Well, this was unexpected.

[RoveRPh]

Since I picked up my Sprinter last Tuesday, I have spent more time talking to people that are interested in the van than I every thought I would. People love this thing! The object of their desire is my 2006 10 passenger high roof. It's got the Mercedes Silver paint and alloys, but still has the Dodge grill on it for now.
I cannot get over how much people like this thing. I wanted it because I have 4 kids and we travel to the lake every weekend and got sick of taking 2 cars all the time, liked the fuel mileage, and that it had a reputation for durability for the most part. When I was at the dealership trying to work a deal to trade my 2005 Chevy Crew Cab, I almost walked away because I thought the Sprinter looked just silly the way it towered over my truck. The thing is nine feet tall, for goodness sake! I could not get over the fact that I thought it just looked too big. Well, I went with my head (mileage, durability, capacity, rubber floors with 4 kids 10 and under) instead of my heart (strange looking, huge), and after living with it for almost a week I absolutely love it! I traded my truck in on it against my wifes wishes with the caveat that she would not have to drive it. Well, guess who keeps bugging me to drive it! She wants to trade her 2006 Land Rover LR3 to me for it! This from a woman who 7 days ago said she would be too embarrased to be seen riding in it.
The icing on the cake is that I love driving the Sprinter, and even if the whole world thought I was crazy for buying it, I would still love it.

[gerrym51]

good for you. I'm glad it worked out.

gerry

[sikwan]

The van sticks out like a sore thumb. :thumbup:

[stp57]

Hey Sikwan,
I sure like the grille on your van. It looks like it has a honeycomb mesh . I believe that I have seen a chrome version like it on Ebay for $255 ($409 for the set), but grille sales have come to a dead halt lately & I am hoping that prices will sharply drop soon. A grille conversion is a luxury item for me, but if a good price comes a long, I'm a go.
Steve

[BaywoodBill]

Since I picked up my Sprinter last Tuesday, I have spent more time talking to people that are interested in the van than I every thought I would.


It's amazing, isn't it. Anytime we have ours parked anywhere for any time, there are always people coming up to ask questions or see inside or to learn where we got it. Sometimes it takes a lot of time to answer everything they eant to know about.

[bikerjoe]

LOL! Print up a "Frequently Asked Questions" page and place a few of them under your wiper arm when you are away from the van.

[Llarry]

Our Sprinter replaced a minivan. One look at the Sprinter and you know exactly how it is going to drive; no fun at all to drive....but oh, well, at least it's practical and all that.

But then you drive it.... yipee! :bounce: This is cool! :rad: It was such a revelation. Driving the Sprinter is never a chore.

Congrats! :thumbup:


I traded my truck in on it against my wifes wishes with the caveat that she would not have to drive it. Well, guess who keeps bugging me to drive it! She wants to trade her 2006 Land Rover LR3 to me for it! This from a woman who 7 days ago said she would be too embarrased to be seen riding in it.
The icing on the cake is that I love driving the Sprinter, and even if the whole world thought I was crazy for buying it, I would still love it.

[buxmont]

The icing on the cake is that I love driving the Sprinter, and even if the whole world thought I was crazy for buying it, I would still love it.




I love driving mine so much I always take the long way to the Depot.

Congrats on your purchase. :clapping:

[stp57]

"But then you drive it.... yipee! This is cool! It was such a revelation. Driving the Sprinter is never a chore."

Wait until you install a spinner knob! The fun really begins then. My wife loves this thing (in the old days without power steering, they were called suicide knobs). Before, she had to lean over across the steering wheel to drive & who wants their face that close to the airbag. This knob in particular, is the best made I ever used & is only $12:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_13406_13406

note:
If you put double sided tape on the inside of the collar, it won't shift on you. It comes with a rubber sleeve to protect the steering wheel, but without the tape it is not enough to hold it still.
Steve

[BigBlueBus]

Funny, our story is almost the same, but what I really can't get over is how many people actually seem to live day and night on this forum, I have lost my husband to this Sprinter forum. We both love the van and get compliments on it all the time. We drove the Chevy Explorer conversion all the time in the past 8 years and I hated to drive in the rain and the wind because I felt like a sail in the wind. Our ride home from Chicago, our first trip home after we bought the Sprinter, was during a huge wind and rain storm and I had to drive this thing which towered over our high top conversion van. During the trip I kept calling my husband on the cell phone, who I was following on the highway to ask if the storm had died down becaues I was driving this huge thing with one hand while talking on the phone. In the Chevy, I had to fight to keep it in the lane, with the slightest of cross breeze; I literally had to white knuckle it the whole time because I would get tossed all over the road. He was being tossed around as the cross gusts would hit the side of the conversion van as usual, but the Sprinter stayed straight as an arrow. I love the sprinter so I don't mind having to give up the drive thru's at McDonalds or BK :cry: and now I actually have to look out for the eaves on my house, and watch out for those tree branches:laughing: but come on there is more to life than a Sprinter, so stop talking to my husband so I can have time to talk to him too and so he will help me with the children again instead of talking to all of you all the time:bash:.


John's estranged wife:cry:

[sikwan]

I love the sprinter so I don't mind having to give up the drive thru's at McDonalds or BK :cry:

I think that's a good thing. :smilewink:

Does John know you're using his account? :smirk: :shhh:

[guisar]

The sprinter should be everyone's favorite around the holiday shopping season. It's superior even to my previous favorite, a VW Westfalia, for locating in even the most crowded parking lot.

[nfb]

RoveRPH,
I am so glad you guys are having such a great time with your car! My husband loves cars and I never really got it until I traded in my Ford conversion van for the Sprinter. I love this car like you would not believe!! The gas is just amazing we are saving so much on that alone. My husband is always asking me to drive the van!! My kids love the car and although for the first 2 weeks I would scream when I had to drive between two cars, I feel like a pro now, my baby drives so nice that it does not even feel like I am driving this huge van. I have my Mercedes grille and caps on it now and it looks great!! I live in New Jersey and mostly see commercial Sprinters, so people are always asking me about the van. Now all I need is the tv and back up camera and I will be all set. As for this forum I have to say it helped me make my decision about the van because I was really scared to drive it. So thanks everyone!!:thumbup:

[BaywoodBill]

What is it about these ugly things, these Sprinters? (By the way, seek, is that pull top on yours retractable?). How can they look so ungainly and we like to drive them? Even, as we've seen, women who swear they would never be caught even riding in one like to drive them ?

Is it because you sit above anyone who's not driving an 18-wheeler?

Is it because of the noise that lets you be sure you are in a truck?

Is it because of the "firm" suspension?

Beats me. All I know is that my wife and I both like to drive ours and there are a lot of folks who find the physical facts of the Sprinter not to their liking.

[sikwan]

(By the way, seek, is that pull top on yours retractable?)


Only pop-able and only for emergencies.

Now, if only I can can get my wife to drive it at places other than the interstate.

[jdcaples]

Only pop-able and only for emergencies.

Now, if only I can can get my wife to drive it at places other than the interstate.

Is there nothing she values more than Sprinter-driving-exclusively-on-the-interstate?

Not that bribery or extortion is ethical or anything, but leverage isn't always unethical, strictly speaking.

I know: Let's ask Baywood Bill! He's a Consultant and likely versed in the gray lines between black-n-right (homophonious pseudo-pun, not a typo).

-Jon

[AzteK]

a quick way to get your wife to drive in the city! SAY you broke your driving foot, and get a large cast on it, (get a bud to mould out outa something)

Then she will have to drive. Hopefully after the first ride, she will say it wasnt to bad. That way, you get to remove that "cast" But then you two might start fighting over who wants to drive!

[sikwan]

Is there nothing she values more than Sprinter-driving-exclusively-on-the-interstate?

Yes, the contents in the Sprinter.

a quick way to get your wife to drive in the city! SAY you broke your driving foot, and get a large cast on it, (get a bud to mould out outa something)

Unfortunately, that won't work because we have the Subaru Forester that she drives solely for a family of four.

She's driven the Sprinter before, but that was a long time ago and she hasn't had much practice since. Of course, if she had to I'm sure she will. :smirk:

[tegimr]

Funny, our story is almost the same, but what I really can't get over is how many people actually seem to live day and night on this forum, I have lost my husband to this Sprinter forum. . . .
. . . :laughing: but come on there is more to life than a Sprinter, so stop talking to my husband so I can have time to talk to him too and so he will help me with the children again instead of talking to all of you all the time:bash:.


John's estranged wife:cry:

Dear John's estranged wife - since you have children, you obviously possess everything necessary to distract John - do so. It will work!

Tim