Baby Stepping & Prepping - Plan Sprinter home.

[PattySprinter]

I have a goal to be in a van in one year - give or take.
Right now I have been slowly buying and storing items to put in the van.
Also, doing many, many hours of research and planning.
I was intent on getting a Metris van but I am tall and I think the Sprinter is a better fit ... in addition, the diesel engine and mpg are too tempting to pass up.

 
SO far - I have:
Mattress
-20* sleeping bag (plus quilts)
Yeti 65 cooler (researching 9v coolers)
Pots, pans, dishes & cutlery
lots of Dr. Bronner
Too many clothes and shoes
Alpine Campstove
LED Lanterns
Lots of Thrive freeze dried foods
Goal Zero Litium 400
60w Solar panels (for now)
I already have lots of storage containers.

I would appreciate feedback into what I should consider and what I need that I am missing.
I am going to research water containers next - The Berkey looks nice but maybe impractical for a van )
Also, will start gathering data on BLM land and similar places ... and plan on attending the next RTR!

 

[rvpopeye]

Welcome aboard Patty !
You sound pretty excited.

 

[cyndi]

Welcome to the CRVL forums, Patty! Arre you getting a Class B Sprinter or building one out? A mattress of some sort to sleep on, if it's a cargo van you're looking at

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Welcome, Patty! The "general" advice is to go for a couple of trial runs and see what you need and don't need, but since you don't have the van yet, the second piece of "general" advice is to live in your house as if you're already in the van. The only thing I didn't see on your list (and I'm not out there yet) is a toilet. Enjoy your journey!!

 

[akrvbob]

Be careful about buying too much this far out. It's pretty common to head out with a lot of stuff you don't need then discover you don't have the things you do need. If possible, start taking trips in whatever vehicle you have now and start figuring out what will really work for you.

If your budget allows you to learn by trial and error then this will be fine, if not, then some actual experience before making major purchases is a good idea.

 

[PattySprinter]

Welcome to the CRVL forums, Patty! Arre you getting a Class B Sprinter or building one out? A mattress of some sort to sleep on, if it's a cargo van you're looking at

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started.   We look forward to hearing more from you.

Cyndi, thank you for replying. I want to get a cargo sprinter - blank slate and do the insides myself over time.
I do have a son in TX that can help a little, if I ask real nice ) 
I have a mattress - I got a mondo-king that I believe Bob recommended.

 

[PattySprinter]

Welcome, Patty! The "general" advice is to go for a couple of trial runs and see what you need and don't need, but since you don't have the van yet, the second piece of "general" advice is to live in your house as if you're already in the van. The only thing I didn't see on your list (and I'm not out there yet) is a toilet. Enjoy your journey!!

Toilet - OK, will research that next. Thank you!
Right now I have a Volvo station wagon - I would be able to take it out but space inside is small.
I have been slowly going through my stuff and downsizing and selling. Sometimes it is difficult to gift up things with emotional attachments - but if I feel real strong about something I will burden/gift it to one of my children lol!

 

[PattySprinter]

Be careful about buying too much this far out. It's pretty common to head out with a lot of stuff you don't need then discover you don't have the things you do need. If possible, start taking trips in whatever vehicle you have now and start figuring out what will really work for you.

If your budget allows you to learn by trial and error then this will be fine, if not, then some actual experience before making major purchases is a good idea.

Bob, looking at your signature tag and seeing that you have 480 watt solar ... I think I was unwise to order 60 watt solar.
I wil try to go out soon in my little station wagon and see how it goes - I have never camped in my adult life - but I did live in my car for a year when I was 16 years old.
I will take your advice and be careful now on what I buy - thank you for replying.

 

[PattySprinter]

This is what I have on my list to get before I am ready:

Toilet
Fantastic Fan
CM & Fire Alarms
Water & Grey Water 5 Gallon Containers
Delorme inReach Explorer - $400 - $20 Activation & $25/mo.
(maybe a Dometic 12 V Fridge - I have a good cooler already)
Sprinter Van

... I am praying ) that my oldest son who is an electrician/engineer & vintage auto restorer (with nifty tools and toys) will help me build insulation, flooring, cabinets and bed frame.

I have:
Clothes and shoes and bedding for all seasons
Stove
Cooler
Lanterns
Tent
Compact chairs and (tiny) tables
Sleeping bag -20*
Sun Shade Tarp - 90%
Thrive freeze dried foods
GoalZero & 60W solar
Pots/Pans/Dishes/Cutlery

I plan on attending the next RTR - am excited about it.

 

[T.L. Ryder]

Hi Patty!

I'm comparing your list to what equipment I mine. Thanks for sharing! It's great to see other people's plans. Our lists mesh a lot. That's reassuring for me, anyway. Before I can head out on my boondocking exploratory run, I need a toilet solution, a new sunshade, and some solar. All I want to do with the solar is charge my smartphone and laptop and I was going really crazy into luxury, run a small fan. Maybe a powered ice chest? I was planning on using a combo of dry and normal ice initially. I need to research how hard it is to find dry ice out in the world. Oooh. Also, a better way to water my dog.

 

[PattySprinter]

Hi Patty!

I'm comparing your list to what equipment I mine. Thanks for sharing! It's great to see other people's plans. Our lists mesh a lot. That's reassuring for me, anyway. Before I can head out on my boondocking exploratory run, I need a toilet solution, a new sunshade, and some solar. All I want to do with the solar is charge my smartphone and laptop and I was going really crazy into luxury, run a small fan. Maybe a powered ice chest? I was planning on using a combo of dry and normal ice initially. I need to research how hard it is to find dry ice out in the world. Oooh. Also, a better way to water my dog.

T.L.Ryder - Will you be at the next RTR? Do you know if it will be in January? Have you considered the Dometic cooler that can plug into your solar or cigarette lighter?

 

[ganto]

avoid the sprinter with the 5 cycl engine there complete junk. and i would really think about the purchase because you can't take it to any MB dealer and expect them to fix it if it breaks down it has to goto a sprinter dealer and not just to an MB dealer... after owning a MB GL-350 with the blue tech engine in it i can honestly say that i would not buy another mb diesel unless it was 30 years old with no emissions stuff on it. and if it does break down be prepared to have your checkbook out as there not cheap to fix!!! and in my humble opinion there way over priced for what they are

 

[Almost There]

Everything you already have is enough to get you out there. The stuff on the 'want' list is just that...want...well other than the toilet...

If you possibly can, hold off on major purchases until after you've had the chance to attend the RTR...seeing some of the vehicles in actual day to day use is worth a whole lot of 'I think's'!

Oh and about those 5 gallon water containers...they will each weigh 40 lbs when full...are you up to heaving that much weight around.

I'm not, so I use a 2 1/2 re-purposed cat litter jug for gray water plumbed from the sink. I can take it outside the van with no problem to empty it.

All my fresh water is stored in 1 gallon jugs in milk crates I bought from Home Depot. I carry 10 gallons and when one jug gets damaged after too much use, I simply buy another gallon of water from WalMart and throw out the leaking jug. They're easy to refill just about anywhere!

As for toilets, some research is going to be needed. Some here use a bucket, plastic bags and kitty litter, others have porta potties and I really like my C-Head separating toilet. All costs are different, both initial and ongoing. Only you can figure out what you're okay with using and how much you want to put in to the toilet set up.

In regards to the Sprinter, I haven't had one, don't know much about one either, but one of the women camped with us this winter in AZ spent more hours driving back and forth to the MB dealer in Palm Springs (2 1/2 hours each way) and more money on repairs than I spent in the whole winter on all my expenses...every time she went she was dropping over a grand in to the thing, sometimes more than 2 grand.

Personally, I like gas engines because, even if I can't fix it, I know enough about them to know if it's time to get it off the road NOW, limp to the next exit or get it to where I'm going. I wouldn't have a clue with a diesel engine and would be at the mercy of every mechanic that looked at it.

 

[waldenbound]

While you're thinking this out, don't over prepare is good advice. I had built a bed and when I bought my van, found out the bed wouldn't fit and I had to do it over again. Van space is so tight that literally, every half inch counts.
Also be prepared to try something and then find out it doesn't work, then try something else. It ends up turning into a lot of Amazon expenses. A lot of out of the box thinking is required.

 

[ganto]

Everything you already have is enough to get you out there. The stuff on the 'want' list is just that...want...well other than the toilet...

If you possibly can, hold off on major purchases until after you've had the chance to attend the RTR...seeing some of the vehicles in actual day to day use is worth a whole lot of 'I think's'!

Oh and about those 5 gallon water containers...they will each weigh 40 lbs when full...are you up to heaving that much weight around.

I'm not, so I use a 2 1/2 re-purposed cat litter jug for gray water plumbed from the sink. I can take it outside the van with no problem to empty it.

All my fresh water is stored in 1 gallon jugs in milk crates I bought from Home Depot. I carry 10 gallons and when one jug gets damaged after too much use, I simply buy another gallon of water from WalMart and throw out the leaking jug. They're easy to refill just about anywhere!

As for toilets, some research is going to be needed. Some here use a bucket, plastic bags and kitty litter, others have porta potties and I really like my C-Head separating toilet. All costs are different, both initial and ongoing. Only you can figure out what you're okay with using and how much you want to put in to the toilet set up.

In regards to the Sprinter, I haven't had one, don't know much about one either, but one of the women camped with us this winter in AZ spent more hours driving back and forth to the MB dealer in Palm Springs (2 1/2 hours each way) and more money on repairs than I spent in the whole winter on all my expenses...every time she went she was dropping over a grand in to the thing, sometimes more than 2 grand.

Personally, I like gas engines because, even if I can't fix it, I know enough about them to know if it's time to get it off the road NOW, limp to the next exit or get it to where I'm going. I wouldn't have a clue with a diesel engine and would be at the mercy of every mechanic that looked at it.
any idea what year her sprinter was :huh:. i know that the 5 cyl engines were complete rubbish. they say that the blu techs are better but you can't prove that by me after needing nox sensors more than once and a new ecm. then we had the DEF light come on and we were told not to drive the damm thing it was a sky is falling moment . thank god that califorina has a great lemon law policy we used it to unload the nightmare. and now you also have that DPF diesel particulate filter that can plug up and the darn thing won't start or it will burn the engine up!!! and if you think about it the DPF restricts the engines ability to breath properly. though it seems like dealers just through parts at these clean diesel hoping they will run only to send you on your way to only break down again... and you can't forget when the EGR gives out and your stranded blowing white smoke!!!

 

[PattySprinter]

So the MB Metris is the same $$$$ repair situation as the Sprinter?
What new/used van out there is best for $30k or less??

(reliable, safe and good gas milage)

 

[ganto]

don't get me wrong i love the sprinters. but there just way more headaches than there worth and way over priced for what they are. sure they get great fuel economy. but look at it this way. the savings in fuel is only to help pay for the repairs when it breaks.. and last time i know a nox sensor job on an mb was close to 2000.00 oil changes will cost more to because it's a diesel and not a gasser and and the badge on it. i would stick with ford or gm cheaper to fix and maintain and you can take it to any stealership and have them fix it. i hear that people recomend the promasters to because of the room in the back but i wonder how the engine on that is mounted and how hard it would be able to fix when it breaks

 

[ganto]

So the MB Metris is the same $$$$ repair situation as the Sprinter?
What new/used van out there is best for $30k or less??

(reliable, safe and good gas milage)

the metris you should be able to take it to any mb dealer and get it fixed. i dunno if it would be cheaper to maintain and get fixed the only time i have bought german cars they were all diesels!!! it would be cheaper to fix than a diesel but then again it's a mercedes and your paying for the name. i know nothing about the metris.
 i bet that you didn't know that the sprinters are completely taken apart before there shipped to the us and then put back together over here. the reason i can think why they would do that is to ship em over here as car parts but i dunno

 

[ganto]

@patty why would you want to go down from a cargo van down to a soccer mom type van the cargo van will have more room inside and more real estate for things like fantastic fans solar panels

 

[PattySprinter]

@patty why would you want to go down from a cargo van down to a soccer mom type van the cargo van will have more room inside and more real estate for things like fantastic fans solar panels

I test drove the Metris cargo van and loved it!!! I can see so much potential.
I have not driven the Sprinter but the room inside seems so much larger and I am already gathering a decent amount of items ... plus I am 5'10" and would love to be able to stand.
I am still looking for the right van - I am concerned about gas milage too.
Just found this online - it is interesting - pic below - TCO is total cost of ownership after 5 years: