🚐 15 Things to Consider to Find the Best Van for Van Life

Are you thinking about starting van life? If so, you're in for a great adventure! But before you buy an empty cargo van and start the van conversion process, there are a few things you'll want to consider.

Everyone's version of "vanlife" will look different, and with different needs come different vans. If you plan on using your van as your primary driver, you'll have different needs than someone who plans on only taking it out on weekends.

Similarly, whether you will be traveling solo or with family can significantly impact which van is right for you. So how do you choose the best van for your needs? Keep reading to find out!

Instead of giving you a one-fits-all solution and stating which van you should buy, we'll give you the 15 things to consider when choosing a van so, at the end of this article, you'll know exactly what van is the best for your van life. 

💡Tip: Make a wishlist of features while reading this article 

#1 Who will be using your van?

Are you traveling solo or with family? The size of your van will dictate how much living space you'll have. If you have a family, you'll need to look for a van with a longer wheelbase to have enough interior space to accommodate beds and seating for everyone. If you're traveling solo, you can probably get away with a smaller van, but you'll still need to ensure it has enough storage space for all your gear.

Unsure how to fit everything in your van? Read our guide on how to choose the perfect camper layout here.

#2 Do you need to stand up?

Another essential consideration is roof height. If you plan to live in a van, you'll want to make sure the van you choose is tall enough so that you can stand up straight without hitting your head. Standing room in camper vans might seem trivial at first, but it'll be a huge relief to stretch out in the van on a rainy day. The higher roof also means more space for storage; upper cabinets and wardrobes are suddenly possible. If the standing height isn't an essential factor for you, you might want to consider a van with a lower roof, as it's easier to drive and park and usually more affordable.

💡 Tip: Install a pop-up roof to increase standing height. You get the best of both worlds, more standing room, and you still get the benefits of a short van; you can use underground parking garages. These pop-up roofs are typical in classic vans like VW buses, but many conversion companies will also install a pop-up roof in a cargo van. We have even seen people adding pop tops to Mercedes Sprinter vans.

Downsides of a bigger van

The downside is that more interior space also means a higher total weight, which can impact fuel economy, and with a bigger van, it gets harder to find a suitable parking space. This won't be much of a problem if you plan on spending most of your time in nature, but suppose you were to live downtown; no access to underground parking would make city dwelling quite challenging.  

💡 Tip: if you're worried about storage space, consider adding a roof rack with a storage unit on your van.

#3 Which features do you need? 

Think about what kind of van options you want in your camper van. Do you need a van with four-wheel drive for off-roading? Do you want a van with a built-in GPS? Do you want an automatic or manual? Are you only considering diesel engines or do you prefer petrol? Do you need heated seats or AC? Would you want front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive? Make a list of the must-have features for your van before you start shopping around.

#4 Which vans are available in your country?

High-roof vans are commonly used in Europe, but they can be more challenging and generally more costly if you're in North America or Australia. If you get lucky, you might find one of the older sprinter vans. You might need to search long to find your dream van, but it should be worth waiting. Alternatively, consider getting a new van on payments.

The more space you have inside your van, the more comfortable you'll be on long road trips. A short van will work just fine if you plan to go to campgrounds on weekends and holidays. However, if you are planning on extended travel or looking for a van to live in, standing height and living space become more important.

These are some of the best vans for van life that are most common. We recommend you visit your local van dealers or classified websites to see which other vans are available in your area.

Best vans to live in

Examples of high roof vans: Ford Transits, Mercedes Benz Sprinter, Nissan NV, Ram Promaster(known in Europe as Citroen Jumper, Peugeot Boxer, and Fiat Ducato)

Examples of low roof vans: Ford Econoline, Chevy express, VW Transporter, VW Bus,

Examples of short wheelbase vans: GMC Savana, Ford Transit Connect, VW buses

Examples of long wheelbase vans: Mercedes Sprinter Van, Ford Transit, Ram Promaster (known in Europe as Citroen Jumper, Peugeot Boxer, and Fiat Ducato), Skoolies, School bus

#5 Full time or part-time van life

First, consider how you will be using your van. Are you looking for a full-time home on wheels, or do you want a weekend camper?

If you're building a full-time van, you'll need to make sure it has all the amenities of a home, including a comfortable bed, storage space, a kitchen, and a bathroom. On the other hand, if you mainly need a van for weekend trips, you can probably get away with something smaller and less expensive.

Not sure which bed is best for your camper? Read our article about the best camper van beds here.

#6 Do you need 4WD?

Think about what kind of terrain you'll be driving on. If your plans include off-roading or snow, the benefits of a 4WD van far outweigh paying more upfront.

However, if you're planning on sticking to the beaten path, a standard 2WD van will probably suffice. These are generally more fuel-efficient and more affordable vans, and they're easier to find second-hand.

💡Tip: if you have a hard time sourcing a 4WD van, most van conversion companies can lift your van and turn a 2WD into a 4WD.

#7 Payload & Towing Capacity

Another thing to keep in mind is payload and towing capacity. If you plan to carry a lot of gear or tow a trailer, you'll need to make sure your van can handle the extra weight.

Max weight is especially important if you're planning on going off-roading; a high payload capacity will help keep your van level when driving over uneven terrain.

#8 Do you want to stealth camp or stay at campgrounds

Is van life legal in your area?

Did you know that van life or sleeping in your vehicle is illegal in some countries? This is one of the reasons it is important to discuss whether to get a stealth camper or not.

💡 Tip: join local van life Facebook groups and meetups to learn from van lifers in your area 

A stealth camper is a hidden camper, the outside will look like any cargo van, but you have your tiny home on the inside. Usually, you would have no windows, no awning, and no visible solar.

The upside of going full stealth mode includes being hidden from view, no worries about nosy neighbors or cops knocking (it happens!).

If you plan on visiting areas where you are not allowed to sleep in your vehicle, we would always recommend going stealth. 

💡Tip: If you add a skylight to your windowless van, it'll make the inside feel brighter and less claustrophobic. It also adds that nice touch of sunlight streaming in from above without compromising privacy or attracting unwanted attention!

#9 Windows or skylight

If you are in a vanlife-friendly area or plan on sticking to campgrounds, it might be nice to opt for a van with windows. 

You might want to consider a passenger van. They come with lots of windows, so you don't have to install them yourself. Passenger vans have many extra chairs, but if you're like us, you'd rather take out some extra chairs than install windows ourselves. 

💡Tip: invest in some good insulating curtains so you can block the sunlight and feel private in your home.

#10 Purchase Cost

Decide what kind of budget you have for your van. New vans can be pretty expensive, so if you're on a tight budget, you may want to consider buying an older, used van.

You can often get a good deal on fleet vehicles or on older vans. If you have trouble locating an affordable van, you could look into financing options.

#11 Fuel efficiency 

When looking for a van, you may not give fuel efficiency much thought, but there is a significant difference in how far your money will take you.

We all know that gas prices are high these days. A more fuel-efficient van is good for your wallet and for the environment. It's a win-win!

#12 Maintenance cost

While your vehicle's initial cost could be a deciding factor, it's also important to consider maintenance costs.

Different car brands come with varying prices for parts and services that may need repairing or replacing over time. For instance, most ford transit vans are cheaper to maintain than sprinter vans.

Consider future repairs

To make sure you get the best bang for your buck when looking at different vans out there on the market today, think about what kinds of repairs can arise during the cargo vans' lifetime and how much those might end up costing in comparison.

#13 Resell value

Most self-built conversion vans are converted without considering the resell value, but this should be an important factor when choosing a van to live in. 

It's easy to get caught up in the excitement and lose sight of what your camper van will be worth when you're ready for a new one.

You are most likely not going to keep this van forever. You will either upgrade to another conversion van or transition into another phase of your life without a camper.

When comparing camper vans, resell value should be on the top of your mind.

#14 Will the cargo van value reduce the value of the van build?

If the van build is a lot more expensive than the actual empty van, you might have to worry about selling your van. 

We experienced this first hand when we sold our first camper van conversion - potential buyers loved its design and layout. Still, many of them felt uncomfortable buying it because they thought that high kilometers would affect resale value later on down the line. Luckily we sold it for our asking price, though that took longer than expected.

💡Tip: Build your van modular, so you can always remove the most expensive parts from the van and then sell the van as an empty cargo van 

#15 Opportunity cost

If you have the option of buying cash or a van on payments, consider the opportunity cost of tying up your money in that new purchase.

Ask yourself if you want to invest 50k cash for a new vehicle or finance it over time while investing the lump sum elsewhere. Depending on your interest rates, you might get an excellent return on your investment.

Still not sure which van to choose for van life?

If you want to try our van life but aren't sure which type of van is best for your needs - renting a (self)converted van from Gobooney (EU) or Outdoorsy (NA) before buying your own van might just be what helps you get clear on your needs.

Sometimes it is easiest to get in there and try van life out for yourself. Especially if you are buying your first van, it is good to try van life for a weekend, so you can experience the van and see if it works for you.

You'll return from your trip with ideas and new motivation, and you'll have a much better idea of what you need in a van. You can find many (self)converted vans on Goboony and Outdoorsy to get inspired and discover your unique van life needs.

Happy Converting!

There you have it – 15 things to consider to find the best vans for van life. We hope this article will help you in the search to find the perfect van to turn into your dream camper. Once you’ve narrowed the vans down to just a few options, you can use vanspace 3D to create and visualize different layouts to compare vans and see how you can optimize space.

Continue reading our 9 tips to convert a van on a budget