2018 Mercedes Metris just needs a sensor. So why a HUGE bill?!? Let the CAR WIZARD explain!
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- Опубликовано: 4 июн 2022
- This is a first for the CAR WIZARD 🧙♂️... he's never had a Mercedes Metris in his shop before. Not a popular vehicle in his area, but all it needs is a simple sensor. So why will the customer's bill be so high? Let the Wizard explain how it's not just as simple as 'just a sensor'.
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It's funny how this 200hp 2.0 Turbo Metris is considered underpowered, while in Europe (and possibly other markets) it can be had with as little as 88hp from a 1.6L diesel engine (109 CDI). Also, those vans are FWD, so they offer the Vito/Metris in FWD, RWD and AWD, something which I always found fascinating. Some engine options are even available as all three of those drivetrain options. There are also three different lengths available. All versions of the Vito, including the base model with 88hp, are allowed to tow up to 2000kg (roughly 4400 pounds)
The Vito is available in 3 versions: Vito, Vito Tourer and V-Class. The Vito is just the work van, where the Vito Tourer is the people carrier version of the Vito. The Vito Tourer is comparable to the Metris in this video, so it's the passenger version of the work van. There is also a fancier passenger version, which is called the V-Class. This one is only available with more powerful engines, and has a more up-scale interior derived from the previous generation C-Class (W205). That's also why this Metris van looks rather cheap, as it's just based on a work van.
The fuel door is up front, not to accommodate cutaway mods as some suggest, but because the fuel tank is underneath the seats to increase cargo capacity: the cargo floor can be lowered. There is no cutaway chassis available for the Metris/Vito.
There's also an electric version: the eVito (or EQV 300 for the V-Class), with nowadays 204hp and a 100kWh battery pack (90kWh usable)
That is a very good reply
Compared to minivans that most Americans tend to compare this with (it doesn't really have direct competition ) that have close to 300HP, it is really underpowered. And it doesn't get better fuel economy either. And before someone mentions the Chevrolet express, it competes with the Sprinter and only available as a fleet vehicle.
Mooi gezegd bro
@@damilolaakanni Any car with more than 200 hp is somewhat overpowered over here since you can't have a vehicle weight above 3500kgs without it being registered as a truck and you having a license to drive said vehicle. That being said, alot of rich city folks just have to have drive around in a Ram 2500 just to feel like they are special.
@@Tommy-qe2lz Yup, exactly right. You are limited to 70 or 80mph. You can reach that speed with way less horsepower. I guess the idea is to reach the 70mph speed limit within 5s
You can actually close the drivers door after opening the gas cap while fueling. I used to have one and never had fumes come in the cabin by doing that.
Thanks. I was wondering if this might be the case
The Metris has enough power. It doesn’t feel gutless like a Yaris iA. The turbo provides good torque and the van feels totally normal around town. It has no trouble maintaining speed in the mountains even fully loaded.
Heck with 3 passengers I can feel a difference in my Hellcat. 200hp not very good for a big heavy van with 8 passengers where I live
@Yippee Skippy Never driven one but knows all about it. Yet you are on the attack with your keyboard.
@Yippee Skippy Hey Skippy, maybe they actually have experience driving this van instead of the "keyboard experts" that haven't. I have experience with them and it has plenty of power. It's a popular camper conversion platform and people load them down and drive them all over the USA including the mountains. I will agree with the video that this van has some strangely engineered aspects.
@Yippee Skippy We owned one for about 5 years and had a 2006 Odyssey previously. The Metris could handle 7 people with their luggage and pull the Suzuki Samurai up to the mountains. It felt the weight but got the job done.
So true, I was in Tenn. It has more torque power than My 4 wheel Drive 2013 Jeep wrangler v6 sports unlimited, is amazing vehicle.
There is a 150HP diesel version in Europe that I have driven in the sprinter for a long time. The OM651 engine is damn reliable for a 4 cylinder. Drove that thing to ~400.000 miles without any serious problems.
Really enjoyed them actually.
Same one sold in Canada. Super desirable. Tows 5000 lbs
True! We had a Vito with that Engine! Still going strong at 760000KM! Original Gearbox and engine! :D
I Never understand why the USA need engine's that are so big compared to Europe and the UK 🤔, there are plenty of these Van's being used as Taxi,s and Tradesmen Van's that you see flying up the Motorways. The latest models have 1.6Ltr 1.8Ltr and 2Ltr 4 cylinder Diesel Engines with a max torque at 1200 to 1400 Rpm, so the Engines should be good for 500KMiles plus. @ 35 Mpg.
@@stephenjones9153 TL;DR it has to do with how load and tow ratings are determined. They need to be able to safely maintain highway speeds (120km/h+) including minimum speeds on grades while under load.
@@Epd3mik we had some vitos too. I hated driving them tho because you have no space up front :D
But all in all pretty reliable. We had about 50 cars. All sprinters and vitos that drove day and night. Not a single one under 300.000km. Timing chains became an issue with some cars at around 350.000
We call it the V-Class or Viano/Vito in Europe. They're very popular as delivery vans, or construction vans. The passenger lay-outs like this one are Viano's. They started in I think the 80's or 90's here in Europe.
Edit: They're also used A TON as taxi van's.
The Vito(EU)/Metris(US) is the economical Mercedes van and V Class is the new luxury Van previously named Viano.
@@Sulaiman_AlKadi Precise, great addition!
Yeah super common, always funny when wiz looks at something super common in the EU and acts as if a UFO has landed in his shop.
@@Sulaiman_AlKadi V-class is the chassis type and the Vito & Viano are based on that chassis, but since 2013/2014 they stopped calling it the Viano and only referred to the chassis type like they do with their other luxury vehicles, the Vito is still called the Vito though because it's not considered 'luxury'... although you can get some pretty specced out versions of the Vito. The Metris is a bit weird actually (to me as a European), because it seems to be a v-class (Viano) but it can't be specced as luxurious as the European versions... so it's kind of an hybrid between the Vito and the V-class (Viano).
In finland plumbers use vitos/hiace/and the vw vans
It's the American version of European Vito. Great vehicle that get yhe job done. And with that fuel flap you can close the door after you have open it. And yes, it's ok to haul with. In Europe we don't need 400hk to haul a trailer, we have an 100km/h speed limit when hauling trailers anyway.
@@mmm365 Ok, we reasonly got an update on our laws here in Norway, went from 80km/h to 100km/h if the trailer was built for it.
@@mmm365 In finland 750kg and under trailers you can drive up to 100km/h with empty or full. Above that i think it's 80kmh
I rented one of these in Las Vegas, it was a great van. I drove over the mountains to California at 80+mph uphill with no issue. The blow off valve made me giggle, it would hold speed locked in 4th/3rd gear coming down the mountains and I had no need to use the brakes. I also drove it to the Hover Damn. If I go to Las Vegas again, I'm renting this van to sleep in and skipping the hotel.
Wizard: "You can't just buy the valve, you have to buy the whole assembly."
Ford 2.0 ecoboost owner with a P1450 code: "We know, we know."
At least the Ford dealer only wanted $700 - I saved $300 by taking it to my local shop and felt lucky we were able to find the part....
Did you get one of the early ecoboosts that have burnt exhaust valves just out of warranty? I shopped the Ecosport, but bought a Jeep Renegade instead.
@@kewrock and your take away from that was to buy a worse vehicle?
@@desertedcake brutal 😂
@@desertedcake yes ford is the worse vehicle. Found On Road Dead🤣
The valve is 600$ end price on pelican parts in the us... Here in Europe even cheaper that's called an "import"-car for you over there..
Still comparing ford and Mercedes... I take the Mercedes any day
Ford is too much glue and clips.. even more plastic and parts quality oh no please not again
"Oh Lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Van, my friends all have SL's but I got a huge claaaaan" Thankyou, thankyou......
I bet Janis has a huge bush
That was pretty creative. It was funny imagining it in Janis' voice 🤣.
THANKS
It‘s essentially the european Mercedes Vito. Super common here in Europe but just in recent years they came to America
Still don’t understand why they won’t bring the V-Class to the US. Would make much more sense as a passenger van. Same platform but much more luxurious.
@@Matrix00117 in all the listed countries the v class is on sale and on the roads very frequently... Maybe the VW versions are more but that's it... Maybe yoiu didn't look for them as they are just delivery vans usually?
@@Matrix00117 i live in the Netherlands and these things are everywhere! 😏
Open drivers door, open fuel door, close drivers door, fill with fuel, reverse the door procedure. Easier than messing about with locking fuel caps. and keys.
Exactly! I have a 2018 Ford transit 250 and my fuel door is the same
Ya most vans have that
@@AA_RON86 then the wizard also thinks your ford is poooo because of the door... All the fumes get inside :-9 well if I fart inside then no problem..
@@AA_RON86 can I ask if it is over 200hp and has more than 7 gears? Does it drive badly?...
Yeah we all know the wizard is a bit whiney here in the video
I actually live in the Netherlands and I own this car (vito 114cdi) you can literally get a tune for this 2,2 liter engine to get it from 136hp to 250hp+-. And believe me, that 250hp is really plenty to drive comfortably and tow anything with ease. I actually towed some overweight things (that is too heavy for the vans requirements) close to 3200 kg’s (1200kg’s overweight) and it towed it really fine. This is a really strong car and I honestly think you are underestimating it. Live the vids though.
I'd love to somehow teleport a room of 1980's Mercedes design engineers and let them look at this van. I don't think they would be impressed.
I don't think those 1980s engineers would be impressed with any modern Mercedes.
@@tonyl7286 I think they should have kept the accountants in the basement they now find themselves in.
It would still probably be bit more impressive than the low spec Euro versions of the A class, since those are not just front wheel drive, but also use Renault engines.
Or worse yet the new T Class, which is just a Kangoo with bit different interior.
@@dgurevich1 It's not even the accountants anymore, more like the environmentalists for the past 15 years that forced all carmakers to install stupid shit like this.
The Vito has always been a mediocre crapbox with a three pointed star. It comes out of an old DKW van factory in Spain.
DKW were in bed with Mercedes before VW bought DKW to form Audi, but they didn’t buy the van factory so it remained under Mercedes and they kept on developing their product.
or the Mercedes-Benz V-Class (Vito) for us europeans, a realy common buidler/workers car. or as a minibus taxi.
Same as in Hong Kong they are everywhere here. Many with mods with big brake kits because a lot of drivers complaint the factory brakes are not enough when it is in full load.
Or marcopolo . But true a Vito.
Quote from car&drive; "In our tests, a Metris passenger van made the dash from zero to 60 mph in 8.4". That ain't slow.
Americans think that if a vehicle is above 5 seconds 0-60 that it's dangerously slow. I've driven cars on the highway in the US that take 30 seconds to get to 60, though I wouldn't want to do that somewhere with super short on ramps.
It really isn't it its faster that my e200d it does it in 10.9 sec
In 2022 it is. A ford transit ecoboost is way faster than that
With these newer cars its going to be "Oh no my headlights are out, time for a new car".
Magic Mike sure has been an asset to the shop, with his Ferrari and MB experience. He just seems so uncomfortable being on camera.
Also, I think we're going to need Tyler to buy one of these and try to tow a trailer with all the seats full.
The speedometer in my '04 Grand Prix was marked like that, with just one ring of numbers. The way it worked was, when you hit the ENG/MET button, the needle would move from whatever your speed in MPH was to its equivalent in km/h. So if you were doing, say, 62 MPH when you switched, the needle would suddenly jump up to 100. Which sometimes made for fun passenger reactions if they didn't notice me pressing the button. :)
Best Van I’ve ever owned! Not as underpowered as you stated. Seats 8 adults so comfortably and is great on trips. The only thing are the seats are kind of hard to get out.
I have one a 2019 and it is NOT under powered, It is the best van I have ever owned. I can tell no one there has even driven one.. I have 130000mi and have done nothing mechanical to the truck except tires and front brakes. There are many parts that need to be hooked up to Mercedes scan tool and registered.The heater control unit for example and that sucks but the van is solid
@Yippee Skippy Its about the torque in a vehicle like this. The turbo M274 will put down 260lbs of torque from 1,400rpm all the way into the high revs. You can briskly accelerate one of these vans without even going over 2,400rpm. Ever actually driven one?
@Yippee Skippy Adequate power is indeed a different perspective in USA vs Europe....however in my experience people in Europe regularly make use of a lot more of the power they do have than people here in the USA. Everyone here wants 400hp vehicles, and then they all pull away from traffic lights like a horse and cart while at the same time complaining they get abysmal mpg's. I find the Metris performance just fine for what it is intended for, but the mpgs and performance would both be significantly improved even more with the OM651 or OM654 engine.
@Yippee Skippy In Europe when you find a 120 km/h sign, with this vehicle you will be limited to 90 km/h. You can't go over 90km/h. Less - 10km/h if you have a trailer. The most common roads in Europe are limited to 70 kilometers per hour.
Why tf would you buy a Benz when you can get a better quality vehicle with Honda or Toyota
Those “old conversion vans” had extremely comfortable seats with headrests too. Gasp! People these days seem to like to make the 90s look like it was the stone age or something
Interiors designed by LA Z Boy and Barcalounger.
Rotating captains chairs in most models
Arguably even more comfortable than those rather firm looking seats in the Metris tbh. The seats in my 1990 van are comfier than most sofas I've sat on lol
@@AliceHawke absolutely
Pretty sure she just meant the base passenger vans of the late 80’s to early 90’s…. What the conversion van would start from 😁
The early Sprinters in the US are rated to tow 5000lbs with a 5 cylinder diesel that's only got 154 hp and 243 lb ft . I've towed over 5K with another 1500lbs in the van itself (definitely recommend a bigger transmission cooler). The gearing is designed for towing. Same with the Metris, it's rated for 5000lbs or 2500lbs payload. It's not going to get you anywhere fast but it's got enough power to pull that weight.
And they keep getting you there, over and over again. Mercedes builds its diesel engines to last, not to be the fastest.
These later engines are somewhat more finicky though, compared to the engines they used in the old 2xx, 3xx, 4xx series vans.
this isn't a diesel
@@joshdoeseverything4575 yes but still has more power and torque and is lighter than the Sprinter I was referencing. it will tow 5K pounds no problem. It has 254 lb ft from 1200-4000 rpm, the early 2000s Sprinter with a larger diesel only had 243 lb ft from 1400-2400 rpm. It's not fast and you'll definitely feel the weight if towing 5000lbs but it'll handle it fine.
Exactly. I unsubbed the wizard is clueless sometimes
@@bamsportscollectibles2185 The Wizard doesn't know much about European cars, something he's made perfectly clear many times. And to Americans a lot of things that make perfect sense over here in Europe don't make any sense in the US and vice versa.
We own a Metris Passenger and love all the intentional German design that typical minivan drivers call quirks. Purchased because VW doesn’t make RWD vans anymore. Not slow, not underpowered. Drives straight and fast like a Mercedes should. No scary FWD handling characteristics. Flew through the Sierra Nevada loaded down. Super impressed. All that said, it is German and requires maintenance. Most folks aren’t prepared for this and don’t stay on top of things. That’s when you get burned. I will budget for the purge valve plumbing. Thanks Wizard for the Metris feature. Shocked you took it on. Thanks mostly to your MB tech Mike!
I have this van and it's very powerful. Can easily tow 5,000lbs which I have done. I average 26 mpg aswell. Maintenance Costs are pricey, but the van drives and handles like a sedan.
I was about to buy one of these for my repair business. I found a Honda Odyssey instead and have never been happier! Oil changes, tires and brakes are all ive had to do. Oh and a timing belt which i did myself :)
I took my Pilot to 340,000 miles and eventually sold it. Timing belt and water pump every 100,000 and regular maintenance. Loved that truck.
Change the transmission fluid every two years with dealership OEM fluid , only. The Odyssey has a very delicate transmission.
How's that tranny holding up?
Part of the "right to repair" laws should be that parts are offered at the component level insteaf of just assemblies. There is no reason to sell that entire spaghetti of tubes and wires when you just need one part of it. Obviously, its to make money, both in the parts and in the shop.
it's a complete scam & boils my blood
Another way to keep the poors off the roads.
I'm pretty sure that whatever makes the check engine light come requires the whole assy. Blame the global government smog laws and the econazies with their crazy global warming religion. All worship Al Gore.
Thats the greedy german car makers for you. Oh you want to fix your car out of warranty.....youll need about 4 grand
Since this is an emissions part, maybe there's some legal reason to force you to buy the whole thing (emissions system is compromised or can't be trusted unless you replace all of it)? I dunno, grasping at straws here.
Its a really popular car in Europe, especially the one without all the seats in it. Construction Firms and such give everyone who works for them one of these without all the seats as a firmcar.
Calling it "underpowered" clearly show the inability to understand the usage scenario for such a vehicle.
What? Not driving on any highway ever?
I remember Doug Demuro's review of this van. He hated it but it was kinda unfair because he compared it to consumer minivans like the Sienna and Odyssey. This is a shuttle van that hotels use for pickup and dropoff.
These are really common in NJ. The USPS uses Euro versions with the steering wheel on the right side but they replace the Mercedes logo with USPS logos so they don’t seem like there wasting money. Ford transits also have the same exact gas door setup.
The USPS forgot to hide the Mercedes emblem on the wheels, though.
Really ? Usps vans here in ca are also right side drive
@@davidtapia6290 That's very common in places with a lot of homes that have their own individual mailboxes out by the street. It's so letter carriers can put mail in the roadside boxes without having to get out of the vehicle as often. When I was a kid, they used custom-made RHD Jeeps for rural delivery.
@@ZGryphon you can still order a Wrangler from the factory in right hand drive
An office near the one I work at has Metress vans and the carriers hate them.
The US Postal Service runs these Metris vans in RHD configuration, but they take the Mercedes 3-pointed star badge off the front grill and replace it with a made up badge of a USPS postal eagle emblem. Basically, they’re trying to hide the fact that they laid out big bucks for a Mercedes from the general public.
This van is popular in NYC. Tourists are promised a Mercedes transfer but in reality they get a Metris Van with vinyl seats.
I've owned a 2017 since new, the M274 + 722.9 is underrated. It will tow just fine. I've hauled around a 5,000lb utility trailer with mine and its very uneventful, smooth and controlled, plenty of power. The van in the video has the ugly cheap aftermarket trailer hitch, the factory hitch is far superior and includes trailer control stability/ESP. Not sure what race you're trying to win when towing a trailer, it will easily keep up with traffic of any speed even when fully loaded. The emissions valve design is dumb, but it is what it is. Mine has yet to fail in 4+ years, in fact nothing has failed except an error with my reverse camera which is part of a recall campaign so the fix will be free. If the emissions valve assembly ever fails I'll replace it myself. My one wish would be that it be offered with the awesome OM651 diesel that the rest of the world gets to have in this vehicle. This is meant to be a mini-sprinter, and it does that job extremely well. It will also average 26-28mpg going down the freeway with 5 people and cargo at 80mph. For the price you really can't do much better in the segment.
I have a 2016 metris cargo with 92k miles and I absolutely love it for many reasons won't go into. Going on 4 years of ownership. Minimal issues. Honestly this is one of the best if not the best cargo vans I've ever drove/ tested.
I agree! This van is very underrated people should appreciate what Mercedes did here
Mercedes has been building RHD Metris vans in the US for the Post Office.
Have you seen the EAGLE logo up front replacing THE PEACE SIGN?
You pointed out how odd it is for the fuel door being next to the driver's door and the fuel door will only open when the driver's door is open . Which it is an oddball design , but it's not just this van that has this feature . The Ford Transit vans and Ram Promaster vans , both of which are in the fleet where I work , have that same kind of fuel door .
Also funny to see that in America, the ability of the car is rated according its towing capacity. Whats the thing about towing? In Europe usually cars have the tow hook just for occasional towing of some small stuff that you cannot accommodate into your car. Here in Europe we use cars mainly for driving and we use trucks for actual hauling. So thats why regular daily drivers do not need the towing capacity - you take the dedicated truck (like Man, Scania or Volvo) to haul big stuff.
Yeah, it's so weird. Like this car is designed to be a taxi/mini shuttle or a light work van that can pull a normal sized trailer or a small caravan no problem and somehow it's considered under powered even with one of the highest spec engines you can get it with.
Not sure if this was a petrol engine though, I think I've only driven diesel versions.
I live in Morocco, these guys were sold here as Mercedes Vito and now as Mercedes V-class, V220D are the most common here.
The fuel door is weirdly similar to the Ford Transit Custom I drive daily (the small transit)
Same gas door on the full size transit.
Even called Viano. :)
VW Caravelle T5 has the fuel door in the same area.
@@Epd3mik Vito and also Vianno I forgot about this one 🤣
I used to work at a Mercedes Dealership, which had the largest showroom in Canada. Wizard is right these are completely different than your Sprinter, and they are also very unpopular here in North America.
Our dealership tried working with an outfitter to convert Metris vans to fully enclosed campers, where the whole roof tilts up to make room for the "second floor" bed area. It was really cool to see, but it was priced at $120,000 CAD. Way over priced for what you got.
Was a mssive flop, and at the end we never ordered anymore Metris vans for our inventory. Also one weird thing is that the Metris could be irder in 2 variants. A work van spec where the front bumper was not painted and left as bare plastic, there were only 2 seats and the rest was left bare so people to put there tools or whatever they need for the trade. They could also get a divider for the front cab which separates the driver and passenger from the rest of the van. The other "family" spec is exactly what you see here.
Its even more weirder in Europe, where you could have the Vito (the Metris is essentialy a US-Spec Vito) in FWD or RWD, long and short wheelbases, and even a luxury version (The V-Class)
I have a 2016 with 130,000 miles. No issue with the valve that this one had go bad. I like the van, the flat floor is great, very easy to keep clean. With 2 German Shepherd Dogs that is a nice feature. It is not underpowered, not that anyone can say what that means anyway. Cruises at 85 with no issues. I have towed with it, a 21 foot mastercraft and a sports car and aluminum trailer. Towing is rated at 5000 pounds and I can say that I have had no issue. You can close the driver door while filling the gas tank. Plastic interior is pretty basic but not horrible. I would buy another one. Also 24 mpg is decent for a the size and shape. It has its quirks, but all cars do.
I want to give you a HUGE thank you, wizard. I got a GLA today in the shop with that exact same code. No diagnostic chart available anywhere, no information on Mitchell or Alldata. But thanks to this video (and the other one you did a while back about a GLA with the same problem), I knew right away what the problem was. Bottom line, you saved me a tremendous headache and a lot of time. Poor customer, though...$1400.00 Canadian for the part, plus the labor (like Magic Mike says, you gotta remove the CV shaft and a whole bunch of stuff to get to the part), total bill, $2400.00 CAD. I'll stick with my 2006 Taurus and its 3.0 pushrod engine...
The USPS is using RHD Metrics vans for mail delivery. I think they bought about 50,000 of them! I am a Rural carrier and had to drive one a few times while they had my antique LLV in the shop for repairs or maintenance. It wasn't awful.
yeah I have a lot of time in a llv , poor gas mileage .
A Mercedes Tech is a friend of mine. I asked him last weekend "Which is the most reliable model?" His answer "None of them. Mercedes has given up on gasoline engines"
Objection: hearsay
I've put 200 000km to both M104, and M113 and 100k to M648 and M613 with zero issues. Both gas and diesel engines have been bullet proof (well, I did change the crank sensors on my M113's as preventive maintenance).
@@dingdong2103 the first two are 1980s engines. The second sed is early 2000's with low milage. I was asking about current Mercs. They were more reliable in the 80s.
@@auburnalum9019 The M113 was in use until 2005 so not a 80's engine.
@@dingdong2103 bullcrap
Brand loyalty over the top, you gotta be a real trooper to keep buying these products. Congrats.
Federal law requires certain emissions parts be covered under warranty for 8 years or 80,000 miles. I wonder if this repair qualifies.
i'm sure they can find a way to weasel out of it. laws are written to appease corporations you know.
Federal law only covers catalytic converters and ECU's for 8/80, everything else 2/24. In California there's a standard 7/70 warranty on all emissions related equipment, 10/150 if it's a PZEV . Still would've been screwed in CA.
Checking the third generation of Vito/Viano/Metris W640 on Wikipedia that engine is that one with the most power, they had an 1,6 L diesel with 114 or 88hp too :D
So much for German engineering. I'll keep my 2001 Olds Aurora. The few times it's needed fixin' in its 174,000 miles the cost has been much more reasonable.
The problem is that in Europe we are not free like the Americans, many areas, mainly in the big cities, you cannot drive with a car from the year 2001... we have environmental stickers, at least to be able to drive around Big cities in Europe you need a car of the year 2006 nowdays.
@@madriditunes7021 Yikes. We circle the toilet just a few decades behind the Old World, so it's a grim future to look forward to.
Hello Wizard, can be rare for the people that live in América, but when this vehicle is 4 years old in Europe, it's need to pass a inspection every 6 months. Every 6 months you need to go to an authorized inspection workshop if you want to circulate (it is not a mechanical workshop) it is a center that tests the car, if the vehicle can circulate *basically it has to be mechanically like the first day, the vehicle is completely inspected , a simple fault light on the dashboard or an oil leak... They warn you that you cannot circulate with this vehicle, if there is any fault you cannot circulate, depending on the fault they will give you 1 week or 2 week to repair it, and to try to pass again..., there are police cars that have a camera and identify whether the vehicle can circulate or not, if you does not pay attention, the vehicle can only be moved by tow truck. I think that in the United States of America, there is more freedom to circulate but in Europe every 6 months you have to do a mandatory review. I suppose that in America, having more freedom to circulate, it will have several breakdowns at once, basically in Europe there are no such problems, every 6 months this car needs to be repaired. When is new from the factory you have 4 years... Many people sell them when got 4 years, because is very serious, normal cars have 1 year, and another thing (the power) you can not run with this car, only 90Km/h a normal car you can run until 120Km/h but in Europe this car maximum speed is 90Km/h or less (depends of the weight) is ilegal to run more 90km/h with this car. If you see signal 120km/h for this car means 90Km/h you can not to run 120km/h, one simple radar will catch you... with this car you have speed limitation too, its like truck/bus... It's look like a normal car, but you can not drive like a normal car, there are a lot of limitation in Europe for this car, until parking...In Europe each vehicle has a maximum weight limit to circulate, you cannot hitch a caravan and carry 8 people as you please. If you exceed the weight you will be driving illegally, the Police probaly will stop you, even depending on the weight you have to slow down - 10km/h.... If a road is 70km/your maximum limit would be 60km/h see you... And Yes Europe is not great at all, many regulation for everthing. *Like car license plates in the US, its not a mess, I see it as freedom, in Europe we can't even select the number plate.
? In which part of Europe is 6 month inspection needed? 2 years on passenger cars is normal, and new cars get 3 years...
This has 8 seats should be under the maximum for a "BUS" so if not used on public transport it would not be inspected every 6 month makes no sense...
If new and 4yearas free roam no test that would kill people... In 4years the breaks are properly broken... Where do you live? Romania?
@@kitecattestecke2303 The 2 years to do the Technical Inspection of Vehicles are for motorcycles, when they turn 4 years old. Have little time in France was not mandatory, now it is.
Some countries in Europe are less restrictive than others, but in Spain any of these vehicles falls into the category of mixed vehicles, it is not a van but it is not a car, after 4 years it has to pass the ITV review (Technical Inspection of Vehicles) every 6 months. Just like public vehicles, for example Taxi, taxis after 5 years have to pass the Technical Inspection of Vehicles every 6 months...It depends on the country, in Germany I had a Toyota Prius with a hook, in Spain you cannot install a hook, the Spanish Toyota Prius manual specifies it, the car is the same but each country has different regulations, but they are usually very similar. People say, car, van, convertible, motorcycle, ambulance, bus and etc...
This does not exist for those who make the law.
They are all vehicles and each one has its regulations.
There is also a way to go over 90Km/h with this vehicle, if it is modified to be an ambulance.
But the law is a world, mainly in Europe.
The most drivers actually they open up the fuel door then while the fuel door is open they shut the driver’s door. For you as you said you leave the driver’s door open so you can enjoy the fumes afterwards. This is a commercial van by the way.
In europe they are called Vito when they are the van type. Then they can be more like the passenger cars and its called V-class. Totally different interior from the vito models and some changes to the exterior. The interior is based on the w205 c-class. Same dashtype. I own a V250 cdi 4matic 2015. With the brabus updated engine it has 250hp and 550nm. Drives great and it sure can haul up to 2500 kilos.
Might as well just call that thing a “Vito Corleone” then.
which website do you use to get the spare parts ( new or used ) ?
As an EU mechanic, i've seen the Mercedes Vito/ V-class, Sold in the U.S. as Metris, at least a couple of hundred times in my shop. We see these on the road at least on every other street. Usually they're powered by a little 1.6 diesel engine. The petrol version i've not yet come across. Calling this 200HP 2.0 underpowered? That seems strange to me, as the 1.6 can easily move with surrounding traffic. at least over here then.
Yep the PCV system. A-classes, B-classes, GLA's, CLA's, and more models all have these problems. 1400bucks woa, Over here i've bought them from mercedes for around 400,-. installing those are not that bad. Next year the van will return for a MAP-thermostat, and probably the Electric solenoid on the oilpump will go bad aswell
Two different worlds man. I love working on german cars, and i love being a neighboring country to germany. saves a lot of money!
I guess because gas is cheap compared to Europe, it's led to North American's being obsessed with horsepower. It's really sad.
@@supertouring1 You should move to Europe then.
Looking at a used c class this week. 18k miles and just out of warranty. Anything I should look for?
@Yippee Skippy Hey, I drive for work a 4 metric tonnes (4000 kg) M-B Sprinter with a 140 hp diesel engine, it doesn't feel underpowered at all, and I live in the Italian Alps
The warranty time MB pays is a little over 5.2h. If the vehicle is out of warranty, dealers multiply warranty by 1.5 (on average). That’s 7.8h labor at an average $180/h. That’s $1400 plus the cost of the part so $2k sounds about right.
The Metris is pretty popular in Washington State near Seattle. I see them all the time in Seattle and sounding areas. They just all showed up around 2018/19. Like overnight now they're everywhere!!!
Well, writing as an owner of a 2018 Metris and owning it since new I can say that it is not underpowered. This is the only van that can burn rubber except for the Ford Transit with the turbo V6. I regularly tow between 4000 - 4500 Ibs, without issues and without straining the engine. This is a typical experience with these Metrises. Very robust van, very reliable. But the one issue they are talking about here happened to me as well under warranty at 75,000 km’s. Mercedes charges 10 labour hours for this fix. I expect to get at least 500000 km’s without issue. They also use this engine in the Sprinter if you choose it. The Metris is a workhorse and does it extremely well. The fuel economy is impressive and I can stick up to 10 long boards in my long wheelbase Metris. In other words it almost competes with the bigger vans.
I believe these were mostly intended as fleet vehicles with durability and simplicity in mind - Doug Demuro RAILED this van in his review, but he was looking at it as if he were cross-shopping family haulers. This van is intended to be used as an airport shuttle, or similar application. A family friend has the cargo van version of this for his security business.
He’s an idiot, he obviously doesn’t see what it was designed and intended for.
My employer used to have a fleet of Sprinters. They rusted out in strange ways, even started bubbling in the middle of the sides. One of them emptied the battery in a couple of days, was never fixed, no fault found. So, no MB´s ever again, lesson learned. Ford Transits from now on.
Sprinters rust like crazy.
But the old ones are unkillable.
I have seen a 1st gen 308D, with flapping door skin(the door frame had rusted out) and holes in the frame(right where the leaf springs mount), but it still drove and even passed inspection here.
760k km on the cluster, but probably 1 mil 760k in reality.
I'm a New York State inspector at a Toyota dealer. Wizard, I've never heard of us being able for force someone to fix something. If their inspection sticker is expired, we're required to scrape it before we run it through the machine, but they can decline the repair and take the vehicle elsewhere. They just won't be able to get a sticker from a reputable shop until it's repaired and the monitors are set.
The wiz is prone to exaggeration.
Previous job we had a fleet of brand new at the time 2020 Sprinter vans with the diesel engine. Absolute junk, we were sending them back to the dealer within a month for electrical problems, check engine lights, limp mode, transmission problems, seat belts breaking, driver's door hinges(caught the fender and door, bent both of them) a/c going out, etc, etc etc. These were on vans that we got with zero miles, had failures like this all before 50k miles. The Ford Transits we also got 2020 models, brand new with the gas V6, ZERO issues other than guys running into stuff with them and those stupid switch blade keys breaking.
Of course they broke because they are MB. Toyota needs to release the Hiace van in the US. They would mop up the market for vans in a hurry.
They don't sell a lot of them because they're just not a good value, compared to a Honda or Toyota minivan. They start at $39k for a passenger version, and with all MB models, the options (like the power sliding doors) quickly bump that price up.
Yes because the Honda Odyssey has no problems 😂
@@WarriorOfEden3033 the only problem I know odysseys have are honda's junk auto transmissions, which have gotten a lot better in recent years. The J32 engine in those have been around for decades, very reliable and powerful engine.
@@WarriorOfEden3033 Honda Odyssey chews through transmissions
@@a1phamalestud that’s my point 😂
@@MJ_868 a good engine is pointless without a good transmission
Vito in Europe, its not underpowered. The engine range covers a wide range of powers, but yes, all the blocks available in the Mercedes Vito 2020 are diesel: 110 CDI with 102 hp and 270 Nm, 114 CDI with 136 hp and 330 Nm, 116 CDI with 163 hp and 380 Nm, and 119 CDI with 190 hp and 440 Nm. The new top of the range available for Vito Tourer and Vito Mixta registered as tourism stands out, 124 CDI with 239 CV and 500 Nm, which accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 7.9 seconds and has a top speed of 210 km / h t. Max in Europa for orderly driving License is 3.5 tot total. 3.8 US tonn TOTAL
Wizard I caught that middle finger slide when you were pointing at the paper with the vavle, I'm with you that mercedes doesn't let you buy just that part. Great job guys
I’m looking at CLA and c class this week.
So glad to have gotten this warning!!!
I'm glad to see a Vito, even if it's under an alias. I think Mercedes have been making maintenance and repair harder since 1990. (I miss my 190E 😪)
Hey Wizard & Mrs Wizard, you guys sure get an eclectic mix of vehicles in the shop!!! Y'all are great!! 👍👍🙂
I think the word you're looking for to describe the 2.0 litre is "anemic". It must be a riot to get up to speed on an on-ramp!
Having to replace that entire EGR assembly for that little valve is typical German engineering protocol. If Mercedes, BMW, and Audi got together to invent a hammer, it would have six moving parts and a maintenance schedule! Thanks for the overview of this unique box on wheels, Mr. and Mrs. Wizard!✌️❤️🙂🇨🇦
Not just German engineering anymore!
Check out the 'Rainman Ray' video where a Ford truck needed a little AC sensor, only available from Ford, built in to a new evaporator and HVAC case, requiring entire dash disassembly and removal. I bet it cost at least as much as this job!
Totally ridiculous...I watched a Lucky's Garage episode today where he installed a Chevy V-8 by himself in 10 minutes. That doesn't happen any more....
I used to be like what kind of van is this.. until we got one as part of our transportation livery fleet.
For a 8 pax (double bench) van, with a 2L turbo, this thing is amazingly agile and not bad handling for city duties as well as on the mountain curves on way to the ski resort.
It does often still feel rough around the edges since it is a (european) commercial van guised to look like a minivan. For day in, day out routines this machine takes all of it very very well. It is a bit of an unbecoming shape in the corners, yeah a pure rectangle but heck it's a bonefide van. Ok, it feels torqueless and yep laggy in acceleration yet the extra gears at the end do help leverage out your intentions.
Of course, it's buzzy given that it's got a 4 cylinder. But mated to a 7 speed auto with flappy paddles- it's a pretty engaging and spirited drive along the byways -if you know how to keep it in the powerband. At times it will still feel like a light weight and floaty out in open country.
It obviously does not track down the road like the Escalade and Navigator suvs we operate. Metris however does it in a more light footed yet optimal sorta way. You could say Metris looks much more low-tech than all the others- but the sensors and the like could make you mad! And the engine bay does get a bit tight.
Most of my mates still dislike the Metris. I, don't mind it- think it's super capable. Feels spry and springy to drive. Nimble at times even. Volume galore. Plus you can achieve 21-22 mpg consistently. The moment one begins to compare this to say a Toyota Sienna, then this is a totally different conversation.. Correct, I wouldn't tow with this. People to a conference, hotel, estate, rehab, airport or airfield is just fine. All of which are real working examples.
I remember when Demuro reviewed this, and he ripped it in his signature snarky style. He also once said "Well, it's German, and that's how they do it".
It's not good value for money. The only version I see compete is the work version with the Ford Transit Connect. But otherwise it's very overpriced.
And of course, Doug was right. That is obviously how they do it.
Quite common vans here in Europe, as mentioned they are called V class here. The fuel filler at the drivers door is very common as well. Many "builders vans" have that. Like the Fiat Ducato and it's Peugeot and Citroen equivalent. Even the Ford Transit had it. 🤷♂️
Thats a Vito Tourer, the passenger version of the Vito, because the Metris lacks many of the features that the "luxurious" (for a Vito) V-Class has. Its hard to see in this particular color, but the Metris has many parts of the body unpainted, the V220d has everything in body color
The VW transporter has the filler in the same spot.
Good to see underneath this van. It looks like this van is more “car” than “truck” underneath. Its built heavier than a car, but optimized for on road use. Not work truck and farm use. It’s definitely not a Ford Econoline, Ford Transit, Chevy or GMC G van or even a Mercedes Sprinter. The interior is certainly not “car” grade, but much more ‘commercial’ grade. I see why they are and odd duck for American use. They look like they will work fine in general use, but when they start getting older, your going to spend lots of money for repairs as thing wear out.
The fuel filler cap is a common arrangement in Europe. A number of Mercedes’ vans are rebadged Renaults in the UK.
you can see these all over Europe as a Mercedes Vito, and as far as I know here they're offered with diesel engines only
Yes mostly diesels but they have introduced an elctri version of both this and the V class
I don't see many of them on the road. I remember seeing them at the New York International Auto Show. Look good, but I would guess a problem to work on as most vans seem a bit crowded under the hood. My favorite vans are the Chevy / GMC vans. I know they are a bit outdated, but easy to find parts for.
USPS has some of these vans. No one likes them,
@@jamesyoung151 I have seen them in Patchogue, NY, one town over from me.
@@lirr408 When I used to live in Edison, NJ. I lived near USPS processing and distribution center. I drove by the vehicle maintenance part of the building and noticed at least 100 of them and was trying to figure out what they were. I did a little digging and realized those were Metress vans.
Car Wizard I really liked your undercarriage tour and things that you look for! Did you or Magic actually drive the Metris? I've driven the Metris and the V6 Odyssey and Sienna, and all provided about the same feel, power in real world conditions. Took the Metris across a mountain pass and maintained 80 mph going up - faster than 90%+ percent of vehicles traveling the pass. As others have pointed out, you're supposed to close the door when gassing up. It's designed so you can't open the gas compartment without having a key to the car - kinda clever in my opinion. I guess we're all entitled to our opinions.
I have a 2018 e300 4Matic and I just had to do this repair. Thankfully I have an extended warranty but I was shocked to see the repair cost 2,700 usd. I have had the car for 6 months and this failure is seriously making me think I need to sell the car. The only problem is that I really enjoy driving it. Shocking that such a simple part can be this complicated to repair. Thank you Wizard for this video!! You explained it perfectly! I now know what happened to my car.
As another subscriber mentioned, everywhere else in the world except Nth America this has the diesel.
Another ridiculous Reason why the EPA make it difficult for manufacturers to work around.
You’ll also notice the extra hole below the filler, pretty sure that’s the Ad Blue fluid location for diesel models.
I’ve seen these back in NZ and Aussie, amazing with the diesel, beautiful interiors etc.
Yeah thats where the adblue filler is on mine.
i mean you could still close the door while refueling, you just need to open it to get the refill hatch up. And there are called Vito in europe and are quite common, drives much better then a sprinter
As usual the Wizard videos turn into a rant for something he is incompetent. He doesn’t think how functional that van actually is. It can vary 1000lbs load and drag 5000lbs trailer all day long.
Sometimes people like opening the door while refueling, which will allow gas fumes in. That said, I don't think it's that big a of a deal, but it's just not the best design.
@@kosta16auto Nothing's nothing special.
In Europe most vans this size and even bigger have a 4 cylinder engine and are actually very fast on the autobahn, the engine varies from 2l to 2.1 up to 3l v6 diesel.
Before 2019 Ontario used to have the Drive Clean program. I was forced to get a new engine for my '89 Shadow in the late 1990s just because there was a tiny puff of blue smoke when the engine started. Fortunately I was able to pay for one, but this program no doubt caused others to become unemployed.
This issue is unbelievably common on every car with the M274 2.0L engine, 2 C300's and one was fixed under warranty and one out of pocket, the V6's are much less problematic.
the m274 engine is also prone to wrist pin and cracked piston issues ask me how I know.
I don't consider a 4-banger a real Mercedes anyway lol. IIRC the engines are actually Peogeot made.
@@dingdong2103 you are not recalling correctly. The M274 is 100% a Mercedes engine.
@@Flapjanus No mate, it was made by Nissan.
@@dingdong2103 I actually, German cars without an inline 6 cylinder engine or a nice naturally aspirated V6-V8 are not real German cars. Cars were made better pre 2010.
Are YOU KIDDING ME! Every car should have a gas filler inside the door. ESPECIALLY with gas closing in on 10 bucks a gallon.
Why? You can't easily siphon gas out of a modern car so most thieves are just taking to drilling into the plastic gas tank and draining from there.
You have to open the drivers' door before you can access the fuel door itself. I mean, short of pry barring it! I used to have the same concern for theft and safety until we fiddled around to see it's quite secured the way it is. Just remember to leave 3 feet or more from the pump! Similar to those newer Ford Transit vans.
Or just open the fuel door, close the car door and fuel up.
It looks like Mercedes took a look at a 1992 Ford Aerostar and said "let's make that, only bigger and heavier, with the same power and complex the heck out of it!"
In Europe u can get them with 4Matic AWD and a V6 was available but no more.They drive them in Europe most time as an Diesel.Camper-conversions are also available.
Cheers Dan
its a Mercedes-Benz a Vito or now called V-class here in europe and we call it a microbus and its fairly popular people mower from Mercedes. used as work vans,Taxis and Rental vans
Are they more reliable in Europe than America?
@@jefferyepstein9210 At least cheaper to maintain, because they are not "exotics" and they are everywhere.
I've heard that some models are more reliable too.
@@jefferyepstein9210 usually the 2,2 liter diesel is regarded as a good and reliable together with a 6 speed manual. i have seen gasoline models but usually they are 3 liter V6. almost everyone buys the diesel vans for the torque and power. even PT cruisers here usually got the 2,2 liter diesel.
Hah! I’m one of those Europeans screaming “That’s a Vito, Wizard! They’re everywhere!” It’s not meant to have the underpowered Renault engine that’s fitted - over here they’re all diesel. I took a 120PS diesel one to Scotland and back and it was great. Easily cruised at 80mph up hills with a silky-smooth 7-speed auto.
Me again. The Vito is available in FWD, RWD and AWD versions depending on engine and length options. The AWD is popular in Switzerland.
I like magic Mike. He's really confident when hes explaining something.. I can see why you hired him
In Europe there are FWD, RWD and 4WD drivetrain layouts available on these Mercedes Vito's.
Here in Europe we also have a different perception of underpowered. Here we have the same Vito's with a 110 HP diesel engine and builders haul 2000kg trailers with them. So a 200hp people hauler should move fairly quick.
This emission valve issue shows poor hindsight at best, or malicious intent at worst from the part of Mercedes. It is unfair for the owner to bear such a high cost for a job that, on any other brand it would be much less expensive and more reasonable.
Having been in the auto industry, as long as it doesn't show up as a launch issue (or to a lesser extent, show up under warranty), it's "good job!".
MB has history. The biodegradable wiring harnesses of the early "90's come to mind'
“Much less expensive and more reasonable”…. Like Toyota for instance and usually the parts are like water. They are everywhere.
Problem is that this should be a diesel and not gasoline.
I live in NY. If your vehicle doesn't pass emissions inspection, but passed all other requirements, you have 10 days to get it fixed. They replace the inspection sticker with a 10 day sticker.
And if you pay $450 or more to correct an emissions problem and it still doesn't pass then you can get a one year waiver.
Hi Wizard. In Australia a few years ago Nissan Infinity's were still on the market. Some of the smaller models were Mercedes CLA's GLA's and A classes with Nissan labelled sheet metal and interiors. WE call it Badge engineering here in Australia. Quite a bit of the engineering in those cars emanated from Renault (with their tie up with Nissan).
Conversely those same models sold in the Mercedes Dealerships as CLA's, GLA's and A classes obviously contain Renault sourced engineering.
Don't be surprised to learn that that Metris is re-sheet metalled and sold as a Renualt in other world markets.
My advice is to stay away from any derivation of the A class or B class, buy a Toyota instead.
If you must buy an MB then at the minimum a C Class or above. If you don't do many miles steer clear of the diesels.
i drove a Metris is Austria. Dont try to pass a car in a two way road, it takes too much time to pass a car safely. This unibody van is roomy and is under-powered to do a road trip safely. Such a van needs a V6 motor and AWD drive train… like a GM Venture use to be.
It's a people mover, why are you trying to pass people like you are Niki Lauda? Lol
It's parts like these that are intentionally failing to keep car companies in business.
The problem is that in Europe this car, when it is 4 years old, has to undergo a mandatory inspection at a traffic center every 6 months, in this inspection the car has to be like the first day... If something is wrong they will give you 1 or 2 weeks to circulate, you have to go to the mechanic and try again to pass the test, if the tests do not pass you cannot circulate with the vehicle. They take away your car the right to be on any public road. In another word, in Europe you will always have to change parts before they break down.
I drive a work variant of the metris everyday as a plumber up in Canada where these are ultra popular with service trades as you can get them into an underground parking lot and find parking easily even downtown. Its not even slightly underpowered to be honest for what I need. Plenty of power and decent ride and handling. With the fuel door you simply open it and then close the drivers door while filling and no fuel fumes enter the cabin whatsoever. Having said that it is horrifically engineered and cramped and only worth owning for the duration of the warranty as parts are hard to come by and at huge markups. Because of the turbo the motor requires premium fuel fyi. Srock brakes and tires are a complete abortion as well and expect them to last only about
30 000 km. A tank of gas will go around 500km in mixed city/hwy. On balance I would buy one again as there are so few work vehicles of this size and power but get rid of it around the five year mark to save yourself the predictable expensive repairs.
the m274 has a plague of problems most notably a wrist pin issue which can result in crack or broken piston rods.
Makes you wonder: If the valve 'fails' regularly at a specific mileage, is it engineered/programmed to do so, even if there may be nothing wrong with it. When the ECU says 'Engine fault', is there really a problem. Or is it more to do with propping up big business?
Yes its called planned obsolescence, just like he said things start failing at 50k miles, exactly when the warranty is gone, thats no coincidence
the ultimate airport vehicle, these are what you see all over mexico
This is a fantastic example of "Crappy Engineering by Design"... No surprise that it lasted just past the warranty period!
I actually installed a hitch and wiring on one of these, a few weeks ago. The hitch was an easy install; the wiring on the other hand....what a pain! So many modules that got in the way of letting it communicate properly!
Sold in San Francisco, Tiburon area...Mercedes Meteosexual.
The rear trailer hitch is more likely to be used for a wheelchair platform, a storage cage or for holding bicycles. Interesting vehicle. It was great to hear Magic Mike’s insights. Thanks for the video tour.
I don't know my comment. But it has a 5,000 towing capacity And a 500 tongue weight. I have the cargo version of the same van and I tow 4000 pounds with it And it tows great. Fantastic van.
What is interesting is that the fuel filler is behind the drivers side door. Your won't have to worry about someone stealing your fuel.
That mechanic Magic Mike worked for a Mercedes Benz dealership in San Diego. Hard to imagine you have to get "the whole enchilada and spend a whole lot of money. Thank heaven I have a domestic car.
You are very offbase ! I have a 2018 Metris, 75,000 miles with zero issues. This a tough Mercedes truck. Payload around 3,500 #’s and tows around 7,000 #’s. I routinely tow big dump trailers, small loader, and enclosed trailer. It is surprisingly fast and fun to drive.
I would buy another one tomorrow.