
Modern Mountain Home in Estes Park, Colorado





























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]