Hi guys, my name is Barbara and I’m just now getting into van life.
I graduate college in about a year and I’m looking into moving into my first little van. I know I love that type of lifestyle- I want to do grad school and road trip in it while working.
However, I don’t know the first thing about finding a van, remodeling it or just the details of the life in general. All the things I have found online are vague and picture- perfect.
I would be very happy remodeling / renovating a van but also open to buying one ready to move into. Currently in the US, looking for a van for just me. Enough to be living in but since I do have a whole year I don’t mind getting it soon and working on it a while. I’m not even sure where online to look for one or what to look for that fits my needs.
What kinds of tips/ recommendations can ya’ll give ? Even just links to helpful articles would be amazing.
Thanks so much !
Greetings & Welcome!
Don’t get suckered by the DIY or remodel crowd. Get a cheap, older, unmodified camper that is move in ready. Get a pre-purchase inspection to help avoid future surprises or expenses. Getting a floorplan that you like and doesn’t make you feel cramped is important.
Once you get one, drive it locally to get used to it, and find any unknown problems before hitting the road. If the seller doesn’t show you how everything works, go to an RV shop and have them show you. You don’t want to be far from home and not know how to make something work.
Learn how to check all the fluids, and check them at every fill up, and top them off as necessary. Learn how to change a tire in case of a flat, and make sure you have everything necessary to do so. Check the date codes on your tires, anything older than 5-7 years old should be replaced regardless of how good they look.
Generally speaking, building your own costs considerably more for considerably less, and if you ever try to resell it, you’ll lose a lot of money. Vehicles are a depreciating asset, so the less you invest in both time and money is to your advantage.
Don’t get suckered into a bunch of upgrades, people are just after your money. They’re getting paid to promote all that stuff.
Craigslist is probably one of the best resources for finding a rig in the USA, other countries may vary.
Cheers!
Thank you so so much for all your tips ! For winter life is just a heater enough or does insulation matter ?
Greetings!
Many people swear by insulation, but I’m not one of them, and I’m frequently an extreme weather camper. Pretty much constant ventilation is needed to prevent moisture problems, and proper ventilation defeats any insulation. Insulation works best in a sealed environment.
Proper heating and cooling methods are my solution, and I’ve done temps as low as -60°f and as high as 120°f+. All while staying comfortable inside my camper, and using minimal or no power. (My heater requires no power, and my swamp cooler requires very minimal 12v power.)
Cheers!
The heating options really depend on where you are traveling in winter. I have no heating and found that insulation does the job (with a quality sleeping system).
Greetings!
Perhaps that’s a difference between those of us that live in and work in our vans, and those that just live out of a van. I need my van to be comfortable inside all the time, regardless of the outside weather.
Insulation only slightly slows the inevitable, it doesn’t conquer it.
Cheers!