Anyone make the switch from a Taco to a Sprinter?

After a few years of owning my 12' and building it into a pretty capable overland rig, I'm now thinking about selling it to build a sprinter. I'm curious if anyone has gone from a taco to a sprinter or the other way as well to help me weigh my pros and cons.

I don't really enjoy off roading anymore so the truck is just used to get to our destinations so that we can bike, climb, paddle, etc. I'm not sure I really need to have this capable of a vehicle when I could have more creature comforts in a van. I also don't feel like we've gone to any destinations that couldn't be accessed in two wheel drive. Potentially would need snow tires but otherwise it's just bumpy fire roads.

I also think it would be fun to build/outfit the van to my liking. Not for full time living, just week long road trips. The trips I've taken with my wife in the taco have been okay, but a week in the RTT and packing/unpacking all the gear when we have too many hobbies really got old.

 

4wd sprinter sounds like a pretty damned good option for you.

 

If I went full van Id be building a lifted econoline myself. They just look cooler. As far as pros and cons go: vans are gas hogs, and the pump prices arent always going to be so low. Pro, you get a better bed and air conditioning.

I tend to view my cars like Alton Brown views a kitchen appliance, I stay away from the "unitaskers". A single purposed vehicle to me is just another engine that I have to maintain and pay taxes on. Lots of people Ive talked to like their van, but for the same mileage and fire-road capability I got myself a trailer to pull behind the truck. But then again its camping, Ive seen five million different ways to correctly camp and maybe three really wrong ways. Everyone is going to throw their advice about how they do it best, end every answer is going to be off the mark from your lifestyle and needs. So if a van really tickles your fancy by all means go for it.

 

I thought about that, but the price point seems to be $6k higher and not the most reliable or necessary. I think the size would limit the places I could take it (hitting trees, turning radius etc) before that 4wd is really necessary.

 

What trailer route did you take? I thought about that, we've got my inlaws pop-up camper and I hate the thing. So much work to setup. I really just don't want to make my bed...

 

If you have a dd I say do it! And show us the results! I was torn between a van and a tacoma when I was shopping, just couldn't stomach dd'ing a huge van.

 

I saw one of these at a car show last year, fully camperized, front and rear lockers. pretty badass but I bet its got a price tag of 100k or more.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGfpmK9su1Y&t=2s

 

A pop-up


Driveway is too steep for a real trailer, so I had to find something to store in the garage. If I could buy a hardside, I'd get a Riverside Retro for sure.

 

Yeah, I have a company car, wife has an awd forester and we have snow tires for that too so we can get to the ski resorts as necessary. My truck is parked in the garage though a van would be stuck in front of the house.

 

That's a pretty cool option. Basically a much larger and fancier version of what I accomplished with my taco via shell/rtt.

 

Yeah, that would be the ideal one. I've been finding 2wd sprinters bare for the 25k price range with less than 100k miles. I don't have 100k to spend, more like 35~ plus my time to build everything.

 

I just spent 3 weeks in CO and was surprised at how many Sprinter type vans people were camping in. Ok, they weren't that popular, but for some reason I saw way more than last year. I even saw one that was a dually. Not having 4WD adds some risk to dirt road travels, but otherwise go for it-camping in it is going to be a lot more civilized than in a RTT.

 

I know a few mechanics and was just talking about this. They have seen alot of rusted out floor pans in the sprinters I guess. And the price tag is crazy for just a base model which is two seats and an empty space. Just my 2 cents.

 

While I love my Tacoma it's getting to be a pain driving 2k+ miles each trip. A Sprinter conversion has been my dream vehicle for awhile now - I almost have the wife talked into it too. 4x4, light armor, tires, and a pop-up topper.

The conversions can get stupid-expensive, but a lot of that is custom woodwork, full kitchens, etc... My hope is for something a bit more utilitarian. The pop-up I want would be really expensive, but that's a must-have imo. The ability to pop the tent and sleep without having to go outside would be great for winter and rain. Plus putting the bed in the main cab takes up almost all your space.

 

I've put a lot of thought in to this matter and a few years ago, spent every waking moment trying to find the right Sprinter to build out. I never did find the right one but after a few different vehicles, I came to the conclusion that a purpose-built camper is a lot of money tied up in to something I only use a few months out of the year (if I'm lucky). At least with my Tacoma it can serve as a truck for a truck's sake (transporting firewood, bikes and motos, doing Home Depot runs, etc), serve as an inclement weather daily driver and still be relatively comfortable for weekend or week-long camping getaways and road trips. It's just a much more versatile, usable vehicle to have $30K+ tied up in.

 

I've seen a couple of those options, definitely crazy expensive but you're not wrong about having the ability to add that bed to the roof/sleep up top making lives easier. Who have you seen that makes these?

 

Interesting, I haven't heard of rust issues but now will have to research. They are mind blowingly expensive for what you get, that's another tough sell. The interior setup I know I could build out myself though which would save quite a bit comparatively.

 

Thanks for the perspective!

My current work gives me a company car (awd suv) and my wife has a forester, also have snow tires for her car. So far I've only actually needed the truck once in the last 3 years for the home depot run when I needed full sheets of plywood, otherwise I take the free gas company car.

I'm thinking my wife and I would use the sprinter more than just a few months out of the year. Especially ski season with a heater camping up near the resort the night before. Ideally we would like to take more long road trips especially with the potential career growth on the horizon with more remote work possibilities.

 

Ahh, a Sprinter van.

Whenever I see an Econoline van I think to myself "there goes a rape van." Hahaha.

Sorry, just adding some humor to this.