Carsieve All versions
| Variant | Running cost per month | Median price | Listings | Fuel | Engine codes | Gearbox | Production years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Cook Westfalia 313 CDI, 129 PS, 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive Research | – | €8,640 | 153 | Diesel | 646.986 | Manual (6) | 2006–2009 |
| Kombi kurz 3,5t 313 CDI, 129 PS, 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive Research | €570 | €8,640 | 153 | Diesel | 651.955, 651.957 | Manual (6) | 2011–2013 |
| Kombi kurz 3,5t 316 CDI, 163 PS, 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive Research | €573 | €10,490 | 92 | Diesel | 651.955, 651.957 | Manual (6) | 2011–2013 |
| James Cook Westfalia 315 CDI, 150 PS, 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive Research | €663 | €9,600 | 83 | Diesel | 646.985 | Manual (6) | 2006–2011 |
| Kombi kurz 3,5t 315 CDI, 150 PS, 5-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive Research | €667 | €9,000 | 56 | Diesel | 646.985 | Automatic (5) | 2006–2011 |
| James Cook Westfalia 315 CDI, 150 PS, 6-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive Research | – | €9,000 | 56 | Diesel | 646.985 | Automatic (6) | 2006–2009 |
| James Cook Westfalia 311 CDI, 109 PS, 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive Research | €660 | €6,500 | 50 | Diesel | 646.985 | Manual (6) | 2006–2011 |
At a glance
- Years: 2006 to 2018, with a facelift in 2013 that brought Euro 6 engines.
- Reliability: 2/5. The vans work hard, but injector seal leaks and clutch wear are common and cost money.
- DIY: 2/5. Clutch jobs need a workshop; the checks below need no special tools.
- Prefer: a van with a smooth clutch and a quiet engine bay.
- Avoid: a chuffing sound from the engine bay.
Engines and gearboxes
- OM646 2.1 diesel (2006-2011): injector seals can leak and cause a chuffing sound; see Known issues.
- OM651 2.1 diesel (2011-2018): see the OM651 guide.
- OM642 3.0 V6 diesel (2006-2018): no fault confirmed in the sources read.
- Petrol M271 and M272 (also natural gas versions): no fault confirmed in the sources read.
- 6-speed manual: the clutch and dual-mass flywheel wear; see Known issues.
- Sprintshift automated manual (2006-2009): no fault reports were found in the sources read.
- 5G-Tronic automatic (to 2013): no fault confirmed in the sources read.
- 7G-Tronic automatic (2013 on): see the 7G-Tronic guide.
Known issues
| Issue | Affects | Typical km | Repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Injector seals leak and injectors fail | 2.1 CDI OM646 and OM651 diesels | Not stated | No confirmed price |
| Clutch and dual-mass flywheel wear | Manual vans | Not stated | No confirmed price |
Before you buy
- Press the clutch pedal, pull away and change gear. Bad result: slip, judder, a pedal that stays down, a burnt smell or hard engagement.
- Listen for a chuffing sound from under the bonnet and smell for exhaust gas in the cabin. Bad result: chuffing, soot around the injectors or a strong exhaust smell.
Running costs
| Operational | €320 |
|---|---|
| Workshop | €144 |
| Fixed costs (tax, insurance) | €190 |
| Total per month | €654 |
| New-car depreciation (not included) | €68 |
ADAC figures for 15,000 km a year over 60 months
Market
Listings on mobile.de priced up to 50,000 EUR, 29 October 2026.
- Listings
- 623
- 25th percentile
- €6,800
- Median price
- €9,000
- 75th percentile
- €12,500
- Median mileage
- 265,123 km
- Median first registration
- 2010
- Dealer share
- 39.5%
- Price at 100,000 km
- €13,008
To check a listing's price, open its variant in the table above. Each variant page has a price check.
In detail
Injector seals leak and injectors fail
Symptoms: a chuffing sound from under the bonnet, exhaust smell through the vents, and black soot around the injectors. A German guide reports injector failures and a clogged diesel particulate filter (DPF) from about 300,000 km.
Cause: the seals around the injectors fail, so combustion gas escapes past them (RAC).
Which cars: OM646 and OM651 2.1 CDI vans. The RAC names the OM651/OM646 family.
Fix: replace the injector seals.
Sources: RAC: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2006-2018 review, CarWiki: Sprinter 906 problems
Clutch and dual-mass flywheel wear
Symptoms: the clutch slips under load, the pedal feels heavy or stays down, the van judders when pulling away, gears are hard to engage and a burnt smell appears.
Cause: normal wear. Replace the disc, pressure plate and release bearing as a set, and check the dual-mass flywheel (the heavy disc between the engine and clutch) in the same job. One German workshop says the job takes several hours to a full working day.
Which cars: manual vans.
Sources: CarWiki: Mercedes Sprinter clutch replacement, repareo: Mercedes Sprinter clutch replacement
Recalls
Check open campaigns for your VIN with a Mercedes dealer.
Maintenance
- At each service, listen for injector chuffing and check the clutch bite point.
Sources
English
German
- CarWiki: Sprinter 906 problems
- CarWiki: Mercedes Sprinter clutch replacement
- repareo: Mercedes Sprinter clutch replacement
Russian
The two DRIVE2 logs each describe one van and were not used for the fault list.