Just saw this review and found it quite enjoyable because I'm interested in this vehicle. Its refreshing to see a normal human being and all the vehicle drawbacks rather than a slick sales person who just shows all the goodies!
Hey mate what a fantastic honest review 👍 I live in Australia and don’t think this model will ever arrive here unless you know otherwise? Your correct it’s a huge amount of coin to spend on Camper van however with the added features you suggested it would be brilliant machine! I really love the look of the Marco Polo, such a elegant vehicle ahead of the VW. Thank you and all the best from an Aussie in Melbourne.
Thank you for the honest review. I own similar Marco Polo and can undersign your review ;) I was choosing this car over X5 and RR Sport and am totally content with my decision. Super luxury and practical. Done Venice, Corsica, Toscana already with one from Estonia with sleep overs at Polish and Czech gas stations :)
I'm just getting into a California, and will post some sort of a comparison video in a couple of weeks. I already see some minor differences, which make using one or the other a bit easier.
Very nice review! 80k it´s not funny, you can buy a big camper with warm shower and toilet already from 50k. I agree with your summary Marek, the small details are very important and can make you crazy. We a more traditional camper, tent, sleeping bag, air mattress, cool box 12 / 230Volt and one-burner gas cooker. Everything fits in the trunk of an Alhambra (2 adults and one child)
It looks much better than the T6 Cali Ocean. Just spent a week in one and it wasn’t anywhere near as nice as this vehicle. I will try one of these.out before I decide which one to buy
In the summer of 2019, the new Mercedes Marco Polo comes as a facelift with new engines and 9-speed automatic transmission. Unfortunately, there is no MBUX yet
Great real world review.The Marco Polo is too expensive at 80k.Ive now made my mind up on a VW California after seeing your review as here in Ireland they start at around 50k and are much better laid out.
It drives the same as Vito/V-Class I tested earlier. Both reviews are linked in description. I thought in this car the living space is more interesting, than how it drives.
I'm outdoorsy in a way that I like to have wine on my deck :) This was my first camper van experience. I didn't know what to expect, and I didn't know how to film it. I know many people think of vanlife as a romantic endeavour, but I guess it depends on your location (besides hygiene, which is always an issue). There are some parts of south-east Europe, where it seems you're pretty much allowed to camp off-grid, and it's just a matter of how safe you feel about it. AFAIK central and western Europe has more strict rules about it, so either you get permission to camp on someone's property, and it looks off-grid, or you have to use a regular campsite, in which case I'd rather sleep in a hotel. You'll find this attempt better prepared, better structured, and better told. (ua-cam.com/video/erIDYgGxKYk/v-deo.html) I still hated it, but I hope it doesn't show as much :) Good thing it lasted only 4 days, and we spent the fifth night at a hotel with hot running water.
+ It needs to have a *ventilated* space for a small portable toilet + a 2 monitor *articulated* mount (to plug in two monitors or a laptop/tablet and a TV etc) and position them at an angle so that you can chill in the back seats while browsing the internet (+ the necessary antennas for wifi/4g) The things you mentioned in the video (heater/solar etc) and the ones I mention here are the obstacles for me to pay so much money and buy this van. Because those are huge problems since even if you want to invest more and install it there is no way to do that unless you permanently damage/mod the car and it will look uglier too... they should atleast add placeholders for the above if not integrating all that from the factory in a seamless way.
Marek Drives sorry for the joke, but it was so funny. And of course germans always hear everything 100% accurat😂😂 and as you can imagine, when germans try to speak English, you will also find a lot of funny pronouncations. Anyway, now that I have your attention I want to use the opportunity, that I really like your open, fair, objective and detailed reviews💯💯 all the best for your channel 🙋🏼♂️
I forgot to mention it. I used it to hang towels on front windows to get some privacy. Theoretically there was a proper cover in the storage compartment in the back, but it was already damaged.
I think that the VW california is going to run circles around this . Its bigger, thus can actually hold 4 people, has pretty much all the same utilities and it's 30k less.
Both cars have similar dimensions, so it's a matter of how easy it is to fold the back seats, and how much space there is for luggage under the rear shelf. As far as price goes, California is a bit cheaper without options, but when I specced it like this Marco Polo, it was actually 500 euro more expensive. And California doesn't get things like leather seats (easier to clean) or 360 camera.
Fun review. Would never buy one. To expensive in my opinion and not flexible enough since you need to take your "home" with you when doing a trip to some fun place.
with 80,000€ you can go a lot of place, with much less inconvenience! And like you said, if you pay that much for a camper van, it has to be a lot better!
Warning, warning, the car is the best, we have one, but..... we can not sleep in our bed because it is to weak. On our travels in the Marco Polo we could not sleep in the bed. It went broke. 12 parts had to be replaces when we where home. In the mean time we need to sleep somewhere else! Westfalia don’t want to help. Mercedes only want to sell the spare parts, 42 euro x 12! We better sleep in a hotel!
Are you kidding? It supports like 200 kg. Probably not enough more than heavy petting, but as you can probably see I'm not a featherweight, neither is my gf, and we managed to sleep without falling.
Those closets aren't great for clothes. Better for toiletries or some bagged items, which can be removed in bulk, rather than having to sift through them, while they are inside. I prefer storing our clothes in one of those IKEA slide-under-the-bed bags. But everyone has their preferred method of packing.
Camper people are a different breed...you carry this silly miniature life to everywhere and try to do things like at home but not really...like that shower...nothing more fun than a cold shower out in the open by your Mercedes camper van ;-) You could buy a new car for 40k Euro and have another 40k to spend on hotels and restaurants ;-) Rant over ;-)
A portable toilet costs 50-100 euro depending on the size. I hear they are smell-tight, but I don't know if I'd like to spend a couple of days sleeping with my poop at arm's reach. I'd rather go bond with nature.
I'm a landscape photographer and am collecting a VW California Ocean (4WD with diff lock) next week. Hotels and B&Bs are no use for me. I need to wild camp in remote areas and react to the weather so can't book. For the last few years I've been sleeping in the back of an X5 or in a tent. The Cali is perfect for me. I'll use it for very short family breaks but don't think I'd buy one if that was its sole purpose.
I like your videos but I won't subscribe until you stop using a fisheye lens. Everything is distorted and is annoying as hell. You don't get a fair picture of the cars hence it defeats the purpose of this channel.
This was a walkaround with gopro. It's hard to move about in a tight space with a bigger camera. If you want beauty shots, check this out for example: ua-cam.com/video/yp_8HKrqzS4/v-deo.html
Just saw this review and found it quite enjoyable because I'm interested in this vehicle. Its refreshing to see a normal human being and all the vehicle drawbacks rather than a slick sales person who just shows all the goodies!
Give this dude a millions of likes
Hey mate what a fantastic honest review 👍 I live in Australia and don’t think this model will ever arrive here unless you know otherwise? Your correct it’s a huge amount of coin to spend on Camper van however with the added features you suggested it would be brilliant machine! I really love the look of the Marco Polo, such a elegant vehicle ahead of the VW. Thank you and all the best from an Aussie in Melbourne.
Thank you for the honest review. I own similar Marco Polo and can undersign your review ;) I was choosing this car over X5 and RR Sport and am totally content with my decision. Super luxury and practical. Done Venice, Corsica, Toscana already with one from Estonia with sleep overs at Polish and Czech gas stations :)
I'm just getting into a California, and will post some sort of a comparison video in a couple of weeks. I already see some minor differences, which make using one or the other a bit easier.
Very nice review! 80k it´s not funny, you can buy a big camper with warm shower and toilet already from 50k. I agree with your summary Marek, the small details are very important and can make you crazy.
We a more traditional camper, tent, sleeping bag, air mattress, cool box 12 / 230Volt and one-burner gas cooker. Everything fits in the trunk of an Alhambra (2 adults and one child)
It looks much better than the T6 Cali Ocean. Just spent a week in one and it wasn’t anywhere near as nice as this vehicle. I will try one of these.out before I decide which one to buy
In the summer of 2019, the new Mercedes Marco Polo comes as a facelift with new engines and 9-speed automatic transmission. Unfortunately, there is no MBUX yet
Great real world review.The Marco Polo is too expensive at 80k.Ive now made my mind up on a VW California after seeing your review as here in Ireland they start at around 50k and are much better laid out.
Fabulous review. Thank you Marek. I only missed a part where you were driving the van.
It drives the same as Vito/V-Class I tested earlier. Both reviews are linked in description. I thought in this car the living space is more interesting, than how it drives.
Marek Drives thank you very much
This was fun. Marek maybe you should do some workout, running or some cardio a bit. Or moving those seats is really really hard. :D
It is what it is. Floor is slipper, and rails are full of sand.
Very very interesting. Thanx. (I'm not a camper too but will do next year a little tour... so good not too "extra-profi-camper-like" infos for me)
Świetny test, szwedzki szefie :-)
Nice review. Thanks for sharing
Wery nice review, I hope to see more reviews like this, good english also
Your just need a little rug rather than hoovering daily...thats that problem solved. This will also stuff scuffing of the wood :-)
So many compromises. Surely better vehicles out there for camping?
I never would have thought that Marek would be this neurotic, he doesn’t seem like an “outdoorsy” man…..
I'm outdoorsy in a way that I like to have wine on my deck :)
This was my first camper van experience. I didn't know what to expect, and I didn't know how to film it.
I know many people think of vanlife as a romantic endeavour, but I guess it depends on your location (besides hygiene, which is always an issue). There are some parts of south-east Europe, where it seems you're pretty much allowed to camp off-grid, and it's just a matter of how safe you feel about it. AFAIK central and western Europe has more strict rules about it, so either you get permission to camp on someone's property, and it looks off-grid, or you have to use a regular campsite, in which case I'd rather sleep in a hotel.
You'll find this attempt better prepared, better structured, and better told.
(ua-cam.com/video/erIDYgGxKYk/v-deo.html)
I still hated it, but I hope it doesn't show as much :) Good thing it lasted only 4 days, and we spent the fifth night at a hotel with hot running water.
GREAT REVIEW
The full enchilada :D Reminds me Salomondrin
+ It needs to have a *ventilated* space for a small portable toilet + a 2 monitor *articulated* mount (to plug in two monitors or a laptop/tablet and a TV etc) and position them at an angle so that you can chill in the back seats while browsing the internet (+ the necessary antennas for wifi/4g)
The things you mentioned in the video (heater/solar etc) and the ones I mention here are the obstacles for me to pay so much money and buy this van.
Because those are huge problems since even if you want to invest more and install it there is no way to do that unless you permanently damage/mod the car and it will look uglier too... they should atleast add placeholders for the above if not integrating all that from the factory in a seamless way.
Good review. On 13.06 you recommend IKEA Dubai, why do the rest of the world IKEAs not have it?
"to buy" not "Dubai" :)
Marek Drives sorry for the joke, but it was so funny. And of course germans always hear everything 100% accurat😂😂 and as you can imagine, when germans try to speak English, you will also find a lot of funny pronouncations. Anyway, now that I have your attention I want to use the opportunity, that I really like your open, fair, objective and detailed reviews💯💯 all the best for your channel 🙋🏼♂️
:)))
Thanks. Underneath I'm probably also German, because I alvayz sink I am korrekt :)
After I watched your half hearted review on the vw California it now makes sense. Your payed or dislike vw. Shame you didn’t have to.
With all due respect, go see a therapist about your conspiracy theories.
What was the yellow suction hook for (below the cutlery drawer)? You said that you would get back to it...
I forgot to mention it. I used it to hang towels on front windows to get some privacy. Theoretically there was a proper cover in the storage compartment in the back, but it was already damaged.
I think that the VW california is going to run circles around this . Its bigger, thus can actually hold 4 people, has pretty much all the same utilities and it's 30k less.
Both cars have similar dimensions, so it's a matter of how easy it is to fold the back seats, and how much space there is for luggage under the rear shelf. As far as price goes, California is a bit cheaper without options, but when I specced it like this Marco Polo, it was actually 500 euro more expensive. And California doesn't get things like leather seats (easier to clean) or 360 camera.
I stand corrected, still prefer the vw for the looks XD
you are forgetting the used market. I am planning to buy one for 35k chf
Both the Marco Polo and the California are not cars obviously they are vans.
Fun review. Would never buy one. To expensive in my opinion and not flexible enough since you need to take your "home" with you when doing a trip to some fun place.
As opposed to travelling only with your cheque book ;)
with 80,000€ you can go a lot of place, with much less inconvenience! And like you said, if you pay that much for a camper van, it has to be a lot better!
True. For 80k it should be better.
This guy sounds like Polish Swingblade with a British accent.
Warning, warning, the car is the best, we have one, but..... we can not sleep in our bed because it is to weak. On our travels in the Marco Polo we could not sleep in the bed. It went broke. 12 parts had to be replaces when we where home. In the mean time we need to sleep somewhere else!
Westfalia don’t want to help. Mercedes only want to sell the spare parts, 42 euro x 12! We better sleep in a hotel!
Are you kidding? It supports like 200 kg. Probably not enough more than heavy petting, but as you can probably see I'm not a featherweight, neither is my gf, and we managed to sleep without falling.
No, I am not kidding. In our Manuel the weight is set on 160 kg. We only weight 145 and still the bed brakes down.
I like your sunglasses, what model are they?
goo.gl/DXVzQc
I can build a country villa for 80 k but this car has its market
I think that this van is a little bit too small. A bigger I think Viano will be slightly more suitable.
The clothes closets all empty and the boot filled with bags and suitcases.... not so well utilized.
Those closets aren't great for clothes. Better for toiletries or some bagged items, which can be removed in bulk, rather than having to sift through them, while they are inside. I prefer storing our clothes in one of those IKEA slide-under-the-bed bags. But everyone has their preferred method of packing.
Молодцы умеют же делать.за такое и денег не жалко.Мечта идиота (
This is useless. Anyone fantasizing about having family trips this way should have a reality check.
Camper people are a different breed...you carry this silly miniature life to everywhere and try to do things like at home but not really...like that shower...nothing more fun than a cold shower out in the open by your Mercedes camper van ;-) You could buy a new car for 40k Euro and have another 40k to spend on hotels and restaurants ;-) Rant over ;-)
Thats a good point... however many places people visit dont have hotels or any other fixed accomodation so a camper or tent is the only option.
A portable toilet costs 50-100 euro depending on the size. I hear they are smell-tight, but I don't know if I'd like to spend a couple of days sleeping with my poop at arm's reach. I'd rather go bond with nature.
I'm a landscape photographer and am collecting a VW California Ocean (4WD with diff lock) next week. Hotels and B&Bs are no use for me. I need to wild camp in remote areas and react to the weather so can't book. For the last few years I've been sleeping in the back of an X5 or in a tent. The Cali is perfect for me. I'll use it for very short family breaks but don't think I'd buy one if that was its sole purpose.
I like your videos but I won't subscribe until you stop using a fisheye lens. Everything is distorted and is annoying as hell. You don't get a fair picture of the cars hence it defeats the purpose of this channel.
This was a walkaround with gopro. It's hard to move about in a tight space with a bigger camera. If you want beauty shots, check this out for example:
ua-cam.com/video/yp_8HKrqzS4/v-deo.html
Why wouldnt you buy a proper camper van?