Life with the Sprinter 170" Extended: PROS AND CONS

[@brettoberry3586]

Wonderful! This is what I was looking for... A normal person (rather than sales) talking about everyday use. Much appreciated!

[@phennexion]

I just pre-ordered my 2023 AWD 170 ext, this video was great, thank you!

[@emilyacoxpsychic]

Gas or diesel?

[@phennexion]

@@emilyacoxpsychic diesel! Just got 2023 pricing and everything went up 10% though :(

[@BrandyRodriquez]

Thanks for this. A lot of great info! ☺️

[@HarrisonBen]

you did a great job, cheers!

[@frankd6785]

speaking about parking: always back in so the back end can hang out over the planted area. it is.a tour bus driver trick.

[@anybackroad8849]

Thanks Frank, great tip!

[@_saber_six3830]

Excellent review and info!!! Thank you!

[@akburwell]

hey there! We're in So Oregon and really struggling between a 170 or an Ext. I think the kicker in layout if you want a proper bath plus a fixed bead then the ext makes sense. We are a fam of 4 so need a second row of seats which I'm hoping is also the sleeping area for the kids.

[@anybackroad8849]

hey there! i've seen some great kid friendly builds using the second row as well as a drop down bunk under the main fixed bed. If you went with flares and slept east-west you could give up the extra Ext room and still get everything you need, but cost wise it may be cheaper to just go Ext unless you need to park it regularly in lots or on busy streets. Good luck!

[@trailingarm63]

Big roof racks add height, they can induce a lot of wind noise and they will adversely affect your fuel consumption. Personally I think you should discipline yourself to live within the 170+! (Let's face it, it's not that hard.) This was a great video born of experience. I drive these vans commercially in all the wheelbase lengths. The longest ones need more care on the road - especially when pulling onto the highway from gateways or narrow lanes. Inexperienced drivers will frequently graze a side of the van because they haven't pulled out far enough before turning (as you know you may need to wait for a gap in traffic from both directions so you can steal some space from the oncoming lane). I avoid smaller car parks with the longer wheelbases. Comfort-wise I agree that bigger is better but I think I would choose the standard 170 for an RV. I'd take a smaller kitchen and eat less! Best wishes from the UK.

[@anybackroad8849]

Thanks for the observations! I'd go smaller for the next one too! Cheers.

[@driftsmith117]

Thanks for the info I'm looking to buy 170 brand new and I'm in two minds extended not extended

[@anybackroad8849]

good luck with your decision!

[@slik560]

Informative. Audio is a little uneven. Tempting to trade the ML350 for a Sprinter 😎

[@rosemil69]

why not make a tarp cover custom made for van? easily done alot of sweat equity but worth it i think.

[@clevelandexplorer2221]

Thanks for sharing! I can't think whether suspension is holding or sitting on the axel-whether air suspension is the ticket for l4 vans? Sorry if you mentioned that

[@nelsoncasamalhuapa1554]

Thanks for the great information. What I would like to know is where did you get the roll out sofa?

[@anybackroad8849]

Thanks! I actually found that sofa on craigslist in Portland OR. I know that van specialties does carry them and other upfitters probably have similar resources but I was lucky to find one used. Good luck.

[@brownjh91]

Parking your van outside (and not being full-time living) how do you keep your waterlines from freezing? I'm planning my van, and will not be full-time, and am worried if it's parked for a week or two below freezing I'm going to be in trouble. But I don't want to have to winterize the kitchen so I can still take it out. Thanks!

[@anybackroad8849]

Hi Jacob, we did have to winterize our water system in the winter - draining the system fully. It wasn't ideal but I know there are strategies now that can help keep the plumbing from freezing including thermal pads and heat tape at critical areas and well insulated tank compartments and plumbing conduits. The key to those strategies is reliable power, probably shore power plugged in if you are going to have the van sitting with water in it for some days/weeks. Alternatively a micro water system with removable jugs may be a more practical solution. That's probably what I would do for my next van - one or two 7 gallon fresh water containers under the sink would be optimal, and they're easy enough to pull when it gets cold. Good luck!

[@brownjh91]

@@anybackroad8849 Thanks so much for the quick / thoughtful reply! I will definitely look into the micro-water system... sometimes less is more. Thanks again!

[@CalebBrandt-h6b]

Nice one folks, how big is the fuel tank

[@drew3]

Great footage and info! I didnt get through the whole video though because I am searching for advice on a specific question; have you ever gotten a parking violation for the size of the vehicle parked on the street?

[@anybackroad8849]

thx! never on the street, but once in a paid lot at a ferry terminal - it's definitely a 'commercial' vehicle and we got dinged for that. On the street we haven't stealth camped in one place for long - we did get a neighbor note once on the windshield when visiting a friend for a night, which could have turned into a complaint if we'd stayed longer. The challenges of vanlife...

[@drew3]

@@anybackroad8849 I appreciate the reply!! Thanks!

[@bikeninja956]

how do you level these things out if you're on uneven terrain?

[@anybackroad8849]

I use the level on my iphone and a set of heavy duty plastic rv leveling blocks. they're like legos and come in a nylon bag holder - super easy to stack and use. Anything within a couple degrees as long as our heads are elevated is generally fine. www.amazon.com/Camco-Leveling-Hydraulic-Frustration-Free-Packaging/dp/B072VSBLH7

[@fvingerhoed]

nice.

[@roamingthewild3825]

Is it a 4x4?!

[@tdrager]

What is your MPG? Nice video!

[@anybackroad8849]

Thanks! City MPG is in the 15-16 range, and for highway trips 18-20 consistently. Not too shabby for a big van!

[@tdrager]

Any advice for buying a used 170 EXT? I am looking for a used one in with less than 100K miles. I see these diesels Sprinters with almost 300K miles, but am not sure about what maintenance is required to achieve that.

[@anybackroad8849]

@@tdrager Great question. We're at 107k miles and from that limited experience here's what we encountered and what I would roughly estimate as far as extra maintenance. Of course all this depends on driving style and conditions (short vs long trips etc): Besides the normal wear and tear components (brakes etc.) Emissions parts every 90-100k (sensors, valves possibly etc); fuel rail and injectors every 125-150k; glow plugs every 100 -125k; electrical components similar (alternator etc) every 125-150k. Possibly suspension components too, maybe 150-200k? I wouldn't be shy about a van with high miles but factor these necessary replacements into the math. If the body is clean of rust and the price took these things into account, I'd consider a higher mileage van. One repair listed above though could easily run $3000-5000 so I would expect a pretty low asking price for something with high miles. Hope this helps

[@emadtorkzad3327]

What is the mpg on yours?

[@anybackroad8849]

19 MPGs for highway trips, 16 around town give or take

[@roamingthewild3825]

4wd?

[@anybackroad8849]

RWD

[@Dekat-Rumah]

Definitely a bus haha.

[@SudburySaturdayNight1787]

How many feet from behind the 2 front seats to the back doors? Have you had any issues with def?

[@anybackroad8849]

15 feet to the front doors, and we did have to replace most of our emission system within the first 85k miles - definitely a pain!