Selecting the right van for your family is an important step in the planning process. The van you purchase will be your canvas, and each option on the market has it’s advantages and disadvantages. I highly recommend spending time on the web looking at van features and other van builds (both DIY and professional). This isn’t a decision you want to rush into, as your choice will weigh heavily into your overall layout design.
Before opening up your pocket book to make the purchase, it’s important to sit down with your family and discuss everyone’s needs. Including them in the decision making process early on also helps ensure they feel like important stakeholders. Ultimately, this is an investment that the whole family will share and so their involvement early on will help ensure their enjoyment with the final product.
In my family’s case, here were the requirements we identified:
Dad: 4×4, high roof, short wheel base, passenger row with windows, dependable
Mom: 4×4, passenger row with window, Mercedes preferred (weighted heavily!)
Kids: Passenger row with window, high roof, room for a bed in the back, TVs, WiFi, …OK they were getting a bit ahead of themselves. 🙂
There are basically four main van choices in the US market. The Mercedes Sprinter, Ford Transit, Nissan NV, and Dodge ProMaster. There are many resources on the web that compare these vehicles, so I won’t reinvent the wheel here. My favorite source for comparison info was Greg Keith’s Sprinter RV Conversion Sourcebook. Buy this e-book and thank me later!
My family decided to go with the Mercedes Sprinter 2500 144″ Crew 4×4. Below are the key reasons we decided to go with the Sprinter:
- Four wheel drive available (we live in Colorado)
- Diesel engine with good fuel economy
- Good reputation for dependability
- Aesthetics (subjective)
- My wife’s first car a a Mercedes and it saved her life (emotional)
Hey Dad. I’m a dad of two boys and I’m doing the same thing as you. Wanted to ask you about what I specifically ask for at the dealership to get them to turn the fader control turned on for my Audio 15 head unit. I’ve had them tell me it can’t be done, but I keep seeing videos like yours saying that the deal can do it. Do you remember what you asked then to do and perhaps even providing me a contact name of the dudes at your shop that may be able to call?
Thanks in advance. I’m sure you get a lot of responses on your site. Great videos.
Hey fellow Dad! When I took it in for the 15K service, I asked them to enable the rear fader function on the Sprinter stock stereo. I texted the service rep these instructions: “Use the XENTRY scan tool to access menu N87/8 Radio—Adaptations—Coding—Manual settings—Coding. Â At that point 001 Fader needs to be set to “ON”.