Door lock operation on Sprinters

Here is an excerpt from the Mercedes manual (page 57) that should be helpful for you with all the details you asked about. Hope this helps. https://www.manualslib.com/manual/805065/Mercedes-Benz-Sprinter.html?page=57

I have had 2 Sprinters but no Fob problems in the past

dariusk8-. Thank you.. I did select the top button on the dashboard to lock all the doors.... my issue seems to be when I leave the vehicle and press the FOB twice to attempt to lock the vehicle when parked. The front doors lock just fine, but, sometimes the sliding door doesn't lock..? Sometimes it does lock? Curious? I wonder what is causing this? Any further ideas would be definitely helpful. Maybe I should only try pressing the button once? When I use the remote control to lock the vehicle and press twice, I can see the lights flashing briefly on the side mirrors.. thanks again for your reply. Oh, by the way, have you had good service from your two Sprinters​?? I've been told to check my oil level every 1,000 miles... Vehicle drives great, is a 2012 with only 26,000 miles.. These engines are known for going 500,000 miles or more...

dariusk8- here's a picture of my vehicle

That is exactly what happens to us, when we run a wedding with supplies inside. We press twice and double check for security. I just got in the habit of that, and think it is normal operation. Engines run great and we have 100k and 130k miles on other. They will run a long time, I am expecting 300k out of them before we trade in. Best regards, Darius

Mine does not lock automatically.....I never fear that. I have had a number of Asian vehicles that I would agree on that principal, especially when I go thru a car wash without me in it.

Darius, thank you .. have you had any issues with the diesel particulate filter?? I've heard of some people having to change them after 70,000 miles, and are very EXPENSIVE. Sounds like you have not had many service issues, just normal maintenance? And, no problems with the automatic transmission? They say to have the fluids changed at 60,000 miles? And, how easy are these vehicles on brakes and tires?? Yes, I believe that it's possible to go 300,000 miles or maybe 500,000 miles on a Mercedes Benz diesel. What year are your Sprinters??

The real question is can I make it to 500,000 miles, LOL, now that I'm in my 60s. People frequently would say that this product​ or something has a lifetime guarantee...and my answer is always, "whose lifetime are we talking about?". -----

Darius, I see that you are engineer... what do you think about CVT transmissions?? I have one I my 2010 Subaru Outback Limited.. it's very smooth, but, some people I know think it's garbage and prone to failure....The Mercedes Benz Sprinters have a traditional transmission, 5 speed electronic automatic transmission, Triptonic. Seems to work just fine with the manual mode for down shifting on steep grades., Very helpful, especially with such a large vehicle. -- I hope that Mecedes claim that the transmission is "heavy duty" is accurate... -----Mark

dariusk8-. Well, I did some field testing today after speaking with the local Mercedes Benz dealership.... seems like two quick pushes of the key fob locks all the doors... BUT, I'm still not sure why after boarding the coach, sometimes, without​ any action on my part, the front doors will automatically lock, I can hear the click and voilla, they're locked. I'm beginning to think it has something to do with the motion sensor system on board the vehicle?? Still learning all the nuances of this thing..... Again, thank you for your previous answers and hopefully you can share any experience you have​ had with the automatic locking doors while stationary. I definitely know about the automatic locking doors at 9 mph, I like that very much... Very secure. How is your oil consumption at 100,000 or 130,000 miles on the clock??? And, if possible, can you answer any of my previous questions above in the earlier post?? Thanks.---Mark

Mark, today was a travel day. Had a Special Forces Conference in Tampa all week. I did not have a chance to respond. Now a little history on your 2012....it is a second generation vehicle. The second generation Sprinter was introduced in Europe in 2006. It was voted Van of the Year 2007 and again in 2008 by Professional Van and Light Truck Magazine. 2012 Information and Fuel Consumption Figures.[5] Also known as the NCV3[6] or New Concept Van 3. The NCV3 appeared in Europe and in other countries in the 2006 model year. North America received its own NCV3 for the 2007 model year.[7] The USA cargo version of the 906 NCV3 comes in two wheelbases options (144", 170"), two roof heights (standard 60.6", high 72.4"), three lengths (Short 233.3", Standard 274.2, Extended 289.8"), and two weight classes (2500, 3500)[8] where the 3500's have the option of dual rear wheels or rear super singles. Neither the 128in wheelbase nor the rear super single tires are available in the USA market. The USA cargo version are reassembled from kits in an assembly plant located in Ladson, South Carolina, while the passenger models are imported directly from Germany. The second generation 906 was produced in Argentina only for export markets—except Mercosur markets (Brasil, Uruguay and Paraguay)—from 2007 until 2010, but in 2011 announced new production of the second generation in the Centro Industrial J. Manuel Fangio, in Buenos Aires[9] with the brand new OM 651 engine (also local made) and exported to the rest of America (including Mercosur markets). Since 2012, it is manufactured for the Mercosur and 40 other countries. Production[edit] A class action lawsuit was filed in California state court against Mercedes-Benz alleging the defendant has sold Mercedes-Benz Sprinter models 2500 and 3500 with water that leaked from the air conditioning unit in the roof onto the passenger area. The leakage of air conditioning unit was also discovered on Dodge Sprinter made by Mercedes-Benz from 2003 through 2009. The lawsuit affected California residents with the rooftop AC units and Sprinters equipped with the rear AC. Mine are 2014 and 15 Sprinters

Mark, my engineering gut says that MB started making these great Sprinters in 2001.....they disassembled the gas versions and shipped them to Landon So Carolina to be re-assembled and to avoid a 25% tax. The Diesel ones were shipped from Germany. I sense in all I read is that beginning in 2006 to 2013 they just wanted to make profit so they started building them cheaper in other parts of the world, like So America. Knowing the Germans, they still keep, as far as I know, building trans in Germany....and I know they sell to many Asian car manufacturers (AS does BMW). I read a lot about issues in these model years. I believe they realized all their problems and addressed them in 2013......with the intro of the 2014 models

I am a graduate engineer...fluent in German and 6 other languages....and my two MB vehicles are Cargo type and diesels. On page 55 of my manual there is a depiction of the back door and sliding door.....they are childproof positions as well....were you aware? Sometimes they may be the fault that the door does not latch properly, I am told.

All my MB are heavy vehicles plus we carry cargo.....I buy tires every 25,000-30,000 miles.....brakes I do myself. I use ceramic pads that are dustless...or less so than the organics they use. I bought mom a 2003 MB ML500....and it needs tires often....it has 103,000 miles. My older 1990 MB 420 SEL went thru tires like crazy....it had a front end design flaw....told us to change shocks.....then springs.....all BS due to their faulty design

On page 60 of the manual.....it describes that if u don't open a door or window....and have left the vehicle.....the car will auromatically lock within 40 seconds. I forgot about this myself

Pages 61-62-64 are germane and tell you details on how to disarm or arm the anti theft or motion sensor within

As to the Diesel Particulate filter.....save some money. DIY Video in You Tube...look under "Mercedes Sprinter Diesel Particulate Filter Cleaning DIY Liquid Moly Pro-Line" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDzyC7zALXU

On your 2012 maintenance....they want you to change oil every 10k miles. I actually check the viscosity and how dirty my oil is before changing. In my younger days I worked for Mobile Oil and learned a lot about diesels and synthetic oil Synthetic Oil Change (Every) 10,000 miles Automatic transmission fluid (Change) (Every) 60,000 miles Automatic transmission filter(s) (Replace) (Every) 60,000 miles Brake fluid (Flush/replace) (Every) 30,000 miles Coolant (Flush/replace) (Every) 180,000 miles Rear differential fluid (Change) (Every) 180,000 miles Fuel filter (Replace) (Every) 10,000 miles Air filter (Replace) (Every) 60,000 miles Cabin air filter (Replace) (Every) 30,000 miles Service reminder light (Reset) (Every) 10,000 miles

As for your 2010 Subaru Outback LTD and its CVT trans....the record shows by professional car and driver analysis.... The four-cylinder engine essentially carries over from the previous model with identical power and torque ratings, although it’s been tweaked to deliver the horsepower and torque peaks 400 rpm lower. It mates to a six-speed manual transmission or an all-new, Subaru-developed CVT. (The CVT is a $1000 option on base and Premium 2.5i models; it’s standard on the 2.5i Limited.) The engine can get a bit noisy and coarse at the highest rpm, but it’s smooth and quiet the rest of the time, and the CVT does a nice job of avoiding the drone typical of that kind of gearbox. Although it seems a bit silly to have paddle-selectable “ratios” in a CVT, the option is useful when you need to keep the engine at peak power or need some driveline braking when descending a grade

As to my opinion of the CVT trans.....that you are not to touch....or change the oil. There are 13 quarts inside.....so that's about $200 plus labor (5 gallon of it is $320). I am okay with it, as long as I have someone that I know//friend that is an expert in transmissions. A hands on guy....not the part changers at the dealership.

As to getting to 500k miles.....I agree with you...who's lifetime.....I have an 1984 BMW 3 series that has 300,000 miles on it.....looks like new....it has a new engine with 1000 miles on it and still runs great. I get 3-33 mpg on the freeway. I bought it thru European delivery service....and visited the factory in Munich (Munchen) to pick it up. Great little car....but don't think I will get to 500k miles

Darius, well, I really appreciate your very through answers to my questions..... thanks.... Sounds like you have really done your homework on​ all this. I'm very impressed. AND, your general knowledge about Subaru is very much spot on. I agree with you that the "paddle shifters" seems unnecessary, however, I also have a teardrop trailer that I've towed with the Subaru and descending down steep grades, I've found that the ability to downshift is quite useful. I NEVER use the paddle shifters on acceleration, seems pointless. I did get my transmission fluid changed at the Subaru dealership at 70,000 miles... especially since I have on occasion used the car to tow the trailer. The tow rating of the Subaru is 2,700 pounds and the trailer is made from a fiberglass composite materials and weighs less than 1,000 pounds fully loaded. Here's a picture for you,.

Some of the other people on the forum have chastised me for extolling the virtues of the CVT...they claim it's junk and prone to failure. They say it's the archillles heel of the car and think that the torque converter frequently goes out after 100,000 to 125,000 miles.. and starts with a stalling issue at stops. I have 83,000 miles on my car.. it's a little difficult to believe that this is going to happen to every Subaru Outback Limited with CVT..... And, being in my mid 60s, I'm easy on cars, unlike my 20s, LOL. I don't know... anything can happen, BUT, they all say it's $7,000 or more to replace the transmission with a new or refurbished unit... Sure don't want to have to do this. I just drive the car normally... As for towing, the SPRINTERS can also tow easily, but, I'm trying to sell the teardrop as we upgraded to the new coach. Here's a picture of the inside of our 2012 Roadtrek RS Adventurous... We felt like we were extremely fortunate to have found this vehicle with such few miles.... really beautiful condition... These vehicles new sell for $135,000 and getting it for what we paid at a fraction of the new price point after 5 years of depreciation seemed like a good deal... It's still going to depreciate, but, more slowly from here. We decided that if we ever wanted to get a vehicle like this and take extended road trips, we had to do it now while we still have the energy to do it....in five or ten years, we might not be physically able to easily do that, and you can't buy years back.... At least, that was our thinking...

Thanks for your very extensive answer on the second generation Sprinters.... We do have the dual wheels in the back, ours is the 3500 model.. There were two key issues for me when I started looking for one of these..i knew that I had to have the dual wheels for stability in a vehicle like this and I had to have the 3 litre turbo diesel C6 engine. They make Sprinters with the new 2.1 FOUR cylinder engine and seven speed transmission, but, I wanted the torque of the SIX cylinder... Also, Roadtrek makes other less EXPENSIVE models with gas engines on either the Chevy or Dodge chassis.. Interestingly enough, there was a Dodge Sprinter a while ago..... Roadtrek is a Canadian company, they take the Mercedes Benz Sprinters and customize the inside of the van straight from Mercedes Benz without retrofitting the exterior of the van....this was also a big consideration for me....we were considering a class C, like a Winnebago View or Navion, but, even though they use the Mercedes Benz Sprinters to build on, they cut away the chassis right behind the driver's cabin and build an entirely new coach that has different roof seams and use fiberglass seals on the roof.... It's no longer a factory vehicle like the Sprinter van.... those seals have to be maintained and inspected every year for leaking.... A royal pain especially if you have a leaking roof.... didn't want to go there...

I'm a former operations manager, and I'm all about the least cost maintenance solutions...so, I'm prone to choosing the easiest methodology for keeping things simple... You said that you change tires every 30,000 miles.. that is probably good advice depending upon how you use your vehicle.. my tires look fine in the back, but, a little more wear up front... We're planning on taking this across the USA in the fall, I may have to look at the tires and have the brakes inspected before this trip.....I don't want to have an issue on the open road... You didn't mention anything about oil consumption..has this been any issue for you... And, even at 130,000 miles on one of your units, still runs strong and like new??? So, overall, the transmission, drivetrain and other major components are very robust in these vehicles?? I hope so, they sure are not cheap.... Overall, would you say that it's more than you expected to maintain or less with the repair or replacement of components? I have an excellent mechanic who said he can do some work on the Mercedes, I'm actually more concerned about the coach... Although Roadtrek makes an excellent product..they have been the largest selling class B motor coaches in North America since 1990 and have been in business since 1974. Their engineering is quite good and it's amazing how they fitted everything in such a tight space. If you're not familiar with Roadtrek, here's a link to their website below, http://www.roadtrek.com/models/

Mark thanks for your input....you are an old fashioned car guy like me! I enjoy my cars and try to share my enthusiasm w my 6 kids....but they are millennials and really don't care. It is just transportation to them. They' don't care' is really sad...'and it's about their convenience rather than their adventure and gaining wisdom as u go thru life! My oil leaks and consumption is normal now. I had leaks and replaced head gasket and oil pan gaskets. Before that it was dripping. I believe they improved after the 2013 model was designed....I mean they learned from their mistakes in the 2nd gen Sprinters. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks Darius for your time and replies. I'm all about service, that's the name of the game. I used to purchase new cars.... and our last two brand new car purchases, a 1995 Honda Accord EX station wagon lasted me 20 years, a few repairs, nothing major, no engine or transmission issues, yes, had some leaks after 150,000 miles, what else can you expect??? Our 2009 Toyota Prius, also purchased brand new has 73,000 miles... took that across country twice, the fuel economy on that car cannot be beat!! We average 43-45 mpg regularly. I would not take the Prius across country again.... It ran out of electric power climbing thru the Eisenhower tunnel, 11,000 feet.. we made it, but, it was a struggle for the tiny 1.5 FOUR to make it up and over the pass... We stopped for a moment to let the engine recharge the battery, but, it got depleted again quickly on the steep grades. My Subaru Outback Limited would have gone right up with no PROBLEM, and the diesel engines​ are legendary for their torque. The electric power in the Prius has plenty of torque, but on a continuous climb, it can't recover... The Prius as a great city car and great insulator from $5 per gallon fuel... I've met so many taxi drivers or Uber drivers saying that they've gone over 300,000 miles on the Prius with the original engine and transmission... really solid car... Just not sure I want to, although I know it could, go across country again... Route 66 is no problem for the Prius, the ride is just not as comfortable as the Subaru or RS Adventurous... Did you check out the website for Roadtrek???

Unfortunately, you can't be certain what your kids might like, compared to you.... I've seen and heard that from many other people. Just live your own life and forget any stage directing for anyone else. Just doesn't work that way, and its crazy making. A lot of my friends thought I was crazy to consider purchasing this vehicle, but, as I've recently found out having lost my Mom, that, you can't take it with you!!!!

As I always tell people, it's "better to be lucky than good"... with any luck and due diligence for maintenance on my part, the Sprinter, Subaru and Toyota should last a very long time....I normally keep cars a minimum of 12 years, sometimes longer... I think the Sprinter may actually last twenty more years?? I've been told that everything in the coach will fail before the diesel engine gives up.

Just three years ago when I went looking for a replacement for my Honda Accord EX station wagon, turned out the ground clearance was too low for towing the trailer especially leaving service stations, would scrape the dolly wheel on the front of my trailer... I thought about a brand new car, but, a friend convinced me to consider a late model lease return.. a certified pre-owned vehicle.... I found the Subaru at a new car dealership and it worked out very well.... not one single issue since I purchased the car!!! SO, I'm hoping that the Sprinter which we're the second owner from a couple who wanted to trade up for a larger RV will work out for us as well. These vehicles drive like a large SUV....I just have to be careful about parking in places where I know I won't get boxed in by smaller cars...so, I generally park in the hinterlands.....

I would agree w you on the Subaru.....you are on the leading edge of its popularity. The 30-40 year olds have a cult thing for the brand. You can always sell it and get good money back. Same with the Mercedes diesel. Great engines, as you said....they take pride in Germany in making them. I have been in the factories of MB and BMW, and enjoyed every technical second//moment. As to the Asian cars....I quit buying Hondas and Toyota's after seeing them in Japan.....they cheat...they copy. They have an industrial technology center outside Tokyo...where they send out men with a task to 'steal'....they call 'borrow' technology. That is BS. We in the USA and in Europe spend so much in R&D.....and they choose to be fast followers. After returning from Tokyo I refuse to buy those two brands. I received my 2nd Master's degree in Technology mgt from Pepperdine Univ after that trip. Worse is when people ask me to join them at the Toyota or Honda dealership to listen what the service manager is telling them. I am usually quiet, but they are tasked with dollar targets to reach each month. They told one woman that her brakes were down to 2-3cm. I asked what percentage of the pad is that. He stated he did not know. I brought her car home and took off the wheels....and all the pads had 50% remaining and about 11-13 months according to her driving style. I had bought Honda's for my mom for many years. She called me from the dealer and she was in tears. They wanted $7,000 in recommended repairs. I went thru the list on the phone. There were 17 items on the list. I asked are any that will be classified as an unsafe drivable car, and he said no! He had told me that he had to make his quota for the month after digging into all his items. I was livid that they do this daily to senior citizens and to women. They should be ashamed....but that is how they make money at the Honda dealership(s). So now I just drive American and German cars.

Darius, that's very interesting about Honda and Toyota .... My 1995 Honda Accord EX was one of the very first cars with the now famous and ubiquitous VTECH engine.. Back in 1995, it was still relatively new, kind of made its way down from Formula 1 technology... to normal car technology.. Now, everyone has a variety of this technology in their fleet, just Honda marketed this as VTECH...it's just a variable valve timing technology, works exceptionally well. The engine purrs like a kitten until all the valves open up and shift position. My Subaru runs fairly quiet until you really step down hard and the boxer engine really comes to life and is quite peppy for a naturally aspirated FOUR. I like the opposed boxer, it's very smooth and doesn't have a counter balance shaft like many other cars, very compact and plenty of low end pulling power for a 2.5 cylinder engine. I only open it up for acceleration on the freeway when I need to. I've known many people with Honda Accords and Civics from the 2000 to 2008 and they had a lot of problems with their transmission. In talking with a parts department employee at Honda, he revealed to me privately that Honda made a business decision around 1998 or 1999 to farm out their automatic transmission makers to a third party and this is where the problems started.... I understand that sometime close to 2009 or 2010 Honda brought this back in house, but, I don't know if this happened and what their track record has been since, not following it that closely since I don't have a Honda anymore... just that the early to mid 90s were the "golden years" for Honda. I met someone who had 500,000 miles on a 1994 Honda Accord... amazing.. I tried to tell a friend of mine who is looking to buy a new car to​ consider a Subaru over a Toyota.... but, she took the Legacy for a test drive and thought that the ride was too uncomfortable... interesting, Consumers Reports says that the Legacy is one of the smoothest riding cars out there.... Plus, she has this issue of thinking that new car seats are uncomfortable..... REALLY?? I don't agree.. in fact, I think that seats and adjustable seats are way more comfortable than cars of 25 years ago.... RIDICULOUS. I think Subaru is one of the best values in cars today. As for my 2009 Toyota Prius.. that car was totally built and manufactured in Japan.... not Kentucky like most new Toyota cars in the UNITED STATES. Finally, the Subaru Outback is actually built by American​ workers in Lafayette Indiana... with Japanese parts of course. I think their quality control is pretty good, even though they have had issues with the new FB series engine​ in 2013, 2014, and 2015...

My friend has an old 1987 Volvo GL sedan with leather seats...the car is 30 years old and well the seats are broken in conforming to her body and how she sits in the car... I told her to consider another Volvo, but, she says they're unreliable.... Don't know.... other people I know with a Volvo 90 loves their cars..... She's considering an Avalon or Camry....I told her to look at the Lexus as well.... As far as I'm concerned, outside of Subaru...I think that Lexus cars are one of the best engineered cars in the world.... I have a lot of respect for Lexus automobiles.....

Volvos are also variable depending on when the CFO decided to make more profit rather than make more reliable. Need to check them out carefully. As to a Lexus....there was a great Wall street journal article on the fundamental car It is based on a $12,000 frame ...and pimped up with fancy leather and knobs....to a $60,000 + car. People who know this don't buy Lexus...because the L on the front means something else to them..... The people that buy that car buy for their ego and nothing else.

I'd like to see that article, can you please send that to me....I have a friend who absolutely loves Lexus cars and thinks everyone else is inferior.... Let me know... I can give you my email address ...or you can give me your address.. and I'll contact you.

By the way, there's an article in Fortune magazine that says Subaru is the best value for cars. Here's the article below, http://fortune.com/2012/11/19/are-subarus-the-best-cars-money- can-buy/

Looking for the article.... even if I found it, and don't see it yet, I'm not a subscriber....

Darius, you mean the "L" to those people means "loser"???

Darius, while not a station wagon, the Sprinters sure are all about utility... In your case a cargo van and mine an RV... Plus, it's nice to see that station wagons are gaining respect again...see this below, http://www.cheatsheet.com/automobiles/10-cars-that-prove-station- wagons-are-definitely-making-a-comeback.html/

Subaru's are a very good value compared to Honda and Toyotas. I believe in that brand to be more honest. I read WSJ daily and it was some years ago since that article about how the brands Lexus, Acura and Infiniti all came about. It detailed the brilliant marketing plan of Toyota, Honda and Datsun (now Nissan). It detailed how an enterprising firm bought one each of the new luxury models and spread all the parts out on a hangar floor. The article detailed that the Lexus parts were comprised of 80% of the less expensive Camry model parts....that means 20% were the pimped up Lexus parts that brought them a 400% mark up on the vehicle. So the joke back then was....that those that bought the car ....bring your thumb and finger, in the shape of an "L" by your forehead.....and we call them losers. As you drove by those people....you just smile and actually know what they really bought......a Marketing plan Not a well designed car....but a cheap $12000 car with leather Yes there are many Lexus buyers like your friend....and they are all the same. Not technical...not aware.....and certainly not informed....if they did know that 80% of their vehicle was from a cheap car.....would they actually buy it?? It actually depends on how insecure and how big their ego is. I am like you...we go for the truth.....that will reveal help us decide on what transportation is right for us. I might have an ego for buying a Mercedes....but I am convinced that they have spent R&D dollars to bring the best technology to the marketplace. And as I sit across government officials from Japan and Korea....and ask them why their car designs look like a Mercedes on one end and a BMW on the other end......I smile.....because I already know the answer.....they cheat...they copy. I desire an original...like you do. Amen brother. Goodnight. Am flying to OC tomorrow

BTW, Honda/Acura and Toyota/Lexus Corp CEO has purposefully not implemented many of the needed//passed auto safety features that the USA Dept of transportation mandated on Car manufacturers. The USA Mfrs must implement right away....while Honda and Toyota stalled. Remember the Toyota CEO flew to Wash DC while Obama was in Office and asked foregiveness for his stalling? They cheat....Who was the first person to die in the Toyota//Honda stuck accelerator pedal accident? It was a cop. Read about it

Took my Sprinter to the dealership today where I purchased it for a few adjustments... under warranty.,. While I was there, we could not get the sliding door to arm and lock. I told them that it was working intermittently​ and I was having trouble... They think it might be a bad door actuator.. I'm bringing it back on June 13... they'll probably have to replace it...

I was VERY lucky to get the passenger airbag replaced in my Subaru recently... I didn't realize that Toyota was so deficient in safety standards. Not good.

May I suggest you take the door apart....look around...see where it is dirty....clean it....grease it....or silicon spray it. Dealers just replace.....never really repair.....and you will save a ton $$$ Maybe you already tried that??

Yes they are deficient.....as is Honda and all the car manufacturers (one USA mfr) who bought into the Takata airbag drama and killing of innocent children

Darius, even though I purchased a 2012 model, they gave me a limited warranty... And, I'm bringing it back to them on June 13....for repairs... I'm going to ask them to get me a new door actuator and install it.

I have a little knowledge about cars and read up on a lot of this stuff, BUT, I never work on my own vehicles.... always hire a professional....that way, I know the job is done perfectly... I'm very lucky enough to have a great mechanic and one who is honest.

Darius, I was thinking about your comment about Toyota and Honda stealing other people's ideas.... We have a 2009 Toyota Prius and it's my understanding that the Prius was completely built from the ground up in Japan in 1998 and first came to the United States in 2001.... A lot of other car companies have been working on imitating the Prius and they even licensed their hybrid synergy drive technology to Nissan for a brief stint when the Nissan Altima hybrid came out....it DIDN'T​ last long enough on my market... guess people decided if they wanted a hybrid to just purchase the Camry. So, I'm thinking that while it may be true that they borrowed technology for many of their other cars, they didn't​ do this for the Prius? What do you think??

Article I read........ Convergence. A lot of Asian cars are now designed in the US. The same design trends and perspectives guide both Asian cars sold in North America and American cars. And Asian manufacturers have been copying American and German (and Italian to a lesser extent) styling for almost as long as they have been selling in the US and Europe. Technology. American cars looked like that largely because of manufacturing limitations. It wasn't possible to make body panels with the sharp creases and flamed surfaces of a CTS with the tooling available 20 or 30 years ago. Now that it is, everyone wants to do it. HID and LED lighting make all kinds of things possible that weren't before, and everyone wants to do those things, too. Regulations. All cars have to meet the same minimum safety standards, and that dictates a lot of what goes on underneath the skin. Fuel economy standards dictate that everything has to be kept pretty tight to the chassis, and the chassis has to be kept tight to the mechanicals. A 1956 Chrysler had so much wasted space that Troy Trepanier was able to run an entire 70mm twin turbo setup completely inside the front wheel wells while using wheels that are about 1.5 times taller and 4 times wider than stock and lowering the car about 6 inches. I could almost stand next to the 6.5 liter engine in my 1971 Ford LTD. New cars barely have room for a Snickers bar at any point between the body and the mechanicals. Not nearly as much design freedom as there was 20 years ago.

Mark.....the Americans were into battery run cars a long time before the Japanese even thought about it. The Japanese sent gents from their JAIST (Japanese Agency of Industrial Science and Technology) within Tokyo to copy all they could from the Americans. And that is how they started building the Prius

Article from the WSJ: About 15 years ago, the Japanese auto industry became increasingly concerned with American auto companies' progress in the development of hybrid gas/electric vehicles. Around 2001 the Toyota Prius was introduced to the United States. American companies, particularly General Motors, scoffed at this move, insisted there was no prospect for profit, and set about to end their efforts to market electric vehicles. They shut down their EV assembly line, and almost simultaneously purchased the Hummer company. So much for corporate prescience

The Prius design was copied from the Pontiac Aztec model for its look for young 20-30 year olds to use for family and//or camping adventures. Do you remember the Aztec? Here is a link https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/bc/c4/e6/bcc4e62e250ba4474a39779bc9255a80.jpg Link to the 100 most ugliest designs ever: https://www.google.com/search?q=ugliest+car+designs+ever&tbm=isch&imgil=pr7_s25qgYC35M%253A%253BMP9EDfI7EUKWiM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.pinterest.com%25252Fpin%25252F813533120158370271%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=pr7_s25qgYC35M%253A%252CMP9EDfI7EUKWiM%252C_&usg=__nzzwwl6Y_Am56pAwvL-NMIuan5Y%3D&biw=1366&bih=651&dpr=1&ved=0ahUKEwjf2rKsxIHUAhVN1mMKHZ9zA8EQyjcIPA&ei=aNEhWd-GDs2sjwOf542IDA#imgrc=pr7_s25qgYC35M:&spf=1495388652904

You are very blessed to have a fair and honest mechanic. Majority of folks do not. I usually have great technical conversations and discussions with my mechanic (also named Mark) on each of my cars. I usually do the work, or I pass on the more difficult efforts like transmissions. Hope you have a great weekend. My wife helped me wash and wax two cars here in California last night. I get so many strange looks.....one that a woman is working outside.....and the other is that we are doing the work ourselves. Many neighbors came by and chatted saying that no one out here does that. The Californians are a bit lazy out here and they tend to pay people for easy jobs like cleaning windows and washing/waxing cars. I find it relaxing and fulfilling. Having my great partner//wife with me makes it that much more fun! We did a 2009 Audi Q-7....bright white, and a 1984 red BMW 318i (bought originally in 1983) and looks like new.....what one of my sons says (22 years old). Cheers

Mark, next to ur picture is 18,685 ....what did you do....or better, what do you do to achieve that??

I've been on the forum for a few years now... Started when I got the Subaru Outback Limited and it's already 3 years since I purchased that car.... Never had any problems with the car at all.... Yes, I have a great mechanic...has been taking care of our cars for over 15 years.... I can see a vague resemblance to the Aztec, yes, I remember these cars... very ugly... I think the Prius looks better... You may recall that "Walter White" from the show "Breaking Bad" drove a Pontiac Aztec.... and the number of points.... I've answered a lot of questions and have gotten "mostly good" feedback from people... Been concentrating on the Subaru Outback , but, a lot of people don't like some of my answers...it happens.. I tell people what's on my mind, I'm not going to sugar coat it... Some people have a very distorted way of looking at cars, some​ think​ it's an investment, it definitely is NOT. Others​ want to paint a dark cloud over anything else foreign to them, including people who are Subaru haters and have never even owned one. Interesting group of individuals..

I buy cars and drive them very carefully.... back in my 20s I was much harder on cars...you kind of learn that not driving them like your at the Indy 500 makes them last much longer... wisdom...LOL. A lot of people who have the Subaru Outback or Forester with the manual transmission just rev the daylights out of their engines, then wonder with amazement (really??), why they have an oil burning problem or burned out clutch or transmission?? Come on, it's a cause and effect situation people...

I usually see 18k points on people that are pretty good mechanics on here.....u must have been here solving many issues for folks!?!

Mark the CVT pretty much revs the heck out of the engine but you should know that. Back to blaming the transmission and driver for problems that Subaru has admitted are the engines?

I normally keep my cars for 15 or 20 years... although, I'm beginning to wonder whether 12 or 13 years old is the sweetest spot for turning them around?? AND, I've never had difficulty finding a buyer for my cars since I keep the cars in immaculate condition.. inside and out... When I was working, I simply mentioned at lunch that was planning on selling my car....by the end of the next day, someone calls me in the office telling me that they wanted to purchase my car... Same thing with my old Honda Accord... just mentioned it to a family member and they stopped me from advertising it and paid me my price to acquire the car..... In fact, I had at least three people tell me that they all wanted my old 95 Honda before I even thought of selling it... I'm very meticulous about keeping my cars looking new, especially the interior....

my first car was an 8 year old 1962 British Leyland TR4.....all reverse threads....hit by a milk truck....I was told. I bought this manual shift car for $375.....sold it after fixing up and going to the US Naval Academy for $1,200. That is when I learned about cars and really have had no fear to put my hands in there and fix it I see that most boys are perfectionist and don't want to mess up....so they don't even try....very sad to realize But I am pushing gently on my millennials....LOL

F_O_R- sure..... My car revs to 4,000 if I step hard on the freeway, otherwise, usually around 3,000 RPMs... I know many people redline their manuals....

If you floor it and it only goes up to 4 grand you are leaving a lot of HP unused. As I recall the CVT's I have driven went up to 5 grand at less than full throttle.

Darius, here's a picture of the inside of my Subaru Outback Limited..

F_O_R--- WOW, this is exactly what I'm talking about... I NEVER said anything about flooring the accelerator... and, in case you were not aware, the peak torque for this 170 horsepower flat FOUR is at 4,000 RPMS.... YES, I've gone to 5,000 on occasion,. BUT, it's​ not necessary and just uses more fuel efficiency and doesn't really accelerate the car that much faster for the the extra 1,000 RPMS... Harder on the engine and transmission..... I see that you must be driving your car's engine pretty hard if go 5,000 or more regularly...?? No wonder you have oil burning issues, sorry, I know I didn't purchase a WRX STI... You must be used to driving the old Jaguar..

Darius, do you cool down your turbo diesel engines for 3 to 5 minutes after running them at freeway speeds?? A mechanic friend of mine says this is a very good idea to make sure that they don't shut down too hot... I ran this past someone else and they asked if my friend was an airline pilot or airline mechanic....

Darius, as I told you, I'm interested in the technology of cars and read articles, but, no, I don't get my hands dirty on this stuff... And, I try very hard to choose cars and machinery in general..... The new RS Adventurous is my new "road trips vehicle"... Doesn't mean I won't take the Subaru Outback on shorter road trips, but, the RS Adventurous is for cross country journeys.... It rides very comfortable and handles like a very large SUV.... As you know, it's super quiet for a turbo diesel engine and these run at extremely low revs.... The 5 speed Triptonic transmission is perfect for this coach which has a base weight of over 11,000 pounds and a gross vehicle weight just over 15,000 pounds.... The 3.0 turbo diesel engine purrs like a kitten most of the time unless you open it up on the road, but, still sounds pretty amazingly quiet....I'm very impressed by the the technology....... Most of my answers to assist people were selecting​ the right car, financing or just helping them sort a problem I previously experienced... I've had at least over 15 cars and just being over 65 you learn from your experiences... Some people never outgrow the high school years and they continue to abuse and​ drive the living daylights out of their cars....too bad and sad.....they have higher repairs to deal with and never put two and two together.... You can only live your life and control what you do.... I'm always surprised by what other people do.... but, that's life....

Darius, great that you know what to do to repair your own car... Today's cars are basically rolling computers and it takes someone who has specialized​ knowledge and tools for diagnosis.... I know my strengths and weaknesses when it comes to mechanical stuff.. which is why I'd rather hire a professional mechanic to make it right the first time.. Plus, I have this thing about not want to get stranded on the road..... We're​ planning a major cross country trip and I'm thinking about getting "On Star" have you ever considered it??

Grasshopper you are so full of excrement. My car used oil because it had defective engines. You don't know anything about my driving habits. The third engine does not use much oil no matter how it is driven. I know you drive like a little old lady but 5 grand in a engine in good shape is NOTHING and won't make it use oil. Stop pretending that you know anything about cars that you did not read on the internet . When was the last time (if ever) that you changed a spark plug? 1973?

Funny thing Mark but I have had many high mile cars - 2 and 3 hundred thousand miles on them and they did not use oil like a new Subaru with less than 10,000 miles on it and I never babied the high mile cars and when I sold them they ran great and did not use excessive amounts of oil. I know Subaru's are fragile so maybe they need to be driven by grannies?

Wonderful answer..... like I said before, I don't work on my cars. I think if are so disgruntled with your Subaru​ Forester, then you should get rid of it, but, it's nice to hear that your third engine worked... I was referring to a larger audience in general that is abusing to cars, not specifically your car... WOW, now you're making wild assumptions about my driving habits... let's​ agree to disagree and leave it at that... Sorry if you took my comments personally... didn't mean to do that.

Mark you do know that the redline is 6 or 6.5k RPM which means Subaru designed and approved the engine to run that high?

YES, I understand.... here's all the specs on this...6,400 redline http://www.cars101.com/subaru/outback/outback2010.html

Again, no offense on my previous answers... I generally don't like to run past 5,000 RPMS, seems like the power band drops off beyond 5,000 and the peak torque is at 4,000... I read somewhere that the top speed of​ the 2.5 is 123 MPH and the 3.6 is 143 MPH , .... pretty fast... So, yes, I'm sure even at top speed it will be over 4,000 RPMS....

Yes there is a power curve. The power curves I have seen show peak HP around 5,500 rpm. If you limit your engine speed to 4,000 rpm you probably leave around 30+ hp on the table.

On Star is a good service.....there are 3 levels of service.....at the top level.....when I am driving in an area I am not familiar with.....I call On Star and ask about the restaurants in my 5 mile circle. I can ask where the nearest German or Italian or Mexican restaurant....and they call to make a reservation....love this service

Subaru Outback 2.5i Premium: Dan Neil's Review 9/30/2016 2:24PM      Subaru has the second-highest owner loyalty among major automakers in the U.S., but will its Outback 2.5i Premium win over with drivers? WSJ's Dan Neil reviews the midsize, all-wheel-drive crossover on Lunch Break. Photo: Subaru

Darius, thanks. I was primarily thinking about using On Star for emergencies... Have you ever had to call them in a circumstance like this using the "blue button"... and can they actually unlock your car remotely ?? I normally would use Google to find a local restaurant.,

Yes, on my Cadillac SRX.....had 3 of them 2011, 2012 and 2013. Mom left her keys inside....locked it so we just called On Star.....and they do a verification//id....and thru a satellite they open the car doors for her. It was a great option for my mother when some flat tire, etc occurred

Darius, well, I just discovered that On Star no longer serves any other cars except General Motors..... They used to sell after market devices for other vehicles and allow them to be activated, but, some higher ups decided to stop that.. apparently, if you have an old installation and continued service you can keep it, they just don't sell any new installations for any car outside of the GM brand.. Not good service... leaves everyone without a GM vehicle out in left field.

Yes, that is correct. Why that was decided, I do not know

Darius, just found out that you don't really need On Star....if you are stranded somewhere in the boonies, just call 911... It's an emergency and they will relay the call...

True, but when my phone had no signal....stranded in forest or boonies.....the On Star always had satellite connect overhead. A very good resource. As to the telephone....it depends on your carrier....they have strong signal in certain parts of USA and weak in others. They do have coverage maps on their websites.

I also contacted the AAA Premier Roadside Service .. they don't have anything in place, BUT, they advised me to call my cellphone service provider... I'm on Google Project Fi... really great service and available 24/7 for support...The tech told them.. just call 911 and ask to be transferred to the appropriate roadside assistance.... It will work even if there's no apparent service...that is what the 911 system is there for , emergencies...

Darius, again, I appreciate that On Star is great.... BUT, it's not going to make me consider purchasing a GM car! My last GM car was a 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra... The car did make it to just over 150,000 miles and was still running, but, it was very slow and tired... Barely made it out of its own way... Merging onto the highway required a plan ahead... not good.. The car cosmetically looked beautiful...sold it to a co-worker who wanted the car for their son...it got very decent fuel mileage... A 2.5 Four, old technology.. 92 horsepower.... BUT, only was good cruising on the highway once you got up to speed.... Car got 29 to 31 MPG... My cell phone service told me that even with "no service", I could still call and connect with 911 ... Hopefully, I don't have to find out or use this service... I'm pretty good about keeping my cars in top condition...

Darius, I've found that one of the great things about the turbo diesel engine is that there's plenty of power even at low RPMs...the engine is NOT working that hard to drive the vehicle.... SO, it seems that the only time my RPMs go much higher is when I'm downshifting on a descending grade... Going to 3rd gear or so.... The gasoline engines need to rev higher to get power... Big difference between them. --Mark

Darius, do you have any floor mats inside the front of your Sprinters? I noticed that the vinyl flooring is pretty clean and maybe it's not necessary at all... I had considered either a carpeted piece to protect the floor or laying some Weather tech mats on top... but, I! I'm thinking that they may just shift around up in the driver's area? What do you use if anything?----Mark

My wife and I bought a shower mat....cut it in half and placed on floor for that specific reason....that it doesn't slide. The weathertech are nice but very expensive There are different types of shower mats.....this one looks like a finely trimmed carpet, and easy to clean

I believe the Europeans appreciate diesel engines the most.....Americans have not seen the light yet

Darius, how often do you have your transmission fluid changed? Every 20,000 miles?? And, do​ you have the fuel filter changed at every oil change.. it's a water separator for the diesel .,. Every 10,000 miles? Or, do you do all this work yourself?? The transmission is a sealed unit and requires special tools and know how...

Actually I have a philosophy of only doing the trans oil every 100,000 miles....for all my cars and trucks. If I tow.....then I will do it sooner.....I bring it to my local mechanic. The fuel filter I do every 40,000 miles...I do myself (easy)

Darius, that's interesting, the MBZ maintenance schedule says to change the oil / fuel filter water separator every oil change and the transmission fluid every 20,000 miles ...I bought my RS to the dealer today for the recall on the Takata front passenger airbag. I discovered that the vehicle had the original fuel filter since the coach was built in July 2011... Interesting that Roadtrek marketed this vehicle as a 2012...but, Mercedes Benz thinks its really a 2011.. I don't really care .. it only has 26,500 miles and it drives and looks practically brand new ... BUT, I am glad that I checked out the fuel filter separator situation .. diesel fuel is much dirtier than gasoline and has a tendency to also collect water, so, the fuel filter and oil separator are critical on the fuel system. And , time is at least as important as mileage, so, it was worth it to have it all changed out. At least I know what's going on now , of course you can wait longer if you wish... I'm very likely to follow the recommendation of Mercedes Benz. Yes, I know its expensive, but, we're talking about a very expensive automobile.

Hey Darius, if you're around reading this, I've got an update for you..... They found that there was a "loose wire" inside my door.... that was it. Lock works perfectly now. Unfortunately, I had some problems with the Mercedes, a glow plug went out and I decided to have all six replaced at the same time and after 6 years the vehicle battery failed and I had them replace the RV batteries at the same time. Other than that, everything with the Sprinter is perfect. I've put about 3,000 miles on this since May 1st and has not used a drop of oil. Runs really great. Hope your doing well. -- Mark