Build / Not Build 2005 Chrysler Town & Country

[hipsterreplacement]

I own a 2005 Chrysler Town & Country I luckily got as a hand-me-down. My previous hand-me-down was a 1997 Dodge Grand Caravan but the roof started leaking and I just didn't have the money for the expensive repairs. There are some things I really miss about that car. For instance, I think it was wider than this one is.

I've been an avid watcher of CheapRVLiving videos on YouTube as well as videos from others who are living out of minivans. I'm disabled and have few resources so I realized that while I had the will, there might not be a way for me to do an extensive conversion. I thought I'd try to hold out until there was a van build event somewhere, but my living situation threw some more triggers at me so I decided to splurge and get a cot.

I'd spent years using an Aerobed in both my old DGC and the T&C. But it made it hard to haul much other stuff. I thought at least with the cot, I could get the sleeping space elevated, and fit some boxes underneath and also have some room on the side, maybe even enough room for my accommodated recumbent bike. I went to the local REI and tried out the REI Co-op Camp Folding Cot, which seemed to deploy easily enough for me to manage. But the upper weight rating for it isn't as far away from my current weight as I'd like. And it was pretty narrow for someone who has to change sleeping positions a couple times a night. So I held off buying it. (75 x 25.5 x 17.5)

I was probably too impulsive and then hauled off and bought the Teton Sports Outfitter XXL Cot 600 lb max 85 x 40 x 19 in.  It arrived and was definitely not as easy as the REI model to set up. However, I finally got it set up and then got it inside the van (had to reset the bars when they popped out). And found it took up almost the entire bed of the Town & Country!

Right now I'm trying to decide whether to return it or keep it. There aren't as many minivanlife videos from people closer to my situation as I'd like. I'd be a single woman (no dog, either) stealth camping in urban situations (but also some vacation camping on occasion), disabled as well as low income. I have a hard time roughing it the way I used to. I know the ability to sleep well is paramount for me, but if I can't store much in the car, that will most likely force renting a storage space. There's only so minimal I can go, especially while trying to do grad school.

I love what Kit Vantastic did with hers, but just don't have the $ or woodworker friends to make that. So I guess I'm just musing outloud to see what folks think. Should I keep the cot or should I return it and hope I can build a sleeping platform instead? Or just stay sleeping on the floor with the Aerobed, but shove some taller organizational ways to put boxes in alongside me?

I just wanted to talk about it here since I don't know anyone I can talk about this with in person. If anyone has links to minivan dwellers you think I should see, by all means post links.

 

[Firtree]

25” is narrow but as you see 40” or maybe it is the legs, frame?, is too much for your van.
Have you slept or napped on the new cot to see if you really need 40”?

You mentioned watching lots of CRVL videos. Did you watch the one (don’t know title) where Bob shows making a bed shaped around the contour of the mini van wall? That maybe what you finally have to do to get comfortable and still have some other space. Another video (Essentials List ?) Bob and Suanne talk about camping mattresses. The one Bob mentions is very nice to sleep on but it is long.
Think also mentioned in Essentials List is getting a Walmart foam mattress and cut in 1/2 and double up. Do that with a Double mattress and you have same as sharing a double bed. 27” I think. You can live with that for a long time while you figure the rest of your bed frame, storage and other build.
I push for going light with bins vs plywood cabinets. Easier to change and lighter is easier on tires (need the best for travel and weight carry), brakes, shocks, gas mileage.
Watch or watch again the Essentials List videos

 

[hipsterreplacement]

Thank you. The weather hasn't been good for it (rainy and I don't want to track muck onto the cot as that would make it hard to return), but I plan on getting out there and spending more time moving around on it as well as seeing how hard it is to dash from the bed to the driver's seat when needed.

I did see most or all of the video where Bob was cutting the bed along a wall. I may need to re-watch it. My difficulty is that outside of a build event or a charitable person, there's no way I can get something like that. The disability affects my hands/arms. I've already got nerve damage in the arms that makes the vibration of power tools hard to tolerate. Even if I did have a good work area and tools for that stuff.

I agree lighter is better. It's one of the reasons I was persuaded to go cot over platform initially. I thought it would be lighter to lift, and therefore easier for me to reconfigure to get at the stow 'n' go passenger seats should I need them.

It isn't cheap, but the salesperson at REI had me try out an Exped MegaMat 10 and it was way comfier than I expected. Even on my bed at home, I have trouble sleeping well as a good position for one of my disabilities is usually bad for the other and vice versa. So comfort is a tough get for me.  I figured I could put the product on a watch and see if it comes up on clearance anywhere. In the meantime, I may well try the other options for a mattress/pad. Although it might be worth seeing how I do with just the cot stretcher. I've done well on hammocks available to me for naps in the past.

I'll take another look at the areas you suggest. Thank you.

 

[hipsterreplacement]

>You mentioned watching lots of CRVL videos. Did you watch the one (don’t know title) where Bob shows making a bed shaped around the contour of the mini van wall? That maybe what you finally have to do to get comfortable and still have some other space

I watched that video again. I may later decide that's the way to go. After my volunteer shift today I drove out to REI and took another look at their basic camping cot. It was lighter for me to handle and easier for me to unfold/fold. So much as I dread trying to return the Teton Sports one, I decided to buy the REI one. I also bought a 7 gal Jumbotainer for water. The checker asked me why I was buying the water storage and I told her I was preparing in case living in my car is the only way I can afford grad school. But I mentioned that it's also good to have ready for earthquake/fire, etc. I know how to forage edibles in this area, but there's nowhere natural to get water that isn't polluted and/or has parasites.

When I got home, I took down the Teton Sports cot from inside the car. I tried and failed to get all the pieces back in the box. I'll have to try again after asking them for advice on where the cross-bars should go when they're loose. I set up the REI cot and put it in. Much easier to do with my disability. So despite the disadvantages (less wide = more precarious if you roll over in your sleep, weight rated for only 20lbs heavier than I am now), the ease of deployment wins.

And since it's less wide, I can now crawl in the car alongside it and access the storage under it more easily. Before I could access the storage near the slide doors, but not further back.

Somehow I thought I could upload photos here. I was going to show both cots in the Town & Country just so folks could learn from my process here in case it was applicable to them.

 

[highdesertranger]

you can post pictures. go to the tips, tricks, and rules link you got when you gave us an intro, the instructions are in there. highdesertranger

 

[hipsterreplacement]

you can post pictures.  go to the tips,  tricks,  and rules link you got when you gave us an intro,  the instructions are in there.  highdesertranger

Thank you. I'll take a look!

 

[Gr8ful]

I sleep in a recliner because of a broken back but this may not work but how about a nice chaise lounge like you stretch out in outside? You can get the zero gravity ones that are comfortable & fold up & store inside or on the roof rack till you need it. make sure you get one that goes all the way flat & you can use it to relax outside in the daytime & abed inside at night. Just an idea.

 

[hipsterreplacement]

That's an interesting suggestion. I ended up going with the REI camp cot and later found a good price on an Exped Mega Mat. I haven't used it in the car yet (I can't have my recumbent bike *and* me in the car), but I did sleep on it for a fortnight while visiting a friend. It is a slight improvement on the Aerobed, pain-wise.

I think what I'd try if I were to go another direction is a hammock from a heavy-duty stand. For a while, UC Davis had some hammocks on their quad and I found them incredibly comfortable. I think with the right hammock, your body doesn't have to adjust to the right or wrong hard surface. For me the position that's good for back might be bad for my arms and vice versa. Suspension seems to solve that issue.

 

[hipsterreplacement]

Thank you. That's a good thing to know about.