Roof racks suck gas, but how much?

[Paddy]

The other consideration is that sprinters have a much higher maintenance and repair cost than a van that gets 10mpg too, so it's imperative that the high mpg be maintained, because it offsets the other costs of ownership. Without that stellar economy, I'd be better off with an old ford diesel van and then I could have 4x4 and maybe 16-18 mpg and cheaper maintenance.

 

[Cole]

The other consideration is that sprinters have a much higher maintenance and repair cost than a van that gets 10mpg too, so it's imperative that the high mpg be maintained, because it offsets the other costs of ownership. Without that stellar economy, I'd be better off with an old ford diesel van and then I could have 4x4 and maybe 16-18 mpg and cheaper maintenance.

That's not really true.

My Sprinter has 300k on it and has only had basic regular maint. It had "Black Death" once but that is a $0.10 part to fix and about an hour of labor.

Lots of guys with super high mileage Sprinters without issues. Of course there are horror stories like every other brand. But the number of million mile Sprinters is probably higher than other brands.

 

[Paddy]

Okay well then 4x4. Got an answer to that? Didnt think so. I am missing 4x4 a lot on this van. I make do for the mpg.

 

[Cole]

Okay well then 4x4. Got an answer to that? Didnt think so. I am missing 4x4 a lot on this van. I make do for the mpg.

4x4 was offered on the T1N. Just need to source the parts Europe or Australia where they got them. There have been a couple of people source the parts along with manual transmissions to do the swap.


Pallet of Euro 4x4 parts for WestyVentures 140b T1N

Or,

It's possible to use a domestically available T-case and do a 4x4 conversion just like any other 4x4 van. The transmission in the T1N Sprinter is shared with the Grand Cherokee, some people have also used Atlas cases, and domestic axles. What prevents most users from going this route, other than cost, is that they like the way the Sprinter handles and don't want it to handle like a domestic 4x4 swapped van.

Several Vans like this roaming around. Notice the Solid Axle Swap?

Or.

Buy a 2015 that has 4x4 here in the USA.

 

[350outrage]

Edited to make general defense of good ol' American Iron in presence of disparaging gas mpg remarks:

As soon as you guys show me a Sprinter that can launch and recover this boat, from a steep slippery ramp, then you have my interest. Until then, I'll be happy with 12 mpg and low maint costs.

:ylsmoke:

 

[Cole]

Edited to make general defense of good ol' American Iron in presence of disparaging gas mpg remarks:

As soon as you guys show me a Sprinter that can launch and recover this boat, from a steep slippery ramp, then you have my interest. Until then, I'll be happy with 12 mpg and low maint costs.

:ylsmoke:

um.......just buy a new 4x4 Sprinter 3500 :coffee drink:
http://www.mbsprinterusa.com/sprinter/showroom

 

[350outrage]

um.......just buy a new 4x4 Sprinter 3500 :coffee drink:
http://www.mbsprinterusa.com/sprinter/showroom

I can buy a lot of gas for 70 Grand! And I'll bet the Sprinter would still puke horsing around a heavy trailer on uneven rocky ground.
:coffeedrink:

 

[Cole]

I can buy a lot of gas for 70 Grand! And I'll bet the Sprinter would still puke horsing around a heavy trailer on uneven rocky ground.
:coffeedrink:

Then wait until they depreciate. That van and boat were not cheap new either. You are clearly just arguing to argue at this point.

You asked to be shown a Sprinter capable of the task! I showed you that they are readily available.

 

[350outrage]

Not really. I like Sprinters, for what they are. Just don't lose sight of the fact that 1) They are expensive to own, 2) They are not designed for heavy duty towing applications. Which all relates to the gas mpg discussion which is a part of overall economy. BTW, my friend's Sprinter just died on road in Colo.; Well maintained, crank pully sheared off at 186,000 mi. Best estimate to fix so far is $8,000.00. If you have not paid your Sprinter dues yet, you will. Best to you!

Dave

 

[Cole]

So, you don't own one. Just hearsay tails of a friend and a potentially I'll maintained vehicle.

There are equally crazy tails of Fords and Chevys blowing up. An engine replacement for your v10 done at the dealer would estimate out to about 8k too!

There are many many examples of million mile Sprinters. The average mileage at the Sprinter forum seems to be about 350k. Show me a couple of million mile v10 vans!

What is the tow rating on that Ford van? Sprinter 3500 is 7500lbs. Most people don't tow more than that, especially when they can carry 5,000lbs inside the van!!

Your posts seem more like you are butt-hurt that your van gets poor mpg. So FN what, it's a fact, not an insult.

 

[mikracer]

My stock 05 E350 with V10 and 4.10 gears got between 12-13mpg on the freeway. I recently lifted it and put 285/75/16 tires on and a Yakima megawarrior rack on top. During my last fillup, I calculated 12.75 mpg. I was happy my mileage didn't suffer.

 

[Paddy]

Okay cole you took the bait. But you first! I'll do you one better. You find the source for the parts in Europe or UK and I'll import them for us. I can even bring a whole van here to strip if necessary. The van could be filled with parts before shipping. Could be wrecked.

 

[Cole]

Okay cole you took the bait. .

What "bait"?

I answered a question. That is what these forums are supposed to be about. Discussion. Not "baiting" and arguing over nit picky things.

I'm perfectly capable of importing the parts myself.

 

[350outrage]

You asked to be shown a Sprinter capable of the task! I showed you that they are readily available.

I do appreciate seeing that nice, shiny promo pic from Mercedes, but the fact remains, in my 35 years of boating, from the Gulf coast to the Rockies, I've never seen ONE Sprinter on a boat ramp. Wonder Why? If they are so great and economical in this application!? And they have been here in the U.S. for a good while now. BTW, I don't eat in restaurants with no cars in the lot either.

I'm truly happy you love your Sprinter. If you ever get any toys heavier than boogie boards and dirt bikes, you may get the opportunity to discover what it will really do. To answer one of your previous questions, the tow rating on my van was either 9,000 or 9,500 lbs stock. With my mods, who knows?

The overall point I was making was same as your orig. position on roof racks: there are reasons you might choose something with less mpg but higher utility. And I'll confess to a little mischievous fun poking at Sprinters :sombrero: You can always count on getting a rise out of Sprinter owners !

Now, back to those Gas sucking Roof Racks!

 

[Cole]

Sprinters have only really been available in the USA for 11 years. Even then most of the very early vans were all fleet vehicles. Very few passenger vans were available anyway.

So most Sprinters weren't in the hands of the average Joe blow boater. You not seeing one on a boat ramp isn't really a statistical fact of their abilities. There are lots of things I haven't seen on boat ramps and I've been hanging out at the lakes since the early 70s.
I've also seen people pulling boats with crap that they shouldn't be towing with in the first place. So making any judgement based on what you see on a boat ramp is silly.

I've towed 7500lbs across the country with my Sprinter. I've got a 25' long dual axle car hauler that I carry van projects and my race car with. So, your ASSumptions about my not towing anything but paddle boards are wrong. (Of course there was a picture posted of my Sprinter in this thread with 7500lbs behind it right wig the one with paddle boards)

My point had nothing to do with choosing something with less MPG, it was about choosing the equipment that does the job, period. If a roof rack is the only way to get the job done then there is no reason to fuss about the mileage affect.