New Van Tomorrow

[Gadget728]

Someone posted this van in another section, I'd been watching it for a couple of weeks, waiting for my house to sell. I decided to just go ahead and buy it and pay it off when I sell my house. The banker will make some money off of me, but I wanted this van. 

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inven...d=true&filtersModified=true#listing=148213734

 

[AngryVanMan]

Really nice van, high roof, extended, 60/40 doors and all! This should make an excellent platform for conversion, it looks like a totally blank slate in the back, was it just used for hauling or something or did they say?

 

[Gary68]

nice score at a nice price,any plans to de-white the thing?

 

[jonthebru]

You're doing the right thing, that is an exceptional opportunity.

 

[NoLimit]

Looks like a good buy. Congrats!

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Congrats, When you find the right vehicle you just know. If you pay it off in a few months, the amount you pay in financing will be minimal. In fact I think the peace of mind already having a van before the house sells will outweigh the little bit in financing you'll incur. Can't wait to see the build.

 

[rvwandering]

Congratulations! Looks great!

 

[One Awesome Inch]

Similar to mine but your's has the barn doors... which are my preference. Awesome!

 

[Gadget728]

This PM was sent to me by another member here, I don't know why they just didn't post it in the thread -

Greetings!

I have never met an honest person who recommended cargo vans for camper conversions. Cargo vans make TERRIBLE camper vans without dumping a ton of money into them.

If you start with a window van, with lots of opening windows, finished floor, walls, and ceilings, it will save you many thousands of $$$ immediately. Just move out the seats, move your interior in, and you're done.

The people that recommend cargo vans are getting paid very well to give out bad advice. A good camper van conversion costs hundreds, not thousands or dollars. Spending all that extra money will not make you one bit more comfortable, nor will it ever save you enough to ever pay for itself.

Simpler is better, and totally portable is better yet. Expensive systems turn into money pits. Stick with stuff that is available in Anytown, USA locally. Important stuff breaks or wears out, and you don't want or need to have to wait weeks or months to to be able to repair or replace stuff, and you don't want it to cost a fortune to do it either.
Cheers!
OG
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
As far as I'm concerned this is bad advice, and contrary to the spirit of vandwelling in general. But everyone has a right to their own opinion.
Personally, this is the 5th cargo van I've owned since 1972 and I've camped in ALL of them.
I didn't want a van full of windows, nor the prefabbed walls that intrude on the limited space inside. I'm known as the gadgetman for a reason, all the stuff I build is very cool, functional and easy to maintain. I will build this to suit my needs and as far as a money pit goes. Except for the solar components, I already own most everything that needs to go into it.
Portable toilet, shower, fridge. lights, bed. When I get through with it, it will be called the GadgetVan. You can keep your church bus!!

De-White, are you crazy?

I have no idea what it was used for before.

I'm paying $4500 and my trading in my 2004 Astro Van. I'm headed to Dallas (400 miles) in a few hours, in the Astro, coming home in the Savana.

 

[SoulRaven]

They probably got censored.

While their advice may not be appropriate for you as an individual, it represents a pretty mainstream opinion in general. Since you already have many of the components, it also sounds like you are already following part of that advice too.

I too believe everybody's opinion is valuable, and that one should have been posted, but I also believe it is in poor taste to post a PM in public unless you had their permission.

Congrats & good luck.

 

[Gadget728]

I don't think I should have been pm'd with a reply to a thread. I don't mind any comments or opinions... that's why I posted in the first place. Permission, not likely. 

If someone has something to say about what I've posted, put it out there for all to see. PM's in my opinion are for PRIVATE MESSAGES. 

Even though I totally disagree with the content of the PM, I do value the opinion and comments. That's the great thing about a forum. Debates & opinions are fine, as long as they stay civil.  
Ironically the words "poor taste" are Exactly what I said to them.  Not that I have any taste, class or social graces. I'm pretty much a loner, but I do try and help a lot of people in my daily life. I live a Grey Man lifestyle. I try not to stand out. 

After reading many posts, and camping in just about everything, I chose a vehicle to start my new journey out in. 
I love the opportunity I'm given starting with a empty shell. I believe the high top will make the inside seem more open, and I wanted to be able to stand up too. The Van being white give it a bit of stealth and is cooler than a dark van in the sun. Fewer windows, fewer things to cover up.

  Thanks to everyone again, this is a great forum.

 

[mayble]

Congratulations! Nice looking van.

I originally thought I wanted a passenger van for the windows, but came to the conclusion it would be far easier to put a couple windows in a cargo van that it would be to tear out the interior of a passenger van to insulate and reclaim all that wasted space.  In the end, it's all personal preference and everyone has a different vision and a different skill set.

I'm curious who is "getting paid very well to give out bad advice" and how.  I've been giving bad advice for free for years, and sure could use some extra $$.

 

[ArtW]

me too Mayble, where's all my 'bad advice' money?

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I think Cargo vans make great camping vehicles. They can cost as much or as little as you want them too. I had an 03 Chevy Express I inherited when my Dad passed and I traveled through 35 states in it. I through my mattress from the house on the floor, my wooden trunk of camping gear, my hiking pack and off I went. A week into the trip I bought some milkcrates and got my bed up off the floor so I could store everything under the bed. Bought a 12v fan, cooler, and camp chair and the next few years of multiple month long trips were pure bliss. It had never even crossed my mind to insulate it or add a fantastic fan. Bare metal walls and the factory mat on the floor served me well.

Now, I look forward to my next build. Between the things I learned on those trips and the knowledge on this sight, my next build will be quite a bit nicer but still only need the basics. Other than solar, I won't consider it very fancy. Just comfortable.

Passenger vans as others have stated waste a lot of space when you're not starting with much to begin with.

I think you're starting with a perfect clean slate to build from

 

[Canine]

Good looking van at a decent price.congrats and Good Luck.

 

[Gadget728]

I just got back from Dallas, 840 miles in 15 hours. Love the van, it's a little rough, needs some TLC. I'm brain dead, will post my adventure to Dallas tomorrow.

 

[DannyB1954]

I bought a window van, (conversion van) I am thinking about tearing it all out and starting over. Yes it will cost, but will be better insulated and in a less tacky decor, (everything is red, carpet, door panels ceiling. Looks like it is owned by a brothel.

 

[Gadget728]

OK, here goes. I called D&L Motors in Dallas 3 different times trying to buy this van. They kept putting me off, and wouldn't return my calls. When I finally got to talk to the owners wife, I said,"you really must not want to sell that van, You tell your husband to call me if he wants t sell, I won't call again", and I hung up. About an hour later he called apologizing and wanting to talk business. After a few minutes he said if my Astro would make it to Dallas he'd give me 2 grand off the $6500 we had discussed. My Astro looks great, but it was doing what all my other Astro's had done when approaching 200,000 miles, tranny & rear end failure. I cleaned it up, took out the bed and other stuff I'd put in it while doing test runs for full timing, and headed South.
The trip there was beautiful, I love going through the Arbuckle Mountains. I got to Dallas about 3 pm, the start of rush hour. I took a short test drive and decided I'd take it.

The trip back wasn't so great. It took over 2 hours to get out of Dallas due to 5 mph bumper to bumper rush hour traffic. After that was almost bumper to bumper all the way to the state line. While heading North through Oklahoma, I could see the huge storm I was approaching and hoped I'd be past Oklahoma City before it hit. The traffic was just as bad going through Oklahoma, half the people were going 10-20 mph over and the other have were going 10-20 mph under. Since the steering was a bit sloppy, it made for an exciting, yet stressful trip.

I really wanted to get rid of the Astro, so I accepted this 06' GMC Savana 155" extended 6.0 L. with a few quirks. It steers a bit sloppy, and the fuel in it was old. I filled it up and threw in a can of sea foam, and we're going to look the whole engine over this afternoon. My buddy George is a mechanic and has a diagnostic reader. He also manages the NAPA that is in my building here in Mac. Napa rents from us. It also threw a check engine code on the way back, I stopped as soon as I could and checked all the fluids. The guy sad he'd just changed the oil, but I'm going to give it a complete tune up later today. It's a diamond in the rough right now, but I have no buyers remorse and I'm rid of the dying Astro.
I can stand up completely in it, woo hoo!! I'll start a thread after I get some pics and start building it out!! - Gadget.

 

[DannyB1954]

Congratulations.

 

[highdesertranger]

congrats Gadget. don't let the PM get you down, I am sure you will be happy with your new van. highdesertranger