So I'm buying a van...

[HoboJen]

found this thread http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...rnight-Parking-and-Building-a-Stealth-Vehicle

which led me to this conversion. reminds me that simple is good... i like it. http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...e-is-my-simple-custom-GMC-Cube-Van-conversion

 

[Cole]

found this thread http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...rnight-Parking-and-Building-a-Stealth-Vehicle

which led me to this conversion. reminds me that simple is good... i like it. http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...e-is-my-simple-custom-GMC-Cube-Van-conversion

Keep in mind this guy was mainly living in the south and in industrial areas.

You will have a dog with you that will need to go to the bathroom.

You can blend into the fabric of the world much easier IMO in a normal sized vehicle. Big "Commercial" looking vehicles are not always easy to park and aren't always welcome everywhere unless they are dropping off stuff at a loading dock.

......and unless you put your kayaks inside, they are going to blow your cover :coffeedrink:

 

[rockbender]

All right, I'm going to jump in again because this is a fun thread!
Until reading the posts here and doing a little subsequent research, I would have never guessed that a Sprinter would be within budgetary reach. However, it looks like a high mile (250k-ish) Sprinter can be had for about $12k with the inline 5 diesel. Great fuel economy, can swallow gear like no tomorrow, and supposedly pretty nice to drive. A high roof would make a big difference in livability IMO. If I was going to go the 'cargo' route, I'd highly consider this option.

How MUCH driving do you plan? Have you estimated your fuel costs? Let's just figure 20,000 miles over a years time. That allows roughly 400 miles a week. Your fuel costs could look roughly like this:
Sprinter: $4000.00 (20 mpg with diesel @ $4/gal)
1/2 ton Cargo: $4,667 (15 mpg with gas @ $3.50/gal)
older conversion van / worse case: $5,833 (12 mpg with gas @3.50)

In the above example, there is a difference of $1800 between the extreme ends of the spectrum over the course of a year. It seems like a lot, but you won't be able to build out an interior like a pre-built camper van for $1800 if you want to include full amenities. If you are fine to get by with a coleman stove, cooler, 5 gallon water jug, headlamp, and down jacket for heat then you'll be fine but if I was going to full time I personally would want a little more home feel. It may be worth it to throw fuel economy out the door if you found a rig that was really built out the way you think you might want and was deemed mechanically solid.

Another consideration is use of space. I've seen some folks throw together functional simple homebuilds, including putting in some IKEA cabinets and such, but often times the available space is not fully utilized. With minimal real estate to plan your new home in, you really want to make sure that items are well organized, accessible, and spaces designated for storage are designed to maximize actual capacity. There are even some factory camper van layouts that, while great for an overnight trip, just do not accommodate much storage space for longer excursions.

You've got a pretty great problem to have, and I think a lot of us are envious of it!

 

[NorthernWoodsman]

I can only imagine you must be overwhelmed right about now..? Don't worry, I've been casually researching this van stuff for a few years now and still have times when I feel overwhelmed. Just when I think I know what I want and my plan, I learn something new about this, that, or the other and I'm living in a new reality all of a sudden and my van plan takes another turn.

You seem a little all over the map, which is totally understandable at this point in your search. It sounds like you looked at a couple of vehicles recently and I want to suggest that you do more of that. Lots more. Go look at, sit in, and drive a bunch of vans and see what feels right to you. This decision is only in part fact and research based. You are gonna have to rely on your gut a good amount here too.

Personally, I would look for something as close to ready to go as you can. I lean Ford E250 personally and you can find 97-99 E250/E350's with the 7.3 diesel in washington pretty easy, but many are cargo vans. That is still an option if your dad and bro will get onboard with your plan and build out your van for you and quickly.

But sticking with the ready to go idea, I agree with many others here and would look for an OBD2 vehicle; a conversion van with few or at least small windows or a camper van that is already built out. For your plans, I would honestly skip the VW Vanagon, even though I love these vans. Just too old and finicky. Those are for love affairs. The Eurovan gets a vote from me too, but for traveling for a year or more, I'd aim for full size.

If you're dead set on a cargo van though and building it out, I'd go Ford with a 7.3 diesel, or a Chevy AWD Express with the gas V8. Not sure on the prices for the Chevy though.

I think you're close, you just have to make that decision-cargo or already built out? Get out and drive some vans, both cargo and camper/conversion and see what you think!

 

[NorthernWoodsman]

Says diesel, but then V6...pretty sure they meant V8(diesel). http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/4260893528.html

veggie oil converted Ford diesel with a goofy hood scoop- http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/4309543019.html

just because- http://denver.craigslist.org/rvs/4265498379.html

too many windows for my liking, but- http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/4283620493.html

express awd- http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/4307190597.html

just saw this in the vans for sale section in this forum- http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/4297304888.html

Chevy with a warranty, optional- http://bellingham.craigslist.org/cto/4267067903.html

 

[NorthernWoodsman]

Neither of these are OBD2, but wanted to share. First one is ready to go right now. The second is a cargo van..with a pop-top!

You might be able to talk them down closer to your $10-11k- http://spokane.craigslist.org/rvs/4303497431.html

Cargo van w/poptop- http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/4286603146.html

 

[ihatemybike]

Came across this, should be plenty of space for your kayak gear.
http://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/cto/4286373358.html

 

[bdog1]

I enjoyed "the wanderer" post on the cargo van. Very basic, but apparently right for him, since he's using it non-stop. (I haven't seen him post here in a long while)
I think people just didn't get it and he just moved on, which is too bad!


Sent by wing, prayer & ATT

 

[java]

/snip It may be worth it to throw fuel economy out the door if you found a rig that was really built out the way you think you might want and was deemed mechanically solid.

This is where i ended up. It was a good deal, solid drivetrain, needed a bit of work on the box. But it was enough of a deal that I said screw gas milage.


I was looking for something like this: You get a ton more useable space with the box.

 

[HoboJen]

Keep in mind this guy was mainly living in the south and in industrial areas.

You will have a dog with you that will need to go to the bathroom.

You can blend into the fabric of the world much easier IMO in a normal sized vehicle. Big "Commercial" looking vehicles are not always easy to park and aren't always welcome everywhere unless they are dropping off stuff at a loading dock.

......and unless you put your kayaks inside, they are going to blow your cover :coffeedrink:

i like the simplicity of his design, but don't want a cube van. i always go back to a full size but non extended cargo van.

i thought that guy was traveling south in the winter and north in the summer? i imagine my style to be more of wilderness boondocking, but i am planning road trips too so i'm sure there will be some sleeping at truck stops and or walmarts.

 

[HoboJen]

All right, I'm going to jump in again because this is a fun thread!
Until reading the posts here and doing a little subsequent research, I would have never guessed that a Sprinter would be within budgetary reach. However, it looks like a high mile (250k-ish) Sprinter can be had for about $12k with the inline 5 diesel. Great fuel economy, can swallow gear like no tomorrow, and supposedly pretty nice to drive. A high roof would make a big difference in livability IMO. If I was going to go the 'cargo' route, I'd highly consider this option.

How MUCH driving do you plan? Have you estimated your fuel costs? Let's just figure 20,000 miles over a years time. That allows roughly 400 miles a week. Your fuel costs could look roughly like this:
Sprinter: $4000.00 (20 mpg with diesel @ $4/gal)
1/2 ton Cargo: $4,667 (15 mpg with gas @ $3.50/gal)
older conversion van / worse case: $5,833 (12 mpg with gas @3.50)

In the above example, there is a difference of $1800 between the extreme ends of the spectrum over the course of a year. It seems like a lot, but you won't be able to build out an interior like a pre-built camper van for $1800 if you want to include full amenities. If you are fine to get by with a coleman stove, cooler, 5 gallon water jug, headlamp, and down jacket for heat then you'll be fine but if I was going to full time I personally would want a little more home feel. It may be worth it to throw fuel economy out the door if you found a rig that was really built out the way you think you might want and was deemed mechanically solid.

Another consideration is use of space. I've seen some folks throw together functional simple homebuilds, including putting in some IKEA cabinets and such, but often times the available space is not fully utilized. With minimal real estate to plan your new home in, you really want to make sure that items are well organized, accessible, and spaces designated for storage are designed to maximize actual capacity. There are even some factory camper van layouts that, while great for an overnight trip, just do not accommodate much storage space for longer excursions.

You've got a pretty great problem to have, and I think a lot of us are envious of it!

thanks for that reminder!

yeah, i had been using 20K miles for this year in my budget.

i'm pretty ok with roughing it. at least for awhile. i imagine getting something as simple as... oh, a sink... would be pretty awesome to have after going without. I liked the Wanderer's style though... simple.

I can only imagine you must be overwhelmed right about now..?

yeah, little bit. but you guys have made me think about things... that is good.

Says diesel, but then V6...pretty sure they meant V8(diesel). http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/cto/4260893528.html

veggie oil converted Ford diesel with a goofy hood scoop- http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/4309543019.html

just because- http://denver.craigslist.org/rvs/4265498379.html

too many windows for my liking, but- http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/4283620493.html

express awd- http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/4307190597.html

just saw this in the vans for sale section in this forum- http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/4297304888.html

Chevy with a warranty, optional- http://bellingham.craigslist.org/cto/4267067903.html

i had been eyeing the chevy 1500 awd... he keeps posting better pics and lowering the price, he started at 11.8K, i think.

i'd write more but i have to run.

 

[Belltownbikes]

if you paddled the dryway at all in 2010, i bet our paths have crossed

I was a Dryway hound for a number of years: but that was around '00, not '10! I paddled a lot when we had just one kiddo, but as the other 2 came the paddling went down bit by bit...and now WW paddling is a memory (except for my one last pyranha I3 in the garage attic). The WW is something I'd love/hate to teach them. Love because sledding+swimming = too much fun. Hate because there is just so much out of your control - and as a Dad out of *my* control. (in 2002 I knew/knew of 6 paddlers killed here in NE/NY on rivers that I paddled - kind of freaked me out, to be honest).

Anyway, good luck with your search and your adventure. FWIW, I just picked up an EB ford quigley to replace our beloved Vanagon. But it was an obsessive time on the search - I know where your head is right now! Cheers! B

 

[Cole]

i'm pretty ok with roughing it. at least for awhile. i imagine getting something as simple as... oh, a sink... would be pretty awesome to have after going without. I liked the Wanderer's style though... simple.






.

Simple=Buying something already built. :coffeedrink:


Going without doesn't always equal "simple":snorkel:


This was my home for about 6 months and 18K miles. :coffeedrink: (best $40 15 year old Walmart tent EVAR!!!!:coffeedrink

 

[BIGdaddy]

One other thing, Jen...This site is addicting. Sometimes folks get to thinking there is a "perfect" vehicle, and lose sight of what they actually "need", and the fact that the point is to GET OUT and do it. Scott brady, the site's owner has mentioned it many, many times.

My choice in vehicle is a trooper, and it's far from perfect, but I've already taken it out more in 10 months that I did my "could-be-a-rockcrawler-but-never-was" Jeep.

I need my vehicle to be my daily driver, my tow vehicle AND my exploration vehicle. As much as I wax romantic about cars, most of all I need my rig to be safe, quiet, reliable and comfortable on the highway. Very mundane.



We talk and talk and talk about choices here on the portal...haha. I'm sure you'll make a great choice whatever it is, and let me assure you it'll never be the perfect vehicle. None of them ever are.

Cheers!

 

[Cole]

One other thing, Jen...This site is addicting. Sometimes folks get to thinking there is a "perfect" vehicle, and lose sight of what they actually "need", and the fact that the point is to GET OUT and do it. Scott brady, the site's owner has mentioned it many, many times.

!

Glad someone else mentioned this again....I mentioned that at least once.:wings: It was worth hearing again!! Which is why I think buying a prebuilt "conversion whatever" will get you out there faster. Start building, like many around here, and you will never feel like its "ready" so the trip keeps getting put off.

For my motorcycle trip there was literally no prep time. I got up one morning, packed my KTM as it sat and left.

....then I came home and bought a bunch of friggin vans to tinker with as a hobby!:coffeedrink: