What Type of Van Is Best for Van Life?

The hype of van life has dramatically grown over the last several years – and you might be considering joining the trend. But with so many options out there to choose from, it may seem difficult to decide where to start shopping.

A lot depends primarily on what type of lifestyle you want to live. You will want to consider things like how much you are wanting to spend in the immediate as well as the long term of the vehicle. Other considerations might be how much space you want the van to have or if you absolutely want the ability to stand inside.

Here are some of the best vans and helpful tips to make the most out of your experience living on the road.

Mercedes Benz Sprinter

First and foremost, before you decide on any vehicle, you want to consider your safety. The Mercedes Benz Sprinter is considered the top-of-the-line vehicle for any type of van conversion. Aside from being a luxury vehicle, you also get one of the safest vehicles on the market.

If you were to get into an accident while living in the vehicle, you want to be prepared. Hiring a personal injury lawyer may save you a significant amount of money, could help you in terms of making sure you are compensated for any injuries, and will help to determine fault based upon the incident at hand.

This is huge when you are considering the complications that could happen on the road. When transitioning into the van life, you are ultimately living inside of your vehicle which means everything you own is inside. Talk about driving with precious cargo!

And let’s face it – if you can afford to purchase a Mercedes Benz Sprinter, you should be able to afford hiring a lawyer in case this happens. Sprinter vans are by far the most expensive out of all of the vans out there right now. So if you can afford the extra money for this van, you will not be disappointed.

Ford Econoline

While this vehicle is not necessarily the tallest or most spacious, the Ford Econoline 250 is certainly effective. Because it is primarily used as a utility vehicle, it comes with an incredible set of features that will make this van last a long time.

The engine usually lasts until about 300,000 miles before you start noticing any major issues that come up aside from a usual oil change or tire rotation. Plus, they have a substantial amount of towing and vehicle weight for it being such a small vehicle.

The most beneficial part of the Ford Econoline is that they are inexpensive in comparison to many of the other contenders out there for van life. Caring for your vehicle on a road trip will be much easier with this type of vehicle as well because it will be more affordable to repair if something were to come up.

There are also different options for the Econoline, especially if you intend on buying one new. This gives you towing and extended ceiling options as well. But if you are purchasing used, which typically tends to be the case, you might not get as lucky with the extra features.

Ford Transit

Maybe you are in a financial position that doesn’t quite permit you to be able to afford the Mercedes, but you want to have something a bit newer and more updated than the Econoline. The Ford Transit is the perfect happy medium.

It is an incredibly reliable utility vehicle at a fraction of the cost of the Mercedes Benz Sprinter, even when purchasing it brand new. Plus, you can opt-in for the high ceilings to allow for more space than you would the Econoline.

The downside is that because they are a fairly new vehicle, there aren’t many available used so finding one on the cheaper end like the Econoline may not be in the cards for you. And unfortunately, any model that was made prior to 2020 does not have all-wheel drive, so your terrain and weather options may be a bit more limited.

At the end of the day, these three vans are incredibly amazing contenders when you are starting your hunt for the perfect van to convert into living life on the open road or taking it on an extended road trip. It all depends on your budget and your non-negotiables.