Sprinter and Vito

[GeorgeR]

Sprinter is going down with the engine size from V6 to L4 with V6 optional in 2014 and is bringing its Vito van perhaps with diesel.
4×4 « News about Mercedes-Benz Cars, SUV's and now smart cars & Sprinter Vans

George.

[Mike Magee]

Thanks for the link. I would have liked to see it get here a year sooner; I may have purchased a Ford by then, depending on what size diesel Ford decides on.

[BCDave]

I do NOT know about "Smart Cars" in the US of A, but here in Canada, when they were introduced, a diesel was the only available engine. It was only after all the complaints piled up over the first 2-3 years that the engine was changed and so far as I know, diesel is no longer available in Smart Cars here now.

[Mike Magee]

What sort of complaints?

[BCDave]

I'm told that the most common one was a complete and total lack of heat in winter - in fact could not even keep the windshield defrosted. Hard starting was a common one, too apparently.

A guy I used to work with LOVED the Smart car but complained incessantly about the lack of heat and the lack of guts - zero passing power, useless on hills. His was a "first year" one and it needed a LOT of bugs sorted out, but he had thought that since the (essentially identical) one had been sold in Europe as the "Swatch" (Yes same company as markets the watches!) it shoulda had all the bugs out by then. Wrong.

He now has a gas one - loves it so much he even got another for his wife!

Their third vehicle is a 2004 Chev Duramax one ton dually that they use to pull their humongous fifth wheel