How much does a Sportsmobile 4x4 REALLY cost?

[geoffff]

I'm not sure everyone really wants to see this, but ...

I was doing some budgeting recently and (in a very nerdy way) I decided calculate exactly how much it cost me to own my 2004 4x4 Sportsmobile for the past 20 years. Here's what I found:

$116,148 ($5807/year) depreciation
$55,227 ($2761/year) gasoline
$53,347 ($2667/year) repairs
$10,500 ($525/year) insurance
--------------------------------------------
$235,222 ($11,761/year) TOTAL

​

Looking back at my photo collection, I see that I camped about 1000 nights, so this works out to:

$235 cost per night of camping

​

Totally worth it.


========================================

NOTES:

• All dollar values numbers were converted to 2024 dollars to account for inflation.
• I'm pretty hard on my van. Much of the fun for me is seeing just how far I can get off-road. If you stick to campgrounds, your repair and depreciation costs will likely be much lower.
• Yearly repair costs for my first decade of van ownership were only $750/year. This increased to $3650/year for the second decade of ownership. A lot starting wearing out after 10 years!
• I did some of the work myself, saving a bit of cost. (My time was not considered in these costs.)
• I spent even more $$ at Amazon, etc. for all the "little stuff" and toys needed for my van adventures -- not listed.
• I bought my Sportsmobile new in 2004 for $80,000 ($131,148 in 2024 dollars), and I sold it in 2024 for $15,000. I subtract these for the "depreciation".
• I drove my van 135K miles. At 11 MPG and $4.50/gallon gasoline (2024 dollars), that's $55,227 in gasoline.

 

[geoffff]

Here is a list and summaries for most of my repair/service bills:

year / bill / (in 2024 dollars) / service
2005 $40 ($63) maintenance
2005 $360 ($571) maintenance & windshield
2006 $600 ($938) 15000 mile service, Transfer Flow gas slow-fill fix attempt #1
2006 $300 ($469) front tow hitch, alignment
2006 $100 ($156) maintenance
2006 $650 ($1,016) maintenance, front hubs replaced, Transfer Flow gas slow-fill fix attempt #2
2006 $406 ($635) tuner
2007 $900 ($1,364) tires (4)
2007 $600 ($909) fuel pump fail, high beam lights fail
2007 $470 ($712) 30k service
2008 $100 ($149) 35k service
2009 $200 ($290) maintenance, front diff service
2009 $650 ($942) axle shaft seal
2011 $413 ($566) shocks parts
2012 $820 ($1,108) replace refrigerator
2012 $350 ($473) maintenance & diff, trans
2012 $600 ($811) tie rod
2012 $270 ($365) windshield
2013 $660 ($868) diffs, t-case, hubs
2014 $750 ($962) brake calipers, window replace
2014 $260 ($333) tire (1)
2014 $700 ($897) body work
2014 $2,250 ($2,885) new wheels and tires
2014 $750 ($962) exhaust, battery cables
2014 $300 ($385) windshield
2014 $405 ($519) tuner
2014 $50 ($64) rear tire holder parts
2015 $1,550 ($1,938) radiator replace, front suspension work
2015 $31 ($38) rear tire holder parts
2016 $2,000 ($2,439) brake rotors/pads, ball joints, t-case seal
2016 $570 ($695) maintenance, disconnect rear A/C
2016 $850 ($1,037) tires (2)
2016 $1,750 ($2,134) Deaver springs parts (rear)
2017 $950 ($1,131) Deaver springs install, battery, maintenance
2017 $340 ($405) windshield
2017 $116 ($138) sway bar disconnect parts
2017 $640 ($762) tires (2)
2018 $470 ($547) trans service, loose steering, maintenance
2018 $1,170 ($1,360) front leaf spring replacement (labor), maintenance
2019 $770 ($875) starter, battery
2019 $980 ($1,114) steering box
2019 $670 ($761) tires (2)
2019 $3,000 ($3,409) radiator replace, exhaust work, brake work
2019 $1,800 ($2,045) alignment, muffler, tires (4)
2019 $130 ($148) loose air intake duct
2020 $50 ($55) warranty tire work
2020 $800 ($879) tires (2)
2020 $1,700 ($1,868) replace radiator
2021 $1,000 ($1,075) rear spring shackle, body repair
2021 $3,000 ($3,226) both drivelines replaced
2022 $1,800 ($1,895) replace radiator
2023 $295 ($301) track bar parts
2023 $60 ($61) trans fluid
2024 $300 ($300) windshield
2024 $3,300 ($3,300) front brakes, track bar, battery, wheel bearings/seals


NOTES

• Yes, I really did need to replace my radiator 4 times! Body flex towards the end caused repeated failures.
• I went through 5 windshields.
• My tires usually ended up needing replacement from being damaged offroad -- I never completely used up the tread. Though I did sometimes replace them all at the same time when only a few were messed up.

 

[rallypanam]

I try hard not to know what I spend on vehicles.

 

[yonah-SMB]

This is some impressive bookkeeping.

 

[marret]

Agree with the above, I don’t track and this is impressive bookkeeping.

I do have a very thick file, thicker than other vehicles. Also, I don’t consider depreciation as the vast majority of vehicles depreciate or depreciate to a certain level.

 

[doublevan2]

yonah -- the USA could use your "numbers skills" in Washington !! Nobody there knows what the "f" anything really costs ! They pay whatever somebody asks for !

 

[vandiesel]

I don't want to know. I think it is measured on $1000's per 1/2 inch of receipts in my SMB binder.

 

[larrie-SMB]

Our cost per trip are increasing exponentially. The van has been sitting in the driveway all ready to go for the last 10 months. Since I became my wife's chauffeur there are no camping trip coming up in the foreseeable future. Have seriously consider about selling it, although I keep putting off taking the photos. I really like driving and camping in it.

 

[geoffff]

For comparison, here's my estimate for a more typical scenario...

If I stuck to campgrounds and did only mild off-pavement use, I predict I could have sold my 20 year old 4x4 van for more like $50,000, and my repair costs might stay consistent with those from my first decade of use (only $750/year). This results in:

$81,148 ($4057/year) depreciation
$55,227 ($2761/year) gasoline
$15,000 ($750/year) repairs
$10,500 ($525/year) insurance
--------------------------------------------
$161,875 ($8093/year) TOTAL

​

If I still camped about 1000 nights, this would work out to be:

$162 per night of camping
​

 

[86Scotty]

I try hard not to know what I spend on vehicles.

I agree. Though I like and am impressed by Geoff's organization I generally don't do it. It's hobby for me.

 

[geoffff]

I agree. Though I like and am impressed by Geoff's organization I generally don't do it. It's hobby for me.

I am not all that organized, except that I do keep all my repair invoices.

Now that I've sold (replaced) that van, in a fit of manic energy I figured I'd make myself feel better about keeping those around for years by going through my pile and tabulating what I spent.

 

[arctictraveller]

I keep most all my receipts, but I’ve never bothered to add them up. Nevertheless, the joy that my van brings me is in calculable. I am very fortunate that I can afford to spend whatever I need or want to on the van, so whatever the cost has been it’s been more than worth it.

 

[deserteagle56]

I keep most all my receipts, but I’ve never bothered to add them up. Nevertheless, the joy that my van brings me is in calculable. I am very fortunate that I can afford to spend whatever I need or want to on the van, so whatever the cost has been it’s been more than worth it.

^This!

To me one of the greatest pleasures of life is being able to camp in comfort out in the middle of nowhere. My van is one of my main investments in my mental health.

 

[JWA-SMB]

I keep most all my receipts, but I’ve never bothered to add them up. Nevertheless, the joy that my van brings me is in calculable. I am very fortunate that I can afford to spend whatever I need or want to on the van, so whatever the cost has been it’s been more than worth it.

Gotta agree thinking the mental health thing would be a huge part of it for me too! There's no way to determine what "cost" is part of that equation to me either. :d5:

That is some impressive accounting though! :d5:

 

[bidgoodr]

Thanks so much for sharing. Your stats and photos are fascinating; you certainly appear to have visited some great spots! I keep all of my vehicle expenses in a notebook, but I don't tally them up. Whatever it adds up to it's all worth it.

 

[Spr-SMB]

Ha,
this is really impressive book keeping and IMO really hilarious to see. We've often wondered what the actual cost was per night and this makes perfect sense. Even so We are 9 years into traveling in the van and I wouldn't even consider replacing it for anything.... and more importantly there is no way I could ever go back to a tent now

 

[HIGHCOUNTRYMIKE]

geoffffff,
My 2 cents
The key is your last comment: "TOTALLY WORTH IT".
I bought my 2003 new from Sportsmobile West $70,000
standard EB 50 7.3 now at 330,000 completely stock.
"TOTALLY WORTH IT".
HIGHCOUNTRYMIKE 2003 E350 4X4 7.3 330,000 waiting for the snow to melt. I don't do cold weather.

 

[Annie O]

I love this thread! I myself tabulated a Cost to Own spreadsheet for HellBetty (brace the nerdiness- I did engineering estimating at work at one point). I recall doing that report mostly to justify whether or not to replace Fox 2.0 shocks for 4th time when they had increased 3x in price since I started my van adventure. (Decided someone else can pay for the next suspension revisions) i may have been bored and maybe missed work then since I’m retired.
Anyhoo I often travelled solo to meet up with friends for cycling…. Was welcomed to camp in their driveways…. Could stealth camp when needed…. Hauled my sons forge and materials…. Didn’t Offroad alone but Mud-holing was a blast with family along…. And tbh the weeks that my grandson did his remote first grade lessons in her during that pesky period of 2021 school year shut downs…. WORTH EVERY PENNY. I beleive we rode gravel bikes, went creeking and played in the snow together more than he attended zoom class. OH there was the week I moved out of state and lived in her in alley driveway before my furniture was delivered. Haha good neighbors- they didn’t mind.

20/20 hindsight tho I wish I’d built her out more and skipped buying that house

Then there’s all the good people I met, mechanics, 4x4 enthusiasts, fly fishers, bear hunters- all people I never would have met from my Honda
Ended up selling her at auction $16k and nobody cared about my record keeping �� I do miss that Reunal bumper and swing arm tho, my F150 twin turbo could use the weight back there!,

 

[Lewgillett]

Such a low resale

I purchased my Sportsmobile in 2011. It was a 2010 6.0L diesel and I paid $115k. Sold it in 2023 with 65k miles in great shape for $98,500. It was well loved and missing it now, but we moved to a class B+.
It saw plenty of off-road including the Alpine loop, White rim road and Point Sublime North rim of the Grand Canyon. I’m surprised that you were only able to sell yours for 15k!!

 

[CDACamper]

@Lewgillett, I was thinking the same thing about the $15k sale price. That seems low even for a well loved, 4x4, pop top van.