What is a Sprinter van?
Designed primarily for business, ‘Sprinter’ is the name of a commercial van made by Mercedes-Benz. The most popular variation is the cargo van, but it’s also available as a crew van and a passenger van.
As a cargo van, the Sprinter features one row of seating up front for three people and the room in the back is for cargo. A crew van has two rows of seats that can seat up to six people while the remaining room is for cargo space.
A Sprinter van can also be converted into a luxury camper van with all the creature comforts of home. The beauty of the Sprinter camper van is the convenience of being able to park it just about anywhere.
Who makes Sprinter camper vans?
There are several manufacturers who customise the Sprinter van in North America. Let’s take a look at the top 10 conversion companies who can offer you the van of your dreams:
Sportsmobile has been converting vans since 1961, making them the oldest conversion company out there. Their conversions are ultra-customizable, so you can choose your favourite option from all sorts of categories, including seats and beds, bath and toilets, refrigeration and cooktops, windows, heating, and cooling, electrical and solar, plumbing, and propane appliances.
SYNC Van specializes in Mercedes Sprinters, and they pride themselves on getting you out on the road faster than their competitors, with a turnaround time of less than four months.
Vanworks has been customizing and converting vans since 1978. Like SYNC Van, they offer three conversion packages that can be tweaked to perfection, or you can go fully custom. They specialize in conversions for Mercedes Sprinter, Dodge Promaster, and Nissan NV, and offer free estimates for whatever you want to do with your van.
Boulder Campervan does it all: they will build you a custom van conversion, rent out one of their fleet of pre-converted vans, or facilitate the process for you to rent out your converted van during the times you aren’t using it. In this way, you can try before you buy, then get your Sprinter (or other van) converted exactly how you want it, and then make back some of your money by renting it out.
Beartooth Vanworks offers several conversion packages that you can choose from, or you can opt to go fully custom. This Montana-based company is all about ‘Rugged Liberation’ — allowing you to explore the great outdoors in comfort and style.
CampoVan creates some of the most beautiful and ingenious builds ever seen (including a Sprinter with a bathtub!), but they don’t come cheap. Owned and operated by a couple who essentially grew up in adventure vehicles, this company can do almost anything you want.
Benchmark Vehicles operates similarly to CampoVans in that they do not supply the van and build everything custom for you. However, they can help with purchasing a van by connecting clients with their partner dealers and providing advice on the exact specifications to choose for the van.
Yetibus does more than just buses, including vans, utes, ambulances, tiny house trailers, and shipping container tiny homes. In true Pacific Northwest fashion, they even offer consulting on biodiesel and vegetable oil fuel conversions.
Momentum Vans specializes in Sprinter van builds. They are a small, family-owned business that create incredible vans that range from austerely functional to stylishly comfortable.
Freedom Vans specializes in van conversions for Mercedes Sprinter, Ford Transit, and Dodge Promaster, although they do offer single services on other types of vans –things like window installation, solar systems, fans, diesel heaters, and battery system installations.
What's the average cost of a Sprinter camper van conversion?
There are a few options to consider when choosing a Sprinter conversion van:
- The first option is length. It is available in three wheel-base sizes, ranging from 144 to 170 in (4318 mm).
- The next option is roof height. There are three options offering enough room for someone 6-feet tall to stand upright.
- The last size selection is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or GVWR. This is a measurement ranging between 8,550 lb (3,878 kg). – 11,030 lb (5,003 kg).
The base price of an empty Sprinter van starts around $44,000 for the smallest and shortest models and up to $65,000 for a longer wheelbase and bigger engine.
Compared with other makes, the cost to manufacture a Sprinter camper van is the highest starting at $32,000 for a basic design and skyrocketing to $150,000 for a luxury model.
Glamping in safety and comfort
When you consider the height and length of some of the Sprinter conversions and the fact that much of the weight is top-heavy, it should seem fairly obvious that there will be issues with stability. In fact, a large Sprinter van acts like a sail when it gets windy resulting in dangerous roll and sway.
In order to maximize stability and safety, we recommend the easy-to-install Timbren SES suspension helper springs. Part # MBRSP35A is designed especially for Sprinter camper vans.
Every Timbren zero-maintenance upgrade prevents sag, reduces sway, and enhances ride quality. All Timbren SES products come with a no B.S. Lifetime Warranty and a 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee.
For more information on Timbren SES suspension upgrades visit Timbren.com
