Still want a Sprinter? 100 Mercedes dealers sign on to sell big van
Last year, there were 350 dealers selling Sprinters, but the signs in front of those dealerships had the word "Dodge" on them. Now that Sprinters have been pulled from Chrysler's pipeline, Automotive News reports that Mercedes-Benz has established its own U.S. van subsidiary and is canvassing dealers to sell the hardy haulers.
Of the 165 Mercedes and Freightliner dealers invited to add Sprinters to their lineups, 143 have accepted the call. Even though 14,600 Sprinters were moved through Dodge outlets and another 3,682 by Freightliner, Mercedes set the minimum for its dealers at 30 vans annually to begin with.
If you're looking for a Sprinter, you'll probably be able to find it with a three-pointed star early next year. In the meantime, dealers are creating the necessary showroom space and adding repair bay features to deal with the big boxes.
[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
P.V. 6:29PM (11/09/2009)
Oddly enough, for a few years now I've been seeing M-B-badged Sprinters on the road (in the US).
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dal20402 6:35PM (11/09/2009)
Benz conversions have been very popular on Sprinters since Freightliner and then Dodge started selling them here. It's a matter of replacing the grille and a couple of badges.
letstakeawalk 10:20PM (11/09/2009)
All the local airport limo companies here have been using the "Badge-kit Benz" Sprinters for a while. I'm sure our local Mercedes dealers have been screaming up their corporate ladders the entire time... wanting to know why they couldn't be the ones selling them.
Evan 9:08AM (11/10/2009)
Somehow I don't think FedEx has been applying badge-kits, and there's been Mercedes Sprinter FedEx vans delivering packages in Canada for a few years now.
Joe 6:30PM (11/09/2009)
I saw a Mercedes Sprinter driving up Vista del Mar in El Segundo, CA just the other day. I was a bit surprised it wasn't a dodge.
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Tony 6:31PM (11/09/2009)
UMMM? Weren't the sprinters originally sold by Freightliner? They were in Canada at least, until Daimler Benz bailed on them and sent the Sprinter to Dodge. If I were a Freightliner dealer I'd be a little miffed. I'm sure it was a little confusing for many people seeing the same truck albeit with a three pointed star, a Freightliner badge and a Dodge badge.
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Tony 6:33PM (11/09/2009)
Just to add to my previous post. What would be really cool would be if Westfalia did a camper van conversion.
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montoym 6:40PM (11/09/2009)
They do. Kind of.
I actually learned a little bit of interestign info while researching my response. I knew I had seen camper versions of the Sprinters before, but on Wikipedia, I learned something additional.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfalia
quote: - "In 1999, DaimlerChrysler purchased a 49% stake in Westfalia-Werke's van conversion division, and in 2001 absorbed the remaining 51%. Of course, since DaimlerChrysler is a Volkswagen competitor, this spelled the end of the Volkswagen-Westfalia partnership. While Volkswagen still offers pop-top camper conversions in Europe, they now do the conversion themselves. Meanwhile, Westfalia now makes high-roof (rather than pop-top) factory camper conversions for Mercedes vans (distributed in the U.S. by Airstream and badged as Dodge Sprinters)." -
Here's a link to one of their cenversions.
http://www.airstream.com/products/2010-fleet/touring-coaches/interstate.html
Phil 6:41PM (11/09/2009)
welcome to 2004. google Airstream Sprinter Westfalia
fixitfixitstop 8:13AM (11/10/2009)
Thanks Phil. You said what I was gonna say. Though I have to admit I only know this because I hit the Airstream site once in a while when I'm fantasizing about trailers I can't justify paying for.
Phil 6:44PM (11/09/2009)
What I'm more concerned about is now that Merc dealers are selling them will the price go up because of the logo? To convert our 2004 to Merc logos dealer wanted $500 more to which we said no thanks
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adrenalnjunky 6:56PM (11/09/2009)
Or Sportsmobile:
http://www.sportsmobile.com/3_bikes.html
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Autblogist! 7:01PM (11/09/2009)
Screw, Mercedes, I hope nobody buys that sh*t! First they screw Chrysler and then the further screw Chrysler dealerships, that had to upgrade their facilities to even sell that top heavy piece of crap, by pulling the vans. I hope Ford takes all their business with the Transit.
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salmeringolo 7:17PM (11/09/2009)
The product was first sold in this country as a Freightliner. Daimler Chrysler created a company called Daimler Chrysler Vans (DC Vans). DC Vans started franchising Dodge dealers to sell the product to the chagrin of the F/L dealer body. There were lawsuits. If someone wants a van for commercial purposes they should seek out a F/L dealer. They are equiped to service the product and usually have more convienent hours for service, i.e. nights and weekends. MB dealers are not versed in the commercial vehicle arena at all.
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MBZ4me 7:42PM (11/09/2009)
if it rolls off a MB lot its probably going to be a high end conversion van, Westy (maybe) or some such. I don't think the dealers want to bother with cargo boxes.
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dee ohlsone-taylor 7:50PM (11/09/2009)
How bout it VW...its time for the US intro of the Volkswagen Crafter (twin to Sprinter) ..Das Auto
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adrenalnjunky 7:54PM (11/09/2009)
if they promise to make one like this for me to play with:
http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/uploads/001_036.jpg
rickhamilton620 8:12PM (11/09/2009)
@adrenalnjunky: That is so full of win. :D
Don 9:00PM (11/09/2009)
I have heard that MB won't sell service parts to Dodge so now people that have the dodge/sprinter can only get service at MB's high priced dealers.
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groundZ 11:15PM (11/09/2009)
The 2011 Mercedes Benz Sprinter.
You're more likely to see a Pagani than one of these.
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