I have been wondering about the differential in the Metris. With two wheel drive / rear drive here in the northeast I have always felt traction is a consideration and limited slip / locking rear ends are nice to have. Jason and his Chicago News YouTube answers the question I have right off the bat in his video ( it's a nice review for us working stiffs too ) . Enjoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWp_x0iDUhg
Rear Dif - Is it limited slip / locker
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Limited slip differentials, high performance auto crossing and the like excepted, are outdated and obsolete equipment. The Metris has the full suite of Mercedes-Benz's ESP aides, which includes ASR, which is essentially a faster-acting electronic limited slip function.
If you are planning on auto crossing, I suggest a vehicle with a less than 126" wheelbase for the job.
If you are planning on auto crossing, I suggest a vehicle with a less than 126" wheelbase for the job.
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I would love if it really has a true limited slip or locker rear end for driving in the snow, the traction control may be nice for icy roads and keeping it going in the right direction, but as someone in MN that drives in snow for 4-6 months, all over MN ND SD and part of IA, having both rear tires pushing through snow is really helpful...
when the snow gets deep esp and asr type things don't work worth a crap... IMHO
when the snow gets deep esp and asr type things don't work worth a crap... IMHO
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My suggestion is to wait for the snow and test drive one. In my experience, the Metris handles snow deep as its bumper just fine. Deeper than that, and LSD won't help you, and neither will 4X4, frankly.
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Its all about the tires you use as well. No traction, no control. I hope you would have dedicated snow tires for winter.
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In Jersey? Our winters are piss-ant.
i live in the northeast and have hesitation with purchasing a RWD. I know tires are your grip and are the difference in safety for stoping and sliding and awd 4x4 are for the go to get you moving. I would feel more comfortable obviously buying awd but if there was a choice between fwd and RWD I would feel more secure with RWD in the elements.
Am I off base?
Am I off base?
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The only advantage that a FWD vehicle has is an extra XXX (hundreds) pounds over the drive wheels. And, FWD comes with an enormous disadvantage, i.e. that the drive wheels are also the steering wheels which means that loss of traction = loss of directional control.
The weight over the drive wheels is easily solvable with xxx (hundreds) pounds of nice clean play sand ($5 per 100 wt) in bags over the rear wheels. It also comes in handy when one actually gets stuck.
The weight over the drive wheels is easily solvable with xxx (hundreds) pounds of nice clean play sand ($5 per 100 wt) in bags over the rear wheels. It also comes in handy when one actually gets stuck.
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The Metris has ASR? Or is it a option? I live up north Canada, I need something, it one wheel drive if I have a inch of snow
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Metris has ESP (Electronic Stability Program) which (I believe) is an improved version of the older ASR.
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Well it doesn’t get you unstuck , one wheel spins doesn’t lock that one spinning and turn the other one, if you watch a video on the Toyota 4 runner it’s a better system, I know this is not ment to be a off roader but would be a program fix only I believe, now the van is breaking into the North American market
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The van is leaving the North American market, not breaking in to it.
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What? The are not getting rid of the metris?
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Ends production quarter three of this year.
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I think Vito/V-klasse/Viano (Metris W447) is leaving the U.S. market, not ending production.
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Try turning off the traction control -- button on center dash -- if you haven't already. That's how the guy in the OP video did a burn out.
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To minimize confusion;
The vehicle known as Metris, the gas powered variant of the W447 chassis sold and partially manufactured in South Carolina using a Nissan-built example of Mercedes-designed M274 built in Tennessee, sold in the US and Canada, is ending production, retiring the Metris name and having Mercedes join everyone else in these markets in exiting the less-than-full-size van segment.
Starting with the 2024 model year, if you want a Mercedes van in the US and Canada, your only option will be the Sprinter.
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Where did you get the info that Metris uses the Nissan-built M274? I thought they went to Infiniti?
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I got a hint of it here, noticed a source Country for the engine in a 21 Metris as the US, and then confirmed with a manager at MBVans NA I became friendly with when I was selling pillows at MBs former headquarters in Montvale, NJ. They switched over a few years ago when German production of them ceased. MB vans is the only customer that uses them; Infiniti stopped with the 2020 model year, iirc.
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Never mind. Looks like Autonews confirms
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