Sprinter Survey

D Team Brothers

Expert Expediter
Big Al; Just my opinion but a 170 wb, 2500 model will get you more than your share of freight of all sizes and shapes. Three full pallets and more. Reliability in the new Sprinters I have found is excellent. I own a small fleet of Sprinters and my drivers are very happy, and yes I would/and am buying more. Responding to people that speak about something that apparently thay are unhappy with - is a waste of time. JMO, Jack
 

piper1

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Well well well, they most have that web page hidden, went to the Mercedes website and it wasn't there LOL Thanks

They don't want us Sprinter folk mixing with the car customers....kinda like White Glove and Surface Expedite, same banner, different levels of snoot.:p
 

guido4475

Not a Member
170" is the average long wheelbase out there currently, right? I was told there was an option for one that was 17" longer than the average long wheelbase out there currently, just that many people aren't aware of this, as told to me by a Dodge dealer.

The only thing that has steered me away from one was the cost of maint/repairs and parts availability as well as finding a qualified mechanic to work on one.

I have a freind with a 2008 fully loaded as far as options, (rooftop a/c, generator, in-motion sat tv ant,espar,everything including front bull-bar)and he has literally parked his he has had so many problems.He paid cash for his, but the downtime and repairs has labeled his as unreliable, and he has actually parked his and bought a used Ford extended.I know this sounds far fetched, but it is true.Not trying to start anything here, just stating what I know.Gotta admit, can't beat the room of a Sprinter.
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Turtle,

How would you know if your carrier wasn't sending 3 skid load offers to other units in the area your are located?
There's really no reliable way to tell, but before I made the decision to go with a permanent bunk I did some research. I talked with Sprinter drivers who could haul 3 skids to get an idea of how often they did so. Some smaller carriers, especially those with regular customers, who promoted their Sprinters specifically for 3 skids would haul a lot of 3-skid loads (duh), but most carriers it was a very small percentage. I also talked often with Dispatchers who could see all or many of the current pending loads to get an idea of the percentage of 3-skid loads, and again it was a very small percentage. Generally speaking, most expedite loads are one or two skids, or more than 4 skids, with a small percentage being 3 or 4 skids.

When I outfitted my Sprinter I was with Con-Way NOW, who didn't pay any extra for extra skids, and knowing the small percentage of flat-out missed loads I would run into because I could only haul 2 skids didn't really outweigh the prospect of no place to sleep while loaded. Every so often I'll check with a dispatcher to get an idea of how many 3-skid loads there are, and it hasn't changed. I will get the occasional taller load, and jump other cargo vans because of it, which as far as I'm concerned makes up for each of those 3-skid loads I miss out on and end up with no load at all.
 

ebsprintin

Veteran Expediter
Thursday I hauled one more load over 60 inches tall. It was an empty cardboard box 109x48 and 65 inches tall. 35 loaded miles.

eb
 

geo

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
Retired Expediter
US Navy
2/12/10 i had 9 pallets on tallest one was 66" tall
load them just right about 2,500 lbs and if i had a ford or cevy i wouldn't have been able to carried that load
also i have extra long van and extra tall van
there is one that is still 12" taller than mind
i will buy one more before i retire


most of engine problems i have ans for if you pm me tell how to fix it
 

volunteer 1

Expert Expediter
Last full year that I ran 2 Sprinters I lost probably 7 or 8 loads because of sleepers in vans. Now ask me how many paid for the extra height which I did get to use fairly regularily. None, paid an extra 13000 for these things and no extra money. Then comes maintainance and repairs, don't even want to go there.
Volunteer
 
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