4 Best & Worst Years For Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (2023)

FAQs

What is the best year for a Mercedes Sprinter van? ›

The 2006 model year in particular is a well-loved model by those who have owned one. This study shows that out of people who have personal experience with Sprinter models from 2004-2010 nearly 40% vote the 2006 model as the best one out there.

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has won the Most Reliable Van award in the 2021 FN50 reliability survey for the seventh year running.

The Sprinter utilizes a German-built engine, which can come in either a gasoline or diesel-powered configuration. The engines get great gas mileage considering the size and weight of the vehicle, and the diesel engines in particular are known to run well over 400,000 miles.

A bit more about used vans and mileage

Mine typically gets around 20mpg, which isn't bad for something that weighs 7 thousand pounds. The engines are known to drive well into the 400k-500k range of miles and even if your engine blew up, there are plenty of replacements sitting around in wreck yards.

The Sprinter beats both the Transit and ProMaster for driver and front-seat comfort. There is significantly more legroom and headroom in the Sprinter. Plus, it has a more ergonomic seat position.

Unsurprisingly, Sprinters also hold their value extremely well when compared with other vans. Purchasing any new vehicle with excellent resale value is a great security blanket for your investment, should you need or want to sell it in the future. Vehicle reliability is the driving factor of resale value.

Diesel engines are generally more fuel-efficient than gas engines, making them ideal for long-distance travel. Diesel engines also give your van more torque, which means you have more power for heavy towing. Additionally, diesel engines tend to have a longer life expectancy than gasoline engines.

What is the most reliable second hand van to buy? ›

The Mercedes Benz Sprinter is considered the gold standard for van lifers and for good reason. Sprinters have been around for years so tracking down a used one already outfitted with the van life essentials is possible.

The Mercedes Sprinter van boasts an impressive 14-17 MPG. For years, the Mercedes Sprinter has been an industry leader for high-roof cargo vans–setting the standard for fuel efficiency coupled with performance, reliability, and comfort.

If you take good care of them with regular maintenance, Mercedes Sprinter vans can easily last for 300,000 miles or more. On the high end, it's not unheard of for Sprinters to be going strong at 450,000+ miles. After 150,000 miles, it's likely that you'll be looking at your first major repairs.

An oil change for your Sprinter diesel van should occur every 7.500 miles or 1 year. For those who drive their Sprinter van more frequently, consider scheduling an oil change every 4,000 to 5,000 miles.

The Sprinter van runs on a diesel engine and can run over 300,000 miles. As long as you stay up on regular maintenance, this van will last you for a very long time.

How Much Does a Sprinter Camper Van Cost? Sprinter camper vans cost anywhere from $150,000 to upwards of $200,000 brand new. Popular models like the Winnebago Revel start at more than $175,000, the Pleasure-Way Plateau starts at more than $163,000, and the Roadtrek SS Agile starts at more than $173,000.

When choosing your Sprinter, it all depends on the layout you're designing for your van build. If you're planning to live full-time on the road or want the maximum floor and storage space possible, the 170” wheelbase, regular or extended, might be the right choice.

While high-mileage vans may continue to run well, they are more often than not older models, and have thus have signs of wear and tear. If you're looking to use your van to support your brand, you may prefer a more modern edition.

Rust is a really common problem on Sprinters. This is especially the case if you opt for an older van like we did.

Are Sprinter vans expensive to maintain? ›

A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter will cost about $18,634 for maintenance and repairs during its first 10 years of service. This beats the industry average for luxury full size van models by $1,802. There is also a 56.68% chance that a Sprinter will require a major repair during that time.

The Mercedes Benz Sprinter van is well-known for many things, one being produced under various brands. Yes, Dodge, Freightliner, and even Volkswagen have all built these near-identical vans, with only the differences being a badge and some minor interior changes.

Which Ford Transit engine is best? Both the original 2.2-litre and the later 2.0-litre engines offer a good driving experience – but though the 2.0-litre motors have been experiencing some issues (see the Reliability section), they are also more refined and have greater low-down torque. Which makes them nicer to drive.

The first generation (VA Chassis) North American Sprinter was launched in 2001 in the U.S. and was originally branded as a Freightliner. Units sold to the rest of North America were badged as Mercedes-Benz until 2003 when they received Dodge branding.

Despite its high center of gravity, the Sprinter does not roll over, thanks to outriggers on both sides.

VIPs and celebrities pick Sprinter Rentals for good reasons

The ride is so smooth that you barely feel it, because the state-of-the-art German engineering behaves impeccably, compensating for difficult, long-distance driving and uneven surfaces.

As far as the vehicle height, the shortest model is 96.3 inches (eight feet). The tallest van is the 2500, reaching 111.3 inches (9 ft, 4 inches). The tallest 3500 model is 109.1 inches. When it comes to the gross vehicle weight, 2500 models go up to 9,050 pounds, while 3500 models can weigh as much as 9,900.

Depending on the model year of your van, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter diesel engines require the use of diesel grades 1-D, 2-D or ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (15 ppm sulfur maximum).

The Mercedes-Benz 2.7L is an inline 5 cylinder diesel engine produced for Mercedes, Dodge, and Freightliner for primarily the Sprinter Van. Reviva now has a long block supreme version for model years 2001-2006.

Digital Trends reports that diesel engines tend to be more durable and last longer than gas engines, with reliable operation and minimal required maintenance.

Which diesel engine lasts longest? ›

The 7.3L Powerstroke is still considered one of the most reliable diesel engines ever made. It also has plenty of power for most applications, with 500 pound-feet of torque and 235 horsepower. It was built for the long haul, too with an air-to-air intercooler, oil-based fueling, and durable internal hard parts.

Further to this, most cargo vans have reliably covered 150,000 miles with little to no issues. However, it is not uncommon for these vehicles to reach 250,000 miles. Therefore, based on this information, a 150,000-mile van should be the maximum mileage target if you want to get some good use out of it.

There's no absolute number of miles that is too many for a used car. But consider 200,000 as an upper limit, a threshold where even modern cars begin to succumb to the years of wear and tear.

Based on data from 19 vehicles, 1,268 fuel-ups and 309,180 miles of driving, the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 gets a combined Avg MPG of 15.72 with a 0.17 MPG margin of error.

How can I get better gas mileage in my Sprinter? ›

Accelerate Slowly

The faster you accelerate and the faster you drive, the more drag your sprinter van has to work against. As your engine works harder to counteract that drag, it burns more fuel. The same principle is similar with braking. In general, drivers use the gas pedal far too close to when they need to stop.

The 2006 model year in particular is a well-loved model by those who have owned one. This study shows that out of people who have personal experience with Sprinter models from 2004-2010 nearly 40% vote the 2006 model as the best one out there.

The Sprinter utilizes a German-built engine, which can come in either a gasoline or diesel-powered configuration. The engines get great gas mileage considering the size and weight of the vehicle, and the diesel engines in particular are known to run well over 400,000 miles.

There is a fuel filter in your Sprinter van. This filter should be changed every 30,000 miles to ensure it doesn't get clogged by the contaminants that it removes from the fuel.

DEF is consumed at a rate of about 2-3% relative to the amount of fuel you are using. This means between 1.2 and 2.0 gallons of DEF will be required for a vehicle with a 65-gallon gas tank. If you have a five-gallon DEF tank, DEF should be replaced every third or fourth time you fill up.

Replacing the fuel filter

Replace the fuel filter every 20,000 miles.

The Sprinter beats both the Transit and ProMaster for driver and front-seat comfort. There is significantly more legroom and headroom in the Sprinter. Plus, it has a more ergonomic seat position.

When choosing your Sprinter, it all depends on the layout you're designing for your van build. If you're planning to live full-time on the road or want the maximum floor and storage space possible, the 170” wheelbase, regular or extended, might be the right choice.

All-in-all, Sprinter vans are tough and require low maintenance. That said, when you understand them, you will find they are usually in need of various maintenance and will require a lot more attention than you ever thought.

Is it better to have a Sprinter van or box truck? ›

In fact, the cargo van is considered to be nimbler and better on fuel economy in comparison to box trucks. However, there is a sacrifice in the amount of cargo room you have to haul freight. Cargo vans average about 100 to 200 cubic feet of space with 3,000 to 4,000 pounds payload capacity.

A Mercedes-Benz Sprinter will cost about $18,634 for maintenance and repairs during its first 10 years of service. This beats the industry average for luxury full size van models by $1,802. There is also a 56.68% chance that a Sprinter will require a major repair during that time.

An oil change for your Sprinter diesel van should occur every 7.500 miles or 1 year. For those who drive their Sprinter van more frequently, consider scheduling an oil change every 4,000 to 5,000 miles.

So what is the difference between the different brandings of Mercedes Sprinters? Well aside from branding and some cosmetic differences, they are mechanically identical. So as far as specific mechanical differences, it's not really the branding that you need to worry about.

Versatility is the number one reason why Sprinter vans are so popular. Smaller than an RV, but with massive advantages over car camping or smaller vans, Sprinter campers are the perfect balance between luxury and convenience. Sprinters are easily maneuverable in city environments.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter starts at $43,500. The Crew Van with two rows of seats starts at $46,700, and the Passenger Van with 12 seats begins at $48,700. The Cab Chassis model starts at $47,300 before any upfits.