For many years the 3 main suppliers of small Class B motorhome base vehicles have been:
the Ford Econoline cargo van
- the Chevrolet Express cargo van
- the Dodge Tradesman cargo van
The Ford and Chevy are still very common amongst Class B manufacturers, but the Dodge Tradesman is no longer being produced.
In its place is the Dodge Sprinter van which has been brought over from Europe where it originated as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. An identical van is produced by Freightliner as well.
Gas Mileage
These nifty rigs are rapidly becoming the choice of motorhome manufacturers and RVers alike for a number of reasons.
With today’s unreliable fuel prices, these vans can squeeze up to 22 miles per gallon on the road with their smaller diesel engines. It’s a feat that not many fully self-contained motorhomes can come close to matching.
Headroom, Roof Safety & Leaks
For the RVer, the fact that the Sprinter van comes from the factory with full standup interior headroom is a big plus. There are many advantages to having your headroom high right from the point of original design; safety being the foremost.
With the Ford or Chevy, when the high top fiberglass roof is installed, the original metal roof is cut away. This may seem like simple sheet metal, but in reality it is structural strength that you will be losing.
Many hours of careful engineering and testing took place to ensure that the structure of the standard cargo van was a safe and sound vehicle. Removing a large chunk of this well thought out structure is bound to affect how well it holds up in a rollover accident.
Installation of the fiberglass raised roof also goes against any aerodynamics testing of the original design. Admittedly, the majority of aftermarket roofs are nicely sloped, minimizing this issue. But in some instances, the high roof add-on presents quite an awkward looking package.
It’s well proven that wherever there’s a seam, odds are in at least some instances, there will develop a leak. Many fiberglass tops over time develop leaks at the point where they are joined to the remaining metal roof structure. These are leaks that can be quite a problem to cure, especially if rust gets ahold on the area.
Now with the Dodge Sprinter, you have a well-designed unit that requires no heavy structure modification to be nicely fitted out as a complete self-contained RV. This fact hasn’t been overlooked by the RV industry.
Sprinter Dealers
Here are just a few from a very long list of manufacturers who produce quality Class B motorhomes based on the Dodge or Freightliner Sprinter van:
With the economy floundering, if you’re in the market for a new RV, you might want to consider one of the Class B motorhomes based on the Dodge Sprinter chassis.
You’ll find a long-lasting diesel engine and a streamlined structure, that doesn’t require major modifying, a plus. Your more maneuverable investment will not only be stylish, it will also take you many miles in a comfortable and fashionable manner.
I know I’d sure enjoy traveling in such a complete yet small package.
I’ve been involved in RVing for over 50 years — including camping, building, repairing, and even selling RVs and motorhomes. I’ve owned, used, and repaired almost every class and style of RV ever made. I do all of my own repair work. My other interests include cooking, living with an aging dog, and dealing with diabetic issues. If you can combine a grease monkey with a computer geek, throw in a touch of information nut and organization freak, combined with a little bit of storyteller… you’ve got a good idea of who I am. To date, I’ve shared my RV knowledge in over 300 articles here at The Fun Times Guide! Many of them have over 25K shares.
