Search results

Hello vanlife community, I have a 2023 Sienna that i converted for travelling around the country and retirement life. My electrical system is a AC180P Bluetti solar battery. The Bluetti has a cable that I can polug into the cigarette lighter and charge the battery (very slow, but also works...

Thank you all for the info. Now I have a better idea about this subject.

Thank you all for your input. I will not go to east coast so FL and surroundings is out i lived in FL years ago and don't want to go there again. Plan is to stay in the midwest, montana, idaho, colorado, arizona, new mexico, nevada. Was thinking to find some spots in Montana or Idaho for...

I am soon to be retired and getting ready to join the nomad tribe. i have a minivan that I've built. I understand nomadic life moves with the weather. As part of my homework, would like to know what areas would you recommend for winter and summer? i intend to stay within the Midwest. Montana...

Anybody uses GMRS radios for vanlife ? These are fancy walkie-talkies who can transmit line of sight for longer distances than what you can buy at Walmart. You can have a small but powerful station installed in your van and external antenna and be able to receive / transmit up to 50 miles away...

Thank you maki2. Good solution. The key is to empty the Berkey when you travel ..... Got it.

i'm thinking maybe a water pitcher might be a better idea (I will be alone), easier to find a spot for it. On the other hand, the filters don't last that long so more money to get extra filters.

Hello vanlifers ! I have a Sienna that i'm working on making it a camper / live in vehicle. I have a Berkey water filtration and looking for ideas of how to mount it inside the van. If you have something similar, please share your experience - how do you secure it, how do you manage the water...

I highly doubt that any "design specifications" would allow oil usage. This is just BS from the lawyers and PR people to say that issues will not be fixed. I know how engineering works, and how specifications are set. At this point of out technology, oil consumption should never be an issue really.

I can cancel the order at anytime and even when the van is ready for pickup I can change my mind, and the dealer is ok with that. Re: oil consumption - lately some manufactureres are building pistons with weak oil rings to reduce inner friction and thus improve mpg with 0.01% :-) That's what...

Hello all, i'm starting a new thread on this. I just put an order in to a fleet chevy dealer for a 2023 Express with a 6.6L V8. This engine was introduced by GM io 2020, and I did some research on this engine and it seems that a lot of people are complaining that it burns oil. It is NOT...

Quote was around $43k, GM website with a similar van and specs was pretty close at about $41k. Curious of why would a 3500 be bettwer on extended van ? Re: oil consumption, no, it's not "normal" for a new engine to burn ANY quantity of oil. They are doing this for mpg, installing weak piston...

Finally found a Chevy dealer that accepted to put in an order for a Chevy Express 2500 extended 6.6L V8 with 6sp HD trans and rear diff locking. I specced it and the dealer will call me when the GM factory is ready to pull in my order. There was no deposit neded, dealer said when GM announces...

@LargeMarge - good advice thank you! Looks like buying used is the only option now. Chevy / GMC dealer close to my house won't even take orders for new vans. BUT - they had a 2020 Used GMC Savannah for $40k. 18k miles, V8 (6L). Van looked very clean. I think $40k is too much, but they will...

Happy Camper - I did talk (last year) to the fleet sales manager, very nice lady and helpful, but she was firm on the $5k markup from MSRP. She even told me I can trade in my curent car, and she can provide financing. What I'm looking ast will probably get me close to $50k on a new Chevy...

@Aesop - I actually saw last year a few nev vans with the window sticke mentioning rear locking diff. It looked to me thsat that is an option you can add, or order from the factory. @Happy Camper - I am not in a rush, retirement is a few years away anyway, will follow the prices and save some...

@Aesop - yes that's what I am talking about Aesop. However the video talks about this being "Automatic", I thought it's manually engaged by the driver. Either way, that's a very good feature. My problem with buying used is that I don't know how it was maintained. Oil change intervals...

Still working on this project, still looking to buy new with the hopes that dealers will move away from the MSRP + dealer markup. I would like to ask the community to help me spec a van. I currently have a 4runner that goes everywhere, I understand that a van might not go everywhere my 4R goes...

@ Ripper238 - I like those slide out tables, did you make them or bought ?

Agreed with the posts above. Not in a rush, mainly gathering data. Maybe if I wait a boit I could get a new van without that markup. We'll see. Thank youy all.