Van- Transit V Sprinter

Choosing the right Vehicle
#1

The ‘Choosing the right Vehicle’ category is for anything related to the discussions, questions, comparisons, & information about living in different types of vehicles.

Hello all!

My partner and I are planning on purchasing a Van in the next year or so to begin the conversion process. I have been mainly focused on a 170 hightop sprinter for my planning but I have recently thought about the benefits of going with the ford transit. It seems that the Sprinter is a higher quality vehicle on its surface but that also means higher costs, more expensive maintenance, etc. So with that, I really want to dive into the transit to see if it will fit the needs of my partner, children, and me as we set out on our adventures. Has anyone converted a Ford Transit? Can you give any feedback on my inquiry?

#2

Greetings!

I would suggest something bigger than a van. Either an RV, or if you’re determined to build your own, a shuttle bus or small skoolie.

There are always times when you’ll be wanting to spend all day inside due to the weather or some other factor beyond our control. It’s not really just a while sleeping or while traveling situation, and you want your adventures to be fun for everyone.

Cramming too many people in too small a space makes for a miserable time and much more work for everyone. Nothing beats dedicated beds and separate sitting places. Converting seats to beds everyday gets old in a big hurry. Having your own personal bed as a hangout space can be pretty important, especially for kids.

Cheers!

“Everything should be made as simple as possible." ~ Einstein


#3

Thank you for your input. We have considered these issues and still want to prefer the flexibility of a van for our purposes. Do you have any suggestions about the question I posted?

#4

Greetings!

All of the Euro style vans seem to have more problems than their older American counterparts.

I would definitely choose a Transit if those were my only two options. Cheaper repairs, and easier to find both shops & parts.

I’ve helped convert both types, and the Transit appears to be of much better build quality.

Cheers!

“Everything should be made as simple as possible." ~ Einstein


#5

I am new to this forum and just posting my first post now. I too am them in the market and have been bouncing like a ping-pong ball all over the place with various vans and respective builds.

There are only two of us but my partner is 6 foot three. We are leaning towards a Ford transit medium roof height and putting a pop-up on the top. The pop-up (lots of options here as well) can be put up when stopped (reduces wind resistance and top heaviness while on the road) and will allow extra space for storage when stopped. It can also provide a separate sleeping space for one or two additional people.

Though the Sprinter has 4wd (and imo looks better), the Ford transit is less money, easier to service and has all wheel drive.

Cris

#6

I drove cross country for a few years for work in a van. One of them was a ford transit and it was not wide enough for my boyfriend who is 6ft tall. He had to sleep diagonal or bend his knees. When we were in a dodge sprinter it was so much better for him. Yes you can turn you bed long ways but that all depends on how much room you need to extras. The only thing i dont like about the sprinters is their transmissions. I dont think they are thay reliable. Hope this helps.