Planning Phase Rookie Here, Hiya

[redneckroaddog]

Hey there folks. Gary here. Im 40, single, no kids, medically retired navy veteran so i have a pension in place to help support the plans I am making. I will be working from time to time as needed. I will be building either a larger van or a shuttle bus, still in the research stage there so the plan is pretty fluid at this point. The time frame is also unknown at this time. I have been taking care of my grandfolks for the past year or so but its just my gramps and myself at this time as we lost granny this past august. its been a rough world without granny for sure. I will be continuing my family commitments for hopefully a long time to time to come. After pop heads off to heaven based rocking chair living with granny, I will then be purchasing my vehicle of choice and beginning the process. Youtube and the forums here will be the name of the game between now and then so I look forward to getting to know some of yall. Hope all is well with everyone. talk soon perhaps.

 

[EscapeArtist]

Blessings to you for being caregiver to your Grandfather. ( And Grandmother) May you realize your dreams when the time is right.

 

[flewis777]

I moved full time into a Honda Odyssey minivan. I stay in town and work and save $$. My advice: In the beginning buy an older, cheaper vehicle because as the months go by you may discover that you want to have a different type of vehicle and you don't want to be stuck in debt and payments right off the bat.

My battery power source is Jackery 240. It has AC, USB and  12v outputs. Great for charging devices. You can get solar panels for it and mount them on the dash or on the roof.

I chose to rent a storage space (5x5x10 for $80 / month) and only have things in the van I actually use daily. No clutter in the van but 2-3 times a month I make a trip to the storage locker for stuff or to put stuff in there I am not currently using.

Now that I have a few months experience I am leaning toward a regular van conversion preferably with a hi-top. But I find the Odyssey is extremely stealthy and you can make it very comfortable. I went with plastic drawers (1) plastic bin, pads on the floor covered by an area rug.

 

[highdesertranger]

Welcome Gary to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

highdesertranger

 

[PODebbie]

I bought a passenger van because I like windows. If I were to do it again, I would buy a cargo van for resale value. Not too many people want to buy a passenger van or a shuttle bus, but a cargo van can be used by most trades. No matter how old, someone is just starting a new trade as a plumber, carpenter, carpet layer, etc. so you can always resell your van. Most people go thru several vehicles as their needs and tastes change. But whatever you get, you will enjoy life. You have a pension and health insurance. Have fun with your choices.

 

[squire]

Thank you for your service Gary. IMHO, a van has several advantages over a shuttle bus while the shuttle bus only has one advantage over a van, that being more room (both head room and volume). A high top van can alleviate the had room problem.

 

[Elbear1]

Vans are like a multi-tool, they can do everything....poorly.

Theyre not quite enough room to stay long periods negating their mileage advantage. They dont have enough clearance or drive train for decent off-roading which is very common doing this. Besides newer sprinter types they dont get good enough mpg - size ratio to be good for heavy travelling. Theres no decent showering options, no black tanks (except a small minority), small water tanks, and frankly expensive cpmpared to used RV's, skoolies, trailers, etc.