Deciding between new Transit and Sprinter

[Westcoast]

I’m putting an order in on a Storyteller Mode van, and they offer both the Transit awd gas ecoboost and the Sprinter 4wd diesel versions. They will be 2021 platforms.

The transit has a bit more headroom which would be appreciated but has less ground clearance.

It comes down to which platform is more reliable, drives better, and get survived without issues. Better feel.

I have heard pluses and minuses of both.

Any thoughts?

[rowiebowie]

Welcome to the forum!

I've not owned a diesel, but is seems the complicated emissions system has caused problems and resulted in recalls for some unknown percentage of Sprinter vans.

The Sprinter is a true 4-wd, while the Transit is AWD.

I guess you could always have a Transit lifted, but not without some expense and difficulty finding a qualified installer.

I'm 6'2" so I would value headroom more than the average person.

Just things to consider. Utlimately your priorities will lead you to the right chassis. Good luck.

[Westcoast]

Thanks! I’m tall too (6’3”) but I think the sprinter handles that. I just hate reading about CEL scenarios or limp mode. Uncommon?

[avanti]

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

[It] seems the complicated emissions system has caused problems and resulted in recalls for some unknown percentage of Sprinter vans.

You can say that again! The percentage may be "unknown" but it is very high.

DEF-based diesel emissions systems are a true nightmare. I will never, EVER own another one. There is a lot to like about Sprinters, but the ownership experience of a BlueTec vehicle is so off-the-scale awful (unless you are VERY lucky), that I would not even consider one.

There is a 95% chance that my next van will be a Transit. The remaining 5% is a gasoline Sprinter (but I don't think you can get 4WD with one.

P.S. -- MB will soon be shipping a modern AWD drivechain. Whether you will still be able to order the current traditional 4WD unit (which I consider archaic for this kind of vehicle) after that, I do not know.

[@Michael]

The Sprinter's 4WD and ground clearance will have a clear advantage if you spend time on logging roads, forest service roads, etc. A pre-2020 Transit with a Quigly 4WD conversion would be similar to a 4WD Sprinter. If you are staying on graded gravel and pavement, the ground clearance is a non-issue and AWD is more than adequate.

As far as reliability goes, the big question for me is whether or not Mercedes has the emissions figured out on the newer model years. You'd think that after a handful of years of trying, they've have it right by now.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by @Michael

As far as reliability goes, the big question for me is whether or not Mercedes has the emissions figured out on the newer model years. You'd think that after a handful of years of trying, they've have it right by now.

Well, that assumes that they have been giving the problem any attention. All the OEMs know that diesel is dead (we can debate how long the internment will take). The Sprinter is currently the only remaining diesel-powered vehicle that MB sells in the US. They have made it clear that they see it as a cash cow that they intend to milk for as long as the EPA lets them:

Daimler has pledged that all new models will designed "electric-first," according to the paper, but the company doesn't want to put an expiration date on internal-combustion models because they serve as a "cash-machine" to fund future EVs.

"Our combustion engine business is extremely robust and produces cash flows that we invest in the future," Källenius said.

https://www.greencarreports.com/news...d-diesel-sales

Given that attitude, it is quite possible that they prefer to skip the R&D and rather invest their money in "clean diesel" marketing campaigns and paying out their EPA fines and class-action suits, rather than fixing an underlying problem in a technology that is not long for this world.

We'll see, I guess.

[Davydd]

I have 165,000 miles on three Sprinters using DEF and I’ve never got the limp home message and of course never limped home. I haven’t heard much with the new 2019+ VS30 Sprinter models if it is a problem. Hopefully that is in the past. You can now monitor and check your DEF level on a dash board message. Easier filling too.

I never considered 4WD as a need, but I did get the Mercedes Benz 2” lift kit installed. Probably didn’t need it but my experience with the extended body Sprinters bottoming out in the rear just made me cautious. I probably could have done without in a 144 WB Sprinter with little back overhang. Good for looking under the van and kind of badass.

I’m getting 20.5 mpg at mostly Interstate driving of 65-70 mile per hour so far. Can’t wait to see what it will do on the 55 mph highways. Same engine, better transmission and a ton lighter. The paddle shifters are cool driving the winding mountains in WV and PA so far. Driving the flat Midwest you don’t need them. My wife didn’t know what they were for in her Subaru Outback. No gear handle shifter as before. I managed to avoid dually tires. Glad I did.

The new 10” screen is the bomb. The high resolution color screen for back up with a 360º plan view as well as the back up view is great. No more knocking over mail box posts.

Seats are super comfortable and adjustable and the cab is spacious. We got the ARV stage step to keep it flat and our feet touch the floor when the seats are turned around. There are three seat adjustment options so we can adjust our seats for our preferences and the third is for positioning the seat without guessing to turn the seats around.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by Davydd

................ You can now monitor and check your DEF level on a dash board message. Easier filling too.

.................

Easier filling?, what is the improvement? With MB bottles it is very easy on my 2013 van.

[jrobe]

We have a 2017 Sprinter that has been great for us although, all else being equal, I might choose a gas Transit for my next van. The 2 deciding factors that would be most important for me would be these 2 things. I absolutely would need another 2nd alternator like we have in our Sprinter to easily and quickly charge our battery system. I wouldn't buy a Transit without a 2nd alternator and perfect coordination with our battery system like we have in our Sprinter. I also love our diesel fired Espar heater. This gives us virtually unlimited heat without ever having to fill a propane tank. We do have a propane tank for cooking and hot water but I have never had to fill it in 4 years. I wouldn't want to have to worry about our propane level anymore in colder weather traveling and then dealing with the hassle of filling it.

I realize that a 2nd alternator is possible on a Transit but, as I recall, linking it to an RV battery system isn't very well established. There are also gasoline based heating systems but they also aren't as well established and readily available as the diesel bunk heaters that are used in thousands of semi trucks across the country. I wouldn't buy a Transit without dealing with those 2 issues.

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

Easier filling?, what is the improvement? With MB bottles it is very easy on my 2013 van.

Better designed filler cap and overflow protection. Since I haven’t added DEF yet I just saw it in passing. I’ll have to take a photo to better explain it.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by jrobe

We have a 2017 Sprinter that has been great for us although, all else being equal, I might choose a gas Transit for my next van. The 2 deciding factors that would be most important for me would be these 2 things. I absolutely would need another 2nd alternator like we have in our Sprinter to easily and quickly charge our battery system. I wouldn't buy a Transit without a 2nd alternator and perfect coordination with our battery system like we have in our Sprinter. I also love our diesel fired Espar heater. This gives us virtually unlimited heat without ever having to fill a propane tank. We do have a propane tank for cooking and hot water but I have never had to fill it in 4 years. I wouldn't want to have to worry about our propane level anymore in colder weather traveling and then dealing with the hassle of filling it.

Sounds like we are on just about exactly the same page when it comes to requirements, and we seem to be headed in the same direction.

I realize that a 2nd alternator is possible on a Transit but, as I recall, linking it to an RV battery system isn't very well established. There are also gasoline based heating systems but they also aren't as well established and readily available as the diesel bunk heaters that are used in thousands of semi trucks across the country. I wouldn't buy a Transit without dealing with those 2 issues.

I don't believe that either of those points represent serious issues.

I am not finished with my Transit electrical research, and it is apparently true that Ford made some kind of change in the dual alternator option at some point since it was released. However, I am quite confident that there are no deep issues. In the worst case you can skip the fancy Ford power management on the second alternator and use one of the standard B2B charger solutions.

As for gasoline Espars, they also are used on thousands of trucks. I realize that there is an Internet meme going around to the effect that there are issues with petrol Espars, but I have seen no evidence that this is true (an exception may be some extra finickiness above 9000 feet--not sure). Every custom upfitter I have spoken to during my research has told be that they install them all the time without issues. Also, there is virtually no mechanical differences between gas and diesel Espar burners. I honestly am not worried about this.

If you have come across hard facts that contradict any of this, please let us know since, as I say, I absolutely share both of your requirements.

[Snowy]

Originally Posted by jrobe

I realize that a 2nd alternator is possible on a Transit but, as I recall, linking it to an RV battery system isn't very well established. There are also gasoline based heating systems but they also aren't as well established and readily available as the diesel bunk heaters that are used in thousands of semi trucks across the country. I wouldn't buy a Transit without dealing with those 2 issues.

The Coachman Beyond on a Transit has a second alternator that is integrated with the battery system AFAIK.

For me, the two main problems with the Sprinter are the emissions as pointed out by Avanti and the lack of dealers in the US. You can get a Transit serviced most anywhere. One other problem is that MB does not want you to idle the diesel engine/emission system, so charging with the UHG while stationary (boondocking) may be a problem. The same is not true of the gas Transit.

I have found nothing but good posts about the Transit's ecoboost engine, but admit i haven't tried to fact check this opinion.

One of the main problems here is that there is no reliable collation of reliability stats on either chassis, just lots of anecdotes. That said, i have seen a *ton* of negative anecdotes about problems with the Sprinter's DEF emission system.

[RickNV]

go with the Transit. the Sprinter service experience is terrible and costly- you very likely to get a Sprinter with issues- while the Sprinter offers better looks and ground clearance the reliability and frustration is not worth the trade offs.

[Belzar]

For size and 4x4 you can't beat the Sprinter. I also like the driving position and safety features, but that is a very personal preference. I have a 2016 and never had problem such as the DEF issues some have reported on earlier models. While 4x4 may be helpful in snow/sand/mud, these are still not "off-road" vehicles. The extra clearnance on the 4x4 is probably a more important feature than the 4x4 itself.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Belzar

For size and 4x4 you can't beat the Sprinter. I also like the driving position and safety features, but that is a very personal preference. I have a 2016 and never had problem such as the DEF issues some have reported on earlier models. While 4x4 may be helpful in snow/sand/mud, these are still not "off-road" vehicles. The extra clearnance on the 4x4 is probably a more important feature than the 4x4 itself.

1) I agree on the superiority of the Sprinter's driving position (and the cab in general).
2) As far as I can see, since the 2020 refresh, the Transit safety features are pretty much identical to the Sprinter's.
3) 4x4: If we are talking about buying new, be sure to compare the Transit's AWD with the new Sprinter offering (which is apparently imminent). They appear to be moving closer to the Transit system. As I said, I have no idea whether the old 4WD system will remain available.

[rockymtnb]

Originally Posted by Westcoast

I’m putting an order in on a Storyteller Mode van, and they offer both the Transit awd gas ecoboost and the Sprinter 4wd diesel versions. They will be 2021 platforms.

It comes down to which platform is more reliable, drives better, and get survived without issues.

Winnebago's Revel is currently the best selling (by far) Sprinter 4wd Class B in North America. Log into the Revel Facebook page to see the full range of advantages (ground clearance and maneuverability) and drawbacks (reliability) of the Sprinter.

Many Revel owners cross-shopped it with Storyteller, and a number of those who eventually purchased Storyteller still post on the Revel group due to the great depth of expertise there.

Unfortunately along with wonderful pictures of remote places accessible with the Sprinter are many pictures and stories of broken down Sprinters being hauled out on flatbeds. Sadly the tricky emission and control system issues do not appear to be fully resolved.

[Davydd]

When the Transit first came out I predicted it would be the dominant choice of upfitters but the Promaster seemed to be that choice. Why?

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by Davydd

When the Transit first came out I predicted it would be the dominant choice of upfitters but the Promaster seemed to be that choice. Why?

Fiat and its siblings own EU camper van market so similar situation in NA to a lesser degree. No spacy hungry drive shaft and straight side walls combo is likely a key reason.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Davydd

When the Transit first came out I predicted it would be the dominant choice of upfitters but the Promaster seemed to be that choice. Why?

Is this even still true? I have no idea. Anybody have data?

If it is true, I suspect that the main reasons are price, industry inertia, and easier upfitting of an FWD platform, in that order.

[GeorgeRa]

Mercedes reliability in EU, best for the last 6 years. https://www.parkers.co.uk/vans-picku...reliable-vans/ Bluetec Sprinter started in Europe in 2012. https://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/20/...-sprinters-by/