Today I learned to appreciate my Sprinter for what it is!
Friday the 13th will be a memorable day for my Sprinter ownership. I was invited to the “Sprinter on Tour” presentation in Calgary, an experience that ranks with my F18 flight simulator experience in 1991.
Our session had approximately 30 attendees. My first module was the Adaptive ESP. Most have you have seen the Utube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36Arm_nJnck
where the 2500 Sprinter is on two wheels. Well the 2500 is loaded with barrels of water weighing 1540 lbs (3/4 ton) mounted very close to the ceiling, along with a heavy steel framed structure to hold the barrels as well the anchor plates along the roof for the tricycle frame outriggers. Three passengers and a driver, approx. 800# on each run.
Lucky me, in the front passenger seat equipped with an Oh Sh** handle. The professional driver turns OFF the Adaptive ESP, he accelerates to 35kph and maneuvers around the barriers and the van violently yaws and rolls and we make it. Hold on it gets better. The driver says the wheels had not come off the ground, lets do it again. This time the accelerates to 50kph, this time I use the O/S handle, but the three point seat belt hold me in the seat very well. The wheels raise off the ground about 16 inches, off course the outrigger on the opposite side grinds the pavement but prevents it from rolling, whew!
Now, the driver turn ON the Adaptive ESP, and we now accelerate to 65kph and maneuvers the obstacle with some yawing and roll along with substantial G force, but I don’t latch on to the safety handle. The van felt in control and stable at all times. My conclusion, ESP works!
The hands-on driving was equally fun and challenging. First the correct seating position, arms at an almost 90 degree angle at the elbow. Feet position, left on the ledge under the hood latch for stability during any emergency maneuvering. Hands at 9 and 3 O’clock and that allows for 180 deg rotation with both hands on the wheel at all times.
We also had a Ford E350 van to do the same driving on the course, very different when you climb from a Sprinter to the Ford on the same course. My evaluation, the Ford van was very much the same as my GMC Vandura ¾ ton Class 4 motorhome that I drove up to 3 weeks ago when I got my Sprinter LTV. The Sprinter drives and handles like a car, the other drives and handles as a truck, an old truck, mine was a 1989.
The newer cab has some cool shelves above the sunvisors, I will try and find some after markets for my 2006 LTV. I prefer the larger convex mirrors on mine. Personally I did not notice much difference between the 2.7L and the V6 Diesels, considering mine is pretty much at full load all of the time.
Their research shows; drive at 100KPH versus 120KPH saves up to 15% fuel (60 vs 70 MPH)
Smooth instead of jerky acceleration saves up to 20%
For every 100# you remove, save 1%
At highway speeds, tuning on the A/C save fuel, instead of having window open, wind drag.