I know that most dealers have a dedicated oil-change pit where they do all the routine oil changes. Next to the pit they have anywhere from three to six 55-gallon drums of oil in different viscosities. It's whatever is cheapest, usually. They are usually high quality, brand name oil, but three to six sizes doesn't necessarily fit all.
I have a rather special relationship with my dealer at home. They let me wander around wherever I want, stand there and talk to the technician while he's working on my van, I even help out with many things they are doing. Frankly, they learn as much from me as I learn from them, particularly about some of the quirks of owning and driving a Sprinter, instead of just what they see on their end. I'm also privy to conversations about vehicles and customers that most people would never hear. But that kind of a relationship has allowed me to see up close and personal how things really work at a dealer.
Fortunately, at most dealers, when you bring in a Sprinter, it'll be the Sprinter tech who does the work, including oil changes, so the correct oil is likely to be used. But, you never know unless you watch them do the work.
It might not be the best idea to rely on literature from the manufacturer as to whether their oil is approved by MB. Castrol is one that can probably be trusted, but I still well remember when Amsoil got busted for claiming MB approval when MB didn't know anything about it. I haven't trusted Amsoil since.
In any case, to be sure what kind of oil you can use, the Owner's Manual has a list and is accurate, but it only includes oils that were approved at the time the manual was printed. This Web site:
Mercedes-Benz Specifications for Operating Fluids: Engine Oil, Gear Oil, ATF, Coolant, Brakefluid, is continually updated with The List of approved fluids for any given MB Spec. Just click on the Spec number.
For oil, an older Sprinter would use 229.5 and for later models it would be 229.51 or 229.52. For the 229.5 oils, you will see that Castrol Edge with SPT SAE 0W-30 (the SPT stands for SYNTEC Power Technology) is indeed on The List.
