Why we chose the Mercedes 170EXT Sprinter and HOW MUCH IT COST // VAN LIFE
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- #sprintervanconversion #vanlife #letsbeus
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Before purchasing our Mercedes Sprinter van, we weighed all of our options. This is how we landed on our van to self-convert to our adventure mobile / full-time home!
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ABOUT US
Hey y'all! We're Chris + Sara, a husband and wife travel duo currently working and traveling full time with our pup, Kramer. We've always dreamed of working from the road, and in May of 2018 we took the leap and made it happen! Today we're balancing work and fun everywhere between the Pacific and Atlantic. From hiking and cycling to tacos and coffee, we're trying to see and experience as much of this world as we can! While our home is currently on wheels in our DIY Sprinter van, our travels take us all around the world.
Be sure to hit subscribe here on TH-cam and follow along on Instagram for more daily fun! Oh, and be sure to say hi while you're here. :)
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Congratulations to you guys for making this happen. You certainly don’t have to defend your decisions or the cost to anyone. If you can do it, you have the vision for it, and put the energy towards it, hats off to you!
WELL said
Well I can see why this couple's van is done so perfectly. After I've watched this video and another one on what the cost was for the conversion they are extremely informative and professional. Excellent videos
Best of the best. Y’all are incredibly genuine and generous! Love the b-roll clips! And thanks a ton for the shoutout :)
B clips got anoying
Love how transparent you are, there needs to be more videos like this out there. It’s one thing to show to to diy but your videos actually gives viewers like me an actual idea how much it takes to do if
Awesome van and van conversion. If I was single I'd do the same in a heartbeat. My partner is totally against van life lifestyle as a full time living. Who knows tho.. We pay $1025 rent + $$$ a ton of utilities. It makes perfect sense to do van life. In the meantime I'll keep watching and dreaming about it. Lol
I had a partner that said the same thing. Now I'm single and I'm going for it.
@@asma1405 Which minute?
Thank you! You guys provide so much useful and direct information.
Are you planning on visiting other countries? Just found your channel weeks ago and I’m in love with your lifestyle. Hope to see you in Europe one day! Greetings from Portugal 🇵🇹
3:19 totally agree. if you feel like Jason or MikeMyers is outside I wouldn't want to have to dodge them to get to the wheel. and go Go GO!!
you guys are incredibly honest and informative. I've seen many and many of these vids and your vid is the most honest and straight forward I've come across thus far. Thank you for this information. it definitely gives me a good idea on what to expect.
So glad it was helpful! :)
You need to learn about servicing not just the mechanics but also the electricals. Because having knowledge of every about a rv/mini bus will reduce stress and enhance the adventure. Also many Mobile home owners keep all the tools and some spares as a preliminary measure.
I completely understand wanting a full time bed. I've spent time in so many RVs. One of the almost constant things I've always noticed is that the table/ bed conversions are never perfect for either job. It seems like the table rattles or the bed rocks where the table slot sits into the seat groove.
I know there are people that have them and swear by them. It's all about what works for you, if you like your table/ bed conversion, then it's perfect for you. But I can understand not wanting it as a full time bed.
Very similar reasons we chose to get the Revel. Practical and ease for parking, 4 seasons, bathroom etc. was all a necessity. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
If you plan on doing a lot of traveling this makes sense but for those simply looking to not pay rent anymore a much cheaper and bigger second hand truck is a better option in every way, its what I just bought, it will be 2.5 by 5.5 meter space. Pretty close to a normal apartment living set up, easy to build in and I can just buy regular appliances and furniture in most cases.
Most Epic Van Deal Ever.... Well Done Guys!
thank you!
Thanks this helps out on the size of van i was looking for before I actually start shopping.
I bought a brand new 170 extended 2023 crew van with 40 miles for $77,000 this lets you know how the value holds.
I looked for months for an used sprinter they were a few thousands with 50k miles and somebody's design mishaps .
I chose the 170 ext for many of the same reasons now Im ready to design. Thanks for the video.
Sprinters definitely hold their value pretty well! I hope you're loving your Sprinter as much as we loved ours!
Love the Mask reference. “Bring around the Loaner” 😂
Excellent rationale for your choice. Buying a used commercial style vehicle is a big risk. Most commercial vehicles don’t have an easy life. That’s why we hear those stories of replacing transmissions, engines etc. in their new life as a camper.
YOu guys are awesome.Thank you
I always thought it would be 100,000 plus to get and convert a van but a little over 60,000 really isn’t that bad. Maybe I’ll have to follow through finally. Thanks guys and keep up the great videos
Awesome info thanks guys :)
But where do you park it to sleep at night, if you don't worry about stealth?
Campsites or up to the woods or national parks places like that.
I made the same decisions for all the same reasons as you two. I opted for the 4x4, understanding that it is just for bad situations that I might find myself in. No, we are not going rock crawling in a van with a 170" wheel base. That said, I feel like we can get a lot of places class C's can't get. THAT SAID, I would surely like all the room those guys have. It is all about defining what is important for the lifestyle you want to live.
Very nice van conversion, Lots of very good information in this video, its super informative.
Thanks so much for watching!
Do you wish you had gotten a 4 wheel drive sprinter?
Thank you for the information! A lot of great points on buying new vs used!
Hey, is this in CAD? Or USD?
Seems like a good deal! Love the van looks beautiful.
USD. ☺️
Clint Byrne I was thinking prob have to double that and the build costs for us Canadians :(
Totally agree with your thought processes. Nice job getting what you want in a van. We're prolly gonna do a build of our own as well,cuz no one seems to make everything the way we want it. Love the rental idea and thanx for the yama van info!!!
Of course! Hope it helped and good luck with your build! ☺️
$42,000 is an amazing deal! Maybe everything is pricier here in Seattle. Haven't been able to find one like that!
^^ they hit a gold mine
Heart sank hearing how much a new 170 ext wb cost in vs now😭haha. Makes the decision of going new vs used so much harder
Very nice filming best wishes of safe travels and a wonderful future
Thank you for sharing! You two a super informative!
Very well done!!
I know someone who is converting a 170 ext for his fiance and their future kid. he wants to know when he goes into the city , whether he should find other ways of transportation (public transport, uber, biking, etc.) or is driving the van going to be fine. I dont know, so I thought maybe you would!
Hey Lin! Good question. We actually do all of the above in cities. The van isn’t too difficult to get around in in cities, but you will be limited to street parking or lots since the van is too tall for most garages. It does take up about 1 1/2 spaces so it’s not impossible to park, but it can be a bit frustrating.
Having bikes in the van or using a city’s bike share program is a great option, and so is uber if you’re in a city during particularly busy times. Every city is different and you’ll get a feel for it pretty fast. Hope this helps! ☺️
@@chrisandsara certainly does. and also I meant fiancee . gets me mixed up all the time 😂
How are you still covered under extra warranty after all the modifications?
Blue Rabbit that’s what I would like to know.
I may have missed it, but what was the total cost of the entire thing with your conversion?
good choice. I have the drw version. love it.
Good choice!
Problem w/ ext is cannot park in California on street. Has to be under 23 ft.
Couldn’t find any reference to this. There are only some restrictions for oversized vehicles which are defined as: ”Oversized vehicle means any vehicle which exceeds 25 feet in length”. Where did you get this 23 ft information?
looking at the 170 EXT now looks like Mercadies added another 8k to purchase that van. Ive been saving for a year and im planning to save another 2 years until I get done with college until I decide if I want the EXT or just the 170. Either way this video was extreamly helpful thank you!
So glad to hear it was helpful! Best wishes on your van adventures!
did you guys pick up a 4x4, sorry if it has been asked along the thread just did not find it, thanks for making the time to make the video
Our first van was a 2WD but our new van is a 4WD!
So 21k on the conversion plus the 42k on the van itself. Roughly roughly 63k plus some of the other minor things you talked about. Really not that bad considering you’ll be able to make all your money back and then some when you decide to sell. Ive seen sprinter conversions not half as nice as yours going for 80k. Great job guys.
great video and van selection analysis...love that! what do you do as job on those iMacs? :)
We do a lot of video and graphic work. We actually made a video about it too. th-cam.com/video/RkAHAheZV5w/w-d-xo.html
Definitely a renter test run is a great idea. Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
@@chrisandsara if y’all move back into “normal” lifestyle would you guys sell this or rent it out for passive income?
Do you know how much weight that you put into your van (not w/clothes or groceries or water, or other personal items)
+Daryl Nichols we’ve weighed it but I actually can’t remember. It’s heavy but under the max load. We still average ~19 mpg. We’re going to be changing a few small things in the van soon and will likely re-weigh then too.
The Yama Van layout is perfect!
shestudios We love it too!
Your hair cut is definitely in style :) . Also other factors for van choice is inside height and width. One thing I don't understand is how the Transit Cargo-ext has more cargo space than the Sprinter 170-ext. Perhaps I have bad data??? It is difficult to compare apples to apples in terms of wheel base between the 2020 Transit and the Sprinter. I did find for side by side, item by item build out of the Sprinter against the Transit; there is about 10 to 15 k premium for the Sprinter but you get a few pluses for that 15k; towing capacity, Gross Vehicle Weight (cargo) and 4 wheel drive vs All Wheel Drive. The margins are relatively narrow but that is about it... Everything else seems to side with the Transit unless interior space metrics are all wrong. ? And Ford safety and associated electronic packages are very tough to beat and are extremely reliable from my 30 years of owning and driving the truck line. Thoughts?
Hi Les! I’m not familiar enough with the transits to speak specifics about them. I do know that when we were shopping all signs pointed to the sprinter for us. Reliability and years of making the sprinter Diesel engines is what sold us (plus we got a good price). Also the 170ext was the largest length of cargo van available at the time which is what we wanted back then.
We’ve know people who have had transit vans and really liked them though so my guess is that sprinter and transits are both solid options. I would highly recommend walking through and driving each van to get a good feel for both. For us, the sprinter just felt right when we were behind the wheel.
Good luck in your van search! I know it’s a lot to consider! ☺️
the bed to table honestly sucks tbh it’s a good you guys decided to have a fixed bed.
I don't see how a multi purpose functional design is a bad idea in such a small space?
Thanks for the really well thought out video, y’all! 💜
Watched this a long time ago. Wanted to watch both of your videos about the expense of your first van. Do you know anyone in the southeast that does van conversions? I live in SC. Love your first van! Can't wait to see your second van!
Hey Sandra! There are a few in the SE. Site Seven in Chattanooga is who we recommend. Justin and his team do great work!
Let's Be Us thanks for the info!
How did you determine that your modifications would not have any effect on the Mercedes warranty?
The Mercedes Sprinter warranty manual is available online. They are often sold with rear area left unfinished so the buyer can customize it for their needs.
Sprinter doesn't cover tires (or other items that need scheduled maintenance and replacement) or work done on the van after it leaves the factory. The only thing that might be an issue based on the warranty is the added weight of building out the van. The minimum cargo rating is 3,600 pounds so if you don't exceed that it shouldn't be an issue.
Or something like miswiring the solar set up and causing damage to the Vans electrical system wouldn't be covered.
But since they're sold as cargo and work vehicles it's pretty standard to customize the interior. If the warranty claimed any customizing voided the warranty they would probably lose a majority of the fleet customers that support their business.
I looked at Sprinter ambulances when I was buying new ambulances for the EMS service I ran. It was one of the only brands where the original vehicle manufacturer still warrantied the drivetrain.
With most other brands the vehicles bumper to bumper warranty is gone as soon as they drop an ambulance box on it. Ford makes a special Ambulance frame that keeps it's warranty, as does Dodge. But if you just buy a heavy duty and convert it the ambulance manufacturer covers the warranty, or buys a special warranty from the car company.
So I'd guess Sprinter is pretty good about honoring warranties without loopholes because you did work on it, unless it was your work that damaged it.
What exactly do you mean when you say "off grid"? Like if there isn't any sun to charge the panels and you're not driving to have the alternator charge the batteries?
Thanks! This wistom was helpful :) never considered resale value.
Aren't you afraid the backend to bottom out if you're going off grid? Parking in parking lots isn't too easy
Is this a RWD or 4x4? Thanks
Texas has your back
Thats the best van if you like comfort
Well explained
That’s a good price!
What was the price
The debate over the 170 vs 144 seems odd to me as a non-van-dweller. What is the disadvantage of having more space? Is parking the 144 noticeably easier?
The main appeal in the 144” is definitely the parking. A 144” will fit in any regular parking space whereas the 170” takes about a spot and a half.
Any benefit of having a van be a 4 x 4? Is it needed?
Wow!!... you had to go from Seattle, Washington to Knoxville, TN to get the right van!!...I live in Tennessee close to Knoxville and I end up going all the way to Atlanta, Georgia to get my van but that was only 4 hours one way 8 round trip but you guys went all the way across the United States WOW!!... KUDOS TO YOU TOO!! ✌️💕🚐🐾
I live in Portland and drove to Florida to get my van. Saved about $5000 vs. what you can find here and had a blast driving across the country.
@@Makelifehappennow Wow, that's far but a good savings, I imagine it's worth it plus like you said, you had a blast driving across country 👍🤗
what kind of insurance do you buy? does it have to be commercial?
That's a great question! We wrote a blog post on this here: vanlifestarterkit.com/how-to/what-to-know-about-van-life-insurance/
@@chrisandsara my browser, safari , won't open this think. it warns me the website may be a scam
WHAT IS THE TOTAL, TOTAL, TOTAL.... AND how much is yearly insurance.
Think they have just released a video on this! :)
$25K in addition to the van. Not bad considering it's their year round home.
@@UnitedStates. Well considering a new pickup is about $50,000 it's not bad. It's all what you're into i suppose. $70K is cheap for a condo what state? Good deal.
How much are the monthly payments?
Why don't you like "self parking" I thought you picked bc easy to park??
They are saying "stealth learning", not "self paying". Stealth parking means you're parking on the street or a parking lot where overnight camping is not allowed
What's the resell value of your van ?
Ola, sou brasileiro amo seus vídeos porfavo coloque legenda em português, os br ama vídeos de gringo
will you switch to a e sprinter
Thanks! What size is the Diesel engine? Any choice of a 4 cylinder engine on a 170 sprinter?
The 144" and 170" Sprinters are available with 2.0 L 4 cylinder gasoline or 3.0 L 6 cylinder diesel (and only diesel for 4x4). The 170" ext is only available with a 6 cylinder diesel.
Jon Farrow thank you for your reply!
Do you guys have any trouble getting in national parks for being to long or to high?
So far the only problem we’ve had was in glacier NP. We were allowed into the park but weren’t allowed to drive past mile 20 on the going to the sun road because the length limit is 22ft. Usually there are work around a like free shuttles and stuff.
@@chrisandsara Thanks I am looking at The transit extend
And how much does it cost?????????
here I am on a 144, coul'd be happier, also only part time tho !
Where did you get a loan? From Mercedes or from a bank or etc
We ended up going through Mercedes because we got a good rate through them. Definitely check around though. ☺️
Would you reccomend adding extra addons from Mercedes? Like comfort packages? Or just stock
@@chronos1081 Our dealer didn't offer adding on anything, they really only offered adding on various insurance type packages (up sells). The only one we purchased was one that covered lost keys/dents in the van/window cracks. the cost of one new key was more than this entire add on so we went ahead and added it because I (Sara) have a bad habit of losing keys. lol If you're looking into custom ordering a van straight through your dealer, I'd suggest looking into some of the add ons. Judging from what we saw when we briefly looked at buying custom, some of the optional add ons like swivel seat, roof rails, back windows, etc. were cheaper to go ahead and put in ahead of time and it would save you time!
Did you build it yourself or custom made? If you did get it made for you who would you reccomend
@@chronos1081 We built it ourselves with the exception of the hiring out the windows, spray foam insulation, and we hired an electrician just to run the wires to the lights and electrical outlets. We'd highly recommend talking to Yama Nomad (they're out of Calgary). They do really high quality work and they're super nice to work with. They're friends of ours so tell them we sent you. :)
How does your van do it the snow?
We don’t hangout in snow much, but the few times we’ve found ourselves in it it’s handled well! Lots of people use vans as their adventure mobile specifically for winter sports so they’ll take them to ski slopes all winter long and they do great! ☺️
Let's Be Us thank you so much
I start looking for sprinter van. 😏
Awesome!
Do you guys eat on your office table?
I mean. Where else lol.
Typically we with this layout we find ourselves enjoying the outdoors as much as possible which includes eating meals outside whenever the weather permits.
@@chrisandsara Nice! Thats cool
One bummer about owning a newer diesel camper van is that it kinda prevents you from traveling to Mexico or Central America. Tougher to find ultra low sulfur diesel fuel and DEF. And diesel mechanics are tougher to find. If south of the border is not in your future then no matter.
Hi:) is your van 4x4? Diesel?
Not 4x4 is diesel though.
Let's Be Us 4x4 is not really needed though right?
In our experience we’ve been fine without it!
How tall is the exterior of the van?
Blake Bryan Standard interior height standing is 5’5” and with a high roof is 6’4”
Finaly
you bought a Mercedes fro reliability? LOL! How is it working out for you?
Wonderfully, thanks! The sprinters have a very different records than their cars/suvs.
Wow 42k is high!
It's all relative. What you deem as high may not be high to others. In the van conversion world it's a pretty modest number
👌🏽👍🏽
I dont think this model van is even made anymore
Ford Transit Hi-top long wheel base!
I disagree, never buy a new diesel. Put a 100k on one to break in the engine.
really? is the same case with gasoline engines?
@@raczyk No, gas engines work differently and do not have the same longevity as a well maintained diesel.
@@silent00011231423456 How do you tell\test if the diesel engine been taken care of? Do you do pressure test on the pistons at a mechanic before purchase?
how much did the van itself cost ??
Did you not watch this video?
How much? More than a 🏠
Nah. VAN LIFE // How much did our DIY Sprinter Van Conversion cost? th-cam.com/video/6BluRg9nRho/w-d-xo.html
Hope yal know what you got in to with that DEF engine.. a van is much more than its size. That mercedes system is very unreliable and averages $5000-10000 in maintenance every year.
Michael Roberts it isn’t just the sprinter. All modern diesels have problem DEF systems. It is a shame because they took bullet proof diesel engines and made them less reliable and less mpg. Personally, I wouldn’t buy a modern diesel. If you aren’t under warranty, the cost to fix these systems is very expensive.
170 extended is easy to maneuver and park? That’s why I went with a 144. And what’s up with the dude’s hair? Hahahaha
We should have prefaced it by saying that 170wb is easy to drive if you’re a good driver, if not, maybe stick to the 144wb. 😉 And this is how all the cool kids are wearing their hair now.💇🏼♂️
Don’t be a jackass!
Love your videos. Did you ever make one about the garage? Would really appreciate seeing it! 💖💖💖
Our garage video is finally live! th-cam.com/video/HKQzSdeMIHY/w-d-xo.html
4:34 you should see my facial expression at this point...
😂 the stealth parking clip with Kramer behind the van
Hey Guys!
Really helpful content so thank you. It would be really helpful to know what your paying monthly on the loan and how much you put down to get a sense of how much I can expect to obligate myself to! Understand its personal information so no pressure if you don't feel comfortable sharing.
Best of luck to you both!
Their repayments are irrelevant to you, as your situation will be different. Just go look at a loan calculator from a bank online and plug in your own numbers to get accurate, relevant numbers.
Could you please tell me what your average gas mileage is? Thank you
In a year from now hopefully I will be living this life I am done with living in a house and not being able to have experiences
1500, 2500, or the 3500 van?
2500
Here is a silly but serious question. Does your insurance cover your personal belongings?
Yes! We’re covered. ☺️
Thank you so much for all the good information. I am having a hard time with the volume level of your sound effects, they jump out and hurt my ears! Maybe you can refine those... most of them are just way too loud! eeeeeeekkkk! but great information and you are clearly nice folks, I hope you have a lot of success!