Are you a Galleria minded owner or buyer?

[Dogman]

So what are your thoughts about the Coachmen Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van, VS30, floor plans, innovated new ideas, canine feeding tray, and dressing room in all four new floor plans? as to your likes and dislikes.

[Davydd]

If you are traveling only with a spouse and no children I think the obvious choice is 24A with the fixed bed and ample room to turn around the driver's seat without a tall cabinet causing you to only turn around part way and have a feeling of claustrophobia. I suspect you can get way more storage under the fixed bed than the convertible sofa models.

I base my feelings having had a sofa/bed with ottomans and infills, a tri-fold sofa without infills and fixed beds with the notch to get in and successively more under bed storage. I have also successively had no driver's seat turn around, to a partial turn around facing a tall cabinet and a full turn around with a tall cabinet pulled back.

It is nicer to have all the tall cabinets and bathroom behind the driver so never in his line of sight. With the extra seats up front you can entertain guest but that would be rare. In a campsite unless it is raining you entertain outside. The extra space they take up takes away more practical space for other things.

The convertible sofa into a bed is nice when a sofa but you have to make a decision of bed or staying up. Riding on those sofa's is an adventure. We took grandkids twice on thousand mile trips and they have never asked again.

If you travel three or more or use your van other than camping such as for tailgating or every day then 24A would not be a choice.

[Dogman]

YES, and YES to only two of us and that is our model selection with full Li3. I have been enjoying most of your posts over this past year. It was sad learning of the visits to the hospital and happy all worked out well for both of you.

You covered most of the points of that floor plan Galleria. If I had known our order would have taken this long with all the interruptions I would have ordered 2021. Who was to know AMAZON would jump in ordering 20K units. The Up-Fitter Coachmen have all been wonderful to deal with and work with. Then came the BUG hurting so many people. I created a Socal Group for Coachmen Galleria owners and want to be owners in this forum.

As to your point on the driver's Captain Chair doing a full 180-turn it will as I have seen a few videos on that very point. But on the 24FL I don't see how. I also like the shower behind the driver so I can turn and look out the right sliding door window if I should have too. Now you did know the New Galleria 24A comes with a dressing room and work-study/office? lol

No, it will just be us and I do not make friends easily having lost a wife to a friend and working partner. So much for trust and Honor in the friend's department. Most men I have come across in my life have only takers. But I do have a daughter and lots of grandchildren who all happily for us live far away. So just two humans and one DOG.

Over my 73-years, I have made me a none friendly person and I have been told it does not show in my writing as a seem much younger and dumber. haha, Thanks for your post as I hope to hear something on my order soon.

[Texasnielsen]

Interesting design and based on my observations should work well as you’ve described your needs.

Looking forward to reading a full report upon possession! 😉

[Ray B]

I personally am not in love with the chassis. If you're not real handy it will be expensive to maintain and repair. Additionally, is the fuel situation. Technically, if you read the manual, it should not run on B20 or B30 in any other than emergency conditions. That's fine around town where Diesel #2 or B5 is plentiful but not on the rural interstates where B20 or B30 have replaced Diesel #2. Have talked to sales reps and tech reps at shows and they say that is no problem despite the manual's warnings. Call and talk to either Mercedes-Benz N.A. or the regional manager they may recommend to you. Different story. Void your warranty, etc. Just my two cents as this is what I am living with every day.

Ray Brown
2012 Pleasure Way Plateau TD
(2011 MB Sprinter)
Ormond-by-the-Sea, Florida

[Davydd]

I've never seen B30 at a car or truck filling station. Most, including Minnesota, label their diesel pumps B5 to maybe B20 and I doubt there has anything above B10 from information I've read. Mercedes Benz allows up to B20. They don't like it but it doesn't void any warranties. It definitely reduces miles per gallon averages.

This is one of the least of my worries and does not prevent me to have a fourth Class B built on the Mercedes Benz platform.

[Ray B]

Originally Posted by Davydd

I've never seen B30 at a car or truck filling station. Most, including Minnesota, label their diesel pumps B5 to maybe B20 and I doubt there has anything above B10 from information I've read. Mercedes Benz allows up to B20. They don't like it but it doesn't void any warranties. It definitely reduces miles per gallon averages.

This is one of the least of my worries and does not prevent me to have a fourth Class B built on the Mercedes Benz platform.

Hi David,

It's just my opinion, and that was what was asked, but this is what it is based on:

As for B30, there are fuel stations all over the U.S. with B20 or greater up to B100. I only learned this myself when I pulled into a truck stop pump in Texas and had a trucker warn me about using B30 in my Sprinter RV - there where no signs but the traditional stickers on the pump. Here is the government map of where you might find these stations.
https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/biodie...earest?fuel=BD

As for higher than B5 (from the 2019 manual): "B20 fuels with bio-diesel content. NOTE Damage due to incorrect fuel. Continuous use of fuels with bio-diesel content over 5% (B20 fuels) can lead to fuel filter clogging. Deposits may also form on the fuel injector. This may reduce the engine output. Unburned fuel can get into the oil pan. This causes the engine oil level to rise. This can cause engine mechanical damage." Can you run B20 in it? Sure. I've had a lot of problems with mine before I understood this (who reads manuals cover-to-cover?). As for the warranty, when I was considering a 2019, I called MB in New Jersey, (800) 367-6372, and was referred to a "product specialist" who said it could void your warranty with "continuous" use as it pertained to the engine. Also note, that on all new shipped Sprinters is a sticker in the fuel filler area that says, "Use only Low Sulphur Diesel #2 or B5 in this vehicle." If you go to a dealer, you will notice most if not all of those stickers have been removed.

In Minnesota, supposedly it is to be illegal to sell under B20 according to this law: https://mn.gov/commerce/industries/fuel/biodiesel/

The reason Minnesota has this B20 law is because of environmental concerns. Now, I'm no tree hugger but the chances are pretty good we will see more of similar type of laws in other states. What I don't get is why Mercedes-Benz, and they are not the only diesel RV chassis with this problem, does not make their engines compatible with B20 and higher, as this is clearly where the sentiment is going. I don't want to end up one day having a white-elephant that is even more expensive to care for because I can only get B20 or higher fuels. All considered, if I had another choice, I would not have purchased a Sprinter-based RV.

Ray Brown
2012 Pleasure-Way Plateau TD
Ormond-by-the-Sea, Florida

[GigaGeek]

Good points on the Galleria 24A. I might add that according to Coachmen’s website, you can order a full captains chair or a two-person jump seat/pull out couch in place of the desk behind the drivers seat. The later would allow two more passengers if seatbelts are provided; One additional passenger can be accommodated with the former.

The cavernous storage area under the rear bed is very appealing.

Originally Posted by Davydd

If you are traveling only with a spouse and no children I think the obvious choice is 24A with the fixed bed and ample room to turn around the driver's seat without a tall cabinet causing you to only turn around part way and have a feeling of claustrophobia. I suspect you can get way more storage under the fixed bed than the convertible sofa models.

I base my feelings having had a sofa/bed with ottomans and infills, a tri-fold sofa without infills and fixed beds with the notch to get in and successively more under bed storage. I have also successively had no driver's seat turn around, to a partial turn around facing a tall cabinet and a full turn around with a tall cabinet pulled back.

It is nicer to have all the tall cabinets and bathroom behind the driver so never in his line of sight. With the extra seats up front you can entertain guest but that would be rare. In a campsite unless it is raining you entertain outside. The extra space they take up takes away more practical space for other things.

The convertible sofa into a bed is nice when a sofa but you have to make a decision of bed or staying up. Riding on those sofa's is an adventure. We took grandkids twice on thousand mile trips and they have never asked again.

If you travel three or more or use your van other than camping such as for tailgating or every day then 24A would not be a choice.