Prius Stealth Camper

Van Living Forum

Help Support Van Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

mdoverl

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 28, 2016
Messages
320
Reaction score
1
Location
West Des Moines, Iowa
Once a week, typically on Sunday, i pull everything out my Prius to give it a good cleaning. i decided to show a step by step process of how the sleeping arraignment is setup. I was also in the process of offloading stuff into storage, as it was getting pretty cramped in the Prius. Sorry I wasn't able to figure out how to attache images, so I had to go with links

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzlWElAMuxlRb1FIWUE1RXNMaWc


Above is just a plain image from the outside of the Prius

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzlWElAMuxlRX2xYQTB4NW42WDQ

Above is with the doors open

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzlWElAMuxlRRVRVTkNUUFhqSjQ

Next i remove the passenger head rest and completely lower the passenger seat to the rear

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzlWElAMuxlROXBITnpBS1lRQ3M

Next I lower both rear seats

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzlWElAMuxlRZHBHal9UQy1MOUE

Here is a picture from the rear. From the base of the cargo door, all the way to the front dashboard, I have 102 inches of space, or 8 feet 6 inches.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzlWElAMuxlRSG91MFg5RHJhMTg

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzlWElAMuxlRZS0wcm92UWEtMTQ

Next I have a 4 inch mattress that is 72 inches long and 27 inches wide that I lay down

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzlWElAMuxlRNm5UTE5PNGc4VnM

About a foot or so of the mattress hangs over the front passenger seat and is not supported, So I have a green cushion I put under the mattress to keep it from sinking.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzlWElAMuxlRcU1GanQ1SWMtWWc

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzlWElAMuxlRN3l1OGhrYzdsdjQ

Next I load up my sleeping pad, sleeping bag, box of food supplies, bag of clothe, toolbox, and other various items needed.
 
Thank and I appreciate you for showing a demo. I notice there are no tinted windows, do you have curtains or anything from people looking in?

How do you get into the bed, do you crawl from the driver seat or thru the passenger? can people see?
 
LMTLMT said:
Thank and I appreciate you for showing a demo.  I notice there are no tinted windows, do you have curtains or anything from people looking in?

How do you get into the bed, do you crawl from the driver seat or thru the passenger?  can people see?

At the moment I had a piece of black clothe that I set in different places depending on how I park. It can completely cover the front windshield, some times I move it to the sides if there is more traffic in another direction. I plan on buying more black clothe to setup on all sides.
 
mdoverl said:
Once a week, typically on Sunday, i pull everything out my Prius to give it a good cleaning. i decided to show a step by step process of how the sleeping arraignment is setup.
Great photos. I just saw a white 2010 Prius with GPS and backup camera, only 3400 miles for sale. Senior owner became ill after buying it. My friend got it but she hates the way it drives so she's selling it. Am waiting for her to give me a price.
I knew the seats were supposed to fold somehow but could not remember how that worked. These photos help.
I'm prepping my "new" 2005 T & C minivan for travel, but couldn't help being attracted to her vehicle with backup, gps and that wonderful mileage the Prius gets.

Not much room but could travel further on a budget.
 
Kathleen said:
Great photos. I just saw a white 2010 Prius with GPS and backup camera, only 3400 miles for sale. Senior owner became ill after buying it. My friend got it but she hates the way it drives so she's selling it. Am waiting for her to give me a price.
I knew the seats were supposed to fold somehow but could not remember how that worked. These photos help.

Please be aware that the seats on the 2nd generation (04-09) Prius fold all of the way down as demonstrated by mdoverl's pics.  The 3rd generation (2010-15) Prius' seats do not.  I tested out a 3rd gen and when I laid down the back of the front seat, it hit the bottom of the back seat even with the head rest removed. 

If you are short enough and don't need the extra room of the front seat area for your sleeping area (I don't for a 72" long mattress), then I would snatch up the 2010 if the price is right.

The best to you.

Suanne
 
Suanne said:
Please be aware that the seats on the 2nd generation (04-09) Prius fold all of the way down as demonstrated by mdoverl's pics.  The 3rd generation (2010-15) Prius' seats do not. 

Thanks for that info, Suanne! It was at the end of an extremely long intense day when she showed me the 2010 Prius. I fiddled with the seat but could not get it to fold down. Figured I was too tired, but turns out that year would not work as shown in the pics. Very helpful info.

Best to you too,

kd
 
Kathleen said:
Thanks for that info, Suanne! It was at the end of an extremely long intense day when she showed me the 2010 Prius. I fiddled with the seat but could not get it to fold down. Figured I was too tired, but turns out that year would not work as shown in the pics. Very helpful info.

Best to you too,

kd

If you slide the front passenger seat all the way forward, you should have plenty of sleeping room in the back (I use to do this when I first started living in my Prius), most Prius dwellers do that I believe, Suanne knows more Prius dwellers that I do though.
 
Why don't you remove the rear seat altogether like I did to my Chevy Cobalt?

It gives me a completely flat floor, from the trunk forward. Plus there's room under the board (which hinges up from the rear) for additional storage.

2q3noyg.jpg

A shot from the trunk.

28k7axu.jpg

A shot from the passenger's side door.

Chip
 
sushidog said:
Why don't you remove the rear seat altogether like I did to my Chevy Cobalt?

It gives me a completely flat floor, from the trunk forward. Plus there's room under the board (which hinges up from the rear) for additional storage.


A shot from the trunk.


A shot from the passenger's side door.

Chip

With a Prius we already have a flat surface by lowering the rear seats, no need to remove them.

Sorry I removed your pictures in my reply so I don't' waste phone data for our other viewers of the site.
 
Kathleen said:
Great photos. I just saw a white 2010 Prius with GPS and backup camera, only 3400 miles for sale. Senior owner became ill after buying it. My friend got it but she hates the way it drives so she's selling it. Am waiting for her to give me a price.

Hi there, if you decide to pass on the 2010, please let me know I would be interested.  Thank you.
 
LMTLMT said:
Hi there, if you decide to pass on the 2010, please let me know I would be interested.  Thank you.

How about your write me again in one month. My friend who owns the Prius is scatterbrained. She has a kind heart and takes care of all around her when she should be selling her Prius because she needs the $$$. The car reeks of very unpleasant dog smell. Dog must have been old and sick.

Odor can be removed by local detailer, who uses an ozone machine overnight after detail/sanitize. I wanted to ride in the Prius but the smell made me sick.

I'm moving and over the top, so write to me again late May if you're still interested, LMTLMT.
 
Kathleen said:
How about your write me again in one month. My friend who owns the Prius is scatterbrained. She has a kind heart and takes care of all around her when she should be selling her Prius because she needs the $$$. The car reeks of very unpleasant dog smell. Dog must have been old and sick.

Odor can be removed by local detailer, who uses an ozone machine overnight after detail/sanitize. I wanted to ride in the Prius but the smell made me sick.

I'm moving and over the top, so write to me again late May if you're still interested, LMTLMT.
ok will do.  Thank you.
 
LMTLMT said:
ok will do.  Thank you.

My 2010 level 3 trim with 100K on it is clean and is worth at least $7,000... so unless that is trashed its a great deal. You could take it to a Toyota dealer and have them check the main "traction" battery for its level of charge and health of the cells. 

The only things that I have done to mine other than tires and oil changes is a trans fluid change at 80K. The first tune up isnt till 100-120, as well as coolant change. It still has 50% of the original brakes!

City gas mileage averages 52-55 mog, highway a bit less (45-50) as the gas engine runs more.
 
Top