Sprinter - Operating Costs & Maintenance

[avanti]

Mercedes claimed that they upgraded their Sprinter paint process for MY2014.

[Roxy4x4]

I have to think there’s something to the commercial white paint process that was inferior too. That van looks as it it was in a fleet with the number on the side of it...

[talktodean]

So, what about fuel for MB Sprinters? I see most of the highway travel stops like Love's, Pilot, etc... only hqve Biodiesel, and the % occurs HIGH. Are people using only low sulfur fuels?

[Roxy4x4]

Originally Posted by talktodean

So, what about fuel for MB Sprinters? I see most of the highway travel stops like Love's, Pilot, etc... only hqve Biodiesel, and the % occurs HIGH. Are people using only low sulfur fuels?

On the newer ones it should say right by the tank fill. Ultra low or low sulpher. I think MB tells you not to use blends higher than 5%. I have heard of a lot of RV’ers that plan their fuel stops based on where that fuel can be found...

[Skutumpah]

Originally Posted by Roxy4x4

There’s as many if not more ‘success stories’ with Sprinters citing 300K, 400K and more for miles and low upkeep costs. If you want to find negative feedback you can find it. My point was that if you treat the engine properly (don’t do what many do with wrong oils, poor fuel quality, idling, etc) you have a much better chance of not falling into the need for emissions repairs. We can only imagine what people do (or don’t do) to their engines.

There are apparently some differences in repair issues between the 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder engines and with the EGR before 2015. So lots to think about...

Yes, thanks for your sensible understanding of the point of this thread. I have come across some people intimating the 4 cylinder is the more reliable engine, but I have not been able to find a discussion that addresses this specifically. As stated earlier I am with you that with proper maintenance I think a Sprinterc can go the distance. Still at this stage, I am factoring in an Extended Warranty as a necessary cost of buying a Sprinter. I have never bought an Extended Warranty before, but given the purpose I am getting this for I expect I will need one. I may start another thread that compares the drivetrain of F150 and F250 and the 4x4 conversions that can be done to 2WD/RWD Sprinters and American vans, including conversions availablele in Europe for the Sprinter.



Avanti -

"You are entitled to your own "comfort level", but not to your own facts."
RE: A 10K oil change interval - "This is not "playing it safe", it is unethical."

Please, you are getting "unhinged" and being unreasonable. Good luck with your 20K oil change intervals. I am glad you are finding peace and tranquillity with your understanding of the facts. I am getting a 4x4 DIY camper van that will be carrying a load into challenging environments. Can you concede that heavy duty use calls for more frequent oil changes?

Goodness on the rust stuff. Again having had Jeeps and driving them on beaches, proper care calls for washing it completely as soon as you can. Once in my younger more daring years, I got hit by a wave that picked my Jeep up and I was basically floating for a moment. I kept on the gas and thank God the engine did not die. That was a close call. A Sprinter would appear to be a vehicle you are going to need to fuss over a little bit.

Avanti -
"Mercedes claimed that they upgraded their Sprinter paint process for MY2014."
Well, that is certainly good news.


Booster -
Thanks for your observations. Just the kind of information I was hoping to get.

Regarding your statement:

"MB repairs to major components is likely to be more expensive, though, I would think, even if done by non MB shops."

This is what I am trying to get a more accurate sense of, and hope folks with Sprinters can offer what their annual maintenance costs have been.

[Skutumpah]

Originally Posted by talktodean

So, what about fuel for MB Sprinters? I see most of the highway travel stops like Love's, Pilot, etc... only hqve Biodiesel, and the % occurs HIGH. Are people using only low sulfur fuels?

Thanks for pointing out the percentage of biodiesel at Love's and Pilot. Chevron and Shell are the two safest bets that I have come away with from what I have read and discussed with people so far.

Biodiesel and/or Renewable Diesel Blend Percentages - Pilot Flying J will use commercially reasonable efforts to meet these posted percentages. However, Pilot Flying J cannot guarantee blend percentages for all locations 100% of the time due to pre-blended diesel in the supply chain, store blending systems, supply availability, measurement calculations, temperature, etc.

https://pilotflyingj.com/disclaimer

I could not find specific information regarding Pilot/Flying J online, but I did call and was told that they do use a blend that ranges between 10% - 20%. Too bad.

[Bud]

Interesting, many folks already live their lives around No compressor refer's, now diesel fuel stations?

Bud

[avanti]

I have never had any trouble finding <5% bio ULSD anywhere except in Minnesota. You do have to look around, but it isn't that hard.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Skutumpah

I have come across some people intimating the 4 cylinder is the more reliable engine, but I have not been able to find a discussion that addresses this specifically.

N.B.: You cannot get the MB 4x4 option with a 4 cylinder engine (or are you planning an aftermarket 4wd conversion?).

I have the I4 powertrain. It is a dream. People are indeed saying that the reliability looks good, but I don't really think there is enough data yet to say anything definitive.

[Bud]

"You do have to look around"

Kind of like a No compressor refer.

Bud

[Roxy4x4]

We love our I4 also. No issues at all. Living in BC we have never had a problem finding proper diesel fuel easily. Apparently it’s not an issue up here in Canada, eh.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Skutumpah

Can you concede that heavy duty use calls for more frequent oil changes?

I know of no evidence to support this belief. Do you have any? The Mercedes engineers apparently don't believe so, or they would have presumably made such a stipulation in the required service intervals, which they have not. Modern synthetic oils are incredibly robust. "Common sense" from a bygone day simply no longer applies. Lots of people have posted oil analysis results at high mileages. As far as I have seen, they do not support your beliefs.

If expecting evidence-based decisions about actions that affect everybody is unreasonable, then I plead guilty. As I said, I don't expect to change your mind. But what you advocate is not the norm, and it is important that it not be portrayed as such.

I apologize for my stridency, but I stand by my ethics claim.

[BBQ]

.

In the old day people change oil more often
simply because they need to:
the fuel were dirtier (lead),
the ignition was not as hot (more unburned fuel),
the engines had looser tolerance (more blow-by).

With today's cleaner fuel and cleaner burning engines,
there is less urgency for a frequent oil change.
Top that off with long lasting synthetic oil,
there is even less need for frequent oil change.


I know people who still change oil every 5,000 miles.
If it makes them feel better, that's more power to them.
It is cheap insurance anyway.

[booster]

I know a lot of people who change a lot more often than 5000 even, with 3-4000 miles pretty popular here in Minnesota, especially in the winter. Contamination is a big deal in the winter, and probably 60+% of the vehicles I see have the white goo on the underside of the oil fill cap which indicates water in the crankcase that is not getting evaporated out because of cold, short drives, temperature changes, etc. If you pull a valve cover on them, you likely will find the same goo all over the rockers, and even plugging up the oil drain holes in some engines. Some of the European vehicles even have special cold weather crankcase ventilation systems that they use around here to prevent those kind of issues, as they had lots of engine failures do to water in the oil.

I know everybody has their own opinions, but one thing that has not been stated about the manufacturer recommendations is that longer intervals help sell vehicles as people don't like spending on service. The manufacturers at that point aren't going to be looking at if the longer interval changes engine life from 300K down to 200K, as all they need to do is make sure nearly all of them make it out of the warranty period. At that point giving up a bit of life takes the back seat to more sales very easily I would suspect.

And, yes, I do have a very jaded view of the integrity of the manufacturers and the relative accuracy of their information. We all heard that the air bag issues were just a few cars in high humidity areas, and nobody else needed to worry, and we saw how well that panned out.

As I mentioned before, if you are going to run long intervals, it just makes sense to do a couple of oil analysis in the beginning to see how much the oil is degrading, diluting, or changing viscosity.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by booster

As I mentioned before, if you are going to run long intervals, it just makes sense to do a couple of oil analysis in the beginning to see how much the oil is degrading, diluting, or changing viscosity.

THAT I agree with. All I am asking for is evidence-based actions, rather than hearsay or superstition.

BTW: MB DOES recommend reduced oil change intervals if you are forced to use >5% bio.

[Bud]

Maybe that Australia Fellow needs to comment here. Try this on, and take a guess.

I owned a 1985 'gas' car, the recommended oil and filter change was 15,000 miles. Oh, "manufacturer recommendations is that longer intervals help sell vehicles as people don't like spending on service" does not seem to apply.

Any guesses?

Bud

[booster]

Originally Posted by Bud

Maybe that Australia Fellow needs to comment here. Try this on, and take a guess.

I owned a 1985 'gas' car, the recommended oil and filter change was 15,000 miles. Oh, "manufacturer recommendations is that longer intervals help sell vehicles as people don't like spending on service" does not seem to apply.

Any guesses?

Bud

I think I must be missing the point with 15K change interval. Why do you think they came up with it except to help sales? After the lead went away for most vehicles the oil started staying cleaner, and when fuel injection started taking over, dilution was majorly reduced, so the manufacturers got into "wars" of increasing service intervals, but wound up backing off on them when they started to have failures within the warranty period. Their out at the time, that they still use, is that they all listed normal and severe driving conditions, and nearly everyone's use fit the severe in one way or another, so they said the users should have been changing the oil more often.

[Bud]

booster, my wild guess that Porsche was not trying to sell that Porsche I cited with long oil and filter changes. What's your guess?

Thanks.

Bud

[booster]

Originally Posted by Bud

booster, my wild guess that Porsche was not trying to sell that Porsche I cited with long oil and filter changes. What's your guess?

Thanks.

Bud

Personally, I think they all do it, both high and low end. Even Porsche drivers hate having to go off to the dealer for stuff. If they can go less often, good selling point.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by booster

Personally, I think they all do it, both high and low end. Even Porsche drivers hate having to go off to the dealer for stuff. If they can go less often, good selling point.

Hey young man, appreciate the guess.

Enjoy your posts.

Bud