I'd love your thoughts on this one

Choosing the right Vehicle
1

Hi -

I can relate to what I was just reading about the paralyzing effect of the van selection process. I am close to making a decision and just wanted to get some feedback before I make the final decision.

I am looking at a 2014 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 513CDI L3H2 with windows with around 36,000 miles (57,600 km) on it. I’ve checked its background independently with the government’s website and it shows no inspection violations, or accidents and the odometer is reading correctly (or “logically”, as they say here).

I guess the thing that worries me is the low mileage. That’s only about 5,000 miles a year over 7 years or 100 miles a week. Now, distances ARE a lot shorter here in the Netherlands - you can make it across the whole country in two hours - and maybe I’m letting the long U.S. distances influence me too much…? (I’m thinking of 12 hours to get from Austin to El Paso in Texas…! :slight_smile: There is no rust or leaks that I can identify…

All that said - I really wanted the length, height and the windows. (Windows are wicked hard to find it seems…)

(It won’t let me put a link in yet so I can’t point you to the listing…)

(BTW - I know that repairs/shops can be an issue with the Benz…but I’m right next door to Germany and there are Mercedes shops everywhere in Europe. It is literally the most common van out there for personal OR commercial use…)

Thanks a heap -

Chana

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Everyone I know who has a Mercedes “Sprinter” type van has had problems; my brother, my friends Jeff and Jodi, and a few others. My Ford has been far more reliable, and a lot less expensive.

Back in the '80s and '90s I put many thousands of miles on my diesel Mercedes cars, and work vans (when working/living in Europe) and they were excellent - never broke down. Different story nowadays.

Regardless of service availability, when it breaks down it’s out of commission and you can’t use it. Terrible inconvenience especially if it’s your home.

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Greetings & Welcome!

Reliability is important to me, and none of the vans newer than the early 90’s have been nearly as reliable as the ones from the 70’s & 80’s, so I try to stick to those. Old school and pre-computerized.

Cheers!

"Be the reason someone smiles today!" ~ Van_Dweller


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Also EMP-proof!!! :smiling_face:

Thanks very much for the information!

Chana