Mercedes Vario 814DA - An introduction

[Squiddlydiddly]

Hi all,

I know there is a splendid gaggle of Vario 814 owners on here and it's about time I introduced myself and Big Betty.



So. I have a 1999 Vario 814DA. She was coach built in 2011 to the shape you see here, but never finished as a project. I found and took her over at the end of last year and after a bit of faffing about (make that a lot of effort!) she is now about 90% complete to my long list of improvements. We have done a few weekend trips out over this year, plus a week in France and then a month or so in Spain. So far, so more than good!

Obviously, she is more built for luxury than off-road - although I am happy taking her down half decent gravel roads to get to wild camping spots and also out of trouble from festival soggy fields. Yes, the ground clearance is far from ideal and her rear end does hang back somewhat. . . but then, I am not interested in taking her seriously off the beaten track. . . she is built for living in comfortably.

I appreciate that this is an expedition forum. . . but everybody has a view on what that entails. Mine happens to be a tad less adventurous than others. However, we are kitting her up for living in for long chunks of time, off grid, and in many different types of climate and locations.

Of course its pretty rare to get RHD 4x4 versions of these at the best of times. . . but to then have it made into a bonkers retro gin palace is on another level.

So then - a question!

After our first long trip to Spain I did a long drive back from Tarifa to Santander, which was a 1010km trip via TomTOm and Google Maps. However, door to door it was actually 1448km on the odometer. In addition, my speedo reads 70mph when I am doing 50mph on the TomTom or any other GPS driven map. It is seriously incorrect!

Thus, I now know for certain that:
1. Instead of the 24mpg I thought I was doing. . . I know know its 40% less or about 17mpg. (********!)
2. But then again, that means the actual miles she has driven in total has now dropped and she has only ever covered 40,000 miles! Only just run in! (hurrah!)

So, how on earth did Mercedes get away with not recalculating the speedo on my vehicle correctly? Is the speedo correct for a standard 16 inch wheel? What happens when you plonk a 19 inch wheel on it like some of you? All speedos usually show the wrong speeds by a 'bit' - but 40%?

What does your vehicle do?

Cheers

Steve

 

[Ullie]

Ours has originally 17,5 inch wheels. When they are mounted, the speedo gives the correct speed. (really correct, because it is calibrated) With our 19 inch wheels, the speedo gives less than in reality (about 7% off).

 

[Neil]

steve.
Looks absolutely fantastic ,well done.

I have a merc 1017 and have had the speedo re calibrated twice. once for bigger wheels and once for gearing changes.
It was all done on the back of the clock and took 10 mins.
Maybe yours is the same and you could get it more accurate using the sat nav as you guide. Not perfect but better

Neil

www.cloud9isborn.blogspot.com

 

[part time nomad]

Interesting vehicle, any pictures of the inside?

Regarding the speedo, just take it to and commercial vehicle tachograph centre, like Nick says it wont take long to sort.

my Vario is still limited to 52mph,

 

[Squiddlydiddly]

Thanks guys, it never occurred to me that they could be re calibrated.

I know a manufacturer is obliged to ensure they never read less than the actual speed the vehicle is doing by law, so assumed this was set and unchangeable.

Anyway. . . here is a shot of the inside.

 

[part time nomad]

That looks nice, as you say, not an out and out overlander! but capable enough to get out of trouble,

My vario is some where in between the two, like you I like the idea of using the cab space with swivel chairs, it makes for so much more space.

Do you know the wheel base? it looks long, and with quite a long rear overhang!

I don't know where you are based, but have you thought about bringing it along to the Adventure Overland show in Stratford, I think it would get a lot of interest.

 

[Squiddlydiddly]

That looks nice, as you say, not an out and out overlander! but capable enough to get out of trouble,

My vario is some where in between the two, like you I like the idea of using the cab space with swivel chairs, it makes for so much more space.

Do you know the wheel base? it looks long, and with quite a long rear overhang!

I don't know where you are based, but have you thought about bringing it along to the Adventure Overland show in Stratford, I think it would get a lot of interest.

The cab space with the swivel seats works really well. One really good part is it opens up the front screen as a window to the outside. One day I'll fit a removable steering wheel so the drivers side can do more than just swivel to just the side - I have the boss to do it but its low down on the 'to do' list.

I know my wheelbase was lengthened but I don't know what from and how much it is now. But overall she is 8m nose to ********. I'll try to remember to measure it this weekend.

I won't be able come to the show as I'll be at a wedding. . . maybe another year.

Cheers

Steve

 

[MARIŌVERLAND]

Great looking van Steve it's got some good curves going on! Im liking the 1930's/deco/airstream inspiration. Do you know anything about its conception?

My 814da van gets about 18-20mpg but it is quite a bit lower/shorter and probably weighs less than yours. The speedo is pretty spot on with mine because I sit with the other hgv's at 56mph (limited).

 

[ianc]

Mine is limited to 90kph and does around 19l/100km

 

[Squiddlydiddly]

Great looking van Steve it's got some good curves going on! Im liking the 1930's/deco/airstream inspiration. Do you know anything about its conception?

My 814da van gets about 18-20mpg but it is quite a bit lower/shorter and probably weighs less than yours. The speedo is pretty spot on with mine because I sit with the other hgv's at 56mph (limited).

Curves are good! It's a long story about how she came to be. I'm writing a blog which will have lots of info and pics but I can say that's it's a pretty remarkable story.

Our sweet spot for speed is bang on 50 mph. Means it's rare for me to overtake anything and I usually have a clear road ahead. I believe the line of cars behind are there looking at Betty's ********. . .

She will go faster but I get a weird grating/vibration that kicks in somewhere in the drive train behind the engine. Nothing that sounds terminal but I can't pin it down. When I back off it goes away.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[papple]

I do really like that interior - smart job

 

[part time nomad]

That noise could well be the transfer gear box! I get a kind of gear chatter noise on overrun at around 50mph if the throttle is just equal to the speed if I throttle up or down it goes away.

I suspect a worn bearing in the transfer box, but not too worried by it.

 

[part time nomad]

Mine is limited to 90kph and does around 19l/100km

Ian, thought you had the limiter taken off. Or do I remember you had the engine remapped?

 

[ianc]

Ian, thought you had the limiter taken off. Or do I remember you had the engine remapped?

Remapped. I can override the limiter by pulling the fuse for the tacho out

 

[ianc]

That noise could well be the transfer gear box! I get a kind of gear chatter noise on overrun at around 50mph if the throttle is just equal to the speed if I throttle up or down it goes away.

I suspect a worn bearing in the transfer box, but too worried by it.

Mine does the same. A real PIA when going down a gentle hill.