Table Of Content
1- Ford Transit
1.1- Overview
While the Sprinter draws a lot of attention in the campervan world, the Ford Transit dominates the commercial van market with close to 26% of total sales in the USA (source). Introduced in 2015 in North America, the Ford Transit is got an overhaul in 2020 with new engine options, a long awaited AWD (All Wheel Drive) drivetrain, and other high-tech upgrades (adaptive cruise control, pre-collision assist, etc.).
1.2- Build ANd Price
Style
- Cargo Van
- Passenger Van
Length
- Regular 18.5 ft (130″ WB)
- Long 20 ft (148″ WB)
- Extended 22 ft (148″ WB)
Height
- Low Roof (83.2″)
- Medium Roof (100.8″)
- High Roof (110.2″)
Engines
- 3.5L Direct Injection (Gas)
- 3.5L EcoBoost (Gas)
- 2.0L EcoBlue (Diesel)
Drivetrain
- RWD
- RWD LSD (Limited Slip Differential)
- AWD (All Wheel Drive)
Use the Ford.com “Build & Price” interactive tool to build your own Ford Transit (and find out the price). Try it, it’s neat:
1.3- Exterior Dimensions
1.4- Interior Cargo Dimensions
All photos credit: https://www.adriansteel.com/item/cargo-vans/dimensions/
REGULAR LENGTH (130WB)
LOW ROOF
MEDIUM ROOF
LONG LENGTH (148WB)
LOW ROOF
MEDIUM ROOF
HIGH ROOF
EXTENDED LENGTH (148WB)
HIGH ROOF
1.5- Repair & Maintenance
$866 USD ANNUAL REPAIR COST (SOURCE: REPAIRPAL.COM)
Ford, Mercedes, or Ram: regardless of makes and brands, repair and maintenance is inevitable in the long run. Sure, you might get a free espresso at the Mercedes dealer, but Ford dealers are all over the map (dealer locator), are way cheaper, and parts availability is VERY good. Knowing we live full time in our van and travel a lot to remote places, that’s a MASSIVE reason to go for the Ford Transit instead of the Mercedes Sprinter!
How reliable is the Ford Transit? We’re tracking absolutely all the repair cost of our Transit; in 5 years of ownership (2016 to 2022), we spent $2400 USD (excluding tires & oil change). We’re very pleased with that! See our detailed repair log book:
1.6- Our Opinion
WHAT WE LIKE
- Reasonable ownership cost.
- Extensive dealership network.
- Get parts cheap and fast.
- Drives like a minivan.
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
- Rear brakes wear fast. Keep an eye on them.
INITIAL COST: We initially looked for a Sprinter (because that’s what everybody did back in 2015), and quickly realized we could get a brand new Ford Transit (full warranty, no previous owner, customized options, etc.) for pretty much the same price as a used Sprinter…
REPAIR & MAINTENANCE: Then we realized that even if the Sprinter is a high-end vehicle, they do break down a lot. Looking at the Mercedes dealership map (Mercedes dealer locator), it got us thinking: what would happen if we wanted to travel to Alaska or South America? Heck, even in the USA, there are no dealers outside of the major cities!
TEST-DRIVE: We then test-drove both a Transit and a Sprinter… we much preferred the Transit as it felt more like driving a minivan (nimble and predictable), whereas the Sprinter felt like driving a full-size cargo van.
COMMON SENSE: At very last, we asked ourselves this question: “If we had to buy a car, would we buy a Mercedes or a Ford?” Yep, it all made sense now: we much prefer spending money on mountain biking gear and adventures rather than on a luxury vehicle!
Needless to say, we went for a brand new Ford Transit 2016, and we’re glad we did!
1.7- Resources
2 YEARS OF WINTER VANLIFE
REAL WORLD REPORT ON THE FORD TRANSIT: Traction Control System (TCS), Limited Slip Differential (LSD), 4×4 (lack of), RWD vs FWD, Tires, Snow Chains, Recovery Devices, How to Climb Like a Boss…
BUILD & PRICE YOUR OWN FORD TRANSIT
Feel free to try any configuration and see the effect on the price…
MODIFICATIONS & OEM GUIDELINES
ONLINE COMMUNITIES
More Van Goodies
TESTED AND REVIEWED FROM OUR RESEARCH LAB FACILITIES (A.K.A. OUR VAN)
2- Mercedes Sprinter
2.1- Overview
Until a few years ago, DIY campervan conversion (almost) necessarily meant Sprinter-van (in North America). Indeed, the Sprinter has been around since 2001 (branded back then as “Freightliner”, then re-branded as Dodge in 2003) way before the Transit or the ProMaster. Today, the Mercedes Sprinter takes 10% of the commercial van market in USA (source).
2.2- Build ANd Price
Style
- Cargo Van
- Passenger Van
Length
- Standard 19.5 ft (144″ WB)
- Long 22.8 ft (170″ WB)
- Extended 24.15 ft (170″ WB)
Height
- Standard Roof (96.3″)
- High Roof (110″)
- Super-High Roof (120.1″)
Engines
- 2.0L Turbo (Gas)
- 3.0L Turbo (Diesel)
Drivetrain
- RWD
- 4×4
Use the MBvans.com “Build Your Van” interactive tool to build your own Sprinter van:
2.3- Exterior Dimensions
2.4- Interior Cargo Dimensions
All photos credit: https://www.adriansteel.com/item/cargo-vans/dimensions/
STANDARD LENGTH (144WB),
LOW ROOF:
LONG LENGTH (170WB),
HIGH ROOF:
EXTENDED LENGTH (170WB), HIGH ROOF:
2.5- Repair & Maintenance
$1,778 USD ANNUAL REPAIR COST (SOURCE: REPAIRPAL.COM)
Sprinter vans are great until things go wrong. Dealers are only located in major cities (see dealer locator), parts & labor are VERY costly, and parts availability is poor and can take time.
Vans are ALWAYS at the center of discussions when meeting other van people. And we met MANY vanlifers during our two years on the road. There are just too many horror stories with the Sprinter: black death, limp mode, DEF heater failure, clogged DPF, etc. Whatever it is called, it seems every Sprinter owner had to deal with it at some point.
2.6- Our Opinion
WHAT WE LIKE
- Good Mileage.
- Free espresso at the dealer.
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
- High ownership cost.
- High risk of turning into a money pit on wheels.
High initial cost, reliability issues, and massive maintenance/repair cost… For some reason, the Sprinter has a big appeal among campervan builders, but we don’t really know why. Is it the good mileage? The 4×4? The Mercedes name? Whatever it is, we think it’s not worth the risk. We personally know too many people wasting huge amounts of money trying to keep their Sprinter alive.
No thanks, we’ll pass.
2.7- Resources
BUILD & PRICE YOUR OWN MERCEDES SPRINTER
MODIFICATIONS & OEM GUIDELINES
Body And Equipment Guidelines (BEG) :
ONLINE COMMUNITIES
3- Ram ProMaster
3.1- Overview
The Fiat Ducato is marketed as the ProMaster in North-America since 2013. With 11% of total commercial van sales in the USA (source), the Ram ProMaster is doing well. It is most notably known for its FWD drivetrain and for its “square” cargo area, which makes the life of campervan builders easier!
3.2- Build ANd Price
Style
- Cargo Van
- “Window” Van
Length
- 136″ WB 17.75 ft
- 159″ WB 19.75 ft
- 159″ WB Extended 20.85 ft
Height
- Low Roof (88″)
- High Roof (99″)
Engines
- 3.6L Pentastar (Gas)
Drivetrain
- FWD
Use the RamTrucks.com “Build Your Van” interactive tool to build your own ProMaster van:
3.3- Exterior Dimensions
3.4- Interior Cargo Dimensions
All photos credit: https://www.adriansteel.com/item/cargo-vans/dimensions/
136″ WHEELBASE
LOW ROOF:
HIGH ROOF:
159″ WHEELBASE,
HIGH ROOF:
159″ WHEELBASE EXTENDED,
HIGH ROOF:
3.5- Repair & Maintenance
$859 USD ANNUAL REPAIR COST (SOURCE: REPAIRPAL.COM)
We honestly don’t have much data on the ProMaster. Asking around, it seems very similar to the Ford Transit in terms of cost and dealership network.
Are you a ProMaster owner? Share your experience with us using the comment section below!
3.6- Our Opinion
WHAT WE LIKE
- With its “square” cargo area, the ProMaster is the widest of all vans, and straight walls are easier to build in.
- Reasonable ownership cost.
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
- Front Wheel Drive (thumbs down, that’s right). A converted van has more weight on its rear axle, which means more traction on the rear wheels. Here in British-Columbia, we frequently have to go up very steep 4WD high-clearance roads to get access to our favorite mountain-biking trails or backcountry skiing zones; a front wheel drive doesn’t have enough traction to do this. Seeing the astonished reaction of people when we arrive on top of what’s considered a rough 4WD road doesn’t get old 🙂 “Is that van four wheel drive?
Knowing that MORE WEIGHT = MORE TRACTION, we’re glad our van is RWD!
We get more traction when climbing a steep incline, because there is even more weight on the rear axle!
3.7 REality Check
We reached out to a friend who lived in his Sprinter van for 4 years and just switched to a ProMaster (full time as well). Keeping the same habits, he says that he got stuck as much in 3 months as he did in 4 years in his Sprinter. So while we have nothing against the ProMaster (we have absolutely no affiliation with any brand), it might not be the best vehicle to take on the back roads.
3.8- Resources
BUILD & PRICE YOUR OWN RAM PROMASTER
MODIFICATIONS & OEM GUIDELINES
Design Recommendation
Frame Alterations
Wiring
Etc.
ONLINE COMMUNITIES
4- Nissan NV
4.1- Our Opinion
————————
EDIT 2020: LOOKS LIKE NISSAN IS ABOUT TO DISCONTINUE THE NV VAN: https://www.thetorquereport.com/nissan/nissan-nv-vans-are-likely-being-discontinued/
—————————–
4.2- Build ANd Price
Style
- Cargo Van
- Passenger Van
Length
- 146″ Wheelbase (20 ft exterior length)
Height
- Standard Roof (84″)
- High Roof (105″)
Engines
- 4.0L V6 (Gas)
- 5.6L V8 (Gas)
Drivetrain
- RWD
Use the NissanUSA.com “Build & Price” interactive tool to build your own NV van:
4.3- Exterior Dimensions
4.4- Interior Cargo Dimensions
All photos credit: https://www.adriansteel.com/item/cargo-vans/dimensions/
NISSAN NV LOW ROOF:
NISSAN NV HIGH ROOF:
4.5- Repair & Maintenance
$859 USD ANNUAL REPAIR COST (SOURCE: REPAIRPAL.COM)
5- BEST VAN FOR CAMPER BUILD: Our Humble Opinion
We have to be totally transparent here. We’re biased towards the Ford Transit. Not because we have any affiliation with Ford; we’re biased because we’ve owned our Transit since 2016, and living in it full time since 2017 and we’re still totally in love with it.
We were looking for a reasonably priced van that’s easy & cheap to maintain and that would not let us down no matter what. And that’s exactly what our Transit has delivered. For this reason, if we totaled our van tomorrow, we would buy another Transit in a split second without any hesitation.
VAN TOUR, 3D MODEL, COST & LABOR, BUILD JOURNAL, WEIGHT, ETC.
THAT’S IT FOLKS, HOPE THAT HELPS!
Awesome website! Thanks for sharing in such details, amazing! Quick question. You mentioned that it’s easy to find a place to get the Transit fixed throughout North America and that something that is really appealing to us. We are about to purchase a Transit DIESEL. Does it change anything as far as garages goes? Does it mean that it would be harder to find a place to get the van fixed in case of a problem?
im wondering what the average yearly maintenance costs come out to between 100k and 200kmi
We keep a log of all the maintenance/repair costs: https://faroutride.com/ford-transit-repair-cost/
The comparison did not include the width of vehicles.
What about a Chevy Express/GMC Savana? A
Allô! J’ai des intérêts similaires aux vôtres (MTB, ski) mais je vais utiliser ma van pour des fins de semaines, et un voyage d’un mois par année donc pas besoin de cuisine complète, et moins de confort est ok. Dans cette optique, quelle longueur et hauteur de Transit (Trail) recommendez-vous? Est-ce que le 148″ (long) medium roof accomodera bien 4 vélos, un lit et deux bancs pour futurs enfants? Merci!
Salut!
C’est vraiment dure à dire, on a pas ce genre d’expérience avec un tel layout. Le mieux serait de faire des sketch/dessin pour valider vos idées. On a un plan pour ça (medium/long et medium/high-roof): https://faroutride.com/product/transit-template/
Bonne planif!
How many miles does your ford transit have ? I agree with the reasons why it may be the best choice but also, a Sprinter van gets more than double the miles as it has a diesel engine. Therefore it may be worth paying more for maintenance as it will last so much longer. What do you guys think? How many miles are on your ford transit?
In theory diesel are more reliable, but then when you add turbos and anti-pollution systems it’s not so true anymore… My 2c!
We’re close to 100K miles, you can see our repair log here: https://faroutride.com/ford-transit-repair-cost/
Cheers, antoine
First off, this website is one of the best I have ever seen interns of content, structure, depth, et. Koodos
My question is I have seen measurement videos for the Transit Ext and the cargo area seems to only be 160″ long. Your pic above has 170″. Is this the difference between measuring on the floor vs. Along the roof? I am about to do a build for a my family of 4 and the difference is enough for me to switch to Sprinter.
Hi! Measured at floor level:
– 160″ between B-Pillar and D-Pillar.
– Close to 170″ if you go in front of the B-Pillar and all the way to the rear doors (behind D-Pillar).
In the photo below I am flush with the B-Pillar, and extending a little bit behind the D-Pillar:
Commercial driver here in the UK and looking at whether to buy a Transit or a Sprinter. I still haven’t decided:-) Reading through the page and the comments, it sounds like the advice is to ‘go for a Transit if buying new’, but ‘go for a Sprinter if buying used’. I’m looking to buy a used van and finding that you don’t find many Transits on the market the have done 150K miles or more. There are lot’s of Sprinters though.
I have had my 2019 Promaster 159 for 2.5 years and wouldn’t trade it for anything (except maybe a mid roof 148 diesel Transit)
Just got 23 (US) mpg last weekend on a 325 mile trip. Just driving like a normal person (not a S Florida crazy person)
Not too many drive throughs I can’t get past.
Performance in snow has been fantastic.
Not a single repair since new.
Great comparison. thank you so much.
Thanks for a great article, reviews and data on the vehicles! Good stuff! Have fun on the road!!!
I did hours of online research and this is by far the best source for choosing a Class B format. I even bookmarked it.
This has been very helpful. My concern (prior to much research) is that I want the doors to all open as easily as they would in a passenger van. Is it an extra cost to get this feature?
I’m retired, still have sticks and bricks, and am considering traveling as a snowbird in the southwest … so not full time.
Very helpful information! Thanks for taking the time to package this info. Cheers!
Thank you! This is a great guide. I’m starting a build myself (yikes!) and I will be following a lot of your ideas!
Thanks for your very thorough review now I got the idea which one is the best to pick. Any suggestion where to customize rv?
This site is a great resource, and I’ve turned to it for more than one build.
However, I disagree with suggesting RWD over FWD for backcountry travel. RWD is prone to oversteer on wet or icy roads and vans leave the factory heavier in the front by at least a ton due to the drivetrain. Even with a heavy build, 4WD>AWD>FWD>RWD most of the time. (tell your friend to get some chains!)
Cheers
Thank you!! I’m 62 years old and trying to figure out which vehicle to buy for My Floor sanding and installation business that I will be doing part time and traveling as well. Your opinions on each vehicle has helped me so much thanks again
hi! will you consider building a medium or high roof transit with a pop top? most of the transit with pop tops I see in youtube are low roof. thank you!
Just a note about the early Sprinters. They were all built by Dodge, and are pretty much identical. They were badged as Freightliner, Dodge, or Mercedes because Mercedes owned all three. When Mercedes bailed on Chrysler, the Freightliner and Mercedes Sprinters stopped.
Also I noticed that Freightliner Apparently has cargo Sprinters as I saw current models on the Portland Oregon Freightliner dealer website. Mercedes still owns Freightliner.
I’m confused because down here in Pompano Beach I see them as Freightliner Sprinter of late and they even have the 2022 out now.
I was astounded when I first saw the Mercedes Sprinter looking van with Freightliner on it so tell me who’s who or what’s what?
This is great! Thank you!
One question (and it’s a bit involved) but if you were to order a new Transit today, what would you build? There are so many accessories that it’s a bit overwhelming.
Hope you can help.