Reviewed: Is the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4x4 the Ultimate Overlander?
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- čas přidán 25. 06. 2018
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The Fast Lane Truck
Um, you guys forgot about Sportsmobile. They're vans are specifically designed and built for overlanding as well as full-time living.
Is a Mercedes worth the $$$$$$$$? I think My 2010 AWD GMC Savana kicks ass on over priced Mercedes, it's been a great vehicle. Can those Sprinter's tow a 20- 22' (or Larger) Aluminum boat with a 250 horse power outboard for example at 6000' in the CA Sierra's? My ride does, I have a GMC Savana AWD 2010 with a 5.3L V8 that I camp in hundreds of days a years I have never had to pay for anything but gas and oil changes, WIX/Mobil 1. I have 40,000 hwy and hard offroad miles. No maintenance costs, ZERO, nada not $1. What are the maintenance cost on the Mercedes? I have heard that they charge an arm and a leg $1000's for repairs. I recommend people looking for a van to look into used GM, You can buy a used Chevy or GMC AWD van for a few grand and much less than any Mercedes new or used. I get 17-20+ HWY and 13-16 City. Sea level @ 65 mph cruise control on I can get 20+. But in the hills of the Sierra's it has serious power it is a rocket up Donner Pass 7000+, I can go up hills no problem plenty of power to spare 65/70 climbing hills easy or faster. I have BFG's All terrains and it is fantastic in the snow. I would like something bigger and like the newer style vans with the raised roofs but I am considering going one step larger in class as I want more room and comfort that the basic van Sprinter style offers.
That red is pretty
haha
nice touch with the underwater muffling of the music
Like always this is Roman and this is Nathan and this is a great review!😎
Great video guys. The scenery in Colorado is spectacular.
Great video with perfect scenery and soundtrack.
Loved my Sprinter 4x4! I'd actually average about 22 mpg highway. Did 25 mpg once in perfect tailwind conditions. And that was the big daddy 170" extended!
I've been curious about the 4X4 Sprinter for a while now. Great review guys. Thanks!
Awesome job guys, cool video! I can see where something like this would be very useful in places like Colorado, Alaska and other places. This was really good with the music, scenery, and multi demonstration showing the fuel economy. hopefully there are cup holders in the door panels? Thanks again, I rate this a 10.
Cool, thanks.
Ed Sunderland anywhere in the Rockies
Great review, you guys are a lot of fun to watch! Thanks for making my life more challenging, now I NEED a 4x4 sprinter 😏
Thanks for the great video guys.
I am glad to hear you guys bringing up the range as such an important factor in overlanding. More common is for the reviewers to focus only on off road performance, when that is actually not the primary focus of the overlander.
Well done.
Love the watery music sound touch that’s funny lol you guys are stepping up your details in the vids !
I wish you guys would review an old 90s VW eurovan! It would be so cool !
Great episode. Love these guys.
Great review really enjoyed it
Man-o-man I really want to see more competition in this segment. I love these vans but 60k is hard to swallow. Thanks for the review guys, your channel always makes me miss home!
Great review guys, fun and entertaining.
I really like your video your videos are getting better!
Wow that mpg and 4x4, I need that! Thanks TFL!!!!
Nice job as usual. I've been to that spot before. Beautiful Colorado!
I love it when they zoom in on 3 inches of water. Like, "YEAH, LOOK AT THAT! EXTREME!!!!!"
I live in Alaska,and my gravel driveway can have puddles deeper than that..and my Ford E-350 handles it just fine.
A five year old could safely cross it.
To be honest I could by an old army truck with the communication shelter attached to it and have a cheap, reliable, and extremely off-road capable vehicle for less then $5,000 dollars. Then use the rest of the money I have to make a comfortable living quarters
6x6 duce
Drove one for a couple years in grueling conditions they are tough as hell and quite comfy. Mercedes Benz well done.
Cool van! Hello from Atlanta!
Roman and Nathan - one of your best. The scenery AND the soundtrack added to the analysis. I particularly liked Nathan's ribbing Roman about stream pollution at the end of the video. Well done, guys. AND...I will be checking out the MB 4x4 to see if I can get it with a petrol engine. I have had my fill of diesels over the years. Thank you.
Dusty Rusty what's the beef with diesels?
Every one I bought was schit...of course that was back in the 80's. However, I still have nightmares where I am traveling with my wife and children on a rural back road at 3 AM and running very low on diesel...passing gas stations right and left with no diesel pumps! (BTW, the 4x4 is not offered with a petrol engine....dammit.)
I love the ending. That was funny stuff. Great video, although I would have liked to see it in more off road fire trail type terrean or up some snowy roads / mountains.
Sprinter 4x4 is a good one. However here in Europe we have some other options for 4wd vans. I used to have a VW Crafter 4motion which is the same as the Sprinter, just different badges. It was a really comfortable work horse/ office. However one thing that happened to a lot of Sprinters/ Crafters after some 250000km was that the rear drive shaft sometimes completely locked up... other than that, it’s awesome! Cheers from Sweden
There is several companies in Europe that sell these. Mercedes obviously, Ford sell a 4x4 variant of the Transit, we have the Iveco Daily 4x4 which arguably has the best performance off road of them all, and the Mitsubishi Canter.
I've seen some pretty impressive RV conversions for these and I wouldn't mind having one for some long term adventure.
Great job!
Thanks guys. I was always curious about this vehicle and wanted some idea of what it would be like to do just what you showed. I know a lot of people would convert the interior for their personal choices of campers. Since that is what people do already with them, having the 4x4 option brings it to the next level of appreciation. Certainly cheaper to buy that and put in some personal camping accommodations than to buy a traditional camper and try and convert it to 4WD. ;)
Would love to get some info on the new 2019 Sprinter 4x4!
love the fender T-shirt! you guys should host an off road concert and load all the gear in the van!
Would love to own one and convert it to a home on wheels.
yeah the only negatives is having to outsource your own touchscreen infotainment and the high price
if you really do, add a lot of rust protection ..... I know we had 15 company MB's ...... we have a FIAT DUCATO 640 "motorhome" front drive; maybe you look for a "FIAT DUCATO 4 x 4 Expedition"
egger2500 if only the equivalent Dodge ProMaster here in the States had a 4x4 option. Sucks for us Americans!
John Grytbakk l,
Musashi's Ghost Too rich for my blood
Ok, you guys are officially crazy! LOL
Great review. How about more RVs?
Nice video
If you could: please test a Mercedes 4x4 sprinter from Ighlhaut in the highend edition( with 3 difflocks, low gear, lift kit)
Love the sprinter! Have you guys ever considered doing a review on a Quigley van?
I bought a new 2015 2500 crew High roof 4x4. I average 13 mpg for my around town. It has been awesome all around. I did the 2" suspension lift by VanCompass and put 35" Toyo RT's. Still 13 plus mpg. A lot of people talk about the high cost to own. Not true. Yes the B service at 20k miles was $1,100 but other than that it is a $120 oil change every 10k miles. I love it. I get stopped every day by people that say how awesome it is. It was a $68 msrp but when trucks are that much anyway, I get the added benefit of fitting a 14'8" kayak in the back and can stand up in it. No truck does that. Love it!
Good review, good product, stupefying price. I want to see those boilers at 17:38 undergo a full restoration, I think they've got some life left in em!!
That backup camera shot lol xD
The windshield wiper is designed like a semi truck wiper. Very cool and for an van with a true 4x4 is a plus
Man I love Sprinter's. I used to own one when I was a courier. It was the old model, when they were first released. You know before they started looking like beluga whales. Had a 14ft cargo bay and a 6ft roof. With steel toe boots, I was able to stand upright inside as long as it wasn't under one of the support beams that wrap around the tin can. Amazing fuel economy for such a large van. All the other people driving vans would always stare, or come and ask questions. Felt like I had a super car or something.
Mine however had zero sound deadening. Every bump, the walls rattled and made a lot of sound. The worst thing was one day it started to rain, then hail. I had to pull into a parking lot just to plug my ears. Holy crap was it so loud! The one my dad got (it was a beluga whale version) had small strips around the inside. This cut the sound and made it much quieter over all. If you get one and for whatever reason it has no sound deadening, make sure you add something, anything! Otherwise, amazing van. Zippy too, for something so large, it can pull pretty good. You'd also think it would tip easy, but I was able to go around turns at a rather rapid speed! Always pushing a limit with the van, don't think I ever got it on 3 wheels mind you but still!
While this is sort of uncomfortable of a solution to the noise, a quick and cheap solution is the ear plugs.(also probably a tad illegal in many states) 2nd quick fix is just to throw in some used up clothing or anything that is fabric that nobody wants.(cleaned of course for sanity) I play drums, and in order to keep costs down in sound dampening, I use a lot of house hold used up fabrics and just neatly scatter about the room.(as opposed to buying fancy sound dampeners) Would be amazed at how easily these simple tricks can improve your enjoyment of products that are bare boned. :)
Great van!
Would have liked to see the DB meter that you use on the Ike test, great review
So mine goes into four wheel drive by pushing the button then go to neutral and then drive. Works great! The cup holders are also in the doors and the best one is on the dash at the window on each side.
Man what couldnt you do with that ? Ultimate van life vehicle love it
Are you thing about painting FREE CANDY on the side of it and parking beside a play ground?
I love the fender jaguar shirt. You need a 1950 fender Boadcaster one as well !!!!!!
😍 This machine is a work of art. I gotta think of what to sell to get one of these. 😎. I am already up-building in my mind.
I might have to part with the AMC Pacer, 501 🙂. I need to do some thinking.
This is in my top 5 of vehicles to own.
Another great review. I think I'm right in saying that the Winnebago Revel uses this van and its four wheel drive system, and I'd like to see the guys review it sometime as it is supposed to have 'real off road ability'. I figure it would get a good workout with TFL, and we'd get to what it can really do.
*see what it can really do.
4wd would be nice but my 2006 short wheelbase gets 25 mpg mixed driving, and 35 mpg at 55mph. That looks like the same 7pin trailer connection, but when we installed the electrical brake controller the stock connector had to be replaced with one that could fit the larger wire required. Yes my'06 is nearly impossible to drive in the snow without snow tires. Thanks for the review!
It's not the "ultimate" overlander by any stretch, but it's a damn good one, particularly if you're just talking OEM production vehicles. The Sprinter's 4x4 system is one of the best factory systems available. I'm planning to build myself an RV in one of these when I retire and use it to travel the country...and beyond.
Gosh this reminds me how much I love Colorado
Colorado really does seem like an incredible place.
Arctic Trucks does a lifted Sprinter on 44" tires. It looks pretty cool, almost like a miniature Unimog.
They fixed that wonky backup camera angle this year. It’s an actual very usable now. I have it on my 2018.
I had a new 4x2 2012 & a new 4x2 2013(r.i.p head on collision) sprinter 2500 long high roof w that 3.0 diesel. I was a delivery driver and averaged 72k miles a year. With that van I had 14 foot long cargo area that was 6 feet talk in the door opening and a few more inches tall inside. They were great vehicles that I used for mostly work w alittle camping and play. Not many problems, outside wearable parts brakes and one alternator. The only problem that I remember is the heating element went out in the def tank, not a big deal in oregon. I loved both those vans so much that I'll going to get the 4x4 standard length short roof in the crew version to replace my ageing minivan. They corner so well that I scared most of my passengers cause they thought we would roll over. My only major complaint is my mpg was on average 17mpg, best was 21ish, but that is w aggressive drivingin mostly the city(paid by the job not the hour). My uncles 2006(I think) dodge 5.9 diesel 6spd gets 19.5mpg combined and I can't help but wonder if the sprinter could get better.
Would love to see you guys get your hands on a Quigley van conversion
On a Sprinter, the 4×4 option costs $7,500 on paper, but the real cost to actually obtain one is about twice that. And for your ~$15,000 you get a 4×4 system that is unable to send equal torque to the front. It is not shift-on-the-fly, you must stop to engage it. Additionally, it adds a significant amount of NVH to the drivetrain.
We have also found that the Sprinter van is not engineered for regular off-road duty. The suspension is way underdampened. The front suspension is composed of a fiberglass leaf spring and the rear is a solid axle with leaf springs.
On most true 4×4 vehicles, the front driveline and rear driveline are connected directly together through gearsets with a perfect 50% front, 50% rear split. The transfer case that was shoe-horned into the Sprinter is a planetary gearset and can not offer a true locked 50/50 4×4 system. The best it can do is 33% torque to the front and 67% to the rear.
I just spent a lot of money for a 2019 4x4 Sprinter and after the fact found the above article. Did I make a mistake. I what is said up above true? Help me out here. I am feeling a little concerned.
Great video! I really like the Sprinter, but a five-speed? Really Mercedes? Y'all need at LEAST two or three more gears in there.
what about the NV series of the Nissan Vans. I have even seen one of the off road shows build one out on tv
Great review nice van but it will rust away faster than you can pay it off
Retireing with in 3yrs and I'm getting one
you guys should do ike gauntlet for the work vans available on the market.
That van is in need of some serious under coating! That underside new shows a lot of areas that would be a rust magnet! Fortunately the new sprinter had the 7 speed automatic in the 3 liter diesel 4X4!
4wd vans will get the van back into the non fleet market. Now is the time for an American 4wd van. Even contractors want 4wd up north.
jrhunt414 it's too niche the market is filled by this and converted trucks
It would be nice if more van manufacturers offered vans with 4x4, vans have a lot of capability that are being wasted. In theory they're capable of almost anything, but that potential isn't being meant outside of the aftermarket.
Nice jag shirt. Sweet
What sprinter van is the most popular for beginner camping. We want to get a van, just really confused with all of the different sizes and models. Thanks so much
I have the 2011 one. Best van there is. But about the wind screen washer. While driving fast, the drag from the wind blows all fluid over the car.
I bet ford, chevy and ram will start making 4x4 vans again. Props to Merc for knowing what people want.
Hi...I'm getting ready to purchase a new Sprinter 4x4 when they become available. Did you notice a difference in the ride between a 2 wheel drive and a four wheel drive Sprinter on the highway or on paved roads around town?
And the MPG just gets better with age. My 2004 gets 20MPG around town! Yes, it’s 2WD, but its the high roof, LWB (22ft) model. The lowest I’ve gotten in 17 MPG with short trips, constant idling at stops, and from 2000-6500lbs in it. I don’t recommend it, but it has even transported, admirably, over 8000lbs of pavers in pallet inside it. 500-600 miles on every tank is nice when hurricane Irma rolls over you and the fuel stations are shut down, too.
I was looking for a 6 pack of Coors or Busch in that opening river shot! Lol
$60,000 is not pricey and the domestics do not offer a 4wd option currently and they would not be that much less $ with similar options and their diesel engines don't have the same proven reliability, these vans run 500k miles and have over 20 years of proven reliability , the big 3 have never had this kind of track record, so this is a great review and great vehicle
Bob Church its a proven drive train, love having it in my grand Cherokee.
Sure they can get to 500k miles, if you enjoy dumping another $60k (or more) into unscheduled repairs...
Nodak81 So True!!! Diesel reliability is officially a myth in this country now!
2:02 - You look under most modern vehicles today and you see nice things like factory e-coatings to prevent rust, plastic shields to keep crud out and improve aero, etc.
From the looks of the underside of this thing it's going to rust out quickly... the front crossmember/engine cradle alone looks like it's already got surface rust on it, and the rest of the underside is barely even painted.
I guess the Germans just said "eh, it's a van, ship it".
My dream rig
I love my 2017 4x4 Sprinter Van
Goodluck with that...trust me...you will need it. Get rid of it after three years and save yourself tons of cash and heartache.
Is it still running strong?
Will you do a review on the new Suzuki Jimny??
does this 4x4 come with extended height? would that extended height affect the sturdiness/sway of the vehicle when going off roading?
My Power Wagon don’t care. 😀 seriously I do think they are cool. And at the end of the day, it’s a Benz. That said, I question the robustness of that TCase and front diff.
Trust me...MB vans are JUNK...As much as I think Ram is not good....it is still way better than MB
Don Leamon Fron what I've been told by owners, they're heavily overrated off road.
They're open center, front and rear differentials with electronic braking measures to distribute power. What are people expecting from them??
Also, the Transfer Case and Front Diferential are from Oberainger who certainly know what they're doing.
All of our ambulances are Mercedes Sprinters. They are indestructible, lots with over 400,000kms in use 24/7. We have a number of 4x4 ones too and apart from the extra height, they drive and last the same
I've always wondered how those minds in dry areas actually ran with no water in close proximity. Did they have to use horse drawn wagons to get water up? or did they build wells, or divert water from streams?
This would’ve been a great vehicle for when I used to pick up doctors and nurses during snow emergencies at the hospital. You could pick up and take home a whole shift of employees with this much seating.
Ok guys, I get everything your saying but remember the suspension is NOT set up for a true built out van. I know, I have a 2019, 170" 4x4 that I built out into an amazing adventure rig. BUT I can tell you for sure, you need to upgrade the suspension, alot. I went with the Agile Offroad Ride Improvement Package (RIP), this is the solution to ALL of your problems. My beastie gets out there and runs big and runs hard. Wind from nature or wind from 18-wheelers, don't bother me at all. the standard for MB is a 2 leaf suspension, mine is 6 leaf, with over springs, FOX shocks and well, let's just say she runs well on the highway or on the trails. Also, remember, MB gave us a 4x4, sort of. It's not really the same as your pickup 4x4, she is not a rock crawler, she will let you go to places most other RV can only dream about. As you can see, I love my rig and don't think anyone can get close (except for the real deal 500k adventure Earth Roamers). They cost more than I could ever afford. Does the MB Sprinter 4x4 rock, well, hell yes. Hope to see you up in the high country.
Was this near the Bill Moore Lake trail? This looks familiar.
There is another option for a larger fuel tank, technically an additional tank, that brings the total tank volume to around 40 gal up from 24.
Actully that's a pretty nice van
Expensive dirt road queen, nothing shown in the video needed 4x4
You mentioned there are updates on the new model. What model-year is this Sprinter van you reviewed? When is the new Sprinter model released in the USA?
This is a 2017
It would be cool to review a van that has been converted for overlanding
I'd like to see you do the same test on a Transit with the Quigley 4X4 system.
Wow that cool. It has an optional first aid kit. They thought of everything.
Great one, but could have mentioned the lights, if it's xenon or regular lamps. It's important when overlanding.
Longer than 6 months, I've had mine on order for a year in August
that abandoned mine reminds me of a map in MX vs ATV Untamed for PSP
Question regarding the engine in the sprinter vs ford triton v10. I am looking a buying a Class C RV and towing a rubicon behind it. Through Colorado, Utah, Montana, and around the US. Which engine is going to be better for the mountains and towing the jeep? Thanks
Do you think that any other van manufacturers will add a 4 wheel drive option in their next gen of vans?
Are they still 4WD? I thought the 2018 or 2019 model was just AWD now?
It would be cool to see you guys do an MPG test with 1000 lbs in a transit and promaster now.
Please do a Quigley van. From what I understand you can get the Chevy express with a factory warranty on their 4x4 conversions. For US travel, gas > diesel esp. with Benz fuel requirements, and Chevy parts are everywhere. I think Quigley does a Nissan nv in 4x4 also
Like the visual inspection of the air filter each time you open the hood. OCD showing.
Wonder why they decided not to have on demand FWD? The procedure is cool though! OCD again.
Would this be suitable to do moderate trails like White Rim in Canyonlands?