Home › Forums › Longue › 2016 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 Daycruiser by Midwest Automotive – Only 39k Miles
Hey everyone, I came across this beautiful 2016 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 with the Midwest Automotive Designs Daycruiser conversion and I’m seriously considering it. The mileage is incredibly low at just 39,000 miles, which is surprising for a van this age. From what I can tell, it looks like it’s been very well maintained and garage kept. The Midwest Automotive Designs conversion is known for quality build-outs, and this particular example appears to have all the essential amenities you’d want for weekend trips and extended adventures. The Sprinter platform is legendary for reliability and capability, and the 3500 model gives you that extra payload capacity which is always useful. I’m trying to get a full maintenance history, but the overall condition seems solid. The interior looks clean, no obvious signs of water damage or wear, and the mechanical systems appear to be in good working order. I’m wondering if anyone here has experience with these Midwest Automotive conversions or the Sprinter 3500 platform in general. Are there any specific things I should be checking out before making an offer? Also curious about fuel economy expectations and whether these hold their value reasonably well. The asking price seems competitive for what you’re getting, but I want to make sure I’m not missing anything. Any insights would be greatly appreciated!
That’s a sweet find! Midwest Automotive does solid work. 39k miles is definitely low for a 2016. Have you had a pre-purchase inspection done yet? I’d especially want to check the roof seals and windows on any conversion van.
The Sprinter 3500 is the right choice if you want capability. That payload capacity will come in handy. How’s the engine condition? Any service records available?
I’m not convinced about the price. Conversion vans tend to depreciate faster than standard vans, and this particular model seems a bit high for the market. Have you checked comparable sales?
Maintenance costs on these Mercedes engines can be steep. Factor in around $1,500-2,000 annually for routine service, plus potential DEF system repairs down the road. These aren’t cheap to maintain compared to domestic options.
Midwest Automotive conversions hold up well. The 3500 is perfect for that wheelbase. Check the transmission history though – that’s the most expensive component if something goes wrong.
Why not just buy new? You could get a 2024 or 2025 with full warranty for not much more. These older conversions have unknown issues that could hit you hard.
Good points everyone. I’ve scheduled a pre-purchase inspection for next week. I’ll specifically ask about the roof seals, window weatherproofing, and transmission service records. The maintenance cost is definitely a concern – I wasn’t fully factoring that in. Any specific shops that specialize in Sprinter service that you’d recommend in the Midwest?
39k miles is actually not that low for a 2016 if it’s been used for camping or road trips. That would be average use spread over 8 years. Still a great van though!
The Daycruiser setup is perfect for what most people actually do – weekend trips and short excursions. Full-time living conversion might be overkill anyway.
Check the solar system if it has one installed. Those can be problematic if not properly maintained or if the previous owner didn’t winterize properly.
I disagree that this is overpriced. Midwest Automotive conversions are respected in the community and 3500 Sprinters hold value better than standard models. Plus low mileage vans are becoming harder to find.
Fuel economy on the 3500 with the diesel is pretty decent – expect 18-22 mpg depending on driving conditions. That’s reasonable for a vehicle this size and weight.
Make sure to verify that the conversion was done professionally and the vehicle still has all original airbags and safety systems intact. Some sketchy conversions cut corners there.
The Sprinter platform is solid. I’ve seen these go 200k+ miles without major issues if maintained properly. Your biggest risk is if the conversion work was poor quality.