Who traveled the farthest to pick up a Sprinter?

DaveParis

New member
After researching and dreaming about Class B vans for 4 years, I finally made the decision and flew from Seattle to Atlanta in June 2016 to pick up a 2009 Leisure Travel Van from a very nice couple. I spent four days driving it back (approx. 2700 miles). I wish I would have taken more time to enjoy the scenery and take more pictures, but I was very excited to show the van to my wife. Spent nights in parking lots, including a Walmart in Billings, MO, and one night at a KOA. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip seeing the United States beautiful countryside and quickly learning the ropes of camping in an RV. My wife and I use the van 1 to 3 times a week on weekender type trips and picnics. The Pacific Northwest is very beautiful and we have really enjoyed touring the ocean, islands, and mountains in our LTV.
 

SneakyAnarchistVanCamper

Reading till my eyesbleed
Rode my ninja 250 full throttle balls to the wall on I5 from Portland to Seattle. I had my radar detector duct taped to the headlight, and I had waze on my bluetooth in my helmet to alert me to speed traps. The seller told me that morning that some other guy was coming to look at it and I wanted to make it there first, and I did :D Bought a harbor freight ramp, loaded it up and drove home with no issues.
 
Saw the van on evilBAY. A Minneapolis Dodge dealership was selling it used. A bare medical supply delivery van with 80k. My wife and I flew from Seattle and the salesman picked us up at the airport. The van checked out (sort of) and we drove to Walmart and bought some coolers, air mattress, camping supplies, and headed to the Badlands. It was a hot summer day.

About 30 miles out of town, I noticed the A/C wasn't putting out. I had an itemized invoice that included the word "Inspected", so I turned around and went back to the dealership. We put our new lawn chairs in the shade of their awning and politely informed them we were happy to camp there until the A/C was fixed. They got right on it, installed a new condenser.

A couple of hours later, again on the road, I noticed a rumble in the transmission. I lived with it about a year, then I changed the trans filter and cleaned the valves as per the tutorial on this forum, overfilled the fluid about a pint, and never had another problem with the trans.

We have tricked out the van, very comfortable. Put about 90k on it in the last 7 years. Still get about 24mpg. Just did 2400 mi to Death Valley and back, no problems.
 

dieseljeeper

New member
Little late to the party but we flew to Detroit from Seattle, drove a rental car to Delta, Ohio to buy a Super clean 2006 Winnebago view with 36000 miles built on a 2005 T1N Sprinter from Shaffers Truck & RV. Id like to comment that the Shaffer family are absolutely first rate to deal with! Back to the trip, our mileage was 2570 and any excuse for a cross country road trip is a good excuse. Would we, my wife and I, do it again? Absolutely! We found exactly the rig we were looking for with a price tag about $7000 less than the best we could find here and was able to do a great road trip/road test as well
 
Flew from Seattle to Newark, taxied to picked up the van in South Amboy, stayed the night at a friend's near Toms River, and drove back to Seattle. 2905 miles.
 

aksotar

2017 4x4 144 Cargo
I live in Anchorage and custom ordered my cargo 144 4x4 from the MB Dealer in Tacoma, Wa...
flying down 1/2 to pick her up, having some upgrades done then I will take the 1/12 Ferry from Bellingham Wa to Haines, Ak... then a cold drive home to Anchorage...
looks like I may have to wait till I get home before I can have an engine block heater installed, no dealers in the Seattle area wanted to..
 
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israndy

2007 LTV Serenity
I bet they would install a remote start, that could give you a warm van in the morning. I have yet to have issues starting in the cold, but then I have only been in -16° F weather, or better. Maybe everyone has a block heater in Alaska, but until you can get one installed you could use a work light to keep the engine from getting TOO cold overnight. How do Sprinters hold up against rust in Alaska?

-Randy
 

Ovrlnd_Trvlr

On A Journey
I bet they would install a remote start, that could give you a warm van in the morning. I have yet to have issues starting in the cold, but then I have only been in -16° F weather, or better.
It gets to -40 here, and trust me a block heater is a good thing. Its more about being kind to the engine than it is about having a warm vehicle.

But its good to hear that your Sprinter is good in -16, I am not driving mine this winter and don't plan on daily driving it on gross roads.
 

Ovrlnd_Trvlr

On A Journey
I live in Anchorage and custom ordered my cargo 144 4x4 from the MB Dealer in Tacoma, Wa...
flying down 1/2 to pick her up, having some upgrades done then I will take the 1/12 Ferry from Bellingham Wa to Haines, Ak... then a cold drive home to Anchorage...
looks like I may have to wait till I get home before I can have an engine block heater installed, no dealers in the Seattle area wanted to..
I would be interested to know what you end up doing for a block heater. Are you also looking at a battery warmer, or other?

Post pics of your van, sounds like a great return voyage!
 

sprint2freedom

2008 NCV3 170ext
0 miles. Seller delivered my van to my home, took an Uber to the airport and flew home. :thumbup:

I suggested this arrangement after finding out he would be driving the van to attend an event and learning that I was along his route. It worked out great and saved me a bundle in tolls, airfare, hotels and DMV hassle. It saved him the cost of fuel and tolls plus hours of driving to get home. He took the plates off and I was able to obtain and install new plates without having to drive it (illegally) or get temporary tags.

Win-win! :clapping:
 

Ovrlnd_Trvlr

On A Journey
0 miles. Seller delivered my van to my home, took an Uber to the airport and flew home. :thumbup:

I suggested this arrangement after finding out he would be driving the van to attend an event and learning that I was along his route. It worked out great and saved me a bundle in tolls, airfare, hotels and DMV hassle. It saved him the cost of fuel and tolls plus hours of driving to get home. He took the plates off and I was able to obtain and install new plates without having to drive it (illegally) or get temporary tags.

Win-win! :clapping:
Previous closest was someone who walked a couple blocks. Its going to be hard to beat your zero movement.
 

aksotar

2017 4x4 144 Cargo
the Freightliner/Sprinter Dealer in Anchorage has their own Winterization Package, approved by MB so no warranty conflicts..
it costs $650 installed and includes a Kats 1500w block heater, battery warming pad and a trickle charger...
I drove the Alcan in my GMC truck last Dec and it was -20 to -30 F the whole way back... I’m taking the Ferry to Haines this time but I still have a cold night in Beaver Creek Yukon before I get home in Anchorage... the lack of a block heater really concerns me !!! I’m thinking either a hair dryer or heat lamp left on under a closed hood is about all I can do for the night..
no MB dealer in Seattle or even Portland would install one nor would any of the upfitters I called, only the North Vancouver BC would.. the Kats block heater is incredibly simple/easy to install but I won’t have the tools/shop to install one..
virtually every car/truck up here has a block heater, I believe most are factory options (every GMC/Chevy I’ve owned has had the block heater option from the factory) I’m utterly amazed that MB doesn’t offer one as a factory option...
 
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Dematerial

2003 T1N 2500 158 "Theseus"
I flew from Oakland, CA to Chicago. Rented a car and drove down to Marion Indiana, dropped the car off and got a ride 2 miles to the Sprinter. Drove from there to Madison, WI to visit a friend and then made the drive back to California. Did I mention the Turbo wasn't working the whole time?
Here's a drone video of part of the drive: https://goo.gl/photos/mePiaQnoyEGzzRSt7
 
Only a 5 or 10 minute drive after looking almost daily for a T1N for several years and was willing to travel thousands of miles for the right one! Owner was nice and generously left the plates on it until I could get it registered.
 

ches

Active member
In March of 2007 I found online a new '06 118" cargo Sprinter at Amarillo (TX) Dodge. Living in Santa Fe, NM I asked the salesman how was I going to get this Sprinter. He said don't worry I will have my drivers get it to you. At 9:00 the next morning two old men showed up, I wrote out a check and off they went back to Amarillo in a 2nd car. Easiest vehicle I ever bought.
The dealership wanted to get the van off the lot in anticipation of the new model year and the short wheelbase models were not selling.
 

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