VW Crafter 2008 4×2 (Euro Sprinter) Germany Berlin
Berlin, Germany
Hi everyone – my wife and I are looking for van/RV swaps in the US, for someone looking for EU – Germany. Swap for our van is anytime in 2026, for us we are looking to ski the west coast USA ski season (Jan – March 26) and the 2026 World Cup (June – July 26) we’d like to do a US Midwest/West Coast Loop.
We are an American couple a pair of mid 30’s, young tech professionals, currently based in Berlin, Germany. We are quasi ‘digital nomads’ we’ve been working and playing around the EU with Fanny since late 2021, spending around 3 months a year in the van and the rest in Berlin or the US.
US based, we are split between Chicago and Phoenix, but have family and friends up and down the country. We purchased Ikon ski passes this year and plan to use them from January – March, come back to DE, and then return to the US in June for the World Cup. We are looking for a van / RV during those time frames and our van will be available from Dec. 2025 – August 2026 and probably even the rest of 2026 will be available!
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Country: Germany
Vehicle Info
Fanny McVanny (we know Brits/Aussies it's a funny name..) as we lovingly call her is an excellent ski and travel van. She is extra tall and extra long which for anyone over 6 foot you can stand up fully and sleep fully on the extra long queen mattress. I'm 6ft my wife is 5'10' so we needed a large mattress and high top. My brother is 6'3'' and he is able to stand up as well - needs to duck to miss the AC unit in the middle though!
Fanny is a 2008 VW Crafter L4H3, manual transmission, cruise control, 3 seats, Carplay, navigation, 12v leisure battery setup, 12v fridge, AC unit (shore power only), 3 x heaters, shore power 220V, extra large garage, bike rack, and much more. For those that know, the VW Crafter is the Germany/Euro version of the Mercedes Sprinter van.
With 3 x heaters (diesel, electric, and car heater - 2 x webastos) and an onboard shore power AC unit sometimes it's a chore to leave the van because it's so cozy! Primarily, we bought the van as a ski vehicle but love taking Fanny to southern Europe - France/Spain/Portugal/Italy/Croatia and everywhere in between. She does great on the highway and in the mountains with all terrain tires (and backup chains) I've never had an issue. It is a 4x2 front wheel drive but because of size and weight + all weather tires it's amazing in the snow and muck.
Perfect van for a couple for extended periods who are looking for extended adventures through Europe. But Fanny also has an extra 2 x beds and can sleep a family of 3 with a small child. One in the front seat with foldout mattress or 'bunkbed' style under the main bed. However there are only 3 legal seats in the van.
Some recommended routes we've taken - Norway fjord and ski adventure, Austrian Alps, Polish / Slovakian Alps, Swiss and French Alp trips, Bourdeaux and trans-France.
Disclaimer:
She's a great van BUT in Europe this van is about the biggest you can get, it is a great 'home base' van. Where if you have a destination (ski resort, mountainous area, beach, or big town) you can drive to set up for a week and stay there medium to short term. It takes some skill to drive around tight towns and mountain passes (looking at you Dolomites...) so if you don't need the space for toys/bikes/boards/etc. I would recommend a smaller vehicle to swap to. But if you want something for a few months in Norway/Sweden, a surf trip to Spain/Portugal, or long trip to the Alps - Fanny is your van.