy loads. I wasn't ready to do the full battery bank install before my trip started, but needed ballast...so three Trojan T1275s between the wheel wells helped. Plus I overpacked everything, and a couple boxes of stuff I didn't really need. Return trip I managed to fit a 7.5-cf fridge, a whole old-school stacked stereo system and two big boxes of LPs under the raised bed and still didn't impinge on camper space. I needed the ballast when driving through WI, MN, SD and out through WY in multiple storms. Nice to relax and know the vehicle can handle it all without stressing anything. Even running duals and Duratracs, it returns a solid 20 mpg average. |
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svenakela Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2006 Posts: 776 Location: Ekerö
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 12:53 am Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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MB TN1!!!
Seriously. I love my Vanagon but NONE of the VWs are up to par with the quality of my 307D! Even the small diesels they came with in the early days are unkillable and the later models with the OM602 engine are known for passing 650000 miles on service only!
We are converting our MB into an overlander for long trips all year around. Can they be killer styled? You bet.
Are they easy working with? Let me put it this way; if you need to pull the engine you unscrew four bolts and lift up the entire front. Then it's just a matter of putting a pallet lifter under the oil pan, remove the tranny bolts and pull the lifter straight out. You can WALK into the engine compartment.
Replacing the clutch takes 1.5 hours from ignition off to restart. Please ask me how I know. _________________ Vanagon mirror end caps |
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Dana Champion Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2012 Posts: 633 Location: Ventura County, CA
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 8:57 am Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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140" Sprinter. Looks like the Sportsmobile. Looks pretty sweet! This body style ended with the 2006 year model, as did the 118".
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MidwestDrifter Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2012 Posts: 769 Location: Kicking Around Australia
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 9:41 am Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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Dana Champion wrote: |
140" Sprinter. Looks like the Sportsmobile. Looks pretty sweet! This body style ended with the 2006 year model, as did the 118".
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The slightly lifted T1N sprinters do look good to me as well.
Here is a 118 wheelbase T1N with a lift and big tires. ~6-10" wider, and 3' taller than a westy?
I think the T1N sprinters are a good mix of newer tech/features, and a simpler layout. _________________ 2004 Dodge/Mercedes Sprinter (Custom Camper)
2000 Jetta TDI
1982 Diesel Westy W/ ABA I4 hybrid (Sold)
Epic Road Tripping since 08/05/12 | http://VagariesAbound.blogspot.com/
My Current Build | http://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41215 |
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Zeitgeist 13 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009 Posts: 12103 Location: Port Manteau
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 9:51 am Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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svenakela wrote: |
MB TN1!!!
Seriously. I love my Vanagon but NONE of the VWs are up to par with the quality of my 307D! Even the small diesels they came with in the early days are unkillable and the later models with the OM602 engine are known for passing 650000 miles on service only!
We are converting our MB into an overlander for long trips all year around. Can they be killer styled? You bet.
Are they easy working with? Let me put it this way; if you need to pull the engine you unscrew four bolts and lift up the entire front. Then it's just a matter of putting a pallet lifter under the oil pan, remove the tranny bolts and pull the lifter straight out. You can WALK into the engine compartment.
Replacing the clutch takes 1.5 hours from ignition off to restart. Please ask me how I know. |
What 4x4 drivetrain are you running under there?
The OM602 is my absolute favorite IDI engine. They can be tweaked to produce ungodly amounts of torque, and still hold together with the stock short block and slight port work in the heads. I wish they were as efficient as the later DI engines, 'cause the simplicity and reliability of mechanical injection is appealing relative to drive by wire. _________________ Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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tarandusVDub Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2010 Posts: 1649 Location: Between Here and There
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 10:02 am Post subject: Re: If the Westy did not exist, what would you buy? |
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jackbombay wrote: |
ThankYouJerry wrote: |
Zeitgeist 13 wrote: |
This ain't that much bigger than a T3. We have its 2WD Doppelganger driving around my town, and it's a sweet little rig
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That is indeed a nice compact version of the Sprinter. Is it the smallest available Sprinter? What is the interior cubic foot comparison to a Vanagon? Is a pop-top version/conversion available? Available in the US? Inquiring minds want to know! |
Only sold in 2002 and 203 I'm pretty sure, it is the 118" wheel base. Very few sold, so they are rare. It has the same engine as the larger ones though so it has a LOT of giddy up as it weighs so much less... |
Wow, something modern in this size in 4WD would be extremely tempting. Why did they only have 2 model years? Too small? Were they sold in the US? _________________ 1990 Syncro 16" DoppleKabine 2.1 DJ 112i
________________________
Sold: 1972 Bay Campmobile; 1984 Westy, base model, 2WD. |
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