New Mercedes Sprinter chassis?

[CarlsbadCampers]

Hi, we're considering a 2024 PW Ascent with the new for 2023 Mercedes 4 cyl 2wd chassis. Does anyone have any experience with them, or pros/cons to consider? There's quite a significant cost increase for the 2024 vs the 2023. Thank you!

[jjrbus]

Many complaints on dealers that cannot or will not service them. Check your area to see if a dealer will. Of course your local dealer will be of no use when you are on the road and have issues.

I would find a sprinter forum and see what they are saying.

[jrobe]

Originally Posted by jjrbus

Many complaints on dealers that cannot or will not service them. Check your area to see if a dealer will. Of course your local dealer will be of no use when you are on the road and have issues.

If service is a concern, I would call the nearest Freightliner Service Center and see if they have any concerns because that is who I would use for any service that I couldn't do myself. This includes when I was at home and on the road.

[capt who]

I have had 2 Sprinters and will never own another one. Service really sucks

[dmb496]

Originally Posted by capt who

I have had 2 Sprinters and will never own another one. Service really sucks

I live in Maryland also, and use the Catonsville dealership. Which do you use?

[capt who]

IG Burton. They were not the problem. I could not even get dealers to look at my vehicle when on the road, I called Mercedes and was told the dealers were independent and Mercedes had no control over them. I had to cancel a trip to Glacier Nat park on one occasion.

[jjrbus]

I hear for some vehicles, I have no problems getting serviced, there is a great shop only 2 miles from my house, I drop the rig off and ride bicycle home.

Isn't that wonderful, the last time I needed service was in Hell's Canyon SD. There was no cell phone service and the Sheriff told me there was not a tow truck within 100 miles. MB, no thanks.

[Davydd]

I have a different experience. There are two MB dealers nearby where I live in Minnesota that service Sprinters wit 20,000 mile service intervals. My Class B van builder, Advanced RV out of Willoughby, OH also took good care of us. One time they sent their representative technician out to Las Vegas Strip where we were staying overnight boondocking in the Bellagio Casino parking lot to repair our van. It was a simple repair. Another time, I think in Idaho, they found a MB dealer that could take us in the next morning in and out to replace a VB Suspension air bag ARV overnighted. VB is not even an MB responsibility.

I've had two other calamities on the road which can happen with Promaster and Transit owners as well. One was a leaking propane regulator that no one could fix in Whitehorse, Yukon and a jammed macerator in Missouri which no one was willing to fix. I drove to Willoughby, OH which I was going to do anyway and ARV fixed the macerator by replacing it.

[avanti]

A helpful hint for those who choose to drive Sprinters:

Back when my rigs were Sprinter-based, I had my share of urgent needs for on-the-road Sprinter service. I have literally NEVER called a Mercedes dealer without being told that the wait would be two weeks or more, and no, they don't care that it is an emergency.

The hint is not to bother calling. Just drive up to the service entrance, get in line, turn off the engine, go inside, and talk to the service manager. You will very often find that he or she will be much more sympathetic and accommodating than the low-level person who answers the phone.

[booster]

Originally Posted by avanti

A helpful hint for those who choose to drive Sprinters:

Back when my rigs were Sprinter-based, I had my share of urgent needs for on-the-road Sprinter service. I have literally NEVER called a Mercedes dealer without being told that the wait would be two weeks or more, and no, they don't care that it is an emergency.

The hint is not to bother calling. Just drive up to the service entrance, get in line, turn off the engine, go inside, and talk to the service manager. You will very often find that he or she will be much more sympathetic and accommodating than the low-level person who answers the phone.

How do you think the MB dealer would respond if you just showed up with Sprinter on a flatbed because it wasn't driveable?

[avanti]

Originally Posted by booster

How do you think the MB dealer would respond if you just showed up with Sprinter on a flatbed because it wasn't driveable?

Good question. It might matter whether the tow was arranged under the MB warranty program.

However, my technique is essentially a pity-play, which generally requires human contact. It is very helpful if either you or you travel companion is equipped with doe-eyes and behaves slightly frightened and desperate.

As to whether this is a reasonable way to run a car company, I will not comment.

[michaelingp]

Originally Posted by avanti

However, my technique is essentially a pity-play, which generally requires human contact. It is very helpful if either you or you travel companion is equipped with doe-eyes and behaves slightly frightened and desperate.

My sister uses this technique quite frequently in a lot of situations. She usually recounts it as, "And then I just burst out crying!". Seems to be very successful, if you have the talent for it.

[svIntuition]

Others have commented on the Mercedes Van. As for the Pleasure-Way build out, they are first rate. We were just at an owner’s rally in Branson with 104 vans. PW sent people to the rally that did troubleshooting on vans, no matter how old they are. We’ve owned two PW’s and have driven them all over the US and Canada. The 2024 models have significantly increased the battery bank (200-600 Ah) and have larger inverters that allow running the air conditioner using the batteries. All but the Ascent have moved to Truma Aventa air conditioners.

[Blazeman]

Mercedes Benz 3500 sprinters are only served at a select dealer, and yes it can be a horror story, I currently own one, and have a few stories I could tell. Good van,
but service is expensive, and horrible to get serviced.

[jrobe]

There are 695 Freightliner dealers across the US (an average of 14 per state). They are owned by Mercedes / Daimer. The sell and service Sprinter vans (their own vans with the Freightliner front badge instead of the MB star). We even bought our Sprinter from our local Freightliner dealer before we had it custom converted to our RV. Our local Freightliner dealer does all of our Sprinter service that I can't do on my own. They usually offer me a routine appointment within 1-2 days. They are even open weekends for the truckers. They have lifts for all the semi trucks that they service so they are perfectly equipped to work on fully loaded heavy RV's (unlike many local car dealerships).

If i had an emergency when we are traveling, I would immediately look up and call the nearest Freightliner dealer. As an example, we live in rural Wisconsin and there are 6 Freightliner service centers within 100 miles of our home. There would be absolutely no reason for me to ever call a Mercedes dealer that is more interested in selling and servicing cars and SUV's. We have had a great experience with our Sprinter RV.

[avanti]

I have been a big fan of Freightliner as well, and they saved my bacon at least once. However, Daimler stopped selling Freightliner-branded Sprinters in 2021:
https://www.motortrend.com/news/merc...er-killed-off/
As a result, fewer and fewer Freightliner dealers are interested in servicing Sprinters, or so I have read. I have no first-hand data, though.

Here is list of locations that officially service Sprinters:
https://www.freightlinersprinterusa....ervice-centers
Looks like there are about 40.

[Davydd]

When we first bought a Sprinter in 2005 you could only get it serviced at a freightliner dealership. There were no Mercedes Benz dealers with the capacity to service because of their facilities, garage doors, lifts, tools, diagnostic equipment and such. My MB dealer had to build a new garage and they said they had to invest a million dollars in diagnostic tools, etc. to service them. Not all MB dealers have to capacity to this date.

[WhyCalif]

Originally Posted by CarlsbadCampers

Hi, we're considering a 2024 PW Ascent with the new for 2023 Mercedes 4 cyl 2wd chassis. Does anyone have any experience with them, or pros/cons to consider? There's quite a significant cost increase for the 2024 vs the 2023. Thank you!

I own a 2023 Ascent - If I had known of the improvements coming in the 2024, I would have held off my purchase. we previously owned a P-W Plateau. P-W's are well built and will give you few problems, years of service. As for M-B dealers, my local M-B dealer (SF Bay Area) has a Sprinter only service center, frequently sends coupons promoting Sprinter RV service. I did have an issue a few years ago with our previous sprinter in Northern Idaho. Spokane M-B dealer wasn't taking anyone - sprinter or cars - but I found a local repair shop that did diesel pickups, etc and had me in and out in a day. I would buy a diesel sprinter again, and definately a P-W.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by avanti

I have been a big fan of Freightliner as well, and they saved my bacon at least once. However, Daimler stopped selling Freightliner-branded Sprinters in 2021:
https://www.motortrend.com/news/merc...er-killed-off/
As a result, fewer and fewer Freightliner dealers are interested in servicing Sprinters, or so I have read. I have no first-hand data, though.

Here is list of locations that officially service Sprinters:
https://www.freightlinersprinterusa....ervice-centers
Looks like there are about 40.

I used a Sprinter Freightliner dealer for service on my 2012 MB Sprinter for about 8 years. Just bought a new 2023 Sprinter converted by Airstream. I called the Freightliner dealer yesterday and they still can provide full factory service and warranty work on new MB Sprinters. They are also a Freightliner bus dealer, so they have other ties to the MB and Daimler Truck parent company.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Just bought a new 2023 Sprinter converted by Airstream.

Boxster,
Congrats on the new rig. I've been wondering what you would end up with.
Pics?