The van you choose is the biggest financial decision in your build. Each option has real trade-offs in price, capability, and maintenance — there's no single "best" van, just the best van for your situation and budget.
These three vans are the most popular platforms for camper van conversions, and for good reason — standing height inside is a genuine quality-of-life upgrade, and there's a huge community of builders and resources around each one.
That said, high-roof vans cost significantly more than standard-roof options — both upfront and in ongoing maintenance. Here's how they compare.
The Sprinter has become synonymous with van conversions. It has a well-earned reputation as a capable, refined platform — and a well-earned reputation for being expensive to own.
My take: Sprinters are genuinely great vans. The cost of ownership is significantly higher than domestic options though, and the complexity means repairs can be expensive when things go wrong. If your budget comfortably supports the higher purchase price and maintenance costs, it's a great platform. If you're trying to build affordably, the money you save on a different van can go a long way in your build.
The Transit is Ford's answer to the Sprinter, and it's become increasingly popular for conversions. It's newer to the US market (2015+) but has been sold in Europe for decades. The high roof is the tallest of any van at 81" interior height.
My take: The Transit is probably the best compromise if you're set on a high-roof van. It's cheaper than a Sprinter, has better dealer support, and the interior space is excellent. If I had $35,000-$35,000 to spend and wanted a high-roof van, I'd seriously consider a Transit.
The Promaster is based on the Fiat Ducato and is the most affordable way to get a high-roof van. It's also the widest of the three at 70"+ interior width with flat, vertical walls — a genuine advantage that makes building out the interior significantly easier. A lot of people have built Promaster campers and love them.
My take: I don't have personal experience with the Promaster, so take this with a grain of salt. For my use case — mountain campgrounds, winter travel, dirt roads — I'd personally prefer rear-wheel drive, which steered me toward other options. The transmission reliability reports I've seen online also give me pause, though proactive maintenance (especially more frequent transmission fluid changes) seems to help a lot. That said, the extra width and flat walls are genuinely great for building, plenty of people run Promasters without issues, and if your driving is mostly on pavement and you stay on top of maintenance, it's a solid way to get a high-roof van for less money.
The Promaster's front-wheel drive is worth discussing because it affects how a van behaves when it's loaded with build components and gear — which is always the case with a camper van.
In a converted camper van, most of your added weight (batteries, water tanks, cabinets, bed platform, gear) sits behind the front axle — easily 1,000-2,000 lbs in the rear half. When you drive uphill, weight shifts even further rearward.
For RWD, this helps:
More weight on the drive wheels = more traction. A loaded RWD van actually grips better going uphill than an empty one.
For FWD, this works against you:
Less weight on the drive wheels = less traction. The front wheels get lighter as you climb, which can be an issue on slippery or loose surfaces.
On flat pavement, FWD works just fine — most driving is flat pavement. But in a loaded camper van, FWD can struggle with:
If your camping style is mostly paved roads and established campgrounds, FWD is unlikely to be a problem. If you plan to access mountain campgrounds on dirt roads, camp in snowy conditions, or travel through mountainous terrain in winter, this is something to factor in. It's not necessarily a dealbreaker, but it's a real trade-off worth considering.
The Express and Savana are mechanically identical work vans that have been in production since 1996 with minimal changes. They don't have high roofs and they won't win any beauty contests, but they're known for being reliable, inexpensive to maintain, and easy to work on. I own one, so I'm biased — but I chose it for those reasons and have been happy with the decision.
My take: This is the best bang-for-buck in van builds. For $8,000-15,000, you get a reliable platform that's cheap to maintain and easy to fix. You give up standing room, which is a real trade-off — but you gain financial flexibility to put more into your build. If you're on the fence about van life, this is a low-risk way to start. You can always move to a high-roof van later if you decide you need the headroom.
The Econoline (E-150/E-250/E-350, produced until 2014) fills the same niche as the Express. Similar price range, similar capability. The main caveat: the 5.4L Triton engine has some well-documented issues — spark plugs that can break off in the head, and cam phaser/timing chain problems in certain model years. The LS in the Express is generally considered more trouble-free.
If you find an Econoline with the 6.8L V10 at a good price, that's worth considering — the V10 has a better reliability track record, though it gets 10-12 mpg.
| Sprinter | Transit | Promaster | Express/Savana | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Roof | Yes (76") | Yes (81") | Yes (76") | No (52-54") |
| Interior Width | ~60" | ~68" | ~70"+ | ~55" |
| Drivetrain | RWD / 4x4 | RWD / AWD | FWD only | RWD / AWD |
| Used Price Range | $25k-60k+ | $22k-50k | $18k-40k | $5k-22k |
| Fuel Economy | 18-22 mpg | 15-20 mpg | 18-21 mpg | 13-16 mpg |
| Engine Type | Diesel | Gas / EcoBoost / Diesel | Gas V6 | Gas V8 (LS) |
| Maintenance Cost | Higher | Moderate | Moderate | Lower |
| Mechanic Availability | Specialists often needed | Any Ford dealer | Most shops | Any shop |
There's no universally "best" van — it depends on your budget, how you plan to use it, and what trade-offs you're comfortable with. Here are some common situations:
The Chevy Express / GMC Savana is the clear choice. You'll have more money left for your actual build, and lower maintenance costs over time. The lack of standing height is a real trade-off, but the financial flexibility is hard to beat.
The Ford Transit offers the tallest interior, good dealer support, and a lower price than the Sprinter. The Promaster is worth considering too if you want the widest interior and lowest entry price — just factor in the FWD trade-off for your typical driving conditions.
A RWD or 4x4/AWD van will handle loaded weight better on hills and in slippery conditions. The Sprinter (4x4), Transit (AWD), and Express (RWD) all work well here. The Promaster's FWD is worth thinking carefully about for this use case.
The Sprinter is the most refined option with strong resale value. Just budget for higher ongoing maintenance costs and factor in that specialist service may be needed.
No matter which van you choose, use our Build Tracker to plan your budget and weight. And check out the $10k complete build to see what's possible on a budget.