Accra City Centre is a hectic one. Stressful for pedestrians, and transport users alike. One way to get around is to hop on a tro tro, a shared mini van with a set route. Useful routes for travelers include Circle to Osu via Ring Road; Circle to the central post office via Nkrumah Ave; Tudu station to Kokomlemle; 37 Circle to Osu; Makola Market to Osu; and Circle to the airport. But the routes are pretty tricky to understand if you are not used to them. A guy yells the destination and route if it is not on a sign. But any other people waiting will be able to help.
The main tro tro stops are at Tema Station, Nkrumah Circle and 37 Circle. Locals use hand signals when flagging down a tro tro, such as making a circle with the index finger pointed to the ground for Nkrumah Circle. If you shout ‘Accra’, or point your finger up, drivers should understand that to mean central Tema Station.
If you happen to use public transportation to commute to and from one destination to the other you cannot fail to notice the number of Mercedes Benz sprinters on Ghana’s roads. And if you have had the chance to sit inside one on any of the numerous routes you would realize why it has become hot commodity on Ghana’s streets.
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a full-size van, available in Cargo, Crew or Passenger configurations. Cargo vans offer two front seats only, while the Crew is essentially a Cargo van with a second-row bench seat. The Passenger van features four rows and can carry 12 passengers. The larger MiniBus model adds a fifth row for a total of 15 passengers.
All models are offered in 2500 styles with two wheelbase lengths (144 and 170 inches). The Cargo is also available as a 3500 model, offering increased payload capacity. Standard features on most Sprinters include 16-inch wheels, a wood cargo floor, 270-degree-opening rear doors, air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a two-speaker radio. Stability and traction control come standard, as do front airbags.
A bewildering array of options allows owners to precisely tailor their vans and includes a driver-side rear sliding door, parking sensors, a rearview camera, upgraded front seats, and rear heating and air-conditioning. Cargo and Crew vans can also get a fixed sunroof and roof rack mounting rails.
All Mercedes-Benz Sprinters receive a turbocharged 3.0-liter diesel V6 that makes 188 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. A standard five-speed automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels.
You won’t find wood trim, leather or actively bolstered seats in this Mercedes-Benz. And because the Sprinter is built for large families and commercial use, you also won’t find power liftgates, “magic” seats, innumerable cupholders and other trappings of the modern family minivan or SUV. Instead you’ll find notably better build quality and a more modern interior environment than in other full-size vans. The Sprinter’s dash and control layout, for example, makes it feel more like a midsize SUV than its utility purpose suggests.
Yet despite its long and wobbly stance, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter actually feels pretty maneuverable around town thanks to a modern chassis design. Its standard turbodiesel V6 also offers better fuel economy than domestic V8s. Horsepower and acceleration, however, are best discussed in relative terms. Despite its name, the Sprinter is better suited to urban and suburban environments rather than the highway and that is why it is one of the most listed commercial cars on Tonaton.com
PRICE
Ghanaian public transport owners usually prefer used ones as they are cheaper and can be used for a long time before they breakdown. On Tonaton.com, prices of the Mercedes Benz range from 45,000gh to 90,000gh depending on the condition of the years and the years of usage.
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