Greetings!
I got caught up in the cargo van racket. Between the van and the build, I had over $70k into it, and it was instagram perfect. Better quality, and better looking than a factory made one. I built it myself, according to the directions of others online, to create the perfect stealth camper van, and I was proud of my work.
I’ve always been mostly a city dweller, living and working in cities. In an obvious camper van or RV, I never had a problem. My neighbors respected me, and I respected them. I don’t believe I was ever judged by vehicle, but that instantly changed with that cargo van. It didn’t matter how nice it was on the inside, I was instantly labeled either homeless or some sort of criminal. I was judged before they even met me. No normal person would live in a cargo van in their opinion. AND THEY WERE RIGHT!!!
If that wasn’t bad enough, I quickly learned why factory campers & RV’s were preferred by everyone except those looking to profit from the misery of others. Living in a box with no windows was worse than depressing, it was cruel and inhuman. Parking in the sun during the summer to have power, made it just that much worse. Two $250+ roof vents were worthless compared to opening windows and an under $20 fan in one of them. Even with all the finest amenities, I felt like a caged animal, trapped in a cage without windows. Every little noise outside shattered my nerves because I couldn’t see what caused it so I could dismiss it as harmless.
All the insulation I had installed was worthless, it was an oven in the summer, and a freezer in the winter. Without the proper ventilation provided by opening windows, condensation and mold suddenly became a huge issue. It was harder to heat in the winter, and impossible to cool in the summer. In the winter, the wood floor was always cold and damp. I had to waste power running lights even during the day…
The day I switched back to a more conventional camper was one of the happiest days of my life. Today, I fully understand that move-in ready cheap factory campers are the best, and IF you’re going the DIY route, start with a passenger window van, just remove the rear seats, and move your new furniture in and secure it. You’ll never save money by spending a lot on a rig that will depreciate faster than rent would cost you. I lost over $30k in a year on that miserable cargo van, while a friend was paying off a beautiful $2500 motorhome for only $300 a month. Lesson learned, unfortunately the hard and expensive way.
Cheers!