Mercedes Sprinter 208D

This is a tribute to my old work horse of 12 years plus.

If you have one of these, you need to keep an eye on the water level, if it ever goes down then its gasket time, stop driving immediately. Having said that, the head gasket lasts 200,000 - 250,000 miles!

I have done the gasket 3 times myself, the engine doesn't need to be overhauled. It costs about 200 quid plus my time, not bad for 250,000 miles of use.

The gasket is the ONLY real fault on the motor. The transmission is still going without repair from new, though the drive shaft bearings are now knackered. The clutch is also rattling, BUT it is the original clutch!

Other than that, it has hardly had any faults, original wheel bearings, shocks, even brake disks, all still good after 850,000 miles! MOT pass every time.

Like the last guy, in the summer it runs nicely on whatever stinky chip fat is available for free, without any special conversion.

It is not fast, and I do have to fix rust spots every year, but it gets good gas millage, and regularly carries one and a half tonnes in the back!

I don't use it much anymore, but I know that even if it has sat there for a month, it will start instantly, and be raring to go every time.

If ever you can get your hands on one of these old 208's in good condition, you have to go for it. Truly fantastic bit of German machine.

Ihad my sprinter 208d no turbo, for a coulpe of years. It was the cheapest i could get my hand on (not wise).

What was wrong...

The Cluch Oh dear £600 only get one that has change dual mass flywheel and clutch (top brand not dealer part went in no bother and guy charge £120 labour). The heater switch was knackered I had to fix between speeds to get blower on (a bit tricky by it worked). The van had major issues with engine oil when cold, oil would acummulate in rocker box and then over flow into breather pipe and then the engine so I always warmed though before driving and never left it ticking over when nose up hill as the engine would rev un controllably (scary when driving) and lots of smoke Ha ha ha . Glow plug U/S so i used "easy start" work a treat, three tins in two years £12. Plug £15 x 4 plus £60 fitting. DONT USE ON TURBO models.Side door lock and handle knackered (my mate had the same it was a cheap fix and the handle was a dealer part £10 ish.)

Back breaks needed contant tlc little cost just a pain and load comp connecter link broke twice (dealer part) again quite cheap.

MOT items Front box £59, wheel bearing £16,new shock £40ish,handbreak cable £16 all fitted at home very easy.

Good bits

Great drive always started and really good in bad wheather can drive though 1 foot of flooding with ease handy when copper closes road hehehohohaha. Recomend michelin tyre as they realy tough.

I can't wait for the excuse it buy another.

Mine ran on chip oil no bother but only in warm wheather otherwise slow to start and smelly