Freightliner Sprinter van for families

[engatwork]

I saw one of these today. Looks like it will be ideal for setting up with tv, dvd, etc...

The wife said she had narrowed her choice down to either a Lincoln Navigator or Ford Expedition. I am going to take her to look at one of these with the 118" wheelbase. This is what I am going to push for.


http://www.daimlerchrysler-vans.com/advpassenger/index.html

The one I saw was dark blue. First one I have seen like this. That in-line 5 diesel with turbo is alot more appealing than the Ford V8.

[Ashman]

The lincoln navigator and ford expedetion are essentiallyt he same vehicle underneath.

I would push for the mb van. looks very cool.

Alon

[Frank X. Morris]

Howdy Jim,
That is nice and looks like it would serve your purpose. Hope you can swing a deal.

[jjrodger]

These vehicles are marketed as the "V-Class" by MB in the UK. They can be had with quite comfortable and luxurious specifications (S-Class levels of equipment). They are often used by chauffeur companies and posh hotels.

I have ridden in a V280 "ambiante" spec vehicle in Brilliant silver with grey leather interior. It was extremely comfortabel and spacious. There were 7 or 8 individual and removable seats. Each had a lot of legroom and there was plently of lugage space. The driver explained the different ways the interior could be configured. I seem to remember a multi-zone climate control.

This particular model had a 2.8 litre VR6 (a very good VW engine) and a 4 speed auto box. I would rate this vehicle far above the alternative people carriers.

The UK motoring press does not like these vehicles because they offer little "driving pleasure". No ****. They offer considerable passenger comfort and driver comfort over a long journey, though. We concluded that a Brabus V-class would be ideal as family transport for holiday drives to Europe (with the SLK on a trailer behind).

[joegolden]

My brother is an engineer for Borg Warner and he has been in Detroit working with Ford on a new smaller turbo diesel engine that will be optional in the new Expedition,Explorer, and Ranger trucks. He shot off some figures to me which I have forgotten but they were very impressive.

If you want an Expedition but want diesel fuel economy you might want to wait a while and see what comes of this. He did not know an introduction date. Also first year gremlins would be a concern. I just think it is great more diesels are slowly making a comeback!

Later,

[Eberhard Weilke]

...this truck is called "Sprinter" in Europe. It is basically a delivery van available as a passanger van.

The V-Class is the beefed up version of the Vito. The Vito is a front wheel drive micro van assembled in Spain. The V 280 six cylinder is produced by VW, since Mercedes Benz was stupid enough to design the Vito in such a way, that no Mercedes six cylinder was fitting in it.

Vito and V-Class are poorly assembled, they don't even bother to put the fallen of pieces back into the car at the dealers show room. If you want a well build car in that class you should choose the VW.

The Sprinter is a different story. They are pretty relaible as a delivery van, with the 154 hp Diesel they run about 100 mph until the speed limiter cuts in. Since they are below 2.8 tons they have no legal speed limit on the Autobahn in Germany.

Kind regards
Eberhard

[engatwork]

Thanks Eberhard,
The problem around this part of the world is that no telling where I would have to go to find one set up for passenger service. The local Freightliner dealer is on the road I commute to work on. I am planning on stopping by Monday and see if they have any brochures and talk to them about it.

[Eberhard Weilke]

...the passanger van should be available through the Frightliner dealership network.

I have no idea how expensive it is going to be. But it is a really well build truck. In Europe you see them everywhere.

The trucking company working for us has a car rental in the area of Berlin. One of their clients works as a contractor for a parcel delivery service. He is going from Berlin to Neuss at the Rhine River every night, six days a week. He returns his Sprinter every three months to get a new one. In that time he clocked about 60.000 miles on it.

But remember: Even the passanger van is basically still a truck. You don't get luxury. It is still build the way you could hose down the interieur.

Don't look for the V-class. This car is truely a piece of junk.

Kind regards
Eberhard

[Kuan]

I actually saw one of these at the Freightliner dealer last Oct. They're extremely tanklike, and the demo model had a 3,000 lbs worth of old batteries in the cargo area. The LWB is humungous. The sales rep said around 31k for a LWB passsenger version with three rows of seats.

Kuan

I have to agree with Eberhard, the Sprinter is a working delivery van/truck and wound probably make for a lousy family vehicle. There's a large difference between Mercedes passenger vehicles and Mercedes commercial vehicles. They're built for different tasks and to different standards. The V-Class is a bad attempt to make one out of the other, and it shows. CAR magazine summed up the V-Class as "Nasty to drive, expensive to own. Mercedes should be ashamed." They gave it 1.5 out of 5 stars, being the only Benz with anything less then 3 stars. On that rating I would stay away since the V-Class is just a slighty redone Sprinter.

[Eberhard Weilke]

...the V-class is a redone Vito, which is the small van.

Front wheel driven piece of ****.

The Sprinter is rear wheel drive, as a passanger van you have more space than anything else. You can carry your family with the Grandparents and Greatgrandparents. Plus friends of the kids.

It would make a nice family vehicle.

Kind regards
Eberhard

[engatwork]

My thinking too is that I could fix it up as a type of vehicle for camping/sleeping in when attending drag races and such. I do not know what the "V" series is. I think I could have a pretty nice Sprinter van set up for family trips for about what a two year old Expedition goes for. I will stop by the dealer and check it out.

[Eberhard Weilke]

...the Sprinter as a family multipurpose vehicle would be a smart idea. You should check the towing specs. Should be significant.

Plus you are the only one with a Frightliner in the driveway at your block ;-)

The fuel economy at these direct injected Diesels is astonishing.

This link should bring you to the V-class. Look at it and don't dream of owning one.

Go for the Sprinter.

Kind regards
Eberhard

[Eberhard Weilke]

...check the german mercedes-benz.de site. You should find the V-class under vans.

Kind regards
Eberhard

[Eberhard Weilke]

...ask the dealer if the "James Cook" conversion is available in the US.

If you have any questions for maybe getting bunkbeds or other things from this conversion, drop me a note. I might inquire with the manufacturer and handle the shipping of the parts.

Kind regards
Eberhard
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