So I went van shopping today, just to get a feeling for one. I checked on RAM, Ford Transit, Mercedes sprinter, and a Thor Rv.
If I do do the rv life again is will be a Vega Thor, tiny class A. However, the Ram is too small. So it id 100% either between a high top Ford or High Top Mercedes Sprinter.
I even got a quote how much I need to get this van and the lowest payment. It was a very productive day.
Just wanting to cheer you on since I am still in the research stage.
Be aware that these vans have different interior widths. Promaster 74", Sprinter 70", and transit 68". I’m building out a Sprinter, so I had to add flares to put the bed across and have enough head/foot room. If you put the bed longways, it doesn’t matter as much, but would take up more interior wall space.
Good Luck!
Dorothy, the research is the fun part!! I love research. Thanks for cheering.
Miller_Epps, thanks for the tip. I will keep that on mind. I am more focused on how I am going to place my bed. Once i figure that out, it will all fall into place.
I think I will be ordering the 3D Van build program in a few weeks.
In one of the videos for van life academy, the guy talks about the pros and cons of the interior for build out. The pro master is more square inside which makes it easier to fit stuff.
I don’t know, I looked at the RAMs at Johnson RVs and I felt closed in. I did like the pop-up bed idea on the top, now that I have looked at one.
I don’t need to worry about putting my bed anyway in the van if i went that route. However, I didn’t like the ladder idea.
After living with it a bit, I would not do the flares. Expensive and unneccesary. The usable height of the flares inside is not adequate to be practical. You actually have about 9 extra inches beyond the “back” of the van (sprinter), where you can extend your mattress if you sleep longway.
Can you expand on that a little bit? I’m having trouble picturing in my mind what you’re describing.
Sorry about that. After the interior trim the inside height of the side flare is about 24 inches. Our 8 inch memory foam mattress, plus about 2 inches for the bed frame and another 2 inches for a pillow, that’s 12 of the 24 inches used up, leaving only 12 inches for your head. Plus we need a little head elevation for snoring, etc, taking up more space! If you sit up too fast you hit your head on the interior edge of the flare. If you use a thinner mattress and lower bed frame it could work, but not for us. IMO the better option is sleep longways. In the sprinter there are actually about 9 extra inches measuring from the back edge of the floor to the cargo door windows. Plus the rear windows give you more height for your head than the flares. We use the Van Essentials insulated window covers on the cargo door windows, which are very nice and well made. Worth the extra money. The flares plus bunk windows were about $2,700 plus color match painting another $1,500 I think, so pretty expensive choice.
Great, okay gotcha…
Yeah, I prefer to sleep length wise. Those flares always looked to small for my liking, and the price, like you said is ridiculous.
I don’t like permanent mods much anyways…
