Van vs. egg camper

[Headache]

I do have to say, with the budget you have I know I could get a pretty decent van, have a high top installed then do some rudimentary stuff to it to make it livable. Once you moved into it you can save up for the trailer. In all seriousness it doesn't take a lot to move in. I'm at about $600 right now and I have almost everything I need. My last project(ammo can wood stove) will cost about $100 more. I'm not including the cost of the van in that or repairs and maintenance since those should be expected costs. I'm just talking the stuff you need inside to live in it. I'm using a cooler until I can afford a DC fridge, I have one 100 watt folding solar panel and charge controller until I can afford the $3k for the set up I want. I have a kerosene tent heater and soon the ammo can woodstove for heat and cooking.

The longer I pay to stay in a house the longer it will take for me to have the available funds. The sooner I move into the van the sooner I will have the money for the things I need/want.

Even if you bought a cargo van and slapped a high top on it you have enough money for a really decent van. The rest can come later. Stay down in the southern desert for the winter so you don't have to be too concerned about cold and then move up in altitude/distance as it warms up.

 

[mothercoder]

I do have to say, with the budget you have I know I could get a pretty decent van, have a high top installed then do some rudimentary stuff to it to make it livable.  Once you moved into it you can save up for the trailer.  In all seriousness it doesn't take a lot to move in.  I'm at about $600 right now and I have almost everything I need.  My last project(ammo can wood stove) will cost about $100 more.  I'm not including the cost of the van in that or repairs and maintenance since those should be expected costs.  I'm just talking the stuff you need inside to live in it.  I'm using a cooler until I can afford a DC fridge, I have one 100 watt folding solar panel and charge controller until I can afford the $3k for the set up I want.  I have a kerosene tent heater and soon the ammo can woodstove for heat and cooking.

The longer I pay to stay in a house the longer it will take for me to have the available funds.  The sooner I move into the van the sooner I will have the money for the things I need/want.

Even if you bought a cargo van and slapped a high top on it you have enough money for a really decent van.  The rest can come later.  Stay down in the southern desert for the winter so you don't have to be too concerned about cold and then move up in altitude/distance as it warms up.

What does it cost to have a high top installed and how do I find someone to do that?  

Unfortunately, even if I purchased one now, I couldn't move in because I'm stuck in a lease until June.  However, I could purchase one and use it as my daily transportation while I work on it.  I live less than 10 miles from my work so the increase in cost in gas vs. my sedan would be minimal.  But it doesn't make much sense to do it until Spring since it will be a little cold to work on it over the winter.  

Suggestions on which cargo van would be best?

 

[Almost There]

What does it cost to have a high top installed and how do I find someone to do that?  

Unfortunately, even if I purchased one now, I couldn't move in because I'm stuck in a lease until June.  However, I could purchase one and use it as my daily transportation while I work on it.  I live less than 10 miles from my work so the increase in cost in gas vs. my sedan would be minimal.  But it doesn't make much sense to do it until Spring since it will be a little cold to work on it over the winter.  

Suggestions on which cargo van would be best?

You can have a brand new high top installed for somewhere in the 3 to 3.5 G mark. It might mean a road trip to either NJ or IN to have it installed.

The other less expensive way to go is to find a donor van in a wrecking yard...the high tops survive everything but a complete roll over and sometimes even then... . It means having a crew to move the top over from the donor van to your van but it can come in as a very reasonable cost - depending on how many buddies you round up and how much beer is involved....

It can take months to find the right van no matter where you are. The only ones who buy immediately are the ones who are experiencing a time crunch. Since you can't really go anywhere until next summer, take the time to find the right vehicle for you, who knows maybe a van with a high top will drop in to your life when you least expect it. It's happened, I'd planned to do a road trip to IN and found Lady A already done!

Start looking now, be patient, ask here for critiques on what you're looking at if you need help. Be prepared to buy when you find what you really want. Then you can sell off the car, use the van as a daily driver. Load it up for a trip to NV come next summer. By that time you'll have had time to watch enough videos and study enough builds to figure out what you think will work for you and what won't.

I bought my van in late September and it sat plugged in to a battery tender until April. All I did in the winter time was gut the stupid interior that the PO had put in. I even had to plug a hole in the roof with a wine cork.... :dodgy: .

 

[mothercoder]

You can have a brand new high top installed for somewhere in the 3 to 3.5 G mark. It might mean a road trip to either NJ or IN to have it installed.

The other less expensive way to go is to find a donor van in a wrecking yard...the high tops survive everything but a complete roll over and sometimes even then... . It means having a crew to move the top over from the donor van to your van but it can come in as a very reasonable cost - depending on how many buddies you round up and how much beer is involved....

It can take months to find the right van no matter where you are. The only ones who buy immediately are the ones who are experiencing a time crunch. Since you can't really go anywhere until next summer, take the time to find the right vehicle for you, who knows maybe a van with a high top will drop in to your life when you least expect it. It's happened, I'd planned to do a road trip to IN and found Lady A already done!

Start looking now, be patient, ask here for critiques on what you're looking at if you need help. Be prepared to buy when you find what you really want. Then you can sell off the car, use the van as a daily driver. Load it up for a trip to NV come next summer. By that time you'll have had time to watch enough videos and study enough builds to figure out what you think will work for you and what won't.

I bought my van in late September and it sat plugged in to a battery tender until April. All I did in the winter time was gut the stupid interior that the PO had put in. I even had to plug a hole in the roof with a wine cork.... :dodgy: .

$3-3.5k??  Ouch!  That's not gonna happen.  No buddies to help move a salvage top so I guess I'm back to having to find one already done.

 

[akrvbob]

I 'm also totally in favor of waiting till you get out to Nevada. Our new friend Maxine just flew into Las Vegas, rented a car and then drive to L.A. Phoenix and Flagstaff to find a very nice Class C. There are tons of great deals within a days drive of Vegas.

$10-12,000 will be enough money, no problem there. Just be sure you hold back enough as an emergency fund, that is critically important to your success.

 

[Wanderer]

https://delaware.craigslist.org/trb/5852457324.html

Brand new cargo trailers for $5300 (Which is a BETTER price than I can get here for a 24' trailer) Yes, you need to "Build it" inside, but
that's part of the fun making it YOUR place...Leave you $6K for a tow vehicle....Yes they are in Delaware...

I'm looking at getting a 16' for recovery after my hip surgery. I'm looking at a price tag of $5K easy...

 

[mayble]

You could secure a spot in an RV park (or relative's yard) and have your trailer delivered, then shop for a suitable tow vehicle at your leisure.
I'm thinking of a trailer/truck (or van) combo, and in talking to RV dealers and sellers, I've learned it's a piece of cake (and rather common) to have a trailer delivered, so I'm not sweating that particular detail anymore.
Going to where the inventory is makes a lot of sense.  You'll be able to see a lot more trailers firsthand, and prices will be lower in snowbird/retiree country.

 

[mothercoder]

https://delaware.craigslist.org/trb/5852457324.html

Brand new cargo trailers for $5300 (Which is a BETTER price than I can get here for a 24' trailer) Yes, you need to "Build it" inside, but
that's part of the fun making it YOUR place...Leave you $6K for a tow vehicle....Yes they are in Delaware...

I'm looking at getting a 16' for recovery after my hip surgery. I'm looking at a price tag of $5K easy...

I hadn't thought about a cargo trailer. So $5300 for the trailer, another $2k for the build and then I'd only have $4k for the tow vehicle which might not be enough. But worth consideration.

 

[mothercoder]

You could secure a spot in an RV park (or relative's yard) and have your trailer delivered, then shop for a suitable tow vehicle at your leisure.
I'm thinking of a trailer/truck (or van) combo, and in talking to RV dealers and sellers, I've learned it's a piece of cake (and rather common) to have a trailer delivered, so I'm not sweating that particular detail anymore.
Going to where the inventory is makes a lot of sense.  You'll be able to see a lot more trailers firsthand, and prices will be lower in snowbird/retiree country.

I had wondered about having something towed. So if on my way west I found something in AZ and my sedan can't tow it, I could have it towed either to my sisters or an RV park nearby. It adds to cost but that might be a good solution. Thanks for the thought.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I hadn't thought about a cargo trailer. So $5300 for the trailer, another $2k for the build and then I'd only have $4k for the tow vehicle which might not be enough. But worth consideration.

If you want to consider a cargo trailer conversion, you should probably spend some time at this site to see what's possible.

http://www.tnttt.com/viewforum.php?f=42&sid=054e10d60c3b9b513c8cb91cc710ac04

You can either pick up a used cargo trailer, in which case you take what you can get, or you order a new one built the way YOU want, to include windows, roof vents, extra height, and so on.

I'm not particularly recommending this site, but the master options list here will give you some ideas as to what can be ordered - and more important, what it costs.

http://www.trailershowroom.com/arch-top_enclosed_trailers.htm#.WBeH2sm6cm8

 

[mothercoder]

Things have changed a bit. I checked with family in NV and there's a 3 day rule on parking RVs by the house. Then they voiced concern about the potential noise from any build or repairs. And finally there was mention of different personalities (I'm a night owl, they are not) which would best be served if we agree to a time limit. So to avoid any familial discord, I'm going to do what I can to find an alternative. Either find and make livable an RV here or do the same there, both of which would require finding a storage facility that will allow me to work on it and schlepping tools back and forth. Not ideal but it's not going to stop me.

Back to the idea, however, of buying the tow vehicle first. I know that's not ideal but if I commit to a TT, regardless of the make, I will want a light weight option. So as long as I purchase a tow vehicle that can handle the max weight I want, I should be okay, right? I imagine there might be an issue with different hitches but nothing insurmountable.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Family.  You can't live with them, and the law frowns on shooting them.

 

[mothercoder]

Family.  You can't live with them, and the law frowns on shooting them.

Hehehe  Aint that the truth?

 

[drysailor]

Things have changed a bit. I checked with family in NV and there's a 3 day rule on parking RVs by the house. Then they voiced concern about the potential noise from any build or repairs.
Back to the idea, however, of buying the tow vehicle first. I know that's not ideal but if I commit to a TT, regardless of the make, I will want a light weight option. So as long as I purchase a tow vehicle that can handle the max weight I want, I should be okay, right? I imagine there might be an issue with different hitches but nothing insurmountable.

Hi Mothercoder - from reading thru your posts above, it sounds like you've already worked through many of the questions here, and have a good idea of what you do want, and what you don't.
For me, if I could find the right non-rotted out vehicle, and had a trusted mechanic that would do pre-purchase checks, and also prep it for the cross-country trip, that would be a BIG deal.
If you have a good idea of what you'd need to buy in a trailer, you could settle on a max weight and tow capacity, & look for your tow vehicle now, at home. You could set it up as a kind of camper - at least to sleep in, and use it to get cross country and take your time finding  the right TT. Might also simplify your dealings with the family in Nv. Good luck with your adventure!
DaveM

 

[Headache]

I hadn't thought about a cargo trailer. So $5300 for the trailer, another $2k for the build and then I'd only have $4k for the tow vehicle which might not be enough. But worth consideration.

I'd be more interested in the tow vehicle first.  Without you you won't be going anywhere and unless you find an exceptional deal be prepared to spend more buying it than a trailer.  I second what Bob said about also having an emergency fund.  Right now I have none and I am knowingly heading out without one but I didn't have much of a choice in the matter.  It scares the hell out of me but it is what it is.  After you buy the tow vehicle and get whatever repairs it needs out of the way then you'll know how much you'll have to spend on a trailer, unless you can save more money for it in the mean time.

I'm going to get my van first(the one to replace the one I have now) and get everything done with it first since it will be the most expensive part AND the part I have to rely on the most.  After that or unless a great deal comes up then I'll start saving for a trailer.

 

[bullfrog]

I would say go RTR or any gathering where you can actually look at rigs and talk with people like you and their experiences use your small car and great MPG to your advantage. Maybe even do some seasonal work so you can travel and save money as well as have a job provided place to stay. Look at Coolworks or USA jobs for these.

 

[mothercoder]

I would say go RTR or any gathering where you can actually look at rigs and talk with people like you and their experiences use your small car and great MPG to your advantage.  Maybe even do some seasonal work so you can travel and save money as well as have a job provided place to stay.  Look at Coolworks or USA jobs for these.

Good thought but living on the east coast it's not feasible for me to go to RTR until after I have my rig. Which I would like to do but that won't help me now in deciding what to live in. My small car is an 18 year old Sentra with super low miles (50k) but it's not something I'd want to try and live in. As for seasonal work, I don't think I'll need it. I hope I won't. I'm in  60's and retiring for the most part. I do some coding and may continue to do some of that as  well as sell some art on etsy. For day to day I'll be okay, I just don't want to spend my entire savings on my wheeled home.

 

[TrainChaser]

Could you give a few details that I haven't seen here?

Re: Nevada --
* Does your relative live in a place with an HOA?  Is that the reason for the 3-day limit?  And is the limit specifically for RVs?  Would a van be considered an RV, or just another vehicle?
* Have you been there before?  Do you know what the neighborhood/area is like?  Are there any older homes with some land not too far away, where you might be able to park an RV for a smallish monthly fee?

Re:  The Rig -- 
* If you bought a van, what would you need in it to start?  Do you need an elaborate toilet system?  Do you need a built-in stove?  Do you need a bunch of built-in storage? 
* Or could you settle for insulated walls, a platform bed with storage underneath, a LuggableLoo-type toilet, and a portable camp stove of some kind, with a folding table and a chair for use outside?
* If you could make do with the minimum, and then take off and meet up with some of the members here, I wouldn't be surprised if they could help you.  Not one person doing everything, of course, but the people who have been doing this for a while have probably learned what works and what doesn't, and that alone could save you a bunch of money (and mistakes).

Also, in Reno, you would only be two hours from Sacramento.

The main big plus for buying a rig where you are now is that you have a mechanic who could check it out, which is not a small deal.

 

[mothercoder]

Could you give a few details that I haven't seen here?

Re: Nevada --
* Does your relative live in a place with an HOA?  Is that the reason for the 3-day limit?  And is the limit specifically for RVs?  Would a van be considered an RV, or just another vehicle?
* Have you been there before?  Do you know what the neighborhood/area is like?  Are there any older homes with some land not too far away, where you might be able to park an RV for a smallish monthly fee?

Re:  The Rig -- 
* If you bought a van, what would you need in it to start?  Do you need an elaborate toilet system?  Do you need a built-in stove?  Do you need a bunch of built-in storage? 
* Or could you settle for insulated walls, a platform bed with storage underneath, a LuggableLoo-type toilet, and a portable camp stove of some kind, with a folding table and a chair for use outside?
* If you could make do with the minimum, and then take off and meet up with some of the members here, I wouldn't be surprised if they could help you.  Not one person doing everything, of course, but the people who have been doing this for a while have probably learned what works and what doesn't, and that alone could save you a bunch of money (and mistakes).

Also, in Reno, you would only be two hours from Sacramento.

The main big plus for buying a rig where you are now is that you have a mechanic who could check it out, which is not a small deal.

Re: Nevada - I've been there and yes I believe it's an HOA rule. Although I believe a van would be okay there for a longer period and there are open spaces where I could work, I get the feeling that a long stay would not be welcome. A couple of weeks perhaps but that's about it. 

Re: the rig - The minimum I would need: a comfortable bed since the osteoarthritis would be worse without one. I'm okay with a camper stove, luggableloo and sponge baths or a solar shower while utilizing public facilities when possible. I'm also okay with a cooler.  This may be the way I go. I think I could handle doing the insulation and then pay someone to do the wall covering and build a platform for my bed.  I would also need a basic battery install for power -  something I could add solar to later.  Some makeshift storage for clothes, supplies and food. I just want what I do to be a foundation for later. I don't want to have to undo anything.

 

[DannyB1954]

To tow a trailer you will need either a larger car, larger SUV, truck, or van. Of those the one that is easiest to make liveable is the van. You might have to live in the tow vehicle while you save up for the trailer. Beds are not hard to make, or get a twin size futon from a second hand store. Porta potties are cheap, or use a camping toilet, (plastic bag). Folding tables and chair, camping stove and cooler, you got a RV.
If you want a show stopper it will cost you, but if you are happy with basic but comfortable it shouldn't break the bank. Being in a cold area, maybe get a heater and install insulation first. You can learn how to do most everything by watching Youtube Videos.