Would I be INSANE to buy a dark blue van instead of a white van?

[magentawave]

I have a couple full size vans I'm going to check out in the next couple days. One is white and the other is dark blue. I'm partial to white because it stays cooler, looks cleaner longer, and white lasts longer than dark colors with minimal fuss.<br /><br />The only plus I see in having a dark blue van would be if I was going to be living in a cold climate. I will be visiting areas with cooler climates than sunny Southern California but I definitely won't be living in those areas for an extended period of time. I see no advantage and only disadvantages...and especially if I take this thing deep into Mexico and beyond.<br /><br />The seller of the dark blue van says the dark color doesn't matter because the walls and ceiling have been insulated and paneled. Well, in spite of that, I find it hard to believe that it won't cook inside in hot weather or even moderately warm weather.<br /><br />What is your opinion?<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Steve

 

[psytechguy]

I wouldn't want a dark colored vehicle. I've lived in Texas most of my life, and dark vehicles in the summer get HOT! Definitely hotter than lighter ones. It's simple physics, dark colors absorb more heat while light colors reflect. <br /><br />Sure, you may have insulation, but it's job is made harder if the metal layer right above it is soaking up heat and radiating it.<br /><br />My neighbor has a dark green Ford conversion van. He had the top painted a sort of silver-white color. It may be some special RV roof coating. Looks good and he claims it keeps it much cooler.<br /><br />Besides, no self respecting van perv drives anything but a white van!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[Les H]

No, not crazy, but you will, as others posted, you will be hot. My bus regularly got to 120-125 here in alabama, and it has 1.5 inch foam insulation.. I finally painted the roof white, which helps some, now its more like 110-115. But a closed up vehicle will still get hot, no mater the color. For me, color it is, is whatever color it happened to be, it will neither make or break a sale.

 

[magentawave]

Okay then. I've owned several white vans in the past but you've all confirmed this for me. Thanks!

 

[Pikachu711]

When the time comes I'll be buying a white van if one is available that the right price. The local Craigslist (CL) here in Vegas always has more than a few white panel cargo vans available. But, I'm not going to turn down a van that's in better shape if the price is right. But ideally I would prefer to buy a white cargo van for the "stealth" factor. I see them all the time and don't give them a second thought if they're parked near a business.

 

[angeli]

There is one factor that hasn't been mentioned yet.&nbsp; At night, a dark blue van is much more stealth (stealthier?) than a white van, which is much more easily seen.&nbsp; I guess you'd have to think of not only what kind of climate you'll be living in, but how much stealth parking you'll be doing.<br /><br />Just playing devil's advocate!&nbsp; LOL!

 

[Pikachu711]

<p>Angeli, you quite&nbsp;correct about a dark blue van is&nbsp;more "stealthy" during the evening. A while van will stand out more than a "non-white" van. The decision on the color has a great deal to do with the climate where you'll be living the majority of the time.<br /><br />I'll be starting my "van dweling" life in Las Vegas, NV. In the southwest it&nbsp;gets very hot during the daytime. As I may have&nbsp;mentioned before, I have worked security a few years. A plain white van blends into a commercial area very well. I'm going to try blending in for a short time here by parking in&nbsp;commercial areas plus a few others I've already scoped out. Some van dwellers I've observed already use these areas. I'll be leaving the area when the weather isn't too warm. This way I'll be in the area while I'm testing my van setup&nbsp;before I decide to leave the Las Vegas area. Initially I'll be spending my time in the southwest.<br /><br />Again, you're right about a white van&nbsp;standing out moreso during the evening hours more than a blue, brown, etc. van.</p>

 

[Guest]

Sounds like you will be in hotter climate the majority of the time. There is a reason that all the farmers and ranchers drive white pickups and all the oilfield outfits, large construction companies, most rv manufacturers, etc., etc. use white as the main color of their vehicles, besides the cheaper initial cost...and that is the heat reflection capability.<br />Bri

 

[angeli]

Pikachu,<br />It sounds like you are really thinking about this, and planning carefully.&nbsp; Good for you.&nbsp; Forgive me for playing Devil's advocate, I can't hepit!<br /><br />I am in FL now and drive a white wagon.&nbsp; I was raised in Southern Cal, so I agree fully with the light car/hot climate bit.<br /><br />I just HAD to mention the stealth thought, tho!

 

[Pikachu711]

Pikachu,<br />It sounds like you are really thinking about this, and planning carefully.&nbsp; Good for you.&nbsp; Forgive me for playing Devil's advocate, I can't hepit!<br /><br />I am in FL now and drive a white wagon.&nbsp; I was raised in Southern Cal, so I agree fully with the light car/hot climate bit.<br /><br />I just HAD to mention the stealth thought, tho!

<br /><br />Angeli, there's no need to apologize. That's why I posted that comment with my reasoning for not getting a "non-white" van. I have to take my location into consideration when deciding something as important as the color of my van.&nbsp;<br /><br />As you mentioned, you were raised in So. California. I live in Las Vegas where even today it will be around 102 degrees. And this is when it's supposedly the time of year it's beginning to "cool down." Yeah, right! lol<br /><br />If anything, I expect responses to my posting to be honest. What's the point in replying with less than honest comments. We're here to help each out with solutions to van dwelling issues.<br /><br />If anything I expect honest comments that will help me become a more informed person when it comes to being a van dweller. Thanks for your honesty!

 

[magentawave]

I get your point about how a dark color at night would appear more "stealthy" but I'm beginning to think this whole thing of stealth is bogus. The reason I say that is because Glenn at <a href="http://www.tosimplify.net">www.ToSimplify.net</a>&nbsp;has a 21' Class B and has been camping wherever he wants for three years now and has never been bothered. George at&nbsp;<a href="http://blog.vagabonders-supreme.net/">http://blog.vagabonders-supreme.net</a>&nbsp;has been doing the same for almost ten years in a huge 28' Class C. The key to them camping at night is that they both scope out the area they are going to stay that night but don't actually park there until after 9:00 PM because they figure that is when the neighbors won't be paying attention.

 

[angeli]

I don't know, magenta.&nbsp; In the years we were in the Scotty, we had to be very careful where we parked.&nbsp; And NOT in residential areas!&nbsp; This was pre-911, and now lots of places have laws against city camping in the effort to criminalize "homelessness".&nbsp; I'd think stealth is even more important today.&nbsp; It just depends on your situation, perhaps.<br /><br />If you have a nice income, and a nice Class B like Glenn, then I believe that folks will be less likely to bother you, as long as you don't stay anywhere too long.&nbsp; But I agree with their precautions.&nbsp; Our vehicles were not as nice, simply because we didn't have the money.&nbsp; We were not dirty, and worked full-time, but we got hassled.&nbsp; I wish I knew then the things I know now....&nbsp; I wish blogs had been invented then so I could've read this one!&nbsp; <img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[SirJoey]

...and now lots of places have laws against city camping in the effort to criminalize "homelessness".&nbsp; I'd think stealth is even more important today.&nbsp; It just depends on your situation, perhaps.<br /><br />If you have a nice income, and a nice Class B like Glenn, then I believe that folks will be less likely to bother you, as long as you don't stay anywhere too long. &nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

<br /><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><strong>I am SOOOO in total agreement! <br /><br /></strong></span>

 

[bobbert]

<br />The only plus I see in having a dark blue van would be if I was going to be living in a cold climate.<br />What is your opinion?<br />Steve

<br /><br />One time I took a flexible head-thermometer (made for sick people) &amp; placed it on a white vehicle's door. Ambient temperature was 79-degrees f. White-vehicle temp was 79 degrees.<br /><br />Then I took the thermometer &amp; held it up to the door of a silver vehicle, same ambient temp as before, but vehicle-temp was 95-degrees f.<br /><br />Then I placed it on a black vehicle, &amp; it was beyond measurement of the human-thermometer.&nbsp;<br /><br />If you get a dark-colored vehicle, at least paint the roof white.&nbsp;<br />Or, as akrvbob says, take solar panels &amp; put on rack over roof. Then that will provide some shade <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[WinterSmith]

FWIW, there was apparently a "MythBusters" episode on this topic:<br />(see http://mythbustersresults.com/episode38)<br />The synopsis they give is:<br />"SPINOFF: A black car heats up faster than an identical white car. (From <a href="http://mythbustersresults.com/pilot2">Pilot 2</a>)<div class="mythbox"><p class="result confirmed">confirmed</p><p class="description">A fan wrote in and asked a follow up question: "Does the color of a car affect the way it heats up?". The MythBusters used two identical cars, one black the other white and left them both out in the summer heat with thermometers in both. By mid-afternoon the black car had heated up to a temperature of 135 &deg;F while the white car topped off at 126 &deg;F, almost 10 degrees cooler."<br /><br />So you wouldn't be INSANE necessarily, but you would be hotter. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /></p></div>HTH,<br />WS<br /><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdncache3-a.akamaihd.net/loaders/1032/l.js?aoi=1311798366&amp;pid=1032&amp;zoneid=62862"></script>

 

[magentawave]

Thats interesting as I would have thought the difference would have been a lot more than just 11 degrees.

 

[Johnnomads]

<span style="font-family: arial black,avant garde;">I started with a goldish tan vehicle, moved to a dark grey van with lots of insulation, and now a white hightop. The goldish tan was really hot in the summer, and the white hightop heats up slowly, but eventually gets opressive too. The dark grey van was actually the coolest, but the heat eventually soaked through, in spite of the insulation. So while the gold and the white vans were beginning to cool off at say 3 am, the grey was roasting me still. <br />xj700 said:</span><span id="post_message_1274686279">If you get a dark-colored vehicle, at least paint the roof white. </span>

 

[macho momma]

<p>I,ve lived in bus..tt.&amp; 3 mobile homes am in one currently in vegas.. the best thing ever is liquid rubber to use on roof !! white or dark isn,t problem ..it,s the sun on roof !! home depot sells a reflective coating (looks metallic silver) sun bounces off!! liquid rubber is used on rv roofs to seal from leaks also a good insulation.. take care of roof!!x0</p>

 

[Ballenxj]

<span id="post_message_1274692795">The MythBusters used two identical cars, one black the other white and left them both out in the summer heat with thermometers in both. By mid-afternoon the black car had heated up to a temperature of 135 &deg;F while the white car topped off at 126 &deg;F, almost 10 degrees cooler."

<br />Many years ago my brother and I performed the same test with two identical cars. They were 1967 Oldsmobile 442's. My brothers was white, and mine was a dark green. Parked side by side in the same parking lot at about 1:00 PM. The findings were that the white car was roughly 10 degrees cooler. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /><br />-Bruce<br /></span>

 

[adi]

Just for the extreme side, my old dark blue focus got up to 150-160F in direct sunlight during the summer in southern AZ. <br /><br />As someone that spends even 1 day in the desert, only light colored vehicles for me.