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[SassyWineWench]

Hi all,
I’ve just begun full time living in my Promaster.
I’m retired from the wine business and traveling the country with my kayak under my bed. I’m already having the time of my life and have made friends and seen awesome stuff!
My van is a labor of love… I did about a years worth of research before buying her. I found her on Craigslist and flew from Maryland to Kentucky to buy her then drove her back. She is a 2014 159” high roof.She gad 150,000 miles on her and cost $21,000. She was already stripped and had a Maxxair vent van and solar panels on the roof and had a water tank plus all the custom made insulated window covers. Oh, and a slider window with a screen on the drivers side.
I finished her with Havelock wool insulation, 1/4” cedar planks throughout, Home Depot pantry and upper cabinets, Iceco refrigerator/freezer, twin bed with kayak underneath, a closet for clothes, trash, tools, laundry etc, and a camp potty. The entire build including putting new tires, shocks and brakes on her was around $20,000 . I was very fortunate to have a couple of talented friends with tools! She gets around 20 mpg. I’ll try to figure out how to post pics. I’m hoping to meet like minded nomads and swap stories over a campfire, maybe with a glass of nice wine.

 

[WanderingRose]

Sounds like you had an amazing find with that van, and are off to a good start on your nomad life.

Safe travels.

 

[user 22017]

Hi all,
I’ve just begun full time living in my Promaster.

Welcome Sassy, Your rig sounds awesome.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Hello Sassy!

Welcome to the forum and we look forward to hearing more from you. And yes, we love to see pics, when you get around to it.

The van sounds awesome!

 

[Shyian]

How exciting! Welcome and yes if you figure out how to post pictures I for one will love to see them!

 

[eDJ_]

Nice score on your rig ! Welcome to the Van Life Forum. Sounds like you are ready for some serious "ME Time" now. Good luck in your travels.

 

[Creekranger]

Welcome, I am also new here. Seems like a great place to hang out and learn.

 

[Jim D]

Hi all,
I’ve just begun full time living in my Promaster.
I’m retired from the wine business and traveling the country with my kayak under my bed. I’m already having the time of my life and have made friends and seen awesome stuff!
My van is a labor of love… I did about a years worth of research before buying her. I found her on Craigslist and flew from Maryland to Kentucky to buy her then drove her back. She is a 2014 159” high roof.She gad 150,000 miles on her and cost $21,000. She was already stripped and had a Maxxair vent van and solar panels on the roof and had a water tank plus all the custom made insulated window covers. Oh, and a slider window with a screen on the drivers side.
I finished her with Havelock wool insulation, 1/4” cedar planks throughout, Home Depot pantry and upper cabinets, Iceco refrigerator/freezer, twin bed with kayak underneath, a closet for clothes, trash, tools, laundry etc, and a camp potty. The entire build including putting new tires, shocks and brakes on her was around $20,000 . I was very fortunate to have a couple of talented friends with tools! She gets around 20 mpg. I’ll try to figure out how to post pics. I’m hoping to meet like minded nomads and swap stories over a campfire, maybe with a glass of nice wine.

I drink wine everyday in the evening.

I'm worried about the 150.000 miles on the van. Is it diesel or gas? Sounds like the person you purchased it from did the van life thing for several years and saw the country. Promaster's are said to be great vans but I still would have that engine and transmission fully tested especially the compression in the cylinders. I use " Mobile 1 " synthetic motor oil. It's the best! I've worked on engines for decades. I've talked to mechanics that stated when they open up an engine that uses Mobile 1 there's NO wear at all.

I'd also have those solar panels checked. Solar panels are suppose to last from 10 to 25 years but they can degrade to the point they are not supplying the same amount of electricity as they did when they were new. You need to find out what the amps and watts they put out when they were new and compare those figures to what they are putting out now. At least you will know where you are at when it comes to power in your van.

Good Luck!

 

[Dingfelder]

Welcome, SassyWW! We are all fortunate indeed to have friends.

 

[SassyWineWench]

I drink wine everyday in the evening.

I'm worried about the 150.000 miles on the van. Is it diesel or gas? Sounds like the person you purchased it from did the van life thing for several years and saw the country. Promaster's are said to be great vans but I still would have that engine and transmission fully tested especially the compression in the cylinders. I use " Mobile 1 " synthetic motor oil. It's the best! I've worked on engines for decades. I've talked to mechanics that stated when they open up an engine that uses Mobile 1 there's NO wear at all.

I'd also have those solar panels checked. Solar panels are suppose to last from 10 to 25 years but they can degrade to the point they are not supplying the same amount of electricity as they did when they were new. You need to find out what the amps and watts they put out when they were new and compare those figures to what they are putting out now. At least you will know where you are at when it comes to power in your van.

Good Luck!

Actually, the previous owner purchased the van from a cleaning company and had just started converting it when he sold it to me. He was building it out for his nephew who changed his mind and rented an apartment. The solar panels are only two years old. They get the job done.It’s a diesel and it’s getting 20mpg. The van checked out and us running well . I’ve put her through her paces and she’s been great!

 

[SassyWineWench]

Nice score on your rig ! Welcome to the Van Life Forum. Sounds like you are ready for some serious "ME Time" now. Good luck in your travels.

Thanks!

Welcome, SassyWW! We are all fortunate indeed to have friends.

Thanks, yes we are!!

 

[VanFan]

Enjoy!

 

[Jim D]

Actually, the previous owner purchased the van from a cleaning company and had just started converting it when he sold it to me. He was building it out for his nephew who changed his mind and rented an apartment. The solar panels are only two years old. They get the job done.It’s a diesel and it’s getting 20mpg. The van checked out and us running well . I’ve put her through her paces and she’s been great!

Diesels are great engines. They can run strong for along time. The best way to test a diesel is to drive it up a hill with a very steep incline. If it's in good shape it should be able to stay up with the speed limit or better.

I changed my motor oil regularly. I had to rebuild my diesel engine in 2004 only because I put cheap motor oil in it one time and the valve guides were destroyed. I didn't need to rebuild the block but I rebuild the block and heads anyway. Now 18 years later my diesel engine starts up on the "FIRST" click. I haven't driven it since 2014 and it sits in the driveway but it starts on the first click still.

I'm interested in your post because I have a van that was used for business also and now it's going to be used as my house in a couple of years. I'm going to overhaul the front end, rear axle and transmission just to be safe. Breaking down on the road isn't an option.

I've already decided to get a propane generator system in my van. Yes, I'm going to have a couple of solar panels but I without a doubt want a propane generator. WOW! all the money I have to spend.

OK, I hope to read more of your future posts. Thanks!

 

[SassyWineWench]

Thanks! She must be in good shape, then,cause I took her up some good hills in Vermont, on gravel, and she did fine! I’m keeping an emergency fund in case because I know eventually something is going to need fixing… but I’m keeping up on the maintenance, oil changes and such and I expect to have a few more years of travel with her. She is a dream to drive!

 

[skibumone]

Hi all,
I’ve just begun full time living in my Promaster.
I’m retired from the wine business and traveling the country with my kayak under my bed. I’m already having the time of my life and have made friends and seen awesome stuff!
My van is a labor of love… I did about a years worth of research before buying her. I found her on Craigslist and flew from Maryland to Kentucky to buy her then drove her back. She is a 2014 159” high roof.She gad 150,000 miles on her and cost $21,000. She was already stripped and had a Maxxair vent van and solar panels on the roof and had a water tank plus all the custom made insulated window covers. Oh, and a slider window with a screen on the drivers side.
I finished her with Havelock wool insulation, 1/4” cedar planks throughout, Home Depot pantry and upper cabinets, Iceco refrigerator/freezer, twin bed with kayak underneath, a closet for clothes, trash, tools, laundry etc, and a camp potty. The entire build including putting new tires, shocks and brakes on her was around $20,000 . I was very fortunate to have a couple of talented friends with tools! She gets around 20 mpg. I’ll try to figure out how to post pics. I’m hoping to meet like minded nomads and swap stories over a campfire, maybe with a glass of nice wine.

What kinda nice wine? Im always down for antipodean shiraz?

 

[eDJ_]

My experience with the diesels........your fuel pump and injectors are of greatest importance. Diesel fuel isn't known to be a real clean fluid so keep up with changing your fuel filter. Newer diesel engines are computer controlled where the older types were mechanical.

If your transmission is an automatic it will fare easier on the fuel injectors. If you rebuild the transmission it may be worth installing a brand new torque converter. (some shops have a machine that flushes them out to where they are like new. Torque converters tend to collect the debris from wear in the transmission as centrifugal force spins the stuff to the outer edges of the converer. But there are special machines for cleaning them) Over revving the engine rpm is hard on injectors and they are expensive to replace. Good quality oil and filters should be a first consideration (includes fuel & air filters too).

The care you take of it will be the care it provides you in return.

 

[SassyWineWench]

What kinda nice wine? Im always down for antipodean shiraz?

I just did a wine class “ guess the grape” and one of the wines was Zontez Chocolate Box Shiraz… lovely peppery, bold and structured but softer tannins. Was a hit!

 

[WanderingRose]

Nice to read positive posts here about Diesel engines.

I am on my second diesel Class B, with about 250,000 miles between the two of them, and have found them to be absolutely reliable workhorses if they are well taken care of.

 

[SassyWineWench]

My experience with the diesels........your fuel pump and injectors are of greatest importance. Diesel fuel isn't known to be a real clean fluid so keep up with changing your fuel filter. Newer diesel engines are computer controlled where the older types were mechanical.

If your transmission is an automatic it will fare easier on the fuel injectors. If you rebuild the transmission it may be worth installing a brand new torque converter. (some shops have a machine that flushes them out to where they are like new. Torque converters tend to collect the debris from wear in the transmission as centrifugal force spins the stuff to the outer edges of the converer. But there are special machines for cleaning them) Over revving the engine rpm is hard on injectors and they are expensive to replace. Good quality oil and filters should be a first consideration (includes fuel & air filters too).

The care you take of it will be the care it provides you in return.

Thanks… I will definitely keep up with regular maintenance. The first thing I did was brakes,shocks,tires,oil and air filter , fuel filter, cabin air filter.

 

[skibumone]

I just did a wine class “ guess the grape” and one of the wines was Zontez Chocolate Box Shiraz… lovely peppery, bold and structured but softer tannins. Was a hit!

Never tried Zontes but Adelaide Hills/McLaren Vale has some world-class contenders, Im partial to Mollydooker's Boxer shiraz. Some of the coolest ppl on the planet are in the Adelaide Hills (Mount Lofty Ranges)...Johnny Gilbert at By Jingo answers the question, what if Hunter S. Thompson and Laura Huxley had a love child that became a vintner.

IMO the Barossa Valley produces a more robust gape, have you ever tried a Barossa GSM blend? The Mourvedre adds a hint of velvety chocolate that just melts in your mouth, can't go wrong with a Penfolds 138. Hard to find in Oregon, but is usually available in California for under $50. I think Palm Springs will be the last chance to find decent vino on my upcoming descent into the desert.