Another Metris review
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I'm not sure what they mean by "escape it's pedigree". It's a commercial passenger van which feels- remarkably- like a commercial passenger van. It's Mercedes-ness is very apparent in its quality of construction (shockingly, there's more than one quality of hard plastic, and the Metris has a very good one), and the competence of its chassis. It's the Mercedes of commercial vans because it tracks down the highway at 101 mph like a bullet train and without compaint, not because of a leather and wood interior.
To me it seems like they were looking for what the V-class is, and didn't find it. Although I think the Metris has the building blocks for a "limousine", it's not sold completed as one. They are confusing livery car with limousine. Compare it to a Crown Vic (or even the Antediluvian Town Car) and it stacks up ok.
I think the Metris's biggest problem is that the badge makes reviewers (and some customers) look for a vehicle that the Metris is not only not, but is not trying to be.
To me it seems like they were looking for what the V-class is, and didn't find it. Although I think the Metris has the building blocks for a "limousine", it's not sold completed as one. They are confusing livery car with limousine. Compare it to a Crown Vic (or even the Antediluvian Town Car) and it stacks up ok.
I think the Metris's biggest problem is that the badge makes reviewers (and some customers) look for a vehicle that the Metris is not only not, but is not trying to be.
I know what the Metris is and what it is trying to be, and...
I know what the Metris is and what it is trying to be; I love European commercial vans (I owned two Eurovans) and I am still disappointed.
You don't need to aim as high as the Vito Sport to get Comfort Seats in the 2nd and 3rd rows. In other markets, they are standard equipment in the lower trim levels that are otherwise equipped identically to the Metris... specifically the Vito Tourer (in Europe) and the Valente (in Australia).
As far as I can tell looking at various websites around the world, the U.S. and Canada are the only markets where the low budget 2nd and 3rd row seats in the Metris are sold in similarly equipped passenger vans. IMHO, they degrade the quality of the whole package much more than the frequently mentioned hard plastic dash.
I can understand why MB chose to introduce the Metris the way they did. I too would like to see the V-Class and the Marco Polo camper here in the U.S., and I would like to have the option of AWD. But offering those things would have made the whole endeavour much more complex and costly. But how much complexity and expense would offering Comfort Seats have added? And how about the accessory table package that fits the same seat rails. The answer: not much at all.
If MB offered Comfort Seats all around in the Metris, I would buy one today.
Unless MB "ups its game" on the passenger version of the Metris, my guess is that most of their sales will be cargo vans.
I know what the Metris is and what it is trying to be; I love European commercial vans (I owned two Eurovans) and I am still disappointed.
You don't need to aim as high as the Vito Sport to get Comfort Seats in the 2nd and 3rd rows. In other markets, they are standard equipment in the lower trim levels that are otherwise equipped identically to the Metris... specifically the Vito Tourer (in Europe) and the Valente (in Australia).
As far as I can tell looking at various websites around the world, the U.S. and Canada are the only markets where the low budget 2nd and 3rd row seats in the Metris are sold in similarly equipped passenger vans. IMHO, they degrade the quality of the whole package much more than the frequently mentioned hard plastic dash.
I can understand why MB chose to introduce the Metris the way they did. I too would like to see the V-Class and the Marco Polo camper here in the U.S., and I would like to have the option of AWD. But offering those things would have made the whole endeavour much more complex and costly. But how much complexity and expense would offering Comfort Seats have added? And how about the accessory table package that fits the same seat rails. The answer: not much at all.
If MB offered Comfort Seats all around in the Metris, I would buy one today.
Unless MB "ups its game" on the passenger version of the Metris, my guess is that most of their sales will be cargo vans.
I wasn't aware the seats could be had in other models. Really I just want something that folds or a pile of parts to convert my seats to folding ones. I think the leatherette is quite nice as it is anyway.
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So why can't a person just buy nice seats from somewhere? I would buy a Metris if it had better seats or if I could buy nicer seats. I'm really looking for better front seats as I don't really need back seats. I've contacted a ton of seat dealers and no one can help me. Can you just buy seats for the Vito and ship them over?
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The only feature on Euro front seats we don't get is power adjustment and cooling. Actually us getting euro seats is one of the Metris' issues- they are a little narrow and bolstered for our more generous corn fed tuchuses. They are, however, 1000 mile comfortable.
I think you should give them another chance. IMHO and all, but I've owned over a dozen vehicles and Metris seats are by faaaaar the most comfortable for the long haul. Seat comfort counts about 30% towards my vehicle choice and the minute my a$$ hit the seat......
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I've been looking for an everyday driver that can haul some plywood on the weekends, plus do those homeowner type projects. Trucks are nice but to get any comfort you have to go full size and then they are just huge. The smaller utility vans out there are nice but they are too small for plywood.
The Metris seems like a great vehicle with a mix of comfort and size but still not exactly what I want... or at least I'm not convinced yet.
I test drove the base cargo van and liked how it drove but in my 15 minutes ride my back was hurting. I sat in a well equipped van and with the lumbar adjustment it seemed like that would work, but didn't test drive it. My problem is my wife who is a little woman has bad hips and hates seats with bolster. She found the seat to be uncomfortable and if she is not happy I'm not. If I could get her a better seat I would be very happy.
The other thing I didn't like is that the steering wheel didn't telescope. It felt like I couldn't get that perfect position between feet and peddles and hands and steering wheel.
I also wish it had just a little more ground clearance.
Solve those three issues and I would have the perfect vehicle.
The Metris seems like a great vehicle with a mix of comfort and size but still not exactly what I want... or at least I'm not convinced yet.
I test drove the base cargo van and liked how it drove but in my 15 minutes ride my back was hurting. I sat in a well equipped van and with the lumbar adjustment it seemed like that would work, but didn't test drive it. My problem is my wife who is a little woman has bad hips and hates seats with bolster. She found the seat to be uncomfortable and if she is not happy I'm not. If I could get her a better seat I would be very happy.
The other thing I didn't like is that the steering wheel didn't telescope. It felt like I couldn't get that perfect position between feet and peddles and hands and steering wheel.
I also wish it had just a little more ground clearance.
Solve those three issues and I would have the perfect vehicle.
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2,696 Posts
1) have you considered the Chevy Colorado? It's available with a diesel and I've heard good things about it, although my impression was that it is still huge.
2) I am 5'10 330lbs, on my way down from ~400. I found the seat bottom a tad stiff for the first few weeks of ownership, but as with other Benzes I've had the seat now fits me perfectly. I can and do drive several hundred miles at a stretch and feel fine. I have a collapsed disk in my back and it generally hurts enough that I usually walk with a cane. YMMV
Th3) as seems to be the case with men my size, my wife is tiny. She insists she is 5' tall, but she's a tad shorter. She weighs about 110 soaking wet, and she has both a bad back and bad knees. Although she insists on picking up and carrying things 90% of her weight. She thought she'd have a problem with the bolsters when we ordered it, and we had made plans for a foam insert and a seat cover, but after a few days, she changed her mind. Besides, you need side bolsters when I drive a vehicle this tall, trust me.
4) Keep in mind both the height and angle adjustments, which make a big difference with the comfort seats. I jacked mine up so that I sit straight up with my feet planted flat on the floor- most of my driving is highway and I use cruise control.
5) in case it's not obvious, I am a Mercedes zealot. I love their cars, I put up with their foibles, and I have become used to cars that don't have adjustable steering. Besides my ML (tilt adjustment), and my Isuzu box truck (tilt and telescope) my previous cars had totally fixed steering wheels.
I like my seats firm, I sit bolt upright, and a bunch of other things. My biggest complaint about the Metris's driving position is the small size of the steering wheel. It's a complaint I have had perpetually because I learned to drive on old Benzes.
So while I am happily giving you my opinion on comfort stuff, as are others, what really matters is whether you like it or not.
But... Benz Uber Alles.
2) I am 5'10 330lbs, on my way down from ~400. I found the seat bottom a tad stiff for the first few weeks of ownership, but as with other Benzes I've had the seat now fits me perfectly. I can and do drive several hundred miles at a stretch and feel fine. I have a collapsed disk in my back and it generally hurts enough that I usually walk with a cane. YMMV
Th3) as seems to be the case with men my size, my wife is tiny. She insists she is 5' tall, but she's a tad shorter. She weighs about 110 soaking wet, and she has both a bad back and bad knees. Although she insists on picking up and carrying things 90% of her weight. She thought she'd have a problem with the bolsters when we ordered it, and we had made plans for a foam insert and a seat cover, but after a few days, she changed her mind. Besides, you need side bolsters when I drive a vehicle this tall, trust me.
4) Keep in mind both the height and angle adjustments, which make a big difference with the comfort seats. I jacked mine up so that I sit straight up with my feet planted flat on the floor- most of my driving is highway and I use cruise control.
5) in case it's not obvious, I am a Mercedes zealot. I love their cars, I put up with their foibles, and I have become used to cars that don't have adjustable steering. Besides my ML (tilt adjustment), and my Isuzu box truck (tilt and telescope) my previous cars had totally fixed steering wheels.
I like my seats firm, I sit bolt upright, and a bunch of other things. My biggest complaint about the Metris's driving position is the small size of the steering wheel. It's a complaint I have had perpetually because I learned to drive on old Benzes.
So while I am happily giving you my opinion on comfort stuff, as are others, what really matters is whether you like it or not.
But... Benz Uber Alles.
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