Ive looked at many van builder companies and most of them use sheet meat screws that go directly in to vans frame and inside structure. Which eventually will start rusting.
Yup. You’re exactly correct. In fact the entire RV industry attaches interior panels, flooring, cabinetry and just about everything with sheet metal screws directly into the RV/Van structure. It’s all about speed of assembly to decrease labor costs. There are very few sheet metal screws used in the Legend kit. Mostly for the aluminum trim. I rustproofed every hole I have drilled into the vans structure. More work but worth it in the long run. Used many pre installed Rivnuts to hold cabinets, Lavatory enclosure and wood support structure. I used existing holes where ever I could. If these holes needed enlarged I touched up each one with POR-15 rust preventative. I hate rust!
For folks looking for a permanent or semipermanent installation, the Laveo is a better package: it looks and feels more like a traditional toilet and it stores the waste internally. But if the Wrappon is installed in a purpose built box (like the one made by Lost Hiway for example), and then its advantages over the Laveo shine through. There are no bulky cartridges that need to be stored. There is no long term storage of human waste, the individual bags can be disposed of whenever convenient.
Agree with your points 100%. The Trekker is slightly cheaper per flush and the thermo liner cartridge is much more compact to store an extra when traveling. To get the same amount of flushes as a Trekker roll with the Laveo you would need 3 of those bulky plastic cartridges. Not a big worry for me personally but throwing all those plastic cartridges in the dumpster doesn’t sit well with me or most people. The Swiss Clesana C1 toilet looks to be the best of both worlds. They use what looks to be a direct copy of the Wrappon sealing system and multi layered bags but package it in a more traditional form factor like the Laveo. It also has a feature that lets you select the bag size, smaller for a #1, larger for #2. The bags drop into an internal bin for storage until you empty it. The Clesana C1 sits right in the middle price wise at about $1200. I have never smelled anything funky from the bags the Trekker produces. The bags seem Odor proof as advertised. We will probably put the Trekker in the van build and the Laveo in our off grid hunting cabin
Hmm. Seems simpler and a ton cheaper to just use a biodegradable plastic bucket liner and coir...tie it up yourself . still no cleaning to do just dump in trash or composter.
Agreed, bucket/bag way way way cheaper as a matter of fact. These toilets are in fact just a fancier, more complicated and expensive version of what you just described. We used a Pett bag toilet for many years when tent camping and it was totally adequate. I did promise my wife a “flush” toilet in this van build so we now have that. Many ways to address the toilet situation. For some people a bucke/bag system, some it’s a full on home water flush toilet. Some people just a shovel, a hole dug and no toilet at all. I will add that on my last hunting trip all the people in our hunting party with shovels and buckets wanted to use my Laveo dry flush toilet lol
If you’re referring to the Laveo Dry Flush you can buy one directly through the Manufacturer’s website: dry-flush.com. Also several big distributors like: ShopTinyHomes, Master-Overland, Nomadic Supply etc. The prices are all the same including Amazon. Perhaps you can catch a small discount or get free shipping. It’s heavy and large to ship so that savings may be significant
No problem happy to help. Okay I thought you were talking about the Laveo Dry Flush. The square silver toilet is the Trekker and is made by Wrappon company. I think they aren’t selling on Amazon at the moment. You can buy directly from Wrappon which is where I bought ours. Try WrapponUSA.com or their affiliate partner OK4WD.com. There are several other online distributors that sell Wrappon products that may or may not have them in stock and will order it for you then drop ship directly from Wrappon. But Wrappon USA and OK4WD always seem to have product in stock and can ship immediately. Both of these dry flush toilets are an excellent choice and have worked flawlessly in the time I’ve used them. I will post a follow up video once I have tested the Trekker toilet some more and also give some tips on getting the best from them. Also you can checkout some of the alternative toilets I mentioned at the end of the video. These are all dry flush toilets and may interest you. I understand your situation in researching the various options on the market. It’s an expensive purchase and you want to be sure you are getting the best toilet for money spent. Good luck.
@@SPQR-ZI’m looking for that china knock off one it was $399 but no longer available went so fast. Do you know where I can get that one it was white looked like it wasn’t as heavy as the trekker. I just liked it more was more sleek looking. The trekker with the metal just doesn’t have the real toilet cozy feel as white.
My 3rd Sprinter, I guess we like Sprinters. Agree with you the new 4cly HO diesel coupled with the latest 9-speed transmission is a winning combination. I love the new close ratio 9-speed trans. Was all set to buy a leftover 22 4WD with the 3.0 six and decided to test drive the 2023 AWD HO 4cly. That sold me on the 23 plus I could get a better price because people were seeking out the leftover 2022 4WDs with the 6cly. The dealers slapped a high premium on those because they knew people would pay the price. Ours has 12k mileage and a year + use and zero issues. It’s been great in the deep snow we get around here. Hopefully MBs little 4cly turns out to be as good engine in the long run.
Was thinking of getting AWD version but order was locked real quick in late '22. Took delivery in Feb '23. 2 previous 6 cylinder orders came in missing options so I passed on them. Like the mpg on the 4 cyl also, at 70 ish mph 24 mpg, V6 would never yield more then 17 mpg or so At 70 ish mph.
Yes the 2023 allocation per dealer of Sprinter’s was sold out very quickly well before 2023. We searched 4 states to find one and ended up driving 900 miles to Denver to buy ours. The premium was about $4,500 which was cheaper then the $10-12k for a leftover 2022 4wd locally. Haven’t done an exact mileage check but I think it’s around 18-20mpg combined. I just know it’s much better than our 3.0 6cyl Sprinters
100% agreed..... trail damage is real. Guys like to build these bad a$$ rigs but will they go through the stuff it was built for? That's a totally different question for sure!!
Could you just imagine flopping your $200k built out Sprinter on its side? The hardcore adventure van guys tout these as go anywhere extreme terrain vehicles. They are anything but that but people believe them and get into trouble. I’ve personally had thousands and thousands of $’s in trail damage and seen my share of nasty rollovers Everyone says the exact same thing afterwards. “I wish I’d never tried that off-camber hill covered in eel snot, if only I could go back in time and tell my past me don’t do it Bro”
Hello. I'm trying to install this same tenzing brushguard on my 2022 Mercedes Sprinter 4x4. Hardware included were: 2 small 1/4 spacers, 2 thicker 5/8 spacers, 2 hex type black bolts, 2 metal flat washers, 2 plastic washers, and 2 front sensor mounts. Did you receive these same hardwares with your brushguard. Regarding installing: after removing the original T45 bolts on the top of the sprinter bumper (step 9), step 10 say to install both spacers in each holes. Did you put both spacers in those holes ( 2 spacers on each side? If i put both in the holes, the spacers extend above the plastic bumper. The spacers appear not to be flush against the wall and not sturdy. How did you attach the hex bolt using the plastic and metal washers, in what order? I attempted to watch the video from Storyteller Overland on how to install the bumper and noticed the hardwares are different. They are using washers instead of spacers to put in the holes and they are using standard bolt and metal washer to secure it down from the top. It will be great if you can help out.
I did not get the spacers sleeves. Mine came with a bag of washers to stack in the recess on the plastic cover. You can get close to being even with the top of the plastic recess by stacking the number of washers needed to achieve this. It sounds like the company replaced the washers with the correct height spacer. They probably figured that people wouldn’t put enough washers in and the plastic would be crushed. The main thing to consider is the washers or spacer should be slightly taller than the top of the plastic recess so the force is bearing down on metal and not plastic. If the spacers are slightly taller than the recess you should be fine. If you’re using washers and don’t have enough to achieve the correct height then I would buy a few stainless washers to add to the stack. As far as the spacers not filling the hole in the plastic, the plastic does almost zero to support the bumper’s top mounting points. Fairly certain the spacers are sturdy enough to support the bumper mounting points on top. If you think they are not then replace them with a stack of washers that are about the same height. Again you want them to protrude slightly above the plastic
Thanks for getting back to me. I reached out to them and they sent me about 15 washers to fill in the holes. Did you use about 5 washers in each holes? Also I got these 2 black button hex bolts and 2 black washers for the top. Did get those too? They are completely different than the bolts in the storyteesxller overland installation video.
Hello I checked my upper fasteners and washers. The longer replacement fasteners that came with my bumper are black button head hex or Allen head type. Not sure how many washers I used but I have a couple left over. Also I got the aluminum sleeves with the hardware they provided. I think I determined they were too tall so used the stacked washers instead. The main thing is to use as many washers to get just above the plastic cover so the plastic isn’t crushed, the force should bear down on the washers not the plastic. It all seems to be holding up fine.
Definitely the new 2.0 4 cylinder with the 9 speed transmission. Roughly about 2+ more MPG in all driving conditions compared to my two 3.0 6 cylinders
No not in the conventional sense of old school mechanical limited slip. In theory MB’s 4Matic AWD should control wheel slippage and transfer power from a spinning wheel to a wheel that isn’t spinning. In reality there are certain limited situations where you can get stuck with a lifted wheel spinning and the system isn’t able to correct and transfer power to a wheel that still has traction. There was a RU-vid review done by a major Sprinter builder that tested the 2023 AWD system in comparison to the 2022 4x4 and pointed out this issue. They were working on a fix which involved modifying the diffs. I think it was Agile off-road but not 100% sure. I stay on pretty flat ground so haven’t lifted a wheel very often. When I did once the AWD system did perform and I was able to get traction and get out of it. In deep snow it performs great. You can hear and feel the system doing its thing and transferring traction where needed. Oh and lockers are now available for both 4x4 and AWD Sprinters. ARB makes one
Yes it’s pretty country here in NW Montana. Wide open Forrest service land from our doorstep all the way to the Canadian border. Was -40 a couple weeks ago. Just got back from Norway visiting the Wife’s relatives. Talk about a beautiful country. Visited the Nærøyfjord, and the Lysefjords on Northern West Territory near Trondheim where her family is from. Spectacular in the winter. The Northern Lights were visible. New video for Van build dropping soon. Thanks for stopping by
Thanks. It’s still going just need to get off my lazy butt and post a couple videos that are already filmed. The big Polar vortex freeze had brought -40f temps and we’ve been occupied with trying not to freeze to death lol
Agreed. For an everyday wear cost effective alternative to a latest generation ceramic or a pexi vintage. Probably the most sensible and practical Submariner you can get. These older 5 digit Sport watches will be the “new” vintage in years to come
Standard garage has an 8ft high door, is 20ish feet deep and 10-12ft wide. The short WB awd or 4x4 Sprinter is 20ft long and about 9ft high so nope. You need a 10ft high door minimum and if you lift the van and put an air conditioner on the roof probably a 12ft high door
It’s an empty cargo van. The empty weight is available at MB’s website. If anything it would do better loaded down just like putting sandbags in the pickup truck bed. It’s a bit squirrely but manageable driving it empty on ice
I think that was actually my wife Inge? She was probably referring to my father who was originally from Manchester UK and he did make the best oven roasted herb/garlic potatoes bar none. We figured out how he did it by watching some YT videos uploaded by British cooks and now ours turnout pretty good. We had been using lard but the secret ingredient is Duck fat and boiling the potatoes in water with a bit of baking soda to soften the outer layer. That gives them their wonderfully crispy consistency and flavor. It’s a longer more drawn out process with some babysitting and fiddling to get them right. Typical English precision my father.
I'll side with Agile Offroad who says that with a locker, the AWD is better offroad than a Sprinter 4WD with a locker. The damn 4wd version has an open diff in the transfer case.
Yup saw that comparison review. The AWD had a weak link with a wheel lifting but a locker will fix that. These things don’t articulate worth a dam so it’s really easy to lift a wheel. Always have run air or e-lockers on all my rigs. Problem solved
You can almost always get these old Optimus stoves running again with some elbow grease. Usually neglect, clogged jets, worn seals etc. ebay sells all the little bits you may need. There is a rebuild kit for around $25 bucks that should give you everything. Also some vintage Optimus stove specialty online shops that offer NOS parts. Good luck
Hi, I own the same lamp. Did not light it up for a while, and now my wick is not moving (stuck) being almost all the way in. DO you have any idea how to handle that? Many thanks, and happy Thanksgiving!
Hello Happy Turkey day to you. Does the wick adjuster want to move? If so and it’s the wick that’s stuck I’d pull the burner out and soak the whole assembly in kerosene for a couple days to try and dissolve some of the dried residue. Take a thin tool and try and break loose the wick from the center tube by carefully going around it until it’s free to allow the wick adjuster to move it. Good luck
Overall I would say yes. Compared to other brands like Toyota or Honda maybe less so. Compared to other German brands like VW or BMW probably better. Our 2017 Audi Q7 that we owned for 6+ was perfectly reliable as a car can be. As far as the big 3 vans that everybody buys, Dodge/Fiat, Ford Transit I think MB’s Sprinter is right up there with Ford maybe slightly better and definitely better then the Dodge. This based on consumer reports and reading feedback from actual owners on the Van forums. I always discount the bottom 10% of complainer’s and top 10% of fanboy’s. The truth about a vehicle’s reliability usually lies in the middle. Our 2008 Sprinter had an ongoing starter issue that was well known to the Sprinter community. It was eventually tracked down to the main ground strap running from the engine block to the chassis. Otherwise very reliable for the 10 years we owned it. Our 2021 Airstream class B motor home built on the MB Sprinter chassis was also problem free although we only owned it less then 2 years and 10k miles. This current Sprinter just passed 11k miles and has been 100% reliable so far.
Yes the led effects turned out pretty good. It was technically fairly easy to wire it, the problem was it was physically hard to manipulate everything with bigger hands, bad eyesight and a low patience threshold. My wife Ingebjørg has much experience making dollhouse miniatures, fabricating and assembling tiny tiny parts etc. She took over this project after I was about to give up, so credit to her for putting everything into that little R2 unit. It helps to have little fingers, good eyesight and abundance of patience lol
The best Rolex sport model ever made and the last true Sea dweller. It’s perfection, unique case, unique and elegant lugs , non-cyclops, matte dial … perfection
Agree 100%. Very underrated and overlooked by many Rolex collectors. It has everything going for it. Low production, Transitional model, modest price, classic 40mm proportions and tapered lugs but with all the modern updates. It will be a sought after watch in the future, after everyone figures all this out. For now with the downturn in High end Swiss watches it can be picked up for cheaper then a newer Submariner. I recently picked up another mint Fullset for $12k. Will be doing a review on a 1966 Gilt dial 5513 Sub Fullset. Extremely rare to find a original one owner vintage 5513 gilt dial with everything still kept together. A time capsule watch for sure
It’s fairly accurate. There where actually 3 exterior and 3 interior sets built for the two movies. There are many inconsistencies between the sets which means there is no way to build a model that is a definitive copy. More like a combination of the various sets. Wish Hasbro’s special projects lab would someday offer the Yoda Hut play set for sale.
MB color/code: Blue Grey 709/7709. When we bought our van we noticed allot of the 144” AWD in inventory had this color so it must be popular? It’s not a bad color. Not my first choice but it’s grown on me. People come and look at it when we’re parked somewhere and comment positively on the color. It also color shifts depending on the lighting. Sometimes in dimmer light it looks more gray, in brighter light it looks very blue. Ingebjørg loves the color so if she’s happy I guess I can live with it
Other “traps“ “tips” for first time sprinter buyer : Choose the right paint! Choose the metallic paint! Otherwise they will just give the basic paint which you will see rust in the first year! They expect you will paint whole truck by yourself for your business.
Yup on the premium paint. The metallic paint on the Sprinter has an added clear topcoat while the basic solid colors do not. This makes the metallic allot more durable with increased longevity. Our 2008 was 10 years old when we sold it and the metallic silver paint was still bright and very intact considering its age. We garaged it about half the time but regardless I’ve heard the top coated paint on the Sprinters is much more durable/rust resistant. It’s about $1200 or 1300 usd for the metallic colors. Around here when we bought you had to take what you could get color-wise. The inventory was all preordered and you couldn’t even do a dealer order to get the color you wanted. Most inventory was solid colors. The Blue Grey was my 3rd choice but it’s growing on me. Allot of people have come up to us and said they like the color. I guess it’s in because you see allot that blue/grey going down the road. As far as rusting in a year? What I heard was it is mainly the older white vans that had paint failure in a short timespan. It had to do with iron particles in the paint MB was using. I’m not 100% sure but I think MB fixed that a few years back. They use a ton of salt around here in the Midwest and the East coast is even worst. During winter I run my vehicles through the car wash every few weeks and have rust preventative sprayed on top and bottom. The old timers say it helps. We’ll see
It looks like the Ford transit is real lane keeping assistance ( maybe a kind of level of auto drive) by actually steering the wheel like Tesla. But the Ford dealer told me they canceled the Disel version! ( unbelievable stupid decision) hahaha
Yes not crazy about the Lane keeping assist on our Sprinter. The wind assist and stability control are scary the first time those kicked in. I suppose you get used to it. Much preferred all the driver assist in our Audi. Maybe it’s the size and top heavyness of the Sprinter that makes it spooky. You can turn it all off
“9 out of 10 people” means it won’t work in Canada ! One big snow dump you are done for that day. 4x4 is the only solution in Canada and sad to see they are going backwards relying on those “crappy” electronics / AI/ programming normally it won’t work! And the new sprinter lane keeping function is dangerous too, I don’t know who the hell approves that lane keeping function by applying brake on one side of the truck to make it back on lane , this is Dangerous in Canada
All wheel drive is winning the war with most consumers now. I’ve driven True 4x4 with 2 speed transfer cases, locking hubs and lockers in both axels for probably 40+ years and if you told me an AWD car could do as well in snow and muck as a true 4x4 10 years ago I wouldn’t have believed you. First off most 4x4s are really only 2-wheel drive because the vast majority of 4x4s sold don’t have locking axels. Maybe some sort of limited slip but most newer 4x4s it’s an option that most people either don’t buy or its not offered. One wheel loses traction and your done. It reverts to skill and experience to extract yourself and that’s where most people are lost. But anyone that can drive a regular car can drive a modern AWD because the system is invisible to the driver and doing all the work to get you unstuck. So your typical millennial or a woman that’s never driven a 4x4 may not know how to use a 4wd to to get the full potential out of it. Hence my observation that most people are better off with an AWD then a 2-spd Tcase 4x4 because it’s just easier for them to operate. It’s arguable which is actually a better system. Our Audi Quattro was amazing in deep snow and muck. I drove through snow up to the hood with that car and it continued to amaze me with what it was capable of doing. The traction control in newer AWD cars has come a long way since it was introduced back in the early 80s. We live in sub zero temperature snow country also so everyone here has either a 4x4 or AWD. Put Studded snow tires on that Sprinter and it went everywhere I wanted to drive. It’s big and unwieldy but the traction control was just about flawless and I never felt like I was going to get stuck. They keep the roads well plowed around here so mostly I was driving on a ice-rink as opposed to deep snow. The deepest was probably 10 or so inches of fresh snowfall and it did quite well in that. I agree with you 100% that having all those computers and sensors may turn into a liability down the road as that stuff ages but when it’s working, no complaints. And this is coming from a old 4x4 manual transmission diehard four wheeler. Me! There is a RU-vid channel that tested both the 2023 AWD Sprinter vs a 2022 4x4 with the 2 speed T-case and they agreed with my assessment that for most people that aren’t planning on going serious off-road, the AWD was a better fit for most drivers. Especially those not experienced with true 4WD. It’s kinda a Apples vs Oranges situation. One more thing I will add. The AWD as designed by Mercedes is a light duty traction control system not for serious off road or deep mud/snow situations. Driving around muddy worksites, going up plowed roads to the ski lodge, maybe driving on the beach or the grass infield at your country club. That’s what it’s intended for. The axels are puny compared to my old Jeep. Everything looks delicate under there when I’ve looked at the drivetrain and suspension. I would never even think about 4-wheeling this thing hard. Your just asking for it. I have been up to Alberta in the winter and the main mode of transportation is snow mobiles. You guys get a crap load of snow. More then we do. We get allot here in north west Montana particularly because we live at high elevation and in a snow belt zone. Already some freezing temps at night and the surrounding mountains had snow the other day. Buckling down for the winter and finishing up cutting and stacking a third chord of firewood. Getting our snowblower and our 4x4s ready. Fun stuff
Hello. Glad you are finding some useful info for your future van build plans. Lots of great info on YT and also the various Van life forums on the internet. Our theory is we can build our own Camper Van to fit our own particular needs better and do so for much cheaper then buying a turn key. Our design philosophy is build a simpler more basic van while still using first rate good quality components. Also trying to keep the weight down so that we don’t have to modify and beef up the suspension and increase power to compensate. Learning from building many off-road vehicles, when you make one change it can have unforeseen effects that forces you to make a bunch of other modifications to compensate for the first change that you didn’t account or budget for. People tend to go overboard, the “bigger is better” route and end up throwing money at it which can get very expensive. The wheels are actually Method Race Wheels not Black Rhino. Method wheels are probably the second most popular brand used by most van builders. They are about the same price and I think slightly better in design. The tires are BF Goodrich TA KO2 all terrains. These are pretty much the goto tires for most people. Size is 255/70R17’s so about 3/4” taller and 3/8ths inch wider. The wheels width and offset are adjusted appropriately to keep everything under the wheel well as close to stock as possible. This size tire will 100% fit with zero modifications to the Sprinters wheel well, Suspension, Brakes and drivetrain/driver assistance computer systems. We are only planning to do minimal mods to the stock suspension. No lifts or expensive off-road suspension kits. Probably Summo springs front/rear and the Add-a-leaf kit in the back to compensate for the additional weight of the conversion. Added lift and taller tires do enhance ground clearance if you plan to do more serious off roading but it also forces you to spend buckets of money and raises your center of gravity making an already top heavy vehicle even more top heavy. I’m not going to roll my expensive Sprinter van or trail damage it trying to drive it where it was never designed to go. I’ve been driving around on the backroads here in Montana just fine and I can already go places where there are few if any people around, just minutes from my house. One last thing to mention. Bigger tires and raised suspension changes the road manners of your vehicle and usually not in a good way. Big tires and tall suspension puts additional strain on your steering, brakes, suspension components etc. Big tires and lift kits also kill your mileage. Realistically 90% of your driving is on pavement so something to consider when planning your van. Your dad or any good diesel mechanic probably has some good insight into the finer points of designs and longevity that work in the real world. The new 4-cylinder in-line dual turbo is a question mark that only time will tell. Mercedes has been working on this engine for many years and made several versions of it so it does have some history. We’ve had two 3.0l six cylinder diesels and consider them about bullet proof and proven. You can find plenty of newer Sprinters for sale with the 3.0/6. I’d stick with the newer 7-speed transmission if you go that route. I am absolutely in love with the new 9-speed in the 2023 Sprinters though. It is the perfect paring to the 4/cly 2.0 Bi-turbo diesel. The mileage is great with this combo. Much better then either 3.0/6 we’ve had. Anyway you can use this time to do your research and figure out just exactly what you’ll be doing with your van. Then research every part your planning to use. The itself research takes allot of time. Also needed tools and space to do your conversion. Yes check back from time to time. We are doing a full buildout and will be releasing more video’s shortly. Summers here are short and I had allot of outside projects that needed to be done before winter. We’ve already had freezing nights. Also the summer traveling, going to visit the wife’s relatives in Norway and a road trip to Cali cut into our time but now back on the van conversion. Best of luck with your build
Nice and informative video. I'm thinking to use your videos as a reference source , when I get into the van world! I saw you opted for a black rhino wheels? Are they 17'? And did you make adjustments at the suspension, so you could fit these larger wheels +tires? I know there are plenty of videos in here about van conversion, but I like your pace and I believe we have similar approach at these vehicles and how and what to use them for. At this particular moment I'm still contemplating at the longevity this new motor MB put on the Sprinter. I understand that turbo chargers put a lot of strain on cylinders and although increase performance and lower fuel usage, they aren't last as much as non turbo charged motors. I asked my dad who has spent his life on ships being a chief engineer and understood that he prefers inline engines over boxer or v-shaped, because he said the pistons always get worn one sidedly over long stretch of use. Anyways cheers and enjoy this exciting new ride you got! I'll follow your updates.
We’ve not towed to much with this particular Sprinter but extensively with our prior 144” WB 6 cylinder. These vans aren’t the greatest tow rig but once you get used to the differences between it and a truck it’s not too bad. This particular van we tow our 14 ft toy hauler with a combined weight of about 3500lbs. More then adequate power for that even going up grades and freeway speeds (75mph) are no issue. Quite sure it could handle is max towing weight of 5000lbs. The braking could use a little help. Definitely coming down a grade you notice it.
You’d think that wouldn’t you. In Europe they have a long history of putting small high output engines in vehicles. Majority of Mecedes Sprinters in Europe have used 4 cylinders for many years because fuel is so expensive. American market the majority sold were 3.0L 6 cylinders because we like V8s and will settle for 6 cylinders if we have too. Hopefully Mercedes knows what their doing. Nobody builds small displacement diesels like Mercedes, fingers crossed…..
That's about as good of a real-world test as you can get. Great job! I have the 22 MB 4x4 Sanctuary. I went out to look for the 23 AWD. But last week I found a shockingly affordable low mileage 4x4 online with a private party. In fact, it had only 573 miles on it for less than $100k. So I couldn't pass that up to pay $120k+ for the AWD 23 Sanctuary. We both did good. I like your rig. You get better gas mileage too.
I would have done the same thing as you. We started looking for a 2022 4x4 with the six cly but at the time we found those to be as much or more then a 23. The prices have been crazy the last few years. When a good deal comes along you jump on it. The 23 4 cly and 9 speed transmission are a great combination. It does get better mileage then our previous 6 cly 3.0 but honestly it’s not so huge that it would have swayed me one way or another. We don’t drive a ton of miles either. Glad to hear you got a good deal and you happy with your decision. That’s rare these days. Best
Yes the actual company website is difficult to find. As I remember they are in Portland Oregon and make a range of custom automotive specific harnesses for “weird” one-off applications. They may not sell directly to the public but only through their dealers? CATuned carries both harnesses. Basically there are several options. Track down all the parts and make your own harness, buy BajaDesigns universal fit harness, Agile off-road sells a custom harness to install LP6 lights that is tailored for the Sprinter or the VLine wire harness which is specifically tailored to fit LP series lights onto a Sprinter. So about $75 vs $120 vs $250 vs $330. Of course the most expensive option is the best. Agile’s harness looks pretty good also. Again very expensive. If your willing to do some wire trimming and slight modifications, drill a couple minor holes in the dash plastic or build a custom bracket to mount the switches and don’t mind coiling/stowing excess wire length the the Baja Designs universal harness will work fine. It all depends on your desires for finished look, pickiness, budget, aggravation level etc. This build is going to cost me $35k in costs so in the greater scheme of things, IMHO what’s another couple hundred bucks. catunedoffroad.com/products/baja-designs-light-harness
Real world mileage probably about 3-4mpg overall better with this 4cyl. Definitely a noticeable improvement over both 6cyl diesels I owned previously. Also this little 2.0 with the new 9speed transmission has more usable power/torque and feels peppy’er. Amazing. Longevity and reliability is yet to be realized so we will have to wait and see about that but with 6k on the clock the van has been 100% reliable so far
10ft. The AWD is taller then the 2WD but still easily clears the garage door with room to spare. Lift it a few inches and/or put a rack or AC unit on the roof you’d better start being mindful of the additional height but as of now there is plenty of clearance
Yes MB has been using this engine in various configurations for years in other parts of the world. It’s only just been introduced into the USA Sprinter market so the qualities and longevity are somewhat a mystery here. It’s interesting and reassuring to hear that it seems to be a relatively good design.
Only have 6k miles on it but it’s been 100% trouble free so far. Been towing allot and driving many miles on Forrest service roads. Lots of high elevations and steep grades around here. Freeway speeds in much of Montana are 80mph. The engine has plenty of power/torque for all that. Mileage has been right around 18-19mpg combined. Out of the 3 diesel Sprinters we’ve owned we like this hands down the best. MB’s 4Matic AWD system and the new 9spd transmission have been excellent also. A very good match for each other IMHO
Not any problems with the DPF or any mechanical issues yet but I only have 5k+ on this particular Sprinter. Our previous 2021 had a clogged DPF and warning light on the dash but was able to burn off the soot with a long hard drive on the interstate. These diesel engines do not like lots of short around town trips which is what I was doing with our previous 21 Sprinter. You have to throw in some long duration trips so the diesel DPF system can do a self-burn cleaning of itself. This seems to be more of an owner induced problem then a Mercedes problem. We mostly use the 2023 Sprinter on longer duration drives and not short around town trips so hopefully I don’t have a repeat the DPF filter issue on this 2023.
@@SPQR-Z thanks for the detailed info, thanks! i will remember that. have another car for short around town drive and use Sprinter for long distance drive thanks!
That would be a mistake. The electric Sprinter will be available in 2024 I think. It’s going to be heavy and expensive. We’ll see how it does but electric vehicles are still somewhat unpractical and a niche market. Hopefully MB will come to it’s senses and still offer petrol and diesel options otherwise their sales are going to take a big hit
