Mercedes Benz fuel challenges

Davydd wrote:

suz155 wrote:

Davydd wrote:
I live in Minnesota and am now 125,000 miles into driving Sprinter Bs trouble free. Is this another Chicken Little thread?

Before, I shell out $100,000.00 (that I have been saving for a very long time) I would like to be absolutely sure manufacturer will back a warranty. if I have to put a specific type of fuel, in a vehicle, as there are no other options, especially, when the manufacturer advises , in black and white, that they will void their warranty, I'm going to ask questions. I wouldn't call that chicken little. I would call it being proactive. Would appreciate if you could provide feedback on your experiences.

Chicken Little in that the usual suspects come out and start making claims they know nothing about. I did give you my experience. 125,000 trouble free miles. And I might add I have probably met more Sprinter Class B owners than the average participant here (three rallies just this spring) and not one has ever reported a diesel fuel problem.

But here is what I learned at Advanced RV Fest Open House from Mercedes Benz. Life expectancy for a Sprinter diesel easily exceeds over 260,000 miles with over half still on the road and going. D5 biodiesel is not a concern. D6 to D20 biodiesel they say to make sure your oil level is topped off. Anyone making those longevity claims with gasoline engines? Then there is the official report BoboJay cited. People can read into that anyway they want but it doesn't scare me.

The other subject that comes up is idling a Sprinter diesel. It is a concern because I just ordered a Class B that will have a second 200 amp alternator with Mercedes Benz high idle option (1200 rpms). Note, first, Mercedes Benz offers high idle, not after market. The guidelines are if you idle, do so for no more than 3 hours between periods of driving on the road 30 to 45 minutes. Advanced RV also offers and auto start option that will start the engine if auxiliary batteries drop. The engine will run up to two hours and shut off. If someone tries to engage the transmission requiring stepping on the brake the engine will shut off. Given my touring experience with my current Sprinter B of running my Onan propane generator for only 14 hours over 365+ nights on the road and 63,000 miles I highly doubt I am going to create any problems. Being a tourer (that's why I have a B for criminy out loud) I cannot foresee ever idling for a 3 hour period between drives.

It just all comes down to common sense. Take care of your vehicle and it will outlast your use. I'm confident a diesel engine will outlast any gasoline engine with equal care. That's why to me this is a non-issue Chicken Little thread.

PS. Just thought of something else. Buy a gasser and if you want an Onan generator you probably would get a gas one. Read all the horror story threads on those. I like my odds with the Sprinter.

It was not a chicken little thread, to me, if someone is honestly asking a question and not trying to troll along. The information you provided is extremely helpful. I like the Advanced Rv auto start option, hopefully, Sportsmobile can do something with that.

We will also tour, but, we live in Texas, so, we will be using the a/c for 14 hours, over a two day period or less, depending on when we go out on the road. When we retire, it will be different, as we will have more time to head north, when it hits the triple digits for 3 months.

I actually work for a trucking company and they own 6 earlier model sprinters, all 8 have over 230,000 miles. They are being used for long haul deliveries, but, mostly in the Texas, Louisiana, Florida an Alabama. (These states have an over-abundance of diesel, though have seen bio, but, its not difficult to find regular diesel, which is what my company uses) They rarely idle, as its highway miles. I know they are reliable vehicles, they are used extensively in my business. The reliability of the MB has never been questioned, by me. Gasser versus Diesel, whether engine or genset, another story all together. (Then again, my Honda Odyssey has 162,000 miles of heavy driving and it is a gasser and it still going strong. :) )

MB tells you "If you use D6 to D20 biodiesel to make sure your oil level is topped off." I'm glad to hear that, keeping oil level up is easily done. Yet, their warranty basically states, if you put it in there and if anything goes wrong, its all on you. That is the part that gets me. If a company is comfortable with something, why put a CYA in your warranty?

I appreciate everyones feedback.

Thank you.