strandgsx Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Hey, Our company vans are currently LDV Convoy lwb hi top 2.8turbo's we are at the end of the lease contract and want to change make and model. Ive narrowed it down to either mercedes sprinters or citroen relay's What do you think? We are a sound and lighting hire company who install and engineer so the vans are used for a multitude of different things. CheersMark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Si Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Although having no experience of vans other than driving a citroen berlingo and therefore maybe unqualified to say, I'd say Merc Sprinter all the way (and I have an incling that others may also say the same thing). I think they seem to have more of a reliability than other vans. Is it going to be a similar size to what you currently have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Beech Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 I would say ti depends on whatyour application is. Citroen Relays largest van is similar in size to the MWB sprinter. so if you want bigger than that then you dont have the citroen relay as a choice. The relay has a few things as standard (electric windows remote central locking etc etc) and is still cheaper. (be it buying or leasing). The gap increases if you include maintenance in your lease. I have driven a citroen relay... was the 2.8Hdi (bout 130bhp I think) on a 700 mile round trip and enjoyed it very much. However it just didn't seem as robust and well built as the merc. I have a 52Reg 311 (LWB) sprinter and love it to bits. I get upset if one of the guys who works for me takes the van out and I have to use my car now. Performance wise you dont see a sprinter in the inside lane very often. Although I tow a trailer with mine so its a little different. If you are interested in towing it does the job without even thinking. I get 28mpg on average towign the trailer (1 tonne) with a payload of about 1 tonne in the van. For a van of that size towing a trailer I dont think you can grumble. A few common problems with the sprinter... Air vents in the cab. they're useless they fall to bits everytie you try and move them. common fault on many of them. Rear door straps. (stop the door from going further than 90 degrees) seem to break easily. Other than that I can't fault the merc at all. I'll be keeping mine for some time and will hopefully be adding a MWB to my collection within 12 months. You can also add cruise control to any sprtiner with CDI engine for about £150 so I'm told (I'm considering it as towing a trailer limits you to 60mph on the motorways and the bloody thing keeps running away with itself.)>>edit>>although if you are going for a lease then you'd obviously spec that if you wanted it. THe merc aircon is better too (not got it on mine but the relay I borrowed did and I hired a sprinter with it a while back...very cold indeed.) Rob ps if theres anything specific you want to know about teh sprinter let me know. If you live round here you're welcome to come take mine for a spin when I'm not working :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrea Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Performance wise you dont see a sprinter in the inside lane very often........ <{POST_SNAPBACK}> :) :( :( We have a 52 Plate LWB 311. I love it. I'll be getting silver ones with a/c and central locking when Production:av can afford it.... Seriously though I'd personally go the Merc route (at the moment- once I actually come to lease I might change my mind). I find them comfortable to drive- something I struggle to do with the transit or the WV version of the sprinter. Also having seen the vauxhall Movano, it seems to have a narrower body. The Sprinters doors also go the full way back. Something alot of others don't do. If you can afford the A/C then I'd go that route. It can be like driving a Greenhouse in the summer, and even with the widows open and blowers on it doesn't cool down, even if your in the outside lane of the motorway... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Have to agree - my vote would be for a LWB Sprinter all the way. You can just keep piling the kit into those babies and they don't mind a bit. VW Transporters have always seemed nice, as well, but I don't have as much experience of those. And you didn't ask about them, either! After a couple of bad experiences with LDVs, I'd say you do right to move away from them! Mr Si, do you always make a habit of posting recommendations for things that you have no experience of whatsoever?! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
london sound Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 The newer Transits are fine, we cruised very comfortable with a full van at 100 mph on German motorways. (turbo diesel). Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete McCrea Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 The last Transit I had on hire was limited at 80mph. Drank the fuel. Obviously not that I drive above the speed limit..... The transit also has a lip inside the doors which is much bigger than that on the sprinter. Can be a pain when lifting cases in and out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
london sound Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Well it was brand new (05 reg)with 600 miles on the clock (we returned it with 4500 miles on the clock).No lip tho.No speed limit on German motorways although fastest recommended speed is 130kph. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danjshelton Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Hi, As many others have said the Sprinter is probably best, definatley in LWB if you need the extra space, and if your looking at older models then I would recommend trying to go for (off the top of my head!) X/Y reg or newer as these are the newer shape which have the gearstick based in the dashboard. When going back to older model Sprinters they seem really old! Also it allows for a bit of extra comfort for the 3rd passenger not having to straddle the gearstick from the floor! Also worth a mention is the VW LT, not sure if you've looked at these, but basically same body as the Merc but with a VW engine (Which like the Mercedes engine will goto the moon and back several times before giving up!) Not sure on price comparison between the Merc and LT but might be worth looking into. Cheers Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilT Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Another vote for the Sprinter, really comfy if you're going to 'live' in it on tour, and a joy on the motorway. LWB may be a baptism of fire if you've not driven a van before. I've also recently hired the new Transit, and it's not bad really. Engine sounds really quiet and unobtrusive, and handling's great. Of course, this was a new van, so I have no idea on its longevity. Great fan of VW vans in general (why don't they make 'em air cooled any more ?!) though I have to admit my only experience of a VW Transporter is a '68 model. I wonder if the new models will last that long? In my experience ex-hire vans can be a bargain, but have invariably been thrashed. However they'll have been well serviced and probably won't be too old (but with high milage). At least they'll be run in.... The thing that annoyed me on one van was having to open the passenger door to open the fuel filler flap. Can't remember what van it was, but it niggled me at the time. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that you should probably test drive a few models to see what you like best, or at least have a good (subtle) look at a parked one or something! Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Si Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Mr Si, do you always make a habit of posting recommendations for things that you have no experience of whatsoever?! :(<{POST_SNAPBACK}> If I had the choice, it's the van I'd go for... I'm sorry! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy jackson Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 Merc sprinter - everyone who tours to us swears by them, and they are bomb proof! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mal421 Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 Buy the Merc. I worked for a company that used 2 Merc 311 lutons and a Transit 350 luton . Similar vehicles of similar size but the Merc was miles better . Compared to the Merc the transit drank diesel like there as no tomorrow and the gear ratios are not as good the transit always seemed like it needed an extra gear . However we did have a problem with one of the Mercs , the engine kept on stopping for no apparent reason . It was eventually fixed but it took a while and a lot of frustration to trace the fault though . Also had a turbo fail on the Merc , Bishop Stortford to Bristol at 40 miles per hour what joy !!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Beech Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 A few points that have been raised on the sprinter : Around X Reg they had a major overall, they went from teh old 2.5 and 2.9 D and TD engines which made up the 308 310 and 312 and put in the new CDi engine (a 2.2). These are all the same engine but setup differently (with the exception of the 316Cdi which is a 5cylinder 2.7).This engine is quiter and alot more fuel efficient than the old ones. Both types of engines are reliable as anything but you get so much more with a CDi.Added to the fact of the dash mounted gear lever as been mentioned and a few more changes. Anyone and experience with the 314? (petrol engine which 9 times out of 10 is converted to lpg?) Just for your information Phil, its the sprinter where you have to open teh passenger door for fuel filler. I can see the logic behind it for seurity reasons but its a PITA. I dread the dy where something fails on teh passenger door and I can't get it open and therefore cant fill up my van. Haing said that though, a good econoic engine with a 75 litre tank means you can get over 400 miles before having to fill up again. (I can anyway). Anyone remember teh old style iveco? about 20mpg at best with a 50 litre tank. was never out the filling station. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jexjexjex Posted September 23, 2005 Share Posted September 23, 2005 I tend to use the same local hire house for transit sized vans and they tend to put out Renault Trafics or Merc Vitos, both of which I've no real complaints about. My own preference would be for the Renault, but I can see why the Merc would be popular. My mate has a baby Vito - 3yrs old with nearly 250K on the clock - and he loves it. Other than regular servicing, he says it's never needed anything. Might be worth shopping around to see if you can get the same van with a different badge on the front for a few bucks less (Renault = Nissan = Vauxhall). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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