Finally back to the three pointed star!

[pfarre10]

Hi, after a hiatus of some 10 years, I'm back to mercedes.
Albeit with a 2012 w639 Vito 113cdi LWB.

I'm in south wales, and while my van is for business, I would like to improve it over its, travelodge-esq, basic spec.

Mind it is metallic amber red, and the blue efficency model ( one extra switch in a soul destroying panel of blanks).

like to here from others local or otherwise with suggestions.

Cheers

Paul.

 

[Giantvanman]

Yaaay. Another Vito owner! Welcome aboard.

 

[sparkydude]

Hi, after a hiatus of some 10 years, I'm back to mercedes.
Albeit with a 2012 w639 Vito 113cdi LWB.

I'm in south wales, and while my van is for business, I would like to improve it over its, travelodge-esq, basic spec.

Mind it is metallic amber red, and the blue efficency model ( one extra switch in a soul destroying panel of blanks).

like to here from others local or otherwise with suggestions.

Cheers

Paul.

You may well regret asking for suggestions, well your wallet will anyways LoL

Welcome to the forum fellow vito owner enjoy your stay , theres a few of us commercial vehicle owners on here

Nick

 

[C36fan]

Hi I'll show you mine if you like some tips I'll guide you!

 

[pfarre10]

Hi I'll show you mine if you like some tips I'll guide you!

wow, yours is the best sign written vito i've seen.
gives me some hope.
Which model is yours, just i see you have the chrome grille, which i can buy for £100,
but mine on the grey bumpers appears to be part of the bumper, looks like I'll have to cut it off to fit the new one.
I'm going to paint the bumpers and rubbing strips anyhow.

 

[C36fan]

wow, yours is the best sign written vito i've seen. gives me some hope. Which model is yours, just i see you have the chrome grille, which i can buy for £100, but mine on the grey bumpers appears to be part of the bumper, looks like I'll have to cut it off to fit the new one. I'm going to paint the bumpers and rubbing strips anyhow.

thanks mine is the same as yours but swb , as vans goes I've had a few and this one is a very nice work partner , you will love it
What have you got barn doors or tailgate?
There's a couple of couple chrome bit you could buy and it looks the business !

 

[pfarre10]

You may well regret asking for suggestions, well your wallet will anyways LoL

Welcome to the forum fellow vito owner enjoy your stay , theres a few of us commercial vehicle owners on here

Nick

Yeah I'm beginning to see that.
I've seen you name in a few of my first searched queries. Think I'll be going down a few of the same routes you have.
from alarm, through to retrofit air con.
Whats the best approach for upgrades? dealer or internet? I have noticed oem parts are abit eyewatering. dont want to look a prat asking for a benign piece of trim for it to be ££££
e.g swapping the interior light for the multi map reading one, cant be that expensive eh?

 

[pfarre10]

thanks mine is the same as yours but swb , as vans goes I've had a few and this one is a very nice work partner , you will love it
What have you got barn doors or tailgate?
There's a couple of couple chrome bit you could buy and it looks the business !

Its a tailgate.
Ive saw loads of nice shiny bits around, are yours MB parts or aftermarkets?

for example Ive found a genuine tailgate handle for 30 something quid, though afters are half that, same with mirror covers, handles etc. Is there much in it, are the afters just as good?

Also did your come with the body colour bumpers and grille, or did you do it yourself?

I'm only now realising the tailgate limits my roof rack options. The rear roller i'd need will have to sit very high to clear the tail, so I think smart roof rails will be best. To be honest i rarely need my big ladders and wouldn't want to spoil the look of the van just for them.

What size wheels do you have? I've been looking at a few van rated rims, but dont kniow how big to go. Playing it safe with say 18's as tyre prices go nuts above this, yet not sure how the sizes look on the van.
Yours look proper, not rollerskate, and not gangster, a fine line!

 

[BIG UN]

Hi & welcome to the forum, like Nick says you will need a big wallet for retro fitting & retro fitting Air Con? That's a serious retro fit let me tell you & I know cause I've done it..

 

[C36fan]

Its a tailgate. Ive saw loads of nice shiny bits around, are yours MB parts or aftermarkets? for example Ive found a genuine tailgate handle for 30 something quid, though afters are half that, same with mirror covers, handles etc. Is there much in it, are the afters just as good? Also did your come with the body colour bumpers and grille, or did you do it yourself? I'm only now realising the tailgate limits my roof rack options. The rear roller i'd need will have to sit very high to clear the tail, so I think smart roof rails will be best. To be honest i rarely need my big ladders and wouldn't want to spoil the look of the van just for them. What size wheels do you have? I've been looking at a few van rated rims, but dont kniow how big to go. Playing it safe with say 18's as tyre prices go nuts above this, yet not sure how the sizes look on the van. Yours look proper, not rollerskate, and not gangster, a fine line!

my van come with colour coded bumpers ,ac,Bluetooth phone . The roof rails and the grill and chrome tailgate handle they are om but the side steps are from eBay , the only reason I bought them from eBay was they no longer had the side steps like those the new ones is only a small chrome pipe what having them or not make no difference , the wheels they are 18" with 235/45/18 I was worried when I bought them because I always carry around a ton in the van and low profile tyres and pot holes they don't match!! but they been fine I have a spare set of 16" alloys with nearly new Bridgestone 225/55/16 tyres just in case!! I'd stick as much as I can with om parts because they not that expensive and always have warranty .thats the van with the 16"s

 

[sparkydude]

Hi & welcome to the forum, like Nick says you will need a big wallet for retro fitting & retro fitting Air Con? That's a serious retro fit let me tell you & I know cause I've done it..

Er Hmm (Clearing throat noise)

With a bit of help from your friends eh Mr Big Un

LoL

 

[pfarre10]

Hi & welcome to the forum, like Nick says you will need a big wallet for retro fitting & retro fitting Air Con? That's a serious retro fit let me tell you & I know cause I've done it..

Cheers Bigun.

Ive been reading about your exploits this afternoon, with fitting the alarm.
Think this has to be priority, no point making it shiny if its not protected!

MB sell all the bits needed as spares then? How many items did you end up buying, and what was the rough price?

I am a spark and have dabbled in auto elecs in the past, so am vaguely confident in retrofitting. You also mentioned something about the wiring loom having wires for auto headlights/wipers, have you fitted this too?

I've been getting carried away and was looking at the new bi xenon led clusters, seemed ok price (360 each) though I think major wiring and ballasts are needed too.

Did you get your air con from a salvage, or all new? I had a look at the engine and couldn't even see any room, never mind a braket for the compressor off the fan belt! Was looking at a retro unit aimed at classic cars, very flexible and all in £600.
Never realised how user to air con I'd got.

 

[pfarre10]

my van come with colour coded bumpers ,ac,Bluetooth phone . The roof rails and the grill and chrome tailgate handle they are om but the side steps are from eBay , the only reason I bought them from eBay was they no longer had the side steps like those the new ones is only a small chrome pipe what having them or not make no difference , the wheels they are 18" with 235/45/18 I was worried when I bought them because I always carry around a ton in the van and low profile tyres and pot holes they don't match!! but they been fine I have a spare set of 16" alloys with nearly new Bridgestone 225/55/16 tyres just in case!! I'd stick as much as I can with om parts because they not that expensive and always have warranty .thats the van with the 16"s

Its subtle, but a huge difference your mods have made. The van in standard spec is good looking anyway, but the bars match the 18s well and really set it off.

Glad they are 18's, thought they might be 20's or something, as like you I'll have quite a weight on and low pro's were troubling me abit. But if you rekon they're fine I'll go for them

 

[C36fan]

I'd think so as a said so far no problems !
Also don't be afraid of maxxis tyres they are very good value for money very quiet on the road , loads of grip and they have rim protection .
My Bridgestone tyres are much more noisy than the maxxis and no rim proctection !

 

[BIG UN]

The looms were a nightmare as i remember because you have to remember the guys in parts at whichever Mercedes dealer you use arent used to people retro fitting!! I had 2 looms fitted in all, the last one being around the £75 mark. Sparkydude has the first one as i found after i hadnt needed to swap it Grrr, but you live & learn. Im not sure you can get everything now as i think the alarm been superseeded. But the overhead control panels arent cheap anywhere between £100-120 if you can get one( although i might have one in the sub depot) the motion sensor was very expensive(could be WRONG but £180 comes to mind) the sirens around £100 so it all adds up. Yes the AC was a joint venture with my good mates Zenman & Sparkydude, ive done a thread about it but it wouldnt post so itll get done again when i get through this current rough patch..

 

[pfarre10]

Cheers for that Bigun.
I suspected the bit would add up to much more than it was fitted, I found on honest johns website it was only a £290 option when new.

Don't mind spending it, but if its a faff getting the bits i may just buy a clifford, then i can have window lift and a pager.

I was hoping the air con may be more staightforward as it looks like the centre console lifts out to get access to the matrix without taking out the dash, though as i said if merc were to sell a kit, or at least know all the bits needed in one go, I'd have a bash. But these retro american units look surprisingly simple to fit.
I'd loose the athenticity but I usually run my vehicles into the ground, so it'll only be me who knows.
Look forward to reading your post though.

 

[BIG UN]

The centre console does come out but try more along the lines of everything in front of the 2 front seats out to fit air con,then its just a case of condensor,compressor, power steering pipe wiring and air con pipes, never mind the engine cooling side!!

 

[pfarre10]

screw it, I can get a refrigeration unit fitted to the roof for 300 quid, all electric no hassle!

Never fails to amaze me how manufacturers dont think about making genuine options available to those handy with a spanner, especially when they've announced a new model and demand must be dropping off.

My next task is seeing if the momo leather seats I kept from my old alfa 156 will fit the rails in the van.
Alot cheaper than buying armrests!

 

[C36fan]

I have seen a few new model vito in France they had German reg and they look much better in the flesh then they look in paper and inside they are much more nicer than ours looking forward to the release in uk so I can have a proper look around this time I'm going for a proper brabus !

 

[pfarre10]

I have seen a few new model vito in France they had German reg and they look much better in the flesh then they look in paper and inside they are much more nicer than ours looking forward to the release in uk so I can have a proper look around this time I'm going for a proper brabus !

Are they doing the shiny ones from launch?
Thought they'd only offer the cooking models at first.
Yeah the press pics do look abit ungainly, mind I always prefered the older vito rounded headlamps to the facelift, but they do grow on you.