Sprinter or Transit?

eranrund

Active member
You could retrofit them , but they’re 1000$ a piece. Hard to swallow ...
My uncle is looking into pepping up his Transit; very expensive after the fact.
I was actually getting ready to order a Transit 6 months ago, and I was able to fit a crew van with those headlights. Maybe look into that configuration;
Crew vans are worth the extra cash in my opinion...
The extra cash for crew is less of an issue, I have actually been going back and forth on crew because I really like the idea of another row of factory seats (and the nicer lights). However my issue is with the all-around non-openable useless-for-me windows. My plan is to have two narrow slider windows at the rear sides above the bed (but not on the doors), and a big awning style window behind the driver seat. I have very mixed feelings about a window on the slider door since I don't feel like I need one when camping and I don't like the idea that someone can break it and open the door (I am debating having a partition between the front cabin and the rear, because the Bay Area sucks when it comes to breakins). This could potentially be solved with a Slicklock... but meh, it is still a window that doesn't open so that is useless to me. People do say that having a window on the slider (and no partition) makes certain merging much easier/safer. That has not been an issue for my in my 158" window-less T1N. I think the extra airbags in the crew might also be annoying to build around.
 

Tom Tint

Well-known member
The first 2 sprinters I had were 4cyl trucks that got 23-25 mpg. Had they not been so efficient, I would have stayed with E series or Express vans. But those typically get 13-16 mpg and the fuel savings is significant. I found no other significant benefit other than MPG over any other van. My latest 2020 is a 6 cyl thats 4x4. I fell for all the gimmicks that MB put into them, And I'm actively looking to dump the thing. The only thing about the Transit that bothers me is the wheel hump in the floor under your left foot. At 6-2", thats a deal breaker for me as I have no where to put my leg.
 

sanomechanic

Well-known member
Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. It is great that you are very happy with your Sprinter and believe it is the best van choice. It is also fine that I believe the Transit is the best van choice. Both of us are happy so all is well. :)
Still does not make sense you troll a Sprinter Forum to promote a Ford Product. It's actually kind of strange. It must be lonely in Transit Land.

For months you have been putting Sprinters down and boosting the Transit. See the pattern here? It's very bizarre.
 

avanti

2022 Ford Transit 3500
Still does not make sense you troll a Sprinter Forum to promote a Ford Product. It's actually kind of strange. It must be lonely in Transit Land.

For months you have been putting Sprinters down and boosting the Transit. See the pattern here? It's very bizarre.
So, do you come here for a pep talk or for objective data and informed opinions?
Seems to me that a longstanding member who has owned both brands is particularly valuable. Opposite of a troll, I would think.
 

sanomechanic

Well-known member
So, do you come here for a pep talk or for objective data and informed opinions?
Seems to me that a longstanding member who has owned both brands is particularly valuable. Opposite of a troll, I would think.
Well....I call it beating a dead horse. Especially from someone who has not owned a VS30. How can one be objective when they lack experience? Each time I see a post from GD. It's putting down the Sprinter and raving about the Transit. The Transit is not all that. It's actually a turd sandwich compared to the new Sprinter.
Once again. If someone has chosen to rave about a Transit. They should hob nob with other Transit owners and bash Sprinters among themselves. There are many folks coming to this forum looking for information from other owners to make informed decisions. When someone is throwing uninformed opinions in the mix. It's like FAKE NEWS. A VS 30 is not a NCV 3 and damn sure is not a T1N or a FORD. Just keeping it real man.
 
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Tom Tint

Well-known member
....I have owned both..and driven a Transit several thousand miles as well....My opinion is that the new VS30 gets the turd award....
 

sanomechanic

Well-known member
....I have owned both..and driven a Transit several thousand miles as well....My opinion is that the new VS30 gets the turd award....
Well...judging from your past limited and negative posts on this forum. I'm not surprised at your unhappiness. Go back to your E350 Ford. That appears to suit your needs. Does it have roll up windows.
Stick to yer deer whistles pal. Deer whistles on a motorcycle. Now that's genius.
 
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synergy_58

2009 Navion and 2015 Crew
What are your thoughts about potential implications to the warranty? Ford states that bigger tires will void the warranty but seems like no one is concerned by that.
Over the years, when replacing tires, be it at Costco, Sam’s and even the dealerships, etc, I’ve had dealers tell me that one can go up or down a size without affecting the speedometer, and that this was acceptable to vehicle manufacturers guidelines. Besides, if you are changing the suspensions anyway, which could be a reason for warranty issues, changing tire sizes a few sizes up probably is the least of Ford’s concens, with warranty. Dealership do sell brand new trucks after they’ve sent them to up-fitters for higher suspensions and larger tires, and they are still covered under warranty even with all the aftermarket up-fitting.
 

synergy_58

2009 Navion and 2015 Crew
The first 2 sprinters I had were 4cyl trucks that got 23-25 mpg. Had they not been so efficient, I would have stayed with E series or Express vans. But those typically get 13-16 mpg and the fuel savings is significant. I found no other significant benefit other than MPG over any other van. My latest 2020 is a 6 cyl thats 4x4. I fell for all the gimmicks that MB put into them, And I'm actively looking to dump the thing. The only thing about the Transit that bothers me is the wheel hump in the floor under your left foot. At 6-2", thats a deal breaker for me as I have no where to put my leg.
Wheel hump? Like as in what the older model van’s had, a high spot where the wheel well is located? I thought those humps were gone the way of the dodo. I did not know this.
 

synergy_58

2009 Navion and 2015 Crew
That can't be true. It would be against the law.
Avanti, you’ve been driving that Legand for a while, similar to me driving around in my three units since ’05. You’re telling me you’re ready to throw in the towel, that you’re done with Sprinter chassis? That you feel Transits are better made, better quality, better overall? Is this just because of the emmison issues, the potential limp modes, cost of services, available service facilities? Is it the “fear factor” of potential breakdowns?
I mean I’m not saying these issues aren’t valid because I’m cosidering the transit’s too, but I’m sure you’ve see more than I have and have compared them both.

I guess in the end, they’re just vehicles, and they can be replaced from one to another. I do want to feel the comfort and take pleasure in the ride, as well as feel secure and not be concerned with limp modes. It’s hard for me to believe that, with regular service and unabusive driving, there’s so many people experiencing so many break downs. No, it’s not fun to even have to go through one break down, let alone three, four, over the course of fifteen years, as in my case, but they do happen, and they happen to other brand cars too, gas even.

Just pooling the thoughts and experiences, and I know you’ve had you share too.
 

avanti

2022 Ford Transit 3500
Avanti, you’ve been driving that Legand for a while, similar to me driving around in my three units since ’05. You’re telling me you’re ready to throw in the towel, that you’re done with Sprinter chassis? That you feel Transits are better made, better quality, better overall? Is this just because of the emmison issues, the potential limp modes, cost of services, available service facilities? Is it the “fear factor” of potential breakdowns?
I mean I’m not saying these issues aren’t valid because I’m cosidering the transit’s too, but I’m sure you’ve see more than I have and have compared them both.

I guess in the end, they’re just vehicles, and they can be replaced from one to another. I do want to feel the comfort and take pleasure in the ride, as well as feel secure and not be concerned with limp modes. It’s hard for me to believe that, with regular service and unabusive driving, there’s so many people experiencing so many break downs. No, it’s not fun to even have to go through one break down, let alone three, four, over the course of fifteen years, as in my case, but they do happen, and they happen to other brand cars too, gas even.

Just pooling the thoughts and experiences, and I know you’ve had you share too.
Yep, my reasons for writing off Sprinters is 100% due to the issues you state.
I like our Sprinter and the Great West coach as much as I ever did. All else being equal, I would choose a Sprinter over a Transit, and we wish we could keep our Legend forever. But we have had way too many vacations spoiled due to the Sprinter's unreliability, the ridiculous limp modes and "no start" countdowns, and the inadequate dealer network. I simply can't trust it any more, and we are therefore afraid to take many of the trips that we want to take. Simple as that. I want a vehicle that has 21st Century reliability, and Sprinters simply don't deliver that. No vehicle is perfect so there are always tradeoffs. I am prepared to give up a bit of design refinement in exchange for competent engineering and adequate support. I take no pleasure in having reached this conclusion, but that is where I am.
 
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Tom Tint

Well-known member
Well...judging from your past limited and negative posts on this forum. I'm not surprised at your unhappiness. Go back to your E350 Ford. That appears to suit your needs. Does it have roll up windows.
Stick to yer deer whistles pal. Deer whistles on a motorcycle. Now that's genius.

Triggered eeeh ?
 

gtholden

2005 T1N, 140WB, Low Roof Passenger, ~163K Miles
I'll be glad to add my perspective, for what its worth. Just a bit of background, I currently own a 2005 T1N with 137K miles. I'm the second owner and bought it with 21K on it in 2007. It's a passenger that I use as a weekend warrior for trips with a bed in the back and simple floor plan. I've driven vans since 2000 when it was really uncool. I work for an outdoor education program and we use Ford 15-passenger vans to pull trailers and haul students to various locations from New England to the Florida Keys. Over the last 20 years, I've probably logged close to 300-350K miles between work and personal vans. I owned a Dodge Ram conversion van before my current Sprinter. All of this to say, I'm certainly no expert, but can provide some feedback for those considering a Transit or Sprinter. Lastly, I'm 5'11" at about 155 pounds with no physical ailments. I'm not necessarily reliant on comfort items, but I do pay close attention to details that affect functionality such as ergonomics.

Over the years, I've learned to wrench on my Sprinter (thanks to help from this forum and really generous local Sprinter mechanics) to allow me to be more self reliant. In the past 3 months I've had to replace the glow plugs and water pump (which has been a super bummer), but other than that, the van has been relatively reliable.

For my work, we used to have two Econoline E350s. One diesel and one gas. They would both pull trailers and haul students okay, but driving them was a chore. They ended up getting very expensive to maintain. We replaced the diesel with a 2016 Transit medium roof with EcoBoost. Then in 2018 we replaced the gaser with a low roof Transit with EcoBoost. Both replacements were very welcomed!

My take on the Transits we drive.
Pros- Awesome power. Pulls a full van and super heavy trailer no problem because of the EcoBoost! I'm surprised at how peppy the engine is. Very carlike. The seats are really comfortable. Passenger seats can recline slightly. Quiet to drive. Water bottle holders will hold a full size nalgene bottle. Several cup holders and bottle holders available. Easy to get in and out of being lower to the ground. Very comfortable to drive over long distances and has no problem cruising at 75-80mph. Good sound system overall. Good bang for the buck. Relatively inexpensive for what you get. Really nice to drive this van.

Cons- The 2016 has had several driveshaft recalls. Dealing with the Ford dealers even for warranty issues has been a real pain (at least the three different I've gone to). Lengthy wait times and several follow ups after repairs. Note the 2018 hasn't had any recalls yet and hasn't been in the shop other than oil changes. The sliding door on the medium roof is a pain to close. We've broken two handles (or I should say students have trying to slam it shut). Come to find out, there is such a tight seal in the vehicle, you must crack a door or window for the slider to close. This is a real pain with students constantly getting in and out. The door armrests are hard plastic which wears on you on long hauls. The seat armrest ratchet is a pain having to reset it each time you get in the van (compared to the 'set it and forget it' in my T1N). Very poor MPG (about 10-12 for fully loaded and pulling trailer) but this works okay for our program because by the time we need to refuel, people need bathroom breaks. The van clearance is really low. When loaded, we've bottomed out on fire roads several times. Lots of blind spots, especially in the low roof. The low roof with seats in it is really hard to see out of the back windows (compared to my T1N). The higher roof is better viewing, but still more blind spots than my T1N. Tire sizes are really hard to find replacement for exact sizes.

My Sprinter (T1N)-
Pros- While the network of mechanics is less than Ford (for long road trips) when I need work on the van, the dealerships are much more reliable and a better experience to work with, although labor is certainly more expensive. The driver and passenger seats are comfy to me. I did retro fit the door armrest with a pad to eliminate the hard plastic rest. I love the seat armrest that you can dial in the height and forget it. Great mpg although I normally get less than most people rave about (I get 19-21 depending on ambient temp and how fast I drive). Easy to move from driver seat to back. Great viewing (no real blind spots). It sits higher and has a commanding view of the road. The clearance over the ground is fantastic. I have no problems going on fireroads and I love that. Seems reliable and pretty easy to work on. I can crawl underneath due to height.

Cons- My T1N is loud and noisy to drive even with thinsulate and soundrproofing and a great sound system:) I can't really drive it over 70 without feeling like the engine will blow it revs so high, so it makes long trips even longer going 5-10mph slower. Limited cup/water bottle holders (I really wish it had better options). Its a rust bucket. Limp home mode scares the hell out of me. Its happened two times which doesn't seem like a lot in the time I've driven it, but when it happened, I was on an interstate driving 70. I was able to pinpoint the issue and resolve, but it has me gunshy now that I travel with my family as opposed to just traveling solo.

My overall take-
I know I've left off both pros and cons for both vehicles and it isn't probably super helpful to compare a T1N to a Transit, but there are some items that transfer over to the new sprinters (LHM) and ground clearance that I think are helpful. I did get a chance to drive a new VS30 Crew for about 5 days while my glow plugs were getting replaced. The first thing I said to myself was "wow, this drives much like a Transit". So the VS30 was smooth and quiet and comfy. Steering was great and ergonomics seems really well done (except for the seat armrest ratchet!) ugh! And now you have to special order the 270 degree rear door hinges, bummer.

For me I think about what I'd replace my T1N with a lot more now that it is 15 years old. My take is that the Transit is a great bang for the buck. If I was going to keep the van for about 5-7 years, I'd probably get the Transit. Although the fit and finish isn't quite as nice to me as the Sprinter, I think the value it provides is really good. But I keep my personal vehicles a long time and while I'd love to replace my T1N with a new Sprinter in a couple of years, they are just really expensive now. It isn't in the cards for me financially, but it is a solid vehicle and if I could afford either, I'd probably go with a Sprinter since I tend to keep vehicles for the long haul.

I hope this helps.
Best,
Tommy
 

72chevy4x4

Well-known member
I think it unlikely a costco, sams or other store that carries liability insurance will recommend deviating from the size tire listed on the door of the van. Back in the day when I was a 'tire salesman' it was acceptable to deviate from the OEM size up changing the number-ie 245/75/16 could go to a 255/70/16 or 265/65/16 or even a 245/65/17 (if that was even a size available). Beyond that, looking at the rolling diameter, load rating and speed rating would be necessary.

regarding larger width/diameter tires those apply different forces on a suspension if a manufacturer can assuage the liability for a fault, then they'll take the option.
 

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