Best Used Vans for Family Road Trips: Mileage, Price, and Key Buying Tips

[Famvan55]

Hi everyone, I’m looking to buy a van to convert for family travel (2 adults + 2 kids) — mostly road trips across the U.S., not full-time van life.

I’m trying to keep things simple and budget-friendly, possibly starting with a modular setup (beds + seating + basic power).

I’d really appreciate advice on:

1. Best van to buy for reliability and value (Ford Transit, Ram Promaster, etc.)
2. What mileage range is ideal when buying used?
   • Is 80k–120k miles still okay?
   • At what mileage should I avoid?
3. What’s a realistic price range right now for a good used van that won’t need major repairs soon?
4. For those who have done it, would you recommend buying already converted vs building it yourself?
5. Any common mistakes to avoid when buying the van?

My goal is to have something reliable for trips with my kids, not a full luxury build.

Thanks in advance — really trying to make a smart decision without overspending

 

[Chris2Rock]

The main thing is, what is your budget? Prices vary significantly depends on: Year, Brand and model, plus options, 4X4, all wheel drive, high roof, length, etc. In my observation, the most popular is Mercedes Sprinter 144 (short model) with 3l diesel, I see them a lot at the campgrounds. Keep in mind that lot of campgrounds won't allowed junkie looking "schoolies" and similar "conversions".

 

[Denbob55]

Hi everyone, I’m looking to buy a van to convert for family travel (2 adults + 2 kids) — mostly road trips across the U.S., not full-time van life.

I’m trying to keep things simple and budget-friendly, possibly starting with a modular setup (beds + seating + basic power).

I’d really appreciate advice on:

1. Best van to buy for reliability and value (Ford Transit, Ram Promaster, etc.)
2. What mileage range is ideal when buying used?
   • Is 80k–120k miles still okay?
   • At what mileage should I avoid?
3. What’s a realistic price range right now for a good used van that won’t need major repairs soon?
4. For those who have done it, would you recommend buying already converted vs building it yourself?
5. Any common mistakes to avoid when buying the van?

My goal is to have something reliable for trips with my kids, not a full luxury build.

Thanks in advance — really trying to make a smart decision without overspending

In wanting a budget-friendly RV, picking a MB Sprinter, one of the most expensive RV variants out there is not the answer. As Chris2Rock mentioned, it's what you're willing to spend. Everyone wants new and cheap, but they don't go together. Besides budget, assess what your skills are. If you have mechanical talent or carpentry and sheetmetal skills, then go with a low mileage, and somewhat worn or damaged older B that your skill set can easily fix.

We are two old farts who didn't want another mortgage, so we stated out with the highest we were willing to buy, and then worked our way backward on the price. We found Bs hold their value more than a pull behind or an A. But in my assessment, I didn't want to be going through the physical effort to set up a camper van with my arthritis. We were looking more for a self-contained bed and powder room, but still willing to pull up to an old motor lodge on Rt 50 for a shower once in a while.

So, we bought old and reliable - i.e., we bought a B on a major manufacturer chassis ( the frame and engine), in our case Ford E250. Cars, trucks vans etc all started off back in the day where the manufacturer just built the engine, chassis and drive train. Then you took your purchase to a coach builder (Body by Fischer is still on some GM products) to custom built you your touring car or moving van. So in the case of an A, B and C, the coach builder buys the chassis and puts his bodyworks on. We wanted to avoid screw-on tin paneled RVs that could more likely rust or lead so looked for fiberglass. We bought an old 91 Intervec Falcon. The pro: a Ford 351 FI, 3 speed overdrive, fiberglass body, A/C, AC and DC circuits, commode, shower, kitchenette and more. The bad, no dealership service but independent RV service otherwise, old fixtures and features, needing as much upgrading as we can afford, or not.

So, in summary, spend a lot on new and have big payments, or cheaper with some updating and maintenance skill. BTW, around 40k miles for a well under $10kRV before any work.

 

[BikerMonkey]

Hi everyone, I’m looking to buy a van to convert for family travel (2 adults + 2 kids) — mostly road trips across the U.S., not full-time van life.

I’m trying to keep things simple and budget-friendly, possibly starting with a modular setup (beds + seating + basic power).

I’d really appreciate advice on:

1. Best van to buy for reliability and value (Ford Transit, Ram Promaster, etc.)
2. What mileage range is ideal when buying used?
   • Is 80k–120k miles still okay?
   • At what mileage should I avoid?
3. What’s a realistic price range right now for a good used van that won’t need major repairs soon?
4. For those who have done it, would you recommend buying already converted vs building it yourself?
5. Any common mistakes to avoid when buying the van?

My goal is to have something reliable for trips with my kids, not a full luxury build.

Thanks in advance — really trying to make a smart decision without overspending

A van? For four people? Hope you got a great marriage cause that’s gonna test it to the max.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I bought my Dodge(Mercedes) for pretty much the same reason. I love it, mine is 06 w/diesel Road Trk Adventure. I wasn't looking for a camper but figured 4 adults most of the time taking vacations. I paid 50K. If I'm careful with my foot I can keep it north of 20 mpg. The stock seats were pretty uncomfortable but I think it was seats.com or something like that where I got some really comfy captains chairs.
The bathroom is 100% worth it. Rest stops aren't always the cleanest or where you need them and a lot of women don't like to pee behind bushes. I don't ever plan on using the stove but the fridge has seen a lot of meats, cheeses, beers and wines. If you're traveling with kids the bed in back and a flat screen will keep them from being cranky. Plus in a pinch you "could" overnight it in relative comfort.

 

[Snowy]

You will find mixed opinions here concerning later model sprinters, after the emission controls became a problem. Many have talked about the dreaded "10 starts left" where if the emissions system has any sort of hiccup you have only 10 starts left before you must take it to an authorized merc mechanic (otherwise the vehicle will go into very low speed "limp mode"). There are some here who say i own a sprinter and never had a problem. There are some here who say i own one or owned one and never again will i own one. I have heard that some people have bought a coding device that allows them to delete or reset the limp mode countdown, but i don't know how expensive or even possible this is. If you search sprinter forum for "limp mode" or "emissions problems" you will see many, many problems. The other issue with sprinters is that dealers are more rare, especially out west where many want to cruise with their vans. It is much easier to get a ford or ram serviced anywhere in the US than a sprinter. I personally am targeting a Transit-based rig - the Panoramic Perspective, with all wheel drive and a nice engine, but i don't think there are any older Transit-based Bs out there. I'd recommend you try to find something on a RAM or Chevy chassis, unless you can find a diesel before emissions got problematic.

 

[Scottbaldassari]

Everyone has different opinions of course, but personally, I would stay away from the MB. I’ve never owned one, but that’s because 90% of the people I know who have, say parts and service are expensive and frequent.
That said, the Transit and Promaster are not perfect either, but at least they are cheaper to buy and maintain.
The Promaster has the best Chassis for an RV buildout, as it is the widest, has the lowest floor, the most upright walls, and is the only van wide enough for side to side sleeping. Front wheel drive gives it the best turning radius, and it is the most efficient with fuel mileage (my current loaded van is getting 16+ mpg). Earlier models had questionable transmissions, some getting 500k plus, others not making the first 100k before needing work. A complete rebuilt trans can be had for 5k.
Ford has a comfortable cab, and the eco boost has more power than the RAM. I believe it can tow more, and can be had with dual rear wheels and AWD. AWD can be a game changer depending on your plans. Ford dealers are everywhere, and they sell more than RAM or MB, so parts SHOULD be plentiful. I think the interior height is slightly higher than a PM.
I’ve never seriously considered the MB because of its skinny shape, and expensive reputation, but the older diesels can run forever.
That said, if you are looking for a Prebuilt, low budget rig, with the capacity for four people, your choices will be severely limited, and you’ll probably want to shop for function, not brand.
We started out with an old Dodge passenger “leisure van” with 4 captains chairs and a sofa/bed in the back. We hauled a cooler, tent, bikes, and camping supplies and had a ball with that van, making priceless memories with our family of four. It had no sink, toilet, or shower facilities. (I still have it with 150k miles on it, I’d sell it for about 3k if you’re anywhere near the AR, MO, or OK area, since I also have a full blown camper van.)
“Mileage range” is highly subjective and budget dependent - “What is the ideal mileage to buy at?” - probably under 2,000 miles. Obviously, the prices go down as your chances of maintenance and troubles goes up with age and mileage. That said, any van on the market COULD be financially viable for 200 to 300k miles these days (especially if you do your own repairs). Past that point, it gets hard for me to keep “investing” in them.
I wasn’t sure if my family would enjoy the B life, so we started with a passenger van as I stated above. The plan worked great for us, and I could “test it out” for a couple years with a van that cost about a TENTH of a class B. ($4k vs $40k) It only made us that much more thankful when we moved to a “real class B” with a galley, toilet, and shower.

Best of luck to you!

 

[KurtFranz]

Don't forget the Chevy Express. Great van which can accommodate sleeping sideways and has plenty of room. Find a nice used or a new one and have a top put on. That is if you are building your own. I like the Chevy because it is still a traditional "van" so to speak.

my $02
YMMV