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Driving a Mercedes sprinter LWB

  • 21-10-2018 10:24pm
    #1
    fryup
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,067 ✭✭✭✭


    How difficult is it to master the aforementioned van ??

    The biggest van i've ever driven before is a citroen dispatch...and that took me the best part of a fortnight to get the hang of.

    It's just at work they want me to take over a route in which a sprinter LWB will be used...it will include both rural & urban driving.

    Feel kinda nervous about it.


Comments

  • #2
    James Bond Junior
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,140 ✭✭✭James Bond Junior


    fryup wrote: »
    How difficult is it to master the aforementioned van ??

    The biggest van i've ever driven before is a citroen dispatch...and that took me the best part of a fortnight to get the hang of.

    It's just at work they want me to take over a route in which a sprinter LWB will be used...it will include both rural & urban driving.

    Feel kinda nervous about it.

    My brother has one and I had to drive it for him. I had zero experience driving a van and I found it fine.


  • #3
    Toyotafanboi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,917 ✭✭✭✭Toyotafanboi


    I end up driving the odd Crafter in work which is the same van as a Sprinter.

    As above, sit in, drive and don't think about it too much is probably the best approach.

    You'd be mildly conscious of the length when turning in tight spaces so you don't side swipe stuff but watching your mirrors will 100% avoid this.

    They are actually nicer to drive than a car in some ways. It'd only be natural for it to take you a few weeks to get fully accustomed to it but you should be able to sit it and make a good fist of driving it immediately.


  • #4
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 40,641 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    I hired one for 2 days the last time i moved house. You will get used to it pretty quickly. The only issue i had was at a T junction where the road i was on approached it an angle. Visibility of cars coming from the left was practically zero.


  • #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I had a LWB '02 for almost ten years and just got some ten years newer LWB this weekend. The newer model has much lighter gearshift and mirrors have almost no blind spots. But still it's a good idea to start indicate early and then gradually ease the van to the left lane when changing lanes to be sure.

    I didn't have much experience driving anything but cars before but I find them really easy to drive. The high driving position proves a great visibility and the mirrors are high enough to clear car mirrors. My wife can drive them no problem too, but she's a good driver. Just go extra wide on left hand turns to avoid clipping the inside kerb and many LWBs have suffered body damage just front of the rear axle for that reason. If you don't have a reversing camera you might need some help reversing.


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