2017 SPRINTERS Arriving at SMB

[TomH]

I just got back from a 3+ hour meeting with Brian F. in Fresno. He said they had one customer whose order was converted from low to high roof due to a computer glitch. There was some minor option that had been entered which happened to be available only on the high roof. This caused the computer to change the order to high roof and nobody caught it until late in the game. He says the local MB dealer in Fresno has put a safeguard in place to prevent it from happening again. I believe they found a van like the customer wanted and the delay was about 2 months.

The glass problem caused another customer who was waiting for a low roof 2WD to switch to a Promaster.

Brian did say they are receiving low roof vehicles though.

[Jsteckline]

I ordered a RB 144 4x4 last week from SMB Fresno. Reading this has me concerned, so I emailed Nick at SMB.
His response: We can still get MY17 and MY18 in the RB Low Roof Cargo Van. As of right now I can get what you are ordering.
I have 12+ months to wait!

[TomH]

Three+ hours of discussion with Brian left me with a lot of data to sift through when I sat down to write my last post. I just remembered that he said that 144" WB low-roofs with no rear glass are coming in unhindered. It is the 144" WB low roofs that do have rear glass that are being held up. He said he did not know why there would be a difference in the glass situation for low vs high roof vans.

[velo47]

Originally Posted by TomH

Three+ hours of discussion with Brian left me with a lot of data to sift through when I sat down to write my last post. I just remembered that he said that 144" WB low-roofs with no rear glass are coming in unhindered. It is the 144" WB low roofs that do have rear glass that are being held up. He said he did not know why there would be a difference in the glass situation for low vs high roof vans.

Tom, this mirrors the discussion we had with Brian D. at SMB-TX today. Cargo vans with no rear glass and no rear seats are the only 144" low-tops that are being released for the remainder of the 2017 model year and probably all of 2018.

[EmMay]

Velo47
SITREP.
You score the white van?

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by velo47

Tom, this mirrors the discussion we had with Brian D. at SMB-TX today. Cargo vans with no rear glass and no rear seats are the only 144" low-tops that are being released for the remainder of the 2017 model year and probably all of 2018.

I had my van serviced at the MB dealer in Fairfield CA this past Friday and they confirmed that the no rear glass and no rear seats option is the only low roof model available. They have 15 on order, but they really don’t know when, or if, they will take delivery....

They sold a new Metris to a customer in the Bay Area who is now going to sell his nicely equipped used 2016 RB 4wd. I have a copy of the build sheet and the dealer contact if anybody is interested.

[velo47]

Originally Posted by EmMay

Velo47
SITREP.
You score the white van?

Sorry for the late reply, I was in rural Nebraska scouting for a January deer hunt and also hunting some pheasant and quail.

We were in Austin last week and finalized almost everything on the van. Only a few minor details to iron out. The dealer in San Antonio wasn't able to arrange transport of the van to Austin before we left, so we didn't get to actually lay hands on it. They did send some videos of the van and it looks fine. We are still negotiating the price.

[EmMay]

Sounds like it's working out for you... the deer, pheasant and quail - Not So Much!

[velo47]

Originally Posted by EmMay

Sounds like it's working out for you... the deer, pheasant and quail - Not So Much!

Yeah, I'm cautiously optimistic about the van.

I wouldn't worry about the game too much. We didn't reduce the pheasant population at all (my hunting partners are without a dog at the moment), and only took a few quail.