So far my '05 T1N 3500 has been wonderful... nothing but regular maintenance (fluids, filters, belt) that I have been able to handle. (150K right now) There is a solid network of enthusiasts on the Sprinter Forum. I chose a T1-N rather than a newer NCV3 because the latter gets slightly lower...
We carry a Vornado 633 in addition to the 12 volt roof fan. For those really hot 95+ mid-summer afternoons. More effective and portable than a box fan.
'04 Matrix here. When I first bought it with 20k I took it to a Toyota master mechanic to see what needed to be done. He said come back at 90k for a check up. He said the reliability of these cars was sending him to the poor house. It now has 150k with fluid/filter changes, one tie rod end, two...
There was a guy living full time the a '66 VW Bus on my college ghetto street in the '80's. His living expenses were $100 a month. The two passions can be combined into a no debt education.
An education is the only investment that cannot be taken from away from you and is easily carried around...
Another story verifying the complication of stuff. Though I'm only a minimalist in spirit, the line is drawn, no storage unit. Attics and friends barns can be a good alternative.
We use a combination of a bigger alternator with increased charging capacity (150 amp) with isolator switch and one solar panel/charge controller. With 4 AGMs, we can go 4 or 5 days without driving to recharge. Everyone's usage and needs will vary. We arrive at camp fully charged...then park in...
I'm partial to the super volcano, Yellowstone Caldera... though prepping for such a cataclysmic event would stave off the inevitable for a short time. We are all related to some 7000 survivors of the last super volcano eruption 65,000 years ago in the South Pacific...
“Few places in this world are more dangerous than home. Fear not, therefore, to try the mountain passes. They will kill care, save you from deadly apathy, set you free, and call forth every faculty into vigorous, enthusiastic action.” - John Muir
Living in Nor Cal my whole life, I can say one can camp in a different location every weekend of their life and not see it all. Boondocking, cheap, free campgrounds are all over the place. The warnings in these threads are a bit heavy handed and lacking definitive experiences. I never stay at...
Laptops can be charged off small, inexpensive modified sine-wave inverters, But how about buying a 12 volt laptop charger for the computer instead. I was tired of leaving the inverter on just to charge the computer and wasting energy converting 12VDC to 110AC back to 18VDC. These are under $20.
Those are standard panels, with poly-batting glued then wrapped in a tapestry from an artist we discovered...easy-peasy to install.
Details are in this video...
Sprinter Update Summer 2014
Offroad, you are correct. There is more upfront purchase cost. Sprinters can run 350k to 500k miles if maintained with correct oils and going easy on the pedal & turbo. 21mpg for a 1-Ton is saving about $1k/yr in fuel over my old box van which got 9mpg on a good day after rebuilding the tranny...
Hello cheap RV enthusiasts...
I'm a part time van enthusiast, couple year owner of an '05 Sprinter DIY conversion. As a minimalist at heart, I find myself aligning with much of the CRVL content regarding simple lifestyle and its freedoms. The acquisition of this van, for work and pleasure...