Aux Night Heater

[Samebutdifferent]

I'm investigating retro fitting a diesel heater (see my post in the introductions) and it seems the factory fit unit is under the passenger (LHS) seat. I presume this is under the car mounted on the chassis? Can anyone confirm this please. Any other relevant info would be much appreciated as I'm struggling with this one.

 

[Samebutdifferent]

Someone must be able to help with this one.

 

[Paul Cardiff]

Someone must be able to help with this one.

Someone must be able to help with this one.

Have a look at the "Mercedes Marco Polo Chat" facebook group, there is a very comprehensive article from Hilary Dunlop explaining and recommending a "Tim Purslow" in Basingstoke if that helps.

 

[Samebutdifferent]

Have a look at the "Mercedes Marco Polo Chat" facebook group, there is a very comprehensive article from Hilary Dunlop explaining and recommending a "Tim Purslow" in Basingstoke if that helps.

Cheers Paul, that name has popped up a few times in my searches, I'll be contacting them today.

 

[Samebutdifferent]

I contacted Tim Purslow in Basingstoke and they do indeed retro fit Diesel heaters. They are mounted internally under the passenger seat, some modification is needed with regard to the habitation battery that also lives there. If required OEM seat panels with necessary vents are fitted (seems that some cars have them already fitted some not) and the control unit is mounted on the passenger side B pillar.

The unit is a Webasto. He didn't know whether the factory unit was internally or external mounted saying they he'd never seen one.
They previously fitted Eberspacher's but prefer the Webasto for the way the temperature is controlled. I don't think there's much between Eber's and Webasto's. The cost is a tad over £1500

They are Mercedes dealers and do seem have the experience of fitting the heaters to MP/V-Class in a professional manner, something I have not been confident about when contacting VW converters locally. My only concern is the noise level with the heater inside.

Interestingly when I said my enquiry was a prospective MP owner he mentioned an alternative they sell, a V-Class bloK Pod Camper Conversion not for me or the wife but I can see it has a certain appeal.

Hopefully, with covid restrictions soon to be relaxed I will be able to view the V250d I have my eye on and see where we go from there.
Cheers for now.

 

[Grand Tourismo]

I contacted Tim Purslow in Basingstoke and they do indeed retro fit Diesel heaters. They are mounted internally under the passenger seat, some modification is needed with regard to the habitation battery that also lives there. If required OEM seat panels with necessary vents are fitted (seems that some cars have them already fitted some not) and the control unit is mounted on the passenger side B pillar.

The unit is a Webasto. He didn't know whether the factory unit was internally or external mounted saying they he'd never seen one.
They previously fitted Eberspacher's but prefer the Webasto for the way the temperature is controlled. I don't think there's much between Eber's and Webasto's. The cost is a tad over £1500

They are Mercedes dealers and do seem have the experience of fitting the heaters to MP/V-Class in a professional manner, something I have not been confident about when contacting VW converters locally. My only concern is the noise level with the heater inside.

Interestingly when I said my enquiry was a prospective MP owner he mentioned an alternative they sell, a V-Class bloK Pod Camper Conversion not for me or the wife but I can see it has a certain appeal.

Hopefully, with covid restrictions soon to be relaxed I will be able to view the V250d I have my eye on and see where we go from there.
Cheers for now.

Great update SBD...I have an Eber fitted under the passenger seat and I am considering the seat unit infill as they are not standard on my vehicle, but TBH you don't really look at this area at all.
£1500 seems to be about the going (best rate) I have seen people quote, so it's just a case of being able to drop off/collect over 24hrs I guess.

I wouldn't wait around too long in regard to the V250 though, I faffed for a week in October and missed an MP then had to wait until Feb to get another competitive and suitable. When the season kicks off I imagine they will sell like the proverbial hot cakes!! Especially if the dealer is offering a bit of a deal.

Good luck!

Good luck!!

 

[Samebutdifferent]

Thanks GT I feel a bit better informed and confident now and hope this may be of use to others.
.
I have a good relationship with the dealer that has the MP and trust him, a very rare thing these days.
Due to covid restrictions his showroom is closed so there is no way anything will happen until they are allowed to trade again.

I haven't stopped looking but MP's are few and far between, a problem when trying to gauge what cars are worth. He wants
£53 950, it's a 2019 V250D AMG Line 2.1l 190BHP with 2700ml, it's just 2 years old. How does that sound? He has offered me a good price for my Fiat and I expect to haggle a little, so he may very well cover the cost of a heater install. Don't think it has many extras, what ever they are as it seems well spec'd anyway, the heater is the only thing I would definitely want. Black leather for the dog, and silver so it doesn't resemble a private ambulance Unfortunately there seem to be lots of black with cream leather!!

 

[Paul Cardiff]

I contacted Tim Purslow in Basingstoke and they do indeed retro fit Diesel heaters. They are mounted internally under the passenger seat, some modification is needed with regard to the habitation battery that also lives there. If required OEM seat panels with necessary vents are fitted (seems that some cars have them already fitted some not) and the control unit is mounted on the passenger side B pillar.

The unit is a Webasto. He didn't know whether the factory unit was internally or external mounted saying they he'd never seen one.
They previously fitted Eberspacher's but prefer the Webasto for the way the temperature is controlled. I don't think there's much between Eber's and Webasto's. The cost is a tad over £1500

They are Mercedes dealers and do seem have the experience of fitting the heaters to MP/V-Class in a professional manner, something I have not been confident about when contacting VW converters locally. My only concern is the noise level with the heater inside.

Interestingly when I said my enquiry was a prospective MP owner he mentioned an alternative they sell, a V-Class bloK Pod Camper Conversion not for me or the wife but I can see it has a certain appeal.

Hopefully, with covid restrictions soon to be relaxed I will be able to view the V250d I have my eye on and see where we go from there.
Cheers for now.

That's great info for those considering fitting heaters, well done.

 

[Grand Tourismo]

Thanks GT I feel a bit better informed and confident now and hope this may be of use to others.
.
I have a good relationship with the dealer that has the MP and trust him, a very rare thing these days.
Due to covid restrictions his showroom is closed so there is no way anything will happen until they are allowed to trade again.

I haven't stopped looking but MP's are few and far between, a problem when trying to gauge what cars are worth. He wants
£53 950, it's a 2019 V250D AMG Line 2.1l 190BHP with 2700ml, it's just 2 years old. How does that sound? He has offered me a good price for my Fiat and I expect to haggle a little, so he may very well cover the cost of a heater install. Don't think it has many extras, what ever they are as it seems well spec'd anyway, the heater is the only thing I would definitely want. Black leather for the dog, and silver so it doesn't resemble a private ambulance Unfortunately there seem to be lots of black with cream leather!!

It's a great start if you have found a dealer who you trust and actually want to trade with!, sadly many people don't and have to put up with shoddy service.

Regarding pricing - I have watched pre-owned MP's increase in value in the region of 10-15% over the past six months. I found a 2019 V220 in silver with black leather, 7000 miles for £46k last October...a similar vehicle (2019 silver 3000 miles black leather) recently advertised and sold (twice) for £50k - both in MB dealerships.
I think the other accessories included make a big personal difference to me. Although not necessarily prerequisites of the purchase they help to "add value" to the proposition - for example if a vehicle has say the metallic paint, awning, a tow bar, Command and a 360 camera - that lot is roughly a £4+k hike in the purchase price, is that worth an extra £1500 - £2k to you? stick on a heater and you can easily reach £6-£7k in extra's.
That being said the dealer buying your MP off you down the line will not value these extra's at all, but it helps to make your purchase more palatable and more fun...and it help makes your van stand out from the crowd if you sell privately.
Mileage seems to be the driver for used pricing, super low mileage 2018 MP's (under 3000) are worth more to a dealer than 2019 average mileage MP's (over 15000) - 2700mls on your potential AMG is one of the lowest I have ever seen.
Odd really when you consider a 5000 mile van could easily have been parked up, camped in and battered for 6 months straight, whilst a 15000 miler could have never been slept in and used as a daily driver.
I can't comment on your part exchange, you need to work out what that is worth to you. After you have that figure look at the AMG objectively and decide what that is worth to you, it has metallic paint for a start (in a colour you want), it's an AMG (not a cheap upgrade), it has super low mileage...and you like the black leather (although cream is fine by the way, I have a dog and a cream leather car)...as a random result if you value the AMG at say £52k and your part ex at £26k, then you have £26k to swap. If he offers you £28k for your Fiat and wants £54k for his MP then you're still going to pay £26k...good deal!
His asking price does not seem a million miles off in the current market. I recently saw an MB dealer selling a 2019 in black, with a heater, average miles, non AMG for £52k, if you factor in a small discount he probably got £51k for it. Your guy is probably willing to accept a small offer on his vehicle - my advice go in low and work up!! If you do not want to "insult" the dealer, simply ask a little more for you part-ex or a little from both sides of the deal...seems more polite that way.
Another idea might be to see if you can drop off your Fiat and take out the MP on a 24hr test drive? Take it for a night out camping somewhere maybe, get a feel for it?

Good luck!

 

[Samebutdifferent]

Good info, thanks GT.
I get what you saying about accessories, obviously if you want to tow something a tow bar is a priority, but is a 360 camera on a car a priority? I have never got hung up having all the bells and whistles and I don't even know what 'command' is, do I need it? Of course if you're wise you'd buy to sell and try to have all the extras that make the car more desirable when the time comes to move it on, that's not me really.

The Fiat has creamy coloured cloth trim and it gets filthy grubby, and that's just with the dog looking at it let alone living in it for a week, he is dirt magnet Springer though. I don't think it was a good choice for a camper. Another car we have has cream leather but that's a 2 seater so he never goes in that. I guess leather is a bit different to cloth and easier to keep clean

It's good to know the car is valued about right, I just wish there was more similar cars on the market for choice and comparison.
Cheers for now.

 

[CapnB]

Thanks GT I feel a bit better informed and confident now and hope this may be of use to others.
.
I have a good relationship with the dealer that has the MP and trust him, a very rare thing these days.
Due to covid restrictions his showroom is closed so there is no way anything will happen until they are allowed to trade again.

I haven't stopped looking but MP's are few and far between, a problem when trying to gauge what cars are worth. He wants
£53 950, it's a 2019 V250D AMG Line 2.1l 190BHP with 2700ml, it's just 2 years old. How does that sound? He has offered me a good price for my Fiat and I expect to haggle a little, so he may very well cover the cost of a heater install. Don't think it has many extras, what ever they are as it seems well spec'd anyway, the heater is the only thing I would definitely want. Black leather for the dog, and silver so it doesn't resemble a private ambulance Unfortunately there seem to be lots of black with cream leather!!

Hi SBD,

I bought an MP with a very similar spec and mileage last month. It seems about the right price but I’m no expert, I watched the market for a while and that sort of price seems pretty much on market given the high demand.
Like you mine didn’t have a heater and I’m taking it to Tim Purslow on Tuesday to get a Webasto fitted. Same price you quoted which is encouraging. He seems like a respectable chap who knows what he’s talking about and the price is fair. He is also providing a courtesy car and fitting a solar panel for me.

our other car is a Merc and we’ve had some shocking experiences with MB servicing departments over the years so he’ll have a customer for life if he does this well.

I haven’t been able to overnight in the MP yet for obvious reasons but it’s a cracking drive for a big car. As refined and comfortable as a van can get!

good luck with your search.

best

Gary.

 

[Samebutdifferent]

That's good to know so thanks for your reassurance Gary

I spoke to a guy called leon at Tim Purslow's and was impressed with his knowledge and attitude to me on the phone. I'd be happy taking it there for the heater, let us in how you get on. Solar is also something I'll be fitting so feed back about that would be appreciated.

I had a LWB Transporter that I had converted, it had a Webasto externally mounted, They do sound like a jet engine when they start up and there's an annoying 'tick' of the fuel pump, but once going are quieter. I'm sure they will, but make sure they fit exhaust and air inlet silencers.
Cheers for now.

 

[Grand Tourismo]

Solar is a nice treat, not something I had considered initially but my van had a PV panel fitted and I am very pleased it has!
It just keeps the leisure battery topped up, a bit like a battery maintenance charger, meaning that it remains 100% healthy and ready to go.

I did read on here somewhere (I think it was Paul) that with solar fitted you can leave your fridge on setting 3 all the time during the summer months so that if you decide to have an ad hoc day out, the fridge is chilled and ready to accept your IPA and pork pie picnic!

 

[Steve B]

They do sound like a jet engine when they start up and there's an annoying 'tick' of the fuel pump, but once going are quieter. I'm sure they will, but make sure they fit exhaust and air inlet silencers.

The factory fit one does make its self known when starting up!

 

[Samebutdifferent]

The factory fit one does make its self known when starting up!

I wouldn't want to be camping in a tent next door, plus the fumes

 

[Grand Tourismo]

The factory fit one does make its self known when starting up!

I think the factory fit is an Eberspacher unit, can anyone confirm?

 

[Samebutdifferent]

I believe so. There seems to be little difference between the Webasto and Eberspacher units, also in terms of noise, tick etc. The controllers are different though.

Edit: I'm still unsure as to where the factory unit is mounted, internally or underslung on the passenger side. @Steve B ??

 

[Samebutdifferent]

Solar is a nice treat, not something I had considered initially but my van had a PV panel fitted and I am very pleased it has!
It just keeps the leisure battery topped up, a bit like a battery maintenance charger, meaning that it remains 100% healthy and ready to go.

I did read on here somewhere (I think it was Paul) that with solar fitted you can leave your fridge on setting 3 all the time during the summer months so that if you decide to have an ad hoc day out, the fridge is chilled and ready to accept your IPA and pork pie picnic!

Solar like the heater is essential for me. 2 days off grid and the single habitation battery is reaching critical SOC.
Even with 100w of solar a couple of cloudless days and your struggling. In winter with the use of the heater, that has a large current draw on start up and shut down, the solar will be of little use.

The addition of another battery would be desirable, it could be sited next to the original under the passenger seat. Only when I find out where the factory fitted heater is will I know if that's feasible!!

The only other option is to change the battery to lithium, costly but has many advantages.

Not long now and I'll be able to go and crawl around one

 

[Samebutdifferent]

Of course that should be “ a couple of cloudy days”

 

[Spike]

Hello,



This is an auxiliary heater question, apologies in advance if it’s a bit of a silly one…



How can I work out for sure if my Auxiliary heater is Electric or Fuel driven ?



The German bill of sale says:

• "Warmluft-Zusatzheizung" (translates to "Warm air auxiliary heater")
• “Zuheizer elektrisch“ (translates to "Electric auxiliary heater")

(We live in Munich, bought our 2017 build Marco Polo Activity second hand from Mercedes Benz late last year. Consequently all the documents are in German).



Based on the above you would assume the auxiliary heater is battery driven. However, when I turn it on, there is a distinct smell of diesel outside the vehicle. Also, from ignition to warm air coming out, there is quite a long lead-time (several minutes). Same on shut down. Both of these lead me to think the heater is fuel driven. Is there an easy way for me to check this on the van ?



Thanks in advance for your help!



Best,

Spike