Goose! - HighTop Sprinter Conversion

Camper vanWalnut Creek, CA
2 guests
Sleeps 2
16.5 ft. long
Pet friendly

Meet Goose, my HighRoof Sprinter. She has hot water, hot outdoor shower, ample solar-electric power, queen bed, tons of drawers, & winter heated things. She's easy to maneuver, stealthily parks anywhere, gets amazing fuel economy 22-26mpg, and has ample storage for two + dog(s)."Show more" to see most questions answered...- 6 ft ceiling
- Full-sized sink with running HOT & cold water
- Kitchen stuff included, see pictures
- fridge and freezer 1.7 cu-ft + optional additional powered freezer/cooler
- passenger seat swivels for in-camp seating
- 22-26mpg with car-like power
- soft-close drawers that are deep and tall.
- Bluetooth stereo with a rear-view camera
- 15-gal fresh-water tank, 7-gal hot water, 17-gal of aux water, (figure 5-14 days of water)
- Dimming LED recessed & overhead lights. Good for reading in bed.
- Toy Storage: One bike can fit internally.
- Hot water shower. Put the curtain up between the rear doors, bath mat down, enjoy a hot water shower under sun or stars
- Solar/battery system, 5-USB ports, 7-120V plugs. Battery for ~2-3 days in the shade. Pure-sine inverter ~1200watts peak.
- motorcycle hitch rack option
- workhorse diesel engine noted for longevity, efficiency, power, scrupulously maintained
- Optional Alpcour Portable Toilet
Winter:
- Heated mattress pad. Really nice when needed.
- Diesel cabin heater, great for cold mornings and evenings (works with engine off)
- Well-insulated.
- easy-on "Alpine" chains available. Possible icy roads = double security deposit; but the van handles well on all the ice I've encountered.
Bed: Fold-down the mattress to convert from day to night mode. For two people, insert a foot platform, it takes 30 seconds. It's a firm queen mattress. I sleep better here than anywhere else.More photos:
5gooses on IG
Winter Delivery Special: $50 to SFO for OAK or at a Bart stop. (otherwise van is in Walnut Creek)
Some options for one-way trips, what do you have in mind?
What's includedkitchen stuff, stove, utensiles, kitchen tools, USB charger for driver and passenger, fresh mattress pad, cassette toilet if desired. Optional extras: camping chairs, powered cooler, throwing axes, backpacking gear.Recommendations3-5 days:
Eureka, Acada, Shasta
Mammoth Mountain Skiing / Mountain Summer. If you think Mammoth is just like Tahoe resorts like I did, it's worth a look. There is lots of camping and BLM land surrounding, ideal for vans.
Hwy 395
Death Valley, Valley of Fire, Lake Mead
Bodega Bay and Highway 1, Acata
Santa Cruz and Big Sur camping.
Longer 5 - 20days+:
Sequoia National Forest, Grand Canyon
Moab (rent off-road vehicles here), Arches, Bryce Canyon, Zion
Oregon! Waterfalls, sand dunes, tide pools, beaches, wild mushrooms tours.
Furthest the Goose has traveled is Chicago.
Las Vegas, besides the obvious it has some MTB, very different from our style in the SFBay and really fun. Try to meet some locals to show you what's possible.
Other things to noteNo smoking
You can leave your car here at our semi-rural, very safe private property. There is no charge for this option, but if you do leave a car here you agree that we are not liable to damages/theft/loss of your vehicle or belongings inside. That said, it's very safe and we've never had an issue.
Pickup and dropoff are between the hours of 10 am and 6 pm. So yes, you can pick up early and bring back late.The van has a diesel engine. Diesel has a green handle. Don't put "gas" in the van.Extended idling is not allowed, (over 5 min). This is bad for diesel engines, unburnt diesel washes off the oil in the cylinder, mixes with the oil, and internal engine damage occurs. THEREFORE, the air conditioning is for use while driving, not for idling while camping or parked for long periods.The van may have GPS tracking equipment that can record and/or report location, speed, powertrain properties like temperature. This information would only be used in cases of abuse or accident.No offroad driving allowed. Well-maintained dirt roads are okay, but roads with obstacles, grades, or terrain best handled by 4x4 vehicles are not permitted.Visiting BurningMan/Blackrock Desert/any location having abundant fine dust is by prior written agreement only. There will be a procedure for this and a fully clean rig will still be charged $1000 extra to cover the air filters, hassle, degradation and inevitable dust that will remain. Failing prior agreement at $1500 fee + cleaning at $50/person-hour is incurred for visiting such an area.You agree that in the unlikely event that the van has mechanical trouble that you'll help get it fixed by doing the following: communicating immediately with the owner by text then by voice if requested by the owner. Then, at the owner's direction, you agree to help by doing things that might include taking photos, opening the hood, plugging in and using an included engine code reader and relaying the results, checking engine fluids, looking under the van to take photos, etc. You are not expected to be a mechanic or perform tough jobs, but rather understand that with our guidance and simple on-site action we can probably get you back on the road pretty quick. The reality of the driving to distant sparely populated locations is that this method works best. I've seen this type of cooperation save FAR more time than calling tow trucks and visiting mechanics, which often have limited schedule openings and take hours to show up. In the event a mechanic is needed (I've seen this twice in 70k miles and about 75 trips, in both cases the trip continued with little problem) you agree to take the vehicle there and to drive it back to agreed drop off location.Owner suggests carrying AAA Premium, anything else is just trouble and wasted money.Positively no tobacco smoking or chemical air fresheners in or around the vehicle. If such a smell lingers on drop off a fee of $500 cleaning fee shall be charged.

Features

2006 Mercedes Sprinter
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 seatbelts
  • Fresh water: 15 gal
  • Fuel type: Diesel
  • Fuel capacity: 26 gal
  • Automatic transmission

Amenities

  • Toilet
  • Outside shower
  • Generator
  • Solar
  • Audio inputs
  • Stove
  • Refrigerator
  • Kitchen sink

Meet your host, Zachary

Member since 2017

Just me and a couple of vans I built to explore what's possible as far as features, ergonomics, and pleasing finishes.

Usually answers in less than 24 hours


Rules and policies

  • Pet friendly
  • Tailgating friendly
  • No music festivals
  • No smoking
  • Mileage: 135 free miles / day
  • Unlimited generator hours
Sprinters take diesel fuel only! Diesel comes from a green handle.
24/7 roadside assistance
Learn more about Roadside Assistance

Roadside assistance on every rental, plus help planning your trip or operating the RV.

Learn more about Roadside Assistance

Add-ons

Enhance your trip with these add-ons. Available at checkout.

2 camping chairs
fold out, comfy chairs
$5.00
/each
2bike foldOut hitch rack
swings out which is nicer for rear gate access, two bikes. Locking
$25.00
/each
4bike hitch rack
swings down, 2inch hitch mounted four bike carrier
$25.00
/each

Availability and rates

SMTWTFS
SMTWTFS

There’s a 7 night minimum stay

Discounts
  • Monthly (28+ nights): 15% off nightly rate
Fees
  • Security deposit: $700.00 (refundable)
  • Prep fee: $299.00. Orientation on the van and its creature comforts, exterior cleaning, prep, sanitizing, restocking, water tank fill, mattress pad. Also, you can pet our horses if picking up in Walnut Creek.
Goose! - HighTop Sprinter Conversion

Dates




Reviews

(5)

4.9
99 %
4.9
97 %
4.8
95 %
4.9
98 %
4.9
98 %

Communication

4.9

Cleanliness

4.9

Maintenance

4.8

Value

4.9

Listing Accuracy

4.9

Guest photos

Yasmine L.

September 20235

We had a great weekend experience. Everything was easy and convenient.

Zachary’s answer

Thanks Yasmine, it was a pleasure meeting you and lmk if you want to talk vans.

Anthony P.

July 20235

Goose was comfortable and had everything we needed. Zach was great and very responsive!

Spencer C.

June 20235

Goose was great. Old but very reliable. We had all the accommodations we could need and Zach was great with his communication.

2 Photos submitted by Spencer C.

Jim M.

May 20235

Our trip with Goose was perfect. The van was comfortable, well-equipped and easy to drive. Zachary went above and beyond to accommodate the logistics of our trip. We’re looking forward to next time.

Alaina L.

April 20235

Goose and Zach are the best! We had an amazing time camping in Ukiah with our pup. Zach did a really great job guiding us through how to work the van and any small things like needing to put a little extra oomph into closing the back door or how to swivel the passenger seat. Pick up and drop off we’re so smooth and easy. Remember to bring your own sleeping bags/comforter and pillow. The heat wasn’t currently working, but we did use the heated mattress pad on a particularly cold night, which was super nice. Overall, Goose is a beginner-friendly option for folks looking to do some adventuring.

Zachary’s answer

Glad to have you three. Yeah most people bring their own bedding, but there's a bedding option if you'd rather not. Also, the cabin heater was/is working, I just thought it wasn't really cold enough to be worth using so I advised for the heated mattress pad. Hope to see you all again for Alaina's birthday!

Jeff B.

January 20234

We had an enjoyable trip with the Goose van. It functioned well and took us to interesting places but it is aged and in need of some TLC. These issues were mostly minor or cosmetic but they did cause us some trouble.

Zachary’s answer

Sorry about some of the rough details but glad you had fun anyway Jeff. For context Jeff is used to his Tesla, so our reverse cam probably isn't as clear but generally gets the job done. You don't have to be in the van to do the sliding door lock, it does currently need manual doing, you can easily reach in from the open passenger door to do it. The freezer door does its job but does have a broken pin. There isn't a replacement part available that I can find but the inconvenience is, I think, pretty minor.
I don't know if I can improve the reverse cam, but I'll be take another try to fix the other stuff!
She's not the newest van but she's a compact, tough and well accustomed to much longer interstate travel than the wine country jaunt Jeff and Elizabeth took her on.

Have a question?Get answers directly from the host

Q.Can I leave a car at pickup.
A.
Yes, almost certainly. The Goose has three locations Walnut Creek where you can pet our horses, San Francisco where I have a smallish garage, and Sacramento. San Francisco is the hardest, but let's discuss the particulars it's possible.

Location

Walnut Creek, California

Exact location provided after booking


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