Dodge Sprinter... Thoughts? News on competition?

[BennyL]

Hey guys,

A buddy of mine works for an upscale fitness equipment company here in Toronto. The owner recently ditched their Chevy Express delivery van in favor of the new Dodge Sprinter. We took the van out the other night, and I was driving it around for a while... I gotta say, this van kicks so much [censored]s! Everything about it is great. The way it drives, the way it feels, it's functionality, it's sweeeeet 3.0 diesel engine. Honestly, this van is amazing.

From what I understand, these vans are still being produced 100% whole by Mercedes, and are being disassembled and shipped to the USA for re-assembly. They call this practice "CKD kits" which stands for complete knock-down kits. There are even re-badging kits available to change the grill and all the badges back over to the Mercedes logos.

So what about you guys? Anyone like/dislike this van? Any cool info on it you may have? Anything I got wrong?

Also wondering if anyone knows about plans for competition to arrive in North America? I mean, Ford an GM are really stupid for letting Chrysler put this van to market, while they stand by and watch their Chevy/GMC Express/Savana and E-Series van sales go down the drain. Especially since Ford already has a direct competitor in Europe, the Ford Transit, which is actually VERY popular. GM's European subsidiary Opel also has a similar van called the Opel Movano, which is a joint venture between them and Renault/Nissan. Both of these vans need to make their way across the Atlantic ASAP! I also think VW should step up and bring over the VW Crafter. Although I highly doubt the Fiat Ducato would make it`s way to our shores... unless of course some other company brings it in under a different brand. Any others in this segment that I`m missing? Any other thoughts?

 

[JHZR2]

If I ever need a minivan, Ill buy the passenger version of the sprinter.

Id love to buy a basic one set up as an RV.

JMH

 

[addyguy]

I think the sprinter looks like a great van, and I do see A LOT of them on the road. But I really don't think Chev/Ford/Dodge have a lot to worry about for a bit....they can probably sell their V-6 tin boxes a lot cheaper at fleet rates, and that will reasonate with companies that just look at initial cost outlay...also, contract/construction guys who are going to assume that the sprinter is a 'wimpy' Euro-van and won't have anything but a 'real' V-8 van will never change....

 

[MrCritical]

Freightliner sells it too. I don't think it's cost competitive unless you figure in long term operating costs. Mercedes owns Freightliner.

 

[BennyL]

ya, but the Freightliner Sprinter and the Dodge Sprinter are identical. Dodge sells most of them, by a wide margin.

the fact is that this van is FAR more capable than the current american offerings, such as the chevy express and the ford e-series vans. they are capable of a greater payload, the 3.0 turbo diesel V6 is a monster of an engine, it really is. not to mention, waaaaaaay better on gas. the inside height clearance is unmatched. full-size sprinters can actually haul 3 full 40x48 skids. a full-size express can only hold 2. you really can`t compare.

when will the ford transit come to our north american ford dealers?

 

[addyguy]

"the fact is that this van is FAR more capable than the current american offerings, such as the chevy express and the ford e-series vans. they are capable of a greater payload, the 3.0 turbo diesel V6 is a monster of an engine, it really is. not to mention, waaaaaaay better on gas. the inside height clearance is unmatched. full-size sprinters can actually haul 3 full 40x48 skids. a full-size express can only hold 2. you really can`t compare."

That will never matter or come into the equation a lot of the time. Old-school trade guys are not going to buy 'some snotty Mercedes van', plain and simple. Its "yup, gotta have me a V-8 Chev/Dodge/Ford for hauling around all them heavy tools. What, you think some little Mercedes is gonna do that?"

Big 3 don't have much to worry about yet.....

 

[Warlord]

I read that the ford transit will arrive in summer 09. It is quite a bit smaller than a sprinter though, I think.

 

[ToyotaNSaturn]

I always thought it to be odd that Dodge would name a truck this slow the "Sprinter".

 

[BennyL]

Slow? Its pretty [censored] fast, actually. I drove it and it had a whole lot of kick. Its a cargo van, man... not a turbo caravan drag race van.

 

[jsharp]

Originally Posted By: BennyL
ya, but the Freightliner Sprinter and the Dodge Sprinter are identical. Dodge sells most of them, by a wide margin.

the fact is that this van is FAR more capable than the current american offerings, such as the chevy express and the ford e-series vans. they are capable of a greater payload, the 3.0 turbo diesel V6 is a monster of an engine, it really is. not to mention, waaaaaaay better on gas. the inside height clearance is unmatched. full-size sprinters can actually haul 3 full 40x48 skids. a full-size express can only hold 2. you really can`t compare.

when will the ford transit come to our north american ford dealers?


You must be reading different spec sheets than I am. Look at the Ford E series vans again. Or the GM offerings. Their available GVW and towing capacities are substantially higher and even their standard engines are more powerful than the Sprinter.

A 154HP, 280ft/lb of torque V-6 diesel is hardly a monster. Yawner is more the word although they mileage is probably good.

Fact is the Sprinter is just what people think it is. An expensive medium duty ( at best ) van with none too much power and a big box.

Great if you have little to tow and are hauling pallets of styrofoam around...

 

[BennyL]

currently on the dodge and chevy websites. it says maximum available payload capacity of 2527 kg for the sprinter. chevy website says up to 1881 kg. thats for the 3500 series in either one.

 

[SD26]

I think the Sprinter is interesting.

I don't believe that Freightliner is doing them anymore as M-B moved the contract to Dodge? Might have been a bad deal as Freightliner could at least service them late at night when an expediter is down. I don't know of any Dodge dealers that are open overnight. I have found Ford dealers open past midnight for my Ford van.

A friend of mine has one for his business. He was pretty sold on it for what he does. Doesn't carry a lot of weight, but it was tall and the volume of the size of stuff he had fit inside his Sprinter better than the Ford vans he had before.

I liked the mileage. It was a little better than his 300 I-6's.

But then after a couple of serious problems that he were not covered under warranty, one being a broken crankshaft, I'm not sure if he'll get another.

I believe they are unibody set ups. I pull at trailer rated at 10k, and I wouldn't see how a 3.0 V6 diesel on a unibody chassis would do better than my full framed 7.3 diesel.

People mover? Sure, the Sprinter is probably fine. Carrying styrafoam? Yeah, I like that analogy. Probably fine too.

 

[BennyL]

how was a broken crank not covered under warranty? thats pretty upsetting...

 

[SD26]

I think there was a mileage stipulation after 40k or something. He was at 45k or so, shooting at the hip. Cost over $5k, as I remember it, and it put him down for several days. That's really bad as that machine is supposed to be a vehicle that would have originally been supported by Freightliner as an on the road vehicle that would be in and out quickly to keep making money. That was part of the attraction for him as he has to be at events when they are happening.

 

[MrCritical]

Never heard of a diesel that didn't have 100k engine warranty, but I admit I don't know much about M/B Freightliner.

 

[MrCritical]

According to the Freightliner and Dodge websites, Freightliner still sells Sprinters.

Both Dodge and Freightliner list the engine warranty as 5yr/100k.

 

[RH+G]

I see the potential for those sprinters. But they really are not better than the GMC/Ford vans. The prices of those vans are alot more money. A dodge sprinter 2500 with a 144 inch wheelbase is on their website for 36185. A chevy 3500 with the 6.0 liter extended wheelbase is at around 30000. The chevy 3500 has a higher payload capacity than the dodoge. Now if you get the dodge 3500 144 inch you are starting at 40000. Then you surpass the chevy payload rating but are in another price level. Even the chevy 3500 with the duramax motor is at 36000 and the duramx is much much more powerful that the sprinters diesel. The sprinter takes the van idea to a truck level with the 3500 with the longer wheelbase and highroof but dont see that as taking away buisness form the ford/gm vans. They are just too big and expensive to compare to a van. The 2500 compares to the van and are actually not a better value. I rode in a sprinter and it rides like a small truck and is slow. Has good ol diesel torque that makes it seem fast but it isnt. That extra tall roof is nice though it aint no wider than a regular van.

 

[JTK]

I don't think there's a commercial/service/trades guy out there in the market for a van who wouldn't want a Sprinter. Problem is, they start with an MSRP of over $33K. About $8K more than Ford or Chevy. The other issue I've seen in my area is the Sprinters rust just as quickly as the Fords, GMs and old Dodges did. Why bother with a diesel powertrain when the body falls apart way before the drivetrain tires? Same theory with the diesel pickups IMO.

Joel

 

[RH+G]

I like my chevy 3500 van. Wish it was the extended wheelbase but i like being able to go where that extra top would keep me out. Plus that tall van on a windy day would be scary

 

[Gary Allan]

What made them abandon the 5 cylinder turbo diesel, did it last too long? Too reliable? Too "real heavy duty"?

Much like our long awaited "small block GM diesel" ..they just needed to detune it to American consumer standards. AKA ..a throw away item.