Pros and Cons of Camper Vans

Camper vans are one of the most popular RVs on the market. But they are not the right RV for everyone. 

In fact, if you had asked us five years ago if we’d ever buy a camper van, we probably would have said absolutely no way. Now, we’ve had our van for over a year and haven’t regretted it one bit. 

Our first RV was a 27-foot Keystone Passport Elite travel trailer that we towed with an F-150. It was perfect for us when we bought it, and we have many happy memories with the trailer. But after nine years, we decided it no longer fit our needs.

So, in early 2025, we purchased a Panoramic Classic camper van. Buying a camper van wasn’t an easy decision for us. In fact, we considered it for about a year and talked ourselves out of it several times.

If you’re in the same position, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of camper vans, what you should consider before making a purchase, and what to be ready for if you do buy a camper van. 

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Pros of Camper Vans

I’ve already said that we have thoroughly enjoyed our van. So, let’s start by taking a look at just what makes a camper van a great RV. 

Size (Easy to Get Around)

One of the biggest positives of camper vans is that they are relatively small, especially when compared to other RVs. This makes them fairly easy to drive and park, both at a campground or just around town. 

Most camper vans fit into a normal-sized parking space. Our van is 21 feet, which is a little long, so we typically look for a parking space on the perimeter. That allows us to back in and hang over what is typically grass. If that’s not available, we’ll pull across two front-to-back spaces on the outskirts of a parking lot.

This also allows you to camp just about anywhere. Yes, we have found a few campsites that aren’t big enough for our van. But those are few and far between. Having a longer RV or a trailer plus a truck is far more limiting, especially in national parks.

Additionally, you can sometimes camp in sites geared more for tents. You can also camp at campgrounds that only have RV sites or only allow hard-sided RVs. 

Finally, a smaller size means that gas mileage is much better than that of other RVs. When we were towing a 27-foot trailer, we would typically get around 10 MPG. In a strong headwind with a lot of uphill, it could be as low as 6-8 MPG. (For reference, when not towing, our truck gets about 20 MPG on the highway.)

In the van, we average about 15 MPG. 

Convenience

Because of its small size, it is also easier to move around quickly in a camper van. In fact, that’s one of the main reasons why we bought a camper van. 

As teachers, we have limited time off during the school year. Our two-week Christmas vacation isn’t enough time for us to tow a trailer from Georgia to the Western US and back. So, we found ourselves taking our truck and staying in hotels more and more often. In 2019, we even flew to Denver and rented a camper van since we didn’t have time to drive out with our trailer.

It was on our winter road trip to Death Valley and Joshua Tree national parks that we really started warming up to the idea of getting a camper van. While we loved that trip, we realized it would have been even better with a van. Quite frankly, we spent a lot of time driving to and from hotels. 

In addition to moving around faster, it is much faster and easier to set up and take down camp with a camper van. Quite simply, there just isn’t as much to do. 

One of our first times out in the van, we pulled into the campsite in pouring rain. We rejoiced that all we had to do was shift into park, swivel the seats and relax. 

Additionally, the camper van is much easier for just one person to travel with. Grant enjoyed a week-long trip through Kansas last summer while I was grading AP Exams. More recently, he spent a few days in the Okefenokee Swamp while I was helping my family with a few things in Florida.

Finally, you have your stuff with you everywhere you go. Ready for a picnic lunch on the road? The pantry and refrigerator are right there with you. Returning after a long hike? You can clean up and change clothes immediately. That really has been a nice change for us. 

Variety of Floorplans and Customization

Perhaps one of the biggest selling points of camper vans is that they are highly customizable. Sure, there are plenty of pre-made vans if you are not a “do-it-yourselfer.” Our Panoramic camper van is a prime example of that. And it comes in several different models with slightly different floor plans and technical specifications.

From those ready-to-go camper vans, you’ll find a huge variety of floor plans. Some camper vans have a dedicated bed, while others have a sofa that folds down. Most camper vans have some sort of kitchen/food prep area, but they vary widely. 

Our camper van has a dinette, but not all do. Ours also has a bathroom, with a toilet and shower, which is extremely rare. But that was my one non-negotiable. After nine years of having a full bathroom, I at least wanted a toilet. 

Honestly, finding the Panoramic and everything it offered was what sold us on getting a camper van. Add in the fact that Grant actually fits in the bathroom, and we knew it was perfect for us.

There are also tons of companies that will allow you to build a custom van. Or, if you are handy, you could get the van and finish the inside exactly how you want it yourself. 

Camper vans truly are the most flexible and customizable RVs out there. 

Cons of Camper Vans

As stated previously, camper vans are not the right RV for everyone. So, let’s take a look at some of the things that might make you reconsider getting a van.

Size (Tight Inside)

While the small size is great for moving around, driving and setting up camp, that also means less space inside.

A camper van is best suited for one to two people. Yes, you can sometimes sit and sleep three or four in a camper van. But that will be a lot of people in a small space, even if some of those people are kids. Honestly, it’s tight for two people if the weather is bad and we’re stuck inside.

Our bed runs “east-west,” meaning side-to-side in the camper van. At 5’11”, Grant just barely fits and has to use a travel-sized pillow to make that work. And it’s just barely a full-size bed, so pretty tight for us, since we sleep in a king-size bed at home. 

In our travel trailer, we had a walk-around queen-size bed, which made getting up to use the bathroom at night a relatively painless thing. Now, Grant has to crawl over me if he needs to get up in the middle of the night.

It also means less space for your stuff. When we switched to the camper van, we had to get rid of our beloved zero-gravity chairs. Now, we just have small camp chairs that are great, but much smaller and not nearly as amazing. 

We also have a little less space overall for food, cookware, clothes and other gear. Of course, if this is your first RV or you are used to traveling in a small car with a tent, then it might be a big upgrade for you.

And, everything is a tradeoff in terms of space. Want a full bathroom? That means less storage space or maybe a smaller kitchen. Additionally, holding tanks are not quite as big as in most other RVs.

Inconveniences of a Camper Van 

Another drawback of camper vans (or any motorhome, compared to a towed RV) is that anytime you need to drive somewhere, you have to pack up. 

Even a quick run up the street to grab dinner means unhooking from the electric and water, making sure all loose items are put away, and everything is in its place. 

This has been the biggest adjustment for us. 

We’ve learned that it rarely benefits us to stay in a campground more than one night. Of course, we often do stay in a campsite for several nights if it’s the best campground in a particular area. But we’ve also done a lot more one-night stays than we did with a trailer. 

It also means no get-around vehicle that is smaller and easy to maneuver around the city. Since a van is relatively small, it’s not that big of a deal. But there are times we really wish we had a smaller vehicle. Our first summer with the van, we were parallel-parked in a small downtown area while getting lunch. We came back to a busted side-view mirror. Lesson learned to ALWAYS fold in the mirrors!

Finally, when we’re home for a long stretch, we have to make a point to drive the van every 7-10 days so that the chassis battery doesn’t drain. We’ve noticed this more and more with new vehicles in general, so it’s not a big surprise. And we’re generally happy to take a leisurely drive on a Sunday afternoon. Still, that is not always convenient.

Finding Service

Another con of having a camper van is getting it serviced. Getting the chassis serviced will typically be a different location from getting any of the conversion items serviced. Depending on where you live, either or both of those could be far away from home.

Even finding a place for an oil change can be difficult. Some places don’t have the high clearance for any sort of van. Others don’t have a lift that can handle the extra weight of a camper van.

We lucked out that the Ram dealership down the road can handle our van. But not all dealerships can. And we didn’t think to research that before buying. 

The Pros and Cons of the Various Van Chassis

The three main vans in the US are the Ram Promaster, Ford Transit and Mercedes Sprinter. Each of those has its own pros and cons. 

Our Panoramic Classis is built on the Ram Promaster 3500 chassis. The biggest downside of that is that there is no option for four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Additionally, we have had several random electrical and maintenance issues just within the first year of ownership. On the upside, the inside space is fairly roomy, allowing for more options in terms of van conversion design.

Perhaps the biggest drawback of the Promaster compared to our Ford F-150 is that the seats are not quite as comfortable. Additionally, there is quite a bit of road noise at high speeds. Still, it’s worked well for us overall.

The Ford Transit is available in all-wheel drive, but it is a slightly different shape, which can make the conversion a bit more limited. Additionally, there were some recalls affecting the availability of the Transit for a while, though that seems to have been resolved.

Finally, the Mercedes Sprinter is a solid option for a camper van. There are several different options in terms of length, height, and wheelbase. Additionally, also is available with all-wheel drive. The downside is that they are typically more expensive in terms of initial cost and maintenance costs. It is also more difficult to find a service center for them.

The Costs of a Camper Van 

Every camper van carries a high price tag in terms of cost or labor (and time). Yes, there are some ways to save money. And not everyone will want or need the same amenities and level of fit and finish. Still, whether you are doing the conversion yourself or paying for a pre-finished camper van, it’ll cost you.

I’ll be honest, we spent a lot more than we initially expected on our camper van. But, we decided that if we weren’t comfortable in the van, we wouldn’t use it as much and it wouldn’t be worth the money we did spend. 

Yes, you can control a lot of the cost by choosing a simple layout, a basic finish, or doing a lot of the work yourself. But you can also blow your budget if you want a complicated layout or luxury finish. That said, you may find it difficult to insure if the van does not have the RVIA sticker on it, indicating it was built to industry standards.

The cost is one factor that initially held us back from buying a van. But we’ve found it to be worth it based on the experiences we’ve had. 

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Camper Vans

Whether a camper van is right for you is a very personal decision. And what is right for one stage of life might not be right for another. 

When we purchased our travel trailer and started RVing, we wanted to bring our cat, Alee, with us. We had also spent years traveling with a tent and were ready for something a little more comfortable. Having a trailer gave us plenty of space for the cat and forced us to slow down a bit.

Even after Alee passed, we enjoyed the slow pace of traveling with a trailer. But over time, we realized we just didn’t have the time to truly enjoy it. Additionally, we were paying for RV storage since we lived in an apartment. 

Buying a camper van allowed us to speed up a little bit – something we were ready to do again. And we can park it at our apartment complex, saving us money on storage.  

Mostly, we like that the camper van is a nice balance between tent camping and RV camping. Yes, we’re back to using the campground shower most of the time. But at least we don’t have to walk to the bathhouse in the middle of the night to use the toilet. 

It’s been the right decision for us and we are looking forward to doing a lot more exploring in our van.

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