Why was van dwelling the best choice?

[Kiwi49]

I have been lurking on here for a while and was wondering why everyone thinks van dwelling was the best choice for them. I have been trying to decide between a small travel trailer and van to full time in. The van I would have to do some things to make it comfortable but a travel trailer is ready to go. But I would feel safer in the van can stealth camp. So I just wanted everyone's opinion on why van dwelling is the best choice.

 

[Almost There]

I have been lurking on here for a while and was wondering why everyone thinks van dwelling was the best choice for them. I have been trying to decide between a small travel trailer and van to full time in. The van I would have to do some things to make it comfortable but a travel trailer is ready to go. But I would feel safer in the van can stealth camp. So I just wanted everyone's opinion on why van dwelling is the best choice.

I chose the van over all the other possible combinations for the following reasons:

- Gas mileage - towing is always going to cost something in terms of reduced mileage.

- The full size van is big enough to accommodate everything that *I* wanted to have. I have no wish to have holding tanks, water pump etc. etc.

- Ease of movement - I don't have to worry about getting in and out of parking lots, gas bars and rough back roads in the NF and BLM areas.

- Cost - I have one vehicle to buy, insure and maintain...that's it, nothing more!!

There's probably a few more but those are the most important ones.

I don't do stealth at all, have no need nor desire to do so. Actually I think stealth is highly overrated but that's just my opinion.

Oh, and if it's raining out when I arrive at my nights' destination, I don't get wet going from the drivers' seat to the living quarters....

 

[AngryVanMan]

Welcome Kiwi!

I'm not sure how applicable my story will be for you, but I'll share it anyway, sorry if it's a bit long! 

I first got interested in the RV idea because we travel multiple times a year to visit distant friends and family, and we prefer driving to flying whenever possible.  We would sometimes drive straight through, but usually we had a stop in the middle of our journey, which meant a motel or hotel stay, or a uncomfortable stop in a rest area for a few hours.  We took along too much recreational gear to be able to rack out in our small car.  I figured we could hit a lot more distant outdoor areas if we had a camper, too.  Having a RV base camp sounded awesome!

So I got interested in small travel trailers I could tow with my diesel car.  I looked at things like teardrops and Scamps.  I decided to get what I really want, I'd like to build my own with a high quality, marine-like build.  I kicked it around researching for a few years, and then I saw a woman's Ted Talk on YouTube who was a liveaboard on a sailboat.  Well, her enthusiasm was infectious and her philosophy really resonated with me.  Most of our house is wasted space, and in turn wasted money.  Once I started thinking about mobile life in a more full-time adventure-living perspective, I thought more about being able to get to the cabin from the cab, and all the situations that could be handy, and make for more comfortable travels for the two of us. 

I really did not like the house on wheels construction of many motorhomes, my opinion was tainted by years of friends and families experience with the build quality, mainly of the shell and weatherproofing features over time.  I thought, hmm, building a RV just a little smaller in a factory steel cocoon sounds like a good idea, sort of like a conversion van on steroids.  I had no real exposure to Class B's at that point, so I searched for something like "convert van to rv" and that was how I eventually ended up here!

 

[eDJ_]

The Van is almost a perfect vehicle for both traveling and living in.  These vehicles are available in many sizes to provide for anyone's needs.  Special optional features, such as fiber glass high tops,  extended lengths,  a wide variety of drivetrains, and other miscellaneous features make these more usable for one's owns needs & conveniences. 

This thread shows dimensions of various Vans

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Van-Dimensions-Sticky

The Van is quite like a light truck and suited to heaver travel and more resistant to wear.

Still it is affordable,  reasonable to license and insure and used parts can be found for them
as Vans are in wide spread use.   Likewise maintenance is just as common and available.

If one wants to fix one up like a Class B camper Van,  they can do so with just the most basic
of amenities (bed, Kitchenette, ice chest, water jugs, house battery, and suitcases or boxes for
clothing and other essentials.

Set up in such manner, here  in the States where I live,  one could travel using Gymnasiums, truck stops,
camp grounds and so forth to rest overnight.   In this lite travel strategy,  there are plenty of bathrooms
everywhere,  places to shower, clean up, change into clean clothing,  and Walmart & Lowe's facilities where they will allow you to spend the night on the parking lot (in states where legal) and use the free WIFI.   This also makes the acquisition of food and beverages quite easy as well as any building materials. 

And there are plenty of used Vans that have been fleeted and written off for sale quite reasonable.   In the States companies can depreciate  vehicles to "0" in 5 years time and then sell them for a low price to get rid of them quickly. 

What's not to like for a poor working Joe ?

 

[DannyB1954]

I have a Class A, but wanted something smaller. Something I could drive to a city somewhere else and not have to rent a space. Something I could get parts for at any local auto parts store. If I needed to put it into a shop, any shop will do.

 

[cyndi]

I had a Class C, the home of my dreams to start. I loved that vehicle. After a couple yearsmaintaining the systems was too much of a bother; I wanted simple. Also, traveling backroads could be a pain. Old gas stations could be tough to get in and out of. Parking lots could be a hassle, too.

I wanted smaller and simpler. I love my van. But, I do miss some of the Class C's amenities. They may just be because I haven't installed solar on the van, yet.

 

[DreamTransit1]

I started with a car and a tent before moving up to a series of vans.
The intention was to keep moving up and eventually have a nice class A.
I learned a lot over the decades and decided that for me simplicity and stealth camping were very important. So I stopped at the tall van and am now in my eighth year of Euro-style van part timing. Next month I go full time.
I observed folks in campgrounds and RV parks spending most of their days maintaining the systems of their rigs. Nice hobby, but there's too many other things I want to do with my time. I use bathrooms and sinks etc. that are cleaned by professionals earning a living doing the work. If my vehicle itself breaks down repairs can be done by any mechanic or Ford dealer. That's enough expense and hassle in itself, I don't desire any more grief.

 

[VanKitten]

I finally settled on a small RV.  Just 21" bumper to bumper.

I like this idea of having a bit more room...and the higher roof gives me lots of vertical space.  

I didn't want the headache of trying to park a bigger rig...but didn't want the narrow space of a van.   So....this sort of fell into my lap just at the right time for me to purchase.

I did have to decide to sacrifice the better gas mileage of a van...but that is the trade off.   I do not think I will be moving around all that much once I am out in the West....so, mileage vs space worked for me.

 

[jester]

I waffled between a van, class b rv and a class c for several months, looking at the advantages and disadvantages for all as they relate to my lifestyle and intentions. I went with an older class c because of the added room without complex added systems. I have digestive issues so a toilet in the vehicle was required and I like the extra room for the rv vs a van. I went for the class c because I didn't want to live in my bedroom and didn't want to have to remake a bed every night.

Mine is also only 21 feet and gets 17 mpg on the highway. I can park anywhere and don't plan to do a whole lot of 'back roading'.

 

[Kiwi49]

Thanks everyone! I am just so torn between keeping my Kia Soul and getting a teardrop to pull behind it or trading it in and getting a van. I'm just afraid with the van I won't be as social and have that homeless stigma put on me. The trailer I want is about $9,000 but I just wonder if that would be better put into a van.

 

[steamjam1]

Thanks everyone! I am just so torn between keeping my Kia Soul and getting a teardrop to pull behind it or trading it in and getting a van. I'm just afraid with the van I won't be as social and have that homeless stigma put on me. The trailer I want is about $9,000 but I just wonder if that would be better put into a van.

I went for the "all-in-one" solution... Van... 9K will get you a pretty decent camper van

 

[One Awesome Inch]

Yup. Definitely get the van in my opinion.

 

[Almost There]

Thanks everyone! I am just so torn between keeping my Kia Soul and getting a teardrop to pull behind it or trading it in and getting a van. I'm just afraid with the van I won't be as social and have that homeless stigma put on me. The trailer I want is about $9,000 but I just wonder if that would be better put into a van.

I truly don't understand 'that homelesss stigma' at all!!

No matter what I've travelled in as a full-timer first for 14 years solid and now again since last fall, and that's included several vans, a mini van and a 35' Class A, I have never felt homeless nor been subjected to any discrimination for it.

True, I've never tried to stealth camp in a major urban area for any length of time, but still! I also, up until last winter, never spent any amount of time on BLM/ NF land. Heck I didn't even know about them until I joined here!

Homelessness is a state of mind IMO. If you think of yourself as homeless, then indeed, you will be!

I think of myself as having the home of my choice - it's on wheels and I can come and go as I please. I'm one of the lucky ones - I can move to another location at my convenience. I have everything I need and not a bunch of stuff I don't.

I'm not sure how you think you won't be a 'social' with a van or are you talking 'socially acceptable'?

 

[highdesertranger]

I think by not being social they mean they will stay in the van and not come out. I see this a lot with people with RV's. not this group but others. they stay inside there RV all day. it blows me away, what do they do inside there all day? highdesertranger

 

[judyg]

Folks camping in NF and on BLM land are able to spend most of the day sitting outside. Van neighbors seeing you out, presumes you are available to visit and will wander over. Groups camping together may establish an evening happy hour or morning coffee time for socializing, sunrise or sunset walks are another social "event" in a van dwelling group...be it 2 vans or 20 camped in the general area. We rarely invite guests inside our van living spaces.

I began towing a new 18" travel trailer and hated everything about it: The oven was a huge joke as nothing baked evenly. I rarely used more than one burner at a time so why give space to 4 burners? The shower design allowed all the water to run down the wall to a lip that directed shower water onto the floor; the shower curtain clung to me. The fridge operation was a mystery. The instructions for operating the tv were Greek to me. The crawl through storage space was a literally a belly crawl to get things stored there. The A/C unit operated at a roar. The heater woke me up every time it kicked on. Travel trailers are not insulated and there is not a good way to add insulation against weather fluctuations.

Not knowing anything about travel trailers, we dry camped for 3 days and ran down the house battery with the slide out and awning extended. Needed to remove trailer battery & drive 25 miles to to a parts store (might have been an Auto Zone?) where they did free battery charging.

The only good I can say about the trailer, which I towed with my '07 Chevy Express, is that it gave my husband a home when we separated while living on the road. I moved into the Express. I towed him & the trailer back east where I formalized separation from both.

I hope to keep this van until it will no longer run, therefore I am free to create a living space to my specific needs & whim. For instance I covered the long side windows with reflectix then 2" styrofoam which improved comfort level in heat & cold. Not a fashion statement but being warm/cool trumps fashion.
If I were starting from scratch, I would get a van I could stand up in. Four years ago when I chose my van, I rejected the hi profile vehicle idea because of windy weather conditions that are so much a part of driving in the west. In hindsight, I wish I'd faced that fear and made a different decision. I could have stayed off the hwy in the worst winds. Simple solution for my fear.
There's my 2 cents worth kiwi49. I wish you all the best in making a decision that will suit your specific needs.

 

[Katewels]

I have a RAV4 and a very basic teardrop (cost $3500 from Craigslist). I thought about selling the RAV to get a van but finally decided to keep what I have for now.

I do not full-time but if I ever do, I still think I would start out with what I have until I decide exactly what I would need to be comfortable. I notice for a lot of people it turned out to be less than what they thought.

Pros of the teardrop:

Cost effective. Twenty years from now my well built teardrop should still be in pretty good shape if I take care of it. There isn't too much that can go wrong with it. Whereas a van 20 years from now would probably be replaced.

I already know the reliability of my RAV4 and I enjoy driving it.

Better gas mileage

The teardrop is very easy for me to handle and not a problem to tow even in traffic.

I can keep my supplies in my vehicle so that the trailer has a homey feel and does not feel cluttered.

Easy set up. I plan to get a canopy, camp kitchen and privacy tent. If I am just camping for the night I don't even have to unhook it. Just go from my vehicle to the camper.

It is good for camping parks and dispersed camping (once I get set up with a generator
and solar), not good for city dwelling.

It feels almost like sleeping outside with the windows. I plan to do most of my living on the outside anyway.

Now I know I will get many replies about why vans are better and I totally get where they are coming from. A van you can stand in would have more comforts. But for me it doesn't justify the additional costs at this time. Maybe in the future, maybe when it's time to replace my RAV. I think even if I get a van though I would keep the teardrop for my sleeping quarters. It's very cozy.

 

[ArtW]

My problem with a teardrop would be bathroom without having to exit, I get up for that at least once a night, and not sure re peeing in a bottle in e teardrop
Lol

 

[Katewels]

My problem with a teardrop would be bathroom without having to exit, I get up for that at least once a night, and not sure re peeing in a bottle in e teardrop
Lol

I'm able to use a camp potty in mine but I think a privacy tent near the door would be a better option. I am comfortable sleeping in a t-shirt and shorts so I don't have to worry about dressing inside the camper.

 

[Cheli]

I think by not being social they mean they will stay in the van and not come out.  I see this a lot with people with RV's.  not this group but others.  they stay inside there RV all day.  it blows me away,  what do they do inside there all day?  highdesertranger

I was at a wedding last weekend and outside talking with some friends about my plan and one of the guys was like "do it, I would love to do that".  But he's an attorney and can't just move around and practice law.

Anyway, I was telling him how I am looking forward to be super social and meeting all sorts of interesting people on the road and stuff.  He said his sister-in-law and her husband have an RV and travel all around, he was talking with him once and said "oh you must meet so many great people on the road" and the guy said "oh no, I don't get out and talk to other people, we just stay to ourselves" and my friend was like why bother, isn't that the purpose of having an RV and traveling around?

Apparently some people totally keep to themselves but I don't get it, I'm looking forward to the interactions.

 

[VanGrrl57]

When I first started living full-time in my van, I did it to cut expenses as I had debts that I wanted to get rid of. I am now almost completely debt-free. It was a challenge at first but I soon adjusted and it's great. It's incredibly freeing to not have to worry about a bunch of stuff. I work full-time as an overnight client advocate for a homeless shelter and I like what I do. My boss knows I live in my van and he doesn't have a problem with it, either. Also, I have different places I can go for the day to rest and no one bugs me. There are a couple of clients in the shelter I'm working with and van dwelling is what they are planning to do once they get on their feet. They both have jobs and are saving up money to get vans. I did tell them to do their research about van dwelling and decide if the pros outweigh the cons, though.

Like someone else here already shared, "homelessness is a state of mind---if you think you are homeless, then you will be." I am a van dweller by choice now, so I don't consider myself homeless.

VanGrrl57