Sprinter's sister the Volkswagen Crafter released Down Under

www.volkswagencrafter.com.au

Hey guys your missing out on what we got

LOOK Six speed Quick shift Merc called it sprintshift


Look familiar I said it would live on only it's a top motor with Oh so much grunt all with in line twin turbo assist and the new Piezo injection system


Oh lord'y I've a need for speed, I've got a notion My baby's going to rock, when one of these parktronic to my Baby Sprinter, h'm it's so sweet.
Sorry Guys But I really love this one its so cool
Richard

That is the uglyiest thing I've ever seen! ahhh, that makes me feel better

mgameros said:

That is the uglyiest thing I've ever seen! ahhh, that makes me feel better

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Jealousy is a curse

View attachment Crafter Full PR includes LT History 2006.doc

For Richard

Unfortunately does not look like it has Axle Ratio but interesting info anyway

Neat Ben I'll have to go into the German site for those axle ratios
Dam did you see the oil change time frame 30 thousand miles eat your heart out boys they got the good oil
Now If I can get one of these beasts the first thing I'm going to stick on the overhang extended crafter that needs two parking lots to get into for a rest will be this little extra luggage rack for the back.
Richard

I dunno, I think it looks pretty cool!
Steve

stp57 said:

I dunno, I think it looks pretty cool!
Steve

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I've yet to see one in the skin! Sister Crafter is playing bewitched in my area even the reps have gone loop de loop over my eternal questioning of where the hell is it
I like the aggressive front it's sort of what Dodge does with their vehicles, but the Mechanical make up of the Crafter is unique in its own right, personally I think the VW Crafter is more suitable for commercial use than the Mercedes version because it will be more economical to run.
richard

Altered Sprinter said:

I've yet to see one in the skin!

Richard

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Me too but hopefully I get to see it this Tuesday when I'm in the CBD

Going to visit our local dealer hopefully they give me a brochure (if they don't I may have to say I've been consulting with customers online )

Ben

ps don't have digi cam otherwise I would post my report on here

what pc system do you have I have spare I could send you no charge Richard Samsung never been used works on windows up to 2000 would need a driver to get it to work on office 2003
Richard

Altered Sprinter said:

what pc system do you have I have spare I could send you no charge Richard Samsung never been used works on windows up to 2000 would need a driver to get it to work on office 2003
Richard

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Thanks for the offer Richard but I must decline it, as I wish to save up and buy one that I like


Thanks Again
Ben

I'll send you a copy of the Castle tell him he's dreaming
Richard

Richard!

Stay away from Sprintshift... Those who have it curse it.
The Crafter is mechanically identical to the Sprinter.
The only thing different is the VW engine and the obvious cosmetic differences...
Even that transmission...Sprintshift...is mercedes with a new flange to mate with the VW powerplant.

The best thing about the Crafter is however that it's about 10000 Euro less in Germany. I'd imagine a similar spread down under, thus the excitement...

Cheers
George

here's the Crafter Daddy as far as the "face" is concerned:

Thanks George Ben will love the pics.
As for pricing down under the basic price list is as similar to Mercedes, price fixing and that's a fact.
Where the Sprintshift comes into play is it gave very little problems as opposed to the Old 5 speed Auto you had or should I say still have on the remaining unsold inventory stocks which are huge at the moment.
In Australia we were able to match engine power out to axle ratios and trans options which gave us an advantage over the US Dodge Sprinter, therefore there were less issues with questionable break downs, also under our ASIC rulings manufactures must abide by warranty issues, sending you away saying this is normal is not on, although I freely admit its a practice thats tried on every one every where. Most Sprinters Crafters in Australia are corporate based units not many buy these for personal use even the RV units are most in part released on a Hire and drive basis, so most commercial operators Know their basic rights when it comes to a warranty issue, where at your end warranty denial by some dealers are common, which is why there are many pending cases in the N/ American sector due to hit both Federal and European courts this year over warranty issues non recalls DCX Threating franchises to deny responsibility towards the owners where warranty claims are in contest, not to mention price fixing.
Personally I prefer a manual but an auto has one advantage at very low rpm you can crawl from a start on a very steep grade, or you have slightly better control of the vehicle once off road in a similar position but on Dirt Sprinters are not very good once off road as to wheel spin depending on the surface such as wet grass, a very fine marbleized gravel surface even Traction control fails at this point, but its common on all rear wheel drive vehicles, unless the tail shaft is locked into an enclosed chassis with bearings to support the shaft from doing its thing, and start jumping up and down which is caused by axle tramp.
I'm very curious to see if the new Dodge has the same fix we have down under including in Germany, where I was naive enough not so long ago to think All Sprinters were the same, I could not have got that thought so wrong.
With the new VW Crafter it's different as the old 5- inline engine has been retained along with the same improvements as the new Sprinters have, I think it will be a good seller down under as it's a cross between the four in line engines and the V6 which is not quite as fuel efficient, but that depends on the owners requirements, as For Gas engines they are history down under no longer being imported as Australia is developing Synthetic Diesel fuels using HP natural gas again unique to Australia but has the added advantage once developed to give almost zero emissions on Both CO(2) and NoX emissions using a standard particle filter.
Back on the Sprint shift trying to get a different point of view You are right, as I spook to the local admin for Ambulances services in Australia and they had no end of clutch problems and replacement of the trans at the higher end of millage did become an added cost average price to replace was AU $ eight thousand dollars, Again I contacted a local courier who has a large fleet of Sprinters and he had the opposite view , yes he blew a few clutches and blamed this on the driver but overall as he does between 60000 to 850000 Kilometers before trading had no real problems. You can't win so back to manual I go as these are bullet proof." I have to deal with hill starts on steep drives"
Interesting to see how the Sprinters vary in different locations.
Richard

Altered Sprinter said:

I'm very curious to see if the new Dodge has the same fix we have down under including in Germany, where I was naive enough not so long ago to think All Sprinters were the same, I could not have got that thought so wrong.

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Based on some of your comments I've been wondering lately if it's possible that the Sprinters built to sell in the US were built using substandard parts and labor to keep costs low? I'm thinking that even though my '02 passenger was completely built in Duesseldorf, they still had to expand the line to do so and could have staffed the expansion with inexperienced hands to keep costs down and supplied it with substandard parts as well. They're not badged as Mercedes, so any bad rep falls on Dodge and Freightliner, not Mercedes.

What do you think?

Talkinghorse 43
Where did you that name iron horse Indigenous Indian~! or is it something to do with the horses feed bag? Just curious.
You have come up with a very interesting question this has come up at least three times in the last two weeks in other forums, asking the same question! one was directed at poor old me, but nothing derogatory,same as your thoughts.
In the first instance I think that the N/American sector has been duped to a degree, as too many questions continue to keep on showing up on the five forums I look at in the US and Canada.
Warranty issues of Denial
Trans RSN issues
Harmonic Balancer issues
ECG Valves that were fixed everywhere else but in the USA Note: [Fuel Related as the main cause]
Limited engine and transmission options
Front suspension problems [due to overloading, unequal weight transfer]
ADR notified in Australia for fix
Electronic problems However all manufactures have this problem .
Passenger vehicles are produced in Germany and sent to the US as a complete unit with the only additions, being minor local content work to comply to tariff's and tax breaks.
Cargo Vehicles interesting being sent in two halves, and put back together? again this is for local content rulings and for Tax breaks to the manufactures, ever wondered why Vehicle manufactures are heading down to Florida? Honda has moved from Canada to Florida makes you think.
I'm beginning to think where the Sprinters are coming from at least in the Cargo vans, as they are also manufactured for world export from the Argentinian side, remember Germany has had plants down there since the end of World war 11. it's cheaper to produce there than it is in Germany.
Toyota Avalon was an Australian design, fault free in Mechanics and electronics, 'yes there were recalls on defective parts But fixed'.
When these were sent to US to be manufactured for the N/American sector , the designers reworked the suspension trans and modified the engine, but also re mapped the computer hardware for electronics and have been a major problem in the US and Canada ever since.
Is it possiable! the Sprinters have been rewired to US Specs? where we use the right clamps for hoses etc , the DCX manufacture uses a poorer quality clips.
Brakes has the US Sprinter got the sensors in the kit or not, each time a brake is replaced , the sensors must also be replaced.only applies to Sprinters using ESP,ABS Systems etc.
Front end squeaks, The Dodge has front and rear front passenger driver pillars modified, including head liners blocks for safety, turned out to be more of a safety defect, as a result of the mod
Two rim sizes no program to fix speedo error, 'In the US yet Australian Sprinters with the standard 15' rim is dead accurate at all speeds up to 110 KLM.
Overall Sprinters in Australia a relatively free of problems as opposed to the US Sprinters, even by taking into account per head of population counts, yes there were problems with O rings failures and EGR systems in the early days as our fuel was as bad as the US Diesel but this fix put an immediate stop to the issue along with upgraded systems which Australia had every year, the same as Europe., the only thing we never got was the headlamp washer's but then again were in drought[Don't need them]
Service We Have 2,200 service points for MB repairs, and we are not legally bound to a Mercedes franchise to have warranty or oil changes carried out at a designated center, If a Mechanic is a fully certified person with the right computer hardware, he can legally do the work and charge MB for warranty parts, that are in question, where the US Sprinters are to be repaired in a US Dodge or freightliner facility, where your at the mercy of the whims of the franchise holder , who is told not to replace or repair if it can be avoided, mechanics don't want to work for Chrysler because of blame shifting , where the dealer won't take responsibility for a mechanics mistake, who most likely was never given adequate training in the first instance, or is on low pay and too much pressure to get a vehicle serviced and off the dealerships lot, never mind the end charge, that's dealers counting profits.
" How much has a Sprinter been changed from original Specs" I have no idea ,but something is wrong at your end in the entire spectrum of the Automotive industry, Politics and corporate greed, coving up defects, shifting the onus onto the owner who faintly thought he had a fool proof warranty, Thinking alternative Lemon Laws, even that can be disputed by a manufacture to an enormous cost to the owner, most folk can't fight corporate companies, too much political influence and money to hide behind.
If you think I'm just speculating, I'm not, this year coming DCX and Mercedes-Benz along with every other manufacture are heading into federal and European courts to the very problems, I have listed in the discussion. Corruption is rife! Management has to be made responsible for their inactions , warranty and known defects where no recalls have taken place, death by mis adventure,by cause of defective vehicles top the list for this year in all courts, what could be a simple 25 cent part to replace or fix? seems too much of an effort to spend, when it comes down to what a manufacture calls investors returns, then why are the investors suing the Manufactures it's not the losses it's the way they have been hiding the truth from the annual reports.
I can link multiple cases to back up what I'm saying , I can not give current information that is pending for local and Federal injunctions, that will end up in the European Justice commission of transparency.or a current.
Is Australia, are we free of the problems! 'NO' but it is easier for us to keep the Bastards honest.as to the Feds having a standardized system that covers all states no loop holes, or tax avoidance issues can be manipulated ASIC has total control over any Corporation be it an Australian Owned company or a foreign corporation that uses multiple organizations within it's umbrella of company corporate, ownership.if out side of our juristriction it goes to the European courts once the process of investigations take place.
AS for labor costs, don't blame the unions of today those guys are fighting tooth and nail to try and keep workers employed, it's not a case of the bad old days where unions had way too much power todays its negotiating to preserve what little there is left to save, folk depend on these large corporations throughout the entire economics of it's own sectors, where Quote US $ 1,500 per vehicle is tied up in Health and pension benefits, "Who else is going to pay for it, it was the US Government that placed the onus on the manufactures after world war 11 to pay for these privileges of health and pension benefits, you can't ask a worker to spend his life with a company only to be given a handshake at the end of the day and told to fend for himself, there has to be adequate compensation for a life times work irrespective of which ever company it is, either the Government pays or industry, it does not matter, a worker is entitled to a decent living when he or she retires.
I think I've ranted on again too much, sorry.
Richard.

Altered Sprinter said:

Talkinghorse 43
Where did you that name iron horse Indigenous Indian~! or is it something to do with the horses feed bag? Just curious.

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It's a reference to an old US TV show Mr. Ed (talking horse). Since my last name is Edd, it eventually gets around to that anyway, so we go with the flow (daughter is talkingfilly).

Since you look at multiple US forums, you've probably already seen the below, but this was the buzz in '02 when the Sprinter was introduced here and convinced a lot of people to buy - including me.

"According to Weiberg (v.p. of Development at DCV), experience with
the European-market Sprinter (introduced in 1995) suggests long-term
costs should be low, as well. "The average mileage we've seen in
real-world use before 10% of the vehicles report any failures is
240,000 miles," he says, "and 480,000 miles go by before 50% have any
failures to report." It's this longevity that DCV officials feel will
make the Sprinter less expensive than conventional vans over time, and
help justify its premium price."

Truth or lie? If truth, why not the same performance in the US? Maybe just creative definition (not a failure unless the engine falls out onto the road)?

MR Ed of course! Man thats a long way back in the archives of history.
In reference to lie or truth, Fact and myth you have come closer to the truth than any one has asked before, it's just only this week being asked by others, "Is this another failed experiment! and should we trust to risk the purchase,, of another quoting the new V6"
On this forum I have no way of backing up the fact that in Australia Sprinters have made the million kilometer mark with very little problems apart from normal maintenance, Of course some have had major repairs before, but an engine or gearbox does not explode on its own. I know Mechanics that are not affiliated to the DC group. but independent of them we have the Royal Automobile Club, an independent multi car repairer and insurer, that states most repairs are due to lack of maintenance, or owners duty of care to fail to recognize a pending major mechanical breakdown, in other words the sound was there long enough to warn the owner, a repair would be needed to rectify a possiable problem..Again I have never had one single problem with MY old Sprinter or the latest one!"Why" Ok I'm careful and aware it's not an ordinary vehicle, but it has not had a single problem 'End Of Story"
Is there a difference to the US Sprinters Versus the Sprinters from elsewhere?
Cargo vans sold in Australia come from Argentina, not Germany, mines from Germany, its has different markings and locating points that the Aussie one don't have, this just means deleted items.
Most Australian vans right up until 2006 had the option for Air conditioning, ABS, ASR @ ESP up to 3.55 tonnes.
If the vehicle exceed 4 tonnes NO ESP was available on either standard van or 4x4 vans ABS @ ASR were the only extra options available.
Automatics the same as you have were only available on the 316 CDI
Sprintshift was available on the 316 and 414 CDI Note: not the 416
In reflection if most Australian Sprinters ran bald and almost electronic free, then in part there lies an answer to the longevity of the vehicles no electronics to cause errors, we also did not have winter blocks or dual air as you had, ours were retro fitted in Australia ,to save on internal head room, manly because Hi-Tops wont fit under the aprons of a lot of loading bays, also there was an issue with the German unit not being suitable to the Australian climate, as Balancers for rear air were running out of true causing the condensers to rip out of the radiator frame in some cases , in the outback where temps exceed 100F.
When the Sprinters came down to Australia again I'm repeating myself there were problems with O rings and the ECG vale train This was caused by fuel contamination. Mandates in Australia in 1998 were set for the refineries to rebuild to accommodate LSD for 2000 cost refinery 350 to 500 million each the same mandates were set in the USA both Mobil and Caltex Texaco applied for exemptions for compliance, here in Australia and the US Shell was the first to come on line as it was in the US. BP didn't have a problem in Australia, but BP in the US did and to this day still cant get it right with ULSD. our refineries were already modern but in need of refurbishment, to meet both RON and Diesel ratings, the US refineries are old and stretched beyond capacity to the production of Gasoline, this puts the US on a different path to future energy requirements for the next decade, it can't catch up with the rest of the Euro nations, and the Australasian sector. so you have a add hock mixture of messages coming from the US senate and congress playing with various types of fuels, and looking towards hybrids.
but this is sedan class vehicles such as Honda and GMH with the HyWiire concept still ten years to go??It does not solve the commercial sectors problems, or really address the reduction of fuel use and or energy pollution, making the petro chemical based fuels which produce the green house gas effects from carbon emissions. It's a twisted trail of promises and deceit by the US politicians and company directors playing, the same old stall game of cat and mouse, catch me if you can.
In 52 to 54 Chrysler had to re borrow monies to reconstruct it's finances if the truth was known it was never able to catch up with GMH and Ford the main contentious players in the US.
By 1979 Chrysler Australia was bankrupt you know they were still selling Dodge trucks built through International in Canada using the same body and mechanics from the 57 Dodge, what a "JOKE" sort of like Henry's old saying why change a good thing His son had to inform him Dad look at GM and and where are our sales heading? at least you GM had color, instead of Fords Standard black.
When Damlier-Benz merged with Chrysler on the 38 million dollar marriage of inconvenience in 1998, the mistake was to leave Chrysler to it's own devises in the US, based on the given fact of the day they knew best what the American public wanted! "Did They" more like the good old red neck attitude and an old Australian saying She''ll be right well keep on the same old course, of 'Route 66' its stuck in the sixties mode, suspended in time forever more.
Now in 2007 Today what has really changed? not that much, If I was going into a dealer in the US looking for a new Sprinter, I would not have a problem with this!"but My immediate thoughts would be [A] "How can I trust, and put my faith into a dealership" Who are known to collude to avoid warranty issues How am I going to get a technician that knows the Sprinters who will under, 'duty and care' service the vehicle to the manufactures programs of maintenance { I really need someone like Andy} but cant get a warranty transfer in the States no consumer protection or choice there on that one. limited to the decompression of a dealer thoughts as to what his version of a warranty consists of.
If I have electronic problems! Who's going to really take the time to solve the issue? Not all techs have the love for electronics Like {Seek}.as for qualifications Well, it takes a minimum of four years factory training in a German technical school to learn the basics of the trade, at the need you would expect the person to be paid for his skill not 15 bucks an hour that the dealers pay in Chrysler's paradox of Pandora's box anything goes.
Is the Sprinter a failed experiment in the USA?.."No but Chrysler's management is" it's not just the sprinter, but the whole range of vehicles they sell.
Its going to take a total management change to reconstruct Chrysler's demise in the US. if it's not too late! but getting customer faith restored, is going to be a big call in anyones book.
again just my thoughts as to my perspective of looking in at your end of the pond.
Richard

Guess it's been a while but the Krafty Crafters are everywhere down under on my Block Transporters to the old Bug still rate high on a mans list of Brother Sprinter/Vito and Sister Crafter/Transporter.
What sells most Sprinter Fiat Ford and VW