Any leads on a 4x4 Sprinter 170 wheelbase?

So apparently there is a backlog of 6-9 months of builds but I also read that some dealers have build slots and can offer earlier availability. I'm not in a rush and not 100% on spending that coin, but we've decided that a camper van that can haul 2 adults, 2 kids, and a motorbike would unlock countless adventures in the next few years before the kids get all grown up. 4x4's seem impossible to find used and living in the North East and envisioning some winter related trips and looking at the resale means I would rather wait for a 4x4 instead of just grabbing an available 2wd.

So any hookups or ins to get a 4x4 Sprinter Crew 170? Any dealers in the CT or North East area I should work with? There's the "Sprinter Guy" in TX but I haven't heard back from him yet (just emailed, didn't call yet).

 

Atlanta Classic Cars had one a month ago.

 

There`s a silver one on Ebay right now in Tn.......friend of mine has a used Outside Van 2wd for sale, does well in the snow & has a winch on ft. bumper.

 

Okay, new strategy. Front wheel drive RAM Promaster. $5k incentives, lower cost, and front wheel drive should be good for occasional winter driving. Comes in almost $20k under a new Sprinter and cheaper than some used Sprinters too. Thoughts?

 

Have you tried http://sportsmobile.com/ they have several used ones in stock.

 

Never buy a Sprinter. Ever.

 

I've talked to a couple tradesmen that had pro masters that didn't like the way they drive, and said traction got worse as you put more weight in the back.

 

That's an interesting point. I switched almost my whole fleet to Transits over the last couple of years, but I was very close to doing the Promasters. Fwd was the biggest draw, but maybe it's not all that.

 

AWD is one thing, but I don't think I'd want a van with a ton and a half of miscellaneous shit in it being dragged around by the front wheels.

Vans have understeer bad enough as is.

 

That's odd advice given how many Sprinters are rolling around with 200,000+ miles on them . A lot of the Sprinter bad rap comes from the fact that there are so many out there that people are mile'ing to death , if I've learned one thing from owning mine its that they have no more problems than any other vehicle in that class that you put a ton of miles on. Mine is 11 years old and has had 2 repairs ( turbo resonator $36 and Alternator fuse $340 because I initially thought it was the alternator) .

Sprinters also have one big advantage over the promaster no one is mentioning , RESALE . 4x4 Sprinters new and used go for STUPID money .

 

At least up here, a Sprinter is only available in two-tone, whatever color they were painted at the factory, and rust

 

Definitely true , I was lucky mine was a southern car its whole life and any rock chips get a touch up of primer and paint immediately.

 

I've not found the resale to be very good considering they don't leave my possession under their own power.

My 2012 just went down the road on a flatbed because after over $15K repairs over the last two years, I wasn't about to sink another $5000 into a turbo and three injectors. That was the most durable one I owned with 150k on the clock.

My 2010 made it to 130K before a head gasket failed. I sold that one as-is because I had just sunk $10k into it the previous year, including $4500 for a new transmission.

My 2004 needed a cylinder head after 108,000 because the glow plugs fail and seize in the head like no other engine I've seen. It's a common issue that affects all the I5 models. That one also had severe "rumble strip noise" coming from the trans, so I knew what was coming also.

Every one was purchased brand new and maintained according to MB recommendations, which means that when you bring it in for the "50,000 mile service", it costs $2000.

Every one has had premature body rot. They eat light bulbs like nothing I've ever seen for some reason, and everything costs 2X what it should. The real question is why am I such a f#cking idiot that I bought three of these things?

 

And those definitely sound like they suck , So if I were you I'd feel the same way. On the other side of the coin are the TONS of these things running around with 250k, 350k, 450k miles on them . A quick search on ebay shows nearly 20 of them right now with 200k-465k miles still asking $6k-15k . Maybe there is just more quality fluctuation between these than other vehicles. I say that , because I've worked in the car business 15+ years now and we rarely see vehicles come in with more than 250k miles. The occasional Toyota/lexus or 4.3l chev is about all we see on a regular basis that is north of the typical Sprinter miles.

 

The reports of early rust in many Sprinters is also a bit concerning considering I live in the North East. I am thinking I could depreciate the 4x4 faster than the average person. I am thinking that Ford and Dodge understand Michigan and North East corrosion very well. The Germans probably assume you wipe the whole vehical down and spray some surface protectant on after every drive. When the local dealer called me back and said the wait for a 4x4 sprinter is 1 yr and they go for the sticker price, I started thinking about the mods I could make with the extra 10k.

Planning to go check some out today.

For the Promaster, they have cargo and Window van versions. I like the idea of an OEM seat and belt for my kids in the 2nd row, but will the fixed windows be annoying in the long run? Less ventilation, and less insulation? I'm not living in the thing, just camping in it so I am thinking the window version, remove back two rows and put my toy hauler type of bed back there.

 

Yeah @GrayGhost I don't know. The only way I can see one of these things living to see that kind of mileage is if it's spending it's whole life with the cruise set on the highway. Mine are all HVAC service trucks, so they're around town a bunch, stop and go, varying loads, etc. They've been very disappointing.

Hoping for better luck with the Transits. My fleet was mostly GM up until recently and they've been great. We had a couple trans failures, but besides that the 6.0 3500s are bulletproof. They go 200k+ and then we sell them to other contractors who keep working them. There's only one left, and it's got 235k on it. Besides a little rust on the wheels and a minor exhaust leak that just popped up, no drama.

The old style vans just don't have the cargo room of the Transit and Sprinter style trucks though so we switched.

 

I don't have anything useful to add because I don't know anything about them. But I'm in Moab wheeling this week and there are a ton of adventure vans out here this year. It's awesome to see.

 

A good van is hard to beat

 

A dealer in PA called back and has a low roof 4x4 144 wheelbase for $55k and is looking for a high roof option. If I can get a FWD Promaster for $32k, it just seems like a much better value. However if this PA delaer who seems to get a fair share of 4x4's comes up with something, I might come up with some new rationalization around resale value, ability in snow, etc.... I like the crew option in the Sprinter because I can carry people and haul things from day 1 where as with the Promaster, it looks like I have to add some seats and some interior paneling as a starting point. Insulation, wiring, yadayada too of course.

 

I know Mercedes reliability isn't great, but isn't Dodge/Fiat even more questionable?