Mercedes Benz 316CDID

More important than the number for a used purchase, however, is the internal series code. W906 denotes the Sprinter generation from June 2006 to December 2019 — thirteen years under one code. W907 and W910 followed. Comparing two offers both called "Sprinter 313", look for the series code and the year, not the type number.

Within the W906 there was a technical break: from mid-2009 the four-cylinder diesels came with the OM 651 engine, coupled to a six-speed manual designed for commercial use. A 2008 vehicle and a 2012 one carry the same type designation and have different engines.

As EU class N1 vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes, the Sprinter and Vito need only a category B licence, no tachograph, and in most countries no distance-based lorry toll, which only applies to substantially heavier vehicles. Over the W906's thirteen years of production, emissions stages tightened from Euro 4 to Euro 6: early examples manage with an oxidation catalyst and particulate filter, while later Euro 6 versions additionally need SCR technology with AdBlue injection, whose tank, dosing module and NOx sensors are wear items of their own.

Entries in this class come largely from official registration data. Dimensions, weights and axle counts are reliable; equipment, body height and wheelbase of individual vehicles are not consistently recorded there and should be checked on the vehicle itself when buying.