Transit vs ProMaster vs Sprinter vs RV? Choosing a van for my conversion 

Hello! I drove Mercedes Sprinters and Ford Transits when I drove for FedEx. I have two things to mention about the Sprinter. First is that they do not have a very good turning radius, even for a van. Actually, the entire reason why we also had Transits instead of just Sprinters was so that drivers who had routes out in the country with long dirt driveways and small turn arounds could manage more comfortably. My other warning about the Sprinter is that the frames rust out relatively quickly. We had Sprinters with 500,000 miles that were otherwise fine and were only scrapped because the frame was so rotted that the van would wobble like a diving board going over bumps and also when you got in or out of the Sprinter from the rear. (Note that some of our vans drove up to 250 miles a day, so they'd get to 300,000 and 500,000 miles relatively quickly in only a few years.) As for the Transit, I can only tell you to avoid the 3.0L diesel like the plague! These engines do NOT like to idle! Very unreliable! We replaced all 10 of our diesel Transits with gassers after only 8 months of driving them. The gasser Transits, though, are absolute dream boats. Very fun and comfortable to drive. Not quite as refined as the newer Sprinters, but certainly more utilitarian. Hope someone finds this helpful!

As a mechanic for many years, and someone who's been in and out of Vans for a while, I have to tell you that you are one smart young man! I love the details, I love the illustrations, and you really did your homework, excellent job!

I really like your presentation style, you are very informative without being too chatty about irrelevant details.

I'm a mechanic that works mostly on alls these Van's. The promaster is the worse reliable van by far. The sprinter is expensive to maintain if u can't do it ur self. I would by a transit. Great choice

As an engineer this is by far the most informative van video I've seen. Your Ford would be my pick too. I was unaware that Dodge has a Fiat motor. That's a no-no for me. The Sprinter is expensive both in initial cost and any repair cost. Truthfully I'm not a huge fan of American made cars. I wish Honda or Toyota had a large van.

1 word. Impressed. Not often can I say that from a variety of content from a variety of sources. This is exactly what people need. An intelligent, well researched, and perfectly presented video. Your dialog was spot on. Your visual cues were perfectly timed. Your editing must have been easy. You stayed on topic and flowed from 1 point to the other in a non broken manner. No distractions in the background to disrupt what you were sharing. Thank you for bringing your knowledge and experience on this project to RU-vid. Nicely done.

This was so informative on the difference in sizes, you save us time to a lot of us looking for a van. Thanks!

Dude. I did NOT expect this level of information. Well done :)

I have watched 100s of van builds but your chart snd explanation of all three was the best I have watched! Thank you!

nice to see Ed sheeran got into van life

I’m so glad this video still exist it help me figure out what size van I want for myself

Nice to have all the details given to us in an easy to follow presentation complete with visual aids! The charts were very helpful to compare the different wheelbases offered. Thanks Moser and looking forward to more great videos

I must agree with the others, you have a great presentation style on all fronts. Informative, comfortable, just the facts and great volume. I find so many DIY on youtube- by those who fail to provide good audio. Your audio is very good. Thank you for the tips. Happy I found you.

The best “which van to buy” video I’ve seen yet, thanks!

I've started researching the different vans and am thankful you've already done it and shared it with us. Thank you for taking the time to help newbies!

Thank you for the pure facts, no fluff approach. It was great to have a regular person lay out the info without hype. Glad I watched this.

Love how straightforward this is. Graphics were a handy addition to (I've even screenshotted some of them for future reference). Immediately subscribed 👍

My dude! Your videos are the most informative and well thought/laid out ones I’ve ever seen. This one on van types was greatly appreciated. Keep up the awesome work! 👏🏻

Love your style. You must have been a great student in school. Thank you for sharing and keeping the nonsense background music out of it. Love the graphics too. It’s clear how much research you put into this. Looking forward to seeing lots more from you!

Thoroughly researched and nicely presented information - thanks.

This video is perfect! I’m considering exactly the choices you covered, so this information was spot-on. I’m leaning towards a Transit. Now to watch your other vids to learn more how to prep one!

Very helpful!!! First video I’ve found on the interior height differences. I’m leaning towards the pro master.

I couldn't stop watching. I was mesmerized by your delivery.

I really enjoyed this video because you were direct, concise, and more interested in conveying information than in promoting yourself.

Very informative. I learned more from you than the “builders”. All pertinent information. Thank you. I’m taking notes.

Hey Man! Thanks for taking the time to do this, I'm looking into building a Van myself so this is very helpful! Cheers!

Love how it was just straight to the point. Also SUPER cool to have all the numbers compared like that! Thanks for sharing!!

I have been searching through videos for a week, you answered at least 10 questions I could not find the answer to anywhere else! Thank you so much!

Good presentation liked the fact you spoke clearly with no ungodly background music. Too bad the manual transmissions are not offered in North America.

Great video, super helpful. The best that I've seen so far on this topic. Thanks!

Fantastic information! I've watched hundreds of videos regarding van/rv builds. I have learned a lot, but couldn't find any detailed van comparisons......until now! Thank you so much! Now I can begin a knowledgeable search for a van. Great job!

This is the most helpful video I’ve seen so far on choosing a van! The graphics were a huge plus. Thank you!

I've always thought that if and when I ever convert a van for a home it would be a Transit and this video cemented that thought; a 2020, high roof, LWB, AWD, cruise control, back-up camera, eco-boost engine, limited slip rear-wheel differential would be the one I would get. Excellent job on your presentation, thanks!

Dude... excellent job! I'm getting a Transit too. Probably going with the medium roof though. You really helped me with the wheelbase. I was planning on the short wheelbase until I noticed that the long wheelbase is basically the same as the short wheelbase in the Sprinter. I'm going to get a passenger version and replace the back couple rows of seats with a bed and just put all terraign tires/wheels and a roof rack on the van... done. Perfect for surf trips and short camping trips.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your clean, clear, concise, caring, just plain "talk to us" manner of teaching about EVERYTHING VANS!

I appreciate that you take the time to make these videos and that you do them at a speed that I can absorb the information. Thank you.

Thanks heaps for this, all the questions i wanted answered regarding size, keep it up

BRO. Best van video I could have stumbled upon. Wow! I'm 6'4" so I'll be seeking a transit hr extended

All the information you need in one concise video. Thanks for posting this!

You have the best and most organized information in a Video about Van conversion I have seen so far. Thank you so much

I thought you did a very balanced review of each of them. I had a difficult time choosing a van because, as you said, they each seem to have their own issues.

Great video! Thank you for this information and sharing your research! This has been extremely helpful as you answered many of my questions!!

just starting my search for a used van for a conversion, very informative and detailed video. Love this...thank you very much!

This was an EXCELLENT video. I appreciate how well prepared you were with explaining your thoughts before buying. Thank you!

Thanks for a great video. The diagrams were extremely helpful!

Shopping now. Thanks for the great info!

As many have said, thank you for the best comparison on the internet. Many have done this before you, and I’ve seen and read most of them, but they all are missing important elements. Yours is comprehensive while not burying the information in irrelevant details.

Man your video is what i was looking for in all this vanlife channels, thanks for your hard work on it.

Great job, very informative and covered many useful, important points. Thank you!

This was so informative on the difference in sizes. I’m research shopping for my next get-away vehicle for extended trips. Have always been drawn to ford Transit connects. Prefer the mid height roof. Your vid is only one I’ve found with measurements inside. Will be looking for the older models as I’m budget limited. So many thanks. Cheers, MaryAnne 💃💃💃

Out of all the videos I have watched you are the only one who explains what boon docking actually is. So good on you for that.

Love that you had a table of specs right at the start. Thank you!

Really great presentation specially because no music,,thank u so much for your info🙏🏻

This video is exactly what we needed! This was so informative! We want to be your friend!!

I wish more of RU-vid could be as useful and to-the-point as this one. Bravo

So useful. I'll never stop thanking you for having done these videos.

Finally part 2!

This was so excellent! THANK YOU!

So informative, and thoughtful of your audience's time. Thank you!

This is one of the most succinct, informative videos I have come across with useful and practical contrast and comparison. Looking forward to watching your other videos. Thank you!

I went with a 2021 Ford E350 cutaway van with a 14' box that has a 84" high interior and with 80 of interior width. It was important for me to be able to insulate and stand upon in it. With a 80" interior width I can sleep across the back. Plus it has a 13,000 pound tow rating with a 6,100 cargo capacity. Love the power of the new 7.3 gas motor that Ford named Godzilla 😁

If you're wanting a panel style van, I think the Transit is hands down the winner for ease of repairs and superior powertrain options. Im going for a Transit all wheel drive soon as they come out this winter with the 3.5 ecoboost.

Best video so far on comparing the three type Cargo Vans. Thank you.

the charts were amazing and everything I needed to make a decision. I was dead set on the Promaster extended but now I think I like the Ford Transit extended. Thank you so much!

Very informative. I like your videos!

Congratulations on an excellent and informative video. I own and have converted a 2017 170" 4x4 Mercedes Sprinter but wanted to hear your comparison. I was surprised to learn that the Sprinters have much longer wheel bases but are somewhat narrower than the other vans. Mine is not the extended version 170". The 4x4 version has 3" more clearance under the body so I've never experienced any ground clearance issues. The 4x4 feature maintains the basic slip differential which means that in slippery conditions at most you have one wheel forward and one wheel aft in 4x4 mode. In other words the basic Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 is not a true locked hub 4x4. That's a drag, but it is what it is. Fully loaded I get a combined vanning mileage of about 16.8 mpg driving nothing but back roads, off roads, and stop and go city driving. Pretty good for a 4x4.

one of the normal reviews I have seen in all junk of youtube. thanks man

This has got to be the best information video for van out there thanks

Dude. My god. Thank you so much!!!!

FINALLY! A man who can speak properly! Thank you so much!

Well done! You took a lot of work out of researching vans for me, thank you

Wise choice getting the Ford Transit! These seem very, very popular. Do good basic maintenance.. *always using full synthetic engine oil / OEM filters + transmission fluid changes every 50k mis*. They will last forever!

In Europe I'd be choosing between either the Transit or the Iveco Daily. And I'm leaning towards the Daily. The Transit does have slightly better fuel economy (about 35 mpg US in Europe) but I like how the Iveco is constructed, and the extra extra long variant is nice, half a meter longer is still enough to do a bathroom and a shower and still have as much space as the other vans left over. I don't really care about being able to park in a single spot though, I'd rather have the space.

Good presentation. I went Promaster as I’m buying new and the early bugs in the 2014/5 seem to be worked out. The 2020 offers swivel driver’s seat and that matters as I want front living. The interior width of the Promaster is better than the transit as the interior rubbing leaves more room by my measurement. And I can’t live in less than 20 feet. I wish I could but we need the 21 foot high top. So after a Lifetime driving ford I’m going dodge. This will be interesting.

To the point. Thanks for taking our time seriously. I love the charts. At 6'5'" the choice is simple.

Great job on this video. Like the others have said, good presentation style without a lot of unnecessary info, and I loved the graphics. This was very useful.

As an Englishman I would like to say thank you for being one of the first American van lifers to actually speak English the way it should be spoken. Clear concise and no overuse of awesome or super. You did a great job of methodically working through your selection process and the reasons you chose your van. I am truly looking forward to your next videos. Keep up the good work my friend.

I personally own a Promaster but I just as equally like the Transits. The Sprinters are for people who can only afford a Mercedes by living in one (I'm half joking). The Promaster interior measurements weren't correct on that chart. The 159" (mid length) has 145" for cargo or 12.08 ft which was longer than the chart showed and from window to window, the width is about 6'5".

Thanks for gathering all this information and displaying it so well. Awesome video! Looking forward to following your channel.

Thank you. This is SUPER helpful. I've been so torn over van types. This gives me a lot of info to work with. Also, those size charts you made are gold. Thank you 🙏

I like your videos and way of talk

Don't know where did you get the measurements for the Promaster, i have a Roadtrek Zion 21' long high roof from floor to ceiling i still have 6'2 and a half of standing height

Great job on this. Great use of graphics! It kept me focused. This was very helpful in my van search.

The best analysis and explanation I’ve seen about anything.

Mercedes would clear your bank account for maintenance.

Very helpful...I'm still leaning towards a Promaster, if I can find one I can afford.

I've been watching videos for a month - every night. This is the FIRST time I have seen a comparison of the vans that include real info about lengths / wheelbase with side by side visuals. Thank you!!!!! Some of us gals just know we want a van. While drone effects are super for me they are not why I'm watching videos. This was truly informative!!!

Uh, wow! I have watched MANY cargo van comparison videos and yours is the clearest and most practical, and I would say without bias towards the van you chose. Kudos!! And thanks!!

Sprinters can't just be taken to Mercedes dealers. They have to be taken to special certified sprinter dealers so it is even more difficult to get service for them. We've heard some bad things about their reliability also.

Congratulations on your new to you van! I wonder if I could ask a couple questions? How old is the van ? How many miles does it have? What was the price for comparison when I buy my van? Good luck on your build I will be watching you progress. Thank you

Outstanding. Extremely informative. The gfx of van sizes were excellant. Of the 20 some videos I've watched so far this one helped me the most. Thank you.

Very good job of presenting and comparing the different vans. I like your style: no frills, no exaggerations, just the facts, mam, the facts.

A few corrections/additions (not trying to convince anyone, just sharing data I myself collected when I was comparing the Vans): 1. The engine/transmission in the Promatser are made by Fiat only for Diesel models which are less common than Gasoline ones which come with Pentastar 3.6 (the same drivetrain used in Vans, Jeeps, Pickups, SUVs, etc) and it is definitely cheaper to maintain/replace. 2. Promaster also suffers from the windshield cowl panel "leakage". 3. As Aaron G mentioned, Promaster has different dimensions than showed in video and they are, IMHO, better than Transit's. 4. Promaster is cheaper than Transit. Comparable configurations of Transit are usually 10% more expansive than Promaster. 5. High roof Promasters are ~1 foot lower (on the exterior) than high roof Transits while still allowing ~74 inches of interior height. 6. Unless you include Transit 2020, convenience features (seating, dashboard, multimedia, etc) of Transit are seriously outdated when compared to Promaster. 7. Ground clearance of Promsater, despite visual difference, is only 0.1 inches lower than Transit.

Good review . Promasters have a better build out lay out due to the walls being more straight Al the way tote roof ..

You dont know how much this means to me!!! Life saver!!!! Been wanting this so badly but have no idea about what to buy so on so on. THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

I have all my research you have provided everything I needed to know. Thank you for your clear explanation and visual charts

The MB is an "endless money pit" (insert Scotty's face here)....Some poor soul had to replace the catalytic in his older diesel, an it was over $7K (WTH?) And the new diesel ones are more expensive and require "premier", VERY expensive maintenance, forget about repair$. Even if the older ones are still reliable, are you ready to pay another 50% of whatever you bought the used MB for in repairs? This one is for people above middle class and/or long term/high mileage commercial fleets....unless you are willing to buy the base 2.0 Turbo (it is still MB-maintenance expensive in the long term).Yes, they can last a long time, just be ready to give up your firstborn, right arm, left testicle, wife, etc.... I don't see either the Ram Promaster nor the Ford Transit surviving well in the long run. The Promaster's Chrysler 3.6L- V6 is decent enough to last at least 100K and maybe even 150K if taken care of....The transmission? Not a chance! The cabin is one step ahead of the Ford although it suffers from some quirks. The Ford has lots of problems with the application of the hardware, little things falling apart here and there, the quality is rather sub-standard. And although the Ecoboost is a hoot to drive, remember that a boosted NON-DIESEL engine will not last as long as a turbo-diesel , most likely it will fail before the normally aspirated 3.7L engine. I rather have the 3.7 with HD parts, oil coolers, etc, in the same vein police and city cars are equipped, for longevity purposes. The bonus for Ford is the addition of AWD (but it doesn't mean off-road!) Ironically, this leaves one vehicle that was discarded from the get-go and one vehicle that was barely mentioned and was never in the competition. The Nissan Van is more reliably economical in the long run than anything above. Its biggest faults are that it is on the small end, drives more truckish-like and it is a dated design when compared with anything above. If I was to go small, this would be the one, but with Nissan's proven V6 and not the thirstier V8. Ex-CEO Carlos Ghosn was not able to screw-up the reliability like he has on other Nissan products. It would be perfect with a longer wheelbase. The Chevrolet Express did not qualify because of the lack of a hi-top, a valid point, but this can be fixed with a $4000 Fiberine top, which is the best quality out there, although it will never have the factory look. You have to consider that GM's LS-V8 "ancient-but-modern" engines and transmissions will last almost as long as the MB above but at a purchase price similar to the Ford or Promaster with the added benefit of a very low repair incidence and a very low repair cost. It is also a more "Heavy Duty" design than the Transit or Promaster, meaning sturdier components...Besides the lack of the high top, everything else outside the powertrain is very ancient (90's), the looks will be UTTERLY HATED by most young people, and the MPGs on the 6.0-V8 will be lower than the sixes and the diesel above. But this engine can be easily fixed ANYWHERE in North America and the cost to replace it, down the road when it dies after 220,000+ miles, together with the transmission, will be HALF of what some poor soul paid for an MB 'Cataclysmic' Catalytic. The Chevy comes in a 155 and 135 wheelbases. For all of the above, you have to consider your budget and your application. In my case I would like to get lost in the wilderness in the Chevy, knowing that I can depend on the hardware with no worries and that any engine issues can be fixed in any far-off small town garage since the engine has no complicated designs in the way of multiple valves, multiple overhead cams and turbos....it is just one simple pushrod V8 from the company that has manufactured the largest amount of small blocks V8s,

Either way your screwed their all relatively unreliable and expensive to repair. Wish Toyota had a crack at this van size market

Your videos are very informative and well produced. I'm enjoying them.

You have done an EXCELLENT job sir ! You have saved me and countless others TONS of research. Thank you !!!