top of page

2016 Mercedes Sprinter 144 High Roof 4x4 Passenger Van
75,000 miles (likely to increase a little before sale)

Our van spent the first 48,000 miles of its life as a limousine moving clients between DIA and Vail, Colorado almost entirely on paved roads.  We purchased the van in July of 2018 and immediately began the conversion you see here.  Nearly all 75,000 miles have been on-road (save for the one BLM adventure pictured above).  The last 4-5,000 miles, we've been towing a Black Series HQ15 adventure trailer.

Why convert a passenger van? Windows! We wanted a van that offered 360º views and factory rooftop A/C.  With all due respect to Winnebago and the others, most factory camper vans are dark and claustrophobia-inducing built-out with heavy materials.  We used NO WOOD in the conversion of this van.  We wanted a lighter, aviation-inspired or “Airstream trailer” feel to our interior and panoramic windows.  And we have owned enough vans and RV’s to know it’s awkward to run a gas-powered generator to run an RV air conditioner just to keep the dog cool as we barrel down the road to our next destination when a van with factory roof-top A/C is designed to do so sensibly off the engine that’s already taking you there!

We have an insulated cover for every window and an exterior vinyl cover for the front cab if you prefer privacy but having the windows allows you to travel to pretty places and take full advantage of the views. Bonus: the forward left-side passenger window is hinged at the top and swings out 90º+ for incredible fresh air circulation.  Underway on the hottest of days, the factory rooftop A/C keeps the entire van cool.  No more arriving to your destination with a hot van!  Speaking of comfort, there is a remote controlled Maxxair Fan, Chinese diesel heater.

The conversion began with removal (and sale) of the first and last rows of passenger seats, removal of all interior panels, installation of 3M Thinsulate insulation and re-installation of all of the panels.  We have some left over Thinsulate if buyer wishes to increase insulation behind any particular panels.  We find the van to be sufficiently insulated for our usage.  We use the van as a “hard-sided” tent camper.  It was never intended to be lived-in full time but rather a comfortable, capable camping van.

That said, the van offers all the comforts of a modern factory ClassB motorhome:  wet bath with Thetford Curve Porta Potty in a discrete “counter height” cabinet behind the driver.  The potty is easily removed to allow for easy showering. The shower pan drain currently daylights to the ground but is located in a perfect place to add a gray water tank if the buyer desires.  The shower head & hose are connected to the stainless steel galley sink which is pressurized with double-filtered fresh water from the 20 gal fresh water tank and 6-gallon marine electric water heater (powered by 30A shore power only) which can also be connected by the buyer to the van’s engine cooling system for on-road hydronic heating.

Below the kitchen sink is a very large storage cabinet for all your cooking essentials and a 2.4 Cu Ft Magic Chef 110AC refrigerator (think “dorm fridge”).  Above the sink counter is a 0.7 cubic ft Kenmore microwave which, along with the refrigerator and most of the accessories plugged into the house of the van is powered off of a cascading A/C power source that will prioritize the 30A shore plug (if powered), the GoalZero Yeti 3000 portable power station, and the TRIPP LITE - RV1250ULHW PowerVerter 1250-Watt 12VDC RV Inverter/Charger under the driver’s seat which is powered by the van’s engine driven 220A alternator while underway.  All wiring is accomplished with simple, circuit breaker-protected 110VAC power strips which are all accessible for easy plugging-in and unplugging as your needs change.  There is one 110VAC  outlet on the driver side wall aft of the refrigerator (accessible in the cubby area in later photos) which is directly wired to 30A shore power (only).  That's where the electric water heater and portable air conditioner are plugged-in when used. The aforementioned cubby is perfect for storing additional cooking and dining equipment (gray cloth bin shown in later photos).

By using Mercedes’ factory mid-row seating, the two rear seats are not only comfortable but feature built-in shoulder belts and Mercedes’ crash ratings.  Below those seats are two Front Runner Wolfpack storage bins that we utilize as our “pantry” for dry goods.  Another Wolfpack is located in the gear garage for storing spares and miscellaneous bits.

When on the road, power on the TRIPP LITE - RV1250ULHW PowerVerter 1250-Watt 12VDC RV Inverter/Charger to charge the GoalZero Yeti 3000 which, along with input from the roof-mounted 90W Zamp Solar panel, keeps the GoalZero powered up on any day were the sun shines, or the van is underway.

A Chinese diesel heater blows super hot to quickly warm up the van on frosty mornings.  The van also has the factory optional rear diesel heater which can be used to preheat both the engine coolant and the van interior on days when the mercury is below 39ºF.  
 

Above the GoalZero power station & Diesel Heater is a control panel which provides control for the interior LED lighting, exterior awning lighting, and SHURFLO 3.0 GPM RV 12V Water Pump.  The sliding door side of the van features a 10’ Fiamma awning.  The factory passenger side running board aids ingress and egress for passengers and pets.  

A custom Tochta Utopia mattress is CNC cut to perfectly fill the elevated bed providing a bed that is 72” wide and 74” long (on either side of the rear seat headrests) and perfectly suitable for sleepers under 72” tall.  Taller sleepers Remove the rear seat headrests if they need room for their toes to dangle.  Beneath the Tochta Utopia mattress is a Tochta HyPUR-Flo Moisture protection membrane to prevent build up of any moisture below the mattress and the bed platform.  

The counters and bed platform are constructed of Formica on 1” thick gatorfoam signboard for light weight and rigidity.  All panels can be easily removed.  In fact, the entire van can easily be stripped of all conversion components and reconfigured as a passenger van with minimal holes left behind in wall and ceiling panels.  

Above the bed are two articulating 12” x 48” shelves that can be locked in the upper position when not in use.  Sturdy cargo netting keeps articles in their place when overlanding.

Below the bed is a 35” high storage garage with plenty of room for all your adventure gear.  We regularly traveled with 2 mountain bikes, the split-unit A/C and a OneWheel along with our workout gear and never wanted for more storage space.

We recently rechipped (“tuned”) the Van’s engine ECM with OwlVan’s SPRINTER ENGINE TUNE HHT [RENNTECH] proprietary ECU upgrade which offers significant gains in both power and torque without sacrificing daily driver reliability. This maximizes the already capable Sprinter’s ability to transport large cargo or tow large loads without degrading performance.  We’ve been towing a 5,300’ Black Series HQ15 the last few trips and it tows like a dream even in the steepest Rocky Mountain canyons where we live!  The ECU tune increases engine efficiency while maintaining all emissions systems on the vans. This means that you can gain performance while taking care of the environment and the ECU can be set back to default settings and retuned an unlimited number of times if you ever wish to restore the van to stock configuration.

We replaced the awful stock MB radio with a double-DIN Sony head unit with Apple CarPlay and remote control.  We added a low-quality subwoofer to the passenger seat base.

The suspension is stock with aftermarket 275/70R17 BF Goodrich A/T KO2s on black Rhino rims.  The tires have performed flawlessly on all sorts of road conditions and we find them quiet at all speeds.  We had the towing hitch reinforced to the vehicle frame to add piece of mind when towing our 5,300 lb. travel trailer.

The van has been professionally maintained on schedule by Mercedes throughout its life.  It has been incredibly reliable, comfortable and turns heads everywhere we’ve gone.  The hood shows pitting.  There are a few dents here and there notably the rear right door - we bought it that way - but it doesn't leak air or water there.  From 20' away, the van simply looks great!  Our new adventures will be in our newly acquired 41’ diesel motorcoach now and so it's time for this van to take new owners on its next adventures.

VIN    WDZFE7CDXGP203613
Model Year    2016
Model    319 KB 4X2 3665
Engine    642896 41 765559
Transmission    722683 20 200429
Order Number    7 6 740 61168
Order Location    MB USA
Production Number    5850420
Paint 1    PAINT TENORITE GRAY METALLIC MB 7755 (7755)
Delivery Date    2015-10-07

 
Code    Description
181    FUEL FILTER WITH WATER SEPARATOR
281K    ALTERNATOR, AIR-COOLED, 220 A
423    5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
494    VERSION FOR USA
581    AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL
582    AIR CONDITIONER IN THE REAR
617K    FUEL FILTER WITH WATER SEPARATOR
636K    HIGH PERFORMANCE A/C SYSTEM FOR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT
740L    MB USA
806    CHANGE OF MODEL YEAR, THE LAST FIGURE SHOWING THE NEW MODEL YEAR
7755    PAINT TENORITE GRAY METALLIC MB 7755
AR2    AXLE RATIO I = 3.923
BB9    ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP9I)
C42    STABILIZER,REAR AXLE UNDER THE FRAME
C45    H.D. FRONT AXLE STABILIZER
C906    CHASSIS 906
CL1    STEERING WHEEL ADJUSTABLE IN INCLINATION & HEIGHT
CT1    VIBRATION ABSORBER
D03    HIGH ROOF
E07    HILL-START ASSIST
E30    BATTERY MASTER SWITCH, ONE-PIN
ED4    ABSORBENT GLASS MAT BATTERY 12 V 92 AH
ED8    ELECTRICAL SYST. PREINST., PARAM. SPECIAL MODULE
EK1    TERMINAL STRIP FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTION
EL9    2-WAY SPEAKER AT FRONT AND REAR
EN7    AUDIO 15
ES0    JUMP START CONTACT
ES2    12 V SOCKET, TRUNK/CARGO AREA
F61    INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR
F66    LOCKABLE GLOVE COMPARTMENT
F906    MODEL SERIES 906 - VAN NCV3
FF5    STOWAGE BOX/TRAY ABOVE WINDSHIELD
FI1    REMOTE CONTROL KEY SYSTEM FREQUENCY 315 MHZ
FKA    PANEL VAN
G40    AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
H00    HOT/COLD AIR DUCT TO PASSENGER COMP.
H08    ROOF AIR CONDITIONER REINFORCED
H12    HOT WATER ADDITIONAL HEATER
H13    ADDITIONAL HEAT EXCHANGER, REAR
H15    SEAT HEATER FOR FRONT PASSENGER
H16    SEAT HEATER FOR DRIVER
H20    HEAT-ABSORBING GLASS ALL ROUND
H22    HEATED REAR WINDOW
HH2    ELECTRICALLY POWERED HOT-AIR AUXILIARY HEATER
HH9    SEMI-AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED TEMPMATIC A/C
IG3    SPRINTER STANDARD
IL6    METALLIC FINISH
IR4    WHEELBASE 3665 MM (BM - VISUAL CODE)
IT4    3.5 METRIC TONS
J11    SPEEDOMETER MPH AND KM/H
J58    SEAT BELT WARNING SYSTEM FOR DRIVER SEAT
J65    OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE INDICATOR
JA8    CROSSWIND ASSIST
K60    TAIL PIPE LEADING STRAIGHT TO THE REAR
KB7    MAIN TANK 93 LITERS
KL1    FUEL-LEVEL SENSOR FOR AUXILIARY HEATER
KL5    FUEL FILTER WITH WATER SEPARATOR
L    LEFT-HAND STEERING
L94    ELIMINATION OF PARKING LIGHT
LB5    CENTER HIGH-MOUNTED BRAKE LAMP
LG6    DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FOR USA/CANADA
LX7    NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA
M005    VEHICLES WITH 4-MATIC-/ALL WHEEL DRIVE
M46    14 V/220 A ALTERNATOR
MG5    ENGINE OM642 DE30LA 140KW (190HP) 3800RPM
MH7    LOW-EMISSION ENGINE EPA 16/CARB
MS1    TEMPOMAT (CRUISE CONTROL)
P47    MUDFLAP FRONT
P48    REAR MUD FLAPS
Q67    REAR TOWING LUG
R65    SPARE WHEEL CARRIER UNDER FRAME END
R87    SPARE WHEEL
RF1    TIRE MANUFACTURER CONTINENTAL (10)
RH8    TYRES LT 245/75 R16 *Swapped to LT275/70R17
RL5    6.5 J X 16 LIGHT ALLOY WHEELS *Swapped to Rhinos
RY2    TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING AT FA + RA, WIRELESS
S04    ADJUSTABLE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT
S22    DRIVER'S SEAT ARMREST
S25    CO-DRIVER'S SEAT ARMREST
SA5    AIRBAG DRIVER SIDE
SA6    CO-DRIVER'S AIR BAG
SD0    ISOFIX CHILD SEAT FIXTURE
SH7    THORAX SIDEBAG F.DRIVER + FRONT PASS.(IN BACKREST)
SH9    WINDOWBAGS FOR DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER
SZ7    DRIVER SEAT BACKREST STOWAGE NET
SZ8    FRONT PASSENGER BACKREST STOWAGE NET
T09    LOAD COMPARTMENT SLIDING DOOR SPEC. VER.
T12    INTERMEDIATE LOCK, LOAD COMP. SLIDING DOOR(S)
T16    SLIDING DOOR RIGHT
T74    GRAB HANDLE FOR ENTRANCE
T75    GRAB HANDLE FOR DRIVER AND FRONT PASS. ENTRANCE
T86    ENTRANCE GRAB AT CORNER PILLAR AT RIGHT REAR
U62    SEATS PASS. COMPARTMENT 3X SEATBENCH ROW 1 NARROW
U74    WALL-SIDE ARM REST
U75    AISLE-SIDE ARM REST
UC3    SEATS PASS. COMPARTMENT 3X SEATBENCH ROW 2 NARROW
UD6    SEATING, PASS. COMP., 4-SEAT BENCH SEAT, 3RD ROW
V21    DELUXE INTERIOR TRIM
V31    WINDOW PILLAR PANELING
V35    WHEELHOUSE COVERING
V36    HEADLINER
V39    PLASTIC FLOOR PEOPLE MOVER
V40    STATION-WAGON FLOOR ASSEMBLY
V64    ASHTRAY IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT
V85    SMOKER PACKAGE
VA7    STOWAGE COMPARTMENT WITH NET IN REAR-END DOORS
VU9    BLACK IMITATION LEATHER
W02    BOX-TYPE DELIVERY VAN WITH WRAP-AROUND GLAZING
W17    RIGHT FRONT WINDOW,FIXED IN SIDE WALL/SLIDING DOOR
W27    LEFT REAR FIXED WINDOW
W28    RIGHT REAR FIXED WINDOW
W33    EMERGENCY EXIT FMVSS 217
W54    REAR-END DOORS, DOUBLE-WING, OPENING TO SIDE WALL
W61    WINDOW IN LIFTGATE/REAR-END DOORS
W70    COLOR GLAZING IN REAR, BLACK GLASS
X42    PLATES / PRINTED MATERIALS ENGLISH
XC8    VIN VISIBLE FROM OUTSIDE
XL8    WEIGHT VARIANT 3880 KG
XM0    MODEL IMPROVEMENT
XQ1    VIN CODED VEHICLE DATA WITH CHECK DIGIT
XY6    MODEL YEAR 6
XZ1    MODEL GENERATION 1
Y43    HYDRAULIC JACK
Z44    REGISTRATION OF VEHICLE NOT POSSIBLE IN EU
ZG3    ENGAGEABLE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE WITH GEAR REDUCTION
ZM4    CREWBUS
ZU8    USA COUNTRY VERSION
ZZ4    MERCEDES-BENZ SCOPE OF BRANDS, NORTH AMERICA


Mercedes Benz VIN decoded at https://www.lastvin.com/vin/zrL6K2Okeaj2qJpM5

​

​

[Some personal items, bedding and Nespresso maker not included]

bottom of page