2017 Sprinter / Promaster / Transit RV paint and repair

[Cannuck]

I'm looking at a few class Bs and trying to make an informed final decision. Several of them are on the Sprinter or Promaster chassis. While the transit sounds good, I don't see any conversions available to Canada. Sportsmobile for example is not on the importable list.

I asked my mechanic what he thought of the Sprinter. He went into a litany of problems he's aware of with the Sprinter, and basically referred to it as a boat that you could pour endless funds into. He phone a friend at a Dodge dealer that still works on them. Not a pretty description ending with a firm warning to stay away from them. My mechanic also dragging me next door to his friends's body work shop. The body shop guy pulled out the pictures of the < 10 year old Sprinters (RV conversions actually) he's done paint work on. They looked like a 16 year old with uncontrolled acne. I've never seen rust so bad on body panels on a 10 year old van. Nasty!

There is an easy to find Sprinter discussion topic where a fleet owner estimated his maintenance costs across 47 Sprinters was 10 cents per mile. He puts 50,000 miles on a van in a year so he sees it quick. He went on about the 100,000 mile breakdown - basically the exhaust system starts to have myriad faults adding a lot to the 10 c/m estimate. He planned to get rid of the lot.

I don't know much about the Promaster aside from people saying they aren't perfect but paint is good and repairs are pretty reasonably priced.

The best reports I've read have been in reference to the Ford Transit. I live in Canada and aside from the 2017 WGO Paseo which may?? be available here next year, I don't know of any Ford Transit conversion shops that have a vehicle that can be brought into Canada.

Paint is one of my larger fears. In Canada at least, mechanics often outlive the body on vehicles. When you're hoping for 15+ years out of an RV, watching it rust apart would be pretty disheartening.

I certainly don't mean to knock anyone's RV of choice. I love the look of the WGO 70A and the PW Plateau TS. When you read stuff on the internet, its hard to tell whether there is a general problem with something or whether your reading from an isolated crowd of dissatisfied customers. I'd greatly appreciate some feedback from a general audience of people who own these vehicles.

[gregmchugh]

GTRV moved all manufacturing to the US but I think they may still sell into Canada and they do Transits give them a call...

GTRV

[cruisefx]

There are some smaller outfits in Quebec that build on the Ford Transit.

https://www.new-west.com/eng/

I went by this past summer but they were closed so I only looked through the windows! I was busy looking at Safari Condo down the road. But SC does not have Transit vans

[mojoman]

I would recommend the Transit if you are towing, stay away from all diesels until they come up with a more reliable and less complicated and costly emissions system. I own a Promaster with the standard gas engine and quite happy. I understand in Canada you will pay close to full sticker for any van. Part of my decision to buy a Promaster was the discounts the dealers give on chrysler and fords. Saving over 20% on the price is quite a chunk of change.

[avanti]

The Sprinter is quite reliable except for the emissions systems, which I agree are problematic (N.B. though, that in the US these systems are covered under the federally mandated extended emissions warranty). Also agree that the issue is endemic to modern clean diesels, not just the Sprinter. They are VERY clean, but at a price.

The Sprinter rust issue appears to be specific to older models. Even then, there is evidence that the problem was limited to units that came from the factory with the generic white paint. The premium colors seem to hold up well. Our old 2015 Airstream Interstate (with premium paint) was rust-free after a decade, except for the places where Airstream butchered all the RV penetrations. Moreover, starting in 2014 the paint process was upgraded. I can't swear that the problem is solved, but there is no hint of rust on our 2014 (stored outdoors), and the whining about rust over at Sprinter-Source seems to have subsided.

[Cannuck]

Thanks mojoman. The Promaster is looking pretty good to me as well. My wife still prefers the Sprinter models. The Promaster being 21' (parkable) is a plus to me, minus to my wife. The PW Lexor TS looks pretty good. They had to cut 20" out of the comparable Plateau TS. Doesn't sound like a lot but it takes out a lot of the storage space.

Thanks avanti. You've given me some confidence on the Sprinters as well. I can swallow some repairs if they aren't too bad. I understand the far stricter emissions regs hit around 2008/2009 timeframe. That's when the emissions issue got ugly. The rust was a showstopper for me. And you appear to be right. I've seen a lot of white sprinters on the road with rust dripping off them. The premium coloured sprinters generally looked OK - and I don't think its just that white shows it more. The white ones were pock marked pretty bad.

Hopefully I get some more replies on which to base things.

[mojoman]

My Promaster is 19.5' long and I still stick out a bit in parking spaces. If having the ability to park anywhere is important to you, stay under 21'. Also, you will never have enough storage no matter what size you get. I can zip around in the city and parking lots with ease. Having your wife test drive them may help with length selection.

[jrobe]

Don't buy a Promaster without testing the seats. They were terrible for both my wife and I when we tested a Promaster RV. For me it was that they wouldn't recline enough. I couldn't drive that thing for 1 hour without a sore back. Sprinters and Transits have much better seats. Everyone is different though.

[cruisefx]

Originally Posted by jrobe

Don't buy a Promaster without testing the seats. They were terrible for both my wife and I when we tested a Promaster RV. For me it was that they wouldn't recline enough. I couldn't drive that thing for 1 hour without a sore back. Sprinters and Transits have much better seats. Everyone is different though.

Were you impeded by a wall behind you (bathroom) so that you could not recline?

[mojoman]

I thought they were too stiff when we first got the Promaster but after many hours traveling in them, they are very comfortable. Too soft a seat can be uncomfortable on long trips. I learned that with motorcycle seats. Mine recline quite far, but I don't have anything in the way behind them to stop them from reclining fully.

[mumkin]

There is one Canadian manufacturer that is making a small Class C on the Transit. If you can afford the high price, LTV makes a beautiful top quality RV. It is a diesel I believe:

Leisure Travel Vans - Wonder