Best truck I ever had... gone

Here are some pix of my 06' Sprinter 118" wheel base, 5 cylinder Mercedes turbo diesel, outfitted my way, for my electrical service business. The truck was totaled in a minor head on collision two weeks ago, and unfortunately the smallest Sprinters made currently are 144 wheel base, which for me is unnecessarily large.

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Reply to
RBM
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You didn't ask for advice, but I'll give some anyway- if you haven't signed the truck over to the insurance company yet, tell them you want to keep all the interior racks and such, if they didn't get trashed in the wreck. (Those things cost a fortune.) Second, get online to Auto&RV Trader and similar publications/web sites. The economic implosion last year led to a lot of leftover and low-mile commercial trucks glutting the secondary market. With a little searching, I bet you could find a 'shorty' to suit you out there somewhere. The dealers that specialize in oddball commercial requests would have no problem with a long-distance buyer, and likely would even pick you up at the airport.

Here's one just a year older than yours, on ebay:

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Reply to
aemeijers

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I don't understand why, but the dealers only ordered what was the mid sized Sprinters back in 06'. Delivery companies used the extended ones, contractors used the mid sized 140" wheelbase, and it seemed that nobody was interested in the 118". I had to order mine from Germany and wait 5 months for delivery.

I did take all my interior stuff out, but it's so much work to reinstall everything, it's just not practical to spend the time and money putting it into an old vehicle. Mine had 68,000 miles on it, and I was the only one that ever drove it, and I kept it in mint condition. I did however scrounge Ebay and the net, to try and find one, and the average price was close to $25K

Reply to
RBM

Have you or anyone else considered the Ford Transit Connect?

Reply to
The Henchman

Despite the fact that those only have gas engines, and I'm sold on diesels, I'd love to be able to fit my stuff in one, but they're just too small. Hopefully in the future they or someone else will make a slightly bigger version

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Reply to
RBM

The toolbox looks like it has many more miles on it than the truck. The toolbox has some valid battle scars. The toolbox is the only sign that you were doing any "real" work.

Reply to
Metspitzer

That red Milwaukee box is the only tool box still alive. I have a circular saw, Dewalt zawzall, Milwaukee sawzall, Dewalt pistol grip drill, Dewalt driver drill, Bosch hammer drill, 4" angle grinder, skill sabre saw, and Rotozip, all sitting in bins without toolboxes

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Reply to
RBM

My condolences Roy. I know it is a royal PITA to get a new truck equipped so that it functions according to your needs. I am happy with my Ford, but had looked into the Sprinter. Word on the street is that their transmissions don't last.

Reply to
John Grabowski

For years I used E-250 vans, regardless if I bought it used or new, I could expect 10 years out of them. None of them ever died outright, but after the first 30K miles, the alignment would go out, and I'd wind up once a year realigning them and replacing tires. The last new one I got was a 98', and it just felt like junk, so I sold it in 06' for the Sprinter. The really great thing about the Sprinter is the interior height, even with the standard roof model, I can stand up inside, albeit hunched a bit, (I'm 6'3") With regular vans, you're always on your knees. With the weight I carry, I never got better than 11MPG with any Ford or Chevy. The Sprinter, with the same weight, consistently got 21MPG, plus it had a heavier payload than the E-250. I have a plumber friend that bought 4 Sprinters in 05' and 06', and already they're all beat to death by his crew, but I babied mine. I was planning on keeping it forever. For whatever reason, Mercedes decided not to make the shorty Sprinters anymore, in fact they made the two remaining models bigger, so for now I'm driving the second best truck I ever had... I hope

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Reply to
RBM

Ya tried the Freightliner dealers as well? IIRC, they were the prime outlet until the merger, and Dodge needed a replacement for their

1972?-basic-design full size vans. I've seen a few shiny ones around town without the Dodge grille slapped on the front, so I think they were still selling both models.
Reply to
aemeijers

2006 was the last year of the 118" wheelbase. In 2007 Sprinters were redesigned and assembled in the U.S., but only in two wheelbases, 144 and 170". When Chrysler crashed, their marriage to Daimler ended and 2009 was the last year any of them carried the Dodge badging. As of 2010 you could get them with either Mercedes or Freightliner badging, but a Sprinter is a Sprinter regardless of who's name is on it. The 2010 144" I replaced my shorty with is a Freightliner, only because their dealership was closer than the nearest MB dealership, that carries Sprinter.
Reply to
RBM

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And your fuel economy was?

Reply to
Roger Shoaf

I came across a wonderful used one at a truck dealer a year ago and it was outfitted with all sorts of shelves and bins. I wish I'd had the money to buy it. I would love to own a Sprinter.

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

Reply to
RBM

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