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It seems impossible to do a Sprinter camper van on a budget, right? A Mercedes van is usually more expensive than other types of vans and costs even more to fix.

But it is possible to find a cheaper Sprinter van to convert into a camper if that’s the van life van of your dreams.

How to find a budget Sprinter van

Sydney Ferbrache of Divine on the Road was on a mission to find a good deal on a Sprinter van. She searched the internet, used Gar Gurus, Carfax and Autotrader to find just the right Mercedes van.

“I was honestly just on a mission to find a Sprinter van with less than 100,000 miles that was also under $20,000,” said Sydney. “We just happened to find the Mercedes van that fit the criteria and had it shipped from Virginia. We weren’t able to find one near us in the Midwest so we just worked over the phone with the dealership and had it shipped to us.”

She wanted a lower mileage, knowing she planned on driving the Sprinter conversion all over the United States.

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“So many of the more affordable Sprinter vans had 250,000 miles which weren’t what we wanted,” said Sydney.

Syndey and her boyfriend bought a 2011 Mercedes Sprinter 144″ wheelbase with just 94,000 miles on it. They didn’t want the longer wheelbase (170″), because they wanted it to fit into a single parking spot.

“We honestly didn’t do much in making sure it was mechanically sound,” said Sydney. “We spoke with the dealership extensively and I spoke with the manager to ensure that nothing was wrong with the van. I literally FaceTimed the salesman and had him show me the van and we talked A LOT before making the purchase. Start looking anywhere you can and maybe you can even make it a road trip to go get the van from wherever it is.”

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A Mercedes Sprinter van camper on the cheap

Sydney finished her Sprinter conversion for just $6,000, which is an amazing budget build. The single biggest expense was the electrical system, which came with a price tag of $1,340.

“We prioritized electrical first because it’s really what can make you the most comfortable in the van instead of feeling like you’re camping all the time. We have lots of outlets, lights, an induction stove, etc,” said Sydney.

She and her boyfriend have a 1500 watt inverter, two 96 amp hour batteries, and 400 watts of solar, which they mounted on the roof with the help of hired builders, who installed weather stripping and silicone caulk.

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“It is impossible to go off- grid for longer than a couple days without solar panels,” wrote Sydney on her website, “Not to mention, who would want to connect electrical hookups every single time they run low on power? We can stay out at campsites as long as we want in our Sprinter conversion and not worry if we’ll be able to cook or charge electronics. The best part is that paying $10-$15 each time to hookup has got to be expensive if you are going long- term.”

Thee solar kit they bought for their Sprinter camper van is the 400-watt Renogy Kit off Amazon, which Sydney said they’re happy with so far. The builders who installed solar also recommended the inverter.

“Essentially, our fridge, stove, and outlets are 110V while the lights, water, and fan are 12V. So having the inverter allows us to run everything together,” said Sydney.

How they kept their Sprinter conversion costs so low

Sydney said many people remark on how nice their Sprinter conversion looks, but she always reminds them she built it out on a budget.

“We really just had to be resourceful when it came to buying things that didn’t have to be a certain way,” she said. “Instead of getting an expensive type of wood to use for the Sprinter camper van walls and ceiling, we just used shiplap which is super cheap but looks great and works perfectly.”

For their kitchen counter and dining/work table, the two used recycled doors they purchased for $30, then stained to match.

“There are always things you can work around and make less expensive if you get creative with it,” said Sydney. “I really suggest doing lots of research on your own and considering all options before making a decision. If you combine elements from different examples and do your research, you can always find alternatives to the expensive stuff for your Sprinter conversion.”

Also, since they spent so much money on electrical, Sydney bought a regular mini-fridge instead of installing a more common, expensive brand in her Sprinter van camper.

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“The placement of the fridge has been amazing for us because it allowed us to maximize storage space without having to build a wall across both back seats,” Sydney wrote on her website. “I was pretty adamant about wanting to be able to get back and forth easily between the front and back of the van.

Why they chose an induction stove for their Sprinter van camper

Sydney said the most common type of stove for a camper van conversion is a propane stove, but she didn’t like the idea of propane in her Sprinter camper van.

“I love the induction stovetop we bought because it tells you exactly how many watts it’s using the entire time it’s on,” said Sydney. “Induction does work a little bit differently so you have to have cast iron or stainless steel pots/pans in order for it to work. We went with cast iron because they last an eternity and never really get worn down.”

The downsides of a Mercedes Sprinter camper van

Sydney says she still loves her Mercedes Sprinter conversion, but that its important people know that parts are very expensive with Mercedes, and the work can only be done at a dealership.

“It can get pretty pricey so I always recommend leaving for your trip with emergency savings for breakdowns. It’s never a matter of ‘if’, but just a matter of ‘when’ and you want to be prepared when it happens. All that being said, the dealerships are always amazing to us and help with any questions we have. So it’s not too bad,” said Sydney.

For anyone looking for a great, dependable van, she’d still recommend the Mercedes Sprinter van over other options. But that being said, next time she picks a van she’d go with the Dodge Sprinter because they’re cheaper to repair.

“The Dodge and Mercedes Sprinters are so similar but the Mercedes is not fun to fix when issues arise,” Sydney wrote on her website. “That being said, it really is your decision and your home so weight the options with your own standards and opinions to really see what is best for you.

Sydney posts a lot of awesome pictures on her Instagram account, so be sure to give her a follow.