Best van to convert to camper reddit. Nov 9, 2020 · You can start van life without going broke and without sacrificing comfort for your tiny home. Obviously if you can find one with standing room and that's important to you go for that. I will be in a All things related to mobile homes or mobile home living (not just VW) Wait for cybertruck. So long story short, I'm tossing around the idea of building out a van that I can sleep in on the days that I am working. The factors I'm considering in choosing a van are parts availability, ease of repair, fuel economy, and size. Sep 25, 2025 · The good vans for camper conversion in 2025 range from modern Sprinters to classic Chevy Express models. I’m curious what the cost of your van build was? I’ve dedicated the first half of this year (and a couple months of planning last year) to converting a cargo van into a tiny home capable of living in and doing some remote work from for at least a year full time. All of them come in multiple wheelbases and roof heights. Sigh sold my van as we planned to downsize; the Pandemic hit, and still in the same house; I should have kept the van! Super simple, worked fine for me as a camper/explore van. How much did your conversion cost you, what kind of tools required etc? For people that live a carefree, mobile, and active lifestyle on the road. com? Would like to help you fin the best model, but I have some questions to better answer your: What is your budget? Are you planning to do full van life or just travel? For how many people? Where you'll travel? What weather? Do you need all-wheel drive? Good cars to convert for van life besides actual vans? My question is pretty straight forward. The best van for a camper conversion will ensure you have a comfortable base vehicle for making many happy memories. Regardless of your choice, we hope you will have lots of fun and cozy journeys with family and friends in the coming months. Just be willing to spend about 50,000 for a used camper van and to travel across the country to go pick it up. e. I am looking to convert a minivan into a camper, I am not looking to live in the van full time, but I do plan to travel the country in it, and do plan to spend nights in it between camping sites. I want the van to double as my daily driver, I am thinking of a 2008 or newer Dodge Grand Caravan. EV vans are for fleet delivery. Click the "+" button for each stage below to learn all about it. It will be fully equipped with a toilet and a shower, a house battery can be added, along with a generator. I'm 5'-7" and 155 lbs. That tends to be the most economical way to jump into the lifestyle. Definition of 'stand-up' to me is: One that I can stand up, vertically, inside (5'8'' but don't read too much into my height). Size, mpg, reliability, gas/hybrid, etc. We've split our ultimate guide on how to convert a van into a camper into 10 build stages. Drives well, 25 mpg, good traction in snow/mud, reliable motor. I see many nicely done conversions going for 40k-75k, and wondering if realistically people actually have had success selling these van conversions. Share rig images, helpful websites, road stories, tips and tricks for camping locations. It’s a 2003 Ford e450 HD, 7. I need a box truck that’s reliable that can be driven around the USA. Jul 6, 2022 · Who said you need a huge van for #vanlife? These freakin' rad minivan camper conversions showcase the amazing flexibility of small spaces. Etc I cuttently Feb 24, 2022 · Here's a look at the best vans for converting into campers. Promaster has the lowest cargo floor so it's easier to step in and out of, it's also the widest and most boxy so it's easier to build out DIY style. I am already 20k in debt and a full time student working part time during the school year and full time in the summer. It seems like the Toyota Sienna is the most popular, with Honda Odyssey coming in 2nd for microcampers. The point to my rambling is to look for fleet vehicles, they have regular maintenance schedules that they had to follow. This gives me hope for my dream of one someday turning my Toyota Sienna into a camper van. Cop pulled over since the cop—reasonably—thought it was someone after hours trying to burgle someone's work tools. say I put 25k into the cost of the van itself, and 10k into the buildout and take time to do it correctly. Jun 24, 2023 · I’m in the market for a used minivan to turn into a minicamper. Feb 4, 2025 · Looking for the best van for converting to a camper? Our guide is here to help, as we look at the leading options from Volkswagen, Ford, Fiat and more. Jul 18, 2025 · Don't choose the wrong model for your new van life! DIY or professional, we've reviewed the 5 best vans for camper conversions fit for the process. I'm thinking of buying a camper van for ~20k or cargo van and converting for ~20k. Feb 12, 2024 · Find the best van to convert to a camper van with our complete guide. It's cramped. It's very inconspicuous. Also wanted to say build out price is higher for van rv then a box style rv because harder to work in / manufacturer interiors and tend to be more custom to fit curved walls. I'm in the process of trying to do a no build camper inside my 2009 Honda Odyssey. What are the best states to get used vans with low mileage for camper van conversions? What are reasons to go for the Caravan Outfitter Free Bird versus getting a used van and converting it ouselves? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Hi, here's my 2 cents as an aussie doing my conversion at the moment and ex van-driving tradie. Jul 22, 2020 · There are many other vans that can make for a great camper van but these are certainly the most popular in the Vanlife community today. Edit: State Farm is the way to go! Archived post. The Grand Caravan is the extended version. Companies that insure DIY conversions for vans and buses won't touch a converted box truck, and they also won't tell you why. If you want easy or not expensive to maintain the sprinter is out. Best SUV for conversion? I'm currently looking into converting something like a Honda Pilot or Ford Escape for camping/trips (2-6 months at a time) and using the truck as a daily driver when I have to work. A van build is going to be tailored to your own needs more than a camper, and also will be of stronger construction/last longer. I have seen high top caravans as handicap vans. What is the best van to convert to a camper van? It depends on your budget and as well as the number of people you want to travel with. For those of you that did a van build what were some of the pros and cons in selecting to do a van built versus buying a van or a camper van that was already built out except for cost of course! 45M subscribers in the AskReddit community. Jul 26, 2022 · An in-depth review of the best van for camper conversion, which make the ideal base platform to be transformed into your dream home on wheels. The problem is, bigger vans are hot (expensive) right now, and it’s really hard to sleep two people in a mini van. But for camper van where you want to go 100s of miles and don't have charging option it's not feasible. Ended up finding a rwd Ford transit and converting it (almost done) for less than the cost of a pop-top camper (24k including van) and I will sell the truck once the camper is fully complete, recouping a lot of the cost of the van once that is my daily driver. Hi I'm wanting to convert a van and been researching as pretty clueless about vans. I only intend to use the van for a few months next year, before selling the van and hopefully recouping my investment. What questions should I ask him? Share Add a Comment Sort by: Best Open comment Facebook there's a group called van class B camper vans for sale which has a ton of posts in it, alot of traffic overall. What are the best preassembled camper vans out there? Archived post. Aug 9, 2025 · Enjoying the great outdoors from your very own camper has been an American past time for decades. Hi, van lifers. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Wondering what the downsides are to the Odyssey over the Sienna, and if they’re worth the extra money one would pay for the Odyssey. It’s not always cheaper. Thanks Mar 13, 2025 · Check out some of the best vans for camper conversion to compare models and understand pricing in your area—it varies by region! Important things to consider when buying a used van Looking into living the 'van life' full-time in my future and am leaning towards a short bus conversion. Mazda Bongo and Toyota Hisce will prob be the cheapest. You can also remove the truck camper when you’re not using it, and it becomes a “normal” vehicle. See full list on twowanderingsoles. Factors I'm thinking of are length for bed, height for head space, gas mileage, all wheel drive for rugged roads, easy to clean, easy to convert (chair removal, square), roof rack v. I plan on paying for this over time with SW and my job. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. I’d like to spend under $10,000 on the vehicle. You could just get a boot kit to drop into the boot which adds a bed and kitchen off the shelf for a lot of models. And pros / cons of choosing one over the other ? : r/vandwellers Go to vandwellers r/vandwellers r/vandwellers I assume the best place would also be the place where the second hand van market is the largest? Leading me to assume that California (flying into LA) might be the best place to buy one. Are other vans (Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Pacifica, etc) better options? Which has the Every van conversion is split into stages, which should be followed in order. Even at this milage I am still going to convert it to an camper for my wife and myself (kids are all off to college now). If you can find a high top, it would be an excellent home for one person. Hi, I'm planning on getting a van to convert pretty soon. There are definitely deals to be had in that sub though, and there are also plenty of 100k+ vans for sale for the Oct 30, 2023 · Comparing the most popular minivans to decide which is best for minivan camper conversions. Listen to Trebor, and do a road test first. A used winnebago type brand conversion van will hold its value better than a custom conversion van. Instead of vans, many campers have been converting used buses for sale into camping vehicles because of the space, luxury and style they have to offer. I've seen videos on YouTube and looked up a lot of things online but most of what I'm finding is for bigger vans or different models. I want to be able to drive it on a regular driver's license and be able to park it relatively easy. There are so many creative ways to convert a van into an amazing camper. Something I'm curious about is, as for longevity, is there a brand or class/subclass of van that is leaps more resilient than its peers? Mileage longevity, internal car This is a good option, or truck camper top. (I don’t own a van) Hi I'm wanting to convert a van and been researching as pretty clueless about vans. Diesel/electric is probably the best practical choice right now - use solar and battery for an induction hob, diesel combi boiler for hot water and air heating . A truck can easily cost 80k and a truck camper can cost 50k. What are the 4x4 Van options out there? Anything i should look out for? Been looking at Delicia (there are quite a range of models) and Toyota HiAce. I’m aware of the Airstream Interstate, and Roadtrek, but not much else. It would be extremely cramped if I were any Alright folks, for everyone out there thats ever slept in a car what are your thoughts? Favorite vehicles and why? I'm thinking for the future. Learn about key considerations like size, reliability, and cost to kickstart your journey! Best van for camper conversion UK? I'm new to vans and I want to get one to convert into a camper here in the UK. Firstly are camper vans an investment that will hold their value? A case in point: fellow camper was outside his converted work van at night doing regular vancamping stuff. I would be looking at something similar in size to a promaster 1500, having a roof unit would be ideal but i would be open to something else if its more efficient. Van insurance, especially non commercial, should get you a cheaper quote. You can get a decent cargo van (Ford Econoline, Dodge Ram Van, Chevy Astro or Express) for 5K and do a basic build for $1-2K. Want the double bed to go sideways so internal width needs to be minimum 164cms What would you guys recommend? I'm really I'm tempted to convert a van within the next couple years, but money isn't a non-issue for me. These EV vans get like 120 miles of range Reply reply AyoJenny • Companies that insure DIY conversions for vans and buses won't touch a converted box truck, and they also won't tell you why. Are other vans (Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Pacifica, etc) better options? Which has the Dreaming of vanlife? Our Ultimate Van Conversion Guide walks you through every step of the build—from planning and electrics to insulation, plumbing, and carpentry. Start your journey today! Aug 9, 2025 · Enjoying the great outdoors from your very own camper has been an American past time for decades. What are some good car models that can be renovated and converted to travel long term and live the van life style that aren’t actually vans? For a good, budget-friendly van that's great for beginner van life and occasional sleepovers, I'd recommend looking into a few models: Dodge Grand Caravan: These are pretty affordable, especially if you go for a slightly older model. Build a platform for your mattress, storage underneath and insure it as a van, social domestic and pleasure only, carriage of own goods. The build is really amazing and the price is right, but I’ll admit I don’t know much about diesel engines. What i would like to know is what are my options in terms of having AC and how do i power it. Did you guys get your converted van insured as a van or a camper? And how did you answer… If it's only for one or two nights at a time don't convert it. I’ll be carrying 2 bikes and primarily travelling alone. I'm happy that I removed the console between the two front seats because I can crawl into the back without going outside. The right choice depends on budget, travel style, and reliability needs. There are bigger models too. The Sienna is good for 1-2 weeks for me in good weather. Been looking at perhaps: Ford transit custom Renault traffic Vauxhall vivaro We're looking at something for two people, want a small double bed in the back, and a kitchette and cupboards. r/AskReddit is the place to ask and answer thought-provoking questions. Hi! I’m a keen cyclist (gravel and road) and an early onset mid-life crisis has me eyeing up converting a van and taking a career break to travel, with an emphasis on cycling. Although I am now happy with the van I decided to use at the beginning of my camper conversion journey; I was very confused when faced with all the options. May 18, 2020 · So, which Sprinter van is best for conversion? Choosing the right Sprinter Van to convert is based on how many people you have and what layout you would like inside. It really depends what you want out of it, they all have pros and cons. no the options either seem limited for electric vans, or they're just straight up bank account destroying. A van build will offer some semblance of privacy and stealth, which may or may not be a concern. Transit is generally Most people either buy the van in cash and then either have it professionally coverted and insured as a RV, or build it themselves and don't insure the additions just the van as a van. Not viable in the winter. Best Vans to convert? I am looking to buy a van and start my adventure, I’m curious as to which vans are the best ‘bang for your buck’ and maybe if there’s a better way to find vans for sale than Craigslist/autotrader/cars. If you want all wheel drive the promaster is out. Given the cost of the bikes, they’ll need to A 3/4 ton with a truck camper can go places a van can’t. But get it stuck quite a bit going to places it shouldnt go. Any tips and information is greatly appreciated. Mar 31, 2025 · The camper van fits everything that makes a camper or trailer so great into a more compact package. Does anyone have an ambulance build? Tell me everything. No fluff, just real, actionable advice. If they van life appeals to you, check out these camper vans. You might also get lucky and score a older 4wd van like a 80's Ford or something but they will get very bad mpg. Here are the 16 best vans available in 2025. I’m a 27 y/o software engineer taking a break from work to focus on this project. Check out the top budget-friendly small vans! Feb 21, 2024 · Updated February 21, 2024 Choosing the base for your camper van conversion is a big decision, and it can get a little overwhelming. So get the van in the best mechanical shape that you can with the money you have available. I am thinking of getting into vanlife and this message board has provided a wealth of knowledge. Apr 21, 2025 · Converting a large panel van into a camper is a popular way to create a bespoke motorhome. Well insulated. With examples and specs for each one, find the right van for your camper conversion. Am starting a decent paying job here soon though so it's time to start planning. Hello all, My partner and I are starting to seriously look into buying and converting a van to dwell in. I personally went with a Promaster. Hey everyone, I need some help understanding what I should be looking for when picking a box truck to covert. We have a Dodge Grand Caravan. Any other electric goods vehicle is either corporate purchases only or has terrible range - remember campervans tend to be near the max load capacity all the time so you will never get near official range figures. Jun 5, 2025 · Explore top vans for camper conversion like the Mercedes Sprinter and Ford Transit. Some people just hate trailers though but are nice that you could drop it somewhere. But it’s not built for off road. Mine is the smaller one so for us it’s more convenient to get into places other vans can’t. It was only about 24k and has built in gps and cruise control. So they just drive and charge every night. Oct 31, 2018 · We’ve rounded up the five best cargo vans - all available for purchase here in the U. I. No dog and I'm single now. A high roof Sprinter van is a must, as it allows people up to 6’ 4” to stand upright, compared to the standard roof. Ford or find an EV conversion shop. Personally I'm looking at a smaller van and a simple conversation something like Pam the van did. 3 Turbo Diesel 185,000 miles. I have camped in it by throwing down a backpacking pad and sleeping bag. I am shopping for a van to convert what are top 5 that you would suggest considering? thank you!!! Any van will do the job as long as it has enough space inside to do what you want to do with it. She tells me the Ford transit seems to be best for us but we aren’t sure what the pro’s and cons are for each model. But which base van is best for a camper conversion in the UK? In this post, we compare six of the top contenders: the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ford Transit, Peugeot Boxer / Citroën Relay / Fiat Ducato (these three are basically the same van, often called the “Sevel” vans), VW Crafter / MAN TGE We compare Sprinter van conversions with Ford Transit van conversions and Ram Promaster van conversions to see what one you should go with for your own van conversion whether its a DIY project or a custom built rig with our team! I am looking to convert a minivan into a camper, I am not looking to live in the van full time, but I do plan to travel the country in it, and do plan to spend nights in it between camping sites. S. I’ve been looking for vans, but I keep coming back to this ambulance. Objective: Understanding how to select a reliable box truck to convert so I can live remotely. Particularly curious about size/space in Hi all, I love my camper van conversion. A Japanese imported van will usually be petrol and if you search online you'll find confirmations of which ones are ULEZ compliant. It’s often difficult to determine the best vans for camper conversions, even if you have some experience in the recreational vehicle world. Then $3K left over for emergency fund (because you will break down, no big deal). But honestly the range will make it not very useable. Why convert a van instead of buying a small used/cheap RV ? Just wondering what influenced your decisions . A conversion van might fit the ticket (really like the old ones) since they come pretty well equipped, but the price tags on the new ones seem ridiculously high to me. Oct 17, 2023 · So, you want to live the van life? Here are our top picks for the best vans to live in, including cargo vans, minivans and affordable vans. I've gotta pack 8ft spears into it and it's gotta be big enough to sleep two people side by side - what are some good options? What's the best year/make/model of van for van life? Been wanting to do the van living thing for years now but just haven't had the money. A good option to consider is buying a used van thats near the end of its 3 year warranty. - for converting into Class B campers. These EV vans get like 120 miles of range Reply reply AyoJenny • With how cheap you can get a used camper trailer that can do the same things as a van, and assuming you have a car already that can tow it, is it actually cheaper to buy and renovate/maintain a van? I've a 2015 Toyota Sienna converted to a camper van. You will find that the "hashtag vanlife!!!" is not as sexy or glamorous as InstaGram and YouTube make it appear. I really wish there were more conversion full size vans out there, a proper shag wagon would be great for trips like this. Most any van can be used, but window vans make for much better camper vans, and an easier build since they don't need any extra insulation, and they will have windows to provide good ventilation. If the Nissan or Sprinter are much better, if me being 6’3 isn’t going to work for some models, if we won’t look as How to pick a box truck to convert to an rv. The other option is convert a 4wd SUV like a suburban or use a truck with a topper or slide in camper. I’m a simple guy, so not looking at inside bathrooms etc - basic functionality with focus on sleep and bikes. Plus, we’ll give you the 10 best vans for your van conversion and answer all your questions about van conversions! Do vans hold value? I am going to be converting a sprinter this winter, ready for use next summer. It had best safety ratings, 26mpg, and there’s a entire website dedicated to ideas for converting the van to a camper. If anyone has pictures or any type of inspiration or advice for me I would really appreciate it. Looking for good reliable van conversion companies that supply the van and convert it. How much did you spend on your van (new or used), and how did you know it was reliable? Hi! I'm wondering does anybody have any recommendations for vehicles in Norway that are good for converting into camper vans? I have had a look at some and I would like something electric, but even on finn. sun roof, durability and life expectancy of vehicle. So don't be like me and spend nearly a year of your life converting a box truck only to find that you cannot actually insure it at the end of the conversion. Choose based on your budget, needs, and van life lifestyle goals. Or option B you can buy the van with a loan without mentioning conversion and either have it professionally coverted and then insure it as a RV and re title it at that point or convert it yourself and don't Neither of us have the skill, tools, or space to convert one ourselves. Find the best camper van conversion company for you today! Another option would be to buy a van and do a low build Vanlife trip, then sell the van. Nov 15, 2023 · This list of awesome van conversion companies will help make your van life dreams a reality. . com Aug 12, 2024 · We’ve just taken a look at some of the most outstanding models on the market in the race to the glory of best vans for camper conversion. Some of the best SUV's for camper conversion include jeep gladiator, Subaru outback, Honda ridgeline, Rivian rit, ford expedition, etc. This handy guide will walk you through what to look for when shopping for your van. down the road I want to sell the van in exchange to put towards a home etc. Right at this moment the three primary chassis options are Dodge/RAM Promaster, Mercedes Sprinter, and Ford Transit. dsfj 35u abij hwdnozh npq z9 3ze xr1t 2b6wl n5z