Van Color

[Peaceseeker]

I have so many pages of notes in an attempt to make an informed decision about a van (mileage, reliability, recalls, reviews, space, etc.), but I never really thought that van color 

 might be something to consider too.  What color I might have chosen for a car may not be a good idea with a van.
My goals for travel are pretty open at this point.  BLM, Natl Parks, parking lots, downtowns, oceanside, etc.

Is an exterior neutral color better in some way esp. in an attempt to blend in better? (grey, silver, tan, ...)  :sleepy:

Should black be avoided in hot climates?   

Is white better for any reason?  :angel:

What about red?  

I think a brown or green would blend well generally speaking, but not too many out there. 


Any thoughts?

 

[Almost There]

While white cargo vans are forever being given a bad rap from some on the forums I will tell you that the white or silver colors will keep the inside a whole lot cooler than a dark color.

Because I was mainly concerned with keeping the interior cool on a hot day I opted for a layer of bubble wrap to create a dead air space and then a layer of reflectix for a radiant heat barrier. I am totally impressed with the way the interior stays cool on a hot day with air circulation.

When closed up tight, yes, the interior gets hot, any vehicle or S & B for that matter, will get hot inside. But a black vehicle will get hotter than a light colored vehicle.

 

[accrete]

: ) everything he said for all the same reasons.
And five years into the DIY build we are happy with;
1) Reflectix on the interior with air space between it and outer wall. (I used ~1" bubble wrap to create the "Air" barrier)
2) White on the outside. Minimal windows (rear barn doors and curb slider)

... THAT SAID ...
in a few years we may have the outside of our rig Line-X or similar. Don't know if we will keep the white/black-trim theme (it's a bling thing or maybe go with a matte army green camoliner/Line-x for outside. Again, purely for bling. But hey, it's a blingy rig.

visions of green...

Thom

 

[Gary68]

While white cargo vans are forever being given a bad rap from some on the forums

now who could that be? get your pinstriping done yet?

 

[Gary68]

white vans are evil,a scourge to society and should be killed on site

common sense,light colors reflect,dark colors absorb,large gold flake in emerald green with a viking fighting a dragon on the side = one pimpin van dweller

 

[Peaceseeker]

Ok, so pretty much confirms what I was thinking. Guess I was just overthinking things a bit.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

"We're in the white van"... Famous words out here

 

[Peaceseeker]

Ok, it's official.........
Drove 6 hours round trip today to trade my car that I've had for the past 8 years,  (kinda sad to leave the ole gal behind) & got a Kia Sedona w/68K miles! 
It will be a bit of an adjustment but a good starter van.

Going to try to keep things simple.  
Maybe I'll make it to Flagstaff afterall. 

Oh yea, it's WHITE too! lol!!!

 

[akrvbob]

To give you some ideas for a super easy and quick conversion that is also very comfortable, check out this video:

[video=youtube]

 

[Peaceseeker]

Thanks Bob! Absolutely! I've seen quite a few of the very helpful videos you've posted and have been assimilating all of the information through time. Jim's set up was VERY inspirational and made the most sense for me ..I've probably viewed it 10 times before taking the plunge! I can't wait to see the updates that he's done or is doing!
Yea, ideally I would have liked a roomier van, but for now I think this will help me transition. It's a step in that direction perhaps. Admittedly, I'm a little pooped though having spent the past 5 months fixing up an RV that I had purchased last Fall. Through the renovation process, my instinct told me that it wasn't a good fit for me, so I made the decision to sell it and to simplify to either a Sienna or Sedona. The deal on the Sedona presented itself, so.....onward toward the goal!
I am so grateful for this website!

 

[phillipaaron]

I love my black van on a cold morning when the sun warms things up quickly. A hot day, well, it's hot, however, I stay comfortable with a fan and my side windows open for circulation.

 

[Patrick46]

I've had vans in just about every size, shape, and color imaginable.

I'm, once again, in a white van...but my favorite was a faded forest green step-van. (the one rig I should NEVER have sold!!)

I may paint this van I've got now...but I'm holding out for another step-van to really go nuts on!

 

[accrete]

Ok, it's official.........

Congrats! Best wishes on the build and adventure.

Thanks Bob!  Absolutely!  I've seen quite a few of the very helpful videos you've posted...
I am so grateful for this website!

HA! My wife and I stumbled upon that video this morning while doing a daily sweep of YT before seeing the link here. We enjoyed the simplicity of his build.

And ditto on being grateful for all the info shared at this site
: ) Thom

 

[Luciano151]

Great posts. Maxie is white. The color of the van really does make a big difference. Some people say what vans are "creepy." I'd rather be creepy than hot. ( ;

I insulated my van with fiberglass, which does a good job keeping the van cool. However, the most important thing is to have a high quality vent with a thermostat. Whenever I park for a long period of time, I set the thermostat on my fan to go on at a predestined time. When the temperature cools down sufficiently, the fan goes off. It keeps the van much cooler.

Anyway, I went off topic.....white is the best in my opinion, and as far as stealth goes, white cargo vans are very easy to blend in to their surroundings; especially if you are crashing in an industrial complex.

 

[gcal]

I have so many pages of notes in an attempt to make an informed decision about a van (mileage, reliability, recalls, reviews, space, etc.), but I never really thought that van color 

 might be something to consider too.  What color I might have chosen for a car may not be a good idea with a van.
My goals for travel are pretty open at this point.  BLM, Natl Parks, parking lots, downtowns, oceanside, etc.

Is an exterior neutral color better in some way esp. in an attempt to blend in better? (grey, silver, tan, ...)  :sleepy:

Should black be avoided in hot climates?   

Is white better for any reason?  :angel:

What about red?  

I think a brown or green would blend well generally speaking, but not too many out there. 


Any thoughts?

25 years experience living in FL tells me that white is best in any vehicle, especially if you are not going to be able to air condition. Our current rv has one of those fancy paint jobs. It is a lot hotter to the touch in the sun than our neighbors' white rv's are. Plus, getting any damage touched up costs an arm and a leg. We bought used and got a good price, but I have never liked this paint job.