In February 2022, we marked a significant milestone – three incredible years of full-time living in our 2019 Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel! Ironically, our third anniversary found us not in a scenic campsite, but rather in a Comfort Inn while a local RV repair shop investigated a persistent battery drain issue.
Is the Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel Really Home After Three Years?
Absolutely! For my husband and me, the Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel isn’t just a recreational vehicle; it’s our primary residence. We don’t have a traditional house to return to, relying instead on the hospitality of friends and family when we need a break from van life. Of course, we occasionally opt for paid accommodations for health reasons, to escape extreme weather, or when visiting loved ones. For longer stays in one location, we sometimes utilize coworking spaces. However, the vast majority of our time, comparable to our previous condo living, is spent within the cozy confines of our Revel – it’s genuinely home.
Three Years and 56,000 Miles: What We’ve Learned About the 2019 Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel
After clocking over 56,000 miles and living full-time for three years in our Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel, we’ve gained invaluable insights into its strengths and weaknesses. Here’s a breakdown of our experiences:
The Good Aspects of the Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel
Exceptional Durability: Frankly, the Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel has exceeded our expectations in terms of durability. RVs, in general, aren’t typically designed for the rigors of full-time living, especially in challenging environments. However, we’ve put our Revel through the wringer, and it has consistently impressed us.
A significant portion of our time is spent in frigid winter conditions, enduring prolonged periods of freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall. During the early months of 2021, our diesel heater worked so tirelessly that it actually reached its time-out limit after approximately two months of continuous operation!
During the summer months, we enthusiastically explore rugged dirt roads in our Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel, venturing far off the beaten path in search of tranquil solitude.
We are genuinely pleased with how well the Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel has withstood both the elements and our adventurous lifestyle. We’ve only had to tighten a few screws here and there in terms of maintenance. Surprisingly, the various motors we anticipated might be nearing the end of their lifespan are still operating smoothly, including those powering the refrigerator/freezer, air conditioner, water pump, galley drain pump, and ventilator fan.
Superior Warmth and Insulation: Winnebago’s emphasis on insulation and their choice of a powerful diesel heater for the Revel were truly excellent decisions. Even in sub-zero temperatures, the van remains remarkably warm. I can comfortably relax inside wearing shorts and a tank top while the outside world is freezing. While our previous 2018 Winnebago Travato offered some warmth, staying comfortable in the Revel is a significant upgrade. In the Travato, I still needed to bundle up with a beanie, a puffy jacket, and a blanket to stay warm.
Go-Anywhere Capability: The compact size of the Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel is a massive advantage. While there are times we might wish for a more spacious RV, its length of just over nineteen feet allows us to navigate a wide range of environments effortlessly. It fits comfortably into most parking lots, campsites, trailheads, and even residential driveways. Choosing a larger, wider RV would undoubtedly restrict our adventures and make everyday errands significantly more challenging.
Responsive Winnebago Service: We’ve had occasion to contact Winnebago’s technical support line on multiple occasions, and each time we’ve received prompt and helpful assistance, getting the answers we needed. They even went above and beyond to guide a mobile RV repair technician through complex troubleshooting steps over the phone.
Furthermore, Winnebago honored our warranty claims without hesitation when we brought our Revel in for service. Replacement parts were dispatched swiftly, and we didn’t incur any costs.
Exceptional Mercedes Service: The Mercedes-Benz service experience has been equally impressive. When contacting Mercedes-Benz, their service team immediately recognizes us and has readily accessible information about our specific Sprinter chassis. Twice during our one-year warranty period, Mercedes-Benz provided complimentary towing to the nearest authorized service center without any complications.
At every Mercedes-Benz service location we’ve visited, we’ve been offered a private office space to wait and work comfortably. Moreover, they’ve consistently been welcoming to our dog.
The staff at Mercedes-Benz dealerships routinely offer snacks, water, and coffee while you wait. Depending on the specific service center, they may also provide a complimentary van wash.
The Less Ideal Aspects of the Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel
Cramped Living Quarters: Even for someone of my petite stature (5’4″ and 120 pounds), the living space in the Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel is undeniably tight. I’m fairly certain it’s only a matter of time before I break a pinky toe from constantly bumping my feet against the particle board at the back of the bench seat. Concussions also feel like an occupational hazard, given how often I’ve hit my head on the same spots of the upper shelving.
Removing the shower walls entirely would significantly open up the living area and minimize the risk of further bruising. Interestingly, we haven’t actually used the built-in shower even once during our three years of ownership.
Overly Sensitive Chassis Warning System: The Mercedes Sprinter chassis undoubtedly incorporates advanced safety features. However, the abundance of warning lights and incessant beeping sounds can be quite distracting and, at times, frustrating. The lane departure warnings, for example, sometimes second-guess my lane changes on busy freeways with audible alerts, even when it’s perfectly safe. Furthermore, when these sophisticated sensors malfunction, replacement costs are exorbitant.
Another point to consider is the limited number of repair shops certified to work on Mercedes-Benz vehicles compared to more common chassis like Ford or Ram.
Extended Winterization Periods: While the Revel is marketed as a four-season RV, our experience and the advice of RV professionals suggest otherwise for truly cold climates. The RV manual and RV repair shops strongly recommend winterizing the plumbing system if you anticipate exposure to freezing temperatures.
Despite the “four-season” designation, we’ve found that winterizing is essential for our travels through ski resort areas. We had initially hoped the Revel would allow us to maintain operational plumbing throughout the winter as we moved between ski destinations. However, our experiences, detailed here, led us to conclude that winterization is crucial.
In milder winter climates, such as the Sierras or the Pacific Northwest, where nighttime lows remain in the high twenties or warmer, the Revel’s plumbing might function adequately. However, in regions like Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, where temperatures frequently plummet to single digits or even negative values, plumbing failures become a significant risk. Our firm recommendation is to winterize your Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel if you are in consistently freezing climates and avoid potentially costly repairs. Dealing with frozen and burst plumbing is certainly not how you want to start a powder day.
Limited Gear Storage Capacity: Despite the available storage solutions, accommodating all our outdoor gear and keeping it protected remains a challenge. While external racks and storage boxes can be added to the Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel, and there is a sizable “garage” area beneath the bed, space is still at a premium for full-time living. We have implemented modifications to our Revel, which we detailed here, to optimize gear storage for all four seasons and enhance security against theft and weather damage. However, we still find it necessary to rent monthly paid storage to accommodate everything.
Our biggest storage dilemma revolves around our mountain bikes. While we utilize an exterior bike rack, we haven’t found a suitable cover to shield the bikes from corrosive winter road grime.
Storing the bikes under the bed isn’t feasible, as that space is already fully utilized for essential full-time living items. Even if garage space were available, the bed must be raised to accommodate the bikes, rendering the bed unusable in that position. Consequently, during ski season, our bikes remain in off-site storage.
Features of the Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel We Don’t Utilize
The Interior Shower: The wet bath in the Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel incorporates a shower and a cassette toilet. The space also included three bamboo shelves in the upper portion of the closet, providing the option to repurpose the wet bath for storage. We utilize the cassette toilet and two of the shelves, but the shower remains unused.
Initially, we considered a shower a mandatory feature when purchasing our first RV. However, we quickly learned the practical realities of having one in a small space. Thoroughly drying the wet bath after each shower is essential to prevent mold growth due to inadequate ventilation. Furthermore, water tends to spread everywhere in the confined living space. In a van, the bathroom, kitchen, living room, bedroom, office, mudroom, and garage essentially merge into one multi-functional area.
Although there is a powered roof vent, completely drying the wet bath can take hours, if it happens at all. Wiping down the space with towels is an option, but then you’re left with damp towels that require air drying, potentially adding unwanted moisture inside the van if outdoor drying isn’t possible due to weather. The most effective method we’ve found for drying a wet bath is opening all the van doors and windows, which is also weather-dependent. And don’t forget about the shower curtain – that needs drying too!
Shower water consumption is another factor. We prefer utilizing public showers to conserve our freshwater supply for drinking, cooking, and dishwashing. The Revel’s 21-gallon freshwater tank can be depleted quickly after just a couple of showers, in addition to other water needs. With my long hair, shampooing, conditioning, and rinsing require a significant amount of water. I’ve even jokingly considered shaving my head to minimize water usage.
The Awning: When we bought our first RV, a Winnebago Travato, we envisioned the awning as a prime outdoor living feature. Now, we view it as a potentially vulnerable and expensive addition.
The Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel’s Carefree awning is designed to automatically retract when it detects excessive motion caused by wind. However, in sudden wind gusts or rapidly increasing wind speeds, the awning might not retract quickly enough to prevent damage.
We spend much of our time in mountainous regions where unpredictable wind gusts are common. On one seemingly calm and sunny day in Olympic Valley, we decided to extend our awning. Without any warning, a powerful wind gust twisted the awning violently in one direction, then another. It eventually retracted slowly, but I was hesitant to reopen it, fearing it might not close again.
Awnings are likely safest in locations with gentle breezes or areas where wind speeds increase gradually. Given our frequent exposure to gusty winds, we rarely use the awning on our Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel.
The shade provided by the awning is also limited by the van’s orientation to the sun. While repositioning the van to optimize shade throughout the day is theoretically possible, it’s often impractical depending on campsite setup or location.
We find a portable E-Z UP canopy to be a more versatile and practical shade solution. It’s significantly less expensive to replace if damaged and can be easily positioned to provide shade precisely where needed.
The Fold-Down Exterior Table: On the sliding door side of the galley in the Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel, there’s a fold-down table designed for outdoor use. However, utilizing this table necessitates keeping the sliding door open. Often, we prefer to use a table in a different location entirely. Similar to the awning, we’d prefer a portable table that can be positioned anywhere we choose.
Overall Satisfaction After Three Years with the Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel?
Despite these minor drawbacks, the answer is a resounding yes! We are extremely happy with our Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel purchase. After living in a 2018 Winnebago Travato for six months, we traded it in for the Revel in February 2019. You can read more about our reasons for the trade here. We remain thrilled with our Revel and incredibly grateful for the adventurous and fulfilling lifestyle it has enabled. No regrets whatsoever!
Future Plans: Moving On From Our Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel?
Having lived in a van for three and a half years and owned three different models (Chevy Express AWD, Winnebago Travato, Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel), we’ve learned a great deal about optimizing tiny living spaces for our specific needs. We’ve come to realize that the Revel, while excellent, is slightly too refined and inflexible for our evolving lifestyle.
We are now drawn to the idea of a more modular living space that can be easily reconfigured to suit our changing needs throughout the year. Furthermore, we desire components that are simple to repair and replace using the limited tools we can carry and our current skillset. We are actively exploring the possibility of building a simpler, custom van that is better tailored to our long-term vision. The exploration continues!
It’s truly remarkable to think we’ve called our Mercedes-Benz Winnebago Revel home for three years, and we are excited for the adventures to come. Purchasing the Revel and embracing van life has undoubtedly been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made!
Update: We sold our Winnebago Revel!
