A bad luck van story and a possible way to avoid it.

[Boyntonstu]

[video=youtube]

This poor guy cannot get his van fixed.

If you have the money and if you want the van life, is it possible to fit it out with modifying it and just lease it?

IOW Have everything removable and able to switch to another van at the end of the 3 year lease.

For 3 years and under 36,000 miles, no maintenance, tires, brakes, etc.

I will be 79 in December and I don't expect to have more than ten 3 year leases. lol

 

[John61CT]

Yes, spending more money per month and per mile will greatly reduce mechanical problems if that is important to you and you can afford it.

Watch out for leases with maximum mileage limits, bummer to use up your 3-year lease in eighteen months.

Best tactic IMO is buy under two years under 20,000 miles, should be at least 25% below new price, at least you're not paying that initial depreciation. Trusted mechanic inspection is critical of course.

Or just bite the bullet buy new, bask in that warranty, and then resell before say four years or 80K.

You will likely be paying say 60¢ per mile instead of 40¢ but saving stress drama and delays, at this point in life if you can afford it you've earned it!

Sent from my HUAWEI ALE-L04 using Tapatalk

 

[highdesertranger]

it would be informative if we knew what make, model, year of this van. taking to the same guy 5 times and paying every time with it not being fixed is shall we say, not the smartest thing to do. this is why I always say to live in your vehicle you better know how to fix it, even if you don't do the actual work. you best know what's up. I hate computer controlled vehicles to many parts to fail and eventually they will fail. highdesertranger

 

[John61CT]

Pretty hard to avoid if you want something close to new.

Sent from my HUAWEI ALE-L04 using Tapatalk

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

If you buy when they offer large rebates, 8-10k you can drive for three years and trade it in and do pretty good. I'm on my 3rd vehicle with this system and always having a reliable vehicle that's under warranty has served me well. I've lost between 4 and 6k on the vehicle at trade in over three years so it's only been costing me around $170 a month on the high end on depreciation. And then there's the car payment and interest to factor in as well if you finance it.

Matt

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

 I hate computer controlled vehicles to many parts to fail and eventually they will fail.  highdesertranger

But if she's swapping out vehicles every three years,  computer failure odds are pretty low. Though not impossible, my brother leased a new Ford Explorer and needed new computer and wiring harness after 10k miles.  However, if it does happen it will be under warranty.

 

[SuzyQ]

This video is from 2015.

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

 

[Gypsy Clipper]

Always opt for older non computer controlled and just search long and hard for that van that was driven by the little old lady from Pasadena as my Dad used to say
But there are some great deals out there. It just takes oodles of research and superior negotiations and don't be afraid to move on if anything twitches your radar. This is where you are planning to live. It's a big deal.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044R using Tapatalk

 

[Boyntonstu]

If you buy when they offer large rebates, 8-10k you can drive for three years and trade it in and do pretty good.  I'm on my 3rd vehicle with this system and always having a reliable vehicle that's under warranty has served me well. I've lost between 4 and 6k on the vehicle at trade in over three years so it's only been costing me around $170 a month on the high end on depreciation.  And then there's the car payment and interest to factor in as well if you finance it.  

Matt

Did you attach the innards or were they easily removable when you traded it in?

 

[GotSmart]

Always opt for older non computer controlled and just search long and hard for that van that was driven by the little old lady from Pasadena as my Dad used to say
But there are some great deals out there. It just takes oodles of research and superior negotiations and don't be afraid to move on if anything twitches your radar. This is where you are planning to live. It's a big deal.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044R using Tapatalk

The little old lady was a professional racer.  Nothing like a well abused motor... 

Going to the same mechanic FIVE TIMES with no improvement means that person is just selling you parts and labor while guessing.  Auto repair is an EXACT SCIENCE.  Cause and effect, not throwing parts and money at it.  IMO, he caused his own bad luck by failing to shop around.

 

[Van on 66]

it would be informative if we knew what make, model, year of this van.  taking to the same guy 5 times and paying every time with it not being fixed is shall we say,  not the smartest thing to do.  this is why I always say to live in your vehicle you better know how to fix it,  even if you don't do the actual work.  you best know what's up.  I hate computer controlled vehicles to many parts to fail and eventually they will fail.  highdesertranger

I actually contacted the guy in the video a few weeks ago when I was trying to figure out what was wrong with my 2002 Dodge Ram Van.  He owns a Dodge van too.  In fact, at one point he owned two of them at the same time while he tried to figure out which one he wanted to keep.  I don't remember the exact year model but it was somewhere in the mid to late 90's. 

Thankfully, unlike him, I was VERY blessed to come across a mechanic who spent time diagnosing the problem instead of throwing parts at it.  AND...my mechanic was a true empathetic humanitarian.  He spent a week (not solid of course) doing diagnosis work, then sent off the PCM to get rebuilt.  As it turned out, my PCM was shot.  It had all kinds of corrosion in it, and many of the soldering points in the circuit board were broken.  I was very upfront with him about my financial limitations at the beginning so he would be aware that I couldn't afford a huge repair bill.  Then when it was all said and done, he told me that he was going to make me the deal of the century and only charged me a total of $378.00!!!  I have  been driving my van now for a week and it is just like new.

Obviously, seeing this video reminded me of how blessed I have been with my experience, and, also, the reality of the failure of Dodge/Chrysler to design more maintenance free vehicles...sigh...

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Do you absolutely insist on a van?

Cause with a pickup truck, you can either use a slide in camper, or, a cap and have your bed and stuff screwed down to a sheet of 4x8 plywood that can be slid in or out as needed.  The cap could have a roof vent and solar panels permanently attached and wired.  Easy to move both of them to a new truck.

Only downside to a pickup is you have to exit out the back and walk up to the cab when you want to drive away.  This seems to bother some people.

 

[Reno]

You found Cryin' Brian, aka as Adventure Van Man:

 

[Gary68]

Brian is one of the few utubers i watch once in awhile,no ebegging,no drama just a guy traveling around

living in a vehicle being oblivious on how it works is a foolish thing,toolset $100,haynes manual $40,a trip to autozone to have the codes pulled and you just killed 75% of the repairs

 

[John61CT]

I agree it's worth it **to me** to DIY much as I can.

But if I don't feel like it anymore **at 79 y.o.** and have saved enough to be able to afford choosing the easy way out, I don't think others have any cause tobe critical of my choices.

 

[Boyntonstu]

I agree it's worth it **to me** to DIY much as I can.

But if I don't feel like it anymore **at 79 y.o.** and have saved enough to be able to afford choosing the easy way out, I don't think others have any cause tobe critical of my choices.

You talking to me?  

(79 in December)

 

[Gary68]

I agree it's worth it **to me** to DIY much as I can.

But if I don't feel like it anymore **at 79 y.o.** and have saved enough to be able to afford choosing the easy way out, I don't think others have any cause tobe critical of my choices.

yea,but i'm pretty sure you know how to change a tire and if you turn the key and nothing happens you know the connections to check,i see people wanting or doing this that dont know how to change a tire and have no idea where the transmission dipstick is,just setting themselves up for failure

when 04 v6 camry came up for timing belt i took it to toyota and had them change out everything,$1000 and was done in an afternoon with warranty what would of took me a weekend,blood arms and a few major temper tantrums,well worth it

 

[Boyntonstu]

Do you absolutely insist on a van?

Cause with a pickup truck, you can either use a slide in camper, or, a cap and have your bed and stuff screwed down to a sheet of 4x8 plywood that can be slid in or out as needed.  The cap could have a roof vent and solar panels permanently attached and wired.  Easy to move both of them to a new truck.

Only downside to a pickup is you have to exit out the back and walk up to the cab when you want to drive away.  This seems to bother some people.

I like your concept of having the vehicle separate from the living/sleeping area.

If the vehicle breaks down or there is a front end accident, you can "carry on" with another vehicle.  

Another idea is the have a van with everything placed in it rather than installed and attached to it.

I have seen non-builds "made" that way.  Carry or slide in.

 

[John61CT]

>You talking to me?   [emoji6]

> (79 in December)

S'yer thread innit?

 

[Weight]

"dammed kids"