If you had a do-over, which would you get?

Damdifino wrote:
Honestly, if you could do it again would you go for a Mercedes diesel or a Ford V10?

Another Ford versus Mercedes thread?

OK, here goes, once again. I hate these threads, but I find them strangely compelling. And, I was bored.

The fuel economy difference explained using simple math....

Start with $1000.
Regular unleaded costs $2.79 in Michigan today. Lowest price at Marathon per Gas Buddy.
$1000 will get you ($1000/$2.79 = 358 gallons) of fuel.
At an overall average of 8 MPG with a Ford V10 (based on the manually calculated average consumption of my 2016 Sunstar 26HE 3ValveV10, 6 speed transmission, but not towing - they don't put a fuel economy gauge in the Ford V10 on the F53 chassis, at least not mine), I would be able to drive 358 gallons X 8MPG = 2867 miles.

Start with the same $1000
Diesel costs $2.95 in Michigan today. Exxon lowest price per Gas Buddy.
$1000 will get you ($1000/$2.95 = 338 gallons) of fuel.
At an overall average of 15.5MPG with my MB 3.0L V6 turbo diesel (based on using the fuel economy gauge for a period of several weeks while traveling, but not towing), I would be able to drive 338 gallons X 15.5MPG = 5254 miles.

That's quite a bit more driving on the same amount of money. Almost 45% farther with the MB diesel. I'll take that. Simple math. It adds up quickly at the gas station and at the bank.
To add fuel to the fire (pun?), I live in Canada where it's even better for the diesel engines today. Diesel is C$1.19/L and regular unleaded is C$1.35/L. I rarely pay that, though. I get most of my fuel in Michigan. I should also mention the Sunstar was about 2500lbs heavier than the Navion. About 13,000lbs versus about 10,500lbs.

Everyone says that it's more expensive to maintain the MB. Probably. Parts are more expensive, but they seem to last longer. Oil changes cost more, but are done less frequently. Fewer places can work on them, but not every Ford dealer or corner garage can accommodate a big RV either, I know because I got my first and last oil change on the Sunstar (only 27' long) at a truck stop in Maine, because not one Ford shop near me could handle it's size. Forget about suspension, alignment, and other chassis work on them, they won't fit on or are too heavy for most dealership hoists. I know because I asked. You buy a big class C or a small Class A motorhome with the Ford chassis and engine and you could have some trouble finding service, and will probably have to use big truck shops to get a lot of the routine stuff done. Size matters to a Ford, too. I would bet most Ford V10 owners can't do their own maintenance, so they're going to have to deal with some of those same issues as us MB owners.

Neither motorhome/chassis/engine is perfect, they both have pros and cons, big and small, but I think I prefer the MB Sprinter chassis, overall. It's quieter, has incredible performance for a small engine, no doghouse, and it just drives well. I only have to go 60 miles for chassis service, and they can actually do it there, no farming anything out to heavy truck shops. My Navion fits in their shop and they can do everything I'll ever need done to it. I consider myself lucky in that respect. Out on the road, that's a different story, but it all depends on what fails, and where you are when it does, whether it's a Ford V10 or an MB V6. The MB chassis could fail 5 miles or 105 miles from a capable dealership or a qualified repair facility, but so could a Ford V10 chassis. Out there, it's largely luck of the draw, for everyone.

I like my Mercedes based motorhome. I would buy another one, all things considered.