I have a 2016 cargo I use for camping.
1. Dashboard reports 22-25mpg (depends upon speed more than load) which is always 2-3 mpg higher than actual as measured by fuel dispensed divided by miles driven since last fillup.
2. Reliability was great 'til 30K. It's been in the shop 5 times for multiple times each for mostly fuel problems (engine stalls about 30 second after starting), a sticky valve in fuel vapor recovery system, plus I had the power steering rack fail. Currently 42k miles. It's gone 3k miles since last visit to the shop. Damnit, I was hoping for something more reliable
3. Value vs Price. No way to answer as different people have different metrics. For me, I thought it was a good value/price at time of purchase. My opinion has dropped since #2. My dealer has a $4100 price to replace the steering. Oh, and then $450 for a front end alignment. The value vs cost of repairs is very, very, very poor.
4. 42k miles since Sept 2016
5. way too many variables there to give any reasonable answer
6. Nope. And, this will be my last Mercedes product. The reliability and cost of repairs is stupid (no different than BMW, VW, Audi, though)
On the plus side, and why I didn't give the van away after my issues last summer/fall:
-) I can't find anything better for my needs. The size is perfect. Even the smallest Transit is bigger in every way.
-) I can't find a cargo Transit at any dealer that isn't white with useless options (I'm a road trip guy. I want the 3.5L turbo, towing, rear/side windows, cruise control at the absolute minimum. That combo doesn't seem to exist in california, even in white)
-) It's a freakin hoot to drive. Ignore the specs about a 2.0L 4 cylinder engine with 208(?) HP. I have no idea what laws of physics Mercedes violated, but that little engine scoots a 5000lb van around just fine. I've screamed up and over the Rockies on I-70 west of Denver in the left lane at 80mph with everyone else.
The list of negatives is sorta depressing, though:
- It took several years before it was outfitted with a usable passenger side mirror
- Stupid option packages are allowed. I bought mine with rear windows which had wipers and defrosters. Great. But it came with the solid cargo partition instead of the one with the clear plexiglas. So, no rear view mirror. HUH? Why configure a van with rear windows and a solid partition? I planned to remove the partition, so you'd think no big deal, but dealer says an entirely different windshield is required to mount the standard rear view mirror!!!! So, I have a rube goldberg rear view mirror. I fault myself the most for buying a van making an assumption it would have a rear view mirror to see out those defrosted and wiped rear windows. I fault the salesman quite a bit for this, too, although to avoid getting a low customer feedback survey, he was willing to eat the claimed $1500 cost to retrofit the van with new front windshield and upper console stuff including the rear view mirror. I declined and went rube goldberg.
- Speaking of rear windows, there is next to no window washer fluid pressure (at least on the barn door versions), at the rear windows, so the feature is pretty much useless. Fine German engineering again. It's not the engineering I mind, crap happens, it's that they continue producing the van for years with the issue because they don't want to spend the money to fix it.
- Reliablity as above
- Stone age audio system & navigation. Beyond functionality, I've had the volume knob stop having any affect twice. Fix - hold down the power button for 30 seconds to reboot the audio system. As with the time (Below), how hard is it to do a working volume knob?
- Clock loses a minute a month (how hard can it be to do a darn clock?)
- The fuel economy calculator lies. I'm sure it's an intentionally incorrect computation to fool people who don't do the actual math themselves. This should be illegal (and probably is), but as with diesel emissions, why follow the rules when you can cheat?
- The fuel gauge itself is very wrong. At indicated 1/4 tank, you need to be finding a gas station within 20 miles despite the fuel computer saying you have 120 miles to empty. Shortly below 1/4 tank, a warning light comes on, and you really, really need to find a gas station. The gauge totally lies about how much fuel is remaining. Again, there surely are regulations about fuel gauges. Why doesn't Mercedes 1) follow the rules, and 2) fix the problem rather than continuing to produce vans with wildly incorrect fuel gauges?
- The motorized sliding doors suck - the rails bend, they stick open or closed. Make sure you get manual side door(s).
- To avoid a specific import tax, the cargo ones are partially disassembled in Europe and reassembled in the US by a monkey that doesn't know how to use a torque wrench. If you buy used, ensure the transmission is bolted onto the engine and not just hanging off the engine on a few loose bolts. Lord knows what else the US monkeys did wrong putting my van back together
- Good service is HARD to find - you need to have a Metris knowledgeable repair facility nearby. Thankfully I do. (Despite my gripes about the van's reliability, I have nothing but good things to say about Rocklin Mercedes outside of Sacramento). But, lord help me if the van breaks away from home.
- With the cargo partition installed, the range of motion (both seat bottom forward/back, and seat back recline) is hampered. If you go cargo, try the seat position before buying
Finally, why aren't a lot of the Mercedes Vito features available on the Metris:
- swivel front seats, four wheel drive, diesel, better audio system, and endless other options.