Van Living Prep

[jseel]

Hi. Soon to be 'homeless'--may happen any time from next month to April next year. Probably will be living in unimproved 94 Aerostar 'strip' (cargo model) that up until recently ran pretty well. Overshot tune-up by a couple months and now running rough upon startup. 237000+ miles. Formerly hard run commuter van for professional contractor. Any ideas on how to prolong the life of this van? I have heard from numerous people--contractors, casual owners, even some mechanics--that these vans can routinely survive to 300k+miles if well cared for. Well, except for transmissions of course--but this one was recently replaced.

I do not like Fords in general but cannot deny that this one has started up every day for the last several years with only a single turn of the key (except for the way overdue starter replacement, a one-time issue)--and has in truth operated with a substandard battery for most of that time.
I would like to like this van. Would consider buying another newer, lower mileage similar model,,,but would like input from the community.

 

[Moxadox]

If you're not mechanically inclined yourself, the first step would be to search out a really competent and well-respected mechanic to go over the van with a fine-toothed comb. That will give you the information you need in order to decide whether it's worth spending the money it would take to run reliably. If there's too much wrong with it, you're better off selling it and buying a lower mileage one that isn't going to strand you somewhere.

Does that make sense?

Welcome to the community, BTW!

The Dire Wolfess

 

[jseel]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I know no qualified mechanics who are willing to help (for less than $70 per hour).

At this point I am just starting to consider options.  My old beater was a $500 purchase and is 4+ years old (my ownership), and I was actually looking for reviews about the van in general. I know it's old and beaten like me, and I have on occasion slept in it, mostly without incident. In particular I suppose I am looking for suggestions of non-permanent additions that may increase privacy, temporary performance, comfort, etc.

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums jseel! You may get some good ideas from the Conversions and Modifications section of the forum. Also, try asking questions one or two at a time under the most relevant heading to get more and better answers for each issue. Good luck with your preps. Keep us updated!

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. We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[AMGS3]

So it sounds like you are leaning towards the "use what you have for now, make it work as well as you can" philosophy of starting vehicle dwelling. Plenty of people have started out vanlife with a bare bones setup.

So I'd suggest that the first thing you do is start with a list of your needs and keep in mind your location that you'll be in.

Eating / kitchen (stove, fridge, food storage, etc)
Bed
Hygiene
Toilet
Heating
Cooling

Maybe you have additional needs that don't fit into one of these categories. You have to figure out what are the necessities of your life. No one else knows this better than you.

What I mean by "keep in mind your location" is that some vandwellers live in an area that there are plenty of public restrooms, so they might only have a small homemade setup for emergency use and then most of time just use the public toilets.

I know two vandwellers who have made an arrangement with a hotel that they come in twice a week to use a hotel room after an early guest checkout but before it is cleaned and they take their showers there. It costs the hotel nothing (they had to clean it after the guests left anyways). Sure, some people might think this is gross, but they seem happy with the arrangement.

Other vandwellers don't shower. Instead they use a basin of water and a washcloth, or baby wipes, or some kind of homemade body wipes using paper towels, or a spray bottle of soapy water and a cloth. In the privacy of your van you can do any of the activities you'd do in any other type of home. Ok, maybe not take a long hot bath, but you know what I mean...lol.

Other vandwellers have made the decision to just eat out of their cooler (no hot food) eliminating the need for a stove.

All you really need to start out with is a place to sleep, and some sort of plan for your food, toilet needs, and a way to clean yourself. You can start out really basic, and save up for what will be better for you later. Nothing needs to be permanently installed in your van, making it easy to transfer if/when you do get a different vehicle in the future.

Welcome to the forum jseel. I look forward to hearing more about your journey.

~angie

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