HAPPYVANGO ~ 2018 sprinter 144 4x4 camper van

The short review:

Beware of Jen and Matt! They are such amazing hosts — and their van is so fun to road-trip in — that you may find yourself at a dealership writing a check for a van of your very own! True story.

The extended review:

In late summer, my wife and I (and dog) rented from Jen and Matt for an extended trip from Southern California to Oregon. The primary purpose was to visit an older parent who was dealing with some older-parent medical issues, and a Sprinter seemed like a terrific Covid-safe way to travel. Of course, it also seemed like a really fun way to travel — especially after years of enviously watching friends, and strangers on Instagram, tooling around in their rigs. It should be noted that my wife hadn’t quite shared the same van-obsessions; but roughly 10 minutes into our trip — the van loaded with everything she could possibly want to travel with — she was a convert :-)

This was our first time using Outdoorsy, and the experience couldn’t have been smoother. Throughout the entire process, Jen and Matt were communicative, conscientous, accommodating, and quick to respond to messages — from scheduling, to a contact-less pick-up over FaceTime, to mid-trip check-ins, to an unexpected trip-extension (then shortening, due to Oregon’s wildfires.)

The van itself was exactly as represented. It was sparkling clean when we picked it up, super fun to drive, and presented zero issues. As other reviewers have noted, the build-out is simple and functional. We weren’t looking for a home-on-wheels, so its utilitarian layout was perfect for us.

When we returned the vehicle, we were happy to finally meet Jen and Matt (and their adorable daughter) face-to-face. They were as warm and down-to-earth in person as they were over the phone In fact, Matt has remained a helpful resource for van info. It’s nice to have friends to accompany you while exploring the bottomless wormhole known as #vanlife!

We would rent from Matt and Jen again in a heartbeat, except for the fact that we are now owners of our own van — thanks, in no small part, to the experience they provided us.

Oh, and the happiest part of this extended trip-report is that our parent’s good health has returned.

Enjoy your adventures, wherever they lead you!

We took a long extended weekend trip to Arizona (over 1,400 miles) and the van was a pleasure to drive with the wonderful diesel engine - plenty of power to get up hills or keep up with traffic - a far cry from my Vanagon camper back in the 90's! We got hit with severe gusty winds on our drive home and it never felt scary - always well planted and easy to drive.

We had plenty of room for all our gear in the back under the top bed and kept the living area in the center open for hanging out during cold mornings while having coffee. The three separate 12v auxiliary power outlets came in handy for keeping the fridge running along with charging electronics, and the rooftop fan was great for providing fresh air. The van is also well insulated and stays warm - we woke up to 37º outside this morning and the interior of the van was 50º just from retaining our body heat.

Matt and Jen made everything too easy. They have awesome video to explain every little thing in the van. Communication was great, responsive to text, easy pick up and drop off and van ran amazing. Awesome people, awesome rig. Will definitely be coming back! - Logan

Super easy going experience with Jen and Matt, little operational things on the van like the bike rack and roof vent were explained and followed up with a video. Communication was great, responsive to text, easy pick up and drop off and van ran great! great folks great rig! ~ Chuck

Had a great time in the van. It is a perfect off grid camping sleeper for two adults + 1 or 2 kids under 13 years old. You will need to bring your own kitchen gear and outdoor shade....this is not a "van life" sprinter with kitchen/bath comforts included.

We explored through Utah and Colorado with it during the summer...perfect!

Matt & Jen were great to rent from and highly recommend. We put 2,000 miles of coastline and turns and the MBZ performed beautifully. It drives like a large powerful car and climbs hills with ease. Like new condition. It’s not fancy but it’s a great comfortable bed and tons of room.