Thor Forums

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Grumpy Guy

I and my wife are wanting to start RV travel. We are planning to make short stays and many stops. We really like the Axis platform but aren't sold on the power and performance from the V10. The sprinter platform has nice floor plans also. We were planning on a shorter platform to avoid having a tagalong vehicle. I am hoping for any input Thanks

They are so different it's hard for me to compare directly -- and I've tried in my own search for the best motorhome for us.

Ford-powered Axis has 305 HP gasoline V10. The Sprinter has 161 HP 4-cylinder or 188 HP 6-cylinder turbo diesels. Unless driving at very high elevations the Ford will have much more power. On the flip side the Sprinter diesels should get a little higher MPG if motorhomes are similar in size. Having said that, Sprinter motorhomes seemed more expensive so I would not expect fuel savings to make up the difference (based on my annual mileage).

The Ford chassis also has a higher Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (12,500 pounds versus 11,030 pounds if I recall correctly), allowing for a little larger motorhome. The Ford also has a much higher Gross Combined Weight Rating, meaning it can pull a larger/heavier trailer (assuming motorhomes are of equal weight).

The Ford-powered Axis is built on a body-on-frame type chassis (similar to heavier trucks), whereas the Sprinter chassis was originally designed for unitized-body van. Both have relative pros and cons.

A personal concern of mine with Sprinters in general is the reported limited number of service locations. Otherwise a 24-foot long Class B would be very tempting.