Sunday Morning Sprinter Banter

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura) 01/06/2019 at 11:27 • Filed to: None

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My brother-in-law wants to buy a Sprinter and install some amenities and do some camping and traveling with it. He’s thinking 2014 or later, and the 2.1L engine / 7-speed transmission for fuel economy. I’m concerned about rust and reliability. My brother-in-law lives on the coast in northern California, so next-to-the-ocean air during storage.

I posted about this last night, but I think everyone had gone to bed. Will you share your thought s and experience with the Sprinter? What alternatives are you familiar with? Thanks!

WilliamsSW > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/06/2019 at 11:45

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My next door neighbor dailies one - it looks like a cargo van but he hauls his kids in it ( it has seats in the back). He seems happy with it, but I don’t know much else- if I catch him, I’ll ask.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > WilliamsSW 01/06/2019 at 11:47

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Would be obliged. Happy 2019!

PowderHound > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/06/2019 at 11:51

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My roommate is building out a promaster, there are about 5 built out sprinters within a couple blocks of me. One is 3 houses down. Don’t know much on them but I would search on the mountain project.com forums. Tons of climbers have built them out for dirt bagging.

VincentMalamute-Kim > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/06/2019 at 11:55

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I don’t have a Sprinter but from what I’ve heard it’s the first gen in the US (T1N through 2006) that rusts out but the diesel engine is great. The 2nd gen (NCV3) is probably too new to know about the rust but the new emissions hardware on the diesel cause reliability problems. I think it’s the 3rd gen (2019) that gets a galvanized body (not sure if the 2nd gen was galvanized?) and the 3rd gen offers a gas engine to avoid the 2nd gen diesel problems.

Get a Transit. I moved to Colorado with mine. The EcoBoost is a beast.

WilliamsSW > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/06/2019 at 11:56

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And a happy 2019 to you!

I’m curious myself as to why he chose it. It’s huge, and doesn’t fit in the garage - it’s got a higher roofline than the one in your photo. They only have 2 kids, and he owns a restaurant, so it seems like more than he needs.

GoodIdeaAtTheTime > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/06/2019 at 12:44

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I haven’t seen many major issues with the 4 cyl vans. The SCR system has its issues, though it is better than the 2nd gen systems, by far. Rust won’t be much of an issue. They are galvanized at this point . They go through wearable items faster than the competition. Only major thing to watch out for it cracked front accessory mount, usually around the power steering pump, it throws everything out of alignment and tosses the belt. I’ve repaired a few dozen. The best ones would be the pre SCR V6 diesels, I’ve seen more than a few with over 900,000 miles, on original parts, but they rust. Second would be the the 5 cyl, though they rust, check for black death! 3rd is the 4 cyl diesels. Avoid the early V6 diesel with SCR like the plague.

Chinny Raccoon > VincentMalamute-Kim 01/06/2019 at 12:54

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The second generation ones still rusted badly, but I think later models may have improved things as I don’t see so many going crusty as the earlier versions were.

VincentMalamute-Kim > Chinny Raccoon 01/06/2019 at 12:58

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Not surprised since I think the galvanized is only coming with the 2019's? But later non-galvanized models may not look too bad now simply because they haven’t had the time to rust out.

Kinda related - non-rusty Sprinter s are the best looking with the most cohesive design; they actually spent some time on it or had competent designers. We don’t talk about the ProMaster or the Nissan.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/06/2019 at 13:09

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My ex boss has a 2016 fully built out for adventure and the motor shit the bed at 34k otherwise he really like it.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > PowderHound 01/06/2019 at 13:44

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Thanks.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > VincentMalamute-Kim 01/06/2019 at 13:46

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Thank you.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > GoodIdeaAtTheTime 01/06/2019 at 13:49

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Thank you.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/06/2019 at 16:52

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I don't work on sprinter, but the engine and trans are basically the same as our passenger cars use. They're great. Love them both.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > VincentMalamute-Kim 01/06/2019 at 17:50

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year 2000+ and still not galvanized?