High mileage

Just smiffy

Just smiffy

Joined
May 31, 2015
Posts
14,139
Likes collected
77,875
Location
Cornwall
Funster No
36,638
MH
Ducato PVC
Exp
Getting Better
Now I’m not a one for being bothered about high mileage, I’d prefer a van being driven then sitting in a field.

I’m looking at a Mercedes sprinter 316 Auto 2015 and it had a new engine from Mercedes at 283000 miles and the new one has done about 45k so making 328k…
It is one owner with full meticulous service history with the same garage doing the mots and servicing throughoutit was a distance traveled van mostly motorways and recently converted to a camper. The engine still has some warranty on it…

now I’m not really concerned about the engine but mostly the running gear, the van is in exceptional condition and has been very well looked after and the engine is likely to go on for another 200k but what should I consider with the running gear and sundries…?

thanks…..😁
 
Suspension bushes and ball joints, shocks but maybe they have all been changed out a few times by now, DPF, the latter can be expensive but Motorway use helps keep it clear. Drive it and see how it feels, look at the tyres for any odd wear that might indicate suspension issues. Brakes are an easy fix so not a concern in my opinion.
Sprinters are rear wheel drive so give the prop shaft U joints a look over.
I think it will be a good Van if it has all the history you mention, repairs can be easy on big vans just remember the bolts are all big with high torque. You did not say if the auto box was new with the engine so drive it to see if it’s good.
Good luck
 
Prop, rear axle as a whole, seats and as said suspension.

Tjose are the things I’d want to know about 😊
 
328,000km is rather a lot. The engine hasn’t done that but everything else has. A lot of the consumables are just that consumable but some bits aren’t and it’s those I’d be having a good look at. Gearbox, rear axle, underbody condition, chassis, outriggers etc .

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Buy it, its unlikely to give you any bother. Even if it does, you can console yourself with the thought that you could have paid two or three times the price for something with a third of the mileage.........and it will still fall apart! Go for it!
 
Podney said:
Buy it, its unlikely to give you any bother. Even if it does, you can console yourself with the thought that you could have paid two or three times the price for something with a third of the mileage.........and it will still fall apart! Go for it!
Click to expand...
Your so right…. A brand new one could be a lemon, sometimes we just think too much about things…👍🏼
 
I used to have a sprinter van the engine was bullet proof but body work was shit..now have a vw Crafter body work is great but engine is shit. Same van really.
I think anything over 200, 000 is high. But who knows really.
 
I think I would pass.

Ive seen sprinters (had them even) that have done 250,000 miles. But you can feel they have done them.

I have run fleets of Mercedes Vitos and Sprinters. The best were the old 5. cylinder Cdi 5G-Tronic Auto Sprinters, pre 2006. Forget SprintShift (SprintShit (ShiftMatic in the last of the MB Built Crafters)).

I sold my 2007 5G-Tronic SWB Sprinter Traveliner back in 2017. It had done around 58,000 miles but there was an issues with the gearbox which is rare. I bought a 2014 7G-Tronic with the newer 4 cylinder engine. So much better. I feel like I've gone from an old C class to a new E Class.

Ive had a few Sprinter Motorhomes too.

2001 416CDi SprintShite 6 speed. Superb Propulsion, crap brakes, amazing engine, diabolic gearbox
2007 518CDi Manual 6 Speed. Lower Frame Chassis, chassis too narrow, lots of roll. not as good at hill climbing or snow.
2009 (Registred 2013 (purchased 2014 (Long Story))) 318CDI 5G-Tronic. Things were getting better, still needed that 7G-Tronic

Enough about me.

Steer Clear of anything so high mileage. Unless you are prepared to put a lot of money into repairs.

That said, if it were an older Vario! I may have had a different opinion ......
 
A new engine might just mean the engine block, so fuel pump, starter motor etc, anything that bolts onto it is old.
It would have to be the right money to tempt me.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
EuroTrotters said:
I think I would pass.

Ive seen sprinters (had them even) that have done 250,000 miles. But you can feel they have done them.

I have run fleets of Mercedes Vitos and Sprinters. The best were the old 5. cylinder Cdi 5G-Tronic Auto Sprinters, pre 2006. Forget SprintShift (SprintShit (ShiftMatic in the last of the MB Built Crafters)).

I sold my 2007 5G-Tronic SWB Sprinter Traveliner back in 2017. It had done around 58,000 miles but there was an issues with the gearbox which is rare. I bought a 2014 7G-Tronic with the newer 4 cylinder engine. So much better. I feel like I've gone from an old C class to a new E Class.

Ive had a few Sprinter Motorhomes too.

2001 416CDi SprintShite 6 speed. Superb Propulsion, crap brakes, amazing engine, diabolic gearbox
2007 518CDi Manual 6 Speed. Lower Frame Chassis, chassis too narrow, lots of roll. not as good at hill climbing or snow.
2009 (Registred 2013 (purchased 2014 (Long Story))) 318CDI 5G-Tronic. Things were getting better, still needed that 7G-Tronic

Enough about me.

Steer Clear of anything so high mileage. Unless you are prepared to put a lot of money into repairs.

That said, if it were an older Vario! I may have had a different opinion ......
Click to expand...
The one I’m looking at is a 2015 with the 7 speed tropic
 
Richard n Ann said:
A new engine might just mean the engine block, so fuel pump, starter motor etc, anything that bolts onto it is old.
It would have to be the right money to tempt me.
Click to expand...
That is a very good point if the replacement was just a short motor then the rest has done star cruiser mileage. Try to find out if possible. If the current owners cannot/ will not tell you then might be best to walk away from this one.
 
It was Mercedes who did the engine, all was replaced except alternator at the time but that has been changed now too…

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Here’s the advertisement if anyone is interested…

<Broken link removed>
 
Looks nice Gary but very narrow from front to rear for you 😳😳
 
Great layout what a shame about the miles, I never saw anything about the type of insulation.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
CazPaul said:
Great layout what a shame about the miles, I never saw anything about the type of insulation.
Click to expand...
I’ve seen the full conversion pictures done by professionals…
It was he’s own company van from new and now retired he chucked 10k plus on it for a camper… loves the lifestyle and now wants a bigger motorhome to take grandkids away… he was a European logistics driver company

he must know the van and think it good enough to spend more money on it as a camper then just a van… or he is a shrewd man and knows the conversion is a wise move..🤔🤔

I probably would have bought it yesterday but something happened today that’s put my van buying on hold for a while…
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top