The Murvi Pimento is brilliantly built, using quality materials and features a well-proven, easy-to-live-in layout.
Murvi is a long-established, highly regarded campervan converter. Its Morello has won more awards than any other motorhome. Pimento is a slightly shorter version of the Morello, and as a result, it is more manoeuvrable, but crucially, retains all of the latter’s strong suits.
Enter via the wide full-height sliding side-door and you step straight into an open-plan main salon, which features swivelling cab seats and a longitudinal inward-facing sofa along the offside.
Lounge occupants have an unrivalled view outside via the huge side-door aperture, because the furniture doesn’t intrude. This is also a boon for those with mobility problems and/or who need a ramp or lift to get aboard.
Many owners leave the side settee against the wall, although it is possible to rotate the front section 90 degrees to form a Pullman dinette with the cab seats – perfect when friends visit for a meal or a drink!
In addition, it was possible for the original purchaser to specify one or two rear seatbelts, turning the (now) forward-facing settee into travel seats. The settee converts in a jiffy
to a generously sized (2 x 1.37m/ 6’ 6.75” x 4’ 6”) longitudinal double bed. Usefully, access to the cab area, kitchen and washroom remains with the bed deployed.
The half-height wardrobe above the rearward end of the settee is large enough to hold the vestments of most sartorially minded couples, although crease-free storage of full-length ball gowns and morning coats might prove more of a challenge. Shouldn’t think that will bother most of us!
A first-aid kit and fire blanket have dedicated storage in the wardrobe.
The well-equipped washroom in the offside rear corner houses a vanity basin, storage, a toilet and a shower. In addition, there’s an opening window here. Access to the toilet cassette is via the offside rear door.
The rest of the interior is taken up by the delightful kitchen. This really is a great place for culinary creation, ideal for cooking up a feast when you’re staying at a camping site for campervans. There’s plenty of natural and artificial task lighting, an amazing volume of storage, and a useful amount of work surface. All will have a stainless-steel sink with draining surface (hooray), plus a fridge and a hob.
The choice of fridge size and type (compressor/absorption), the design and fuel for the hob, and whether to add a gas oven, grill or microwave will have been made by the original buyer. It was also possible to opt for a gasless conversion that arrives with a (sealed) diesel-fired ceramic hob.
Standard space and water heating is courtesy of a Webasto diesel/230V unit and a 30-litre underfloor gas tank is standard – that’s roughly equivalent to 12kg of LPG when filled to the recommended 80%.
Original purchasers had a choice of colour for locker and cupboard doors and of (quality) soft furnishing fabrics. Fortunately, as you will be inheriting somebody else’s preference, they are all easy to live with.
The photographs shown here are all from a full test eight years ago of the Murvi Pimento 2015; my conclusion back then was that this was a magnificent motorcaravan, one of the very best. Eight years later, I haven’t changed my mind about that.
What to look out for in a used Murvi Pimento
Base vehicle
Ford’s Transit should provide a very smooth and civilised ride, one that is more compliant than the SEVEL, but without the body roll suffered by some contemporaneous Sprinters, Crafters and VW Transporters.
There have been reports of throttle body failures and in some cases, dodgy injectors. Both were subject to a recall – check these have been carried out and walk away from any models that idle unevenly or appear to lack power at certain engine revs.
The Transit’s strong sales into the commercial sector will ensure spares continue to be available for decades after production ceases, making this a savvy choice for long-term ownership.
Conversion
As always, make sure that you request evidence of a recent body integrity test or undertake your own.
There is a persistent myth that panel van conversions never leak. Wherever apertures are made in the coachwork, there is a potential for failed seals to cause water ingress.
Check everywhere, but pay particular attention around windows, rooflights and retrofitted accessories, such as awnings or satellite dishes.
Pimento is a dedicated two-berth, so you’re unlikely to find them suffering from heavy wear or broken catches caused by overenthusiastic children, but even so, it’s still important to check the operation of everything, especially the blinds and flyscreens.
Not all workshops are familiar with diesel-fired heaters, so make sure it has been safety-checked by a suitably qualified engineer.
What we like:
- Open-plan lounge
- Contemporary interior
- FWD, RWD, AWD available
- Murvi’s direct-to-customer sales and service
- Strong residuals
What we don’t like:
- Very hard to find pre-owned
Our pick
We’d go for the standard-length Pimento (an XL version is available, you can see what we made of it when we reviewed the ), preferably with automatic transmission.
- You can also take a look at our best campervan round up for more ideas, as we share our top picks on the market.
What to pay for a used Murvi Pimento
These are built up to a standard, not down to a price, so they have very high residuals. The only pre-owned Ford-based example we’ve seen for sale recently was a 2015 FWD
manual in the classifieds on eBay.
It was a private seller and the asking price was £51,000, which is what the ’van would have cost new in 2015. An equivalent model today will be over £78,500 (base vehicle price rise pending). Older pre-owned Fiat Ducato based Pimento models are available from £31,000.
Essentials
- Murvi Pimento on Ford Transit MWB
- Built 2015-present in Ivybridge, UK
- Five-door high-top panel van conversion
- Overall length: 5.53m (18’ 1.75”)
Or you could try…
Murvi Morello and Morocco on Ford Transit (2015-present) or on Fiat Ducato (1996–present). You could also think about the Chausson Titanium on a Ford Transit, models with an enviable spec.
After more used ‘van buyer inspiration? Then what about one of these:
- Used Bailey Autograph buyer (2015-present): Autographs are wide-bodied and make a great used motorhome, Gentleman Jack says.
- Used Auto-Sleeper Inca & Sigma buyer (2004-2009): This is a highly manoeuvrable motorhome with a good layout.
- Used Roller Team Toleno buyer (2018-present): There’s a choice between the Toleno L, Toleno R and Toleno S layouts with these ‘vans.
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