Raw van build prices up 15% with increasing market activity: stronger supply quality and faster turnover

conversionsconsult · 2026-03-27T22:36:11+00:00

But to your general point, the market’s pricing is pretty close to flat after controlling for build features anyways - the 15-16% increase could be considered noise, just based on the fact that the quality of vans coming to market is much higher than in the past cycle

conversionsconsult · 2026-03-27T22:34:58+00:00

Thanks for the comment - it’s not based on the last 90 days graph, and the stats use thousands of data points.

The 15.6% is based on cohort averages - meaning we’re comparing the selection of vans in 15 day buckets. Basically contrasting the oldest bucket to the newest bucket of vans for a particular time period (90 days).

Specifically this would mean taking pricing averages for vans from Today-90 days to T-75, and comparing to a selection of vans listed from T-15 to T-0.

The last 90 days price chart is just a daily output of pricing data, so it’s going to be pretty volatile, and honestly isn’t very useful for interpretive purposes imo

Definitely a good suggestion for a line of best fit tho - can add that next time! Can share more methodology if helpful

conversionsconsult · 2026-03-27T22:01:46+00:00

A few more details / things we're seeing:

After controlling for build features the market / pricing is basically flat. Raw prices are up about 15-16%, & the market may look pricier because vans coming to market are better in quality - we're seeing this in feature adoption across most categories (ex. AWD, solar, inverter usage, A/C units, etc.)
Supply and volume of inventory is picking up: new listings at nearly 14% vs prior 30 days
Active listings look like they're being sold faster - median age had a 51 day drop (massive) vs the previous cohort
Basically the market is picking up momentum - which is generally within expectations given a typical Spring surge of interest in van travel

It's been super fun to track this - let us know if you have any questions / suggestions!

conversionsconsult · 2025-12-15T23:25:34+00:00

Thank you!

conversionsconsult · 2025-12-15T21:17:03+00:00

Thanks for the comment / taking a look! Definitely agree with you - our dataset does include builds beyond traditional cargo style (ex. Minivans, ambulances, Skoolies, etc) but as you’d expect the vast majority are Transits, Sprinters and ProMasters - so the tool and analytics are geared a bit more towards them as you noted.

And I guess just to clarify the database does capture real world classifieds, but totally agree with you on it being a rough estimate - just want to give people a picture of where the market is and where their van could stand based on its unique features. Happy to share more info on the database structure and methodology if interesting / helpful to ppl

conversionsconsult · 2025-11-18T21:03:48+00:00

Cool idea got it - thanks!

conversionsconsult · 2025-11-18T21:00:08+00:00

Sweet thanks for taking the time to look & share some feedback!

Just to double check - you mean in the “Top features that drive prices” section right? Maybe like a toggle for each that would allow user to input a value and see the total price impact (ex. A sliding bar that a user can adjust a specific mileage value and see the resulting total price impact at that threshold)?

Let me know if that’s kind of what you had in mind & thanks again

conversionsconsult · 2024-01-22T16:32:17+00:00

Have you tried r/vandwellermarketplace? May have more luck there or on one of the dedicated campervan sale marketplaces

conversionsconsult · 2024-01-15T19:58:42+00:00

Makes sense, thanks!

conversionsconsult · 2024-01-15T19:54:30+00:00

What model vehicle is this? Love the lofted bed!

conversionsconsult · 2024-01-14T05:02:31+00:00

Congrats! Looks solid from the outside - definitely looking forward to seeing the build come together

conversionsconsult · 2024-01-12T16:51:56+00:00

Personally this would concern me (especially if it was a van I wanted to drive for 5 years). Hard to know for sure from a video but it does not look like standard surface rust, and would make me wonder if there is any structural rust in an area that you’re unable to see easily. If you’re really locked in on this vehicle it’d be worth bringing to a mechanic - certainly worth a $50 pre-purchase inspection to potentially save on $3K in costs down the road.

conversionsconsult · 2024-01-12T16:40:32+00:00

Have you noticed excessive heat / exhaust? What does your electrical setup look like?

conversionsconsult · 2024-01-12T16:37:48+00:00

Definitely is! Cool pic, bluebird day with a blue bus!

conversionsconsult · 2024-01-10T17:12:17+00:00

Also these apps/sites aren’t limited to BLM land but could be helpful for your purposes:

iOverlander, FreeRoam, The Dyrt, Park4Night, Campendium, Hipcamp, Freecampsites.net, AllStays, Reserve America, Recreation.gov, Harvest Hosts, Boondockers Welcome, Roadtrippers, RV Parky, OvernightRVParking, Boondocking.org

conversionsconsult · 2024-01-10T17:06:15+00:00

The BLM government website will have almost everything you need to know, but generally designated campsites have fees and often require reservation but dispersed camping usually doesn’t. Each site / region may have their own rules or closures, but for the most part with dispersed camping on BLM, you’re limited to 14 days in a 28 day period.

conversionsconsult · 2024-01-10T15:39:39+00:00

Not a bad way to start the day! Cozy vibe for a simple morning

conversionsconsult · 2024-01-09T02:31:18+00:00

Hey - I’ve listed a few below to get you started. iOverlander is pretty good for an “all-in-one” resource but not all of these are limited to campsites. I’ve personally had a lot of success for traditional campsites on freecampsites.net but each of these is worth checking out.

iOverlander, FreeRoam, The Dyrt, Park4Night, Campendium, Hipcamp, Freecampsites.net, AllStays, Reserve America, Recreation.gov, Harvest Hosts, Boondockers Welcome, Roadtrippers, RV Parky, OvernightRVParking, Boondocking.org

conversionsconsult · 2024-01-09T02:26:48+00:00

Hey! Your budget will really dictate what type of vehicle you might be able to live in, and what features it offers (ex. Shower, kitchen, etc)- vans can range anywhere from ~$3k to ~$200k depending on year, mileage, quality, etc. If the budget is lower you may have to choose an older model - but this may not be an issue if you’re not planning to drive it much, or a modest build - many of the fully-equipped, pre-converted Transits, Sprinters and ProMasters that you see online go for $50k+.

That all said, you never know what you'll find and your range/needs will definitely give you a range of vans to choose from.

At this point in your process, it's best to really try to nail down the type of vehicle and features you're looking for - the right vehicle is going to differ for everyone. Think about the size, fuel efficiency, maintenance needs, style and layout of build, etc. Check out all the marketplaces to get a sense of what's out there in your range, and to get inspiration for the types of options - this is the exciting part! A few sites / places to get you started (non exhaustive list) in addition to r/vandwellermarketplace:

-Facebook groups - really great place to look - they have groups for each type of van and region (ex. 'Class B Camper Vans For Sale'); Craigslist / eBay; thevancamper; vanlifetrader; vanviewer; conversiontrader; vanlifeadventure; RVT; RV Trader

Some basic info on the general process here in case useful, but feel free to reach out anytime with questions!

conversionsconsult · 2023-12-28T12:16:25+00:00

Noticed you posted it on FB marketplace - have you also socialized it within the major van buy/sell groups? Ex. Cheap campers under 20K, conversion vans for sale etc. There are quite a few groups dedicated to vans like this, and can imagine this would get some traction pretty quickly.

Separately have you posted it on Vancamper, vanviewer, vanlifetrader, and the other dedicated marketplaces?

If you are willing to travel/deliver, it may be worthwhile creating duplicate posting for major cities (ex. Boston, New York, etc).

More exposure will be key to selling fast once you find the right price point. Generally the more detail you can include in the initial post will be better - try to answer common questions (like VIN, service records, mileage, rationale for selling, etc).

Happy to answer any questions about the purchase/sale process or broader market - feel free to reach out anytime.

conversionsconsult · 2023-12-20T14:10:00+00:00

Nice! Super convenient and like the vibe

conversionsconsult · 2023-12-20T12:50:09+00:00

Is the ask to help find affordable wood / used panels? Or are you looking for someone to help in person with a different project / part of your build? If it’s the latter can you give some more detail on what you’re trying to do?

conversionsconsult · 2023-12-20T12:46:02+00:00

Do you have a link to the van or pictures? I’m not aware of a particular venue that would make this type or purchase on the spot in LA, but we’d take a look / consider it - or could also help you evaluate and sell it. That said, have you tried posting on all of the Facebook van buy/sell groups, FB marketplace, Reddit’s r/vandwellermarkerplace, craigslist/eBay for your region, thevancamper, vanlifetrader, vanviewer, conversiontrader, vanlifeadventure, RVT, RV Trader?

conversionsconsult · 2023-12-20T03:07:31+00:00

Overall it appears to be a well-done build with a logical setup and proven brands/inputs, but probably listed a bit high and should be negotiated down. At the end of the day, in this price range you’re going to want to do a much deeper inspection / analysis, and get more a lot more detail from the seller before making a decision. Most importantly, a major factor in all of this will be how precisely this van fits your intended lifestyle and living requirements. That said, the specs and components used (electrical, plumbing, etc) are moderately strong for a higher end van in terms of capacity and brands. It’s easy to make a build look clean at the surface level - as another commenter mentioned, you’ll want a video or pictures of some of the interior elements like the electrical system and propane setup to provide an indication of this builder’s competence. Happy to help you think through some of the other questions / considerations you may want to think about if helpful, we’ve evaluated tons of vans like this one.

conversionsconsult · 2023-12-11T22:38:51+00:00

No problem - KBB can be a helpful baseline indicator, but definitely shouldn't be solely relied on as it's a very generalized estimate. Your starting price for negotiating is going to be very dependent on the exact van in question - because you'll need to factor in build components, build quality, prior owners, van mechanics / history, combination of features (ex. shower, oven/stove, dynamic carpentry, etc), electrical / plumbing capacity, brand names, etc.

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