Maintenance downtime?

[Lou]

<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">Hi all,</p><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 14px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">This question mainly goes out to those who live full-time in a van. Has it ever been an issue whereby your van needed mechanical and/or body repairs that required it to be in the shop for say a few days? I'm guessing that there are a lot of van-dwellers who are mechanically savvy enough to handle their own repairs, but for those who are not, how does one handle living arrangements during the time your van is in the shop?</p>

 

[greybeard23]

Hi Lou,<br>I haven't had to serious a time on the road, had to have a wheel bearing replaced in Utah last year.&nbsp; Probably could of done it myself, but wasn't sure if I'd done more damage by driving as long as I had.<br>I carry enough tools to do most things, have had to do so engine work on the road.&nbsp; For specialty tools, most can be borrowed from a major auto parts store, for a refundable deposit.<br>I settled for a few months and changed my engine and tranny, plus brakes and shocks.&nbsp; Most things can be changed or repaired on the road.

 

[peacetara]

I am DEFINITELY not of the handle my own repairs type.<br><br>What I did, when I had that problem in my previous minivan, I spent ALL day in their waiting room (unless I walked down the road for food), and at night I had them pull the vehicle out of their shop and leave it in their yard.&nbsp; I slept in it.&nbsp; This went on for a while (like 2 weeks), but eventually we both got tired of it, and my friend in the next town over had a spare room while she was waiting on someone to move in, so I moved in temporarily.<br><br>This went on for a little over a month.&nbsp; Finally we both got beyond frustrated with each other, and we ended up parting ways.&nbsp; I ended up buying the van I'm in now (Ferdy) and I couldn't be happier with Ferdy.<br><br>If I wasn't able to do the whole just put it out back for me to sleep please thing, then I'd probably rent a car or a motel room depending.&nbsp; But *HOPEFULLY* they can get the repair done in 1 day, and if not, it can just be parked outside while they are waiting on parts/etc.<br><br>I understand from others, that most RV places are pretty open about letting you camp out in it, while they are fixing it, and some even have hookups on site.&nbsp; I have no experience with this, but I've heard from RV people that this happens.<br><br><br>With Love,<br>Tara

 

[Van Tripper]

If they want my business, they do it my way or someone else will do it, must times I do my own work. Major body repair, cant do.

 

[Les H]

theres 2000+ members here, another 8000+ on vandwellers yahoo groups ,and unknown thousands on other groups and websites. Surely SOMEONE is in your area to give you a hand, parking spot or , at the very least, reccomend a friendly shop. The great part of being part of a large community. I do most of my own repairs, but when something comes along that i cant handle, i turn to vandweller friends for help.... ive never been let down yet.

 

[Lou]

Hi all,<br><br>Thanks for all the replies. I don't yet actually own a van, but van-dwelling is something that I've been seriously researching, and this board has been extremely helpful! I've always thought that I shouldn't settle into a van until I at least have some knowledge about basic repairs should something go mechanically wrong. My guess is that most people who make repairs probably do so with older vans? Newer model vehicles seem to have more parts and circuitry that require the vans to be hooked up to some diagnostics machine.<br><br>Again, thanks for all your replies.<br><br>-Lou

 

[MrNoodly]

New vans are more complicated electronically, but they're more reliable. There are fewer things likely to go wrong for some time. A well-used van will probably be needing things like shock absorbers, break rotors, hoses, belts, filters, spark plugs, maybe an alternator or water pump. The valves probably need adjusting. The front suspension joints and linkages could be worn. The exhaust might be about to rust through. The transmission might be worn. It might have repeatedly failed inspection. And so on.<br><br>My personal opinion is that unless a van was never used much (like a camper conversion that was only used a few times a year) or is a fleet vehicle at the end of its lease, or is being sold because the owner went out of business, then chances are they're selling because they think it's time to get rid of it rather than fix it. (Sorry for all the or's in that run-on sentence.) Find the newest vehicle you can afford, check CarFax, have a mechanic look at it, and cross your fingers.<br><br>Oh, and learn how to change a flat on it before you need to.

 

[wrcsixeight]

I can and do, do a lot of my own work. &nbsp;I am lucky enough to have a place to work on it, and have lived inside when rebuilding my front suspension, cooling system and replacing the camshaft.<br><br>One time when my rear axle started howling, I replaced that with a junkyard axle to only find that axle was just as loud. &nbsp;Then I emptied out the valuable/ personal contents of my Van in a friend's garage and took it to a Driveline shop and slept on the couch.<br><br>I Don't trust such places to actually lock the doors when they park them outside overnight. &nbsp;When I went to pick it up, they had it out on the street, in a not so good neighborhood, with the doors unlocked, and the driver's door was not even closed fully.<br><br>I really do not like others driving my Van. &nbsp;I got an alignment one time and the tech took it out for a test drive. I watch in horror as my home rolled away without me, mimicking the nightmares I have where my Van gets stolen.<br><br>The last alignment I jumped in front of my moving Van for the test drive, got in the passenger seat, even though it was "against the rules"

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Yeah,&nbsp; i took my minivan that I was sleeping in down for work and they told me leave it till tomorrow.&nbsp; Stayed at my sisters place nearby.&nbsp; I walked by the place later than night and they had my window rolled down with it parked outside.&nbsp; It took weeks to get the smell of stray cats out of there.&nbsp; I dont think id leave anything i cared about inside....

 

[Kimbopolo]

I haven't faced this situation ... yet.&nbsp; My maintenance thus far has been of the "all morning" or "all afternoon" kind.&nbsp; If a longer period was required at a shop, I would have to be able to stay with my van.&nbsp; Not being able to sleep in it would be a deal-breaker; I'd find another repair place.&nbsp; <br><br>

 

[highdesertranger]

newer vehicles are more reliable when new. &nbsp;after ten years or so, not so much.&nbsp; remember the more junk they add for whatever reason the more junk breaks its just the nature of things.&nbsp; highdesertranger