Oh, and this link has a nice pdf file brochure for the James Cook.  4
level living, etc.  Sold my wife.

TyG

-----Original Message-----
From: Ty Graham [mailto:tyg@oz.net]
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 10:23 PM
To: 'Jeff Palmer'; 'vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM'
Subject: RE: Drove a Sprinter and liked it ...

I found this link today.
http://www.mobycampers.ch/English/prod04e.htm

I'm thinking about giving these guys a try this summer.

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Jeff Palmer
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 9:22 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Drove a Sprinter and liked it ...

Those are so cool!  I wonder if you can rent them in Europe?

Jeff
----- Original Message -----
From: "S.E. Booth" <lonesomedog@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 12:08 PM
Subject: Re: Drove a Sprinter and liked it ...

> I have been looking at the James Cook Sprinter for about 4 years now,
> thinking it might be a worthy replacement for my Synchro Westy. The
> European version has a hightop with an interior by Westfalia that
looks
> awesome. It has a lower bed and a cab-over type bed (or storage area),
a
> good size refrigerator and somehow has room for a toilet and shower. I
> saw a couple of these when I was in France and was really impressed.
You
> have a number of engine options available from gasoline to turbo
diesel.
> The problem is bringing them into the US. I found an RV dealer in
> Florida that is possibly the only US importer, but they want about
> $100,000 for one, which is way out of my league. I have not seen the
US
> camper conversion, so I don' know how it compares to the Westy
version.
>
> Check out the link below or if it doesn't work (it is sometimes buggy
> and slow), go to the MB website and look at Products/Camper Vans.
>
>
> http://www.mercedes-benz.com/com/e/home/products/campervans/index.html
>
> http://www.mercedes-benz.com/com/e/home/index.html
>
>
> Susan Booth
> 90 Synchro Westy "Sea Bus"
>
>
> Ty Graham wrote:
>
> >Am I going to hell?  I feel so dirty.
> >
> >I went down to Freightliner in Portland a couple of weeks ago and
looked
> >at Sprinters.  They had more than 20 on the lot including a camper
> >conversion.  I spent 3 hours over two days asking questions and
crawling
> >around.  I test drove the camper conversion for ~5 miles.
> >
> >Overall, I am very impressed.  It is a very nice modern van, though
has
> >much more in common with a bread truck than with our Vanagons.
> >
> >140" wheelbase plus a hiroof feels super spacious for three.  It
would
> >be wild to do some sort of conversion on a ten(!) passenger rig that
> >allowed for future birthday parties or soccer team hauling.  I'm 6'3"
> >and could around walk easily.  It felt like only a slightly lower
> >ceiling than the AWs I've been in.
> >
> >Ergonomics seemed pretty good with a four way adjustable seat and
> >adequate legroom.  All the modern conveniences were there, though not
as
> >nicely implemented as in my MINI or Volvo.  Typical of any new car
pitch
> >I've had, the presence of cupholders was prominently featured.
> >
> >For such a long, spacious rig, it drove great.  I made a bunch of
> >parking passes and donuts and was blown away with the turning radius.
> >My wife kept saying I was making tighter turns than her new MINI -
not
> >true, but it felt like it.
> >
> >Power felt good, but not great.  It certainly pulled as well if not
> >better than our 2.1l Vanagons.  I didn't measure fuel economy, but
folks
> >swear that they get 22mpg all the time and can get 27mpg or more on
the
> >highway.  500 miles between fill ups would be sweet.  Diesel clatter
was
> >there, but well damped.  The noise seemed lower than in the Ford
Transit
> >I drove in France this year.  It was a chilly day so I didn't try the
> >Windows down test.
> >
> >The camper conversion I drove was too much of that tacky sort of
> >American overstuffed, Sportsmobileish interior.  Nothing seemed very
> >engineered and was just not my style.  The rear bed sure was huge,
> >though.   The salesguy thought one his customers had put a Westfalia
> >poptop from Europe on one, though I have yet to find a picture or any
> >info on the web.  I haven't asked Steve Lashley yet.
> >
> >Net net:  I am very tempted to get a 140" hi roof and build my own
> >camper conversion.  I will probably rent a Sprinter camper in Europe
> >first to get some real test time.
> >
> >For folks that are interested.
> >Here's some info and pics of the camper I test drove.  ($55k, I
think)
> >http://www.sprinterus.com/
> >
> >The Sprintervan group on Yahoo is pretty active, though not up to
> >Vanagon snuff.
> >
> >These are the folks we rented an RV from in the Netherlands.
> >http://www.arrantea.com/
> >
> >TyG
> >
> >
> >
>
>