Mercedes Sprinter--real story

[ossiblue]

Wife has been pestering me to getting a small, class B motor home. Our good friends bought a Pleasure Way on a 2008 Mercedes Sprinter chassis/drive train--got a good deal and it was low mileage.

Well, after several hours on the net last night, I discovered quite a bit of negative information about the Sprinter, especially after they exceed their warranty period--usually after 100K miles. Lots of horror stories of higher mileage Sprinters with constant costly repairs--needing to be done at Mercedes dealerships--techs that throw parts at the problem rather than actually fixing the issues, fault codes constantly appearing and not being addressed, terribly complex emission controls that continually need fixing, etc. No year seems to be exempt. Several fleet owners have sworn off them as the maintenance costs are prohibitive.

So, to the brain trust. Does anyone have similar information regarding used, higher mileage Sprinters--be they Mercedes, Dodge, or Freightliner? From what I've read, they are great driving and reliable while still low mileage, but tend to deteriorate rapidly, in terms of repairs, faults, and costly services, after 100k miles or more. Not looking for alternatives yet, just confirmation or rejection of the reputation of the Sprinter engine/transmission from Pelicans.

[widebody911]

I've never owned a late-model Mercedes, but from what I've read online and from talking to people I know who do own them, they seem like the kind of vehicle you don't want to own once it's out of warranty

[Manda Racing]

We have three plus 2 new Ford types for business.

The oldest beautiful MB limo has the air in the back(not the top) and can't keep it cool until Sept. and uncomfortable drivers position that can't be adjusted much. Check the drivers seat.

The expensive MB RV one that my brother's baby's mama bought for trips to and from San Francisco with their small child has big large fuel bills and they said after a month or so-- " too small."

I don't see them in the shop and they are buying other brands now. FWIW

[1990C4S]

Go online and find the pdf of the service manual. If that doesn't scare you off nothing will....

[osidak]

Back about 12 years ago when I worked for a delivery company that likes the color brown - my district bought about 30 of them. They ran them about 3 years and then gave up on them. Anything more than needing new tires meant they where written off and crushed.

At that time I knew of many vehicles that where pushing 20+ years and where still in service on daily basis

[Nostril Cheese]

MBZ = special tools and the living hell that is Startek

[GG Allin]

I work with a lot of owner operators that haul airfreight with them. They are the go to vehicle for small hotshot deliveries around here. I've picked a few owners brains and the worst story I've heard is transmission replacement. Other than that they seem to be work horses.

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by GG Allin

I work with a lot of owner operators that haul airfreight with them. They are the go to vehicle for small hotshot deliveries around here. I've picked a few owners brains and the worst story I've heard is transmission replacement. Other than that they seem to be work horses.

I've also read a few other comments like this^^, that's what makes this research so difficult. Seems like one has a 50/50 chance of getting a reliable one once the warranty period expires. Couple that with very costly Mercedes repair work and parts, not to mention proprietary tools and diagnostic equipment, and this is adding up to a very expensive vehicle for a private owner.

Again, those without problems seldom report things, so ideally, a mechanic or someone who has worked in a Mercedes repair facility might be able to offer some insight.

Thanks for the input, so far, please keep it coming.

[Jim Bremner]

55,000 miles in 16 months. hauling 2,500# of stock 80% of the time is freeway from Orange County to Central California Coast or Bakersfield.

Brake pads DONE! at 40k

6 visits to the dealership 4 of them for smog issues

Tires will be DONE at 58-60k I will run them til there's 2/32"

I'm pretty sure that I will never own a Mercedes Benz ever again.

I wonder if I could swap a small block chevy into it

[aigel]

Jim, that doesn't sound horrible, actually, but I do expect zero visits to the stealership in 100k miles.

G

[Jim Bremner]

I don't have time for my truck to be down.

My Silverado ran so much better. even my Corvette spent less time on the rack than my sprinter.

To me the Sprinter has not been a reliable vehicle. $ per mile in repairs and service the Chevy truck has slayed it

Any time the Sprinter is in the shop is 3-4 hours of work missed. PLUS the opportunity to earn extra income from the items that I sell to my dealers out the back of it. Think about what you earn per hour and toss it out the window.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Glad I read this thread. I had made the incorrect assumption that the Sprinters were probably simple enough to be reliable......guess not. My wife and I really like the new Sprinter 4x4 in passenger configuration as a future family car, they sorta remind me of a modern Vanagon Syncro.

[Steve Carlton]

[RF5BPilot]

My son and his wife bought an 80k miles Sprinter that's a tour bus for their band (multiple bunks, flat screens, wifi, etc.)

On one hand, they really like its room and how it drives, even pulling their 26' trailer packed with instruments, sound equipment, etc.

On the other hand, as the OP noted in his research, it has had repeated fault codes that the shop can't seem to fix, throwing one part at it after another, all (of course) out of warranty. I think it's been in the shop at least 5 times and the fault code keeps returning (actually there have been more than one).

For most of us, what's the big deal about a fault code?

One of the codes they got will only let you start and run the vehicle 5 times, then it disables the starter so you're stuck wherever you are until the shop releases the lock. It appeared while they were on a road trip. At times they had to let the van idle for days as they weren't close to a dealership that was authorized to work on the van.

[ossiblue]

I really appreciate all the responses to my post. I know the Pelican community is significantly smaller than the "real world", but this is an automobile knowledgeable community and one whose extended family may include first-hand information, as has been shown. I had already pretty much decided against the Sprinter based on what I had read, but I wanted some real time input as to reliability from some "known" sources.

Thanks for all of your inputs, and anyone who has more to add, please do so--positive or negative, it doesn't matter. Simply focus on reliability of the drive train.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by ossiblue

Thanks for all of your inputs, and anyone who has more to add, please do so--positive or negative, it doesn't matter. Simply focus on reliability of the drive train.

I am glad you posted...like others here I have been mulling over the options on a Class B and a MB drive train was my first, uneducated guess.

What else are you looking at, Ossi?

[tcar]

Good friend with the Dodge, as a camper. Bought new in CO several years ago.

Been all over, arctic circle (AK), Canada, SW US, Eastern US. Way over 100k miles. Been great so far.
Normal maintenance only.

FWIW.

[crb07]

I have a friend that owns 4 of them for FedX deliveries, they will be switching them out for another type of vehicle when it is financially possible. They are doing as much maintenance themselves as possible. Every time they are in the shop it is killing them. Not so reliable.

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

I am glad you posted...like others here I have been mulling over the options on a Class B and a MB drive train was my first, uneducated guess.

What else are you looking at, Ossi?

Just started, and have no other drive trains in mind yet. Like many others, it seems, I was "sold" on Mercedes reputation and reliability and glad I did a bit of research.

[notfarnow]

Remember when Mercedes used to build vehicles that were straightforward but of exceptional quality?

My e500 was constantly causing me grief, and was horrendously expensive to maintain, so I bought something more reliable. Interior fit & finish is similar


I'll not be buying another MB. The myth of quality and durability is a hangover from a bygone era.

Sprinter content: My neighbor runs an appliance shop with 5 trucks. He bought a used sprinter because ON PAPER it would save him on gas vs the cube vans... figured he could save a fair bit of money if he was even running one of them, and thought he'd buy another if it panned out. No such luck, the downtime was a deal killer. Had it for like 6mths before he cut his losses on it.