2004 Mercedes Dodge Sprinter Westfalia by Airstream

[MN1]

We just bought one of these and wonder if anyone else on here has one so we can compare notes.

2004 Mercedes Dodge Sprinter Westfalia by Airstream

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by MN1

We just bought one of these and wonder if anyone else on here has one so we can compare notes.

2004 Mercedes Dodge Sprinter Westfalia by Airstream

Welcome to the forum MN1!

There are many here with the TN1 Mercedes chassis, but your model sounds rare. Can you post a picture?

[InterBlog]

Zero clues as to why Airstream produced a Westy on a Sprinter low-roof as it was simultaneously two models of its own on a Sprinter high-roof (the Interstate and the short-lived Parkway). Maybe it was a contractual thing.

Anyway, there's also Air Forums you could check out, but many non-Interstate folks get frustrated with that because they are so underrepresented. These things are very rare.

For those who have never seen this particular critter, it looks something like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7E7I_s0uZs

[avanti]

Heh. When we were buying our first rig in 2005, we were down to either an Interstate or a Westy. The local Airstream dealer had one of each (leftovers from 2004), and he was willing to sell either for exactly the same very reasonable price. DW and I were very much on the fence. We spent a whole afternoon going back and forth between the two--sitting in each and thinking. The Interstate was roomy, luxo, and long. The Westy was compact, clever and oh so cute. We finally went with the Interstate, but it was a close thing. The biggest reason was how the Westy handled going down the road. It is very top-heavy and wobbly. Sure is cute, though.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

Zero clues as to why Airstream produced a Westy on a Sprinter low-roof as it was simultaneously two models of its own on a Sprinter high-roof (the Interstate and the short-lived Parkway). Maybe it was a contractual thing.

Anyway, there's also Air Forums you could check out, but many non-Interstate folks get frustrated with that because they are so underrepresented. These things are very rare.

For those who have never seen this particular critter, it looks something like this:

Great. Now I'll never get that ear-worm elevator music out of my head.

Zu, zu zu zu zu zu zu zu, wow!

[mkguitar]

Originally Posted by MN1

... we can compare notes

I'm sure many of the appliance and system components are common to other brands


welcome,


Mike

[NAZCamperVan]

MN1, here's a blog by an owner who full-times in one of those rare rigs. Apparently only 250 imported into US.
https://www.roamingabout.com/

[avanti]

Originally Posted by mkguitar

I'm sure many of the appliance and system components are common to other brands

Um, not so much. Westfalia was fond of quirky euro-style appliances (e.g., it has a top-opening fridge that can be switched to "freezer" mode).

Things like AC, TV and black tanks were added by Airstream post-import, and THEY are conventional (and crappily installed in typical Airstream manner). They are weird rigs--a hybrid of ultra-clever and well-built designy European stuff and incredibly sloppy Airstream workmanship.

[Davydd]

Airstream sold just a little over 200 of them though they promoted them vigorously in their literature more than the Interstate. That version is a long standing European model called the James Cook.

[israndy]

I think the AC on these came from Europe. I heard others say that the AC runs on 12 volts so they can run it w/o starting a generator while driving. But difficult to find a replacement for here in the states so people end up getting a standard 120v AC which is much taller but not as wide as the original one.

This was the first Sprinter RV I checked out in person when I decided I was going to become 3rd generation RV owner in my retirement. In 2009 they were commanding $60K which was out of my price range. Plus I saw one coming down the freeway and it was as tall as a semi but not very wide and I couldn't imagine it did well in windy conditions. No one would tell me the MPG on them and I wanted the Sprinter for the economy. It was either buy that or an old Vixen with a BMW diesel engine that got 30 MPG.

Found a used Gulf Stream G24 for $34K that got 22 MPG. We had that for a couple of years until we took it across country and realized we needed a bigger rig for more than a weekend. Sold it for a $9K profit after we got our current 18 MPG 2007 LTV Serenity based on a 2005 Dodge. I have yet to find a better Sprinter RV, so aerodynamic so luxurious, just like the Airstream Atlas w/o the flip down staircase.

[ks@yvr]

There is a Facebook group for the Airstream Westfalias at https://www.facebook.com/groups/653895825016751

Plus a their own forum pages somewhere to, Ii used to have link and was a member of group but I can’t seem to locate link ��