Sprinter Tour 2012

[franknj]

Went to Sprinter Tours 2012 8-7-2012 sponsored by MB. It was great fun. Attached are some photos. You can still sign up at sprintertour.com.

It included a fuel efficency segment where you drive for a few miles as a starting baseline. You are then given instruction, then drive the same route and are graded again. Some Tips... Accellerate slowly, Do not accellerate into turns. Turned wheels provide more resistance and require more power. Anticipate stops, slow down rather than stop if you can. Starting from the stoped position uses the most energy. Increase speed downhill to avoid downshifting uphill. Keep RPM consistant if you can.

A safety segment for how to properly sit and other tips. If you skid, always turn the wheel where you want to go. Let the computer do the rest. You need to keep your left foot on the rest to the left, so you can have leverage to push yourself up in your seat. 9-3 on the wheel. So you don't block the air bag. These tips come in handy in the ABS brake test. You can really see how it helps first hand. Other tips... Seat should be more upright, arms should be slightly bent while your back is touching the seat back. So you can easily turn without getting out of your seat. You should look out to antisipate traffic, not too high so you are looking down.

A drive through the cone segment where you go through cones to test drive the competition verses different Sprinters. This segment includes an ABS test where you get to drive up to 40Mph and slam on the brakes. Great fun!. Glad it was not my Sprinter! The Sprinters stop way better than the Ford.

An example of their Adaptive ESP technology. They load up a Sprinter with water tanks up high to make it unbalanced. They then turn off the ESP so you can see the van go on two wheels. (With you inside). The ESP is then turned back on so you can see how good it performs with it back on. All the tires stay on the ground. No you can't drive in this segment...Oh...

Then they show you the van getting stuck on a treadmill and that the van can get out by hitting the gas hard and the computer will lock the wheel and switches to the opposite tire for traction. They also show you that turning off the ASR button will help you if both wheels are stuck.

Attached are photos. Highly recommended. Free food and gifts!.