Well kitted Econoline. no affiliation

[86scotty]

Yeah I have years of seat time in the 4x4 Econoline platform and months of time in a 4x4 sprinter. There really is no comparison in off road capability. That said the sprinter is SO MUCH more comfortable on road. It is almost worth losing the off road capabilities. As far as this build is concerned I think you all have confirmed what my gut was telling me. 70-80k is a realistic fair market value. I doubt the seller will agree but who knows. If anyone knows of a 5r100 V10 van for sale at a reasonable price please shoot me a DM. If I can find the right van I’ll just go ahead and build another one from scratch.

Have you considered ordering a cutaway and putting a box on it? I've really just finished my 2011 V10 build, about to do the pop top which is more or less my final big step, but I am already dreaming of ordering a new cutaway and sending it straight to Quigley.

 

[TheRenaissanceTinker]

Have you considered ordering a cutaway and putting a box on it? I've really just finished my 2011 V10 build, about to do the pop top which is more or less my final big step, but I am already dreaming of ordering a new cutaway and sending it straight to Quigley.

I am actually. Theres a link to a Ujoint build a few posts up that looks vantastic. 2023 7.3 with essentially a minimod box on it.

 

[zip]

Have you considered ordering a cutaway and putting a box on it? I've really just finished my 2011 V10 build, about to do the pop top which is more or less my final big step, but I am already dreaming of ordering a new cutaway and sending it straight to Quigley.

Why Quigley?

 

[TheRenaissanceTinker]

Why Quigley?

I wondered that myself. I wasn’t going to say anything but that’s the last place I would send a van to be converted.

 

[86scotty]

I've had several Q's and they've always been just fine by adding only an Agile RIP kit. I've converted 4x4's before and don't enjoy it that much, honestly. I much prefer building out interiorsand other aspects of van builds a lot more than drivetrain work. Quigley, IMO, is the best value if you want to drop off a new van and have it done turn key. I don't need a $25k 4x conversion and don't want a leaf sprung front end on a van. If Agile still did TTB conversions that would be my first choice.

 

[TheRenaissanceTinker]

I've had several Q's and they've always been just fine by adding only an Agile RIP kit. I've converted 4x4's before and don't enjoy it that much, honestly. I much prefer building out interiorsand other aspects of van builds a lot more than drivetrain work. Quigley, IMO, is the best value if you want to drop off a new van and have it done turn key. I don't need a $25k 4x conversion. If Agile still did TTB conversions that would be my first choice.

Agile stopped doing TTBs?! Dammit that was one of then options we were discussing.

 

[86scotty]

Agile stopped doing TTBs?! Dammit that was one of then options we were discussing.

Yeah, John has pretty much stopped doing all things E-series at this point from what I've heard, however he still does offer suspension parts.

 

[Zybane]

Beautiful Van.
2022 Pricing

Ya there will be a huge market correction in 2024 as the economy keeps stumbling into more debt. Only people that are going to buy anything pricey are the wealthy, and they aren't buying 14 year old vans.

 

[zip]

I've had several Q's and they've always been just fine by adding only an Agile RIP kit. I've converted 4x4's before and don't enjoy it that much, honestly. I much prefer building out interiorsand other aspects of van builds a lot more than drivetrain work. Quigley, IMO, is the best value if you want to drop off a new van and have it done turn key. I don't need a $25k 4x conversion and don't want a leaf sprung front end on a van. If Agile still did TTB conversions that would be my first choice.

My biggest issue with the Quigley was the suspension, but maybe that is just the way SMB West ordered it. It appears that it was just factory leaves on the back with a 4 inch block. There may have been an add a leaf. Don't know how they got the lift on the front, but I would hit the bump stops going over traffic humps in a parking lot.

 

[trabs00]

Ya there will be a huge market correction in 2024 as the economy keeps stumbling into more debt. Only people that are going to buy anything pricey are the wealthy, and they aren't buying 14 year old vans.

Yep. Also supply and demand for new campers and toppers.
So many places that once had 1-2 year waits now are down to months. Many of them upgraded facilities to increase manufacturing capabilities and now the significant improvements in supply chain.

Unfortunately I see a contraction in some of the newer (post covid) startups as likely.
I hope it's not Hiatus (just picked mine up).

I was looking at Hiatus last year at this time and they had a wait time of 2 years. They emailed me in May and said they had a spot for October install and I took it.

 

[TheRenaissanceTinker]

Well the seller offered to “meet me in the middle“ between their asking and my offer. I declined. It was actually a very pleasant conversation. I politely explained why I thought their asking price was unrealistic and it seemed like they actually listened. I’m curious to see if they drop the price again in a few weeks.

 

[TheRenaissanceTinker]

Ya there will be a huge market correction in 2024 as the economy keeps stumbling into more debt. Only people that are going to buy anything pricey are the wealthy, and they aren't buying 14 year old vans.

This exactly! The demand has dried up and money is expensive again. I saw the writing on the wall last year and sold my van for a reasonable price. (That guy put a hightop on it took it to NY and tried to flip it for almost double. It’s still listed 😂) Our plan was to do some air travel for a year then upgrade to a bigger van once the bubble burst. It’s been exactly a year since we sold and I am getting really antsy for a new rig. I’m even considering that AEV ram with a pop up camper that was posted yesterday.

 

[trabs00]

This exactly! The demand has dried up and money is expensive again. I saw the writing on the wall last year and sold my van for a reasonable price. (That guy put a hightop on it took it to NY and tried to flip it for almost double. It’s still listed 😂) Our plan was to do some air travel for a year then upgrade to a bigger van once the bubble burst. It’s been exactly a year since we sold and I am getting really antsy for a new rig. I’m even considering that AEV ram with a pop up camper that was posted yesterday.

Good call on striking while the iron was still hot.
2021-early 2023 I had so many people who wanted to buy my truck for much more than realistically it was worth. Sometimes I think I should have sold high. At the time though I had no idea when the market would correct enough to buy once the bubble burst and didn't want to be without a rig for trips.
I guess this is why I don't play the stock market, I'm way too risk averse to make any money.

 

[gvb40]

Yeah sprinter interiors will ruin you. My wife and I borrowed a 2023 Storyteller from a friend for a few months this spring and it was AMAZING except we couldn’t get it into some of our favorite spots In the Eastern Sierra. Just not capable enough off road.

Only as capable as the driver. Watch Living The Van Life on YouTube.
he drives Jeep trails with his Sprinter.

 

[TheRenaissanceTinker]

Only as capable as the driver. Watch Living The Van Life on YouTube.
he drives Jeep trails with his Sprinter.

I have seen it. What I see him driving are fire roads not Jeep trails. I’ve driven Sprinters and Econolines on the same trails. In my experience the Econoline goes further. They are both great platforms with different strengths.