Making the Sprinter more... comfy? Homely? Something...

So... we just got our '04 140" passenger high-ceiling, and so far so good.

However...

... one of my wife's first comments was that she thought it needed something to make it more comfy and homely...

... not really sure how to do that

We bought it to be able to haul ourselves, our daughter, maybe another kid soon, and 2 big dogs plus our luggage, in relative comfort without being crammed into an SUV, on long road trips. I had not planned to make it a full-on RV with cabinets and sink and so on. Just a big people/dog-mover.

My wife has suggested buying some carpet to put down on the floor to spruce things up. Will probably try that.

Definitely would appreciate any suggestions you all might have. I guess the big white box-on-wheels with grey interior is a little stark, so I need to do something to make the girls happy.

Cheers!

Panzer Kaptin said:

... one of my wife's first comments was that she thought it needed something to make it more comfy and homely...

Click to expand...

At least to my eye, a Sprinter is already sorta homely as is.

photogravity said:

At least to my eye, a Sprinter is already sorta homely as is.

Click to expand...

Good catch.

Panzer Kaptin said:

...
My wife has suggested buying some carpet to put down on the floor to spruce things up. Will probably try that.

Click to expand...

You're on the right track. Just keep nodding in agreement and follow through on the suggestions.

Panzer Kaptin said:

...
Definitely would appreciate any suggestions you all might have. I guess the big white box-on-wheels with grey interior is a little stark, so I need to do something to make the girls happy.

Cheers!

Click to expand...

Really? Have you ever been to the Danger Zone? Do you really thinking listening to us is a good idea?

Refer back up to my previous reply.

Have fun. vic

Aqua Puttana said:

Good catch.


You're on the right track. Just keep nodding in agreement and follow through on the suggestions.


Really? Have you ever been to the Danger Zone? Do you really thinking listening to us is a good idea?

Refer back up to my previous reply.

Have fun. vic

Click to expand...

In order to learn what not to do, he still have to listen to us.

BTW, PK, I was remiss in welcoming you to the brotherhood.

Are you really sure your SO wants you to make the Sprinter more homely as opposed to homey?

Stick with Vic's suggestions and what the SO is saying and you should be on the right track. In the case of my '02 Sprinter, that meant getting the roof repaired and painted, and clear coating the existing paint so the lettering that was previously on the van could no longer be seen.

Exterior

1. Two tone paint job; lower panels. Or wide body molding, graphics, pinstripes, decals, etc., to break up white sheet metal.

2. Look at rear truck window perforated window graphics for rear or rear side windows. Lots of graphics to personalize from wildlife to nature to sports teams, etc.

3. Tinted windows for privacy with little white stick figures representing family members and dogs.

Interior

1. Aftermarket peel and stick dashboard and front door panels wood or metal coverups.

2. Interior window curtains in rear. Cosmetic between windows or really useable.

3. Storage. Between front seats center console (but in way of aisle), seat console in bench seat, hanging storage pockets on seat backs, etc.

4. Entertainment/Comfort. Seat back DVD/TV players, etc. Additional cupholders. Extra pillows and throws.

5. Fridge. Ice chest, plugin cooler, food and water storage, etc.

6. Permanent Picnic Supplies. Blankets, plates/utensils, seat cushions, basic camping, etc.

7. VW rose bud vase. Bobblehead.

Vacuum cleaner for food, spills, and dog hair.

Materials (fire-retardant treated?), curtain tracks, snaps, etc. Can be found at VW places like GoWesty.com, Euro campers.com, bus depot.com. Peel and stick advertised in various car magazines.

Choice of materials and colors, graphics, etc., is very personal and will make homey (VW Bus plaid, Euro van modern slick, etc.).

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/album.php?albumid=240&pictureid=1197

I opted for this its quite homley

xriss said:

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/album.php?albumid=240&pictureid=1197

I opted for this its quite homley

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I have to agree. Perhaps a little rust and some dents to finish the look!

I've have a VW Eurovan Weekender and have been working on a Sprinter to have a rig with some more room.

I go back and forth between them and the Eurovan feels much more homey than the Sprinter.

Here is what seem to be the critical elements.

-Front seats need to be on swivels so that they can face the rear of the van. Being able to sit in the van in a configuration that doesn't feel like driving/riding makes a huge difference. Especially when facing other people.

-A table. Having a place other than automotive cup holders to set down food and drink goes a long way to changing the feel from "car" to "home"

Upgrading finishes and having things like curtains and such helps too but the primary functional elements seems to be the big difference.

5x7 rug of your choice, take out seats, use floor brackets as a guide, mark where they are and add 1/4" to front/back, cut out slots (or leave one side as a "hinge" and tuck under), put seats back in brackets. You may have to cut for wheel weels depending on your van length or seat configuration. Rubber backed rugs work best because they won't unravel. Ikea, $15-150. Of note: the $15 brown/tan rubber backed rug will fit in a washing machine.

Hot tip: Ikea usually has coordinating stuff, so buy some fabric to make curtains. They have some odd nautical theme going on right now (paying attention sailquick?).

OldWest said:

Vacuum cleaner for food, spills, and dog hair.

Materials (fire-retardant treated?), curtain tracks, snaps, etc. Can be found at VW places like GoWesty.com, Euro campers.com, bus depot.com. Peel and stick advertised in various car magazines.

Choice of materials and colors, graphics, etc., is very personal and will make homey (VW Bus plaid, Euro van modern slick, etc.).

Click to expand...

Inspecta-shield is a spray-on fire retardant that I have used. I never tried to start the fabric on fire after treatment. It is easy to use, spray on using a clean spray bottle. I did get some darkening of the wall tent. I have also used it on dark blue stage curtains. After drying, there was no noticeable change of fabric color, texture or hand. Available in quarts, gallons,

Inspecta-Shield™
Fire Retardant

Item#: FIRE RETARDANT
Inspecta-Shield™ FIRE RETARDANT, by N.Y. Fire Shield, is a Class A fire retardant for fibers, lumber, and wood materials. Premixed, easy to apply, non-toxic, non-allergenic, colorless, odorless (when dried), durable, and UV stable. UL classified and approved by the CA State Fire Marshal. Works by slowing horizontal and vertical flame spread. Does not prevent charring, but treated items will not support ignition. Directions are included. Not recommended for outdoor use.

NOTE:
UL Letter of Certification can be granted up to two years after the date of manufacture.


Full Product Info
Features: •UL Classified Listing No. 79P1
Specifications: •LITERATURE: Instructions, MSDS
•APPLICATION RATES FOR FABRICS
◦Cotton: 600 sq ft/gal
◦Rayon: 500 sq ft/gal
◦Silk: 500 sq ft/gal
◦Polyester: 600 sq ft/gal
◦Olefin: 500 sq ft/gal
◦Acetate: 500 sq ft/gal
◦Velours: 400-500 sq ft/gal
◦Blends: 400-500 sq ft/gal
•APPLICATION RATES FOR LUMBER
◦White Pine: 300 sq ft/gal
◦Douglas Fir: 300 sq ft/gal
◦Plywood: 300 sq ft/gal
◦Particle Board: 300 sq ft/gal
◦OSB: 300 sq ft/gal
◦TEXT:
NOTE: If material can only be treated on one side, the application rate is 150 sq ft/gal

◦Dimensional Lumber: 150 sq ft/gal (All sides treated)
•APPLICATION RATES FOR MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
◦Christmas Trees: 7 ft/quart (Bushier trees may need more)
◦Paper: 800 sq ft/gallon
◦Bales of Hay: 75 sq ft/gal

Available from most commercial fire extinguisher companies.

I am making curtains for the Sprinter vans and selling them on Ebay. Check these out! They would add a nice touch to your Sprinter.

Nice curtains. What holds them in? Magnets? How 'bout an eBay link?

To the original post:

Sound proofing makes a HUGE difference. T1Ns aren't called "T1N Cans" for nothing. There are many threads here on soundproofing and how to do it.

Also, lighting. A few well-placed LED spotlights really help. Avoid bright overall lighting. That may be practical, but it's not "homey", it's industrial. And ugly.

link to curtains




http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-Sp...urtains-crew-van-window-lt-grey-/281326607243

Yes, the curtains are held in place with super strong magnets. We are able to open the window as well as the door with the curtains in place. We were having a difficult time covering up these windows without blocking off the entire front of the van so I designed these with magnets sewn into the edge. I love them! They snap into place quickly and easily. We store them on the compartment over the windshield so they are easily accessible. Thanks so much for linking them to Ebay for me.

The curtains r1trac is making are very cool. Wish you had them for various t!N applications.

One really cheap thing I did that made my van more homey, was to but the plastic cup holder at Walmart, that hang onto something. They also have a place for a screw. I cut off the part that was a hanger, drilled a second hole, and used sheet metal screws to ensure each row had at least one cup-holder. I added a $2.95 paper towel rack in the rear, with blue-shop paper towels. I ride around with a small garbage can in an upside down step thing. The kids know what to do with the trash. Small things that really help.

I had a white board since I take my van to motocross races and want to write down race order, practice order. My 6 year old just holds it on her lap and colors, so it never got mounted anywhere, but it does make it more homey.

Covering the interior grey panels with fabric makes it one man's homey and another man's homely.
Used spray adhesive to attach 1/4 batting first, available at fabric store, then fabric of choice. Two people is the preferred to stretch fabric and adhere 1.5 inch overlap around the back of the panel.

RedFord77 said:

The curtains r1trac is making are very cool. Wish you had them for various t!N applications.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I went through all his postings on ebay hoping there was a T1N set since this was posted in the T1N section......no luck

Look like cool window covers though.

Sorry to show my ignorance but I was unaware that the T1N applications are different from the Sprinter that we own. Could someone explain the difference to me and also explain how the curtain design could be altered to fit these windows? Thanks.