Sprinter Vs. New Ford Transit
- Thread starter Guerrero
- Start date
mullettile
New member
Test drove a new transit diesel recently, shifted into drive and thought that I got rear ended it shook so violently, back to park same thing, back to drive, again. made it 1/2 block had to turn around, wouldn't shift. Neighbor has a transit diesel with 45k ,says its been in shop 3 times with motor issues. You can keep them. Ill stick to the tried and true GM 6.0 Express. I know I cant stand up in my van, and the mileage sucks, but it goes down the road reliable and fast if I need too. Ill see how the new duramax 2.8 with a 8 speed tests out this year.
The porch and deck gray paint has weathered. The 2004 Sprinter now looks like a military vehicle, but no rust pops. My 2006 is still white (with minor snow leopard repair motif).
Not yet. Most all of February though. Maybe we can get together if you're in the Keys. I'll e-mail you. vic
GeorgeRa
2013 Sprinter DIY 144WB, Portland OR
An easy way to bypass Transit locks - https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/367...s-use-to-break-into-ford-transits-goes-viral/
George.
George.
In the words of Donald Rumsfeld (you know him as the guy who talked George Bush in to the Iraq war) the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. Just because there are fewer MB dealers does not mean you'll have more problems getting service or fewer problems getting your van repaired or even that the MB is so well made you don't need "another service center;" and, conversely, it does not mean Fords are more or less problematic. Numbers and statistics are important, but driver convenience and preference (24/7/365) are far more important. So, please put your accelerator pedal on idle and talk about specifics that are questions, or comments that are helpful for those of use who are physically and mentally challenged with age and forgetfulness... e.g., I pulled in to my garage this morning and saw my oil filler cap on the shelf by the door. I forgot to put it back on after adding a half qt. My Bad. So that's life. I'll go on.
I still believe that having a vehicle with a power plant that is shared with other models gives a leg up as to service as opposed to some low volume production model specific unique engine.
A historic example is the 2001 - 2010 Dodge Sprinter with diesel engine. With the exception of a few Jeep models, the engine wasn't generally familiar to Dodge dealerships and technicians. Maybe with time that would have improved, but the Daimler-Chrysler divorce means we'll never know for certain.
Last I recall the full sized Transit gas engine models share a common power plant with Ford pickup trucks. That should provide some parts availability and technician familiarity. Flashy, shiny pickup trucks remain popular around N. America. I wouldn't think that applies to Ford Transit North American diesel models.
I have no real data.
vic
A historic example is the 2001 - 2010 Dodge Sprinter with diesel engine. With the exception of a few Jeep models, the engine wasn't generally familiar to Dodge dealerships and technicians. Maybe with time that would have improved, but the Daimler-Chrysler divorce means we'll never know for certain.
Last I recall the full sized Transit gas engine models share a common power plant with Ford pickup trucks. That should provide some parts availability and technician familiarity. Flashy, shiny pickup trucks remain popular around N. America. I wouldn't think that applies to Ford Transit North American diesel models.
I have no real data.
vic
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Graphite Dave
Dave Orton
Correct. Gas Transit engine, transmission and rear end are also used in the Ford F150. The 3.5 and 3.7 engines and the transmission are used in the Mustang as well as other models. The Transit diesel is not used in any other Ford models so it will have the same lack of support that other small volume vehicles have. I doubt that most Ford dealers have a tech qualified to work on the 3.2 diesel.
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surlyoldbill
Well-known member
The 2.7 02-06 Sprinter engine in a Wrangler would have been nothing short of awesome. Much more torque, and probably average over 30 miles a gallon.
lindenengineering
Well-known member
But their operating diagnostic system is IDS so is Lincoln, Landrover, so is Jag!
Everyone who works on Fords needs to have IDS based scan tools.
The system although different basically emulates Toyota Lexus ages old Techstream concept for about $3500. Nothing held back!
Techstream is $1350 per annum fee .
No hidden up front add on fees for certain interfaces, just as you get with Toyota/ Lexus .
Said the nice Toyota Tech guys to me from Torrence :- We make so many cars we can't fix 'em all!
We make the best, most reliable cars in the world, and we have the best customer loyalty in the business.
By and by making our repair information universally available to all shops for a fee we can guarantee that once we have a entry level customer who has had good usable life from 30 year old Camry, we have them for life as repeat buyers !
Unfortunately for the German based auto manufacturers they have yet to understand that not so revolutionary concept.
Really boiled down Ford KNOWS the US market! All the main dealers have Ford tech savvy techs and the dealers by and large share the tech info with us Independents
What concept MB???BMW & VW/Audi???
Dennis
surlyoldbill
Well-known member
18,000 mile report on my Transit 148MR T250
Nothing spectacular regarding reliability or anything. No real problems other than shoddy assembly of body panels and doors. The front passenger tire is wearing faster than the others on the outside edge, I rotated tires this morning. Still have a lifetime MPG of 15.6, but I get 17 on long highway trips (65-75mph). I installed the T.U.R.D. over the airbox earlier in the year, after discovering my air filter was soggy and disintegrating into the intake, hopefully there's no damage or increased wear as a result of that paper and moisture going into the engine.
I installed the Rostra aftermarket cruise control, and that was easy and it works OK; it doesn't gear down to slow you on downhills, so the van free-wheels faster then the cruise is set, and on steeper uphills it floors the pedal and drops a couple gears to maintain speed, and it's shocking. But still better than the sore achy knee I got trying to hold the gas pedal for hours at a time.
I also installed a rear camera system, and set it up so I can remove the monitor (clips on over the rearview mirror) and only use it when I have a full load and can't see out the back. I need to get a higher res camera, and that mounts on the top by the brake light; the license plate camera sucks. Not bad for $30 for the system, though!
On the tire wear, I've had this same wear on my pickups and the Sprinter. The front passenger tire wears on the outer edge a lot faster than the other tires wear anywhere. Is this just the nature of the beast, or have I coincidentally had the same exact alignment/camber/toe-in problem on all my trucks for the last 30+ years? The cars never had this wear pattern.
Nothing spectacular regarding reliability or anything. No real problems other than shoddy assembly of body panels and doors. The front passenger tire is wearing faster than the others on the outside edge, I rotated tires this morning. Still have a lifetime MPG of 15.6, but I get 17 on long highway trips (65-75mph). I installed the T.U.R.D. over the airbox earlier in the year, after discovering my air filter was soggy and disintegrating into the intake, hopefully there's no damage or increased wear as a result of that paper and moisture going into the engine.
I installed the Rostra aftermarket cruise control, and that was easy and it works OK; it doesn't gear down to slow you on downhills, so the van free-wheels faster then the cruise is set, and on steeper uphills it floors the pedal and drops a couple gears to maintain speed, and it's shocking. But still better than the sore achy knee I got trying to hold the gas pedal for hours at a time.
I also installed a rear camera system, and set it up so I can remove the monitor (clips on over the rearview mirror) and only use it when I have a full load and can't see out the back. I need to get a higher res camera, and that mounts on the top by the brake light; the license plate camera sucks. Not bad for $30 for the system, though!
On the tire wear, I've had this same wear on my pickups and the Sprinter. The front passenger tire wears on the outer edge a lot faster than the other tires wear anywhere. Is this just the nature of the beast, or have I coincidentally had the same exact alignment/camber/toe-in problem on all my trucks for the last 30+ years? The cars never had this wear pattern.
avanti
2022 Ford Transit 3500
Well, FWIW, our Sprinter does that too. I had the alignment checked and it is dead on.
surlyoldbill
Well-known member
Same with my T1N. Same with my Toyota Tacomas. That's why I'm wondering if it's a truck thing.Well, FWIW, our Sprinter does that too. I had the alignment checked and it is dead on.
The vast majority of my miles are just me in the driver seat. I wonder if the camber etc is set up for two people? It seems to reason that if there is more weight on the driver side, the passenger side could lift a bit in comparison, and the tire tuck in a little. I'm just guessing, 200lbs on one side seems insignificant in a 6000lb vehicle.
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I've accepted that as a fact of owning a van since first owning my 1974 Dodge B100 Tradesman. I usually keep the front tires a bit high in pressure. Recently, based upon comments here on the Forum, I've been running all the tires a bit lower. It does seem that I'm getting a bit more outside wear again.
vic
OffroadHamster
Well-known member
Its a fact of any vehicle with a leaf sprung solid rear axle if you drive on roads that have crown (ie they are sloped to the right for drainage). The solid rear axle with leaf springs does not have enough compliance and so twists the vehicle slightly when driven on a sloped road or one with asymmetric crown. The result is more steering input to the left than a car with independet rear suspension. Combined with the slight twist which causes the vehicle to list to the right the outside edge of the front passenger tire wears at an accelerated rate. I rotate tires on trucks every 4k miles and every 7k miles on independent rear vehicles.I've accepted that as a fact of owning a van since first owning my 1974 Dodge B100 Tradesman. I usually keep the front tires a bit high in pressure. Recently, based upon comments here on the Forum, I've been running all the tires a bit lower. It does seem that I'm getting a bit more outside wear again.
vic
It helps to rotate the fronts across the vehicle to the back and rotate the backs straight forward to the front.
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surlyoldbill
Well-known member
Thanks for confirming my observations with a tangible explanation!
I'll probably be rotating my tires more often than usual knowing this.
Graphite Dave
Dave Orton
If you do the classic 5 wheel rotation, you might even find air in the spare when you need it.
I bought the Transit with all black wheels so I can do a 5 tire rotation. My schedule is every 7500 miles. Did the same on sold Sprinter.
I bought the Transit with all black wheels so I can do a 5 tire rotation. My schedule is every 7500 miles. Did the same on sold Sprinter.
surlyoldbill
Well-known member
I should probably rotate in my spare. I have yet to play with the tire pressure sensing system after I rotated my Transit tires. I'm not looking forward to getting a dash warning that I cannot remove.