Taking the Van to the Mechanic

[Dandelion_Puff]

I have to think this has been asked before, but can’t find the threads about it. Once I’m living full-time in the van, how am I supposed to handle taking it into the mechanic for service/repairs? I have another car and am fine with going to a motel if it will be in the shop for longer than an afternoon, but what about all the STUFF in the van? There’s no possible way I can remove all the valuable equipment and personal possessions every time the van needs a servicing or repair. I’d have nowhere else to put it, nevermind that taking it all out and then resecuring it properly would take uncountable hours. So, um, how am I supposed to handle that? Should I use my phone to document what’s being left in the van and have the mechanic acknowledge it or something? Do people actually just do this on faith that no items will be stolen?

 

[Almost There]

I make sure that all the nice stuff like my camera etc is put away somewhere where the mechanic would have no reason to be.

Things like my laptop go with me to the waiting room anyways so that's not a concern.

If I was going to leave the van in a shop and have to motel it, I would definitely take my camera bag, gps etc with me anyways.

More will chime in here but in all the years of travelling (and having various breakdowns all over the country), I have never had a situation where I felt that leaving my fridge, stove, bedding and clothing behind was going to be a problem.

OTOH, I've had a shop set me up in the corner of their lot for 4 days with electric and water while we waited for parts. Heck they even bought me pizza and beer for my birthday...

And yes, faith in your fellow man will go a long, long way...the vast majority of people are honest, kind and friendly.

 

[Ballenxj]

I have another car and am fine with going to a motel if it will be in the shop for longer than an afternoon, but what about all the STUFF in the van? 

Just a thought. Go to the shop and ask how long they need to have the van. Once you have determined that, tell them you will be back right after you get a motel room. Go to the motel and unload your stuff, then take the van back to the shop. Hopefully the motel is within walking distance, or you can arrange a ride. When they are done, go back to the motel and get your stuff.

 

[highdesertranger]

hey Almost There, where's that shop? I want to go there for my birthday. highdesertranger

 

[SternWake]

This was a concern of mine, mostly mitigated by not allowing other mechanics to touch my vehicle.

But that is also unavoidable too. So I made it easy to unload my valueables, and I can also lock my cabinets.

Granted any mechanic could easily get in my cabinets, but not without obviously doing so, unless they were a locksmith.

All my underbed storage boxes are easily removeable, and what I can't remove is likely of no real value.

I do not like letting others in my Van. I got an alignment once and the tech went to go test drive my van, without me, and nearly got dragged from the driver's seat for the temerity

 

[Canine]

That issue can be a concern, yes. If you dont have a place to stash things then you may have to leave your possessions inside (I do) and take with you your electronics, camera etc. I use a backpack and place anything of relative value in it. I do admit to not putting my important paper file in the backpack very often (van title, birth certificate) but I do take my passport, cash etc. the few times I've had something done that I couldn't or didn't want to wait for.

Generally you can wait at a mechanics shop. If the repair is an all day thing, schedule it to start in the morning when they open, that way you haven't lost the van for that night.

I also place dirty laundry on top of semi-valuable things, its a bit of a deterrent. Out of sight, out of mind is a good rule.

I guess that most vandwellers dont have a lot of valuable (think pawnshop value, not sentimental) items that they cannot take with them, I mean, do you have china for 12 or a silver service for 8 in your van? 65" plasma tv? Maybe so, if you do, better rent a storage unit...

 

[ArtW]

take the nicer stuff out (electronics, etc) don't worry about stuff that's low value and bolted down

 

[Dandelion_Puff]

I'm glad to hear nobody has ever had issues with things going missing at the mechanic. I'm usually someone who has a similar attitude to Almost There with believing the vast majority of people are basically honest, but I trust mechanics about as far as I can throw a car. Going through life as a young woman with a classic car has left me pretty bitter towards mechanics and "car guys" in general.

My main concern is my Mac Pro tower set-up which I use for work and gaming. The actual tower weighs close to 50lbs and will be heavily tied down inside the van, so not something I relish removing. But obviously it's hardly something which can be pocketed, so I think I'll just follow what people on this thread have said about having it out of sight and putting a lock on it. My only other valuables (laptop, tablet, phones, fine jewelry which I wear 24/7) would always be coming with me anyway and it's not a problem to switch the vital paperwork into the Cadillac. I honestly would sooner leave valuables in the van at the shop than in a motel room, though, since I've worked at motels and know how many of the employees steal. Luckily I have the second car (and a second driver in my husband, obviously, since even I haven't figured out how to drive two cars at once), and can store most of it in her.

 

[Trebor English]

I use an Altoids tin for a wallet to hold several cards that I generally do not use and some cash.  I have a cell phone and a USB flash drive.  Everything else is of low cash value and easily replaced.  I have the usual van stuff, ice chest, food, propane camp stove, plastic containers, clothes, laptop, solar panel, the finest tools from Harbor Freight and Walmart and a sleeping bag.  I think it is more likely that the whole thing will be stolen than the mechanic will go through my laundry to find a dime in a pocket.

I recently had transmission fluid pass to the coolant and needed a new radiator half way from Florida to New Jersey.  The repair only took 27 hours.  My van was parked outside so I just used it as I normally would.  The shop had a faucet outside that I used.  I asked first, they said to help myself.  There was no pizza.

Mostly I am more concerned that the mechanic will break more than he will fix.

 

[Seldom]

I am dealing with this issue right now, currently in a hotel room waiting for a $1400 job on my vehicle. Spending almost 300$ staying at a hotel while the work gets finished. My concern is more OCD based than stuff getting stolen, the idea of having my mattress and sheets and clothes, etc inside of a grungy mechanic shop is not so savory. I have needed to stay at hotels 3 times in the past year of full timing, two of those times was because of extended mechanical work needed and the hotel rooms added a painful amount to the mechanic bill! (other time I had the FLU and had to sleep off a fever). This is partly why I decided on purchasing a cargo trailer to convert. I realize that being self contained in a relatively unencumbered van is very convenient, especially if you are urban camping...but dang this is one situation where having your living area separate from the engine is a definite boon! It doesn't have to be a living space, it can be like a storage unit that is always with you, and you can lock up and leave if you need to be more mobile. OR if you rent a small U haul trailer you can secure valuables without renting a hotel room. Or you can just rent a room and chalk it up as part of the gig, trailers are pretty darn cumbersome after all. Its all about trade offs really, but man it SUCKS paying for hotel rooms when you already have to pay for auto repair.

 

[Ballenxj]

  OR if you rent a small U haul trailer you can secure valuables without renting a hotel room. 

When you think about it, that's a pretty good option. Or you could rent one of those small Toyota box trucks and just consider it temporary housing?