Mercedes Vario 814 Build - Our New Fulltime Home (1 Viewer)

[Jamesh]

Two tone top and bottom?!

I agree light for traveling south

Dark for traveling north!

I like dark blue....

 

[Wissel]

White?

Don't joke - my second choice after red. Quite like white vans with a few nice graphics, it's what we have now.

If you plan on doing any travelling abroad a light colour would better at reflecting heat.
If you still go for a red it will need a protective clear coat or it will probably fade and look awful after a few years.

Definitely a consideration Lenny. We will be going abroad more often than not now as not been able to for the past 15 years. I"ll be adding a lot of insulation into the van anyway, plus likely keep the roof white whatever (better for solar).

Still like the idea of a red (now on either Mercedes Broken Link Removed or Broken Link Removed), but whatever colour we choose the van is going to bare metal, then epoxy primer, then 2k paint and clearcoat.

 

[Northernraider]

Personally with that size of vehicle id avoid metallic. It will show up every imperfection.

I had planned a matt finish myself

Ceramic blue.

But these suit simple colours.

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[Wissel]

Personally with that size of vehicle id avoid metallic. It will show up every imperfection.

I had planned a matt finish myself

Ceramic blue.

But these suit simple colours.

I quite like the idea of a matt white tbh.

 

[Carpmart]

Yas Marina Blue (BMW colour) is fabulous, would need some black accents to break it up a bit on a large vehicle. TBH Black windows will break it up nicely…

 

[Dutch 68]

Annoyingly, I think the colour is going to have to change.

Painting something the size of the Vario in a candy paint like the Mazda Soul Red will be really difficult and probably beyond my capabilities. It's a 3 part paint that needs to be consistent with each layer (taken advice now). I think even a good paint shop would struggle on this size of vehicle.

Also, in the back of my mind, I'm wondering if Soul Red will date quickly. It was only 2 years ago that Nardo Grey was the colour. Now, not really. Maybe a more classic colour that stands the test of time would be a better idea?

So, I need to decide on a colour again and open to suggestions?

Doesn't need to be in red, just something we like and suits the van. A nice simple metallic would probably be best. All of the outside accessories (awning, service doors, windows, etc) are in black (already ordered) so will go with most things.

Any ideas?

So far the best we have is Mercedes Mars Red.

Anthracite grey metallic is the best colour in the world!

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[Jamesh]

Yas Marina Blue (BMW colour) is fabulous, would need some black accents to break it up a bit on a large vehicle. TBH Black windows will break it up nicely…

Allegro yellow!

Mazda 323 green?

Princes wedge brown?!!

 

[Just smiffy]

Most of those Mercedes I’ve seen are a burnt orange colour….. I think it’s called rust…

 

[Langtoftlad]

Matchpot special
A melange of colours... blend in everywhere

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[Manic]

I like this Malibu PVC colour

 

[The Coops]

Dazzle camouflage like the WW1 ships, blend in anywhere

 

[Carpmart]

Matt Urban camo?

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[Floydster]

Nato green

 

[Wissel]

I wonder how much difference there would be between a white or coloured van in the sun, with 50mm PIR insulation all around and 2 x MaxxFan's?

Without the insulation it would be a huge difference, but 50mm of PIR is a lot

Nato green

I got that

 

[Figaro]

In strong sun, I think a dark van will get substantially warmer inside than a white van even with plenty of insulation.
The white roof will help enormously of course

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[WESTY66]

The white roof will help enormously of course

I’ve a strong feeling it will be covered in solar

 

[Wissel]

Right, I've ordered a small amount of Mercedes 3636, which is this colour:

I've seen a Vario in this colour and it really suits the vehicle. It's also a pastel, so will be easy to get onto the van

The plan is, I have a window cutout kicking around from the sprinter (which is white) which I'll cut in half and spray one half in the red.

I'll insulate 2 x boxes, throw a Ruuvi tag in each (Bluetooth temp sensors) and attach one half of the window cutout to each box. Then face them to the sun and monitor over a few days. I'll cut small holes to simulate airflow in a van.

If the colour makes a big difference, then it will have to be white. If the insulation holds up well, and we like the colour sample, then red it is.

Sounds a faff, but I'd prefer to know for sure before painting.

 

[Just smiffy]

Not sure about red…

I like this two tone colour….

But I really like this mustard yellow one…

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[corconx]

The red looks like a postal van. Two tone looks like a library bus. Yellow is nice. Mind you I always fancied orange

Cary

 

[Mousy]

We saw a matt kinda khaki green in Greece that looked really good.

 

[Littlewheels]

Classic, understated and it doesn't show the dirt.

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[Jamesh]

Reds fire engine!

 

[WESTY66]

You could always get it wrapped, that way if you don’t like it after a few years you could change it, easier and quicker than paint

 

[Ditcha]

Snake skin wrap

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[CazPaul]

That red is a great colour and will really suit it.

 

[jongood]

The red looks like a postal van. Two tone looks like a library bus. Yellow is nice. Mind you I always fancied orange

Cary

Agree, I like orange, the problem is that a flat orange will make it look like an ex council van in lots of countries. Imo as you re having to spray it anyway you might as well spray it some unique colour/ combo, if you do it white it just looks like you did a standard van. If you like the Mazda red Wissel would it help to do the bottom half in that and the top half in a white?

 

[jongood]

Am I right in thinking you have some large solar panels you favour Wissel , seriously asking for a friend. Jon

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[Landy Andy]

I wouldn’t go metallic due to cost, future repairs, and it showing imperfections. I wouldn’t go red as it will look like a parcelforce/post office van.

 

[Littlewheels]

Snake skin wrap

Not to everyone’s taste but l actually love it seriously original and you would be invisible when wilding.

 

[Manic]

A better photo of the Burnt Orange which I like, not sure about the twin toilets

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