# VW Crafter or Mercedes Sprinter?



## David

Dad is potentially looking to buy a van for a new business he has started, someone will be driving it for him but im looking for opinions on both of these vans - we're not considering anything else.

Medium wheel base (maybe long if the price is correct, but not essential) but it needs to be med or high roof for shelving.

Anyone any info on these, i do a lot of work on the sprinter and from what people have said they are pretty bullet proof and with a timing chain pretty easy maintenance - is the Crafter 2.5 tdi a chain or belt (both 6 speed)

I actually like the crafter front end but aesthetics don't matter as its a working van

this will be 2nd hand, and for the same money it looks like we can get a Crafter with about 40k FSH or a MB Sprinter with 90k FSH (roughly)

over to you chaps


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## Grizzle

I dunno if it's just me but I prefer the crafter both same vans but the VW just seems better made. By the sounds if it cheaper too.


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## David

they are definitely cheaper graham, they share a lot of the same components including shells, doorcards, gearbox etc so not too much different just the engine

VW - 2.5tdi 109bhp
MB - 2.2cdi 110 bhp


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## james_death

I would be drawn to the VW but think thats cam belt not chain.


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## Tomm

hey there. 

We recently replaced our 1993 LWB transit with a LWB Sprinter after speaking to a lot of people who have used them for years with no faults. 

We have not had ours long but so far all is good! We went for the Sprinter after a good 3 or 4 pals said it was the best thing they had done. 

One friend went from a Iveco Turbo Daily over to a LWB 2.5 sprinter and loves it. We have another friend who has one which he has owned since 2005 or so and has put over 400k on it driving it through europe and he says that it has never let him down and it looks like it has a lot of life left in it yet. 

With this we thought the only logical move for us was to get a sprinter. 

The build quality is brilliant, it is lovely to drive and all i have heard about them is good things. We have not owned ours long enough to have had to deal with any servicing or repairs but due to carrying the mercedes badge i cant see it being as cheap as out old 93 transit. 

That said i have never dealt with the Crafter. We temporarily used a T4 transporter for a bit before we got the sprinter and that was brilliant, it was nice to drive, the engine seemed to be more than capable and the build quality also seemed to be good but we didn't use it for very long as it was far too small for what we needed which is why we got the sprinter. 

You seem to have got it down to two good vans, i think that if you went with either you will be very happy.


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## ozzy

Sprinter is better :thumb: i currently run a 319 auto.


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## Grizzle

Do they not suffer with rust like the Vito? God that was a terrible rust bucket on wheels.


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## OvlovMike

Same shell so if one does, the other will.


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## David

Grizzle said:


> Do they not suffer with rust like the Vito? God that was a terrible rust bucket on wheels.


they both suffer heavily from rust


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## dew1911

Splinter out of the two, but I'd take a LWB 140 Transit, much better and bloody quick too.


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## Gruffs

My Dad has had Merc vehicles (minibuses) since I wasa kid.

I learned to drive in them believe it or not (gave me road sense apparently).

They do rust a bit but no where near like they used to. Oh and the reason you notice the rust on these is that the others have knackered long before the mileage these go to. 

but I know dad currently has one with 460K on it.


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## David

Gruffs said:


> My Dad has had Merc vehicles (minibuses) since I wasa kid.
> 
> I learned to drive in them believe it or not (gave me road sense apparently).
> 
> They do rust a bit but no where near like they used to. Oh and the reason you notice the rust on these is that the others have knackered long before the mileage these go to.
> 
> but I know dad currently has one with 460K on it.


agree - the engine and gearbox outlasts the body :lol:

i wouldnt have a LWB transit over a sprinter anyway - the old shape transits are better than the new square shape front ones for a start, the new 2.2 diesels arent that great from what ive read


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## quattrogmbh

i thought they were in essence the same vehicle.


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