Mercedes Metris Weekender

[rockymtnb]

Mercedes Benz USA has announced the Metris Weekender pop-top campervan will be available through MBUSA Commercial dealers beginning in March.

The Weekender features a fold-down rear seat/bed for two, swiveling front seats, a pop-top roof tent for two, and a second battery for lighting and USB chargers. Optional features include solar panels, awning, custom graphic exterior wraps, and a slide out kitchen unit in back.

Peace Vans in Seattle Washington designed the Weekender and still sells it as an aftermarket conversion, along with a more complete Metris Campervan conversion that includes stove, fridge and sink. Driverge Vehicle Innovations will do the actual production conversion work at their South Carolina facility that already performs mobility and transport conversions on Sprinter and Metris vans.

No announcement has been made whether the full Campervan conversion might become available through Mercedes dealers. If Weekender sales are successful perhaps that will follow.

Weekender info on Peace Vans website:
https://www.peacevansmodern.com/weekender

MBUSA Weekender press release:

[GeorgeRa]

That is good news on many fronts. Under the MB umbrella quality will be controlled, sales via commercial dealership will eliminate price gauging which will be great for the Millenia bubble market coming up. We could see a déjà vu VW Westfalia repeat from the seventies if played well.

This picture shows the layout identical to 2 Westfalias we had.

[PinIN]

$10k for the pop top
$25k for the Weekender
$40K for the Full Camper
That's on top of the price of the base vehicle.
Smart move by MB get a slice of the profits with no capital cost.

[GeorgeRa]

I remember how much we paid so using an inflation calculator our VW Westfalias would be:

Camper 1977 - $7K in 2020 $30K (Wing windows in lieu of AC, no camping heater, no hot water, ice box, valves adjusted every 3K miles, )

Camper 1985 - $20K in 2020 $48K (No hot water)

And life was great even without black tanks.

[PinIN]

Are those dollar amounts the total cost of the van and conversion?

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by PinIN

Are those dollar amounts the total cost of the van and conversion?

Total, 77 bought in CA, 85 bought in CA with EU delivery then shipped back. In Germany I had a gasoline heater installed, I believe it was Webasto.

[mumkin]

I spoke to Peace Vans awhile back and they told me that they were only doing this conversion of the short Metris.

I would want the long Metris, but only GTRV seems to be doing a pop top on that model.

[Gastineaurower]

Gas or diesel?

[mumkin]

Originally Posted by Gastineaurower

Gas or diesel?

Metris is only gas in the US. I wouldn't even consider it if it was diesel.