Definitely don't go with a Sprinter if you're on a budget. Ram ProMaster I've heard mixed reviews.

Just do your research on what you need from this van. If you're buying new, then you are at least covered by warranty. Just keep on top of maintenance and cross your fingers.

 

What have you found that isn't as scary as the Transit when it comes to quality issues? I know it's not a perfect vehicle, but given the sheer number of vehicles out there the problems being discussed don't seem that high. On average Ford sells as many Transits in a month as Sprinter, Promaster, Savana and Express combined.

 

I've had Ford vans for over 30 years, the Transit isn't built like a tank but doesn't act like one either. The Chevy and the E series are both dinosaurs. I can't really speak of quality issues just yet I've only had mine since April any quality issues as of now won't keep me from trading it in for a 2022 Transit. What I don't like is Ford cheaping out like no armrest on the passenger seat and no padded armrest.

I use mine as a cargo van but I desire at least some luxuries, I've already put about 8k into it. Probably what bothers me most is the thin metal.

 

What I don't like is Ford cheaping out like no armrest on the passenger seat and no padded armrest.

My Transit came with padded armrests on both driver and passenger seats.

 

I guess everything is relative.
I've had no problems with the 2017 Transit in 67,000 miles.

In the shop every other month with my 2012 Sprinter, 3 count down adventures in remote areas over 200 miles from the nearest dealer. Had to stage one count down to brick the van in the check in lane since the dealer would not schedule an appointment for 2 weeks (and I was over 600 miles from home). When the tech came to restart the van he found no problem and I just drove off after the reset.

Get a transit.
Ron

 

I guess you can take this video with a grain of salt because we don't know how this vehicle was treated, but this is just one example.

 

I guess you can take this video with a grain of salt because we don't know how this vehicle was treated, but this is just one example.

Troll! That guy can not get his facts right, Which means he knows nothing about the Transit.

 

One Transit bought in 2016. It has 43K on it and no problems other than the recall and have to take it back again. Have had 3 sprinters and enjoyed them. But going for service was 1.4 hours each way and always 2 trips since parts had to be ordered. Problems with getting 5% bio or less in the Midwest also. Always worried when warranty ended about cost of repairs so purchased extended at $4K but then sold it and got almost full refund. Sprinter diesel is too complicated - just read the Sprinter forum - they all sound like diesel mechanics - I'm not and I just want a vehicle that gets me where I want to go without a lot of fuss. Getting a 2020 for the new technology.

 

I went from a 2003 Sprinter (Dodge version) to a 2018 Transit, have put 30k trouble-free miles on it and am glad to have bought it. I think the most miles I managed to go between needing work with the Sprinter was about 4k. I wasn't going Sprinter again because it was a nightmare vehicle to get parts for and NO ONE would service it because it was a mongrel, never mind the price of a new one. The Mercedes rebadgaed as a Dodge was half the problem which is what ran me off from the Fiat rebadged as a Dodge. Never even considered a Chevy Express or Ford E-van as that's not what I wanted.

You have to remember that the vocal minority are all you ever see posting. They have a bone to pick, a grudge, and do it through posting something online. The hundreds of thousands of people who have zero problems at all, we don't post much... because, why? There's no point. My van simply works, has worked every single time in Exactly the manor I expect (and it did when purchased). It's the very first Ford I've ever owned, tending to prefer Asian for cheap reliability and Euro for interest and enjoyment, but it's fine for now. I remember there being a thread on a diesel VW forum that was more-or-less a "nothing's wrong with my car, still" type thing. It's a brand that's "well known" for having issues... I put 300k miles on mine, abusing it with 20k mile oil change intervals, and the worst mechanical issue I had was an alternator that died. The image was driven by a vocal minority.. or I had a magical car.

So, be scared if you want. Write it off if that's your decision. But don't take everything you read/see online so seriously. Keep it in context, knowing that there'd be a whole lot more than one video if those things were rampant issues. There are somewhere just north of a half-million Transits sold in the US, have you seen complaints and problems from a representative portion of that number? Or just a few scattered comments and complaints?

 

I've had the Ford E van, the Chevy Express, shuttle bus, ambo. Don't have a transit but there is one on order although I am trying to cancel it if Ed ever answers his email.

Like the OP, i don't have a lot of confidence in the Transit. If Chevy built a high top on a frame like the Express they'd make a killing, but nobody would want to pay the price. I really liked the express, couldn't fault it one bit, except the low roof. 6.0, 6 spd tranny, 3.42 ls axle, it could cruise the highways. The iron block 6.0 makes 340 hp in the van I believe, the Ford aluminum block half the size with twin turbos makes the same or little less. It takes the same amount of fuel to push 6k# through the air so mpg is not going to be much different. I have a GMC 2017 3500 4x4 with 6.0 bought new with now almost 20k miles, nary a problem and can stretch 15almost16 mpg on the highway, it's gonna last a long long time.

Like I said, the low roof........

 

@Vanwannabe ,

Yes, one very bad example. You are free to run scared from a Transit, the rest of us love ours and ymmv. I drove our first one to over 90k miles issue free before trading and now have two that are stellar.

Meanwhile, I read that Sprinter, Promaster, and Chevy Express vans will spontaneously blow up for no reason because those manufacturers make nothing but garbage. (when was the last time you saw an express with all its paint still on?)
(yes,that was sarcasm, lol)

The Ford E series, on the other hand, is Built Ford Tough, just not as refined as the Transit ?

 

I test drove a Chevy Express 2500 long wheelbase with the 6.0 an it felt really anemic. I was quite disappointed with how it always felt lacking in power for such a large engine and checked more than once to make sure the parking brake wasn't on. After the test drive I got back into my 15 year old 4Runner with a V6 and it felt like a race car.

I wish GM would partner with Iveco and bring the Daily to the US market. They would probably rule the work van market if they did.

 

After the test drive I got back into my 15 year old 4Runner with a V6 and it felt like a race car.

I had a new Tacoma with the V6, now that was anemic!

 

Yes, I recall lamenting to a dealer years ago that all their trucks in stock were lacking some of the features I wanted. His response was "no one buys trucks like that" to which I replied "of course, that's because you never have any!"

I bought what I wanted from another dealer a week later.

I also had to custom order my Bronco back in the 80's because none of the dealers came close to what I wanted in their inventory.

The biggest issue is that dealers are generally plain vanilla in their ordering process, keeping to what is perceived as easy to sell to most buyers who think different than us.

 

PS: at least with the Transit, most options can be had a la carte rather than exclusive to this or that package.

 

(previous van 2003 Sprinter)
I tried real hard to talk myself into a new Sprinter, but at the time they were diesel only, and their diesel engine systems in the USA are the main (and only) downfall.
Ford made the most economic sense at the time. I have zero brand loyalty.
I'll dump the Transit in the blink of an eye for an economically superior van (the lowest sum of purchase price+operating cost x longevity).

Hyundai H-350, wherefore art thou?

 

Hyundai H-350, wherefore art thou?

YES. Would order today if available here.

 

Glad my 2010 Sprinter left me, the w-hore got on the bed of a flatbed, and headed to the boneyard, and I got a Transit. Much more loyal.

OTOH, I still have a 2006 Sprinter in the fleet, with 280K on the ODO.

 

I doubt Hyundai and Mercedes use the same diesel motor.

 

Of course not. Not the issue. It's government regulation. Diesel engine manufacturers don't have the best solution yet. And currently diesel fuel pricing is outrageous.

 

Had a Sprinter (180K miles),don’t miss having to drive over 300 miles to the nearest dealer here in Wyoming, always had to worry about did you remember to put anti-gel in the diesel all winter long. Went with T350 HR, Ext, Ecoboost, love the fact you just turn the key to start no glow plug warmup, fuel is available anywhere, ride quieter, smoother than Sprinter. Limited slip works great compared to Sprinter in snow. Only thing Sprinter did better was little shorter turning radius. Use Transist as motohauler and daily driver. Would never think about getting a old school Chevy van as it is such a pain to stoop over trying to load motorcycles with a low roof. Just my thoughts.

 

Hopefully the Transits are going to do better. I've seen earlier Sprinters look like this but had thought they'd fix the issue on later gens.

 

It must be intentional, because their cars do not rust out in a couple of years.

 

I can only imagine what the underneath looks like.

 

Rust was the biggest issue preventing longevity of the 02-06 Sprinters. Evidently the later ones, too. It's like they made the entire body out of mild steel and spray painted it with Krylon.

 

Krylon would have been an improvement, I thought it had flat latex interior paint on it.

 

One thing that the guy did on purpose was cover up the VIN when he was showing the door data sticker. Would have liked to get the VIN from that van to see the history on it and where it had been. Could have been a flood vehicle that caused a lot of that rust and the area around the windshield looked to have been under a tree for a long time and got leaves and dirt around it.

 

That is how Sprinters look in the rust belt, salt is what does them in, and poor paint that chips very easily. I have seen quite a few that look that bad.

 

Yeah, I would EXPECT at least 10 years, more like 25+ years, without rust as long as the paint is covering the steel. And I think you pointed out that Mercedes CARS don't get that rust issue, just the Sprinters. Maybe a disgruntled supplier is peeing in the paint before it goes to the Sprinter factory?

 

Back in the day when JD Caples was active on the other forum, his theory was the Germans were mad that we won the war, and were taking it out on the American working man?

 

Or maybe it's the ones made in the USA and not the ones from Germany? I recall that the Cargo T1n were made/assembled in USA and the Wagons were made in Frankfurt. Assembly by UAW members does not inspire confidence. My Wagon had some rust around the windshield after only 7-8 years, though.

It would be interesting to find out why they had such huge rust problems. I think it's the paint process.

 

All of my Sprinters were made in Germany 05, 06, 10, then they pull out the drive train, ship it to the US as an uncomplete vehicle to save on tariffs, and reassemble. No painting done here. It would probably be better if painted here. I got my 2006 from the south, it was rust free, I got it repainted at Maco. No rust, except for the spots they took down to bare metal, and did not properly finish.

 

Most transits are purchased as fleet vehicles. Whether it’s a small to big sized company they look at a few basic things. Does my cargo fit into the van, what’s the cost, what’s the upkeep cost, and what’s the MPG. No one cares if a truck they will never drive has bells and whistles. I work for an electrical company and the service guys have vans. We have a few E vans, transits, and chevy express. A few of the chevys which aren’t even that old don’t have power locks, windows, or mirrors. The transit drives like a modern suv where as the other vans feel and drive like something from the early 90’s which they are. I will say they are much more durable for the guys that are rough on vehicles sheet metal wise. I’ve never driven a pro master but to me that thing is hideous and Dodge doesn’t exactly ring reliably. I love the transit I drive after a few mods that I did it’s perfect for me. I added tints, autostart, and a kenwood touchscreen with Apple play. In the spring I might upgrade the two speakers but besides that I love this thing 15k miles in 5 months later.

 

Toyota is missing the boat by not equipping the Hiace for the USA market. But Toyota isn't hurting for USA sales overall, so maybe they don't need to!