Henry Rifle Forums

I need a bigger van than my Transit Connect and was thinking of the Sprinter. I will need one to make two or three trips from Washington to Wisconsin then I would sell it.

Has anyone owned one?

Have not owned one Gene, but just curious, are you just wanting a longer wheel base? Would you be using it to move items?...etc.

markiver54 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 06, 2021 5:44 pm

Have not owned one Gene, but just curious, are you just wanting a longer wheel base? Would you be using it to move items?...etc.

I need something with ten times the cubic feet of my current van to move.

Why not just rent something?

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 06, 2021 6:52 pm

Why not just rent something?

This is the first thing I thought. With the price of vehicles right now, why not look into renting a large U-Haul, or even a large shipping container and having that shipped. Probable cheaper and way less trouble than 3 trips from the west coast, through the promised land (MN) and end up in cheese country. Bye the way, just because I live in MN, doesn't mean that I don't like WI!

Sometimes paying for help is faster and cheaper than doing it yourself.

Pudsky wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 06, 2021 8:12 pm

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 06, 2021 6:52 pm

Why not just rent something?

This is the first thing I thought. With the price of vehicles right now, why not look into renting a large U-Haul, or even a large shipping container and having that shipped. Probable cheaper and way less trouble than 3 trips from the west coast, through the promised land (MN) and end up in cheese country. Bye the way, just because I live in MN, doesn't mean that I don't like WI!

Sometimes paying for help is faster and cheaper than doing it yourself.

I think it would be cheaper to buy and then sell. Last summer a U-Haul truck rented for $10,000 for three days. And that was if you could find one.

Gene, you are moving from the coast to Wisconsin? Get a job at the Rice Lake plant??

Sprinters are great vans. My cousin owns a truck dealership here in Vancouver (I used to work there) and we always have a lot of Mercedes trucks and vans. They are great. You can probably sell it for what you paid after the move if you buy right.

I would buy a good used 2-Ton truck and make just one trip and sell it once you are done with it. If you buy the right truck at the right price, you could get all your money back. If you do extra good, you could even make a little profit. Unless you can't park it where you are moving to. If that would be the case, a 1-Ton may be a better choice. Like a hi-cube van for example.

Sprinters get a lot of poor reviews from long time RV owners due to constant maintenance headaches, I would recommend any non diesel domestic brand big box truck. Otherwise you risk a loooong unexpected stop in the boonies, and a long tow to a shop that can fix it.

They are not hard to drive on freeways, just a PITA in heavy traffic or tight neighborhoods. I agree about making one trip instead of three, that is a HECK of a lot of miles, time and fuel saved. Can you tell us why you want to make three? Are you in fact moving to WI instead of MT?

A box truck would tow your trailer easily in addition to all your stuff. A sprinter does not have the required payload to do it safely.

John Davies
Spokane WA

All, I have a small van now and love but it only has a 6’ 2” box. If I buy a large enough van to make one trip the van will be too big for me to keep. If I buy one small enough that it would take me three trips then it’s small enough for me to keep.

Plus I get to do the 1,853 mile trip three times! I enjoy long road trips.

Rental prices have come down.

Not sure how much they are but alot of people around here use the pods. Drop them in your driveway load them up and then they haul them to where you are moving. Looks like a good deal to me.

Not sure what your Sprinter will tow, but why not purchase one of those enclosed trailers. You can haul a lot in them and they are really easy to sell when you're done.

Who's gonna load/pack and unload? If you are gonna do it youself, then you are a way better man than I.

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 07, 2021 11:28 am

Not sure how much they are but alot of people around here use the pods. Drop them in your driveway load them up and then they haul them to where you are moving. Looks like a good deal to me.

I may look into that again. They do not serve Montana. No delivery system in place there. I bet it’s different in Wisconsin.

cooperhawk wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 07, 2021 11:44 am

Not sure what your Sprinter will tow, but why not purchase one of those enclosed trailers. You can haul a lot in them and they are really easy to sell when you're done.

Something to think about. I like having lots of options.

markiver54 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 07, 2021 11:47 am

Who's gonna load/pack and unload? If you are gonna do it youself, then you are a way better man than I.

I was just going to call you and see if you were busy the weekend before Thanksgiving. Actually my real estate agent is helping me find laborers that can be trusted. I don’t think hiring the guy in front of Home Depot to help me unload a truckload of firearms and parts and accessories would be the safest thing to do.

Unloading a rented truck quickly will be a problem.

Sir Henry wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 07, 2021 12:50 pm

markiver54 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 07, 2021 11:47 am

Who's gonna load/pack and unload? If you are gonna do it youself, then you are a way better man than I.

I was just going to call you and see if you were busy the weekend before Thanksgiving. Actually my real estate agent is helping me find laborers that can be trusted. I don’t think hiring the guy in front of Home Depot to help me unload a truckload of firearms and parts and accessories would be the safest thing to do.

Unloading a rented truck quickly will be a problem.

Open mouth/insert foot
No...really though, if I was close to you I would gladly do whatever this old body would allow, to help, at either end !

markiver54 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 07, 2021 1:00 pm

Sir Henry wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 07, 2021 12:50 pm

markiver54 wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 07, 2021 11:47 am

Who's gonna load/pack and unload? If you are gonna do it youself, then you are a way better man than I.

I was just going to call you and see if you were busy the weekend before Thanksgiving. Actually my real estate agent is helping me find laborers that can be trusted. I don’t think hiring the guy in front of Home Depot to help me unload a truckload of firearms and parts and accessories would be the safest thing to do.

Unloading a rented truck quickly will be a problem.

Open mouth/insert foot
No...really though, if I was close to you I would gladly do whatever this old body would allow, to help, at either end !

Thanks I think this loading and unloading thing is more for the younger bucks. I know I’m getting too old for it and I’m one of the healthiest in the Henry herd.

Just where is cheese land are you moving to? I'm not too far from the border.