Wilderness Vans - GRID chassis cab

[martinf]

I was mindlessly browsing instagram and saw a post from Wilderness Vans. Their GRID truck looks interesting. Truck chassis, heated garage, lithium power. No listed price but there is a for sale post for one of their trucks with a listing of $280k USD. I think the price is about right for this kind of build in today's market. Not sure about the all aluminum chassis. Thoughts?

https://www.wildernessvans.com/conversions/chassis-cab/

 

[SDDiver5]

Pretty awesome looking! 280k is steeeeeep.

 

[Steve_382]

Pretty awesome looking! 280k is steeeeeep.

I don't know. It looks more appealing than an EC and less than half the price. Delivery in 2024 doesn't sound all that good though.

 

[lbarcher]

Canadian dollars so not that spendy for our southern neighbours.

 

[Semiquixotic]

Canadian dollars so not that spendy for our southern neighbours.

Good point. $280K Candian is $207K US as of this morning. Wonder what import/export fees would be?

 

[Steve_382]

I like the layout and overall size, but with all that aluminum frame and skin it seems like it might not be great in cold weather.

 

[Jonnyo]

I like the layout and overall size, but with all that aluminum frame and skin it seems like it might not be great in cold weather.

it all depend on the insulation technic used. It would be very easy to insulate well with foamboard and make sure there is zero thermal bridging and you end up with a amazing 4 season unit. This company is in lethbridge alberta.... it get brutal cold winter... my gut tell me this thing is well insultated for winter!

 

[carleton]

Wow, finally a bike tray not in a van builder.
Could be a game changer.

Pretty sure this guy is made by ITB, been floating around for years:
Intercontinental Cruiser

 

[Steve_382]

Wow, finally a bike tray not in a van builder.
Could be a game changer.

Pretty sure this guy is made by ITB, been floating around for years:
Intercontinental Cruiser

Yes, their website says the body is made by ITB.

The lightweight and strong extruded aluminum body is manufactured locally by ITB. With over 40 years of experience building bodies, you can be confident the GRID body is built strong, and built to last.

 

[eg23]

This looks pretty good.
nice to see a Canadian Company producing this type of build.
I am not sure they have much other Canadian competition.

 

[jk6661]

I don't know. It looks more appealing than an EC and less than half the price. Delivery in 2024 doesn't sound all that good though.

I don't want to derail this thread, but IMO EC has gone off the rails with their pricing. An EXP or FX starts at almost $600K now(!), and they still just offer that sterile-looking white interior with one layout option. Also, features you can get from Bliss Mobile et al. like a lifting bed aren't available from EC at all. A Terranova starts at $350K, and it doesn't even have solid walls. The Wilderness Vans product and similar rigs look like a much better value.

 

[martinf]

A Fuso based EXP was $275 pre-pandemic, now they go for quite a bit more on the used market. But the same goes for any vehicle. I sold my 6 years old Airstream trailer during the pandemic for what I paid new and sold my 7 years old truck for not much less. Prices are starting to go down, curious to see how this industry will adapt.

 

[Steve_382]

I don't want to derail this thread, but IMO EC has gone off the rails with their pricing. An EXP or FX starts at almost $600K now(!), and they still just offer that sterile-looking white interior with one layout option. Also, features you can get from Bliss Mobile et al. like a lifting bed aren't available from EC at all. A Terranova starts at $350K, and it doesn't even have solid walls. The Wilderness Vans product and similar rigs look like a much better value.

I really meant to say it was more appealing than the Earth Roamer, but yes the current prices for the EXP and FX seem way high. The Terranova is still an option for me, but the solid walls and inside bike storage would be a game changer with the Grid. Wonder if it's really light enough that it could be on a F350. Would love to be able to get away from the military wheels and tires.

 

[SootyCamper]

ITB makes good boxes, however they make TERRIBLE subframes. The offroad camper just isn't in their wheelhouse. That why most Canadian builders have moved on from ITB. I would highly suggest anyone looking into one of these trucks take a very good look at the subframe design.

Also the windows used are similar (clones/probably come from the same factory in China) to the famous TERN windows. They have aluminum frames and will ice up in cold weather.

I spoke to an ITB subframe victim and it cost him 10's of thousands to get the issues rectified. The springs used in the 4 point spring system failed and also the nice side ALU boxes were attached using woodscrews....... Yikes.

Otherwise the dimensions and overall design of these mini earthroamer clones are something I'd heavily consider. Another Canadian producer kicking ass.

 

[eg23]

Do they have any other Canadian competitors that build similar units?
thanks and I apologize for my ignorance.