The 144 vs. 170 Mercedes Sprinter Van
When you start considering a camper van build, one of the first decisions you'll need to make is a critical one: what length of van will you build on: 144 vs. 170? It's a controversial topic among the van community and there are die hards on both sides of the aisle. Let's dive in and take a look at the pros, cons, and differences between these two Sprinter van lengths.
The 144 Mercedes Sprinter Van
The 144 wheelbase Mercedes Sprinter (like the Doc Holliday pictured above) is the more compact of the two options coming in just under 19.5 ft in length. This length juxtaposes the Sprinter van directly between the average lengths of short and long bed pickups making it a breeze to drive in the city or offroad.
Pros of the 144 Sprinter Van
There is a lot to love about the 144 wheelbase. It's compact (from a van perspective), which makes it easy to maneuver even in the city and the tightest offroad switchbacks. It fits easily in a standard parking space (18') and can navigate urban sprawl as well as any commuter vehicle. Despite its smaller size, the 144 Sprinter still offers ample interior space that draws a fantastic balance between capacity and usability.
At Off Highway Van, we've made it our mission to engineer floorplans that maximize storage and interior space in your camper van conversion. To do this, we CNC our aluminum wall panels and have reduced our utility box sizes (shown below) by almost 25% compared to other van companies (and even our previous models). This gives you more space for bikes, skis, and any gear you need to bring along in your cargo area.
Cons of the 144 Sprinter Van
As with any tradeoff, one man's pro is another man's con. The reduced length may make the 144 wheelbase Sprinter van more nimble and easier to maneuver but you are trading cargo space for this agility. You're also giving up interior space that can be extremely valuable, especially if you need to share space with kids, adventure partners, and furry companions.
Building A Camper Van On the 144 Sprinter
But, how does this shorter length mean for you Off Highway Van build? When you build on a 144 vs. a 170 floorplan, you'll have a shorter galley which can limit your options for cabinetry, seating, and some amenities.
The 170 Mercedes Sprinter Van
The 170 Mercedes Sprinter van offers a significant boost to your cargo space making it ideal for those that need to transport more people to camp, store more gear, or just have a bit more usable space on the interior of their van. The 170 comes in at a length of just under 23' and more closely mimics the driving experience of a 4-door, longbed pickup: can still fit in parking spaces, but does take a bit more effort and skill to navigate in the city and tight, twisty roads.
Pros of the 170 Sprinter Van
The added length of the 170 Sprinter van chassis opens up a ton of possibilities for your camper van conversion. This added length allows for more comfortable seating, more interior space in your completed build, and more gear storage.
For example, our Doc Holliday 170 allows seating for 7 and sleeping arrangements for 5+. If you've got enough people to fill those seats, you will be happy you chose the 170 floorplan.
Cons of the 170 Sprinter Van
The 170 Sprinter van does come with some drawbacks with this added length. These drawbacks become especially evident when maneuvering the van in tight spaces or when navigating city traffic. The standard U.S. parking space is 18ft in length, so you will have some overhang with the 170 at 23' so you'll need to pick and choose your spaces.
However, if you're going to use your van exclusively for road trips, camping, and overlanding, this becomes less of a drawback as it will easily fit into any available RV space. The 170 floorplan, with an added 3' of length, can also result in slightly higher fuel consumption compared to its 144 counterpart, but it is negligible on a full camper van buildout.
Building A Camper Van On The 170 Sprinter Van
When it comes to your Off Highway Van build, the 170 Mercedes Sprinter allows us to create a larger galley as well as fit extra cabinetry, seating, and amenities into your camper van build.
We also option an extended range fuel tank on our Pro-X models so that you can offset the increased fuel consumption and stay off-grid and offroad longer without having to fuel up.
The Off Highway Van Expert Take
When it comes to building your dream camper van, you really can't go wrong with either Sprinter van variant. It comes down to how much space you'd like on the interior of the van vs. how much space you'd like it to take up overall. We typically suggest the 144 floorplan for weekend warriors, solo or couple travelers, or those that don't get as many opportunities to get out on the road and stay out for extended periods of time.
If you're an extended trip, explore it all type of vanlifer, we typically suggest the 170 model. This provides you additional space for anything your trips throw at you. It also provides you additional storage space so you don't have to make sacrifices to your gear stash due to spatial limitations. It can also give you and your travelling companions a bit more breathing room during extended trips.
Start Your Dream Van Build With Us Today
If you've been considering getting into van life or you're ready to upgrade your existing van, talk to the expert van builders at Off Highway Van. We engineer, design, and build each of our custom camper vans in Salt Lake City and back them with an unmatched lifetime craftsmanship warranty; no other builder comes close. Start your build with us today!
Comments