When choosing, which matters more to you?

[Theadyn]

Was curious, I am looking at vans, but I just can't decide which is most important. I know everyone has different needs and wants. I want to know which is more important for you?

Fuel economy with less room? Why?

More room with less fuel economy? Why?


And with what you have now, do you wish you had went with the other? Why?

At one point I feel a minivan would work for me. Then I turn around and think it'd be too cramped. But then I look up the mpg's on the two and I'm back to square one. Argh!!

I have decided to sell big RV and get something smaller and outfit it to camp in, and live in later if needed. So that is where I am coming from. Thanks for any input!

 

[Almost There]

I have lived (14 years) and travelled in the following over the last 35 years (yeah I was one of THOSE vanners...)

van with high top (Ford E150)
35' Class A (Winnebago)
vans with no high top (several Fords and a Chevy)
mini vans (Astro/Safari)
branded a mini van but more the size of a station wagon (Montana)

I tossed every combination around for months in my head - did I want a pick up with topper, van with/without a high top, Class A, Class C, p/u with TT, you name it, I pondered it. Well, okay I never considered a CT cause it's just not my style.

In the end I came back to the van with a high top. I'll add a hitch hauler for all the things I don't want to have in the van with me (Honda generator, gas can, trash etc)

Standing up was important to me, I'm not a youngster any more and I while I want ease of travelling I also wanted certain creature comforts and standing up straight was one of them!

I decided I wanted to be able to live IN my van not live OUT of it.

Big enough to hold me and my stuff and can park in regular parking spot when needed. While gas mileage is important to me, as in I tossed the Class A thought aside early on, it's not so important to make me suffer discomfort by going to a mini van.

Ease of parking and maneuvering, ease and cost of maintaining the vehicle, ability to move from living area to drivers seat without going outside, building my own interior to fit my needs all came into consideration.

In the end I knew I wanted a full size van with a high top. If I found an extended body one it would be a bonus.

Oh and new enough that it wasn't going to be a F.O.R.D. regularly thing - I've had those, I'm past that!!..

It really takes some serious thought to figure out what is going to fit what you want to do. Take your time, sleep on it, let it wander around in your mind until one day, the answer will just seem comfortable and right!

 

[jimindenver]

First off I would want s big as the situation allowed for, I can go stir crazy in a 25 ft trailer when the weather is bad. Standing is important as I am 6'4", so a extended top or what I call the new Euro vans would be good. To me swapping space for MPG is like buying a cheap mattress. You spend a third of your life on it, be comfy. We used a E 100 sort wheel base Econoline for years. It was good for sleeping, changing clothes and existing while the weather was bad.

As for what I wish we had bought, I wish we had gone larger with a slide, more comfortable furniture and bigger tanks. I would have to if we were to go full time.

 

[Bruce H.]

From my experiences you will never find the perfect set up. You have to list the items that are the most important to you and make your decision based on that. If you are like me, your needs and their importance will eventually (over time) change and at that time you may have to make another decision. Oh the joys of life. Good luck with your decision.

 

[mockturtle]

IMHO, it depends on whether you travel a lot or mostly camp in one place. As a traveler, I like as small a rig as I can live in but if I tended to stay put for weeks or months, I'd choose a larger, more comfortable camper.

 

[mconlonx]

I want to know which is more important for you?

More room with less fuel economy? Why?

And with what you have now, do you wish you had went with the other? Why?

For my first (and current) van, I went with more room, less fuel economy, a '98 Ford E350 with Stahl utility body. I'd always wanted one of these, and now I had an excuse. It was within the price range I was considering regarding a full-size van and came along at the right price/time. I like the lockable outside compartments, inside shelving, and extra headspace compared to a cargo van. 12mpg, but I rationalize the sucky mileage by acknowledging that I have no car payments, no rent.

There are times I wish I went the other way -- smaller, more fuel economy -- especially when filling up with gas... But again, I've rationalized the gas consumption. I still continually look at other vehicles and wonder, "Now would that make for a decent, livable vehicle?" Everything from Honda Fit/Element to various mfg mini-vans, Dodge Magnum and other performance wagons to SUVs and crossovers like the Ford Flex/Edge, cargo and Sprinter-style vans. Lightweight, bicycle tow-able shelters...

And when it comes down to it, I doubt this will be the last vehicle in which I'll live, so I don't fret the decision, knowing that I will be back into serious consideration mode within a few to five years or so. Then it will be time to shop for another vehicle with all the other vehicles I've dreamed of building out in mind. To that end, the outside compartments, inside shelving, and the extra room in the utility body are not being utilized to their fullest extent, but then again, it's more rolling bedroom at the moment, not living out of it FT with needs for hygiene or cooking. As such, it is overkill, but I was in a different situation when I bought it, contemplating FT van living. ...Which also spurs dreams about other, more fuel efficient vehicles...

From my experiences you will never find the perfect set up.

This. Pros and cons to anything you will consider. I didn't get into a vehicle search knowing exactly what I wanted, rather I had a vague idea and a range of vehicles for which to be on the lookout, and the time luxury of not having to jump at the first one which met my minimum needs.

 

[Reducto]

How much driving will you really be doing? MPG is a big concern if you're putting 20k miles on the van per year but almost no difference at all if it mostly stays parked.

Take the miles per year you expect to drive and divide by the MPG. Then multiply by $4. I know gas is cheaper right now but it will likely go back up to at least that. That's how much you would spend per year. The difference might not be as big as you think between van choices.

I'm very happy in my minivan but that's largely because I LIKE being in a tight space. My work also has me parking in garages a lot so being under 7' with a short turning radius is helpful. I was able to fit everything I need inside and sleep like a rock.

You are not stuck with the van for the rest of your life! If you buy something and it doesn't work out you can sell it and transfer all the stuff to a new one. There are always people looking for cheap empty vans. Get something that seems close enough, try it out, replace it later if it doesn't.

 

[wagoneer]

The first vehicle that came across my search was a 2001 E350 xl with a medium high top and a diesel. 7.3 the injectors were bad cost 3000 to replace. It was a fleet owned transit van meant to haul people the suspension is like riding in a Cadillac. It will tow anything and gets 19-20 MPG. driving under 65.

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

I don't accept your premise. My sprinter van has 530 cubic feet of cargo room, it's 6'4" of headroom, and from the back door to the back of the front seat is over 16 feet. I get 28 mpg if I try. So I get BOTH, great room AND great mileage. Hope I didn't confused you.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

I think if i had my choice of van, id get a newer van, and I would get extended. That bit of space makes a huge difference, they also are usually the 1 ton so you get suspension and brake upgrades and towing capacity.

 

[Nemo]

I was more interested in the space.. afterall, it's your living space it was never my intent to drive alot and see the country, but simply to have a space that was mine out in the natural world.. Once I parked I was there for 14 days and when it was time to move it was as far as I had to... there were times it would be nice to have a vehicle with better mileage, but for the most part the box truck suits me Just need to put some windows on the sides so it's not so dark in there

Was curious, I am looking at vans, but I just can't decide which is most important. I know everyone has different needs and wants. I want to know which is more important for you?

Fuel economy with less room? Why?

More room with less fuel economy? Why?


And with what you have now, do you wish you had went with the other? Why?

At one point I feel a minivan would work for me. Then I turn around and think it'd be too cramped. But then I look up the mpg's on the two and I'm back to square one. Argh!!

I have decided to sell big RV and get something smaller and outfit it to camp in, and live in later if needed. So that is where I am coming from. Thanks for any input!

 

[One Awesome Inch]

I went thru the same decision as well, mini vs full size, and went with full size. I'm glad I did. By the time you get your toilet (bucket), sink, stove, heater and storage drawers in there it would be *very* tight in a mini van. The more room you have, the more comfort. I figured the extra $60 a month in fuel costs would be worth it. Plus in a mini van you would be hard pressed to insulate whereas in a full size I dont mind give up 4 inches or so of floor space for the sake of insulation.

 

[corky52]

I looked at what I wanted to do for the next few years and came to a set of goals for my mobile living unit. I knew I didn't need or want to stealth camp, which made things much easier and the selection of options much larger. I'm the type that likes to explore an area before moving on, which lead me to see the need for either a trailer or to pull a towed. I like small cars/jeeps better than big trucks, so the towed won that round. I wanted room, so I was looking at type A's and C's when I happened across the TransVan I now have. To me the TransVan was ideal, lower profile than most type A's and many type C's, with the room of a type A and the lightness of a type C.

A big added plus was the honey comb fiberglass "house" much more rugged than a framed construction and very good in isolating me from the outside.

I lucked into a overdrive unit in a scrapper RV I bought for tires/wheels and parts, made the mileage better without losing the power when needed. I get around 12 mpg when towing, but I stay at or near 55 mph. The lower frontal area of the TransVan also helps get better mileage.

None of the RV's I looked at met my desires in terms of appliances so I ended up removing most everything and starting to rebuild things the way I wanted, nice part is I'm not in the TransVan very much and don't look to maintain a resale value when I'm done with it.

I've bought a couple of other RV's to scrap out for parts, something to look at if you are handy with tools.

When I finish the external body work I'll be able to do anything from down and dirty boondock to stay in most any RV park, looks are important!



Corky

 

[66788]

I went with the Dodge High Top extended body. I figure that the extra room is far more valuable to me than a few dollars spent on gas. I have a full size twin bed with memory foam mattress, 16 gallon fresh water tank, sink with electric pump, porta potty, 2 6 volt Trojan golf cart batteries, and adequate living space. At 13 mpg it's not that bad, and when enjoying the living space it's awesome!

I could not make do with a mini van or a regular low top van.

BTW, I'm working on my Grumman Olson step van that gets 17mpg and is huge. That one will have a built in shower, hot and cold water, A/C with generator, and a full size bed.

Like everyone says, get what is important to you.

 

[Suanne]

Theadyn,

If I were going full time, I'd get the Ford Transit medium height van so that I could stand up (at 5'1") and maybe even the extended version. I'd get one with towing upgrades and windows all around which is important to me.

I had an '04 Dodge Sprinter which I absolutely loved and could stand up in the middle of it. But, the cost of routine maintenance was a killer. I currently have a 20' Class C on a Chevy Express 3500 van chassis. It's much too much room for traveling solo and the fiberglass living space just feels flimsy. Plus, the MPG on the Class C is a deal breaker.

I like the idea of being able to stand. And, I like the idea of steel all around (i.e., no fiberglass extended top). The diesel Sprinters get better MPG than the full-size Ford Transits, but not enough to make up for their higher maintenance costs.

Basically, I'd get the newest, sturdiest, full-size van that I could stand up in and afford. Newer gasoline-powered vans get better gas mileage than their older counterparts. And, for full-timing, the extra space is worth the cost of fuel to me. After all, vandwelling and traveling in a full-size van is still cheaper than living in and maintaining a sticks and bricks house.

For me, for now, however, I remain a part-time traveler. So, I'll just keep putting on the miles while living out of a Prius part-time, all the while downsizing and saving money for a replacement vehicle one day.

Suanne ... currently grounded with the flu

 

[akrvbob]

Here's my very prejudiced view:

1) Best all around: Newer Chevy extended high top with 5.3 liter or smaller engine. 16-20 mpg, adequate comfort

2) Best for adventurer: Dodge Cummins 4x4 with small camper. 16-22 mpg, good comfort

3) Best if you stay put a lot: Older, small Class C towing an economy car. 6-50 mpg (average 30 mpg), lots of comfort

4) Best balance of comfort and MPG: Class B, 14-17 mpg, very good comfort.

5) Best if you drive a lot: minivan 17-27 mpg, minimum comfort

6) Most versatile (MY CHOICE): A van towing a cargo trailer. I stay put all winter, want to be able to get to some rough places, drive a lot in the summer: 10-20 mpg. good mpg, good comfort, good backroad ability. To be fair the best I get is 13 mpg, but if I had a newer Cehvy with 5.3 I could get 20 mpg.

I've left out the obvious choices of the Sprinter, Nissan and Transit and I'm sure many will disagree with me, that's fine, it's just my opinion. They are all out of my price range, I think their reliability is very suspect, and in my opinion their lifetime cost is too high. Chevy, Ford or Dodge are MUCH better choices (add a Honda or Toyota for a minivan or a toad)!! BUT, I could be wrong.
Bob

 

[ganchan]

I went thru the same decision as well, mini vs full size, and went with full size. I'm glad I did. By the time you get your toilet (bucket), sink, stove, heater and storage drawers in there it would be *very* tight in a mini van. The more room you have, the more comfort. I figured the extra $60 a month in fuel costs would be worth it. Plus in a mini van you would be hard pressed to insulate whereas in a full size I dont mind give up 4 inches or so of floor space for the sake of insulation.

On the other hand, wouldn't the smaller space in a minivan be that much easier to heat and cool -- especially if it included rear AC/heating vents?