If you watch a lot of YouTubers who live a busy lifestyle, setting up a Mercedes Sprinter Van for off-road use is a good idea. Even though they are good enough for light off-roading, they are not the best choice for some of the most dangerous roads in the U.S. One of the owners found this while hanging from a cliff on Utah’s Honeymoon Trail not long ago. In this movie from Matt’s Off-Road Recovery, it’s easy to see why an inexperienced driver shouldn’t try to off-road a Sprinter Van in one of America’s most difficult places. When the channel host first meets the Sprinter’s owner, he is leaning close to the edge of a steep drop-off on the passenger side. The Mercedes is stuck in a pile of rocks. The owner said, “I’ve been driving off-road for almost four hours.” At least he’s telling the truth, right? After a lot of trouble, the Sprinter Van was able to get itself out of a dangerous situation. It wasn’t trapped, but it was in a difficult position. Even though Matt had done it before, it was challenging to start. With all-terrain tires, a ladder, and a roof rack, a Sprinter Van could handle anything. On the other hand, its engine is just not made for rock riding. This Sprinter Van is powered by a Mercedes 3.0-liter V6 turbo-diesel engine with a nine-speed automatic gearbox that sends power to all four wheels. The centre-locking differential is missing, though. By controlling the open differential with brake torque vectoring, it tries to send power where needed. This system’s electronic stability program (ESP) always stopped power, making it seem like it was having trouble turning off the van. I need to find out from my desk chair if it worked better with the ESP turned off or not. It’s fun to go off-roading in a Sprinter Van. When fully furnished, they look great and are very roomy, so you can make mobile houses that can go anywhere. Also, the three-pointed star can make you feel slightly fancy because you’re not on the main road. Still, they are expensive to build and usually cost tens of thousands or more. Before you try some stricter terrain, you should have more than four hours of practice and a more stable vehicle than a converted work van.
