Which van is best for a van conversion?
VW Crafter MWB/L2 H2
In this blog you will get a better understanding of how to choose the right base van for your van conversion depending on your needs and budget.
Contents:
Introduction
Van families – the 4 van ‘camps’
Budget ratio – How much should I spend on Van Base Vs Van Conversion
Explaining van lengths
Summary
Introduction
We get asked this question a lot and rightly so as it is a very good question, afterall it is the van that will take you on your adventures.
Please note, for this guide we are going to focus on the larger vans for conversion, so we won’t be factoring in the VW Transporter or the Ford Transit Custom. We’ll be doing another guide for these vans separately.
There is quite a lot to consider when it comes to choosing the right van but from our experience the best way to start is to look at your budget and what you can afford. People will often say “buy the best van you can afford” well duh obviously you’ll do this, but what can you get for your money and what about the budget for the conversion?
What you don’t want to do is spend £10k on a van and then £50k on the conversion. Think of it like an investment and the risk factors involved. Would you invest £40k into a company that is starting to slow down, lack performance and show an unreliable return of investment… probably not.
Before we go into the costs in more detail let me set the van conversion landscape for you…
Van families – the 4 van ‘camps’
We believe their are 4 camps when it comes to van choice….
Camp 1: Peugeot Boxer/Fiat Ducato/Citroen Relay (Vauxhall Movano from ’22 plate)
This camp is all part of the same family, they have the exact same dimensions and shape apart from a few cosmetic differences. Widely used as a base for van conversions with plenty aftermarket parts available and reasonable running costs.
Couple pros to mention is they are the most ‘square’ van of the lot, the sides stay straighter for longer meaning more space in the back for your lovely conversion. Second pro is the handbrake lever is to the right of the driver’s seat meaning if you are having swivel seats and a walk through cab it’s not in your way… but until you get used to that you will poop your pants every time you start rolling back on hill and can’t find the handbrake.
The Vauxhall Movano before Summer 2021 was built on the Renault Master platform but it now shares the same platform as the Boxer/Ducato/Relay so you will most likely see more of these being converted going forward.
Camp 2: Volkswagen Crafter or Mercedes Benz
Up until 2017 these were largely the same van, after 2017 they started to grow apart. The badge is more premium than camp 1,2 and 4 and from the exterior styling and cab’s interior this is certainly the case. The VW and Merc will be more expensive but they will also retain that value throughout their lifespan. Lots of very nice exterior upgrades to bling up your van conversion especially if your are going for the off-road overland look which is growing more and more popular.
Camp 3: Ford Transit
Well err yeah… why is the trusted Ford Transit camping by itself? To be honest we don’t know why either as it is a great van that offers really good value for money compared to the rest. It looks good, has a nice interior, great spec and plenty aftermarket bits but yeah it’s a Transit I suppose and it just hasn’t taken to the scene like the others. Don’t let this put you off though. From a conversion point of view it has an annoying sloping roof that seems to go on for ever making the front ceiling section awkward.
Camp 4 Vauxhall Movano Pre ’22 plate/Renault Master
We have converted a few of these vans and they make a nice van conversion and are decent to drive however aftermarket parts aren’t as available as other categories and are in general just a less popular van to convert. Similar price bracket to Camp 1 so if we consider resale value later down the line you might just want to stick to camp 1 in this price range.
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There is lot of information about all these vans online or best bet, go down to your local van dealer or the main dealer. Speak to them and get a feel for what you do and don’t like. Also see if you can take one for a test drive as along as you don’t mind the sales chat.
LWB/L3 H2 Mercedes Sprinter
Budget ratio – How much should I spend on Van Base Vs Van Conversion
Average conversion cost:
Camp 1 - £32k– £42k
Camp 2 - £40k – £60k
Camp 3 – Mixture of Camp 1 + 2
Camp 4 - £32k - £42k
These averages aren’t because the VW/Merc are more expensive vans to convert it’s just because we find customer’s in camp 2 would like to spend more on these models of van conversions.
It’s almost impossible to say what ratio between base van and conversion you should budget as there are so many variables with the base van and the conversion specification. As a rule of thumb though you can use this guide:
£50k total budget then I’d advise budget £16/18k for base van and £32/34k on converting
£70k total budget then I’d advise budget £22/26k for base van and £44/46k on converting
£90k total budget then I’d advise budget £30/34k for base van and £56/60k on converting
All these budgets would give you an amazing van conversion with both base van and the conversion specification and finish. There will be anomalies so don’t quote me but hopefully this at least gives you a bit of a guide.
XLWB/L4 H2 Peugeot Boxer
Van Lengths and heights
Unfortunately manufacturers don’t make this easy for people new to vans so I’ll break it down here. What do the acronyms mean?
Lengths:
SWB or L1 - Short Wheelbase
MWB or L2 - Medium Wheelbase
LWB or L3 - Long Wheelbase
XLWB or L4 - Extra Long Wheelbase
Heights:
H1- Low Roof
H2 – High Roof
H3 – Super High Roof
You’ll often see a van for sale being described for example as an L3H2 model or LWB H2.
To note even though H1 is described as ‘Low Roof’ people below 6ft should still be able to stand in the back. Also RWD (Rear Wheel Drive) variants of vans will have less height in the back (around 100mm) compared with FWD (Front Wheel Drive) because the prop shaft carrying drive to the rear wheels needs more room.
It gets tricky because a LWB Fiat Ducato is not the same length as a LWB VW Crafter. If you go to https://www.parkers.co.uk/vans-pickups/ they have all the dimensions you need and also great reviews on all the vans mentioned in this blog. The most important measurement is the ‘Load Length’ which be how much length you have in the back for the conversion.
XLWB/L4 H3 Ford Transit
Summary
So there are few things you need to understand to help you navigate the base van conversion market but hopefully this should be a helpful guide to begin with. Obviously the layout you’re after and features will play a big part in your decision as to which van you go for. This is a large topic in itself which we will cover in a separate blog.
How can we help:
We offer every customer help in sourcing the right base van so this isn’t a process you would need to do on your own, we are here to help as we appreciate it can be daunting to some folk and understandable so.
When we get a better understanding of the type of conversion you are after and the kind of budget you have we can help advise on best van choice for conversion.
People often ask what van would I choose to convert and I can tell you, because I am currently converting a LWB VW Crafter for myself, my partner, baby and two dogs! (Hopefully if you are reading this in summer 2026 it will be finished!) We just like the Crafter – the looks, the drive, the aftermarket parts and the badge - and it was within our budget so that was our choice. But that doesn’t mean it is right for everyone.
It really does come down to what you can afford and what you want to do with it. This blog might not have answered explicitly what the right van is for you because of the variables mentioned but it should at least inform you of the thought process’ involved.
Please get in touch if you would like to speak with us further about your specific needs and we can help you decide on the perfect base van for conversion.
I hope you have enjoyed this read and that it has been helpful!
Happy Travels
Jack – Design Director - Twin Coast Campers (Human Created Content)