Haven’t driven a Merc Sprinter for a few years, and today I had a refresher in how gutless they really are. It has no engine braking ability at all, and really struggles to haul itself up any sort of incline, and with freight on, you might as well get out and walk! Shame really as the van itself is quite nice.
Reminds me of what luton vans used to be like.
Almost impossible to overtake a truck because of the slipstream.
You would get level with the cab and that was as far as it got.
Was driving a 63 plated sprinter today. Interior is superb with cup holders everywhere, had no arm rests though. It was surprisingly nippy with just under a ton on, not gutless like the old ones.
The Sprinter’s I used to drive years back went like rockets. Definitely a lot more umph than the Renault Masters and that type of thing. This would have been about 2004/05 sort of time.
Smiffys trucking:
Haven’t driven a Merc Sprinter for a few years, and today I had a refresher in how gutless they really are. It has no engine braking ability at all, and really struggles to haul itself up any sort of incline, and with freight on, you might as well get out and walk! Shame really as the van itself is quite nice.
Sounds like you haven’t driven a proper one,I’ve towed one with a trailer on loaded to 6,300 with a 5 cyl 316 also loaded to 6,300 with trailer on I can assure you there’s plenty of guts.
Hate the brakes on sprinters. They never feel like they are working 100%.
The brakes on them vary some are sharp at the top of the pedal,some are in the floor from new !
Dan Punchard:
Smiffys trucking:
Haven’t driven a Merc Sprinter for a few years, and today I had a refresher in how gutless they really are. It has no engine braking ability at all, and really struggles to haul itself up any sort of incline, and with freight on, you might as well get out and walk! Shame really as the van itself is quite nice.Sounds like you haven’t driven a proper one,I’ve towed one with a trailer on loaded to 6,300 with a 5 cyl 316 also loaded to 6,300 with trailer on I can assure you there’s plenty of guts.
Maybe, but driving toward London on M2 empty going past Rochester and it dropped under 60 with my foot hard down. I like the Sprinter, and it’s fine on the flat, it’s just naff at going up or down hills!
I’ve always found most Sprinters go like a train sounds like something not right with the turbo.
I used to like the old Vito, but over all, I would prefer a Transit.
When I had mine in 06 it would go up j23 to j22 m1 south with a 3.5 tonne payload and not drop below 55 although 949’000ks later it goes over the top at 45 depending on the volume of the load and in top gear still,I think that’s pretty good my self.
light years ahead of any other vans in my opinion
Drive um like there supposed to be rev the knackers of it flat out
Donnyboy:
Drive um like there supposed to be rev the knackers of it flat out
Not sure that would have helped in this van - it was guttless regardless!
Sounds like the turbo needs cleaning.
Sounds like you got a bad one, I know the older ones can shift 150bhp model often blamed for white van man syndrome.
I drive a vw equivalent of a sprinter and quite nippyeven when got 3.5tonne on 
. Best thing is when in van delivering and not a truck, up your 7.5tonne weight limit yee haar!
I owe /run and drive sprinters , I think they are great vans , I cannot post any pictures today for some reason .
JAKEY:
I owe /run and drive sprinters , I think they are great vans , I cannot post any pictures today for some reason .
use photobucket its easier…
Not used many vans but started my driving moons and moons ago on the good old Transit best van ever
After i sold my last truck i had an Iveco van now that was gutless. 2003 a new 313 to 2009 almost 1 000 000 km that was not gutless, maybe you drove a 311