- Mercedes drivetrain and vehicle is a pleasure to drive
- 15 overhead lockers
- Spacious bathroom
- Customisable design
Tony and Marg Pengelly bought a Jayco motorhome in 1996, followed by a Toyota Coaster bus conversion, then a Winnebago with a slide-out built on a Mercedes chassis.
Over time their RV lifestyle evolved, with different needs such as more storage and single beds.
They visited Coastal, which was selling a well built custom-made product. They took a look, liked what they saw, and their fourth motorhome, the elusive “perfect” motorhome, was underway.
The layout
Their chosen floor plan was one Coastal had not built before; a single bed each side ahead of the bathroom located across the rear; kitchen amidships opposite the entry; twin-facing settees between entry and cab; cab seats to swivel to become additional lounge seats. They wanted it built on a Mercedes chassis with an automatic transmission; innerspring mattresses on their beds; the motorhome body built to the maximum width; a spacious bathroom; running boards below the cab doors; and Margaret wished to select her own interior colours and fabrics.
“The builder went out of his way to make sure we were happy,” says Margaret. “One of the first things he did was to mark out the floor-plan inside the empty shell of the motorhome, so we could try it first before it was built.”
Tony and Marg have their spacious bathroom. It features a 750 x 700mm shower, good headroom (2030mm), a Thetford swivel ceramic bowl toilet with SOG extraction fan fitted, ducted heating, and a ceiling hatch with a reversible fan. Their single beds (1920 x 800mm each) feature luxurious “topper pad” mattresses.
There is plenty of accessible storage below cushions/mattresses under beds/settees, and below the under-bed storage is a lower level that extends across the rear of the vehicle. Clothes live in a large wardrobe in the bathroom. A total of 15 spacious overhead lockers provide for the kitchen, clothes and personal items. They now have room for their folding bikes, tables, chairs and other paraphernalia.
Tony says his running boards improve cab access and preserve the paint finish on what was previously, a vulnerable corner of the bodywork.
This Coastal Motorhome was new territory for owner and builder alike. The generous width, specification and obvious craftsmanship clinched the deal for the Pengally’s and they love the vehicle. At least until the next one.
See a range of vehicles for sale from Coastal Motorhomes.
Specifications
Vehicle Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 515 CDI long wheelbase, four-cylinder, 110kW
Transmission Five-speed automatic
Tare weight 3900kg
GVM 4500kg
Overall length 7.9m
Overall width 2.4m
Overall height 2.98m
Fresh water/grey 190L/190L
