Fiat or merc? (1 Viewer)

[Marie-Claire]

Hi all , thinking of downsizing out van to 7.5 m and looking at the rapido m66 on the merc or the m66 on the fiat , given the choice which would be the best chassis to go for , fiat seems to have some issues with ad blue but is that just because it's the most commonly used base vehicle?.
Any thoughts welcome

 

[VXman]

not had any ad blue issues with my fiat.

merc - more expensive, percieved better quality, rear wheel drive (better in some circumstances but not all) rear drive can restrict layout and chassis higher. Better looking (subjective)

fiat - cheaper, more common (good bad??) front wheel drive, better layouts, lower,

Italians are cooler than Germans but can be more temperamental. Germans are as not well built as they used to be.

 

[Wh05apk]

Most new mercs will now be fwd, I think only the top frankias still use the rwd chassis, so the layout should be identical, although often the merc will be slightly longer.

 

[The Coops]

Mercs are not as bombproof as made out just ask your UPS/Amazon drivers. Not much to choose between the two, they are both work van bases at the end of the day, perhaps more Fiat franchises around than Merc but snob kudos on the three pointed star

 

[Marie-Claire]

The layouts appear the same both fwd on alko chassis with the full auto boxes. I wouldnt change to another comformatic not that I have had any problems upto now just trying to future proof any issues that may come along. It seems only a few garages know their way around the comformatic now and that is only going to get fewer as they get a bit older

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[Roger S]

We have had 2 new ducatos and they have been very good, we now have a sprinter auto and it is almost like driving a car in comparison it has much nicer suspension and doesnt feel like your driving a commercial other than the size.

 

[MichaelT]

Merc will sit up more at the back than fiat so if you have self level you will have to use manual more. Mercs more expensive to buy and service.

 

[Guigsy]

Mercs are quieter and more comfortable to drive. But traditionally the softer springs have ment more wobbly suspension. I'm not sure if that's still the case with the newer, wider Sprinter chassis.

Reliability wise, there's not a load in it.

Personally I'd make sure I got the layout I wanted first. With an auto box. Then I'd worry about which chassis I can get.

 

[Hettie's Crew]

This perception that Mercedes are somehow much better quality and more reliable appears to me to be an outdated opinion.
Having said that I’d go for the Mercedes for the dash area layout, I think it’s much neater and better looking than the Fiat.
But, from a servicing, parts cost point of view I’d choose the Fiat.
Layout is more important to me than base vehicle.

 

[Norfolk Nige]

Having had both. The Merc is much nicer to drive. If the layouts were the same I would prefer the Merc.

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[Ditcha]

Mercedes service costs don't seem any dearer than a Fiat really like for like and you get a year's breakdown cover with your service.

Pay As You Go Servicing & MOTs | Mercedes-Benz Vans UK

Benefit from price freezes on major & minor services and commonly requested repairs exclusively at Mercedes-Benz dealerships with Pay As You Go Vans Servicing.

www.mercedes-benz.co.uk

 

[Wh05apk]

Mercedes service costs don't seem any dearer than a Fiat really like for like and you get a year's breakdown cover with your service.

Pay As You Go Servicing & MOTs | Mercedes-Benz Vans UK

Benefit from price freezes on major & minor services and commonly requested repairs exclusively at Mercedes-Benz dealerships with Pay As You Go Vans Servicing.

www.mercedes-benz.co.uk

But they are annual rather than 2 yearly, and also no cambelt to need doing.

 

[Ditcha]

But they are annual rather than 2 yearly, and also no cambelt to need doing.

Plus just looked and it doesn't cover the V6

 

[RedFrame]

Drove auto Merc W907's at work (home delivery) for the past 5 years, excellent to drive, and reliable, we've now got the new Ivecos which are very unreliable.

For some reason few of the delivery companies seem to go for fiat's.

Cheers
Red.

 

[gus-lopez]

Mercedes service costs don't seem any dearer than a Fiat really like for like and you get a year's breakdown cover with your service.

Pay As You Go Servicing & MOTs | Mercedes-Benz Vans UK

Benefit from price freezes on major & minor services and commonly requested repairs exclusively at Mercedes-Benz dealerships with Pay As You Go Vans Servicing.

www.mercedes-benz.co.uk

You get 30 years if serviced by them along with the same for any rust problems.EU widehttps://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/merc-have-30-years-breakdown-cover.175511/

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[Deadloss]

You don’t say whether you’re buying new, but if so, you’re more likely to get a Merc based motorhome before a Fiat one.

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

Just to say our sprinter van pvc has just clicked over 400,000 miles still getting 30mpg. Again Portugal for the winter and a couple of trips to France and Spain for the summer planned.
That's 5 engine's 6 gearboxes 10 back axles and who knows how many daft drivers, just joking.

 

[Marie-Claire]

Is it triggers old van?

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

In Portugal this winter still going strong.

 

[Westbarn1]

On my 3rd MB based Hymer, current one on 7500 miles Auto 2L FWD and 29.1 mpg average from new, cannot fault it, so far

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[oldiesontour]

Talking to an ex fleet service manager he WAS a big merc fan Upto 2018,said after that they are absolutely terrible,went from the best by far van on the road (6/700,000 not uncommon) to the worst,wasn't a fan of PSA either,but would never buy a sprinter after 2018,said stuff about build quality,body paper thin...put a jack under one side rear and rear doors no longer fit properly,let down ok again,
wet belt driven oil pump ?

 

[dunnah01]

Ford

 

[oldiesontour]

No thanks !