Alas I have found my Dream Tow Vehicle!

[Ed Harris]

Well,
After looking for just the right one for around 5 years I found the Sprinter I was looking for.
I have a friend who bought a new one in '03 and have wanted one ever since.
This one is the "Baby Sprinter" as it is the Short Wheelbase and Low Roof model.
It is also the rare Passenger version with windows all the way around and interior seating too!
I have been looking for this exact model and one showed up near me last week so I researched it and jumped in.
This one also has the Tow Package which I have not seen before.

They most amazing part is the 25-30 MPG these get in normal driving and around 20 MPG towing from what I have read.

Doesn't it look good posing with a Dirty Egg?

Ed

[Gina D.]

Nifty Looking! I bet its got more than enuff to tow your rig.

I hope to find something like that that I can tow behind the Lumbering beast.

[CindyL]

It looks a lot like our Eurovan (although Eurovans from '93 and '94 looked more like it).

CindyL

[Joe Z]

Ed....
You are so lucky to find a sprinter...... I have been looking and looking for one as a tow and for solo stealth trips. I really like the short low one with the windows you found...... I guess you have the five cylinder diesel?
Joe

[Ed Harris]

Joe
Yes it has the 5 Cylinder Turbo D and it is a lot more peppy than the larger ones I have driven.
I took the seats out right away and I bet I lost 500lbs in doing so. I like the window model too as it looks less menacing to me.
I was serious too,I have been looking for 5 years to find one just like this and one that was close enough to give a look over before buying.
It is amazing!

Cindy,
These vans are Mercedes vans. They are imported here as Freightliners or Dodge models as the result of the failed Daimler/Chrysler experiment.
So they are German like the Eurovan and in fact in Europe VW sells their own version of the van too. I have drive a lot of VW vans and they share style and design for sure.

Gina,
I have been in Florida working most of the winter but have just learned of your recent changes. WOW!
It is funny the Sprinter feels as roomy inside as the Egg really and for me it should be the perfect compliment to the glass. I already have it racked out inside and it seems to carry several times more than the Tundra I have been towing with. It is a real pain working out of a truck to me as I always have to move things out to find almost anything,and that is already knowing where it all is in there.

The Sprinter is much roomier than domestic vans it seems and even shorter outside than the Odyssey? Go Figure?
They are rated for 5000lbs towing and weigh almost 6000lbs empty.

It is an amazing mix of German design and build and is truly WIERD as can be too!
I am having a good time with it and should be testing it o a trip soon.

There are 2 others that I know of both with 17' Casitas that claim "you can't even tell it is back there" not exactly a virtue in a way but promising as a Tow.

[SherryNPaul]

Congrats!. Great diesel vehicle, from what I hear from my relatives. Should serve you well, and economically, for a long time. What a find!

[Roy in TO]

Congrats!
I seen them before but never heard of the name. Thanks for all the info. Something to keep my eye out for. I found 1 similar on ebay in TX. My Gawd they are expensive....

[Roger C H]

Do you really get 25-30mpg? The Dodge website lists the mpg as 19.9:

http://www.dodge.com/en/2009/sprinte.../fuel_economy/

These vans are so tall, (8') they often are made into RVs:

http://www.midwestautomotivedesigns.com/

They are tow rated at 5K so should handle almost any egg.

The MSRP for a 2009 is $36K.

Congratulations! Enjoy!

BTW, Mercedes also makes them:

http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/un...nter.flash.html

[Ed Harris]

Roger
I should have been more specific though I did say these are all made by Mercedes.

Mine is an '05 not a new one.
The first ones over here evidently got 22-25 mpg and mine has some tweaks they made in '04 which increased the mileage slightly.
I have not yet run a tank of fuel through min but I am getting amazing mileage anyway if the gauge and odometer are correct.
Given that it is an 8' & 6000 lb truck,I am happy.

The new ones have either Gas or Diesel motors and are all longer and taller than mine as they did away with the "Baby" model altogether.

Also I never buy a new vehicle,I wait until I can afford them and they are a fraction of the price when new,just makes sense to me.
Considering that these are 500K mile trucks before rebuild in Europe I should have a good long time with this one.

The downside is that Service is tough as few here have seen these really and the Dodge dealers never really got the hang of them.
Luckily they were first brought here as Freightliners and have always been serviced by them.

Ed

Do you really get 25-30mpg? The Dodge website lists the mpg as 19.9:

http://www.dodge.com/en/2009/sprinte.../fuel_economy/

These vans are so tall, (8') they often are made into RVs:

http://www.midwestautomotivedesigns.com/

They are tow rated at 5K so should handle almost any egg.

The MSRP for a 2009 is $36K.

Congratulations! Enjoy!

BTW, Mercedes also makes them:

http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/un...nter.flash.html

[Joe Z]

Do you really get 25-30mpg? The Dodge website lists the mpg as 19.9:

From what i've been reading on the sprinter forum the 2006 and older models have the five cylinder diesel which get better fuel mileage than the newer six cylinder models.....and you also have the shorter, lower, lighter model to help with fuel mileage....... other than that i am still learning about them.
I think in the next few years we are going to see more diesels from other makers out there.
Joe

[CD Smith]

Go here to see the specs on the smallest one they make.

It's a V6 diesel.

[Donna D.]

I didn't know there was anyone looking for a Sprinter (specifically), there was one posted for sale on the EscapeForum for quite a while, people bought a towable Escape. I didn't pay much attention, because it's not a trailer..... it's since sold.