MetriVan

[GeorgeRa]

Interesting business concept, looking forward to see more info. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...van?ref=c0kwx8

[markopolo]

When looking at the floor plan you can really see how this type of unit would benefit from a slide out(s) (sides or rear). There looks to be no floor space left once the bed is setup.

Or maybe separate twin beds would allow for some floor space space for middle of the night cassette toilet or porta-potti use.

Hopefully (for them) they do well with the campaign.

[BBQ]

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Weight is the biggest challenge.

Most of the Class B with truck chassis are at or near the GVWR limit.
Doing a conversion with a minivan is not going to be easy.

[GeorgeRa]

I don’t fully understand reasons behind having a separate bed instead using a very common in these size vans rock & roll sofa/bed, seating below is useless. Sofa bed deployed can still be used as a seating place but not really in this MetriVan concept, just too high.

I am not sure about reasoning for trunk located galley, like in a tear drop. VW Westfalia had a well proven layout so Advanced RV had to have good reasons to deviate from it.

I agree that weight limits would make any slideout questionable. I have seen a rear slideout on VW T6 but I think it was just a concept.

The most common small van layout - EVO 5.4 – Curved Kit for the LONG WHEEL BASE T5 | EVO Design

[jrobe]

ARV must not be too confident in this project if they need to do it with Kickstarter investors.

Sportsmobile beat them to the punch. Interesting vehicles.

https://sportsmobile.com/mercedes-metris/

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by jrobe

ARV must not be too confident in this project if they need to do it with Kickstarter investors.

Sportsmobile beat them to the punch. Interesting vehicles.

https://sportsmobile.com/mercedes-metris/

Because they have done it before, Sportsmobile and VW Westfalia were competing from the seventies. To be successful on this market commitment, volume experience, and money is needed, I see hunger for the last one.

[Davydd]

The best I can see with the rear set up is to appeal to the tailgater crowd at sporting events. This is not a live and entertain inside your van. You travel and sleep in it like a tent.

They are not for sale but the first five are for their rental business. So there are no buyers yet and so the funding will come with renters in the Kickstarter campaign. If successful then the campaign will speak for itself. If not, they still have to two that were already funded with the own money to put in the rental market.

The Sportsmobile conversion checks out at over $71,000 dollars before you add any extras to the Mercedes Benz Metris, of which there are plenty if you go to the Mercedes Benz Metris build site. I take it you have to provide your own Metris and Sportsmobile will convert it for you.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by markopolo

When looking at the floor plan you can really see how this type of unit would benefit from a slide out(s) (sides or rear). There looks to be no floor space left once the bed is setup.

Or maybe separate twin beds would allow for some floor space space for middle of the night cassette toilet or porta-potti use.

This style of camper is incredibly popular in the Iceland rental market. By far the most common sight in the campgrounds is a young couple (or single) who shower, cook, hang out and take care of business at the campground facilities. A few cook out the back if the weather is good, but usually it is ramen in the kettles in the campground lounge. They spend no awake time in the vans. A typical rig is stuffed to the gills with clutter. These are not experienced campers.

I don't know how popular this would be in the US rental market. The campgrounds just aren't set up for this style of travel.
[edit: On second thought, I shouldn't talk. We have ZERO experience with commercial campgrounds. My comment only applies to public campgrounds and boondocking.]

[BBQ]

Originally Posted by jrobe

ARV must not be too confident in this project if they need to do it with Kickstarter investors.

...

I think this is just a publicity stunt. It gets people talking.

Just look around at the web... how many new discussion threads were created in the past 24 hrs.

[booster]

Originally Posted by avanti

This style of camper is incredibly popular in the Iceland rental market. By far the most common sight in the campgrounds is a young couple (or single) who shower, cook, hang out and take care of business at the campground facilities. A few cook out the back if the weather is good, but usually it is ramen in the kettles in the campground lounge. They spend no awake time in the vans. A typical rig is stuffed to the gills with clutter. These are not experienced campers.

I don't know how popular this would be in the US rental market. The campgrounds just aren't set up for this style of travel.
[edit: On second thought, I shouldn't talk. We have ZERO experience with commercial campgrounds. My comment only applies to public campgrounds and boondocking.]

I think the outdoor kitchen is for the same reason as it is in a teardrop, you just don't have enough room inside for it. Outside is better than non existent, I would think. For the way we use our van, it would actually be OK for probably 80% of our "kitchen" use, as we do all our cooking outside except for some microwave runs or minor prep work.

We see the teardrop campers quite a bit around here, and it is rough on them when it is raining, or very cold in the morning, but still a lot better than a tent.

[Davydd]

This type of RV and tear drops are perhaps bigger out west because you see a lot of them. Also, more tent campers. It could the weather. We were out for 49 days on the west coast and encountered rain just four days and at that it was more nuisance drizzle in the state of Washington at North Cascades NP and Seattle. North Cascades didn't have any rain since May until we got there in September.

[markopolo]

Maybe the Metrivan will work out as rental units. I hadn't though of that.

The chuck box in the back of a van is a fairly easy and common DIY project. You can even buy ready to go boxes if you don't want to build one.

like this: Welcome to Kanz Outdoors | Quality Outdoor Products

An air mattress with built in inflator = quick bed for night use in the mini van.

I've had camping neighbors who arrived in station wagon and did all the typical campsite things except pitch a tent. They rolled out some sort of bedding and slept in the rear of the station wagon.

[markopolo]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

I don’t fully understand reasons behind having a separate bed instead using a very common in these size vans rock & roll sofa/bed, seating below is useless. Sofa bed deployed can still be used as a seating place but not really in this MetriVan concept, just too high.

I am not sure about reasoning for trunk located galley, like in a tear drop. VW Westfalia had a well proven layout so Advanced RV had to have good reasons to deviate from it.

I agree that weight limits would make any slideout questionable. I have seen a rear slideout on VW T6 but I think it was just a concept.

The most common small van layout - EVO 5.4 – Curved Kit for the LONG WHEEL BASE T5 | EVO Design

I really like the kit idea. I don't know if any NA companies offer DIY kits like that.

GTRV also builds on the Metris: Photos

[GeorgeRa]

I have 10 years of experience with VW Westfalias, 1977-1985; and 1985 -1987 primarily in NA but also in EU. We like their layout a lot so we used it as a model for our Sprinter conversion. These vans were the size of Metris and there was enough room for full galley with stove, sink, and fridge. Our first one had an icebox which I converted to the fridge. Most of our cooking is done outside weather permitting. Having access to fridge, sink and stove from inside would be required for our camping vehicle.

I don’t recall seeing a camper van with a rear access galley during our travel in NA, I only recall teardrop trailers and due to lack of standing up room it is understandable to have rear galley.

From my camping experience with Westfalias and our current Westfalia like Sprinter, granted 30 years ago, I wouldn’t reach for my wallet.

From the tailgate fun perspective, I have no clue, but would they need 7 passengers, pop-top, sleeping for 4 vehicle. Market response will tell.

[Davydd]

If most of your cooking is outside in your words then an accessible tailgate setup would be beneficial otherwise most of the time an inside galley is inconvenient. This is not a stand up van like your Sprinter. An inside galley couldn't be used easily while underway and traveling.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by Davydd

If most of your cooking is outside in your words then an accessible tailgate setup would be beneficial otherwise most of the time an inside galley is inconvenient. This is not a stand up van like your Sprinter. An inside galley couldn't be used easily while underway and traveling.

Indeed, most of our cooking is done outside, we camp on public campgrounds and practically all of them have a large bench per campsite, that is our West Coast experience since 1977. In national forests we use a small camping table set. We mostly use stove(s) for breakfast, barbeque for evening meals, etc. We have done it without tailgate galley and for our needs I don’t see a reason to have one.

Most of the time doesn’t mean all the time, so if weather is nasty, or it is supper time, or movie time having access to fridge, sink or stove is priceless.

During our VW Westfalia times, once arriving to a campsites pop-up roof was the first item to be deploy, and there was plenty of headroom room for standing up at the galley. An inside galley requires a bend down position with roof down, but could still be used while on the road travelling, in fact I would prefer that limited use instead of being force outside to deploy the galley on a rest stop.

There where issue with our Westfalia, the biggest one where:
- Upper versus lower spaces temperature difference
- Wet pop-top fabric for departure after rain, - Sportsmobile fabric is Vinyl coated and always stays dry
- Good enough for 4 but way too small for 5

I have 10 years’ experience using Westfalia van since 1977 and larger RV since 87, so without diving into theoretical scenarios I very much doubt that this project will be well accepted by folks with camping needs.

Regarding tailgating folks, I have no clue.

[biofloat]

What happens if you live in Washington or Oregon, where it rains alot?

[Viperml]

Originally Posted by biofloat

What happens if you live in Washington or Oregon, where it rains alot?

Move to Phoenix.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by markopolo

……………I really like the kit idea. I don't know if any NA companies offer DIY kits like that………………..

Not as far as I know. I tried to purchase a Rock & Roll bed in 2013 in NA without success so I built my own. Here is a good company with Rock & Roll beds - SCOPEMA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHfMV3_9zNQ

This one is and interesting mechanical design without protruding high hinges to allow for foam clearance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXxM7dSmEu8

[GeorgeB]

I always find it interesting when North American van converters think small, even if it's only to test the market. ARV has an interesting strategy by "kickstarting" their new venture. They are very clear that they are starting this campaign to have more exposure and to be able to "focus group" their new build through the rental business.

I also find it very important to be able to cook inside even if you don't do it often. How many times you get up in the morning in frigid temperatures, arrive at a campsite in a downpour or if you are an early riser not wanting to wake up the whole campground? It's always nice to have the option of enjoying a meal inside your comfy van.

MB Marco Polo Vito Camper Van




I agree with GeorgeRa that ARV decision not to try to implement the proven Westfalia layout is questionnable. There's ample space for a galley beside the bed area. It seems they are using a finished passenger van without the OEM captain seats and installing a "smart" floor with tracks for the 3+2 (OEM?) passenger seats. To be confirmed.

In Europe MB is offering the Marco Polo on the Vito/Metris platform in two versions: a 2 passenger seats+galley and also a 3 seats, no galley "Activity" version (see photo).


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MetriVan


More on:https://centrelab.smugmug.com/PERSO-...Gn/i-3VwhgtS/A

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Links to videos of
Marco polo Vito/Metris platform

https://youtu.be/4G8SVmJCoTU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oLrxfk9XQg

https://youtu.be/DoYresraD-0

Looking forward to see how this MetriVan (I like the name!) will evolve.


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