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They stopped making them in 2021. They never sold that many.
As much as I like the VQ40 it was way underpowered for a van - if you buy one make sure to get the V8.
Anyone bought or shopped for a MB Sprinter?
- Thread starter Pablo
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As much as I like the VQ40 it was way underpowered for a van - if you buy one make sure to get the V8.
Sprinter paint is also thin. The thinnest I think I've ever seen.
Everyone else's paint is better.
I wasn't sure whether OP was shopping new or used. I had assumed used.
If you think the VQ40 is underpowered, the other full-size vans have 4-cylinder engines.
Our vans are all 3/4 ton, single rear wheel, wheelbases between the MB & Ford were really close. Transit vans are the high roof. I outfit them with another guy(have built out like 20+ vans now)and we used the same Adrien Steel bin packages so the rear cargo areas were almost identical in length. By the time the vans are fully built and loaded with parts and tools they are on the heavy side.
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I never went with the SRW in my application.
When you say outfit them what type of uplifting are you doing?
Pretty sure the transits are 130 and 148
The sprinters are 144 and 170.
The cargo is about the same volume but the sprinter is rated to carry more.
There is tremendous rear overhang on the ford when you put the longest body on the comparatively short wheelbase.
They get rear heaters, spray foam, paneling(these latest 3 didn’t come with panels from Ford), installation of our Adrian Steel package we put together, vise setups, CNG setups(for work), interior ladder rack, construction of wood boxes to hold our gas meters, a table and few other things specific to our job tasks. Takes about 2 weeks per van. We just finished one, I’ll try and grab a couple pics tomorrow.
Ok my 2 cents... I purchased a used 2006 tall boy on eBay used with 8,000 miles. I took a bus to Pennsylvania to pick it up from a Dodge dealer there. I fell in love with it and drove it home. Was a daily driver by me highway 25 MPG for a truck one could stand up in.. Turbo replaced twice under warranty because of the Variable Venturi actuator it would fail (lacked heat shielding needed I believe). Its Called a Variable Geometry Turbo (VGT) assembly. EGR was replaced before I bought it. Rust resistance Zero I believe just a coat of paint. . Ball joints at 45,000 Transmission oil leak at 28,000. It had a Wabasto coolant heater and this failed at 30,000 Another EGR under recall If i remember right. Engine wire harness corroded thru out of warranty. 3800 for its replacement at a Dodge dealer. It was the only option then that had the wide opening rear doors, great turning radius, great fuel mileage high roof etc. Then other followed suit. When I sold it at 62,000 it had rust spots everywhere and heavy underneath. 100th the run away group. MB is not a good vehicle although they could be amazing. The basic engine was great as MB should know how to build them
FYI Mercedes owned Dodge at the time and made the Dodge sprinter. Shipped it here from over the pond, and assembled it here avoiding the new vehicle tax I was told. MB had used a great deal of other parts in other vehicles Dodge they made at the time as well which make sense. I missed it as it was perfect for me at the time. Better options now. The Transit is my choice out of the others. Get a oil rust coating and maintain it and it will last a long long time. Ford rust heavy as well eventually, as do most vehicles today.
FYI Mercedes owned Dodge at the time and made the Dodge sprinter. Shipped it here from over the pond, and assembled it here avoiding the new vehicle tax I was told. MB had used a great deal of other parts in other vehicles Dodge they made at the time as well which make sense. I missed it as it was perfect for me at the time. Better options now. The Transit is my choice out of the others. Get a oil rust coating and maintain it and it will last a long long time. Ford rust heavy as well eventually, as do most vehicles today.
This rust seems to be a Gen 1 thing. Dunno. I've never seen a rusty relatively new Sprinter here.
For the record, I'm talking about a RV Camper van, not a DD or work van.
For the record, I'm talking about a RV Camper van, not a DD or work van.
Pablo....stay away from the Sprinter. I bought one new and deeply regretted it from the first week. A week in the thing started coughing. Taken out of service for days to get a part from Germany. I had several breakdowns thereafter. No one would work on it and I had to take it to the dealer. When the turbo went out it sat for a month waiting for a fix. I lost tens of thousand of dollars in down time with that thing. The last straw was when the dealer I bough it from would no longer service it. They said they got rid of their proprietary diagnostics and that I had to send it two hours away to work on it. They were sick of the problems and essentially washed their hands of them. I finally sold the thing to another business. A few weeks after they purchased the van it got totaled and insurance cashed out. They don't know how lucky they were.
Rvs live a cushy life. Mostly highway miles, not driven in salty weather (most people camp in the summer)
This was a work van. Thus the loss of income. I cannot over emphasize what a horrible experience the whole thing was.
It would seem that a vehicle which works well in commercial use would also be fine as a road tripping camper, while one that doesn't work well as a daily use commercial might not be any better as a camper van.
Once you fit everything to transform a bare van into a nice camper, it must weigh close to what it would as a service truck.
I know I'd be more than happy to leave my broken camper van I paid 100K for in the hands of people I have no knowledge of while wife and I flew home.
Just food for thought. If you went cheaper the regrets would be much less.
Once you fit everything to transform a bare van into a nice camper, it must weigh close to what it would as a service truck.
I know I'd be more than happy to leave my broken camper van I paid 100K for in the hands of people I have no knowledge of while wife and I flew home.
Just food for thought. If you went cheaper the regrets would be much less.
A family member had one used with a 501c - a cargo van with some extras, it was the last year of the generation immediately prior to the current one. It was a horrible choice, it no joke spent as many days in the shop as it was used. To say the customer service was indifferent would be putting it mildly.
Than I'm missing something... The RV stuff is an add on and is irrelevant to the sprinter conversation.
If you are asking about an RV than my opinion is they are great depending on who made the conversion happen. There are so many different lay-outs and options today.
Perhaps I'm wrong, but It sounds like your mind is made up already. I know the feeling. I was warned as well when I purchased mine. Perhaps they are better brand new. Mine was hacked at the selling dealer as well costing me thousands from poor techs so good luck with the warranty work, hopefully they have improved. Do what you will and report back Pablo. We all would be interested.
I am talking about an RV
My mind isn't made up at all.
Thanks. I am still stewing on it.
My dad had one, I think Ive posted on it before. I loved driving it, almost as easy as a car. It would run cabin heat with the engine off, and get mid 20’s on the highway. The sheet metal surrounding the windshield rusted out and nobody would touch it for repairs. They sold it.
that said, I’m not sure if it was really that bad, or just an exaggeration to go buy something else. Personally I really liked the driving dynamics.
edit- PS - dashboard plastics all fell apart way too fast.
that said, I’m not sure if it was really that bad, or just an exaggeration to go buy something else. Personally I really liked the driving dynamics.
edit- PS - dashboard plastics all fell apart way too fast.
JHZR2
Staff member
There’s a guy around here that only services sprinters. He is always busy.
The old ones were just Mb diesel engines. Not hard to work on or diagnose. I’m sure the newer ones are more complex, gas or diesel.
