Mercedes or Ford? Sprinter or Transit? Let’s discover out collectively which van is extra dependable for van life!
When you cease by a campervan competition or conversion rally, you will note dozens of shiny Mercedes Sprinters lined up. They’ve been thought of the perfect automobile to show right into a camper for a very long time, due to their legendary lifespan and spectacular construct high quality. As a result of the Sprinter has confirmed extremely popular among the many van life neighborhood, there are many assets and an enormous quantity of official and aftermarket elements that can assist you perform your personal conversion on the market.
But the Ford Transit, with its decrease buy value and cheaper upkeep prices, is slowly catching up. In truth, you will discover increasingly more equipment and elements to transform Transits lately. When you go on YouTube, you’ll discover loads of individuals dwelling out of 1.
Van lifers might be fairly opinionated about which of the 2 vans is finest. Reddit user PineConeHedgehog comments:
“Love my Transit. AWD was a should for me. We regularly camp down fairly unhealthy roads with very sandy situations and it has been excellent. The turbo offers me the facility and security I want to drag out and maneuver in visitors with a big heavy automobile. The visibility is excellent, particularly with the backup cameras.”
However, Kaya Lindsay from GnomadHome selected a 2006 140” Mercedes-Benz Sprinter as a result of the gas economic system is nice, it’s nimble, and has a fantastic flip radius. She has lived on her DIY conversion, Lyra, for the final 5 years.
So can we settle the good van debate – Sprinter vs Transit – as soon as and for all? We’ll strive.
On this article, we take a look at the important thing variations between the 2 fashions. We use each technical knowledge and private expertise from quite a few sources that can assist you select between the 2 Titans.
1. What’s the distinction between a Sprinter van and a Transit van?
The outside and the cabin’s inside of those automobiles look fairly related. They’re not precisely straightforward to inform aside while you see them on the highway – proper? But, if you happen to look carefully, you’ll discover plenty of distinctions.
You’ll discover the important thing variations between the Sprinter and the Transit on this desk. Additional down the web page, we go into element about them.
| Class | Mercedes Sprinter | Ford Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase | LR 144” / HR 144” / HR 170” / HR 170” prolonged | MR 148” lengthy wheelbase / HR 148” lengthy wheelbase / HR 148” prolonged lengthy wheelbase |
| General size | 233.5” / 233.5” / 274.3” / 290” | 235.5” / 263.9” / 235.5” |
| Cargo quantity | 319 / 374.3 / 488.1 / 532.6 cu ft | 352.1 / 487.2 / 404.3 cu ft |
| Inside standing peak | 67.7” / 79.1” / 79.1” / 79.1” | 72” / 81.5” / 81.5 “ |
| Drive practice | RWD, AWD, 4×4 | RWD, AWD (2023) |
| Shade choices | Arctic White, Blue Gray, Pebble Gray, Metal Blue, Aqua Inexperienced, Velvet Crimson, Jupiter Crimson, Gray White, Silver Gray, and Stone Gray | Abyss Grey Metallic, Agate Black Metallic, Avalanche Grey Metallic, Blue Metallic, Blue Mist, Carbonized Grey Metallic, Ingot Silver, Oxford White and Race Crimson |
| Most payload | 7,500 lbs with the diesel engine | 5,110 lbs with the diesel engine |
| Worth vary | $43,000-$65,000 | $38,000-$56,000 |
Keep in mind that, based mostly on the 12 months of manufacturing, there might be some variations within the fashions.
2. The outside
The Sprinter is available in a panel and crew model, whereas the Transit is offered as a traditional van, a double cabin-in-van, or a passenger van (the brand new 2023 Path).
The Sprinter might be so long as 290”, whereas the most important Transit is barely 235.5” lengthy. The inside peak is comparable – 79.1” for the Sprinter and 81.5” for the Transit. Nevertheless, a Sprinter is 2.4 inches wider than the Transit.
General, if you happen to’re seeking to carry heaps of drugs or set up a lot of furnishings in your rig, the excessive roof 170” prolonged Sprinter provides the most important quantity of quantity (532.6 cubic toes). That’s a complete lot greater than the 404.3 cubic toes you’ll discover on the most important Transit.
The 2024 Sprinter is offered in 10 colours, whereas the 2023 Transit is available in 9 shade choices. You may select between stable and metallic paint for each.
3. Inside
Each the Sprinter and the Transit characteristic snug cabins that work properly for long-distance journey.
The cabs are fashionable and good, whereas being purposeful. The principle distinction – aside from the look of the dashboard – is that the seating place is barely decrease on the Transit. Nevertheless, the legroom is just about the identical.
Newer vans provide loads of luxuries, comparable to a fantastic infotainment system and heated entrance seats. When you’re after an older mannequin, the cab will characteristic much less expertise, however nonetheless a fantastic degree of consolation. In spite of everything, these automobiles have been constructed for supply drivers who have to spend all day on the wheel.
4. Engine
The 2 vans are fairly highly effective, so they’ll make it up steep-ish mountains. The 2024 Sprinter is offered with both a standard-output 170-hp diesel or a high-output 211 hp diesel. The Ford Transit comes with a naturally-aspirated 275 hp 3.5L V6 engine in each diesel and fuel.
Individuals who have take a look at drived each vans say that the brand new Transit, with its 3.5L V6 engine, has a car-like really feel; it appears smaller and lighter than it’s.
The mixed common MPG for a 2023 2,500 Sprinter is 17.75. Automobile and Driver carried out a 75-mph highway fuel-economy test on the 2019 Sprinter and it managed 15mpg, although.
The official Transit MPG quantity is eighteen. Nevertheless, Fuelly tested four 2023 Ford Transit-350 vehicles for a complete of 20,086 miles of driving and achieved a mixed common MPG of 15.41.
So when it comes to gas economic system, it appears the brand new automobiles are fairly related. In terms of older fashions, many reviewers declare the Sprinter has a lot better gas economic system.
As of 2023, each the Transit and the Sprinter are available in AWD. Nevertheless, the older Transit fashions solely got here in RWD, so if you happen to’re on a finances and want a 4×4 van, you’ll want to purchase a Sprinter.
5. Which is most dependable – the Ford Transit or the Mercedes Sprinter?
Right here’s the million greenback query.
Most van lifers will confidently say the Sprinter outlasts the Transit by years. The primary can do over 300,000 miles (some individuals declare over 400,000), whereas the second can do greater than 200,000. That is most likely resulting from the truth that most Sprinters are diesel, whereas Ford solely made fuel engines for the Transit till 2023.
When you’re shopping for used and also you wish to maintain onto your van for a few years to return, you’re most likely higher off with a Sprinter.
Be very cautious when inspecting ex Amazon supply vans, although. Reddit user OwlStretcher believes that in lots of circumstances, the preventative upkeep hasn’t been carried out and the restore work was carried out by low-bid outlets on short-term contracts. User RcSheets comments:
“I might think about they get absolutely the **** crushed out of them.”
In truth, this Reddit VanLife user says:
“As a former Amazon driver, I can confirm that this stuff get ABUSED. Once we obtained our first Amazon vans (earlier than they have been simply white vans) it didn’t take lengthy for individuals to start out tearing them up. I might positively have somebody look it over actually good internally before you purchase.”
That mentioned, if the automobile may be very low-cost and also you’re eager to work on it earlier than you set off in your journey, you may simply get your self a discount.
Like most automobiles, each Sprinters and Transits are recognized to have some points. We’ve got summarized them within the desk beneath.
| Sprinter points | Transit points |
|---|---|
| DEF points (largely in 2010-2016 vans) | Throttle physique put on (on earlier fashions) |
| Torque converter issues | Water leak points, from the windshield |
| Glow plug points | U-joint untimely put on (on older fashions) |
| Injector issues | |
| DPF filter clogging |
Hold a watch out for these points while you examine and take a look at drive a used van.
Shopping for a brand new automobile, buying guarantee, and sticking to the beneficial upkeep schedule is the easiest way to make sure your van will run easily for a very long time.
Earlier than buying a used automobile, be certain that to analysis the particular mannequin you’re . It’ll possible have particular points and quirks. Even the gas economic system and dimensions will differ barely.
7. Upkeep prices
We’ll lower to the chase right here. Servicing and sustaining a Sprinter is significantly costlier and sophisticated. Sprinters require two kinds of common upkeep – service A and repair B – each 20,000 miles. The schedule for a Transit is way much less advanced.
Let’s evaluate upkeep prices for each vans.
| Mannequin Yr | Sprinter Annual Upkeep Price | Transit Annual Upkeep Price |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $621 | $396 |
| 2021 | $731 | $465 |
| 2020 | $907 | $574 |
| 2019 | $1,188 | $749 |
| 2018 | $1,421 | $894 |
| 2017 | $1,788 | $1,123 |
Sources: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Maintenance Costs, Ford Transit Cargo Maintenance Costs
As you may see, taking care of a Ford Transit, on common, is extra economical.
There’s extra unhealthy information for Sprinter lovers. You’ll want to move to a specialised Mercedes dealership (not all Mercedes dealerships work on Sprinters) for servicing and repairs. Some individuals complain that is very inconvenient, each when on the highway and at house.
Divine from Divine On The Road needed to spend 1000’s of {dollars} to take care of and restore her 2011 Sprinter van. She as soon as broke down in the midst of the mountains and needed to spend $8,000 on repairs, plus $2,000 on a 3-week AirBnB keep. Ouch.
However, most mechanics can repair a Ford Transit – you may even service yours your self as a result of standard maintenance for Transits is loads less complicated and cheaper. Components are sometimes available and economical.
Katie from So We Bought A Van writes on her blog:
“One of many advantages of this automobile that I respect as a full-time traveler is that it may be taken to any mechanic to be labored on and doesn’t require in depth specialty information or a dealership.”
However if you happen to’d choose to go to a dealership or a mechanic, you have got loads of alternative – most will work on a Transit.
As well as, the likelihood of one thing going fallacious and needing a restore value over $500 is just a little larger for a Sprinter than for a Transit.
| Yr | Mercedes Sprinter | Ford Transit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.85% | 3.64% |
| 2 | 9.7% | 6.05% |
| 3 | 10.88% | 6.78% |
| 4 | 19.22% | 11.98% |
| 5 | 27.53% | 17.16% |
| 6 | 30.96% | 19.3% |
Sources: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Maintenance Costs, Ford Transit Cargo Maintenance Costs
Lastly, the common insurance coverage value is larger for Sprinters. It prices a mean of $1,794 a 12 months to insure a Sprinter versus $1,461 for a Transit.
These figures shouldn’t be a foremost deciding issue (it’s not all in regards to the cash, in any case), but it surely’s essential to notice that if you wish to purchase a Sprinter, it’s best to manage to pay for within the financial institution to take care of it and repair it up.
7. Worth level and resale worth
Sprinters are notoriously extra expensive to buy. To purchase the additional cargo area and splendid cockpit choices, it’s worthwhile to spend extra.
Nevertheless, this isn’t essentially true for brand new fashions. A 2023 Sprinter begins from $45,795, whereas a Transit begins at $46,350.
Ford has simply launched the Ford Transit Path – a passenger model of the Transit that includes swivel seats, a 3.5in physique elevate, improved floor clearance, and extra. It’s designed for upfitting and might be bought ranging from $65,975.
New vans include a guaranty and make it simpler to acquire financing, so it is likely to be value shopping for new for some. Furthermore, the brand new Transits may retain extra worth sooner or later.
When you’re seeking to purchase used, we’ve created a desk with common costs for second-hand vans. Keep in mind that the numbers beneath fluctuate based mostly on mannequin and site.
| Yr | Sprinter Worth | Transit Worth |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $60,608 | $34,803 |
| 2019 | $56,545 | $33,204 |
| 2018 | $47,835 | $31,550 |
| 2017 | $46,305 | $33,373 |
| 2016 | $45,003 | $29,450 |
| 2015 | $39,511 | $27,080 |
Sources: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Depreciation, Ford Transit Depreciation Rate
Many individuals marvel if shopping for a Sprinter van is an efficient funding. It may be, particularly if you happen to purchase new and promote inside three years. Nevertheless, if you happen to’re set on conserving the van for 4 years or extra, you’ll be getting extra money again for a Transit.
Right here’s the estimated depreciation of each vans for the primary 5 years of their lives.
| Years Previous | Sprinter Depreciation | Transit Depreciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6% | 7.5% |
| 2 | 11% | 11.5% |
| 3 | 13% | 16% |
| 4 | 27% | 17% |
| 5 | 28% | 21% |
Sources: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Depreciation, Ford Transit Cargo Depreciation
8. Official and aftermarket equipment
Becoming your van out is essential if you happen to plan to go boondocking or on grime roads usually. In terms of official and aftermarket elements, there are a whole bunch of equipment designed for the Sprinter. Consider Fiamma, Aluminess and Backwoods Journey Mods. When you get a Sprinter, you’ll possible be capable to equipment it out precisely as you want.
Extra aftermarket elements for the Transit have gotten out there. You don’t have as a lot alternative but, however you may positively obtain a pleasant setup.
9. Form
When you’re planning a DIY conversion, you’ll want to consider the form of the cab, too. You’ll need to put in insulation and sq. furnishings, like cabinetry, onto the partitions.
The Sprinter’s physique options curvier partitions than the Transit. Neither are a sq. field, however the Transit can pose fewer challenges to the brand new DIYer.
Sara and Alex James determined the form of the Transit’s sliding door was a deal breaker to them. There’s a giant bulkhead above the sliding door, which makes it awkward to get on and off the van. When you’re tall, you danger hitting your head each time.
The roof of the Transit additionally begins diving down into the entrance, in direction of the windshield, loads earlier, including further complexity to your construct. On the Sprinter, the curvature doesn’t begin till the sliding door begins.
10. Sources
As a result of the Mercedes Sprinter has been a preferred base for a conversion for a few years, there are many assets you may faucet into that can assist you plan, design, and work by yourself rig. Consider boards like The Sprinter resource.
There’s much less of a cult following for the Transit. Nevertheless, you’ll discover some inspiration and ideas from different van lifers on YouTube.
- Cheaper buy value
- Drives very comfortably and seems like a automobile
- Decrease upkeep and insurance coverage prices
- 2.4in further headroom
- Straightforward-to-find and low-cost substitute elements
- Depreciates slower
- Decrease probability of main restore (over $500) due throughout the first 10 years.
- Cheaper buy value
- Drives very comfortably and seems like a automobile
- Decrease upkeep and insurance coverage prices
- 2.4in further headroom
- Straightforward-to-find and low-cost substitute elements
- Depreciates slower
- Decrease probability of main restore (over $500) due throughout the first 10 years.
- Decrease fuel mileage than a Sprinter (some fashions)
- Much less widespread amongst van lifers, so fewer assets out there
- Fuel fashions solely final 200,000 miles
- Decrease payload
- Bulkhead over sliding door lowers headroom on the door
- Early curvature of roof diving in direction of the windshield complicates construct
- Smaller cargo area
- Older fashions not out there in AWD or 4×4
- Not as many aftermarket equipment.
- Price range-friendly
- Wonderful gas effectivity
- Straightforward maneuverability
- Highly effective engine
- Respectable payload
- Nice for metropolis driving.
- Costlier to buy
- Greater upkeep and insurance coverage prices
- Curvier partitions
- Substitute elements not available and costly
- Greater probability of main restore (over $500) due throughout the first 10 years.
So have we settled the talk? Kinda. The reality is that you just’re the one one who can. There isn’t a greater van – all of it comes all the way down to your private preferences and desires.
Mac from Halfway Anywhere was undecided between the 2023 Mercedes Sprinter and the 2023 Transit Path. After rigorously analyzing the benefits and downsides of each vans, he settled for a Sprinter. He prefers the diesel engine, extra clearance, and the additional choices out there for the Sprinter.
Jake & Emmie, alternatively, selected a Ford Transit as a result of it incorporates a larger ceiling and it’s fuel. The couple has traveled round South America, the place discovering diesel mechanics is tougher. Jake says that Napoleone, their van, “has gotten us by way of a number of sticky conditions.”
At Van2B, we predict each the Mercedes Sprinter and the Ford Transit are incredible automobiles to show into camper vans. They supply loads of room within the cabin, have a very good lifespan, and have highly effective engines. The Ram ProMaster can also be a fantastic alternative if you happen to want a barely wider van and also you’re on a tighter finances.
This is the reason we manufacture each – Sprinter van camper conversion kits and Ford Transit van conversion kit choices.
Our kits are made within the USA, out of San Diego, utilizing premium supplies. We design and construct our models to be sturdy and sensible whereas offering the consolation you want on the highway.
We ship totally free to the Decrease 48. Take a look at our van high top conversion equipment
Surprise what different automobiles are a very good base for a conversion? Check out this article.
Trending Merchandise
