Sprintshift (1 Viewer)

DP+JAY

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At last, many thanks to slobadoberbob, Ican start a thread(No chance of me remembering how in future though)

Looking to "upgrade" to an A class, We have Fairly specific requirements & as it has to outdo our current layout ( that won't be easy for us).
The only Vans we can find that look promising are on Merc's with sprintshift auto boxes.
Not a big fan of Merc's but then I wasn't a fan of Fiat's either but the last two have proved OK, but the big worry is the auto box(fuel consumption & I like to change gear when I want, not when it chooses).

So the questions are what sort of mpg will I get out of a 4 tonne A class with sprintshift box( I cruise at 60 on CC) & what are they like to drive?
 
Apr 27, 2008
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You will find Mercs nicer to drive than Fiats. The sprintshift is one of those automatic or sort of manual jobbies so you can still change gear when you want.
Mine has a 6 speed manual gearbox, which is excellent. MPG is probably not as good as Fiat but that is only my gut feeling as my last Fiat was smaller, though the old 2.5L tdi engine of 20 odd years ago was amazingly frugal.
My 4t A class does 22-24 to the gallon as long as you don't give it too much welly. Travelling on an autoroute at max legal speed (84mph honest, well perhaps a bit more) dropped it down to 14-15 mpg which is as bad as an American RV so not recommended.
 
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DP+JAY

DP+JAY

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OUCH! I was hoping to get better than the 26.5mpg I get from my overcab Ducato.

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bobandjanie

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Hi jay, we have an a class, Mercedes sprinter 2.7 156bhp sprintshift gear box 3.8000 kg. :thumb:

Solo 27mpg, towing the smart on a trailer another 1.300kg anything from 25 to 23 depending on the terrain.

They are not the same as auto. :Smile: Manual 6 speed box no clutch, and you can change gear at the touch of the gear (switch) stick or let it do it by its self. ::bigsmile:

What are they like to drive.......................Wonderful :thumb: So easy and Jane can drive it,

pulls like a train towing the trailer. ::bigsmile: Bob.
 

Wildman

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sprintshift is a manual box with an automatic hydraulic clutch, so you have the best of both worlds automatic, or manual at the nudge of the lever. what are they like to drive, probably the nicest vehical I have ever driven. mine is around 4Ton A Class, blunt front so like a brick and I get 24mpg averaged over a 2000 mile trip managed that 2 years running so quite acurate. Mind you I have the 2.1 engine. tows like a dream even on the steepest of hills. Never had a fiat so cannot compare. (and no cambelt to keep changing)
 

dave newell

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sprintshift is good in general although shifting from 1st to 2nd can be a bit ponderous, especially when you've just pulled out of a junction across a busy road:Eeek:. Be aware that some problems have been encountered with it often involving a new ECU costing around a grand:cry:. Most are good but if you get a bad un it will hurt your wallet. Fuel consumption is notoriously difficult to quantify as two people driving the same vehicle over the same journey in the same conditions can get widely varying results, it is also affected by so many other variables that it is difficult to give sensible figures. Wind resistance (frontal area) and weight of the right foot are the two biggest factors.

D.

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JeanLuc

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I don't have Sprintshift, but a 5-speed full auto box with torque converter. It is on a 316 chassis with 2.7 litre 5-pot engine. The van is an A-class, plated at 3,800 kg and I have got 24.7 mpg averaged over 32,000 miles since we bought it. I drive at around 50-55 mph most of the time and use cruise control extensively. I think the Sprintshift is a bit more economical as it is a 6-speed box with higher top gearing.
As Dave N has said, there have been a few problems reported with the Sprintshift and Merc stopped fitting it in the mid 2000s. Having said that, there are many satisfied owners out there and any gearbox can go wrong. I believe the Sprinshift was not fitted to the heavier Sprinter chassis - the 616 as used on the bigger Hymer S-class models and Concordes etc, because the full auto was better able to cope with the 6 tonne weight. This might be worthy of further investigation if you plan to tow a heavy trailer.
As an aside, if you find a model with the full auto box, it still has the facility to select gear manually by flicking the lever, but why would you bother? - the auto is very good at making its own decisions and is an auto-adaptive box that adjusts to your driving style. Ours is a joy to drive.
 

makems

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We have a 3.85t Rapido A Class on Merc 2.2TD with full auto rather than Sprintshift. Despite the lack of CCs the engine has plenty of power and has no problems pushing a fairly big van along at up to 70mph although we rarely exceed 55mph.
Fuel consumption over the last 5500 miles has averaged 26.5mpg. Not bad for a big van that is just about fully loaded all the time.
AS previously mentioned the full auto box is impressively smooth and has the ability to change manually if required (but why would you want to?). It saves a heap of work on twisty mountain roads, around town or in heavy traffic.
Auto was mandatory in our case as Gwen does all the driving and she suffers from arthritis in her back and hips. The manual gearbox on our previous Fiat based really aggravated her condition.
 
Apr 27, 2008
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Seems most seem to get a bit more mpg than I do. Must exercise more restraint over my right foot :Blush:

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mikkidee

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Ours is a dream to drive, and as said before cruise control makes all the difference to economy. But as Dave Newell said earlier it does get a bit confused when setting off from a round about in first to second if in a hurry. The only other issue when using cruise control and in auto mode is when you come to an incline it does seem to change down gear prematurely. But then all I do is flick it to manual and it does its thing.
But as said before, it's still a dream to drive and live in. :Smile:
Mike:Smile:
 

JOHNSTEY

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Our fourth glorious year!
Ours is really easy to drive and if you think it's laboring just knock it up or down to suit.The cruise control makes it a breeze to drive and we are regularly getting over 30mpg with a cruise of 60mph.Having had a sprintshift type of box wouldn't want to go back and can't fault the economy on our 2.5. Go for it!:thumb:

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Pikey Pete

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I have a 4.6Tonne Mercedes 416 with Sprintshift and it is a dream to drive.
I did have the Sprintshift pump fail in France but that was after 86,000 miles on the clock. The pump plus labour at a French Merc. dealer was 700 euros.

I would have another Sprintshift I think it's a great system,


Pete:Cool:
 
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DP+JAY

DP+JAY

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:Doh:Quite a bit range of mpg then, from 20:cry: to 30:Smile:
 

canopus

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Our Rapido has the Merc 316 CDI 4 cylinder 163BHP engine and 5 speed Automatic Gearbox. It's amazing to drive and returns an average of 25mpg. :thumb::thumb::thumb:

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DP+JAY

DP+JAY

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Maybe not then, as I say I have a 4100kg Riviera with overcab & cruise at 60mph, I am averaging 26.5mpg.
I thought an A class would do better as it's only like driving a breezeblock instead of a breezeblock with a brick stuck on top.
Or is it the Fiat engine &/or manual box that's the differance?
 

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