What Van To Choose for your Build? Why We Bought a Mercedes Sprinter Van

What Van To Choose for your Build? Why We Bought a Mercedes Sprinter Van | VAN LIFE UK

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This week was a little quiet on the van build front, as we spent a few days visiting family, celebrating my nan's 86th birthday. Instead of a van build vlog, we decided to sit down and share the reasons that we chose a Mercedes Sprinter van for our conversion. So many of you are following our journey, but we've never explained why we chose Sophia in the first place! We hope this little video gives you an insight into our thought processes when buying the van, and gives some clues as to what our plans are once the conversion is finished.
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Chesca & Ben here! In May 2019, we bought a sprinter van while we were on the other side of the world. We flew back to the UK to convert her into our dream home on wheels. Follow our journey as we take her from a panel van to a camper van, ready to drive us around the world.

Пікірлер: 30

@trailingarm63 3 жыл бұрын

You made the right choice. I drive Sprinters for work. Our firm regularly runs the mileage up to 500k! Even then they're not actually scrapped, somebody buys them and exports them to Africa. Our maintenance is meticulous, any problem is fixed immediately but they are very, very reliable. The alternator will give up before the engine - if you leave Europe you could carry a spare one. The engines use cam chains so there's no cam belt to change. We run all the wheelbases at work to suit various jobs but I think the 170 and 170+ are the only choices for camper life. The shorter ones are just not big enough to relax in. Driving-wise there's hardly any difference. Same width, you just need to go easy on tight turns and keep an eye on the flanks. Very comfortable, good handling and go like stink. What's not to like?

@DavidHaney1 8 ай бұрын

❤ GR8 VID ❤ LOVED IT ❤ its interesting to see how everyone decides which rig is best for them ❤

@EricsVeganVan 5 жыл бұрын

I chose the sprinter mostly for the engine. 144" as I plan to be in the city more for the next couple years at least and I'm also solo so I don't need quite as much room.

@OverlandingSophia 5 жыл бұрын

Yeah, that makes sense! The 144" still has loads of room, so I imagine you'll be really comfortable in that. Definitely would prefer the 144" for lots of city driving too.

@sMilesStammberger 3 жыл бұрын

Love the "Outtakes" at the end! Off to test drive a Sprinter tomorrow!

@dismaldog 2 жыл бұрын

Just bought a Sprinter that has always been a camper,so keen to pick it up in a couple of weeks-7.2metres long and 2016 model

@brettnbeckvalleyvan 5 жыл бұрын

Hi both 🤗 another great video how's the build going, so glad you liked the pencil holder 😂 we'll make you a proper name plate when you've finished her ❤️✌️

@JUSTINANDCHRISTINA 5 жыл бұрын

That is the opposite of us! Ha, Getting à the diesel Mercedes fixed in North America or Mexico is very very expensive and very difficult. So we went with an older Gas Chassis and we didn’t have the budget.. But that Van is sooooo NICE! Totally agreed with the size and height as essential! Great video guys!

@OverlandingSophia 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you! x

@parag1970 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for doing this video as I’m deciding which van to get and good low mileage sprinters are rare as everyone wants one. Also I’ve seen a few van lifers advising they get problems around 150k

@sim6699 4 жыл бұрын

The Vw Crafter are pretty much Re badged sprinter. As for sprinters, seam to suffer a little worse for rust than transits and expensive to repair. They don't make Mercedes vehicles of the same quality as pre 90s, although new ford transit engines are not as good as 80/90s diesel engines for reliability.

@nathantroman4633 2 жыл бұрын

Hi thanks for this great video, just subscribed! I’m currently weighing up sprinter vs transit - my budget is around £8-9k, all the sprinters I’ve seen seem to have much higher mileage around this price. In your opinion would u recommend buying one with higher mileage (150k +) at this price or going for something like a transit which are usually cheaper and have done less miles? I’m not sure I can afford a low mileage sprinter like yours as van prices are so high atm!

@tinrobot4479 4 жыл бұрын

Interesting video - I can't decide between the LWB (170) or XLWB at the moment. Subscribed :)

@OverlandingSophia 4 жыл бұрын

Welcome! Let us know which one you go for the in the end :)

@oceanscience2240 4 жыл бұрын

Even here in the US, we have to make the same decisions. I made the same decision for all the same reasons you guys did. BTW, the difference, I believe, between the 140" and the 170" is only 18", although one would think it was 30", have to check it out. In any event, and in my case, the 170" gave me the option of having a full bathroom/shower, a must have. I hope that after I travel the US for a while, I can head to your part of the world. Not sure about that driving on the wrong side of the road though. Best wishes for you, and hope to meet on the road one day.

@OverlandingSophia 4 жыл бұрын

Ocean Science That’s awesome, glad you’re happy with it too. Ah we would love to come to your side of the world one day. Happy adventures and yeah, maybe see you on the road!

@thomassand7520 4 жыл бұрын

Hi guys, no mention of the XLWB version :-)

@Memyselfandvan 5 жыл бұрын

Hi guys, new subscriber here, I'm an Englishman living in Finland, I have the 170 VW Crafter, and currently self converting mine for the same reasons as yours, I'm currently doing the 12mm ply flooring, and insulation, then wiring. I have fit my solar, log underslung tank, and x2 water tanks under the van. I also recently fit one of two half slider vant windows like yours. Did you fit your half slider vent bonded window yourself? I couldn't find a video of the fitting of yours, only the frame and shelf. I also fit x 2 FanTastic roof vents.

@OverlandingSophia 5 жыл бұрын

Hi Michael, great to have you along 😀Awesome work, sounds like she's coming along nicely! No we didn't fit the windows ourselves. We wanted to, but as we didn't have all the tools to do it, we decided to get someone else in so that we could get converting her quicker. I guess we were a little impatient when we first got her, but doing the conversion has definitely stamped that out of us 🙃

@Memyselfandvan 5 жыл бұрын

@@OverlandingSophia that's understandable, my conversion is slow going due to having to work on the street, and with mostly cordless power tools, however , I recently got a small 2k generator which helps with my more powerful tools such as circular saw, chop saw, and the house hoover. I've had the van almost two years, and didn't start the work until I got the van mechanically sound. I had to rent a small storage unit to stash all my things that will go into the conversion, I have all the electrics, but still need to get the big ticket items such as Nature's Head loo, cooker, fridge, and shower/wet room stuff. Hoping to have it all done before I'm 50, which is April next year.

@dellunn7026 4 жыл бұрын

haha, should have watched this one 1st haha

@malphotography953 4 жыл бұрын

What license do you need for a 170 or xllwb?

@OverlandingSophia 4 жыл бұрын

Just a standard driver's license will do! 😊

@joshsilk1680 2 жыл бұрын

Sorry to ask a personal question but how much was the sprinter.

@OverlandingSophia 2 жыл бұрын

No worries at all, it was £12k 👍

@hairyvagrant3281 5 жыл бұрын

Hi Guys do you have a email so I can pm you

@OverlandingSophia 5 жыл бұрын

Hey, yeah sure, it's overlandingsophia@gmail.com 👍

@markycleary 4 жыл бұрын

Sprinter van is very expensive to fix in Europe and not that reliable you should have gone for one of the French vans or even ford as they're very easy and cheap to fix

@justrobin1234 4 жыл бұрын

They're not as big.

@connory6741 3 жыл бұрын

If u want a second hand van and u want space then the Mercedes sprinter lwb is the biggest whereas any others aren’t as big and most noticeable. If u want a new van and want all the space possible get a iveco daily.