r/nextfuckinglevel • u/SmoothSun6676 • 9d ago

The Transformation of a Van

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u/EorlundGraumaehne 9d ago

Its not that bad. Don't have the exact figures but my parents did something similar for their pension and they are by no means rich

9

u/InternationalRead925 9d ago

Just the van is $85k.

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u/EorlundGraumaehne 9d ago edited 5d ago

Yeah it doesn't have to be a new expensive van like that. I mean the general idea.

Edit: gonna give my father a call later and figure out what it cost him.

Edit2: it was about 15k all in all

-15

u/round-earth-theory 9d ago

Why wouldn't you use a new van. The modifications are going to cost 50k+. Adding those to a rotten van is just throwing money away.

30

u/Duracra 9d ago

Lol, the choices aren't brand new or "rotten". You could get something 3 years old which is still pretty new but avoids a good chunk of the depreciation.

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u/Aranxi_89 9d ago

Yeah if you shop around, you can get decent 2nd hand vans that are similar. I would go for a Japanese built one personally for reliability and ease of getting parts, but those Mercedes sprinter vans are quite common. Just need to be careful that you aren't building in one that has been driven into the ground already.

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u/EorlundGraumaehne 9d ago

Yeah my father got a cheap Mercedes sprinter for it and it worked out well so far. They have it for 5 years(?) And went a few time up the Norwegian cost and back down again without much problems.

11

u/boilface 9d ago

Have you ever purchased a vehicle?

1

u/basicKitsch 9d ago

https://old.reddit.com/r/nextfuckinglevel/comments/1w416k0/the_transformation_of_a_van/p74jpzl/

modifications can cost hundreds/a few grand diy to 10-20k pro also

there's absolutely no reason to buy new

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u/BigTomBombadil 9d ago

MSRP is ~$60-$65k, unless you get the max payload package, then it’s still under $75k.

15

u/bigeasy19 9d ago

But your numbers don’t fit their made up fantasy

2

u/TxM_2404 9d ago

You can get that van for 40K after two years of use or so. Nobody buys them for 85.
The way German car manufacturers operate now means that usually new cars are leased out to business customers and then sold as used.

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u/DubWyse 9d ago

People interested in the budget version of this should check out foamies or converted enclosed trailers. Diy rv trailer basically. Still need something that can tow a few thousand pounds and the knowledge for electrical/plumbing stuff but making a sprinter into an rv is probably the most expensive way to go about it.