I am a partner in a small transportation company that just took delivery of a '06 six wheel Sprinter today. One more is due in about a week.

I was looking forward to this but it was better then I expected. It is a 13 seater with stand-up top, topside a/c, back doors with luggage space and automatic bus doors (first year available). The 2.7 CID and five speed transmission are like silk.

A lot of good thinking went into this mini-bus. The six 15" Continental tire are going to save a lot of money and parts finding time, the front seats are very adjustable. and yet manual. Tracks and turns like a car.

I could not find the fuel filler cap until I looked under the bus and traced it from the fuel tank. Great filler cap security.

The only downside, so far, is the price. It came out just over $52,000 each. Well worth it if they turn out as good as I think they will.

I will write more as we test the mini-buses.

__________________
_____________________________

In scuba diving and skydiving as in life, if it isn't fun, your doing it wrong.

Original owner & daily driver, 1983 300SD 298,000 miles.

In one of my little fantasies I occasionally entertain, I liquidate all my assets, and buy a Sprinter. I trick it out like a little RV (but not looking like a dumb RV), and go rolling around the country on biodiesel. Ah, life would be great, me and my Sprinter.

They are spendy little guys, but they do look like well designed pieces of transportation.

peace,
sam

__________________
"That f***in' biodiesel is makin' me hungry."

1982 300TD Astral Silver w/ 250k (BIO BNZ)
2001 Aprilia SR50 Corsa Red w/ 5.5k (>100 MPG)

Pictures Please!!!!

__________________
Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

Hummmm, someone else with my fantasy. Also thinking about buying a winter home away from the cold.

From what I heard '06 models were to be the V6 not the I5 and is why they are so late on the market. Has that changed for some reason? Because I had read where they stopped production of the I5 & I6 engines last summer. Is this a I5 2.7 or V6 3.0?

__________________
'10 Chrysler T&C Stow-N-Go White. Grandpa's ride.

'13 Chrysler 200 Touring Candy Red. Grandma's ride.

Age and cunning will always over come youth and vigor.

Yeah you have to open the drivers door to get to the fuel fill right?

Its actaully physically latched behind the drivers door steel?

With the cost of fuel so high in metro Europe, I imagine thats why they came up with that.

Just noted you said it was a 6 wheeler and those are the only models that still show that they are available on the Dodge website. I guess they have to run all the old chassis out the door before delivering the Sprinter with the new V6 diesel.

It was hard for me to believe when I read that MB statement that MB was discontinuing the 5 & 6 cyl diesels and moving to the V6 so as to have a wider cross section of cars they could put a diesel into due to dropped nose design for airodynamic's for all cars today. Every time I looked under the hood of a E320 CDI I was amazed that they were able to get it in and close the hood. I understand the reasoning, it's cheaper to have one diesel that works for both truck and car then mfg two I guess.

__________________
'10 Chrysler T&C Stow-N-Go White. Grandpa's ride.

'13 Chrysler 200 Touring Candy Red. Grandma's ride.

Age and cunning will always over come youth and vigor.

I do not know what the V6 and new chassis would mean. Better? Will the V6 mean a bigger sprinter option? I think everything I see in this sprinter, except the body, is made in Germany, is that true for the V6?

The 2.7 cdi seems great for this size. This sprinter seems to save about 30% on daily fuel cost (early numbers) when compared with the gas Turtle top it is replacing, with much better fit and finish.

As well, we bought the Sprinters not lease them which means this engine will be running about 16 hours a day 7 day a week for about 60,000 mile a year. I am projecting 3 to 5 years useful life. If this works, it means big cost savings. If it does not, it means our fleet manager will make fun of the guy who drives the old car.

__________________
_____________________________

In scuba diving and skydiving as in life, if it isn't fun, your doing it wrong.

Original owner & daily driver, 1983 300SD 298,000 miles.

The only thing not made in Germany on the sprinter as far as I know is the radio, tires,(?) and possibley the grill. The body may be made elsewhere but I don't think so.

Be sure to use the Mobil 1 0w-40 or any ACEA A3,B3,B4 rated synthetic oil. I don't think the Truck & SUV oil is ok in the 2.7L because it's doesn't carry that rating, you will need to check the OM to be sure. It has to do with high temp film strength for the cam chain and gear, because they will fail if the oil is not up to approprate film strenght. And as the local transportation service that has(had) Sprinter's if you do not us a certified oil you will be on you own if you have an engine failure. With the correct oil and good fuel these 5 cyl engines will hit the 400k to 500k mile mark rather easly as I sure you are aware of being an owner of "old MB diesel car" guy.

If you want to improve the mpg's on the turbo diesel get rid of OEM mufflers (they are designed for gassers) and put a Flowmaster 40 or like brand on the car, but make sure it's not all the way at back as in the 123 cars or it will drone. The Liberty CRD is running about 2.5 to 3 mpg better city mileage with the Flowmaster 40, and it's as quite as the OEM but with just a hint of a deeper tone and is half the size of the OEM filter on the CRD. The Jeep is also noticeable quicker on excelleration and spool up of turbo. The Sprinter may not use a gasser type of muffler, but I bet it does. If so it would benifit from this mod.

__________________
'10 Chrysler T&C Stow-N-Go White. Grandpa's ride.

'13 Chrysler 200 Touring Candy Red. Grandma's ride.

Age and cunning will always over come youth and vigor.

Oldnavy, even the tires are made in Germany and the radio is a bottom of the line Becker with no name on it (if you own a Becker long enough you can hear the need for an upgrade. By the way, thanks for the good information and if you hear anything about the "new" '06 Sprinters with the V6 and such please post.

And now onto the pixs......Hope this works

Sorry for the poor pix but taken fast with a PDA.

Attached Thumbnails

         

__________________
_____________________________

In scuba diving and skydiving as in life, if it isn't fun, your doing it wrong.

Original owner & daily driver, 1983 300SD 298,000 miles.

Will do, sure would like a V6 MB diesel in a Dodge Magnum or Charger.

__________________
'10 Chrysler T&C Stow-N-Go White. Grandpa's ride.

'13 Chrysler 200 Touring Candy Red. Grandma's ride.

Age and cunning will always over come youth and vigor.

Already done Sam, and by Airstream no less...

http://www.airstream.com/product_line/touring_coaches/index.html

Looks like three models to choose from.

__________________
But what do I know...

1984 300SD 256k