When you’re a family of 13, the options for being able to fit the entire family in one single car are limited. For us, having a van just makes sense but finding a family vehicle that’s comfortable for everyone to ride in (and also gets decent gas mileage) can be tough. Over the years, we’ve had our fair share of family van experiences and have tried everything from a minivan (when we were a “small” family of 6) to a 15-passenger Ford van. Today you’ll catch us riding around in the full sized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van which has served us well.
When people hear “Mercedes”, they automatically think of a luxury vehicle. But in reality, a Mercedes-Benz is really a versatile, utilitarian vehicle with a solid track record of being able to perform in extreme conditions. In fact, the Sprinter is actually part of their truck division and leans towards that end of the scale versus being a true luxury SUV.
Before purchasing our Mercedes Sprinter van, we weighted all of our options. This is how we landed on this particular model and used it to travel across the US on our ski tour.
5 Reasons We Chose Our Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van
Today we’re skipping the spec details and getting straight into why we landed on this particular van and the reasons why we love it.
#1 4-Wheel drive capability
As you’ll hear in the video, we had a major scare last year on our way down from Mt. Bachelor. Having good tires that can supply you with proper traction in the worst of conditions is extremely important to the needs of our family.
#2 A ton of cargo space
The cargo capacity and roof height of our Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van allow us to load up all kinds of gear and equipment. From ski racks and surfboards to wet clothes and storage bins, we’re able to fit nearly everything into the back without any issues. Check out Jenise’s video that highlights some of our travel tips and road trip hacks for traveling with kids.
#3 Easy to clean
The hard vinyl surface throughout the van is extremely durable and easy to clean up which is a HUGE plus for us.
#4 Low maintenance
For Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans 2009 model-year and newer, oil changes are (typically) only required every 20,000 miles. As a busy family that’s constantly on the go and not always close to a mechanic, this is a huge plus.
#5 Plenty of seating
The four rows of luxury seating mean that we can fit 10 passengers behind the front row… That’s 12 total passengers! Unlike many of the 8-passenger SUVs you’ll find, each row of seating has the same amount of legroom so there are no cramped legs or calling dibs on who gets to sit where.
Back to You
We absolutely love our Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van and have driven it all over the western U.S. this last year alone without any issues or complaints. There’s no need for any type of special drivers license to drive the Sprinter and anyone who drives it will tell you that it’s very easy to operate on the road.
Whether you’re looking for a vehicle that will accommodate your large family or are living the nomadic van life dream, we hope you enjoyed today’s video. Please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date with our latest travels, ski adventures, and life as the big ski family.
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