Looking to by a van for camper conversion

[markley]

Hi all,
I have been looking into buying a used high roof van that I can convert into a camper for my wife and I. We are not looking for anything too big. Thinking that the around 12 ft. long of cargo room should suffice (ie. the Sprinter 144). I've done some research into used Mercedes Sprinter Vans, but have been somewhat dissuaded with the idea of lack of service departments in the USA (as well as cost and difficulty of maintaining). I was wondering if anyone could offer any suggestions on what would be the best van base (in your opinion/experience) to use for a camper conversion (Sprinter, Ford Transit, ??). I am looking to keep the van price under $30,000 and do the conversion myself over time.

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[vantheman]

I'll put down my two cents... I really like the E series vans. I service our fleet here at work. The owner insists on buying only E250's and not E350', then the guys overload the heck out of them their whole lives. We keep them till 200,000 miles and then trade them in. We really don't need to though, they always have a lot of life left in them.
One of the common issues I've seen with them are the factory ball joints are junk by 40,000 miles. That's probably due to over loading them and after I change them to grease-able ones they last at least till we trade them in. The only other thing I've seen is that one guy keeps blowing up the transmission in his van although he drives like a 24 year old. We are just now starting to get the Transits and they seem pretty nice mechanically. I really like the ergonomics of them too. To me, they are comfortable to drive. I didn't like them at first but mostly because I don't like change. I hope that helps! Good luck!

 

[hyperboarder]

I've got an E-series as well. Dirt cheap and bulletproof, they put up with neglect and abuse like you wouldn't believe. Plenty of space for two, hell, we fit 2 adults, 2 kids, and 2 dogs in a standard body. It's a bit tight, but works.

 

[4x4pair]

I have an extended body E350 and love it. Plenty of room and with the Agile conversion it drives great. I have the 7.3 so maintenence was a little of a chore at first but that's what happens with over 200k on the clock.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

 

[luthj]

If you are set on a high roof then you options are limited. I would suggest a used transit or promaster. You should be able to find one that meets your budget needs. The promaster is popular in europe (sold as a fiat ducato)due to its front wheel drive and and floor height levelness. The lack of a driveshaft means there is much more usable space below for mounting tanks etc.

I suggest driving both to get an idea for the feel. Some people cannot stand the driving ergonomics of one or the other.

I would also suggest staying away from newer diesel powerplants for the time being. Most manufacturers are having teething pains with the newest emissions systems/requirements.

 

[markley]

Thanks so much for the replies! Yeah, I think we are definitely set on a high roof which is why I was looking at the Sprinter and Transit. I did not think about the Promaster..I'll have to look into that. Do the E-series make high roofs?

Also, thanks for the tip on the new diesel! I was debating between diesel and gas.

 

[KMG]

Don't overlook the Nissan NV 2500 & 3500. They are available with a high roof and have a V8 for towing. Plus with the engine out front you have tons of leg room.

 

[jmp81sc]

One thing to keep in mind, the older Dodge version of the sprinter is no longer supported by Mercedes. Mercedes is charging Dodge/Ram/Chrysler full retail for service parts so dealer repairs can be costly. This is what a Chrysler service manager told me.

The older T1N? sprinters had a good reputation for reliability, the new ones not so much.

 

[hyperboarder]

You can find E-series high roofs, they're aftermarket but typically well made.

 

[NoDinero]

We will be putting our 2005 Leisure Travel van up for sale next week. Hard to beat at $35,000. Took it all the way down to Guatemala last winter at PanAmTallman.Wordpress.com. Why try to convert when these things have finished bathrooms, kitchens, generators, a/c, awnings etc.? Just bought a 2007 Mercedes Winnebago to get a bit more room for longer stays in Mexico from here on. PM me or send a message at HideAwayLLC@gmail.com for further discussion.

 

[markley]

I'm liking the Promaster as well. The 159WB (as opposed to the 148WB on the Transit) offers up a little more cargo room. I also like that it is a FWD.