Recently, Nissan announced it’s plans to start production on a commercial van to replace to dead production line for it’s slow-selling Titan pickup.  Amid much hype at the Detroit Auto Show, they unveiled a basic representation of the “LCV” or Light Commercial Vehicle.  But, at the same time, their own spokesperson admitted that their offering most likely would not be able to compete with the Dodge Sprinter…

“If it’s a me-too van, it won’t offer the customer much more than what Ford or GM does. But if they offer a powertrain like the Sprinter, it’ll be something new,” he said.

“The Dodge Sprinter is a version of a Mercedes-Benz cargo van. It’s narrower and higher than domestics and uses a turbocharged 3.0-liter diesel V-6 with aggressive gearing to compensate for its lower-horsepower output.

“It seems to me a vehicle like the Sprinter is the vehicle of the future. It’s about 10 grand more than a Ford E-Series but if you’re running a lot of miles, that can be worth it. With the wild swings in fuel costs, the less you use, the better off you’re going to be,” he said.

“You see UPS using them and some in FedEx colors. They get in the low 20 mile-per-gallon range versus an E-series van with big gasoline engines. In my opinion, that kind of V-8 is the engine of the past because of fuel economy. You just can’t get the economy out of that kind of displacement. So a lot depends on what kind of powertrain they use.”"

Our question is, why bother?

For the full text of the above quoted article, click here.

The smart people over at Veolia Transportation made the choice to use Dodge Sprinter and it seems to have paid off for them, in kudos anyway.  Their Baltimore office was presented with the award for implementing 29 fuel efficient Sprinters for their shuttle bus operations. 

““We are so impressed with this vehicle that we’ve ordered 13 more for our Baltimore Bus operations,” added Bates. “When those arrive in July, we will have 42 Sprinter shuttle buses in the Baltimore metropolitan area, all displaying the Veolia logo.”

The Dodge Sprinter shuttle buses can operate 10,000 miles between service oil changes and 60,000 miles before an engine and transmission service, making it a highly efficient vehicle to operate. The Dodge Sprinter emits 56 percent less CO2 per vehicle mile than a cutaway vehicle powered by a Ford 6.0L diesel engine and 53 percent less CO2 per vehicle mile than a cutaway powered by a Ford 6.8L gasoline engine. ”

Kudos to Veolia Transportation’s Baltimore office for their award as well as their wise choice of a Dodge Sprinter.

For the full text of the article quoted, please click here.

The Arkansas Highway Department recently purchased a super souped-up Sprinter designed to analyze road conditions across the state.  The Sprinters hefty price tag of $1.39 MILLION dollars may seem like allot but when you learn it is equipped with laser sensors, infrared sensors, cameras, computers, antennae, flashing lights and more, it sounds a little more reasonable.  For more on this story, please visit nwanews.com

The Arkansas Highway Department will inevitably have to pay ALLOT more to maintain their special hybrid of Sprinter but luckily most Sprinter owners can pay next to nothing for Sprinter parts in the aftermarket.  Arkansas taxpayers may have to foot a hefty bill for this cool van, but at least most Sprinters are pretty cheap to maintain. 

For more news on Sprinters, check back often…..

Been searching far and wide for reliable information about your Sprinter?  Considering that they are a bit of a niche make, info can be hard to come by.  Well, we’re here to help…

If you need information on Dodge Sprinter maintenance schedules, just go here for an in depth PDF:
http://www.qualitysprinter.com/sprinter_maintenance_schedule.shtml

If you need information about Sprinter Fluid specifications (when to change the oil, transmission fluid, etc.) just read this handy PDF:
http://www.qualitysprinter.com/sprinter_fluid_specifications.shtml

And if you need help with changing the oil on your Mercedes Sprinter, just go here:
http://www.qualitysprinter.com/sprinter_oil_change_information.shtml

For the entire Dodge Sprinter Owners manual, you can go directly to the Dodge site, here:
http://www.dodge.com/en/owners/manuals/

We will be bringing you additional resources for your Dodge / Freightliner Sprinter as we find them, so check back with us soon!

Not only does the Dodge Sprinter boast a diesel engine but it’s a Mercedes diesel engine to boot.  Now everyone knows that Mercedes is the standard in high quality, performance parts but did you know that diesel has it’s own advantages over other engines? 
Diesel engines inevitably tend to last longer, have much lower maintenance and upkeep costs over the life of the vehicle, and are much more fuel efficient.  Even with diesel prices being slightly higher than gasoline these days, the costs are still lower in the long run thanks to improved efficiency. 
In addition, the power and efficiency found in diesel engines guarantee accurate ignition, constant injection pressure and also enable you to have control over fuel metering.  These and other great features of diesel engines make them the best choice for both commercial and passenger usage.
Now the Sprinter’s Mercedes engine is what truly makes the Sprinter stand apart from the rest of the crowd.  It’s 3.0-liter V-6 turbo diesel engine boasts an impressive 154 horsepower and 280 lb. ft. of maximum torque at 1,200 to 2,400 rpm. With it’s aluminum crankcase, two overhead camshafts per cylinder bank, and a balancer shaft you know you’re driving a van with the best engine possible for its use.
So, not only is diesel on it’s own a better choice but to add in the quality of the Sprinters Mercedes diesel engine, you know that your Sprinter is the best choice possible for either commercial or passenger uses.