I have been following the Sprinter for the last little while trying to
figure out pricing as the first generation come of leases.

It looks like a good alternative to me.

Here is a link:

http://www.truckpaper.com/listings/forsale/list.asp?guid=m9furefi&etid=1
&mdltxt=sprinter&MdlX=CONTAINS&bcatid=27&FullText=sprinter&PCID=

Jon Baker
89 GL

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Reid Anderson
Sent: Tuesday, November 05, 2002 4:19 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: A different camper van (somewhat O/T)

Forgive the somewhat off-topic post, but I really think this may be of
some
interest to some listers.

For some time, I have been aware, and somewhat intrigued, by another
German
van being imported to the US.  It is the Freightliner "Sprinter", which
in
actuality is a Mercedes Benz product.  Some may have seen them in use as
Fed-Ex delivery vans, as they ordered 1900 of them.

My interest in this van was primarily that I could (if I had the money,
that
is) purchase one, convert it to a Westfalia-style camper, and enjoy a
camper
van with a little better reliability record than the Volkswagen (no
offense
intended, what-so-ever).  Additionally, it would be fitted with a MB 5
cylinder diesel, so I could run biodiesel!

Well, today, whilst internet surfing, I came across a bit of interesting
information:  An article stating...

"The Sprinter will be equipped for camping and sold in a James Cook
edition
as early as 2003. "

I don't know who James Cook is, or what his association with camping may
be,
but I'm excited to hear that I am not the only one who immediately
thought
this would make a great travel / camper van.  Now I just need to solve
the
money issue....

If one wishes to read the whole article, it appears here:
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/firstdrive/48572/article.html

Hope this is of interest to some,
Reid