Frequently Asked Questions
Gas vs. Diesel
Can you get a Vandoit in a Diesel?
YES! However, we desire to advise our customers to order a diesel for the right reasons. It is NOT our desire to sell more options and get the price of your adventure van higher.
Although our 3.5 and 3.7 gas engines will adequately tow the maximum amount of weight the van is designed to tow, a diesel will perform better with heavy towing through steep hills by delivering more torque to the drive shaft.
If you plan to tow a majority of the time and simply want to go from good to excellent towing performance, or if you simply WANT one for no reason at all, then by all means spend the extra money on the diesel!
A diesel engine does typically get about 15% – 20% better fuel mileage, however, diesel fuel costs an additional 15% to 20% more at the pump, thus off-setting the fuel savings.
Additionally, regular maintenance on a diesel engine runs about 4 times that of a gas engine.Even though diesels don’t have spark plugs or distributors and therefore don’t require a typical “tune up,” they require additional maintenance, that when ignored can cause expensive repairs to the emissions and fuel systems. As an example, if one fuel injector fails, all injectors should be replaced at the same time. The typical cost to replace fuel injectors on a diesel engine is between $6,000–7,000.
Fuel Economy
Durability and Longevity
Even though we now regularly see gas engines running well over 300,000 miles, it is commonly thought that a diesel engine will last longer. While we agree that the block, pistons and internal parts may typically last a bit longer, the above mentioned additional cost of the engine, fuel, maintenance, typical repairs, emission and fuel injector/system repairs and the needed fuel additives required in today’s diesel engine more than offsets the possible longevity of the diesel core.
As an example, a person can replace a gas engine with an entirely NEW engine for a similar price of diesel fuel injector replacement alone.
Finding diesel fuel is more difficult and requires expensive additives.
Finding qualified diesel technicians while on your adventure is much more difficult. Not all new car dealerships have trained diesel technicians and independent shops seldom have trained diesel technicians. Likewise, in a diesel engine failure, often times shops will not stock as many diesel engine parts as they would gas parts, due to the ratio of gas vs. diesel engines sold.
Hassle Factor
Diesel at Altitude
We know 95% of our customers will eventually want to take their adventure van “overland” at high altitudes. It is very difficult to get the fuel to air mixture ratio correct on a diesel with the variables that occur when going through mountains. This is why you will often see very black smoke rolling out of the tail pipe of a diesel as well as a loss of power under variable oxygen conditions created by changes in altitude. Running a diesel under these conditions can often hurt the emissions and fuel systems, which as discussed in the above paragraphs, are very costly to repair.
Everyone at Vandoit likes a diesel. They sound really cool and climb like a mountain goat. However, there are a lot of misconceptions about diesel. We want to make sure our customers are not spending a lot of extra money for the engine, maintenance, fuel and repairs because of misconceptions about savings. A diesel will cost more in lots of ways.
Why Passenger Vans?
WINDOWS = Natural light and viewing!
So many adventure vans don’t have adequate windows. 100% of our focus group, consisting of travelers and outdoor enthusiasts told us they like the option of natural light and the ability for their passengers to see nature while traveling!
Since our custom vans are modular and allow for a kitchen pod, passenger seating, all your gear, or some setup in between, everyone can see outside and avoid claustrophobia, without losing options!
Want privacy and storage space in the window area? Great! Utilize our removable thermal window covers with window cavity storage space!
By keeping the windows, you also get the safety of side curtain airbags where the passengers are!
Without adequate window space, the options for plenty of natural sunlight and more viewing points are just not there. Windows give you those options– options are good!
Safety Features
All Transit Passenger Vans come standard with driver and passenger front and side airbags. Transit Passenger Vans include a Safety Canopy System with a full-length, side-curtain airbag. Our design is set up to allow all of the airbags to work correctly.
The passenger vans also include factory, Department of Transportation, approved seating.
Rear Heating and A/C
Why the Ford Transit?
Our production run for a Vandoit conversion is currently set up for the Ford Transit passenger van.
We choose the Ford Transit for several reasons including dealership warranty and availability, affordable maintenance and repair costs, quality, van availability and affordability. We own and lease all models, but we have a huge level of trust in the Transit because we have leased hundreds of them since they began building them and they have performed so well. People love them. They drive like a high quality car.
Watch the video below to hear from Vandoit CEO Brent Kline about why he chose the Ford Transit.
More Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the gray water go?
The gray water goes into a removable tank. This tank is typically stored in the bottom drawer of the Removable Kitchen Pod.
Can I get a hot shower for my Vandoit?
Yes, we have 2 shower set ups. Currently our water supply and water pump is at the back of the van for a shower from the exterior utilizing a mat and shower stall. The other shower is called the Evershower, which can be used inside or outside the van.
How does what Vandoit adds affect the factory warranty?
The factory warranty stays in full force. Ford employs the best engineers and run the components through a plethora of safety and durability tests. We don’t compromise the integrity of Ford’s safety and engineering but rather compliment them. Our vans have the side curtain air bags and Ford safety tested seats. Unlike a class B motorhome, which would start with a stripped van and then add in components, we did not structurally or mechanically modify the van so our conversion has no impact on the manufacturers warranty– which is an advantage over most DIY or competitor’s vans.
Can I get financing for my Vandoit?
Yes, at Vandoit you are able to obtain financing for your custom van. We have competitive financing available through our automotive group division. We also offer RV financing, which would allow you to finance for up to 15 years.
Can I get a diesel on a Vandoit?
The answer is absolutely YES! However, we desire to advise our customers to order a diesel for the right reasons. It is NOT our desire to sell more options and get the price of your adventure van higher. Please visit our page on diesel vs. gas engines HERE!
Can I haul motorcycles, four wheelers or other toys?
Yes, the gear slide can hold approximately 750 pounds. A ramp would be required for loading of most powersport toys. Upon request, vandoit would provide an area for the ramp to hook into if needed. The flooring is commercial and designed to handle about any type of spill. Also, the extended length DO package offers a larger gear slide and space for these type of things.
Did you design the custom fittings?
Yes, our engineering and design team designs and assembles 100% of the non-electronic conversion components. Most of the van components are exclusive and proprietary to vandoit. With regards to our solar system, we utilized top shelf equipment providers and configured how the system works. We have true off-grid smart solar with capabilities well above the typical solar system. With audio and video, we utilize equipment from very high-end, trusted suppliers like JL Audio and Samsung Video.
Do You Offer Pop Up Tops?
We DO offer high roof vans, which a very tall person (under 6’4”) can stand in. We also offer mid roof vans. A person about 5’7” and below would be comfortable standing in a mid roof. We DO NOT offer pop-tops or tent-camper type tops to the van.
What is Vandoit's warranty?
Vandoit gets our components and products from top shelf suppliers who have support in addition to vandoit customer service support. These products carry their own warranty and vandoit follows their warranty with regard to needed labor. The warranty of the actual build follows the warranty of the actual van. The Ford warranty is a 3 year or 36,000 mile warranty for the van, so the vandoit build warranty follows the same structure.
Can I run heat and AC off of my Vandoit?
Yes, however the AGM battery system will only run the air conditioning for about an hour or two depending on multiple factors (what else is turned on, how hot it is outside, what the thermostat is set to, etc.).
The best solution for running the AC is by using shore power or upgrading to the lithium power system.
Can I trade you my vehicle, camper, or RV?
Yes, we will actively trade for your vehicle. There are actually many additional items we will take on a trade including boats, motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, etc. Our gurus will collect all the information and pictures for the item being traded in and work with financing to get a value for your trade item.
Can I get an extended length van?
We can utilize the extended length van for the DO package only. The extended length van has the same wheelbase as the long chassis. The wheelbase is 148″. Due to the wheelbase being the same, maneuverability and turn radius stay similar to that of the long chassis. Additionally, the extended length chassis is equipped with dually wheels in the rear to offer more stability and a smoother drive than the long chassis offers.
Can I get a kitchen, sink, microwave, cooktop, refrigerator, etc?
Yes, we offer three different size Dometic fridges. As of now we offer cooler accessible fridges for increased electric efficiencies, lower condensation, and more storage – occupied space ratio. Due to different clients wanting different size, wattage, and brand burners, microwaves, or other kitchen appliances vandoit does not offer these accessories. It is up to the client to shop for these accessories. However, vandoit equips the vans with the electric capacity to run these items.”
How did Vandoit get started?
Vandoit is a brand owned by Kline Van and Specialty Rental which evolved from Kline Motors, started by Woodrow Wilson Kline (Woody) in 1947 selling the brand of Kaiser Frazier. Vans and RVs have always been a part of the Kline Companies. Kline Van has up-fitted passenger vans for companies for years. Check out the page “It’s A Family Thing” to learn more about how vandoit started building custom adventure vans.
What do you mean by “modular”?
Meaning components can be added and removed as needed. This also leads to the term “convertible” as in convertible between an adventure van and family/passenger van. Almost all of the components (beds, kitchen pod, water tanks, portable hot water, etc.) in our custom van builds can be moved, converted, removed and reinstalled.
What if I like a van you have but don’t like the color?
We can change the color to whatever you want! We have partnered with graphic artists and a graphic wrap company so that we can assist our customers with making the van look exactly the way they want it to. Check out examples of our custom wraps here!
How many bicycles will the van haul?
- The vandoit will haul up to 20 total bikes without seats or kitchen pod (possibly more if you want to really work at it and less if you want any seats or the kitchen pod installed.) The garage area will hold up to 5 bikes on the gear slide with pedals off. There are several ways to utilize the interior ceiling cargo rails to haul additional bikes, which could haul up to an additional 7-10 between the garage/ bed lift area and the front captain’s chairs. Additionally some could be hauled on the floor utilizing a platform with fork mounts mounted to it. One could also use a combination of hanging bikes from the ceiling cargo rails and the floor using fork mounts. Lastly, three bikes can be hauled on the back of the van utilizing a platform hitch rack with a swing away arm. The reality is that the more people and other cargo a person wants to haul, the less bicycle hauling capacity there will be. Also, we strongly caution against hauling anything on the second tier bed lift hydraulic platform without adequately securing all items with cargo nets, tie downs and covers.
How many surf boards / stand up paddle boards can I haul?
It seems like many of the pictures revolve around bicycling. What other types of adventure have you seen a Vandoit type vans used for?
Do people use Vandoit for their business?
- We have seen people think outside the box who use a Vandoit for catering, band touring, event coffee and bakery service, landscaping, plumbing, electrical, tour industry, florists, mobile dog grooming, real estate, event supply delivery, mobile retailing and distributing, on the road sales reps who want to save on hotel costs, branding any new product, pool/water supplies delivery, ski and surf applications, nutrition company supply and delivery, office supply delivery and for mobile repair of all types including bicycle and cell phone. Bottom line is the van cries out, “Nobody puts baby in a corner”. The van is so versatile and people are so creative that the number of commercial and business applications the Vandoit is being utilized for is amazing!
- Many outdoor businesses have purchased our adventure vans for branding and marketing their own business, while enjoying it personally at the same time. Additionally, many of these companies use the van as an employee perk! One thing is for certain, when you show up in a Vandoit you or your business MAKE A STATEMENT and become the life of the party with the “rolling stage” and the Marine Grade JL / Kenwood audio system with built in microphone. Give out some fresh drinks off the pull out gear slide, while watching the big game off the rear-mounted big-screen TV.
What about businesses that are NOT outdoor in nature...can they utilize a Vandoit?
What About Insulation?
Where does the gray water go?
Is there a toilet ?
Can I take a shower inside?
Can I get doors on the cabinets?
- We typically zigzag bungee cables across the front of the cabinets. This allows a person to reach in and grab their gear easily without having to open a door and also help limit rattle that typically happens when there is a door on the cabinet.
Does it have WiFi?
- Due to the fact that our vans are designed to go off-grid with the Vandoit smart solar system and 110 outlets and USB ports, an owner can set up a WIFI hotspot at any time.
How many gallons of water does the tank hold?
Is there a rack for bike wheels?
How long will the batteries stay charged without being plugged in?
How big of a TV can I get?
Are there any tough looking bumpers or body kits available we can add?
How can I have a work station for my computer?
What wheels and tires does it come with?
Do you have financing?
How wide is it in back between the shelves of the LIV package?
How tall is the ceiling?
How many will it seat / what are the configurations?
- Our LIV package has configurations of 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8. Our DO package can seat up to 11.
Can you do captain’s chairs?
Are the windows tinted?
- Yes, and thermal storage window covers are available. We will also do window perforated vinyl with a graphic design.
If I decide to go with a used van to capture the savings, where do you get the vans?
- As part of a large automotive and leasing company, Vandoit has access to hundreds of low-mileage off-lease vans still under warranty. We have utilized these vans and know their history. We pick the best condition inventory for Vandoit conversion purposes.
What Chassis do you use?
- Vandoit uses the Ford Transit chassis with a 148″ wheelbase. The extended-length van is also on a 148″ wheelbase. We build on the mid-roof and high-roof chassis.
