How to Shave Nearly $5,000 Off Your Premium Van Build

 (A Hypothetical Look at a Full Rig Build)

If you are planning a DIY adventure van, you already know the truth: the costs add up quickly. Between the electrical system, the exterior metalwork, and the interior finishes, it’s easy to watch your budget balloon.

When it comes to tracking these costs, very few do it better than the incredible team over at FarOutRide. If you haven't seen their build journals, drop what you are doing and go check them out. Their recent Cost and Labor breakdown is a masterclass in transparency, detailing exactly what it takes to build an absolute beast of an off-grid rig.

Looking at their meticulously documented spreadsheet, we couldn't help but ask ourselves a question: What would this exact build look like if they had shopped with an Open Road Supply Co. membership?

We aren't saying they used ORSC (we weren't around yet!), but we wanted to run the numbers to see what the potential savings could have been on a premium build of this caliber.

The Breakdown: Where the Savings Hide

Looking at a curated list of their major components—totaling $34,495 at standard retail prices—we applied our direct-to-builder wholesale pricing.

Here are some of the heaviest hitters where the Open Road Supply Co. membership would have flexed its muscles:

• The Electrical Backbone: An EcoFlow Power Kit retails for around $13,244. Our insider pricing could have saved an estimated $850 right out of the gate.

• The Exterior Metal: A high-end roof rack and ladder combo ($2,590 retail) would yield a potential savings of $650.

• The Foundation: High-quality flooring kits ($1,225 retail) could leave an extra $500 in your pocket.

• The Ride: Upgrading the ride with an Air Lift Suspension Kit ($1,945 retail) brings a massive $450 in savings.

By the time you add up the savings on swivel seats, bunk windows, heaters, and bug screens, the total hypothetical savings on this build list comes out to $4,821.

The Caveats 

Now, it's important to put a disclaimer on these numbers. Every single van build is a unique snowflake, and your actual mileage will vary.

1. Brand Preferences Matter: These savings are based on comparing equivalent premium brands. Your actual savings will depend heavily on whether you choose Victron over EcoFlow, or Flatline Van Co. over another fabricator.

2. Your Feature List: You might not want a motorized antenna tilt, or you might decide to skip the rear door tire carrier. The more premium gear you buy, the more the membership saves you. If you are doing a minimalist, ultra-budget build with hardware store lumber, your savings won't be this high.

What Could You Do With an Extra $5,000?

Let's assume you build a rig just like this and keep that $4,821 (let's call it an even $5k) in your pocket. What does $5,000 actually buy you in the world of van life?

• 18,000+ Miles of Open Road: Assuming gas is around $4.00 a gallon and your heavy rig gets 15 miles to the gallon, $5,000 buys you enough fuel to drive from Los Angeles to New York City... six times.

• Massive Gear Upgrades: That $5k is enough to add a premium motorized awning, upgrade to a massive secondary water tank system, AND buy a top-tier mountain bike to hang on that rear carrier.

• 1,000 Road Trip Cheeseburgers: At $5 a pop at your favorite roadside diner, you wouldn't have to cook in your van's kitchen for years.

• 500 Months of ORSC Membership: At just $10/month, five grand would cover your Open Road Supply Co. membership for over 41 years.

The math is pretty simple. When you are buying high-end parts, the Open Road Supply Co. membership pays for itself on the very first purchase. Everything after that is just extra gas money.

Ready to start your build? Stop paying the retail markup. Become a member today and see how much you can shave off your dream rig.