Buyer’s Guide
How do I know this is the right path for me?
Advanced RV is for people who want a small, nimble motorhome built around the way they want to travel.
Some clients come to us looking for a custom Class B motorhome. Some are comparing luxury camper vans, custom Sprinter vans, Ford Transit camper vans, or other travel vehicles. What they usually have in common is this: they do not want to fit their life into a fixed floorplan.
They value freedom, quality, privacy, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate. They may want a self-contained motorhome that is easy to drive, quiet to sleep in, comfortable off-grid, and flexible enough for highways, backroads, cities, campgrounds, Harvest Hosts, driveways, and wherever the day leads.
ARV makes sense if you want to be part of a design process. Our clients often enjoy asking detailed questions, thinking through daily use, and shaping the vehicle around their own habits, priorities, and future travels.
If that resonates with you, we would be happy to talk about a custom build. If you are looking for a more immediate or accessible path into the ARV community, a pre-owned Advanced RV or lease may also be a good place to start. Pre-owned ARVs can be inspected, refreshed, supported, and modified around your needs.
How do you want to travel?
Your custom ARV build begins with a conversation.
Many clients come to us after traveling in other motorhomes, pre-owned ARVs, rental vans, or boats. Others begin with research, YouTube build tours, owner interviews, and conversations with our team. Wherever you begin, our role is to help turn your travel goals into a vehicle that supports them.
Where will you stay?
Will you spend most nights in campgrounds, state parks, national parks, Harvest Hosts, driveways, Walmarts, ski lots, city streets, or remote off-grid locations? Do you expect to plug in often, or do you want to stay comfortable without shore power?
How long will you stay?
Do you like to move every day, or settle in for several days or weeks? How long do you want to go between filling water, dumping tanks, doing laundry, or restocking food?
Who will travel with you?
Will you travel alone, with a spouse or partner, with friends, pets, children, or grandchildren? Do you need extra seat belts, sleeping space, pet-friendly materials, or storage for daily travel companions?
How do you want to sleep?
Do you prefer twin beds, a queen-size sofa bed, a platform bed, an elevating bed, or another sleeping arrangement? Do you want a bed that stays made, or are you comfortable converting the space from day to night?
How do you cook and eat?
Do you plan to cook often on the road? Will meals be simple, or do you want space for more involved cooking? Do you need a larger refrigerator, freezer space, pantry storage, filtered water, a microwave, an induction cooktop, or room for special dietary needs?
What comfort and medical needs matter?
Do you use a CPAP machine or other medical equipment? Do you need storage for an artificial limb, mobility device, medications, or other personal equipment? Do you need quiet power through the night, easy access to certain items, or a layout that supports a specific routine?
What do you bring with you?
Do you need storage for bikes, skis, golf clubs, paddleboards, cameras, tools, musical instruments, outdoor gear, or pet supplies? Do you want exterior storage, interior cabinets, garage-style storage, roof storage, or a layout built around one important activity?
What have you learned from past travel?
What worked well in previous vans, RVs, boats, homes, hotels, or road trips? What frustrated you? What would you want to make easier, quieter, safer, more comfortable, or more flexible?
Your answers influence the chassis, layout, sleeping arrangement, power system, water system, cabinetry, storage, materials, heating, cooling, suspension, and service access.
Why is it important to visit ARV and meet the staff?
A custom build requires trust.
The best way to build that trust is to visit us, meet the team, walk through the shop, and see current builds in progress. You can see how we work, how our craftspeople build, how our designers think, and how our service team supports owners after delivery.
A visit also shows that “custom ARV” truly means custom. You can see different layouts, materials, cabinets, systems, chassis, and design decisions in person. You can ask questions, compare ideas, and understand what is possible before making major decisions.
We encourage you to contact us to arrange a visit to our facility in Willoughby, Ohio, near Cleveland. If you are not ready to visit yet, phone calls, emails, video calls, and our long-form YouTube tours can also help you get to know us.
How do I design and build my Advanced RV?
The process starts with making sure we are the right fit for each other.
That may happen through videos, phone calls, emails, a visit to our facility, or several conversations over time. We want you to ask questions, understand how we work, and feel confident in the people who will design, build, and support your motorhome.
When you are ready to begin, the initial deposit allows us to order your custom chassis, with your input, and place you in the production queue. That may mean a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, a Ford Transit, a box-style platform, or another chassis that fits your travel goals. We can also send a path-to-delivery document that explains the process, timing, deposits, progress payments, and major steps along the way.
From there, the design process begins with your travel vision. Clients visit our facility for several days to work through layout, sleeping arrangements, storage, materials, power, water, heating, cooling, cabinetry, technology, and the details that shape daily use.
You are not choosing from a fixed menu. You are working with us to shape a custom motorhome from scratch, around the way you want to travel.
Collaboration continues throughout the build, from early ideas and layouts to engineering decisions, cabinetry, systems, finishes, final details, and keys in hand.
What should I budget? How long will it take?
We ask about schedule and budget early because those answers help guide future decisions.
Every Advanced RV build is different. Cost depends on the chassis, platform, engineering, systems, materials, cabinetry, sleeping arrangement, storage needs, technology, and level of customization. Recent brand-new custom builds generally start around $550,000 and vary from there depending on the project.
A pre-owned Advanced RV can be another path. Pre-owned ARVs generally start around $100,000 and vary by age, chassis, mileage, layout, systems, condition, and upgrades. Many pre-owned ARVs can also be modified around your needs, which can make them a practical way to enter the ARV community sooner.
Leasing may also be available on select vehicles. For some clients, leasing is a way to try Class B travel, learn what matters, and make a more informed decision about a future purchase or custom build.
Build timing changes with chassis availability, design complexity, engineering requirements, and the production schedule. Recent custom builds have often moved from initial deposit to delivery in roughly 8 to 10 months. We can often build quicker if you provide the chassis, or if you claim one of the blank chassis we sometimes have available here.
The best way to understand current pricing and schedule is to call us.
What is feasible/possible in a custom design?
Custom means custom.
We do not begin with a fixed menu of layouts, materials, or systems. We begin by asking what you want the vehicle to do. Our first instinct is to explore the ideas and the objectives that inspired you to find us.
If an idea can physically fit, stay within legal weight limits, meet safety and certification requirements, reflect our quality standards, and be engineered and serviced responsibly, we will pursue it together.
That leaves a lot of room for true customization. The layout can change. The sleeping arrangement can change. The storage can change. The materials can change. The power system, water system, heating, cooling, seating, cabinetry, lighting, controls, and service access can all be shaped around the way you travel.
Sometimes the idea starts with the platform itself. Some clients want a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Some want a Ford Transit. Some are interested in a box-style platform or something less common. The right answer depends on what you want the vehicle to do, what the platform can safely support, and whether we can engineer, build, and service it at the level we expect.
Technologies and Systems
Every Advanced RV is unique, so the technology differs from build to build. The systems depend on how you want to travel.
Power is one of the most important conversations. Most ARVs use high-capacity lithium battery systems designed for off-grid power, rapid recharging, and all-weather use. Recent systems have often included around 16 kilowatt hours of stored energy. For owners, that can mean more confidence running major systems, charging devices, keeping pets cool, working remotely, or staying comfortable away from shore power.
Water capacity also shapes travel. Many ARVs include insulated, high-capacity tanks with level and temperature sensors. A typical freshwater tank may be around 40 to 50 gallons, helping owners stay longer between fill stops.
Heating and hot water matter for four-season comfort. Most builds use a diesel-fired heat and hot water system integrated with the vehicle fuel tank, reducing dependence on campground hookups in colder weather.
Ride quality matters too. Mosts ARVs include a computer-controlled air ride suspension system that replaces the stock suspension, improving comfort, handling, leveling, and confidence on long travel days.
Cooling, insulation, sound control, ventilation, bug screens, water filtration, lighting, electrical monitoring, and control systems can also shape daily life.
Innovation at ARV is driven by our clients and by our desire to keep improving. We pay attention to new technology, but we add systems only when we believe they are useful, reliable, safe, and appropriate for real travel.
Chassis
Many people associate Advanced RV with the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and for good reason. Most of our builds have been on Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van or cab chassis because many clients have preferred that platform.
But Advanced RV is not limited to Sprinter.
We build custom motorhomes and travel vehicles around the owner’s goals. That may mean a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, a Ford Transit, a box-style platform, or another chassis that fits the project. If you are searching for a custom Sprinter camper van, a custom Ford Transit camper van, a custom Class B motorhome, or something that does not fit neatly into those categories, the best place to start is with the way you want to travel.
The chassis conversation includes size, driving feel, service access, payload, weight, fuel type, ride quality, available safety features, four-season needs, storage goals, and long-term support. We consider what the platform can safely carry, what it can physically fit, how it can be engineered, and whether it can be built and serviced responsibly.
Our goal is to help choose the right foundation for the vehicle you want to build.
Service, Support, and Warranty
When you own an ARV, you travel with our unwavering support.
Our business is built around being there after delivery, whether you have a question, need service, run into an issue on the road, or want to update your motorhome years later.
When you call us during business hours, you get a person on the phone. No phone menus. We are also available for emergencies seven days a week. Our service approach is designed to keep you traveling, or help get you back on the road with as little hassle as possible.
For new custom builds, Advanced RV provides a three-year, bumper-to-bumper warranty on the ARV conversion, including the appliances, systems, cabinetry, components, and work we install. The chassis also carries its own manufacturer warranty, and extended chassis warranties may be available depending on the platform and timing.
Our support does not end when the warranty period ends. ARV owners continue to contact us years later for service, troubleshooting, upgrades, and system updates. We build with long-term ownership in mind, so an ARV can be maintained, improved, and kept traveling over time.
A custom motorhome is a major decision. Anxieties about service should not be part of it.
Start your custom Advanced RV build journey with a message to the team
FAQ's
There are many shapes and sizes of motorhomes. How do I know a Class B is the best fit for me?
A Class B motorhome is the most convenient size for travel. Built on van chassis like the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or Ford Transit, Class B motorhomes are easier to drive, park, and maneuver than larger Class A or Class C motorhomes.
For many travelers, especially one or two people, that size makes a real difference. You can move through cities more easily, find more flexible overnight options, and travel without towing a separate vehicle. Larger motorhomes will make local driving, parking, and exploring more complicated.
If you want comfort, storage, and sleeping space without giving up mobility, a Class B motorhome will be the right fit.
Why choose Advanced RV?
If you want a completely custom, handcrafted Class B motorhome - with a meticulous attention to detail - Advanced RV is built to meet your needs.
Each ARV is designed around the owner's travel objectives: layout, materials, power systems, water systems, sleeping arrangements, storage, service access, and small details that shape daily use. We do not start with a fixed menu and ask you to fit into it.
If a higher-volume Class B motorhome from another builder already matches your needs and quality standards, it may be the right choice. If you want a custom motorhome designed around how you travel, built carefully, and supported long after delivery, that is where ARV fits.
How much does it cost? How long does it take to build?
Advanced RV motorhomes typically cost about two times more than higher-volume Class B motorhomes. The final cost depends on the chassis, systems, materials, layout, and level of customization.
Fully custom Advanced RV van builds, with the technology and systems our clients typically want, have recently started around $550k.
Pre-Owned ARVs and lease options are also available, starting at around $100k for outright purchase, or around $3000 per month for lease-to-buy programs.
Build timing depends on chassis availability and our production schedule. When we start from scratch, we have completed recent builds in about 8 months. Sometimes we have blank available chassis ready to claim, and a build can complete sooner.
The best way to understand current pricing and timing is to call or send us a message.
Do you sell through dealers?
No. Advanced RV does not sell through dealers.
We work directly with each client because our process is highly custom. We design the motorhome with you, build it here, train you when it is ready, and manage long-term service and support directly.
We build a relatively small number of motorhomes each year. That direct relationship is important to how we work and how we support owners after delivery.
How will I design my ARV?
The design process starts with how you want to travel.
Clients visit our facility to share their vision, walk through current builds, and see real examples on our production floor. Our designers and engineers guide the conversation through layout, storage, sleeping arrangements, materials, power systems, and the details that shape daily use.
The result is a custom Class B motorhome designed around your travel needs, not a fixed menu of options.
How customized can I make my ARV?
Custom means custom.
There is not fixed menu of layouts, materials, or systems you have to choose from. Our design process gives structure to the conversation, but each client's build is shaped around how they want to travel.
The limits are practical: what fits within the chassis, what meets weight and volume requirements, what follows chassis and RVIA certification standards, and what can be built and serviced responsibly over time.
That customization can begin with the platform itself. Many ARVs are built on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, but we are not limited to one chassis. We have also built on Ford Transit vans, box-style platforms, and other vehicles when the platform fits the client’s travel goals and can be engineered, built, and serviced responsibly.
I'm interested. What should my next step be?
We enjoy phone and email conversations with potential clients. Ask as many questions as you like. We also encourage you to visit our facility, tour the shop, see current builds, and share your travel vision in person. Together we can navigate the multiple ways to join the community - a custom build, a pre-0wned purchase, or a lease.
If you are ready to begin a custom build, ask us about deposit information. The initial deposit allows us to order your custom chassis, with your input, and place you in the production queue.
What kind of support and service can I expect after delivery?
We answer our phones in person during business hours. We also have an emergency service phone monitored 24/7 by one of our technical staff.
Our goal is to help you understand the issue, troubleshooet it, and find the best path forward. If a repair is needed, we help identify the nearest appropriate resource and support the process as much as we can.
That support continues as the vehicle ages. Many ARV owners choose to update systems years later because they still have confidence in the chassis platforms, the craftsmanship of the cabinetry, and the serviceable structure of the build. We design with the long-term ownership in mind, so an ARV can be maintained, updated, and on the road.
Can I buy or lease a pre-owned Advanced RV?
Yes. When pre-owned ARVs are available, they can be purchased outright or leased.
Leasing can be a good way to try Class B travel before making a larger decision. In some cases, eligible lease credit can also be applied toward buying the ARV you are leasing or toward a future custom build.
Each returning ARV is inspected here, refreshed as needed, and supported by the same team that built it. New owners receive onboarding, warranty coverage on ARV-installed components, and long-term technical support.
Current inventory changes over time, so we encourage you to view our available pre-owned ARVs or contact us to talk through which option might fit the way you want to travel.