Van or current car?

[Jacksonricher]

I am getting a 2013 e350xlt delivered on 6/30/18, signing the papers once i see the van. The challenge I am facing is 

1. Do I finance a van and pay almost $650 a month for?
2. Stick with my tiny 06 Hyundai Elantra and use a tent for months and save and pay cash for something older and maybe unreliable?
3. Being on SSDI I make only $1660 per month.
4. Can't get a loan anywhere but at CarMax at 28% interest!! Thats where I found the 2013 E350 w 47k miles. 60 months, $18650 for the van plus tax, lic...
5. My Elantra is mechanically in great condition w 77k miles.
6. I am a big man over 400 pounds and cannot sleep in the car and need a CPap machine to survive.

I am just coming out of my second bankruptcy and I feel crazy jumping into a huge car loan. Am I crazy, nuts, and being stupid buying a nice van?

 

[jonyjoe303]

28 percent interest is too much. Save and buy a use van, little by little you can save for a better van down the road. If you plan on doing alot of traveling then something newer (less maintenance is better). Making that 650 a month payment(plus insurance?) for years is going to wear you out over the long run.

Myself I bought a 1986 astrovan 5 years ago for 900 dollars, I drive it every day. But I stay in the same city, if I was traveling cross country I would get something newer.

But you definitely need a van, in your situation a car won't be comfortable long term. If it was me, I stay in the car and maybe buy a used van in the 2000 dollar range, cash up front and then you only have insurance and gas to buy. I only pay 30 dollars for my insurance and maybe 40 dollars a month in gas, no electric bill, no rent. You be able to save your money for any unexpected repairs you might need to make.

 

[Trebor English]

Where do you live now?  Is it possible to stay?  How much is the rent and utilities?  Do you have air conditioning?  Where you are is air conditioning optional or necessary for you?  Realistically, in some places its not an option.

The $650 for the van doesn't include electricity.  Do you have a place you can park that has electricity?  Water?  Without electricity you don't have cpap.  That 28% sounds horrible.  $18,650 on monthly income of $1660 is way too much.  You can't afford the full coverage insurance the lender will demand.  

Is the car / tent camping really viable?  There is a county park near where I am that was, last time I looked, $8 per day including electric and water for a tent / car spot.  Rest rooms not too bad, about 1 mile to 2 grocery stores, 2 miles to more.  It's a short walk to the elementary school where my wife used to teach.

I have a mini van worth about $2000.  Carmax won't finance something like that.  It is almost old enough to drink but it's still a child.  It would be great for car camping at a spot with electricity for cpap.  It is inside and off the ground.  

 My opinion is that you need a place with electricity near groceries that will allow saving $500 per month.  After 6 months you will have more options.  If you can save $200 per month, 6 months gives you options.

 

[Jacksonricher]

Currently, I am staying at a hotel. I have paid for tomorrow night then most likely camping. I don't have a tent, only a couple of blankets and a propane coleman stove. I get paid on the 3rd.
Come thursday I am clueless on what to do other than a shelter, if I can get in.

I am in Contra Costa county.

I am on SSDI for depression

 

[Trebor English]

Currently, I am staying at a hotel. I have paid for tomorrow night then most likely camping. I don't have a tent, only a couple of blankets and a propane coleman stove. I get paid on the 3rd.
Come thursday I am clueless on what to do other than a shelter, if I can get in.

I am in Contra Costa county.

I am on SSDI for depression

That brings your choices into clearer focus.  Run away from the 28% van.  It doesn't provide the over night electricity you need and you can't afford it.  

How bad is your breathing without the cpap?  My daughter feels like crap all day if she doesn't use it.  Life sucks but she can get by.  Thinking gets hard and mistakes are likely.  

First, try shelters.  Second, is there a campground where you can plug in over night?  Blankets on the ground may suck but the cpap needs to be plugged in.  You need a safe place to sleep.  

Whatever cash you have, guard it.  You really don't want to run out if gas.  That leads to loss of the car.  You can't get much by selling the car but that would be better than $100 per day at an impound until it is gone.  Having a car is a big deal until selling it gets you groceries.

Presuming you have gas and groceries until you get paid then you need to budget.  Priorities: place to sleep, groceries, gas.  

Can you get some income?  

Once you get going, $1600 per month is workable.  At this point you just need to get to next month.  

You are not alone.  Check out:
https://www.reddit.com/r/homeless/new/  
They seem to always have some useful posts.  There's usually a lot of chaff but some wheat.  

Don't forget to fill up whatever water containers you have while you are still at the hotel.

 

[Jacksonricher]

Thank you Trebor and the otgers who posted,
I guess I have been in a panic mood. Its been so stressful since I asked for the van to be transferred, I made a wrong choice.
I will call the shelter tomorrow and begin there. The camogrounds around here dont have electricity at tent sites plus it cost as much as a cheap hotel, $30-40 a night.

I got the priorites correct now. 28% & $700+ is nuts.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and help.
Jackson

 

[frater secessus]

Removing the front passenger seat and folding or removing the back seat could leave room to build a flat sleeping platform.  Long legs can extend into the trunk access.  Many YT vids of peple car camping like that.  I bet even fellows of generous proportions could make that work.  

Start at around 3:35 for an Elantra example:



A house battery could be placed in the passenger footwell, charged by isolator and/or solar panel. You could probably mount 100w of solar on the trunk lid, or 200w+ on a roof rack for your model.

[img=200x131]https://www.cargogear.com/catimages/insurackCAT.jpg[/img]


With some planning you could do the whole power setup to the Elantra for just one of those $650 payments.

$200 rack
$200 2x 100w 36cell poly solar panels from amazon or on sale at home depot
$20 simple, settable 20A charge controller
$30 continuous duty solenoid (the isolator) and wiring
$200 100Ah AGM battery since it is such a small space.

 

[deadwood]

overpaying for a van and then paying 28% interest on top of that will put you in a spot that might be too hard to get out of. It is not a position I would ever want to be in.

I would exhaust all other options before going that route. Staying with friends or family. A shelter. Whatever it takes. If you can save a little up you will be in a much better position. You could even go the route of something along the lives of a mini van.

you have a good running car in the Elantra. Instead of tent camping can you figure a way to sleep in the car. you already have the car. you could make up some window shades out of reflectix or almost any material to block out the sun and give privacy. you would not be the first person living in a car. with a little practice you i bet you could make it comfortable enough until you can save for something different. But if you go the 28% route you will be in a bind taking up a big chunk of your monthly income.

 

[DannyB1954]

Like you already realize by now, going into deep debt is not in your best interest.
You may be able to buy a deep cycle battery and charge it from your vehicles alternator through a solenoid. Hook up a solar panel as well. and get an inverter that will run the CPAP.

 

[Jacksonricher]

I will be buying a deep cell battery and the items needed to run my cpap. Convert my 4 passenger car to 1. Take out the back seat and make a platform to sleep on. I will still have room behind drivers seat and roof. It will be better than $800+ in the ford e350. AND its paid for and only has 79k miles and kept in great shape.
No brainer.

Thank guys

 

[frater secessus]

You can do it!  Please let us know how you adapt the car to your needs.

And remember there is a Car Living subforum here which is chock-full of good ideas and encourangement.

 

[rm.w/aview]

This thread serves as a reminder as to how amazing you folks are. I had nothing beyond the sound solutions that were offered here and sensed the anxiety & desperation give way to relief & comfort as you did what may come so easy to you, help someone in a sincere and effective manner.

 

[Jacksonricher]

YES, I was beyond stressed for days, way to stressed and panic attack up the wazoo lol. I can laughter about it now because today is day one in my car. It's 101 degrees out and I was in my car, parked in a lot with the AC on and someone complained that a half naked man was in the parking lot. ol I had the supervisor come out and talk to me, lol. I moved, cut the arms off my shirt and now I a decent respectable member of society.

The people on this forum are amazing, I have no words that can explain my gratitude for all that they have done. I needed someone to help me clarify what I was doing. It's been a heck of a month and tough too. But today I have peace and know something will work out.
All is blessed in my huge world.
Jackson

 

[Schwoebs]

E350 and other one ton vehicles are considered a commercial vehicle in most states with very high interest rates. If you could find a E250 at a lower cost, the interest rate may improve. I got lucky. My credit union is small and gave me a normal rate for my E350.

 

[Beeps and eats]

You are going to get along just fine, remember we are always in touch and your questions can be answered. This community really does pull together for each other. You can also look into government auctions for a vehicle most start out with no reserve price and you can then sell your car to upgrade with.
I recently purchased a 99 E150 for 600.00
It runs fine and due to it being serviced regularly by a government mechanic is in good shape for the age. There's many avenues open to you, talk with the community and you will find the way.
Keep in touch, and thanks for sharing with us.
Beeps & Eats.

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk

 

[Starr]

So many helpful people here! I hope things are going well for you and that you figured out the cpap. Laughing about the person calling about a half naked man, that's to funny! Be thankful you have air that is a blessing in itself! Let us know how things are going.

 

[Jacksonricher]

Thanks Start, I am thinking of changing my name to half naked man lol. I keep my shirt on in this uptight community.
Well it's really boreing right now, still no CPap because I am broke broke and broke. Eating once a day off the dollar menus, I do have a case of water. It hit 107 yesterday, thanks hot, parked on the shade and windows open, no AC because needed to save gas.
Not having the CPap is exhausting, sleepy all day and just flat out run down. It effects me more than I thought. I get paid in a couple of days then I will get the stuff I need to run it.
My son loves the "VanLife". Last night his wife and he got into a fight, she wants apt asap. He wants to get a van and travel. They are already on very thin ice. But I think she will win like my wife won 35 years ago and life has sucked for35 years.
I am a happy guy now. I can hardly wait to start drawing up plans, can't even afford a note book right now, lol. Funny, I used to get extremely depressed at the end of the month being broke with more than I have now, but today it does not phase me. I am free!

 

[Starr]

  lol Or ShirtlessJack!!

 

[Beeps and eats]

Jack, go to the library and plug in, nobody will bother you if you find a quiet spot and read a book with it on, Just tell them that the heat is affecting your breathing.

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk

 

[closeanuf]

Maybe you could find a church somewhere that would let you plug in for ac and cpap.  If you said what city you are in I missed it.  If we knew where you are maybe someone here knows someone where you are at that could help.  After all, someone gave you a van  as a result of your post here.