business of vanlife

[Qxxx]

I ran across this article about the vanlife business. Sorry if was previously posted. It has a section called "[font=Georgia, serif]Everything you need to know about #VanLife"[/font]
in case you're interested, plus a secondary link to a number of startup companies who are doing van conversions.

https://www.curbed.com/2019/4/3/18264579/van-life-millennials-campers-sprinter-air-stream-thor

https://www.curbed.com/2018/9/24/17895974/camper-van-conversion-best-for-sale-custom-vanlife

There is also an article comparing the different vans.

https://www.curbed.com/2018/1/31/16951486/best-van-conversion-rv-camper-vanlife

 

[maki2]

people writing articles so they can bring in traffic and get paid with the advertising. That is what the "curbed" website is all about.

 

[lenny flank]

> They bought a brand-new 2018 Mercedes Sprinter for $42,000, and then spent another $25,000 on materials to convert the back into a living space.



Jeebus. I haven't spent that much in four years on the road.

I've never understood the need that some people apparently have to cram their entire house into the back of a van.  I'm happy with a cot, a sleeping bag, an alcohol stove, and a panel to charge my laptop.

 

[Qxxx]

people writing articles so they can bring in traffic and get paid with the advertising. That is what the "curbed" website is all about.

Are we completely anti-capitalism anymore? The question is, do these sites provide any useful information, especially for new comers?

 

[Qxxx]

I've never understood the need that some people apparently have to cram their entire house into the back of a van.  I'm happy with a cot, a sleeping bag, an alcohol stove, and a panel to charge my laptop.

I'm with you, Lenny, amazed at how much some people spend on their conversions. Duh. I think the perfessional builds appeal a lot to the young professional set who like weekend getaways from the city.

For my part, not counting solar, I spent about $300 total on my cargo van build: $100 for a nice thick foam mattress (necessity at my age), $30 or so for a wood frame under the bed, about $100 for a nice folding wooden table (when I could have spent $30 at Walmart), and gee, that's my build. Oh yeah, a 2-gallon bucket for $3 for ancillary requirements and a doggy dish from Goodwill for a sink. 

Don't try and tell me I'm not having fun!! 

 

[Qxxx]

There is also an article on that site with good information about school bus conversions. Very interesting, issues about trying to drive one of those things around city streets. Not happy time for everyone. Does seem a little unrealistic that someone would buy an old bus for $4500 and then spend $20,000 converting it. Like everything else, some good, some bad in everything you do. They mention Schooliepalooza, which was going on in Quartzsite at Road Runner when I was there last winter. Kind of a mini-RTR.

https://www.curbed.com/2019/3/6/18246221/camper-conversion-skoolie-vanlife-tiny-house

 

[Elbear1]

If you have that much to spend on a van, why not just get a little class C? I guess vanning is cool and yuppies just got to be between trendy and corporate.

 

[Qxxx]

There are Sooooo many options: Class A, B, C, travel trailers, 5th wheels, cargo vans, camper vans, cars, on and on. Takes a lot of research to figure out what is best for you, and within your financial means. Many sections of this forum discuss various choices.

I ended up going with a used cargo van, one year old, 16,000 miles, for about $22,000. I had looked at Class Cs but for the same price range (which I could reasonably afford), they were all 20 years old. I decided I'd rather live with fewer comforts, and get a newer vehicle which would likely have fewer breakdown problems on the road. Everything is an individual tradeoff.

 

[Elbear1]

RV prices fluxuate through the year and from year to year quite a bit.

There was a 2005 leprechaun with 2 slides and a huge corner shower. All leather seats and couch brand new looking. 22k miles. Brand new tires, 65 gallon freshwater, 35 gallon holding tanks, ford chassis.

That shower tho

Asking $23k at RV lot

Looked like this

 

[RoamerRV428]

anyone who spends 25K to convert the back of a Sprinter is just plain, uh, hmn, ahhh, well, insert words here LOL
come on....25K, what is in there, golden bed frame? golden 5 gal bucket to crap? mind boggling

 

[Qxxx]

I think the word you are looking for is "yuppie". My niece and her fiancee, who live in Newport Beach, would not bat an eye about a $100K Sprinter van converted.

 

[owl]

More power to folks that spend what many consider big bucks on something that makes them happy. They have the money and the desire, absolutely nothing wrong with that. This not a one fits all lifestyle. I think it is important to be tolerant of all approaches to what we enjoy.