ive had a sprinter and a ford.outside of oil,brakes,bulbs,etc,i have pumped thousands into the sprinter and close to nothing into the ford.if a sprinter is the million mile van,then if treated like a new born, the ford can easily get you half million.a new sprinter is about 40 thousand,a year old ford with very low miles is about 17 thousand.you could go through 2 fords and still spend less
sprinter v ford or chevy
- Thread starter desdes
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ebsprintin
Veteran Expediter
Are you asking a question or trying to make a statement? Find a used sprinter for $30K, now what are you going to do?
eb
eb
Brisco
Expert Expediter
My opinion, hope and pray you don't have to put another $30K into it hoping that it will at least hit that 500K mark.
A "1 million mile" Sprinter is a myth, period. Show me articles, stories, anything, anything at all that shows a Sprinter that has gone over the 500K mile mark without thousands and thousands of dollars in repairs done to hit that milestone. You may find 1 or 2. Then go look for me the same information involving a 1mil mile Sprinter. That I know you will not find. A 1mil mile Ford or Chevy V8 has already been proven, not only in PickUps, but also in Cargo Vans.
The only similarity between a Sprinter and a Ford is that they are both less-than 10,001 pound vehicles. Other than that, they are very different vehicles, and should be treated differently. By and large, the people who have put in inordinate amount of money into their Sprinters are those who treat their Sprinter like it was a Ford, and think their Sprinter should perform and be maintained like a Ford.
If all you're looking for is strictly miles and dollars spent, then the Ford is cheaper to own and maintain. Well, duh. But if you want a vehicle that is more comfortable and more versatile, then the Ford isn't even a consideration. Now you're comparing Sprinters to straight trucks, of which a Sprinter is cheaper to own and maintain.
Apples to apples, oranges to oranges, please. There's a reason for the four categories of vans, Sprinters, straight trucks and big trucks - it's because they are all different from each other.
There are countless high mileage Sprinters all over Europe, and the Sprinter is known over there as an ultra-reliable workhorse. There is no difference between the European Sprinter and the American Sprinter, except that Europeans maintain their Sprinters with the mindset of a European, and Americans maintain theirs with the mindset of an American. The problem is, it's a European vehicle.
Here's an overview, from Europe, of the vehicle that indicates something's very right with the Sprinter:
MERCEDES SPRINTER CDI VAN RANGE : SPIRITO DE SPRINTER
And here's an article that showcases a 559,000 mile Sprinter:
eMercedesBenz - The Unofficial Mercedes-Benz Weblog
These are just two of thousands of articles about the Sprinter in Europe, where it's a resounding success at being a reliable workhorse. The Sprinter in North America is the same Sprinter they have in Europe. So if that's true, and it is, one has to question why they aren't having the same problems in Europe as we apparently do here. Because the big variable in this isn't the Sprinter, it's the Sprinter owner, and how they treat and maintain the vehicle. There ya go.
If all you're looking for is strictly miles and dollars spent, then the Ford is cheaper to own and maintain. Well, duh. But if you want a vehicle that is more comfortable and more versatile, then the Ford isn't even a consideration. Now you're comparing Sprinters to straight trucks, of which a Sprinter is cheaper to own and maintain.
Apples to apples, oranges to oranges, please. There's a reason for the four categories of vans, Sprinters, straight trucks and big trucks - it's because they are all different from each other.
There are countless high mileage Sprinters all over Europe, and the Sprinter is known over there as an ultra-reliable workhorse. There is no difference between the European Sprinter and the American Sprinter, except that Europeans maintain their Sprinters with the mindset of a European, and Americans maintain theirs with the mindset of an American. The problem is, it's a European vehicle.
Here's an overview, from Europe, of the vehicle that indicates something's very right with the Sprinter:
MERCEDES SPRINTER CDI VAN RANGE : SPIRITO DE SPRINTER
And here's an article that showcases a 559,000 mile Sprinter:
eMercedesBenz - The Unofficial Mercedes-Benz Weblog
These are just two of thousands of articles about the Sprinter in Europe, where it's a resounding success at being a reliable workhorse. The Sprinter in North America is the same Sprinter they have in Europe. So if that's true, and it is, one has to question why they aren't having the same problems in Europe as we apparently do here. Because the big variable in this isn't the Sprinter, it's the Sprinter owner, and how they treat and maintain the vehicle. There ya go.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
I think it is funny, I can't see a Ford or GM product making a million miles in it as much as I can see any Mercedes product doing it.
If there is any reason why it can't be done in a sprinter, it is because of the dealers who have mechanics with the mentality that this is the same type of slop buckets that they are used to working on.
If there is any reason why it can't be done in a sprinter, it is because of the dealers who have mechanics with the mentality that this is the same type of slop buckets that they are used to working on.
ebsprintin
Veteran Expediter
I like the story of the fighter jet and cargo plane. Fighter jet flies circles around the cargo plane and then pulls up along side, and the fighter pilot radios the cargo plane and says "So let's see what you got." Nothing happens. Few minutes go by. Fighter inquires again. Cargo pilot says, "Sorry, what was that? I was in the back of the plane using the can and reheating my coffee in the microwave."
And back to the original question. We're comparing the price of a new sprinter to that of a used ford.
eb
And back to the original question. We're comparing the price of a new sprinter to that of a used ford.
eb
Brisco
Expert Expediter
In Turtles link here:
eMercedesBenz - The Unofficial Mercedes-Benz Weblog
I found it very intriguing that this website, a website dedicated to and for "Mercedes Benz" enthusiasts, with writers that probably eat and poop MB, said this in their article here:
So, even those guys there on that site (overseas Mercedes fanatics) are truly truly amazed of the "spectular feat" that this Sprinter hit 559K miles.
eMercedesBenz - The Unofficial Mercedes-Benz Weblog
I found it very intriguing that this website, a website dedicated to and for "Mercedes Benz" enthusiasts, with writers that probably eat and poop MB, said this in their article here:
So, even those guys there on that site (overseas Mercedes fanatics) are truly truly amazed of the "spectular feat" that this Sprinter hit 559K miles.
Currently have 136,000 on my 08 Sprinter, 1 set of tires, no brakes, and not laid a wrench to the engine other than to change the oil every 10,000 miles. Had a drive line problem early on that was fully covered under warranty due to a slight bend in the driveshaft and the transmission has had a service.
I am a GM guy, I have a 93 pickup in the driveway with over 500,000 miles on it, maintained 100% and with 100 % GM parts. Its had a transmission rebuild, 3 water pumps, an injection pump, 5 or 6 sets of front brakes (incl 3 sets of hub/rotors), 1 new rad, new wiper module, new drive shaft front to back and about a hundred oil changes. I have an 06 Duramax that has 150,000 on it that has had a glow plug fail, and has had 20 or so oil changes, no brakes, and a couple of transmission services (an 6 or so filters).
And this proves......NOTHING.
Anyone who shovels money into ANY vehicle is either beating on it...or whoever fixes it is beating on them. if your Sprinter/Ford/Chev is a money pit you caused it by abuse or continuing to let a shop screw you.
Do I think Sprinters are the end all be all? Nope. Will I buy another one, possibly? Will I buy more GM products, likely because I like them. I bought a Sprinter because GM did not make such a vehicle (size, features etc). Until GM or Ford get their crap together and build a big van capable of what a Sprinter does, my choices will be limited and I will likely end up with another Sprinter if I want the same features again.
Hasn't this been hashed to death already?
It most certainly been hashed to death...
Jack_Berry
Moderator Emeritus
desdes posted this whole topic last year. close to the same title also.
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/truck-talk/35403-sprinter-ford-chevy.html
http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/truck-talk/35403-sprinter-ford-chevy.html
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with a sprinter i'm able to carry 4 1/2 pallet's 3,200 lbs
most of time at 2,500, don't like to carry more than 2,500 on a long trip as miles go down fast
with a ford or cevy van you can't carried very much freight
also if you do your maintance no matter what the unit is it will last along time
but you have to your maintance and things will take care of itself
and find a good shop to take care of things
i have 07 and have almost 140,000 and still going strong
most of time at 2,500, don't like to carry more than 2,500 on a long trip as miles go down fast
with a ford or cevy van you can't carried very much freight
also if you do your maintance no matter what the unit is it will last along time
but you have to your maintance and things will take care of itself
and find a good shop to take care of things
i have 07 and have almost 140,000 and still going strong
Are you kiddin' me? Taking something out of context like that to make some convoluted point? Really? Sheesh. The spectacular feat isn't that the Sprinter hit 559K miles, which the article says in very plain English, and right after the line you quoted they go on to say what, exactly, the spectacular feat is. They say, very matter of factly, that the mileage alone is not, in fact, a spectacular feat. What's the matter with you? Do you hate Sprinters so much that you're willing to make crap up and purposely distort facts to bolster your own opinions?
To challenge a statement of mine, by twisting it into a blatant falsehood, is something I find particularly insulting.
"So, even those guys there on that site (overseas Mercedes fanatics) are truly truly amazed of the "spectular feat" that this Sprinter hit 559K miles."
That's a lie. The article says no such thing, not even close.
For the brain damaged among us, I quote the salient part of the article, in context, that you so badly wish to distort out of context:
"But the distance alone is not enough. To make headlines, your car (or van) has to be truly bad ***, or at least peform some additional type of spectacular feat. This Sprinter has done exactly that. Despite its immense travels, this Sprinter has not needed a single repair (aside from the usual wearing parts, of course). Not too shabby, if I do say so myself."
From the press release:
"And, apart from the usual wearing parts, the van has not needed a single repair. The newspaper courier relies on the Mercedes-Benz van for his work and this constant companion has never let him down yet. ... Since its market launch in 1995 well over a million models of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter have been sold and it has enjoyed tremendous success – as numerous “Van of the Year” awards and a wealth of satisfied customers can testify."
Why you would take something so plainly stated, so unambiguous, and then distort it into a blatant misrepresentation of the truth, is beyond me. You contend that the article states the exact opposite of what it clearly states. Why would you do that? Is it because it better fits with your convoluted perceptions of reality? Do you not have the mental capacity to comprehend the article in its entirety? Do you have a general reading comprehension problem? Or is it that you merely have some warped anti-Sprinter agenda and you think the readers here on EO are so stupid as to not be insulted with your distorted propaganda, one that anyone, anyone, who reads the article at the link I posted can plainly see?
So, again, do some actual research with European articles and news reports, read about what this van does in Europe, and about how successful it is over there, and contrast it to here, and look at what might be the reason for the cavernous (perceived) disparity. I contend that if you think American, you're going to have problems with a European vehicle, but treat it like a European vehicle, think European, and you'll have European results. I've had an odd, nagging problem with belt tensioners, but other than that, the only maintenance and repair that I've had to deal with is routine maintenance and routine wear parts. I've owned a Ford and a Sprinter, and I've treated them differently from each other. Imagine that.
Leo: Yeah, cetane is different here and in Europe, and it may very well be a factor (I think it probably is), but it's not likely to be a factor for many of the "horror stories" that we hear about, like early transmission failures in particular. Nearly every "horror story" we hear about can be traced to what Greg talks about, either the owner or the mechanic mistreating the van by using fluids that aren't on The List or by some other improper maintenance or operating failure.
Low cetane can cause some specific problems, but the key is it will cause those problems if the low cetane is ignored by the owner. If the Sprinter is treated like a Ford, and the problem of low cetane not addressed, then it's going to manifest itself as a problem later on. If you deal with it (cetane boosters and injector cleaners on a regular basis), it's not a problem. Again, we're back to the problem of people buying "not a Ford", and then expecting to treat it like a Ford, and get mad when it doesn't perform like a Ford. If you want something that walks, talks and acts like a Ford, get a Ford. If you get a Sprinter, treat it like a Sprinter, not like a Ford. More importantly, quit complaining that it's not a Ford and that it doesn't act like a Ford. It should be plainly evident to all that a Sprinter and a Ford are, in fact, different vehicles.
Because a Ford will run fine with low cetane fuel, and a Sprinter won't, that doesn't mean a Sprinter is better or worse than a Ford, it merely means they are different. Some people think that because a Ford runs fine on low cetane fuel, then a Sprinter should, too. That's absurd. That's like buying a Corvette and then complaining because it requires high octane gasoline, when your soccer mommy van doesn't.
If you like Fords and don't like Sprinters, then ta-da don't get a Sprinter. If you want a Ford with extra room that you can stand up in, don't get a Sprinter and pretend it's a really big Ford. It's not, and it has to be treated as if it's not.
Nearly every out-of-the-ordinary problem with a Sprinter can be directly traced back to either operator error or improper maintenance or repair. Not all, but the vast majority of them can. For example, how many Sprinter owners pull up to a shipper or cons, put the vehicle in park, and then get loaded or unloaded, heavy skids. The torque those skids put on the transmission while in park is extremely high, and will contribute to te early demise of the transmission. It may or may not be a problem with a Ford, but it is with a Sprinter. A Ford transmission may very well be able to handle those additional stresses, but the Sprinter's NAG1 transmission cannot.
Stating that it should be able to handle it is irrelevant as to whether it can. Defiantly treating it as if it should, and then having the transmission fail, isn't a fault of the Sprinter, it's a fault of the owner. Period. This is but one example of owner failure that results in the Sprinter being called a POS because they have to pour thousands of dollars into it.
With a Ford, oftentimes with automotive freight you have to break down the top layer of the skid, load the skid into the van, then rebuild the top layer inside the van, then reverse the process on the other end. Does this make the Ford a POS? You bet it does, as breaking down, rebuilding and then reversing the process countless times over the course of a year results in thousands of wasted man-hours and dollars loading and unloading freight. That doesn't happen with a Sprinter. Oh, but, but, but, that's just something you have to do if you own a Ford. Yeah, well, there are some things you just have to do if you own a Sprinter, too, and some of them are different than you do with a Ford. If you have a Ford, you have to be mentally prepared for breaking down skids every now and then. If you have a Sprinter you have to be mentally prepared to deal with it's unique characteristics, as well. And they are different characteristics than as with a Ford. Shocking, I know, but it's true.
Gee at 130,000 I had not spent a dime on my sprinter...Front brakes at 320,000 and still on my original rears now at 472,000.
Turtles absolutely correct Americans are sloppy when it comes to their vehicles...
I didn't figure the cetane factor as the only problem with Sprinters, just another factor in the equation. Obviously proper maintenance and upkeep based on the specific needs of the particular vehicle. I know guys get way over 1/2 million miles off gasoline American vans so why shouldn't a guy get a million miles from a diesel if he takes care of it properly and religiously?