New and Undecided About Van or Class B

[Whitey]

Hi, time to post an intro after lurking for a few months and replying to a couple of blog posts. I'm middle aged,male and still employed at a comfortable job with a unique schedule (7 days on/7 off) and a lot of vacation time. For some reason though I just want out and to be completely free.

 Back in 1989 I remember seeing tugboat crews who worked a similar schedule living in motor homes and truck campers in their company parking lot, and wanting to try the same thing myself. Twenty seven years later it's time to give it a shot. 

But which vehicle to choose?

The stealth of a van is very appealing but not being able to stand up in it would be unpleasant during our Pacific Northwest winters. Class Bs are like a little apartment on wheels, but they lack stealth so can attract unwanted attention. A 4x4 with a camper is nice but I have concerns about premature wear on a vehicle that is heavily loaded full time.  In other words I'm wrestling with the same decisions everyone else here has !

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums ******! Choosing the right vehicle for your home is a hard decision. If you are close a large RV dealer try hanging out in some of the different types of RVs and see if they're a good fit for you. Go through all of the motions of daily living to make sure you'll have enough room. Being comfortable is an important part of successful vehicle dwelling.

A van with a high top can still be stealthy. Class Bs are also pretty stealthy because they're small enough to be used a daily drivers. Many people do not even realize that a class B has all of the components of a motorhome. Since you'll have 7 days off there's really no need for you to stay in the city during that time so you'll only have to worry about stealth for the weeks when you're working. Good luck with your search!

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.

 

[skyl4rk]

First of all, get a high top so you can stand up.

The biggest advantage of a class B is that it is done and you don't need to build it.

If you have time to build, and you know what you want, build your own van.

Either way works, self-building is cheaper and you can build it the way you want.

 

[Whitey]

Thanks for your replies, they both mirror my thinking at the moment. If I could find a newer model B at a decent price I'd go that route but they're brutally expensive. There was a 2006 Roadtrek on Craigslist a couple of weeks ago for 54 grand! Having the systems already in place would be great but at this point a newer model Chevy cargo van is probably the best option and I'm going to have a look at one tomorrow. If I go that route, having a hightop installed would be the next order of business before taking up full time residence. I'm a pretty hardcore minimalist so the lack of space shouldn't be a problem but the lack of a proper washroom will be a difficult thing to adapt to. Fortunately this is a voluntary decision so if it doesn't work out I can always go back to apartment living.

I realize this area is for introductions so I will start a new thread in the Van section (or whichever vehicle I end up living in). There will be plenty of pictures too once the vehicle is purchased.

 

[skyl4rk]

I'm a pretty hardcore minimalist so the lack of space shouldn't be a problem but the lack of a proper washroom will be a difficult thing to adapt to.

For a minimalist toilet to start out with, get a tall pail with an omega lid. Line it with two trash compactor bags, one inside the other. After using it as a toilet, throw a handful of wood shavings, peat moss, coir or kitty litter in it. Before it gets half full, remove the bags, tie them off and dispose in a dumpster. Use a pee bottle whenever possible rather than peeing in the pail.

For washing one's self, a spray bottle, a washbasin (plastic bowl) and a dozen washcloths will take care of long term self washing needs, and you can take a shower when one is available.

 

[Whitey]

For a minimalist toilet to start out with, get a tall pail with an omega lid.  Line it with two trash compactor bags, one inside the other.  After using it as a toilet, throw a handful of wood shavings, peat moss, coir or kitty litter in it.  Before it gets half full, remove the bags, tie them off and dispose in a dumpster.  Use a pee bottle whenever possible rather than peeing in the pail.

For washing one's self, a spray bottle, a washbasin (plastic bowl) and a dozen washcloths will take care of long term self washing needs, and you can take a shower when one is available.

 I will probably go the porta poti route as there are plenty of places to empty it.  My workplace has showers so that isn't an issue either. The methods you've described would be the optimal ones for my time away from the city though.