It's a 2003 Sprinter with Freightliner badges, but it was manufactured in Germany by Daimler/Chrysler. It's been getting about 30mpg, which is on the low end of turbo diesel van mileage compared to current european models from Mercedes, Peugeot, Ford, etc.
Yes, Ford makes a diesel van in the UK called the Transit (and they have been since 1965) which gets 24mpg/city and 39 mpg/hwy! Wonder why they don't make it here? Cuz we're suckers!
veggie oil?...with the merc engine you can straight to a Mcdonalds ask for the frying oil that they have to dispose and get that thing rigged for french fries mileage...why get worried about working on the engine for better mpg when you can run it for free( Mcdonalds has to pay to get the frying oil disposed)...you are from San Francisco and according to the amount of sites dedicated to this thing than run around there you should do it easily... there is at least one car in Porto that does this scheme and it is done on a early 90's merc diesel engine by a respectfull german soccer mum...Green here is starting to be fashionable, respectable and bourgeois!!!!!!
Dude I thought you were kidding when you texted me and said you were buying a van in denver. hahaha. You didn't miss much down in SD. Waves weren't too good. Small but lined up. I'll see you soon. Peace
I love those things!!! Diesel is so damn pricey now, so cost wide it is nearly a wash with gas, MPG factored in. I was told not to buy one by my folk's neighbor who was an exect in Detroit for Chrysler because once the Merc Benz/Chrysler split is in effect, parts will be marked up two times. Once by Merc Benz, who makes the van, once by Chrysler who sells you the part in the U.S. I took it as gospel, so I still drive a Subaru. God I want a sprinter though. Just like Manny's only red. Will fit my Cooperfish inside and can run on biodiesel!
that is the illest modern surfvan that I can think of... biodesiel + blowup mattress, custom racks, camping stove and you can drop out... forever... shaping in ppl's bays when you need the loot... scarcity will drive up your board prices and should carry you for longer... ok, I'm day dreaming...
whats the gas mileage on that thing?
ReplyDeleteNice, Manny. When are you taking your first trip north?
ReplyDeletehey! that looks like a mercedes benz sprinter that we have over here in the UK! Is it diesel? You should get like 40mpg with that thing if it is.
ReplyDeletegood on ye
Turbo diesel?
ReplyDeleteI want one!
It's a 2003 Sprinter with Freightliner badges, but it was manufactured in Germany by Daimler/Chrysler. It's been getting about 30mpg, which is on the low end of turbo diesel van mileage compared to current european models from Mercedes, Peugeot, Ford, etc.
ReplyDeleteYes, Ford makes a diesel van in the UK called the Transit (and they have been since 1965) which gets 24mpg/city and 39 mpg/hwy! Wonder why they don't make it here? Cuz we're suckers!
Euro style van! Low end in mpg but a good start... Diesel engines last forever.
ReplyDeleteI am reusing a 1985 Mercedes Benz station Wagon almost half million miles,
I love it!
Yay, now you bring Moonlight a board bigger than 5'8"!!!
ReplyDeletehey manny,
ReplyDeleteit is the same as a merc then. if you're bothered, you can get the engin re-mapped and serioulsy boost your mpg...
i never figured out why no one wanted diesels in the US. Well, except those big ass dodge trucks...
It's crazy. Guys here get VWs and make about 35-45mpg on the turbo diesel 2.5s.
It's certainnly a way forward.
hope to see you in Portugall this june.
did jeff canham do your header or geoff mcfetridge? looks like mr canham :)
ReplyDeletenice!!
and nice blog!!
i have a few little things going on at
http://logriding.blogspot.com
http://woodfever.blogspot.com
hey rob,
ReplyDeletecan you send me an email about how to re-map my sprinter engine? sounds like something worth looking into.
thanks,
mani
p.s. yes, the header was drawn by jeff canham...
Hi Manny,
ReplyDeleteEver thout of converting it to run on veggie oil?
veggie oil?...with the merc engine you can straight to a Mcdonalds ask for the frying oil that they have to dispose and get that thing rigged for french fries mileage...why get worried about working on the engine for better mpg when you can run it for free( Mcdonalds has to pay to get the frying oil disposed)...you are from San Francisco and according to the amount of sites dedicated to this thing than run around there you should do it easily... there is at least one car in Porto that does this scheme and it is done on a early 90's merc diesel engine by a respectfull german soccer mum...Green here is starting to be fashionable, respectable and bourgeois!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteDude I thought you were kidding when you texted me and said you were buying a van in denver. hahaha. You didn't miss much down in SD. Waves weren't too good. Small but lined up. I'll see you soon. Peace
ReplyDeleteI love those things!!! Diesel is so damn pricey now, so cost wide it is nearly a wash with gas, MPG factored in. I was told not to buy one by my folk's neighbor who was an exect in Detroit for Chrysler because once the Merc Benz/Chrysler split is in effect, parts will be marked up two times. Once by Merc Benz, who makes the van, once by Chrysler who sells you the part in the U.S. I took it as gospel, so I still drive a Subaru. God I want a sprinter though. Just like Manny's only red. Will fit my Cooperfish inside and can run on biodiesel!
ReplyDeleteA diesel sprinter, ah, you're minding the numbers.
ReplyDeleteYou can haul boards down south and smuggle people up north. A nice North-South profit margin awaits you (of course I'm kidding...)
I will wait for the ultimate electric vehicle (with a mechanism that allows you to recharge while descending).
that is the illest modern surfvan that I can think of... biodesiel + blowup mattress, custom racks, camping stove and you can drop out... forever... shaping in ppl's bays when you need the loot... scarcity will drive up your board prices and should carry you for longer... ok, I'm day dreaming...
ReplyDeletenice purchase.