Dodge Sprinter

irishbogs · January 2005

I have a new Sprinter cargo van on order. When it arrives, I intend to get it converted into a 9 person passenger conversion van. The converter I was going to use, Elk Automotive in Elkhart, Indiana just closed their doors. I am aware of Midway Specialty in Elkhart as well that does Sprinter conversions. Is anyone aware of any other Sprinter conversion companies? Thanks.

stever · January 2005

Don't know - GM is making a renewed push to sell customized vans, so maybe the number of conversion companies will stabilize.

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

gagrice · February 2005

The Airstream dealer close to me in San Diego sells the Sprinter conversion vans. He keeps about 10 on the lot and they sell very fast. We looked at them and may buy one for cross country travel....

gagrice · February 2005

Here is the link with all the specs on this very nice conversion.

http://www.airstream.com/product_line/touring_coaches/interstate_- home.html

stever · February 2005

Pretty spiffy. Wonder how it handles the winds crossing Kansas on the interstate?

Steve, Host

hansienna · February 2005

Aren't the winds across southern Wyoming on I-80 as treacherous as Kansas?

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.

97xpresso · February 2005

It can't handle any worse than an Astro in the wind.

stever · February 2005

My reference point is my old '69 VW bus - nothing like being passed by a semi and getting sucked over into its lane, and then getting hit by a prairie breeze. Just passing a grain silo would move you over three feet.

Steve, Host

hansienna · February 2005

I have driven an Astro more than once and did not notice it being affected by the wind any more than any other vehicle of similar height. I do not think the Astro would be as adversely affected by the wind as the Sprinter.

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.

97xpresso · February 2005

I had a '68 VW bus. First year wihout the split windshield. I remember it was easily buffeted by the wind, but the '98 Astro I drive for work everyday is a close second.

roketman101 · March 2005

I enjoyed reading through all the postings. I am seeking opinions from Sprinter owners for an application I am considering. Im considering buying a cab&chassis, 140 wb with dual wheels to be used in my Towing Service. Here are my thoughts on it. The specs say: payload capacity is 5774 lbs., Towing capacity is 5000 lbs. Gross Combined Weight Rating(GCWR) is 15,200 lbs. Vehicle weight is 4426.
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.

reagentmel · March 2005

There are many companies now doing conversions on these. I even saw one yesterday that is doing a class C motorhome, due out this fall. Looks very nice. sportsmobile.com is doing that one, as well as a standard conversion to rv without changing the body. Also beckerautodesign.com does limo type conversions, instead of rv. Very nice, but very expensive. Don't know pricing on their Sprinters, but their "used" Expeditions are $120,000+. My personal favorite is creativemobileinteriors.com they do total custom jobs, either people haulers or rv or mobile office. More costly than your stock conversion, but very nice. We didn't like any of the stock conversions we saw last year, so I hooked my mom up with a van and a converter. He's still working on it 9 months later!!! Incredible work, luxury materials, but it's gotten ridiculous it took so long. Just had a meeting with Dodge and the conversion guy, who wants another 3 months to guarantee delivery!!! Will either be abandoning the project and suing Dodge for our money back, or going to creative mobile interiors to get it finished up and try to get Dodge to pay for it. Only managed one trip in the unfinished Sprinter, but my mom loved the way it drove, it's more narrow which makes it tight on space, but nice to drive. Great gas mileage, which we love, and supposed to be safer than many other vans that are traditionally used for conversions. I'm planning to get one for my family, there are six of us and the kids always seem to have friends tagging along. Just don't know yet if I can afford to convert it, or if I'm going to go with a "bus". buswest.com has two of the companies that make buses with the Sprinter (Diamler Chrysler or Starcraft Starbus), there is also "lebus" by Glaval. I drove a Glaval version last year, and loved how easy it was for such a big vehicle. I'm usually very self conscious in a large vechicle, but didn't worry in this one. They seat 10-15 people depending on the length and seating configuration.

ingridr · March 2005

Hi All -

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 :-)

97xpresso · March 2005

The three vehicles you mentioned have almost nothing in common. The Eurovan is a nice vehicle, but are you sure you want to start maintaining a 10 year old VW? The Astro (now in it's last year of production) is a very crude vehicle, very low safety ratings, but is somewhat durable and dependable. The Sprinter is a huge van, even in it's shortest wheelbase. It does get good gas mileage for it's size. I would also check into the smallest full size 6 cylinder vans from Ford and Chevy, if you not going to haul a lot of weight.

ingridr · March 2005

Thanks for your insight! Yes, the three vehicles in common have almost nothing in common - except the high interior and square body that would allow me to stack crates ;-) I will have to check out those other vans to see if they will work, I just need it to not be a cargo van.

supcrds · March 2005

As an x-owner of an Astro, have a brother in law with an Eurovan, and think I would like a Sprinter, I see what you see in common with the 3 vans. ie: you want big but not a suv.
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.

dieselbreath · March 2005

2 minor corrections:
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.

chrisducati · March 2005

I'm looking at a new Dodge sprinter high top passenger van. 118 wb model. They also have a 140wb model but that is a bit over kill for our needs. My question is have any of you used one of these as a family van? I think we would like it but have your feelings changed after living with such a large van?

supcrds · March 2005

First off I like the Euro van, huge room good mileage, cool looks in a different way (a lot like the Sprinter) my point on parts is they are limited and will take some research to find and at 10 years old you will need some parts, versus a 2 years old Astro under warrantee. I must have missed the part where you debated my comment on No Power.

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.

gershtime · March 2005

how have your maintenance costs been heard some unsubstantiated slams about rear brakes, bearinsg and stuff any help here would be greatly appreciated dave

dieselbreath · March 2005

RE: Eurovan has no power ... well, that's why it gets good mileage. However, ours is very happing cruising on I-5 at over 80 MPH (like on that stretch south of Sacramento in CA) but the mileage takes a huge dive.

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.

gcarl · March 2005

I've just purchased a 2004 Sprinter 2500 158"WB high roof van and am looking for either a liftgate which takes up little interior space (or none if it is outside)or a ramp fitting the same description. It needs to have a weight capacity of around 6-700lbs minimum. I know Tommygate makes one which is not adaptable to a Sprinter with a trailer hitch, which mine has.
Anyone with answers/suggestions out there?

stever · March 2005

You may find some suppliers listed in the Enjoy the Drive section at www.sema.org. link

Steve, Host

gagrice · March 2005

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.

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

chrisducati · March 2005

I would avoid GM or Ford. American companies do not build products for long term use. That is my experience. They build them just good enough to get them thru warranty and then the dealers can start making money on them. I'm always afraid when i hear a foreign company is setting up a factory here. I know how our society works in the factory setting. The Japanese Joe will see a part coming down the line and see a defect. Stop the part and call it to attention. The american Joe may see the defect and say to himself "wow, that is a piece of crap" and send it on down the line. Time is money, have to build quota.

jimpop · April 2005

I have a 2003 Sprinter which I purchased used from a Dodge dealer last July. It has Central locking on it. This is a very nice feature, but it seems to be more trouble than it's worth. I've had the van back twice for system reset. They tell me it's very sensitive and uses the same system as the SRS system. It will stop working when the van thinks it's been in a wreck. This is to prevent the occupants from being locked in. I was told hitting a pot hole or backing into a loading dock was enough to "trip" the system out of operation. Well, this one seems to just quit on it's own. No major bumps or anything and the system is off line. It's a real pain to have to take it to the dealer to have it reset each time it decides to quit working. I use this thing in my business and don't have time to take it in every week so they can reset it. Anyone have any ideas on this? Is there a way to reset it using some sort of scan tool? Thanks for your help.

lx100 · April 2005

How does DaimlerChrysler Vans avoid the truck tariff? In order to be exempt from the 25% tariff, the vehicle must have 62.5% local content, meaning that percentage of the vehicle's component and assembly costs must be from the NAFTA region.

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?

dieselbreath · April 2005

Great article, but it must be from Benz themselves because it doesn't mention VW.

"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...

mrlizzzard · April 2005

I had to have a Splinter,bought a 140 shc passenger model.Paid a high price and did not listen to my wife.I knew fuel was going up,and after all it was a Mercedes!!!I swapped for a 05 Ford Freestyle yesterday.I'm in a 12 step program so I will not burden you with any of the self pity.I just had to have a Splinter
,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

dieselbreath · April 2005

You sound somewhat unhappy.
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!

hansienna · April 2005

How do you know that VW did not buy the vehicle from Mercedes?

dorozco · April 2005

Just two questions...
Is the Sprinter still made in Germany? and

What is the body structure? Frame or Unibody??

Regards!!

Dan

tronno22556 · May 2005

How long of a wait to custom order a Sprinter?

I heard it was 6 months, but I'm sure that was a load of bull.

gagrice · May 2005

If you are looking for one of the standard Sprinter models they should be on the dealers lot. The dealer here in San Diego has dozens of them ready for delivery. If you are looking for a camper version, it depends on the brand. Airstream seem to be available. Sportsmobile out of TX is about 6 months wait for a custom camper. I drove the Gulfstream and it was very nice and available.

tronno22556 · May 2005

I'm looking for a cargo, but want it a certain colour and with a few additional options.

riteguy · May 2005

2004 Sprinter 2500 SHC

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.
Ive 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 its 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 isnt 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 wasnt 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 wont 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.

hmanzx · May 2005

The Sprinters were first, before the VW LT came out around here in Germany. So they are Mercedes´. I think both companies cooperate on this model but you could only call the LT a copy of the Sprinter. Also both might be built in the same (maybe VW-) factory.

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.

gagrice · May 2005

Thank you for the info and pictures. Also welcome to the forum. I really like the looks of that Viano. I would love to have one with a MB diesel. We don't get the choices here that you get for sure. Please keep us informed of what you see in the EU, especially the Sprinter. I am looking at the Sprinter conversion vans for a little cross country tour. Have you seen the Class "C" Sprinter motor home. I believe they are built in Germany also. May be my next vehicle purchase.

http://www.sportsmobile.com/2_sr_classc_info.html

n_tesla · May 2005

Mine took 5 months. I friends took 5 months too.

markyta · May 2005

Does anyone know how to reset the maintenance reminder on the Sprinter?
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.

mrnimmo · May 2005

I've read that at the next redesign, DC may make Viana and Caravan twins. Lets hope they keep more Viano than Caravan and offer a sweet little CGI.

rpinto1 · May 2005

All of these views have been extremely helpful; I still haven't seen anything that compares to the (10 passenger) Sprinter. I was pleasantly surprised by my test drive, and will most likely purchase one. I do need the space to haul 5 small children (4 car seats), and a triple baby stroller. My only concerns with the vehicle are:
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?

gneely · May 2005

Just got my yellow factory order 118 wheel base cargo van....150 days, they quoted 160 days...

n_tesla · May 2005

I have friends with Sprinters that got through Boston's third worst winter on record with the stock Goodyear Cargo Vector tires. Apparantly the electronic wizardry works. Start up in cold weather requires you wait 2-5 seconds for the glow plugs to warm up before you turn the key. I just turn the key to the "on" position, then attach my seat belt. With that done I turn the key and away I go.

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.

kidswheels · May 2005

I bought a Sprinter for my transportation service. Overall a very nice vehicle. At about 3,000 miles I expressed concern to the service department at my local dealer about the noise from the brakes. They replaced the brake pads (under warranty). Now the van has a little over 18,000 miles on it and the warning light came on that indicates the brake pads are worn. Pretty short life for brake pads! I took the vehicle in to the dealer (no one else can seem to get parts). They tell me that because the brake pads are so hard that they typically also wear the routers and all 4 need replacing. Total cost?.....just over $1,100. !!! The thought of $1100 every 15,000 miles for brakes is pretty outrageous. Any one else have this problem or am I being taken for a ride?

n_tesla · May 2005

This sounds odd to me. If the pads are "so hard" why did they wear out in 18,000 miles? As the fronts do most the work why did the rears wear out at the same time? Of course I don't know if you are driving in Manhattan or Montana and that would have a huge impact on wear.

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.

cokayak · June 2005

I have been co-pilot in my friends VW westfalia for years and have recently bought a Sprinter. I can't think of a better match then a VW body and a MB engine. All the hardware on the 88VW van is doing great, but the engine....
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

ahp691 · June 2005

does anyone knowhow to reprogram the computer to shut up the seat belt buzzer? I reprogrammed the one in my 04 Dodgediesel pickup with no problem.
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.

marine2 · June 2005

My Son-in-law is a private contractor, and just bought a new Dodge Sprinter. He brought it over last week to show me. It has a Mercedes' diesel engine in it. I really hate seeing all these foreign cars and trucks being bought up so much over here. These are jobs lost to American workers. I couldn't help but notice how many Volvo 18 wheelers there are being sold here. I only hope they have a factory here.

hssofwny · June 2005

I picked up my Sprinter about 3 months ago. It is a 2003 140" passenger van that is loaded with all the toys. I have concerns about the shifting pattern. It seems to go from 2nd to 4th (or torque converter lock up) and then back into 3rd after bogging. I tried leaving the shifter in 3rd and going through the gears and it acts the same way. That's why I think it may be the torque converter locking up prematurely. Has anyone experienced this sort of a shifting problem? Other than this, I am more than happy with this vehicle. I picked this one up after 3 full size American made vans left me at the 100,000 mile mark needing more in repairs than they were worth. I'm told the Mercedes with go to 500K and then some. Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Dodge Sprinter

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles