Running/Service Costs for Mercedes Sprinter Van

We have the AS Suffolk on an auto Merc, MGM, ours is a 61 plate. We paid, I think, around £200 for a minor service at a Merc dealership and a bit less at an independent. Now it's out of warranty, we tend to stick with the independent. Overall, we've not been unpleasantly surprised at servicing/repair costs and suspect they compare favourably with those for the Ducato we had some years back.

We tend to drive ours for performance rather than economy and find it regularly returned around 26mpg when we checked it. I dare say if does more when we potter around in slower mode. The Suffolk is 3500kg and about 18" longer than the Stanton so there's little in it in terms of size/weight.

In our opinion, if is a far superior vehicle to the Ducato/Boxer base vehicles in terms of ride, performance, ease of entry, ease of driving and noise levels. I know others will disagree.

We've got the AS Winchcombe, which is 3880kg and 7.29m, so quite a bit longer than the Stanton.  Driving it is a pleasure.

Haven't had any servicing yet, only got it last December, but we are quite impressed with the running costs in terms of MPG. We've been to France twice in it, for 6+ weeks, and when we've been "pottering" (which is what we like doing from site to site) rather than driving to and from the tunnel in the UK, we've regularly had 30-32mpg.  Of course, when not pottering, and driving on the A75 in France, it's been around the 25-26mpg, but still quite respectable.

Out of warranty, we now take ours to a local independent, we've used him for years. Usually under £200 for a service, no problems so far, it has been a very good. Around the 32-35mph mark for running, it's similar to the Stanton. We've done a lot of long drives around the UK. One good thing we've noticed, the Mercedes cab (on site) is a lot warmer than our previous Peugeot, it's well screwed together!

Agreed, Brue, it's draught free. 

I wonder why AS dropped the County range which was only supplied to Marquis?  Yours has continued but only as the Stanton while ours has been totally discontinued. As it suits us, we won't be changing it. 

It's hard to let it go, only niggle is the stupid swing door washroom but we can live with it for now. 

The washroom is definitely the compromise. We don't use our shower so never tangle with the swing wall. I'd much rather the washbasin with a decent cupboard was situated where the shower is. Ah, well, it's as near perfection as we're likely to find.

We have a hymer built on the Mercedes base. Absolutly love it. Too new as yet to have any idea of running costs. We get 31 mpg's on a 130 bhp Manual. I'm shure though running costs from an independant garage will be compatible to others. 

Thank you all for your comments.  They have been very helpful.

Happy to help. I'm sure you'll like the Merc. 

I should have said mpg in my post, it does go a bit faster than that!