Building Vs Buying a Class B

[doglover44]

What are the pros and cons of building your own vs buying a ready class b ? I am thinking of getting a regular van and modifying it myself it seems eaiser besides I dont need half the stuff thats in a Class B wanna keep it simple.

 

[Almost There]

I admit to a very strong bias to DIY. I wouldn't have a Class B if it was handed to me! With that said, here's a bunch of my reasons -

-Class B's are way more expensive than buying a cargo or passenger van and doing your own interior. Sometimes 3 and 4 times the money in initial outlay. If I wanted to spend 15 or 20 G's on a vehicle I'd buy new. I don't want that much money tied up in a vehicle.

- they are designed mostly for couples or families for travelling, not long term living. Comfortable front seating but that's about it.

- the manufacturer has attempted to include everything you'd find in a Class A that's much larger - furnace, 3 way fridge, dinette, 3 burner stove, holding tanks (fresh, gray and black), washroom that has sink/shower/toilet. etc. etc. A lot of that stuff I just don't need.

 The inclusion of all the above has been accomplished by sacrificing a lot of good storage space that is necessary if you're boondocking and/or living long term in one. Sit in one for a while and do an honest evaluation of where you're going to store all the necessities!

Most still don't come with standing height, they've raised the roof but not put a high top on it.

With a DIY, I have been able to design my own layout to suit what I need - sleeping area for one, a good sized kitchen because I eat healthy and cook from scratch, seating (swivel passenger seat) that can be used for dining, reclining and for seating while using the laptop and a bathroom area. And storage, lots and lots of storage.... Oh and full standing height!!

I don't need a shower, I can either use campground or solar. I don't need a dinette, there's only me and I really don't like sleeping on a convertible bed, the hassle of making and converting back and forth and the lack of comfort are no no's.

I get to pick my interior décor. I've gone with soft gray vinyl and paint and will use a bright pattern for the drapes and throw pillows.

I'll probably think of more later....

 

[B and C]

AT reasons for not having a class B.  

It all comes down to what YOU want. 

 I am biased and have had both.  We started out young travelling in a 77 Dodge van that we put over 250k miles on.  It was setup for the way we traveled back then.  I personally like my 2000 RT 200V for a lot of the reasons that AT doesn't like although I will disagree with storage space, standing room and bed.  Mine has a full size bed that I sleep diagonally on and it is always a bed and I have 10 inches worth of mattress on it (some may call me a "princess").  My front seats swivel too. Cindy sleeps on the drivers side that the front and back seat makes a twin bed.  Sleeps 4  and there is a small table that can be put in the floor for dining or putting the laptop on.  Great place to take a nap.  Standing room? 6'4" enough?  35 gallons of fresh water, 25 gallons grey and 12 gallons black.  6 gallon hot water heater, 4.2 cf refer with freezer (3 way), 2 burner cooktop with vent-a-hood and a microwave.  Storage?  Plenty! the whole of under the bed is storage, under and over the refer storage, two kitchen base cabinets and cabinets above along with storage of the drivers area.  Storage over the bed too.  Almost forgot another storage area outside behind the driver's door. A closet that we put 3 plastic drawers in for clothing. The bathroom has a medicine cabinet and two separate storage areas and a shelf.  VERY comfortable for the two of us and I have no idea what I would put in all the space if Cindy was not with me.

It all comes down to what works for you.  We cannot decide for you.  You have to weigh the pros and cons.  You may end up with a trailer!

Brian

 

[SoulRaven]

I prefer home built camper vans over factory built ones for mainly 2 reasons, one reason is so I can choose my own floorplan and layout, and I can keep everything portable so I can easily move it into a new van if the need arises.

Equally as important to me, since I frequently spend winters in very cold places, I DO NOT want built in plumbing, because it just doesn't work in below freezing temperatures and turns into a never ending nightmare. Plumbing in RV's only works right when you stay in above freezing areas, and just isn't worth the hassle if you're spending any amount of time in below freezing areas.

I don't want my vehicle to dictate where I can spend my time. If I want to go ice fishing, and camp out on a frozen lake at -40 degrees, then I expect my home to be fully functioning and fully comfortable at those temperatures.

Likewise if I choose to be in Death Valley, Palm Springs, or Slab City in the summer, I want my home to be the comfortable retreat from the weather that it's supposed to be. By choice, my van is always the most comfortable place I can be, no matter what's going on outside.

Taking cover from tornados, hurricanes, floods, and the like is prudent, but I will not let the temperatures deprive me of my travels or my comfort.

Anything with plumbing is designed to be a fair weather camper. If you have the option, and choose to be only a fair weather camper, and don't mind dealing with holding tanks and dumping them regularly, then a factory built camper may be a good choice for you.

If you want total freedom, and an all weather camper, then home built is the best choice.

 

[highdesertranger]

I am a firm believer in, "if you want something done right, you better do it yourself". highdesertranger

 

[WriterMs]

I am a firm believer in,  "if you want something done right,  you better do it yourself".   highdesertranger

I would agree with most of the arguments for self-built, BUT just a reminder: some of us do not have the skill set that you do. We might not be able to do it right for some of the nicer things.

With my rig, my big concern has only been that it runs reliably and my brother-in-law took care of that for me (at least it has been great so far).

If I had the money for my dream machine, I'd have to say that I'd buy a Tiger like Mockturtle. Funny thing is.. I might drain all the tanks if I wanted to camp where nights are below freezing and just do a primitive set up like I have in my current van. (That would fix the problem with frozen plumbing, wouldn't it?)

 

[akrvbob]

We all need different things out of our vehicle homes, and none are right or wrong. If you want all the basic comforts of home, then don't settle for less!

In that case, I think it's better to buy a Class B. By the time you add in all the systems that will give you the comfort you want, it will cost you more money to do-it-yourself. Plus a huge amount of time and energy!

Some people enjoy that, some don't. If you wouldn't enjoy it, or if it would a drudgery or a chore--buy a Class B!!
Bob

 

[Gary68]

i plan on doing both,one of those 70's-80's fiberglass body b/c things and modding it to my likings, i'm 6 feet tall and see the traditional bed in the across position as best and want a couple steps of pace for those stuck in side days,add basic american engineering and rear duallys and i'm zoning in,just need more $$$ and the right one to pop up

 

[MK7]

Don't they cost like $40,000 new for a fully built Class B? Used ones are like $5000-10,000. But then, there's that issue with some big dude take, heaping shits into the toilet, the tray, etc. everyday for years. No thanks.

 

[sephson]

Think more on the lines of $90,000 + for a new Class B. And good like finding anything under 20 years old for less than $20,000. You can find them, but they're few and far between.

 

[roaddog]

I chose to buy a 2014 Ram Promaster 2500 specifically because I don't need all the things in a Class B, namely a toilet or dinette. I plan to have a floor, solar panels, and battery installed in February. Then, I want to live in my van for a while to decide how I want things arranged; if I don't like something, I want to be able to easily change things around.

 

[MK7]

Think more on the lines of $90,000 + for a new Class B. And good like finding anything under 20 years old for less than $20,000. You can find them, but they're few and far between.

Damn, $90,000 new? Now the used ones, I've seen 1991-92 that were $5000 on Craigslist, with usually 100-150k miles. But very rare though, since I only look at them in my area, unlike eBay.

 

[Tinman74]

Here on the North Eastern part of the US a 15 year old RoadTrek or Pleasureway or equivalent quality class "B" with less than 100,000 miles and in GOOD condition the chances are it will probably bring between 15 and $20,000. They are scarce, not to mention the weather conditions takes its toll on any thing that has not been kept out of the salt and under cover from the ice and snow.

 

[DannyB1954]

I have been watching my local Craigslist. A class B will go for about $10k. You can get 2 class C's for that. You have already lost the stealth factor in a high top class B. The Class C will use more gas, but you get a lot more room. If you are making your own Class B, keep in mind that nobody builds one on a half ton chassis. You probably shouldn't either.

 

[MK7]

  You have already lost the stealth factor in a high top class B.

That's a good point. The difference between a Class B vs. a full sized Conversion Van with a high top is huge. Class B's seems to all have that super hightop where there's a bed over the cockpit and it's usually an extended van. It just screams, motorhome vs. a Conversion Van, that can pass for someone using it as a daily driver.

While a White Cargo van, gives off that "criminal element" vibe.

I really don't think that you can vandwell in a town for weeks or months and fool the cops. They aren't dumb. But I think that the cops will leave you alone if you don't make a nuisance of yourself. While the people that you do want to fool, are the residents. Because they will call the cops, and call them continuously....causing the cops to get pissed off enough to chase you off rather than deal with the nosy residential people that you're parking near. A White Cargo van that keeps lurking near their house every few days can be considered weird, especially in small towns.

 

[Camping Cajun]

What are the pros and cons of building your own vs buying a ready class b ? I am thinking of getting a regular van and modifying it myself it seems eaiser besides I dont need half the stuff thats in a Class B wanna keep it simple.

I have a little to none knowledge base / skills for builds / remodels. My current  Dodge conversion 1500 I plan to try a few very basic and likely reversable mods. I recently toured a B class under 15k that actually had a very nice layout and storage. toilet was walk thru with curtains and outdoor shower provision. Layout such that two of the "sleeping areas" could be storage space.

 

[DannyB1954]

In a small space like a van I am thinking that having a full time bed is a lot of unusable space during the day. (even with storage underneath). The design I like I seen on Youtube, (sorry couldn't find it again for a link). It was a small European van that had floor to ceiling cabinets on both sides for storage. The cabinet doors would hinge down to make counters for cooking or whatever. In the front of the van he had a full or twin size hide a bed facing rearward. When he unfolded it, it would fill the space between the cabinets.
During the day he had great access to everything in storage and could open doors to get at his kitchen. He could transport a lot of items in the middle if he wanted. And he had a couch to sit on. At night the walkway would disappear and it would be wall to wall bed between the cabinets. The bed did not extend all the way back, so he still had a little floor space for sitting on the bed and putting on his shoes. There was also plenty of space for chair and a portapotti. Having cabinets on both sides also gave him a little more insulation.
You could build a space on the side of the van to slide the couch into for easy access to the drivers seat. Something like this would work http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...rue&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=AOFIBMXVIVCJ6 . Even a nice recliner would work for me.

 

[squire]

Time, money and ability. B-class rv's are wonderful "IF" you want, need and use all the systems albeit they are very heavy. Nice gently used ones can be found for about the same price as a low mileage used cargo van + adding hi-top and interior mods. That being said, if you have the time and skills you can build your own that better reflexs how you might use it.