Speedo in Miles for Merc based Motorhome

[Abb]

I imported a new motorhome based on the new Mercedes Sprinter 2008 (Rapido M983). DVLA insisted on the speedo showing Miles that the numbers must be illumated at night before allowing it to be registered.

Someone suggested I contact LOCKWOOD International in Leeds.

To cut a story short the wonderful staff at Lockwood went to a great lenght and made a new face-plate better than the original one made by Mercedes at a fraction of the dealer cost.

The new face-plate shows miles and Km but everything else stayed unchanged.

Today I'm over the moon. I've got my new registration and we're off to the lakes this weekend....

So if anyone imported a Motorhome based on the new Mercedes Sprinter with speedo in Km, can now easily change the face-plate to the one showing Miles and Km.

 

Here is the contact number:

Lockwood International Tel: (0113) 244 0070

All the staff are helpful.

Please feel free to ask any question.

[Derek Uzzell]

Valuable information for importers of Mercedes-based motorhomes. There's also a useful website:

 

http://www.lockwoodinternational.co.uk/

[fjmike]

I am very puzzled by this posting. I too have an imported 2007 Mercedes based motorhome and at no expense have an MPH read out. This is built into the options on the MB speedo. From memory the display can read either MPH, KPH or outside temperature. This is the digital display between the two analogues

[Derek Uzzell]

Interesting stuff - it sounds like there's a need for some in-depth handbook reading!

 

I've a vague recollection of someone on this forum with a new SEVEL-based motorhome saying there was the option within the digital displays of having an mph or km/h readout. I don't think this was explored further at the time.

 

Pity it's not an obligatory standard as it would be very handy for those motorhome importers who (like me) would prefer to retain the original large analogue km/h speedometer, but have an additional mph scale to satisfy UK registration requirements.

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fjmike - 2008-08-07 10:30 PM

 

I am very puzzled by this posting. I too have an imported 2007 Mercedes based motorhome and at no expense have an MPH read out. This is built into the options on the MB speedo. From memory the display can read either MPH, KPH or outside temperature. This is the digital display between the two analogues

 

You are correct in saying 'the display can read either MPH,KPH' but not of the actual speed of the moment but for the average speed only (calculated every so many KM or MLS).

I've read the instruction manual, inside out, played with the toy till my face turned green to no avail. Howvever you could be right if your van is built for LHD for export to UK. In that case Rapido will build the van with MPH (and maybe KPH) and a manually switchable head light for left or right driving.

I was not offered this option when I ordered the van. The dealer rightly or wrongly refused to order this free option unless I settle the payment of the van upfront on the day of the order.

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Derek Uzzell - 2008-08-08 9:07 AM

 

Interesting stuff - it sounds like there's a need for some in-depth handbook reading!

 

Pity it's not an obligatory standard as it would be very handy for those motorhome importers who (like me) would prefer to retain the original large analogue km/h speedometer, but have an additional mph scale to satisfy UK registration requirements.

 

This is exactly why I prefered to replace the face-plate only and not the whole speedo unit. Lockwood International specialise in reproducing the face-plate 'exactly' as the original one with the KPH but add the MPH.

 

Changing the speedo altogether is a very last resort. The electronic bit of the van would have to be re-calibrated for MPH at yet again an extra cost.

And what about the existing mileage, would it have to be transferred to the new speedo? Too messy. Either order the van in the continent for a UK legal export, or find a face-plate with MPH and KMH.

 

Another important point: I once part exchanged my old van for a new one in Germany. The old van was imported from Germany, registrated in UK, changed the face-plate to MPH etc... On the part exchange day I had to revert to the original KM face-plate.