Chris Anne the Mum
Active member
I would like a van I can stand up in.
I can do a basic set up, but if I found something that was complete or partially done, that would be great, depending on price and quality.
I'm watching FB marketplace, auto trader, craigslist and even eBay. Age and mileage and price are all over the place.
I'm not set on any make or model, although I like the look and mileage of the Ford Transit. (I'm actually a Chevy girl.)
I'm not looking to hit the road full time for another year, so time is on my side.
I can start out in my SUV, so it's not critical that I find this van and get it ready before I go.
[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]I want to be able to be stealth and boon [/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]dock without a lot of attention. My challenge is balancing that with my need for certain creature comforts. I have ruled out an RV or pulling a trailer, although a small RV is tempting because the bath/shower are important to me.[/font]
Here are my questions.
1. Is there a good rule of thumb on age and mileage? I know if something is average 10k miles per year, that's good. Some of these vans have over 100k on them and they are 4 and 5 years old! What's your cutoff on miles, or the number you would not go above?
2. Where else should I be looking?
3. If I waited and went to the RTR or other RV events, are there opportunities to find rigs? Is it a good idea to wait and try to find caravans and communities and find something through word of mouth referrals?
4. My gut says to try to find a private seller as opposed to dealerships. Thoughts?
5. Should I hold out for a high roof van? They are really hard to find. I'm thinking being able to stand would make it easier to access the bathroom and possible shower, which is important to me.
6. I do have savings and probably have a bigger budget than most, but I'm a bit immobilized at the thought of buying something that is nothing but trouble, as in RVs that leak and older engines that are basically worn out. Any advice for breaking out of that fear?
7. And finally, I have to ask, what do you think about school buses? I would go really small on something like that since it's just me.
That's all I can think of now. Thanks in advance. Lots of great feedback on this forum. :heart:
I can do a basic set up, but if I found something that was complete or partially done, that would be great, depending on price and quality.
I'm watching FB marketplace, auto trader, craigslist and even eBay. Age and mileage and price are all over the place.
I'm not set on any make or model, although I like the look and mileage of the Ford Transit. (I'm actually a Chevy girl.)
I'm not looking to hit the road full time for another year, so time is on my side.
I can start out in my SUV, so it's not critical that I find this van and get it ready before I go.
[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]I want to be able to be stealth and boon [/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]dock without a lot of attention. My challenge is balancing that with my need for certain creature comforts. I have ruled out an RV or pulling a trailer, although a small RV is tempting because the bath/shower are important to me.[/font]
Here are my questions.
1. Is there a good rule of thumb on age and mileage? I know if something is average 10k miles per year, that's good. Some of these vans have over 100k on them and they are 4 and 5 years old! What's your cutoff on miles, or the number you would not go above?
2. Where else should I be looking?
3. If I waited and went to the RTR or other RV events, are there opportunities to find rigs? Is it a good idea to wait and try to find caravans and communities and find something through word of mouth referrals?
4. My gut says to try to find a private seller as opposed to dealerships. Thoughts?
5. Should I hold out for a high roof van? They are really hard to find. I'm thinking being able to stand would make it easier to access the bathroom and possible shower, which is important to me.
6. I do have savings and probably have a bigger budget than most, but I'm a bit immobilized at the thought of buying something that is nothing but trouble, as in RVs that leak and older engines that are basically worn out. Any advice for breaking out of that fear?
7. And finally, I have to ask, what do you think about school buses? I would go really small on something like that since it's just me.
That's all I can think of now. Thanks in advance. Lots of great feedback on this forum. :heart: