Leo had spent years dreaming of the open road, but his "someday" always seemed to carry a six-figure price tag. That changed when he stopped looking at luxury camper builds and started looking at the blank canvases of the 2026 market.

He first scouted the 2026 Chevrolet Express Cargo Van , a classic with a starting MSRP around $44,595 . It wasn't flashy, but its durable V6 and high tow rating meant it could handle anything he threw at it.

His journey to find a "cheap" new van led him past the high-end Sprinters and straight to the workhorses: