2023 Mercedes-Benz 24' Class-C (Diesel)

Accuracy- photos are out of date as the condition of the RV has deteriorated and first impressions when we picked up the RV were not good. Maintenance issues included: missing bedroom roller blind, peeling laminate furniture, broken panels/trim especially on slide-out, missing toilet seat, scratched floor. The exterior was in better condition and it still looked quite smart on the outside, apart from missing awning (noted in listing) and damage to rear right corner. The other accuracy issue that impacted us was that the inventory of the RV was not as we were expecting - the crockery, cutlery and pans shown on the photos were largely not present so we had to go out on our second day and buy plates, bowls, cutlery, kitchen knives, and a pan with lid so we could cook and eat in the RV. We realise the culture in the USA is more towards disposable kitchen items than in EU or AUS but we were expecting more inventory than was provided. We left some of what we bought behind so the next hirer should have a better experience in this regard. Value- We were keen on hiring an RV with a full-size bed (thanks to slide-out), and also preferred diesel over petrol for the better economy. We considered several RV rental companies, but thanks to the good discount on a month-long rental we paid less than an equivalent spec RV through those other companies. The slide-out worked well and gave us a queen size bed and much larger dinette/kitchen area in the evenings. After renting 5 other RVs in 4 countries where we found we could not comfortably sleep in the same bed, it was great to have the comfortable full-size bed. Economy of the diesel engine was as expected around 12mpg, but might have been better had the turbo been working reliably. We found the turbo would not work around one in three engine starts and would also cut out after around an hour of driving, which meant a choice of either stopping to turn it off for a couple of minutes (not practical on long freeway runs) or continuing with lower power which meant a higher gear and higher consumption. Cleanliness- the RV had been cleaned inside and out when it was delivered but the interior cleaning was not as good as other RVs we have hired. The floor was still quite dirty and there were dirty marks on the bathroom mirror and several of the walls. The bathroom basin, toilet and shower were clean. We bought some spray cleaner and hopefully left it in a slightly better condition than we received it. There was also no brush for the dustpan so we could not sweep the floor so had to buy another mid-trip. Communication- We had tried to agree a late morning pick up by setting the hiring start date to the day before we wanted it so we could get out of Los Angeles conurbation on our first day. The early pick up was then negotiated back to 1-2pm by Phil before we arrived, which was OK as I had managed to arrange late checkout with the hotel. However on the day 2pm came and went and we then found out that the RV was being serviced that afternoon and that had overrun - why was this not done the day before, and why were we not warned about this? Eventually Phil arrived with the RV at 4:30pm, which meant we did not arrive at our first nights campsite until after dark. The issues with lack of inventory (and I had asked for a list but was not given one) meant our first evening was rather miserable as none of our purchased evening meal options could be cooked. Both of these issues could have been addressed by clear upfront communication and we would have then made alternate plans for our first day. Other- the leisure batteries only last around 4 hours when no engine, generator, mains or solar is charging them. This means if you leave the RV in the evening in a dry campsite you risk returning to a dark van and warm fridge, as we did once. Phil is aware of the limited life but does not declare it explicitly on this listing. The inverter also sometimes makes a high pitched noise when on mains supply which is annoying but something you have to tune out in the evenings. Hopefully this can be fixed.

Phil was great. Great communication.

The RV was in great condition and smooth to drive. The fuel mileage was excellent, and the AC was cold. A few minor questions came up on operating the RV, but Phil was always there to clarify our questions and get us on the road again. Thank you Phil for a great experience, and great RV!