OMG!

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CanadianTraveler

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Jun 25, 2017
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Omg i got a van last night!! I am so nervously excited i could barely sleep :) should be on the road by monday :) keep thinking omg omg omg.
its a 2007 dodge grand caravan $400 just needs some body work and a small hole in the muffler fixed before it gets loud. i spent most of the day picking up essentials, now im packing things up from my apt and put into storage to get ready to sell and im outta here! omg omg omg!!
 
OMG!!!! [emoji3]. You aren't excited are you????


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omg of course! i will post pics in little while im all over the place now and starting to get headache but totally enjoying it. its grey in color and im thinking about calling him "Guy" :) since its just me and my two female dogs i figure we need at least one guy on our travels ;)
 
CanadianTraveler said:
Omg i got a van last night!! I am so nervously excited i could barely sleep :) should be on the road by monday :) keep thinking omg omg omg.
its a 2007 dodge grand caravan $400 just needs some body work and a small hole in the muffler fixed before it gets loud.  i spent most of the day picking up essentials, now im packing things up from my apt and put into storage to get ready to sell and im outta here! omg omg omg!!

   :D WHOOPEE!  I'm stunned you found something so quickly and just in the nick of time on the rent.  I hope you leaving current living situation goes smoothly.  Lotsa folk living in/out of minivans!

I'm no mechanic maybe someone will make a suggestion on muffler hole.  Watch out for fumes coming into the van.

If you can see the hole and reach it maybe it can be patched with some JB Weld and a piece cut from a tin can? I don't know if that would work or if it would be safe.  Hopefully someone here knows and will speak.

If you want to maybe you'll get to met up with other tribe members in Canada.

I wish you the best  :)

Jewellann and Queenie, she wants to know your 4 legged companions names.
                                            It's storming here so she just went back under the covers.
 
Oh em jee!
That is really a OMG price. Looking forward to pics.
 
Thank you everyone for your support. ive been out getting the main essentials. cooking, hygiene and something to make a bed. today i am loading up and if all goes smoothly i should have my first night in the van tonight. its pretty packed in there so far and still got a few things to go in :s  looks like i will spend my time organizing and more downsizing. good thing i will have all the time in the world once loading is done. once i am parked this afternoon or tonight i will take pics of my very beginning messy start first day lol.

one of my sons said he will fix the muffler and do the body work if i want to hang around for awhile. they are pretty supportive of my adventure and now looking into heading out on thier own or maybe pooling resourses to head out together but into something bigger since it will be my two boys, two fur girls and me  :shy:  but that wont be for at least a few months so just me and my fur girls, Thunder 3yo and Storm 10mth both boxers (i love thunderstorms lol)

im leaving the apt on good terms and she said if i ever need any help i am always welcome back so that makes me very happy. but i dont think i will need it. i think it will be about two or three months around here to save a bit of money while getting the rest of supplies, build the bed and shelving and then to get any work done that i will need then i will be heading west. since east is only ocean it seems like a good plan to me ;;)

i found a private place by the river or theres one across from the ocean to stay or just park for the night so i think it will be a very peaceful night and great to wake up to. good bye s&b, hello wide open spaces :heart:
 
You can see my very first, ever in my life, video of the van lol. let me know what you think and any tips would be apprieciated :) on Youtube:

Canadian Nomad Diary
 
Congrats !!   :D 

So now you just need to get it all checked out to make sure it will be road worthy.   As we used to say in the Garage Business...."The care you take of it,  will be the care it can take of you".   Just go slow and steady to take it on a few "shake down" cruises to make sure you have all the quirks and quarks sorted out of it.   Better you  do that closer to home than to be far away. 

Then once you figure it's going to be a sound solid Van,  you could venture some longer trips. 

Did you buy the Van there in Canada ?  Has it been used on road trips much and lately ?   If it's only been used around town,  consider taking slower road trips in it to start with.  45 mph for a half hour, move up to 55 mph for the next half hour, and on up to 70 in half hour increments.  This will get the vehicle acclimated to road speed driving gently.  Before doing this I'd suggest an oil change with new filter (using a good quality of oil called for for the particular engine)  

I drive a Ford Van each Wednesday to haul disabled Military Vets to the VA Hospital and back home.  It has a Triton V-10 engine.  It uses 5w 20 super premium oil/non synthetic.  But it has 210,000 and runs like a top. 
The motor pool mechanics take excellent care of it and each of the drivers checks the oil level each morning before starting the engine. 

So learn good maintenance habits and you'll be able to enjoy your travels with more confidence.

If you wanted to spend a few dollars, you could catch some of your motor oil when you drain it. (when doing an oil change)

Then Contact this Lab for a freest test kit. (they charge about $30 USD to do an analysis) Think of it like blood work on your engine.

They will need various information about your Van and the series of engine you have. Their analysis will allow them to determine if there are issues than need to be looked at now before they become trouble. Large Commercial Fleets use these services regularly.

Blackstone Labs

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/free-test-kits.php

I wish you many miles of trouble free travels. :)
 
Oh I envy you!

I sooooo want to be on the road.

I have stayed here for more than a year. This is the longest I have stayed in any place for decades. I am stir crazy.

I sooo envy you!

Keep posting, tells us about your travels. I actual do live vicariously through other people's logs.
 
Thunder and Storm are beautiful! Happy Tails, er, I mean, Happy Trails!!! Congrats!
 
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