Tips on Driving a Van

There can be a big difference between driving a car and van. Vans, especially the likes of a Luton or even a transit are much higher and wider than an average car. It is important that when you get in the van and before you drive it, you familiarise yourself with where everything is, from the lights and indicators to the heating, hazard lights and stereo settings.

Visibility will probably be less than you are used to with the mirrors so make sure you get your seat in a comfortable and safe position to drive in and then arrange your wing mirrors and rear view mirror to the optimum visibility. One of the benefits of driving a van is that you are much higher than in a car so your natural visibility will be increased.

Because a van is higher and wider, it generally means that it is heavier too, even without a load. This means that braking distances are increased greatly so ensure that you allow for this when driving. Keeping a safe distance between you and the vehicle ahead will help. When you have a fully loaded van, it will weigh even more so driving slower and with increased caution is a must. Also, because of the height there will be restrictions when it comes to certain car parks and even low bridges. It is important that you check the height of your van so you know what your limitations are prior to travelling. Vans will have different speed limits which you need to obey so it is worthwhile looking these up in the Highway Code.

One of the biggest challenges of driving a van can often be the parking. Most people dread the idea of having to park one on the street, either parallel or reversing. This is when using your mirrors is pivotal; you will get to see the corners of the van this way which should help you when doing any manoeuvre. Remember to take your time and you can always stop and ask someone to help guide you in a space if you are having that much trouble.

Carpet Cleaning Vans - Choosing the Right Cargo Van

A reliable, dependable cargo van is a key component for a successful carpet cleaning business. It needs to be spacious enough to haul all the necessary equipment and sturdy enough to handle the weight. Let's take a look at three of the most popular cargo vans and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

The GMC Savana is from the same family as the Chevrolet Express van. This is a sturdy vehicle that has been serving the business community for years. The heavy-duty version is the one ton (3500) configuration that can come in an extended-wheelbase version (155-inch). It is powered by a 6.0-liter V8 that generates 300 hp and comes with a four-speed automatic transmission.

The Ford Econoline or E-Series cargo vans are similar workhorse type vehicles. The heavy-duty version is the E-350 model with a 5.4 liter V8 that produces 225 hp. Upgrades are available to a 6.8 liter with 305 hp or a 6.0 liter Power Stroke turbo diesel the produces 235 hp. It sits atop a 138 in. wheelbase and also sports a four-speed automatic transmission.

The Dodge Sprinter is a commercial van produced by Daimler-Chrysler (now just Daimler). Redesigned in 2007, the new Sprinter features a more spacious body with more cargo space thanks to an optional 170 in. wheelbase and extended roof. The heavy-duty version is the 3500 sporting a 3.0 liter turbo diesel producing 154 hp. This is the only engine option.

The most significant differences between these three vans is the amount of cargo space and powertrain options. The Sprinter's optional 170 inch wheelbase is longer than anything Ford or GMC can offer. It also has the unique feature of offering different roof heights up to 7 feet vs. the standard 4.5 foot ceiling in the other vans. On the downside, its the most expensive of the three and there are no engine upgrades if you need to do a lot heavy hauling.

So there are your choices. The Ford E-Series and GMC Savana vans are powerful, dependable and readily available both new and used. The new Dodge Sprinter is more spacious and comfortable but has fewer used offerings and costs more than GMC or Ford.

Any of these vans will get the job done but it's a good idea to do as much research as possible to find the best fit for your business.

Sprinter RV Conversions - Build Your Own Mercedes Sprinter Camper Van

For the last several decades in North America, there were only two choices for a small camper van:

A Volkswagen camper van with a tiny 1.6 liter engine
A Ford, Dodge or Chevy van with a huge 360 cubic inch (5.7 liter) V8 engine

The first choice was very popular and ultra-fashionable (and still is in some circles!), but had significant problems: it was small and underpowered, and broke down often. The domestic vans were much more reliable, had more space and more power, but as the price of gas kept increasing, their poor fuel efficiency became a problem, especially for long road trips.

In 1995, the Volkswagen Eurovan camper van appeared. It was a modern, updated version of the original VW camper van, with much better-designed interior fittings, more space and more engine power. However, just like the older VW camper vans, it was plagued with mechanical problems, most of which didn't seem to be worked out until the last few years the model was available in North America, 2002 and 2003. The 2002 and 2003 VW Eurovan camper vans were good camper vans, but now in 2010, low-mileage examples of this van are rare and expensive, some selling for US$40,000, more expensive than their original price!

In 2002, an excellent new base vehicle appeared for camper van conversions. The Mercedes Sprinter van was imported from Germany, and sold under several brands: Freightliner, Dodge and now (in 2010) back to Mercedes badging. The Mercedes Sprinter is tall, roomy and light (especially compared to the typical domestic North American vans), and over the years has been offered with different fuel-efficient and powerful gasoline and diesel engines, including a 2.7-liter 5-cylinder turbodiesel and a 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel. A basic Mercedes Sprinter cargo van can be customized into a great Sprinter camper van or Sprinter RV conversion.

In 2010, North American Mercedes Sprinters are offered in passenger van and cargo van versions, and in two sizes, a 144-inch wheelbase and a longer 170-inch wheel base, sometimes known as the regular-body (RB) and extended-body (EB). Older-generation vans (2002-2006) were also known as "T1N-style" vans, the newer-generation vans (2007 and later models) are also known as "NCV3-style" vans. There are also two roof styles for the Mercedes Sprinter:

"regular" roof, with an interior height of 65 inches
"high" roof, with an interior height of 76.4 inches

For some past model years, there was an ultra-tall "Mega" roof, the tallest roof option - this roof style was unsuitable for RV conversion because it was lower-strength fiberglass.

Why Choose a Mercedes Sprinter?

The Mercedes Sprinter cargo van has a number of great advantages which make it an excellent choice for converting into a Sprinter RV conversion / Sprinter camper van:

Fuel-efficiency - 2009 Mercedes Sprinters with the OEM642 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel engine rated at 181 bhp were estimated to get 18-22 miles per gallon. Bluetec Euro5 turbodiesel engines available on 2010 models may get even better gas mileage.
Power - With its turbodiesel engine, the Mercedes Sprinter has a very flat torque curve, and it has much greater torque than many similar-sized gasoline engines up until around 70mph. This is especially important for many higher-altitude regions of North America, where normally-aspirated engines lose up to 15% of their power at high altitudes.
Mercedes quality - Because it is built by Mercedes, a distinguished auto manufacturer known worldwide, it has proven to be very reliable mechanically, especially in comparison to its Volkswagen counterparts
Tall, roomy chassis - The tall, roomy chassis affords a significant amount of space for the usual camper van features - the interior is mostly 68 inches wide.
One million Mercedes built - There are now many, many Mercedes Sprinters on the road: Mercedes estimates over one million have now been built worldwide. The current Mercedes Sprinter van is the product of fifteen years of continuous refinement.

Why Build Your Own Sprinter RV Conversion?

There are now several excellent small RV conversions - class "B" conversions, in comparison to larger class "A" or class "C" models - in mass production based on the Mercedes Sprinter chassis, both 144-inch and 170-inch. In particular:

RoadTrek offers the SS Agile camper van on the 144-inch chassis
Airstream offers the Airstream Interstate 3500, based on the 170-inch chassis
Pleasure-Way offers the Ascent TS, based on the 144-inch chassis

These are excellent small motorhomes, and are designed with every luxury you might expect in a larger RV. However, there are some drawbacks to these conversions, at least in comparison to the older generations of small campervans:

Expensive - These conversions are very expensive, typically US$100,000 - $130,000
Not good for off-road use - These conversions are two-wheel-drive, equipped with running boards, and heavy, which makes them poor choices for off-road or even off-pavement use
Typically sleep 2 - These conversions typically only sleep two, which leaves a family of four looking for options on how to add two more sleeping berths

There's another option - build your own custom Sprinter RV conversion. With some hard work and ingenuity, you can turn a new or used Mercedes Sprinter cargo van into a great Sprinter camper van or small Sprinter RV for less than half of the cost of one of these expensive mass-market conversions. And you'll be able to say you built it yourself!