Absolutely! Budgeting in general is a great way to avoid unnecessary stress in life (in my experience :))
Good question which I haven’t thought about tbh, but off the top of my head I’d say that change is the only constant in life, whether you live in a van or a house doesn’t matter much.
One of the fascinating things for me is how adaptable we’ve become. As I mentioned in other articles, when we’re inside the van, we often forget that we’re actually inside a van. Our brains quickly accepted the idea that this is home and not just an average looking vehicle that’s parked somewhere.
As for lessons, I’d say don’t cut corners and do things right, but also be ready for the unexpected, because it will happen. It doesn’t matter how much research you put into things, there will always be something you haven’t thought about, so accept that fact and move accordingly. Don’t make a fuss over these things otherwise you’ll become unnecessarily anxious
Your question has sparked so many ideas in me haha thank you!
Really useful insights, thank you! We're looking to swap our Transit custom for bigger for longer trips and haven't decided what to go for yet so this is good to know!
100% agree with you about the tech! I was recently between cars (a 2013 skoda and a 2011 vauxhall) and had to use a hire car from the insurance company. It was a 2023 model and I hated it. Far too many screens and too much tech, I was so happy to go back to a 2011 model- as long as it has an aux port I'm happy to be honest.
I replied to your comment yesterday but it looks like my answer didn’t go through :(
First of all, thank you for stopping by! I appreciate you :)
Couldn’t agree more! My idea is that the more you have, the more you have to maintain and the higher the chances of something breaking or bugging. I love the old feel, I genuinely hope we get to keep ours for many more years!
I hope you’ll find what you’re looking for soon! Happy travels :)
Thank you for this comprehensive review of your Pingu. I love the new Sprinter vans and have wanted to get one. Now that I have read your post and bookmarked it, I think I will follow a more sensible path to find one that has what we need. Also, I love manual shifts and I think it it will be thrill to drive. I dont know if I want one without windows because my wife would get claustrophobic in it. Anyway, adding it to my wish list. Thank you. Happy driving. Hope Pingu keeps you cruising and safe.
Oh man, I appreciate you dropping by, thank you !!
Newer vans come with their own set of perks man, they’re far more comfortable and easier to drive. Sure, some have had trouble with the electronics but each vehicle has its own set of pros and cons I guess :)
As for windows, I totally get it. Perhaps consider one or even two ceiling windows? They make a world of difference and make you forget about side windows altogether. We’ve upgraded ours to a big skylight and couldn’t be happier with it
That said, if we were in the states, we would’ve probably added an extra window as the country and climate in many places would allow for it. In Europe, you can’t really escape break-ins and the cold, so we went with convenience. We don’t miss having a window one bit though
Great article; I learned a lot. And I'm with you on unnecessary electronics! We have very few bells and no whistles in our old Chevy van and I like it that way. (My beau does wish it had cruise control though!)
Haha thank you so much! I totally get him. We have an old Toyota and it doesn’t have cruise control. We drove it everywhere but when we got the van, we were like wow this is the stuff! We didn’t even know we needed it till we got it actually 🤣
I hear from many accounts that sprinter is decent choice. They have reputation for body corrosion but if you don’t spend winters in freezing temperatures this may not affect you. 10% for extra repairs is low estimate, I would set aside Eur 3K. Stealth design (no windows) is big bonus and it outweighs benefits of having windows. Well done!
Yes, corrosion was definitely a topic regarding Sprinters in particular, but like you said, if you can stay away from road salt (so cold areas), you're good!
Depends on the value of the van to be honest. If you're getting something super cheap, then you're definitely going to spend a lot on it. Ours was in great condition when we got it, and came from a warm area (Marseille), so no corrosion :) Most of our repairs could've been avoided if we weren't super meticulous (wanted to avoid problems after hitting the road).
That’s a super cool article, T! I had it in my head that Sprinters were all like $80k or more, but that must be for the newer ones, right?
It sounds like the 2009 Sprinter II is perfect! And you’re applying a similar philosophy as we have for our sailboat. VERY few electronics, even for things where lots of people these days put electronics. Why? Same reason as you! More to break, more to maintain, and more expensive to replace. And the manual versions work just fine :)
Oh yes man, 80k is for the newer ones, ludicrous prices, especially when you consider that they’re not even properly built. I’ve heard more than one person complain about their new sprinters, they locked everything so you’d depend on their dealers, it’s a nightmare apparently, bit like Apple and their iOS actually.
Oh man you get it! Old is good for me, love the feel too!
This is really insightful. Budgeting for repairs upfront is such a smart approach. What’s been the biggest lesson from van life so far?
Absolutely! Budgeting in general is a great way to avoid unnecessary stress in life (in my experience :))
Good question which I haven’t thought about tbh, but off the top of my head I’d say that change is the only constant in life, whether you live in a van or a house doesn’t matter much.
One of the fascinating things for me is how adaptable we’ve become. As I mentioned in other articles, when we’re inside the van, we often forget that we’re actually inside a van. Our brains quickly accepted the idea that this is home and not just an average looking vehicle that’s parked somewhere.
As for lessons, I’d say don’t cut corners and do things right, but also be ready for the unexpected, because it will happen. It doesn’t matter how much research you put into things, there will always be something you haven’t thought about, so accept that fact and move accordingly. Don’t make a fuss over these things otherwise you’ll become unnecessarily anxious
Your question has sparked so many ideas in me haha thank you!
Really useful insights, thank you! We're looking to swap our Transit custom for bigger for longer trips and haven't decided what to go for yet so this is good to know!
100% agree with you about the tech! I was recently between cars (a 2013 skoda and a 2011 vauxhall) and had to use a hire car from the insurance company. It was a 2023 model and I hated it. Far too many screens and too much tech, I was so happy to go back to a 2011 model- as long as it has an aux port I'm happy to be honest.
I replied to your comment yesterday but it looks like my answer didn’t go through :(
First of all, thank you for stopping by! I appreciate you :)
Couldn’t agree more! My idea is that the more you have, the more you have to maintain and the higher the chances of something breaking or bugging. I love the old feel, I genuinely hope we get to keep ours for many more years!
I hope you’ll find what you’re looking for soon! Happy travels :)
Thank you for this comprehensive review of your Pingu. I love the new Sprinter vans and have wanted to get one. Now that I have read your post and bookmarked it, I think I will follow a more sensible path to find one that has what we need. Also, I love manual shifts and I think it it will be thrill to drive. I dont know if I want one without windows because my wife would get claustrophobic in it. Anyway, adding it to my wish list. Thank you. Happy driving. Hope Pingu keeps you cruising and safe.
Oh man, I appreciate you dropping by, thank you !!
Newer vans come with their own set of perks man, they’re far more comfortable and easier to drive. Sure, some have had trouble with the electronics but each vehicle has its own set of pros and cons I guess :)
As for windows, I totally get it. Perhaps consider one or even two ceiling windows? They make a world of difference and make you forget about side windows altogether. We’ve upgraded ours to a big skylight and couldn’t be happier with it
That said, if we were in the states, we would’ve probably added an extra window as the country and climate in many places would allow for it. In Europe, you can’t really escape break-ins and the cold, so we went with convenience. We don’t miss having a window one bit though
If you need any help, let me know!
Happy travels
Great article; I learned a lot. And I'm with you on unnecessary electronics! We have very few bells and no whistles in our old Chevy van and I like it that way. (My beau does wish it had cruise control though!)
Haha thank you so much! I totally get him. We have an old Toyota and it doesn’t have cruise control. We drove it everywhere but when we got the van, we were like wow this is the stuff! We didn’t even know we needed it till we got it actually 🤣
I hear from many accounts that sprinter is decent choice. They have reputation for body corrosion but if you don’t spend winters in freezing temperatures this may not affect you. 10% for extra repairs is low estimate, I would set aside Eur 3K. Stealth design (no windows) is big bonus and it outweighs benefits of having windows. Well done!
Yes, corrosion was definitely a topic regarding Sprinters in particular, but like you said, if you can stay away from road salt (so cold areas), you're good!
Depends on the value of the van to be honest. If you're getting something super cheap, then you're definitely going to spend a lot on it. Ours was in great condition when we got it, and came from a warm area (Marseille), so no corrosion :) Most of our repairs could've been avoided if we weren't super meticulous (wanted to avoid problems after hitting the road).
Steal is defo underrated!
That’s a super cool article, T! I had it in my head that Sprinters were all like $80k or more, but that must be for the newer ones, right?
It sounds like the 2009 Sprinter II is perfect! And you’re applying a similar philosophy as we have for our sailboat. VERY few electronics, even for things where lots of people these days put electronics. Why? Same reason as you! More to break, more to maintain, and more expensive to replace. And the manual versions work just fine :)
Oh yes man, 80k is for the newer ones, ludicrous prices, especially when you consider that they’re not even properly built. I’ve heard more than one person complain about their new sprinters, they locked everything so you’d depend on their dealers, it’s a nightmare apparently, bit like Apple and their iOS actually.
Oh man you get it! Old is good for me, love the feel too!