I’ve lived on the road for a decade in a 1986 Vanagon Syncro, and while it has its caveats, I still believe that vans are optimal for life on the road. They’re easy to drive, relatively cheap to run, and provide a fully enclosed four-season living space. It’s therefore unsurprising that they’re a popular choice on our forum; recent adventure-outfitted examples include this 1991 Mitsubishi Delica L300 4×4, 2019 Mercedes Sprinter 4×4, and a 2020 Nissan NV3500 4×4. Cue today’s 2010 GMC Savana 1500 (219,xxx miles), which benefits from tasteful upgrades, a simple yet functional camper conversion, and is AWD. At $18,000, this rig is a lot of bang for your buck and could be enjoyed as is or further uprated for full-time living. To better understand the history and motivations behind this rig, check out its build thread on the Expedition Portal forum. Thanks to impressive aftermarket support (including on-demand 4WD conversions), there’s no shortage of inspiring Savana builds online, including overland-ready rigs from Timberline Vans, Bigfoote4x4, and Weldtec Designs.
From the Seller:
“This has been my favorite travel/camping vehicle to date. However, my wife and I decided we wanted more space for our extended trips and moved on to a truck camper. This is not a professional-level build; I would call it much better than the average DIY build. It was meant to be a rolling gear locker with a bed rather than an RV-style van designed for maximum comfort. I drove this van across the country several times a year for my entire ownership. As such, I always placed reliability at the top of my priorities. Therefore, I have done my best to keep up with all required maintenance, choosing to make many repairs preventatively before there was a problem.”
2010 GMC Savana 1500 AWD
The Savana is fitted with a 5.3-liter motor that delivers 310 horsepower, 334 pound-feet of torque, and returns a combined 14 mpg. A powerful V8 is matched with all-terrain capability thanks to AWD and an uprated and lifted suspension. Inside, these backcountry credentials are balanced with driver comforts that include:
- Captain’s chairs
- Air-conditioning
- Cruise control
- Power steering
- Pioneer stereo with Kicker speakers
Distinguishing Features
- Lift kit, 3-inch, with Bilstein shocks
- Chevrolet Tahoe alloy wheels with Cooper Discoverer ATP tires
- Roof rack
- 23 Zero awning
- Fiberine 24-inch fiberglass high-top
- House battery, 200 amp-hours with 180 watts of solar
- Norcold fridge/freezer
This 2010 GMC Savana 1500 AWD is listed for $18,000 and is currently located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Check the full vehicle specifications via the original Expedition Portal forum post here.
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