I am contemplating a purchase of a used Dodge or Freightliner Sprinter Van
for my business. I have heard claims of 24 mpg with the 5 cyl. Mercedes
diesel they come equipped with. I am planning on using it as a camper and
towing a 5000 lb tandem cargo trailer with it (actually a 7500lb loaded to
5000 lbs.). I really like the fact you can stand up in one of these vans.
Does anyone have any real world experience towing with one of these rigs?
dodge.com/sprinter



--
Steve

"Steve Peterson" wrote in message
...
I am contemplating a purchase of a used Dodge or Freightliner Sprinter Van
for my business. I have heard claims of 24 mpg with the 5 cyl. Mercedes
diesel they come equipped with. I am planning on using it as a camper and
towing a 5000 lb tandem cargo trailer with it (actually a 7500lb loaded to
5000 lbs.). I really like the fact you can stand up in one of these vans.
Does anyone have any real world experience towing with one of these rigs?
dodge.com/sprinter



--
Steve

I, also wanted a Sprinter until...a bud of mine that works for Dodge told me
not to. They are the biggest Sprinter dealer in Oh. He said: Lots of
electrical problems and no two seem to have the same harness. The seem to
have a lot of other problems and people have brought them back at
gunpoint...literally. What does "more vertical miles than horizontal miles"
mean? They do look cool though. I got a 1 ton Ford extended and am
thrilled with it.

"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
news

"Steve Peterson" wrote in message
...
I am contemplating a purchase of a used Dodge or Freightliner Sprinter Van
for my business. I have heard claims of 24 mpg with the 5 cyl. Mercedes
diesel they come equipped with. I am planning on using it as a camper and
towing a 5000 lb tandem cargo trailer with it (actually a 7500lb loaded to
5000 lbs.). I really like the fact you can stand up in one of these vans.
Does anyone have any real world experience towing with one of these rigs?
dodge.com/sprinter



--
Steve

I, also wanted a Sprinter until...a bud of mine that works for Dodge told
me not to. They are the biggest Sprinter dealer in Oh. He said: Lots of
electrical problems and no two seem to have the same harness. The seem to
have a lot of other problems and people have brought them back at
gunpoint...literally. What does "more vertical miles than horizontal
miles" mean? They do look cool though. I got a 1 ton Ford extended and
am thrilled with it.

Tom
Thanks for the heads up. I found a forum for the Sprinter.....not much for
electrical problems but the brakes seem to be noisy and the pads eating
rotors seems to be a popular topic. I see Chevy came out with a Duramax in a
van and it is quite a bit cheaper than the Sprinter. My 2000 Chev HD 2500
Pickup with a 5.7 is getting 10-11 mpg with a pop up camper and the cargo
trailer in tow. The 3.73 gears seem to be just about right for 65 MPH. Even
at that rate I am afraid it would take a long time to offset the $30,000
purchase price of a newer diesel van.
Steve

They are a PIA to get parts for and they eat front brakes and bearings
like candy. The wiring harness is a JOKE. The engine is about the only
solid part in the entire vehicle. The outfit I worked for switched to
them. They seem to spend a LOT of time in the shop. two days a month has
been the fleet average for 15 vehicles. They are now switching over to
Ford F 350 service vans.

--
Steve Williams

"Tom Gardner" wrote in message
news

"Steve Peterson" wrote in message
...
I am contemplating a purchase of a used Dodge or Freightliner
Sprinter Van
for my business. I have heard claims of 24 mpg with the 5 cyl.
Mercedes
diesel they come equipped with. I am planning on using it as a camper
and
towing a 5000 lb tandem cargo trailer with it (actually a 7500lb
loaded to
5000 lbs.). I really like the fact you can stand up in one of these
vans.
Does anyone have any real world experience towing with one of these
rigs?
dodge.com/sprinter



--
Steve

I, also wanted a Sprinter until...a bud of mine that works for Dodge
told me
not to. They are the biggest Sprinter dealer in Oh. He said: Lots
of
electrical problems and no two seem to have the same harness. The
seem to
have a lot of other problems and people have brought them back at
gunpoint...literally. What does "more vertical miles than horizontal
miles"
mean? They do look cool though. I got a 1 ton Ford extended and am
thrilled with it.





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On Mon, 10 Apr 2006 19:17:31 -0400, "Steve W."
wrote:


They are a PIA to get parts for and they eat front brakes and bearings
like candy. The wiring harness is a JOKE. The engine is about the only
solid part in the entire vehicle. The outfit I worked for switched to
them. They seem to spend a LOT of time in the shop. two days a month has
been the fleet average for 15 vehicles. They are now switching over to
Ford F 350 service vans.
Very typical for a mercedes produced commercial. When they work,
they work well. When the don't, they're HELL.
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Everyone I have talket to about these have had only great things to say
about them, at least from a drivers point of view.

Time will tell however as I am waiting for them to get to about $3-4K in the
used market.

I have a 5 cyl mercedes diesel car that has given me damn good service.

--
Roger Shoaf

If knowledge is power, and power corrupts, what does this say about the
Congress?

"Steve Peterson" wrote in message
...
I am contemplating a purchase of a used Dodge or Freightliner Sprinter Van
for my business. I have heard claims of 24 mpg with the 5 cyl. Mercedes
diesel they come equipped with. I am planning on using it as a camper and
towing a 5000 lb tandem cargo trailer with it (actually a 7500lb loaded to
5000 lbs.). I really like the fact you can stand up in one of these vans.
Does anyone have any real world experience towing with one of these rigs?
dodge.com/sprinter



--
Steve

On Mon, 10 Apr 2006 19:17:31 -0400, "Steve W."
wrote:


They are a PIA to get parts for and they eat front brakes and bearings
like candy. The wiring harness is a JOKE. The engine is about the only
solid part in the entire vehicle. The outfit I worked for switched to
them. They seem to spend a LOT of time in the shop. two days a month has
been the fleet average for 15 vehicles. They are now switching over to
Ford F 350 service vans.

They aren't a whole lot better - My Boss bought a 99 E250 van for
me, and the overall reliability has been good.

If you don't count the two transmissions (8K miles and 90K) that
didn't totally fail (No 'Hook Time') but I had to limp in for
rebuilds, and the 'Twin I-Beam' suspension that chews up front tires
at a prodigious rate from the scrubbing action of the camber changes.

Why they don't scrap that stupid Twin I-Beam system and go to either
standard A-Arms or struts I'll never figure out.

-- Bruce --

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.