You are considering buying a Mercedes Sprinter Van for spacious traveling or camping purposes. You are wondering how big the Mercedes Sprinter van is and how much stuff you can fit in the van. You might also want to know how many people could comfortably sleep in this van and whether it will fit in your garage. This post will dive into all the details about Mercedes Sprinter vans, so you can decide if it is a good choice for you.
The Mercedes Sprinter van is 19.46 feet long, 22.83 feet long, or 24.17 feet long, depending on the wheelbase length. Wheelbase sizes are 12 feet or 14.17 feet. The standard height of the Sprinter van is 8.04 feet. Some models have a taller roof, which is 8.96 feet or 9.52 feet tall. A Sprinter van will not fit through the door of a standard size garage, which measures only 7 feet tall.
Now that you know a Mercedes Sprinter van will not fit in a standard size garage, you might ask what size the garage needs to be. If the large size of the Sprinter van is prohibitive to your plans, you may want to know about comparable vans that will fit more easily in your garage. We will answer those questions and also give you some tips on storing a Sprinter van that won't fit snugly into your garage. Keep reading to learn more.
How Big Is A Mercedes Sprinter Van? (And Can It Fit In My Garage?)
A Mercedes Sprinter van is between 19 and 24.2 feet long and between 8 and 9.5 feet in height. This is determined by three different wheelbase sizes. The wheelbase sizes are 144-inch, 170-inch, and 170-inch extended. The wheelbases are between 12 and 14.2 feet in length.
Whether the Mercedes Sprinter van fits in your garage depends on the size of the specific Sprinter van and the size of the garage, including the opening.
The standard garage door is only 7 feet high, which is not large enough to fit the shortest Sprinter fan that is 8 feet tall. The interior of the standard garage is 8 feet tall, but that is not sufficient to house any Sprinter van.
What Size Garage Do I Need For A Sprinter Van?
There are two important dimensions to consider, the height of the door and the length of the garage.
Standard garage door heights are 7 feet tall. The shortest Sprinter van will scrape the door if it is 8 feet tall. Garage door heights can be made as high as 12 feet.
The standard garage length is 22 feet or 24 feet. Both of these sizes are long enough to hold the shortest Sprinter van. However, you will need a non-standard garage to hold the Sprinter van, so you can opt for a longer and taller garage.
How Big Is The Back Of A Sprinter Van?
The Mercedes Sprinter van comes in two sizes, the 144-inch, and the 170-inch wheelbase. Here are the interior dimensions for each size:
144-inch wheelbase dimensions
- Cargo bed length is 137.4 inches or 11.45 feet.
- Interior width is 70.1 inches or 5.84 feet.
- Interior height is 67.7 inches or 5.64 feet.
170-inch Wheelbase Dimensions
- Cargo bed length is 178.2 inches or 14.85 feet.
- Interior width is 70.1 inches or 5.84 feet.
- Interior height is 67.7 inches or 5.64 feet.
The high roof option is also available for both models and would measure 79.1 inches, or 6.59 feet.
How Much Can You Fit In A Mercedes Sprinter?
The 144-inch wheelbase Sprinter model will hold 319 cubic feet of cargo. The extended wheelbase Sprinter model with a high roof will hold 586 cubic feet of cargo.
Depending on the specific size of the Sprinter van and your requirements for space, the van can sleep four to six people. In order to sleep or camp in the back of the Sprinter van, you will need to complete the conversion.
The Sprinter has plenty of space, but does that mean it will carry anything you need? There are some household or woodworking items that may be awkwardly shaped, which means they won't fit in the Sprinter van.
For more information about fitting a king-size bed into a Sprinter van, check out this article: Does A King Size Bed Fit In A Cargo Van Or Minivan?
Van Build Complete Conversion Guide
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Is A Mercedes Sprinter Bigger Than A Ford Transit?
A Ford Transit is slightly taller than the Sprinter van when considering all models, but the Sprinter van is larger and contains more cargo space.
The standard Ford Transit contains 246.7 cubic feet of cargo space, while the longest and tallest Ford Transit contains 404.3 cubic feet of cargo space.
The standard Sprinter van has 319 cubic feet of cargo space, while the longest and tallest model contains 586 cubic feet of cargo space.
How To Get The Most Out Of Cargo Space
The amount of cargo space your van holds is an important consideration when looking for a cargo van. You can make the most out of the space you have by organizing it for your own purposes.
There are shelving units that can be installed to provide more storage while also staying organized.
Steel Shelving For Cargo Vans: Sprinter And Transit
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Is It Hard To Drive A Sprinter Van?
Driving a larger van like the Mercedes Sprinter isn't difficult compared to smaller vans or cars.
Of course, a larger vehicle means that you take up more space on the road. You will need to be more careful when taking turns to make sure you don't hit a curb or turn the van into the other lane.
The larger size of the Sprinter van can be intimidating if you only have experience operating sedans or other small vehicles. The Sprinter van is made for carrying cargo, so it will drive better when more weight is on board.
If the van is empty in the back, then you can expect it to bounce around more as you drive at higher speeds. Add more weight in the back to prevent this from happening.
For more information about the differences between driving vans and cars, check out this article: Is Driving A Van Hard? [What You Need To Know Before You Hit The Road]
Do Sprinter Vans Hold Their Value?
Sprinter vans hold their value incredibly well compared to similar cargo vans. Ten-year-old vans with over 100,000 miles can still sell for over $35,000, compared to new Sprinter vans that sell for about $50,000.
The average depreciation for cars and vans is about 90% over the first 10 years. That means the average car is only worth 10% of the original value after 10 years. The Sprinter van is worth about 50-60% of the original value after 10 years.
Cargo Vans That Will Fit In A Standard Garage
If you are looking for a cargo van but need something that fits in a standard garage, there are some options.
These vans don't carry the same amount of cargo as a Sprinter or a Ford Transit, but they are family vehicles that can carry large amounts of cargo when the seats are removed or laid down.
Nissan NV
The Nissan NV contains 234.1 cubic feet of cargo space, just slightly less than the standard Ford Transit model. This model is big enough to carry your cargo but will also fit in the garage.
Check out this article for more information: How Tall Is A Nissan NV And Will It Fit In My Garage?
Dodge Caravan
This usually falls under the minivan category more than a cargo van, but it can still hold 140.3 cubic feet of cargo when the second-row seats lay flat.
If you're looking for a family vehicle that can also carry large loads of things or materials, then the Dodge Caravan deserves some consideration.
For a detailed discussion of the Dodge Caravan cargo space, check out this article: What’s The Dodge Grand Caravan’s Cargo Space Like?
In Closing
A Sprinter van is excellent for converting into a camping vehicle or carrying large amounts of cargo. Unfortunately, all of that extra storage space makes the Sprinter van too large to fit in a standard garage.
You will need a garage with a high clearance greater than 8 feet in order to fit the shortest Sprinter van on the market. If you need a cargo van that fits in your garage, you may consider a Nissan NV or Dodge Caravan.