Mercedes Sprinters - Are They Actually All They're Made Out to be?
What is so wonderful about the Mercedes Sprinter anyway? A great question - the higher-priced Sprinter van is still a relative rarity in the US and Canada, in comparison to the E350s as well as the older Dodge/GMC/Chevy V8-powered vans. Is it improved? I'd say yes, for these reasons:
• It's potent AND fuel-efficient - fuel rates will continue rising, so you will want probably the most fuel-efficient chassis you'll be able to uncover. With all the older two.7L turbodiesel (up to 2006), the 154-hp 3.0L turbodiesel (2007-2009), or the newer 188-hp BlueTEC turbodiesel (2010 onwards), you've got the most effective mixture of energy and fuel-efficiency around the marketplace. You've to drive it to expertise the truth - at speeds from 30-60 mph, due to the incredible torque from the turbodiesel engine, you may have excellent passing energy and speedy response.
• The handling is outstanding for a car this size, and this tall - should you have driven other highroofed vans, you are going to be surprised in the way this van corners, and its stable feel at highway speeds, even in higher winds (the internal height on a high-roof Sprinter van is 6'4", the high-roof van measures roughly 9' tall all round). The cornering, acceleration and deceleration are ably assisted by the Adaptive ESP program, which involves anti-skid braking, Acceleration Skid Control, Load Adaptive Handle, electronic brake force distribution, brake help, Roll More than Mitigation, and understeering control, giving a rock-solid feel on the road, even fully loaded.
• It's got each of the amenities of a modern day passenger auto inside a van- everything you'd anticipate in a contemporary car is already regular: driver and passenger airbags (and optional sidecurtain airbags), electronic braking, ergonomic controls, power locks, power windows, heated mirrors,
with tons of attainable more solutions.
• Great interior room to get a camper conversion - a 144" wheelbase Sprinter high-roof cargo van has an interior height of 76 inches (6'4"), 70 inches wide (5'10"), and 128 inches (10'8") in the back with the front seats towards the rear door. That is lots of room to obtain in almost everything you'd like, and far more height and width than any similar-size domestic van!
• Strong aftermarket and conversion specialist support- There are many businesses specializing in parts and accessories for Sprinter RVs, from full-blown high-end Sprinter RV factory conversions to modest custom components suppliers. Because the Sprinter's recognition continues to improve, so will its share from the market place, plus the variety of suppliers creating RV components and total RV designs.
• It's a green choice- The Mercedes Sprinter uses a fuel-efficient, clean-burning common-rail diesel. Mercedes currently certifies use of B5 bio-diesel is acceptable with the Sprinter. Mercedes has been establishing an electric Sprinter considering that 2006, with more and more impetus to quickly bring this to market place. Our individual Sprinter RV utilizes a dual-panel solar system for all electric energy, and a diesel-powered cooktop/heater, eliminating propane use totally.
Is it worth $45K? Personally, I'd be unhappy in the get-go if I had spent that much for any car. My Sprinter camper, a 2008 Dodge Sprinter 144" high-roof cargo van, cost me $30K like tax, when in the time the MSRP was about $45,000. Dealers were prepared to negotiate because of the state from the economy, and simply because the dealer I bought from had ten Sprinter cargo vans on their lot: provided the economic crash of 2009, no one was buying cars. The newer NCV3 Sprinters are a lot more highly-priced, but you happen to be getting a considerably more refined and capable van.
What concerning the "expensive broken van" situation, and obtaining a mechanic? All Sprinters have already been constructed by Mercedes, regardless of their grille badging, and Mercedes includes a justified reputation for high quality.
Mercedes Sprinters happen to be produced for a long time - There's a massive fleet of Mercedes Sprinters around the roads of Europe (Mercedes estimates one particular million Sprinters have now been manufactured), and practically 200 Mercedes and Freightliner dealers in North America promoting and servicing Sprinters. A Sprinter van is as capable because it is because of the a lot of refinements with the engine plus the computer systems that produce efficient overall performance and handling.
Does it actually get such fantastic fuel mileage? Inside a word - yes. Based around the weight of the final Sprinter RV, the Sprinter has astonishing fuel economy in comparison to practically any other RV: 18-22 mpg is just not exceptional amongst Sprinter drivers, and mileage has been reported as higher as 30 mpg for an older two.7-liter Sprinter driving at 55mph.
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