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Customized vans could be the next big trend (Idaho Statesman - this is my local paper and may require registration).
Another story is in the Herald Today.
Please keep us posted.
Steve, Host
http://www.airstream.com/product_line/touring_coaches/interstate_- home.html
Steve, Host
I would not want to drive one of these tall, narrow motorhomes across either Wyoming or Kansas.
However, the winds along the front range of Colorado can toss the jumbo jets around as they fly into Denver from the west. Cross winds along I-25 can also be scary in high profile vehicles like the Sprinters.
Steve, Host
Unlike the VW Bus, the Astro had enough power to maintain speed even driving into a strong wind. The Astro 4.3L V6 had more torque and horsepower than the CDI diesel of the Sprinter.
So if we take the the GCWR of 15,200 lbs and subtract the weight of the vehicle itself, 4426, we are left with 10,774 lbs of total load capacity. Lets subtract 774 lbs for driver, passenger, fuel and equipment and use 10,000 lbs as the maximum payload/towing weight. The Gooseneck trailer weighs 3000 lbs. This means I can tow a 7000 lb car and still be withing the factory specs. Most of the vehicles I tow are 5000 lbs or less. My thoughts are: Tow trucks run empty about 50% to 75% of the time. example: drive 10 miles to a tow, tow it 10 miles away from home base and come back empty 20 miles=10 loaded, 30 empty. Im looking for the Sprinter to save on fuel and maintenance costs. Brand new Flat bed tow trucks are $60k to $70k. The Sprinter and trailer cost will be approximately $35k. Im not worried about getting anywhere in a hurry. The town I tow in is pretty flat. I dont want to grossly overload the vehicle. With the Gooseneck/5th wheel I am well within the manufacturers payload/towing specs. Thank you in advance for your responses. I have contacted several Freightliner dealers and they tell me. Should work. But I am curious what Sprinter owners have to say, not just the salesmen. Thanks again.
I am finally hitting the point where I have to upgrade to a bigger vehicle than my Forester .
Here is my situation: Single woman but I show dogs :-) That means I need a van that can carry dog crates effectively. I need/would like an interior height of approximately 48 inches as I would stack crates (crates are 23 inches in height). This negates most minivans since the demise of the Aerostar. I am looking at the VW Eurovans, Chevy Astro, and the Sprinter.
To be honest, the only real reason I am looking at the Eurovan is because I work as a prosecutor and have chance of getting a good deal on a 1995 Eurovan that was forfeited due to a drug conviction. But I want to make sure I am not buying a van that is not suited to my particular needs.
Would be buying used anyway as I would keep my Forester for the daily driving. I live in Montana and travel quite a bit to other states for shows so reliability and good snow vehicle is a must.
I have been a long time Subaru owner and this will be the first non-Subaru that I will be buying. I have to admit I have gotten used to the excellent safety features on the Subaru so I would lean towards a vehicle that has crappier gas mileage but better safety history.
So what does everyone think? Is one of these vehicles better suit to my lifestyle than the other?
Thanks so much and sorry for the disjointed message :-)
Astro: perfect for you, big good power, nearly free 2 years old, cheap parts, no problem in your useage not having hideaway rear seat like other Minivans, I really liked mine after 120K miles but wanted something "nicer". Bought an Oddysey, very refined but lots of money.
Eurovan: do not make them anymore so 1 to 2 years old going for MSRP af new one, around $30K. 10 years old good luck on parts and no aftermarket support for Mods. NO POWER with 5 cyl engine. Lots of room on the inside not to huge on the outside, "different" as a Subi owner you might like that.
Sprinter. Great mileage, great load carrying, great towing, "different", 4 different sizes of HUGE. Lots of money. You can tell everyone you drive a Benz:-)
If you are looking for fuction for your dollar the Astro wins hands down.
a '95 Eurovan, which has another 15 years of life in it (unlike the GM) has a surprisingly large number of sources for after-market parts. Just do a quick google search. (our '94 has over 200k on it, and is on 2nd battery, 3rd set of tires, and we just replaced exhaust ... everything works still, including AC and cruise, and it gets 25 MPG driven moderately hard)
And a Sprinter is not a Benz ... its a VW LT with a Benz engine. Mercedes also sells Eurovans with a Benz engine in Europe. Try buying alloys for a Eurovan and you can use anything designed for a MB.
Both VWs (Sprinter and Eurovan) are built like tanks, so safety should be no concern.
Second: "You can tell people you drive a Benz" is followed by a Happy :-) meaning you are driving a Dodge/Benz/VW work truck with seats, which I would have fun saying with a snob voice "actually it is a Benz"
One thing to keep in mind is the height. I checked the specs, 93" tall. I can not get a low roof Sprinter in to the garage at work or the garage at home, this really limits my ability to convince my wife we really need one.
A 2 year old GM with warantee is a good deal.
just ditch it once the problems start to show up.
But you may be lucky and hot have any.
Height: Even the Eurovan will not fit into many parking garages. Its probably 1/2 a foot taller than an Astro. One of the nice features of the height is that you are looking over the sea of mini-vans and mini-SUVs, and the seats are very upright, so you can drive long distances without back problems (I drove from Canada to Mexico several times now in different vehicles and the VW vans have been the best so far).
But I'd love to have a sprinter instead.
Within 10 years when I'm not working 70 hours/week I'd like to get a conversion to tour the US and Canada in. By then there should even be good deals on used units.
Anyone with answers/suggestions out there?
Steve, Host
My wife and I have driven the Airstream & Gulfstream conversion Sprinters. We love them and are trying to decide which one. CMI has a very nice custom Sprinter for about $140k the others can be had for $70k to $80k. Great size that fits in most parking lots. Not much different than driving a Suburban or Excursion. Have talked to two owners that never get under 20 mpg even around town. That is great for such a big vehicle.
This van is popular all over the world. They have sold 1.2 million of them so far, under different names.
http://www.autospectator.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=877
Simply rebuilding a German knockdown in the U.S. would not acount for 62.5% of the cost. Does anyone know how they avoid this?
"This van is popular all over the world. They have sold 1.2 million of them so far, under different names. "
Of the 1.2 million, are those just the ones with a M-B badge, or is that the VW-LT, MB-Sprinter and Freightliner badges combined?
MB's original contract with VW was for 6 years. The PR when they renewed it for another 6 years was very positive from Benz. With only 2 years left, it looks very likely that they will continue to buy these trucks from VW.
Here's the UK site with the broader lineup, including the cab & chassis versions.
http://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/ltshowroom/index.php
There was also a 5th-wheel transporter version that looked really cool, but I don't see it on the site now...
,read the hype and traded a nearly new vehicle to get it.
It was the most unpleasant purchase of my car buying life.The Freestyle is my 39th new vehicle.The Splinter averaged 20mpg,oil change was $120,wipers are $60 at the dealer and I had several small problems,but I had major problems that I have never experienced in a vehicle before.When my dealer offered less than 1/2 for a trade in price,I shopped the van from Tx to Ohio.The wicked witch is gone,the breakdowns,noise,and rough ride and rough engineering showed up before the first payment.
Please,BUY AMERICAN,because you are one.
lizzzard
I don't think this was a wise match.
The Sprinter is a serious 1.5 ton truck.
The people that are happiest with it are those who are replacing a gas guzzling 1-ton cargo van (as in 8 MPG in the city).
Compared to the cargo van, it probably handles better, uses much less fuel, and has a smaller turning circle.
But compared to a car ... well, its a truck!
I'm sure you'll love your freestyle. We just test-drove a Ford 500 a couple of hours ago (freestyle without the SUV styling or 3rd row sear) and it is a European car built in Detroit (much like the Chrysler 300). The Chrysler is a Benz e-class, and the 500/freestyle is slightly bloated Volvo. They will be immensely successful.
But don't blame the truck for riding like a truck!
Is the Sprinter still made in Germany? and
What is the body structure? Frame or Unibody??
Regards!!
Dan
I heard it was 6 months, but I'm sure that was a load of bull.
158” Wheelbase, GVW 8550 lbs, 102” High Roof Version/Inside Height 73”
Ordered Mar 2004 from Union Dodge, Garden Grove, Delivered Jun 2004, Outfitted as a plumbing van from Jun thru Sep 2004, and put in service Sep 2004.
Good Points
Great visibility out of front window
Very roomy – room to standup in the back
Great gas mileage – 18 city/21 hwy (actual)
Turning radius – made a tighter turn than a small pickup truck
Union Dodge of Garden Grove Service department has done a good job in most instances of taking care of downtimes in a speedy manner, thanks to Lynette.
Bad Points :mad:
Brakes growl due to semi-metalic pads
Poor road tracking during high winds
Car manual poorly written
Customer service via their 800 helpline is a poor excuse for customer service.
I’ve been asked to take 2 different market surveys on how I like the Sprinter for a pretty good sum of money. If Daimler/Chrysler would just sink that money into satisfying existing customers and let them tell their story, I think they would get more for their money.
No Sprinter parts are stocked locally by dealer, which means that almost every part must be shipped in.
No tilt steering wheel – the Germans feel it’s better to tilt the drivers seat. There are certain locations the seat goes that make the drivers side mirror unusable.
At least 10 times within it's first year this van had to be taken out of service for repairs that should not have been necessary.
Max speed is 80 mph indicated/75 mph actual.
Feel that Daimler/Chrysler corporate isn’t handling the support of the Sprinter the way they should. Is it a Freightliner, a Mercedes, or a Dodge?
History (Mileage listed first) :sick:
0050 – EGR valve failure – vehicle would limp around at no more than 40 mph. Daimler/Chrysler knew of the problem, but would not replace it until the unit failed. Glad I wasn’t on a road trip!!
0174 – Replace broken front grill & license plate holder. Dirt debris noticed in both rear sealed tail lights – no fix available at this time.
1964 – Brakes growling – unable to duplicate for technician. Buzzing in cab – buzzing was EGR valve which had been recalled – replace 2nd EGR valve.
0220 – Drivers side mirror won’t tilt back far enough to see behind van – no fix is available. Check engine light came on – found an unplugged sensor.
2714 – Brakes growling – unable to duplicate noise for technician. Transmission leak – Replaced 3 “O” rings on trans drain plug.
3927 – Right rear door top right hinge broken making access to the back of the van impossible – Replace. Brakes growling and noticed by mechanic. Ordered rotors, pads & sensors for front brakes.
4421 – Replace front brakes – growling eliminated. Speedometer error. Noticed that GPS and road side radar indicating slower speed than my speedometer – technician determined it was within 6% margin of error allowed by federal government and no change was necessary. I believe the actual error is between 5-6%. No adjustment is available.
6496 – Red oil warning light on instrument panel illuminated – discovered in the manual that diesel oil usage is normal at a rate of .5% fuel consumption. Add diesel oil. Brakes growling again – per Starline (a helpline for the dealer) this is normal for semi-metallic brake pads. Valve stem recall – replace valve stem in all tires.
7118 – A/C hose rupture. Low pressure s.o.p. a/c hose found to be rubbing on radiator supports causing hose to rupture. Replaced left/right rear tail light housing assemblies collecting debris.
8426 – Right rear door top right hinge broken – 2nd time – making access to the back of the van impossible – replace.
While I resist looking into the Lemon Law :lemon: for rights as a purchaser, the defects continue.
This is, what the LT looks like (in quiet an interesting version):
That MB sells Eurovans als Mercedes´ is wrong, too. The actual version of what I believe you call Eurovan (here it´s called T5 - "T" standing for Transporter) looks like this:
or in its commercial version like this:
Mercedes offers a competitor called Viano (successor of the mentioned Vito/V-Class). It looks like this:
The commercial versions are still called Vito:
The T5 and Viano have nothing in common as far as I know. At least for the T5 I know, that it has a whole bunch of engine choices, which includes a 204 hp V6-gasoline engine. I doubt, it wouldn´t make its way in America.
I was glad to see the Sprinters made it over to America the last time I was there. For personal use, I like the Amercian Vans better or would choose the T5. But I never got, why you would need big, good sounding gas-guzzlers for your business. Maybe that´s my opinion because gas here costs 3 times of what it costs in America. Diesel also is a bit cheaper. In fact, I even drive a diesel car, a 05 Audi A3 TDI, which isn´t offered in America either.
http://www.sportsmobile.com/2_sr_classc_info.html
According to the manual only the dealer can do it, but im sure theres a way around it. Any info would be helpful. If I find any info out, ill post it. Thank you.
Lack of latch system & tether anchor for car seats.
RWD during the winter up in the Northeast.
Extreme cold starting in the winter.
Would anyone have any comments?
The family amenities are slim, as are knowledgeable aftermarket sites. Has anyone installed an entertainment system in a unit with the Auxiliary cooling group?
You may have some difficulty finding a shop to install aftermarket electronics in a Sprinter. It may say Dodge or Freightliner on the front but this is a Mercedes commercial vehicle, and installation manuals and a knowledge base are thin. I would try to put the responsibility on the dealer to find an installer and have him do it before you take delivery. If you want an alarm have it done at the same time.
Please be aware that the seats in Sprinter, although very comfortable weigh a ton. It is a two (strong) man job to take them out or put them back. This is not a mini van that allows you to flip seats around with a couple fingers.
Our 118" passenger Sprinter is a big hit with our kids sports teams. They feel like they have their own team bus are celebrities when they show up at events. Also be prepared to talk to everybody about your Sprinter. The only way to get more attention is to walk a kangaroo on a leash through your local mall. Sprinters have a "big homely puppy" look that cuts across gender and age groups.
I have had to replace front rotors on both my wife's SAAB and my Passat every other time I replace pads. The pads last 20-25k, so front rotors at 50k and rears at 75k seems "normal" to me.
I'd get a second opinion from another Dodge Business Link Dealer. I've found great differences in Sprinter dealers ethics and knowledge in my area. I actually pass 4 others driving 250 miles to get to the one I trust to work on mine.
It is a good thing you can sleep comfortably along side the road because you often find yourself stranded in VW van. This is a fact of love for VW van owners so there is not arguing with them on it. He is on his third engine (every 160K).
I hope my Sprinter engine goes 400K, time will tell.
I can carry 3 rafts, 8 kayaks and 6 people to river trips with out a problem.
I don't even have to take the kayaks off the roof to pop the top at the camp sight
Please keep the "wear your seat belt"comments to your self. I believe in the right to choose. I just took delievery of my 05 Sprinter box truck yesterday. I never even been in a sprinter before. It will be used as an electrical service truck like My Ford E450 diesel box truck. That ford willl eat you alive in fuel costs and repairs. it needs brake pads and rotors on all 4 wheels every15-20,000 miles, it gets 9 MPG with thepowerstroke 7.3 liter diesel. it needed a transmission at 34,000 miles. that was $3500 and is still not right. it wears front tires like crazy, needs 6 tires every 20-25,000 miles. and the ALuminum box is rotting away, yes aluminum rotting away. Thats not fords fault but american cargo who made the box and attaced the aluminum skirting to steel tube stock. the dissimilar metals make the aluminum rot away faster.
I hope the sprinter does better. It better at $48k withthe aluminum Hackney body on the back. I amnot inmpressed with the thin sheetmetal unibody, but we'll see. I am surprised at the power it hasfor such a tiny engine.