/out/, what do you know about living in a van?

>>696086
That it is for dirty stinky hippies

>>696086
Its on my list of things to do , buy a van and convert it into a camper , would be a nice project to have going

>>696086

Tight, stinky and cold.

>>696086
It's obviously feasible, but you have to be flawlessly clean or it will get disgusting fast, and even then you'll need to do an everything-out deep cleaning from time to time. If you try to deal with food in the van, all is lost, so you still need to set up a kitchen and eating area whenever you want to do that, and you'll need to be able to shower daily and seal off laundry from the rest of the space. You'll need to ventilate the van at all times too, which may cause comfort issues in anything but perfect weather.

If you have the discipline to do all of that, then it's fine.

>>696086
Dopest life you'll ever live OP. I live in a van. AMA

>>696112
What's it like talking out of your ass with no experience? Do you expect people to listen because you thunk it out so gud?

>>696116
Is it relatively stationary or do you move around a lot?

>>696133
Personally I never stop moving. If I'm not traveling, I'm not happy. You can do it any way you want though.

I am in the process of saving money to trade in my car for a small van (gonna go for a car-van like a VW caddy). I wouldn't want to do it in one of those old POS VW campers.

- Insulate it well
- Rock and roller bed for convenience
- Diesel or propane cab heater
- Propane hobs
- Leisure battery with a split charger
- Camper fridge
- Porta potty

I won't be living in it full time but I plan to use it for some extended trips.

Budgeting £2000 for the conversion, looking to convert for next spring

>>696086
I know Matt Foley lived in a van down by the river

>>696117
>implying any of that isn't true
Are you trying to brag about living in a filthy van?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbGOGvED3gk

keep in mind /r/vandwellers disagreed with almost everything I said, but eh

>>696175
Nah you're just a faggot housy knownothing that's all

Not OP, but I'm going to be selling my house pretty soon and moving back in with my parents for a bit until I either find another house to buy or end up buying a little land to build a workshop with living quarters on.

Instead of jumping right into buying another property I've been contemplating buying a used cargo van and converting it into a bare bones stealth camper and then traveling the US for 6+ months or so. I'm not married, have no kids or other responsibilities, and I'll have plenty of money once I sell my house... I feel like I'm romanticizing the idea of vandwelling travel in my head a bit though, and I'd really like to bring along my dual sport motorcycle if I was gonna go on a trip like this but I can't quite figure out how to make that happen..

My only issue with this concept is security, no way I'd sleep well in a van. Afaik they're not safe enough to take innawoods (I mean, real innawoods away from society as a whole) which means you could be at risk of waking up with an impoverished gentleman kicking it open/robbing you at gunpoint.
Now I want a bulletproof van.

>>696178
Interesting, thanks for the input. I wasn't actually planning on living in a van but the idea definitively intrigues me

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>>696199
This is why I like the concept of a cargo van since it has no windows on the back part. Lots of businesses will install a "security cage" right behind the "cockpit" area that can be locked to seal off the rear section of the van from the driver's area. That way you could sleep in the rear section of the van and any intruder would have a hard time getting to you, at least for a little while. I'd be more worried about someone breaking into the van in an urban setting than I would innawoods to be honest.

Pic related is the style of van I am referring to.

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>>696208
And this pic is of a "security cage". I figure I could make my own security cage for a relatively small amount of money. It doesn't have to be indestructible, it's just there to buy myself some time to either escape or prepare to defend myself.

>>696183
All of that stuff applies to a bedroom though. It's just that bedrooms are ventilated in a more comfortable way than a car and keeping them clean is second nature to anyone who had a mom.

>>696086
Back in 2009 - 2010 I was boondocking because I lost everything after the credit crash, I had an old ford van that I stealth camped in until I could get back on my feet, I parked in a lot of Walmarts back then (they weren't so pissy about it back then and I was far from alone), I had a white plastic jerry can for my water and a lidded bucket for my "waste", which I made sure to empty every day, that stuff turns the van stinky in no time if you don't.

Bathing could be a problem sometimes, I had a gym membership for the first few months but once that ran out I had to use truck stop showers (wear something on your feet if you don't want foot fungus to claim you), sometimes I would go to the pool and more to use their showers than swim, I got pretty good and washing myself down with just a half bucket of water.

Fresh food needs to be eaten first before it gets a chance to go bad, you'll be eating a lot of tinned food so get some multi vitamins to make up for the lack of fresh food

If your vehicle was not designed as a camper then you will have problems with condensation, especially until you get it insulated/heated, I built a small rocket stove and fitted it, but you can only use that when not in "stealth mode".

Prepare for trouble (and make it double) you will at some point run into it, I woke one night to scraping noise from outside the van and leapt out with my bat to find some greasy hispanic shitbag trying to remove my wheels, I chased him off and broke his back window for good measure, I quickly put my lug nuts back on and got out of there, greasers are easily scared but they will often return and in greater numbers... didn't use that spot again for a few months!

Cleaning clothes can be a chore, try not to use laundromats in the evening, the real scumbags come out at night to use them for all kinds of questionable shit, go early in the morning if you can.

Rent a post box, and check it regularly.

>>696384
Cont

I had to tell the manager at my new job that I was using a post box because I was staying at a friends place until I found a place to rent, don't let them know you are living out of a van, you won't get a job.

The police are dicks, if they find out you are living out of your van they will bust your balls every chance they get, this happened to a guy I knew who was stealth camping just like me, in the end he left town.

I had no ties so I moved south over the first winter, I'm a North Dakota boy but it's too cold there to live in an under insulated van during the winter, I eventually moved to Florida.

hope this helped.

>>696384
>>696387

>Bathing could be a problem sometimes
I have encountered this on motorcycle trips, it's hard to find a place to just take a shower when you're on the road. Some state parks and national forest campgrounds have shower facilities but it's kinda hit or miss. After 2-3 days of no shower I start to develop some major junk itch, swamp ass, and really bad dandruff / scalp flakes. Unfortunately, I have found that some truck stops with shower facilities will only allow truckers to shower there so if you're not driving a big-rig then you're out of luck.. I'm not sure why to be honest, my money is just as good as a trucker's is and while I'm there I'll likely buy a little gas and some supplies as well...

>I woke one night to scraping noise from outside the van and leapt out with my bat to find some greasy hispanic shitbag trying to remove my wheels

What the fuck man, I'm sure your van didn't even have fancy wheels or anything. I REALLY hate thieves, especially the petty variety who will steal almost anything. I just don't understand people who will steal shit that they'll only be able to sell for a couple hundred dollars or less. I read an article recently about a R/C hobby store that got broken into and had like $20k worth of R/C planes, quad copters, and controllers stolen. It will cost the insurance company or store owner over $10k to replace all that shit (the $20k figure was retail value I'm sure so probably $10k worth or merch at wholesale prices) but the thieves probably won't get more than $2k-$3k for all that stuff and there's no telling how long it'll take them to sell everything. Seriously, who in their right mind would buy an entire truckload of stolen R/C shit? Hell, I have a friend who had his stereo system stolen out of his car. The stereo system cost him ~$400 but the thief broke out a window and completely destroyed his car's dash when he stole the head unit doing almost $2k worth of damage, not even including replacing the stolen stereo..

>>696414
>I REALLY hate thieves
Move to an area where they're too scared then. In Texas it's pretty rare for someone to try to break into your house or car because its legal to kill someone who is stealing from you to get your property back.

>>696417
I live in TX. I live on a cul-de-sac in a suburb of Ft. Worth (Watauga). I've lived in this house for almost 6 years and have never had a problem with theft until recently.. The week before Christmas someone apparently went through my truck. I had left it unlocked in my driveway for a few days/nights, not really sure how long as I didn't leave the house for a while prior to this incident. I went out to start loading up my truck for the trip home to my parent's place in East TX and noticed that my glove compartment was open and the contents were laid out on my passenger seat and some of the junk that was previously in my backseat was strewn about and even ended up in the driver's seat.... I don't think ANYTHING was stolen, it looks like someone just tossed my truck looking for valuables and moved on. I had a wad of $1 and $5 bills in my center console that was still there as well as 2 pairs of Nikon Monarch binoculars (one pair was mine, the other is my dad's... they are pretty expensive binoculars) that were still in the truck. I had my hunting vest and ~80 or so shotgun shells along with 40-50 rifle rounds in the backseat that also didn't get stolen so I can only guess that the thief / thieves saw the ammo in the truck and got scared off thinking that I might come out of the house and shoot them or something. I keep a loaded 9mm handgun and 12ga shotgun in my bedroom so if they had actually broken into my house then there's a 95% chance that someone would've died in the ensuing confrontation.

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>>696417
>>696424

Also, thanks. You reminded me that I needed to clean my 9mm and check it for function as it got quite dusty carrying it on several pig hunting trips a few months ago.

Maybe if you people could get off the internet for a day, get a job, some real world experience, you wouldn't consider living in A VAN, DOWN BY THE RIVER

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>>696444
some people, like myself, would consider the bug out life even while employed as a means to hasten the process of accumulating saving to put towards land. Renting is literally a black hole for your money.

>>696089
You are uninformed. Op pic runs $25K and up, for classic/nostagia reasons.

You can go "full time RV" with better for less $. Op pic is sweet, but small.

A newer Toyota based Chinook would be far more room for far less $. But lacks the "Summer of Love" appeal, and subsequent markup.

Going "full time RV" myself for same reasons here >>696450 .

Currently @ $75K/yr and at $20K down. I can ditch $900/mo rent for $300/mo rv space with amenities (showers, hot tub, laundry, storage, power the like).

$600/mo inna pock to me. As good as a studio apt, if you make allowences.

>>696463

>$25K and up

I can buy as many as I want for $3000 you dumb negroe

>>696477
Good luck finding a VW shag wagon with a working engine and tranny for under $10k that's not completely trashed on the inside.

>>696477
> regional dependant

If you're in Germany, they may be common.

In the SW USA expect to profit, if have...

Go for it! Make money, but check your listings before talking out your ass.

>>696178
that is you talkin in the video? most of what you said is bullshit.

"don't look for van heaters, they don't exist"
"you will get brain damage from cooking in a van"

it's either a shitty troll or you are a moron. there is gear out there for RVs that you could buy and install in a small panel van. jesus, VW has been making them FOREVER.

>>696533
Damn man, don't be so hard on the guy. He's been living the van-dwelling life for over a year, I'm sure he knows what he's talking about, more or less.

If you try to use a standard camp stove inside of a van then you're gonna be breathing in all sorts of nasty fumes. Also, if you try to use a small propane heater inside of a van without adequate ventilation then you'll end up with a lot of condensation. He's right on those two points at least. MOST vans aren't really designed to be used as campers so they don't have adequate ventilation, especially for when it's rainy outside.

>>696463
and he is right, renting is a black hole for your money, and every successful person ever shares the same mentality. the only depreciative products you should be buying is food. your home is only as depreciative as you ability to maintain it, so you should not be paying as if it was a depreciative product

>>696562
Not entirely true, you should definitely be aware of the local housing market when buying a house..

I bought my current house as a foreclosure during the height of the US housing market crash back in 2010. I bought it "as-is" for $68k when it had previously sold for $90k, $95k, and $110k the three times prior. That seems like a good deal but you have to realize that I immediately had to replace the central A/C unit ($6k) and the entire place was stripped (no flooring - bare concrete floors, no light fixtures, and no plumbing fixtures)... I paid no money down and had a 30yr note at ~4.5% APR interest. It took ~$10k right off the bat to make the place livable ($6k for a new central heat / AC unit, $4k for flooring, paint, plumbing and light fixtures). I did all the work myself except for the A/C work. Now the houses on this same cul-de-sac are selling for $120k with fully upgraded kitchens / bathrooms (granite counter tops and lots of custom tile work), so I'm trying to get the place ready to sell and hopefully looking at a big profit.

On the other hand, if I had bought this house at the height of the housing bubble at $110k then I would be looking at quite a large loss once you factor in a new central A/C unit, granite counter tops, new flooring, and custom tile work in the bathrooms.

Basically what I'm getting at is that, under certain conditions, renting is more advisable than buying when it comes to real estate. I personally would NOT buy any of the properties on my street that are listed at $120k+ just because I know how quickly those home values can drop during a housing market crash and I feel that $120k+ is a VERY inflated value for houses in my particular area. I hope to sell my own house for around that price and leave someone else holding that particular bag while they watch home prices drop during the next real estate downturn that I feel is very close.

I'm a little drunk, hopefully all of the above is comprehensible....

>>696583
Err, my post wandered a bit but I also meant to point out that my mortgage payments were ~$760/mo including property taxes and insurance where comparable 3br/2ba apartment rentals were ~$1k/mo. While it seems like I would've been saving $250/mo over renting, all of those savings were eaten up when you take into account the cost of maintaining the property.

All in all, I can only advise buying a house when the housing market is down and you are able to do most, if not all, of the repairs yourself. You really need to be in a stable situation financially if you are considering buying a house.

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>>696583
>>696594
Buy land, build home. Save money.

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>>696600
> duble dubs get

Or buy prefab.

>>696594
your values are all correct, but your premise stands on being a home dweller, which is not the premise of this thread. instead of value of rent vs buy, the question is squatting vs owning, which is basically owning vs owning, but the quality of what you own is in question. unless you apply a large 'want' to something, renting is often a poor choice. i mean, unless your job security is airtight, at which point you could probably get a loan to buy

>>696600

You missed out the first step..

>Live in van so you can save money by not paying extortionate rental prices
>Buy land
>Build home

>>696602
Yeaaa no. Concrete = nominal insulation value as well as the fact it's porous.. Plus very little light, and no storage space.

>>696583
>no flooring - bare concrete floors, no light fixtures, and no plumbing fixtures)... I paid no money down and had a 30yr note at ~4.5% APR interest

Cool made up story, but you should have said you paid cash because that's where your story unravels to anyone with a clue

>>696477
You fucking wish.

>>696751
What are you even talking about? I'm not lying here. The house really was stripped bare, and all of the walls and ceilings in the entire house had been painted a flat beige color. There were 2 light fixtures in the entire house and the only faucet was in the kitchen, there were no bathroom faucets and no toilets even. I bought it as a foreclosure under the HUD program and I really didn't have to pay any money down, they even rolled the closing costs back into the 30yr note so my total mortgage came out at ~$72k. Stop talking out of your ass.

>>696202
be aware I was 100% depressed during the experience

>>696533
hooking up a high-wattage item like a heater to your battery will kill it in less than 8 minutes. I tried it with a water boiler one time and that happened

there are apparently gas heaters you can use, which I was not aware of at the time of the vid. I don't really think I'd trust it anyways

when I tried cooking in my previa, which has a vent(!), I got fumes which would actually have caused brain damage if I had done that regularly. Nasty headache as well. Apparently the winning strategy is to use a fan in conjunction but even then you have to crack a door I suspect

if you want to put solar panels in your rv 1) they charge very slowly 2) they stick out like a sore thumb and you will have no stealth. Cooking like a retard with a fan on and the door open will also kill your stealth

diet I actually asked /r/vandwellers about multiple times and EVERY SINGLE TIME they told me it was deficient and a fact of life

I love how all of these turbofaggots in their $50000000 rvs come along and think they own the "economically feasible" scene only if you follow their esoteric rabbit hole of van code poorly defined and anecdotally just so. I am not saying vanning is bad- it's good for summer jobs to save money. I'm saying vanning is not cracked up to be everything you may think it to be. And not always economically a great windfall either

>>696986
also, the takeaway should be that it's got a steep learning curve. It took me a LONG time involving multiple setups to get to what I have now

if you live unemployed while doing this, your life will be absolutely miserable. The routine required to avoid getting in trouble is stressful

>>696989
>The routine required to avoid getting in trouble is stressful

Do you care to elaborate on that? How much trouble do you usually get in when you're "caught" while stealth camping, are you just told to leave or do cops threaten to arrest and/or fine you?

>>696996
okay. This really depends on the nature of your setup

if you have an all day job, you keep your van there and drive to parks or teahouses/library in the evening, no problem

if you're in university, I was able to park mine in student lots all day as well, no problem either

If you're unemployed, you have to find places to park during the day that are usually on time restrictions for where to park. And that ties you to your van and makes you spend more time driving than what you'd like

I'd spend 5 or more hours a day in a library, 2-3 in a grocer, and then pull into a handful of places during the night. So it's not terrible. However, I really hated the stagnation involved and never had a chance to really exercise. If I wanted to do anything I'd have to waste gas driving across town to get to it. It was a very unhealthy mode of life

I have encountered police (canada) but they have generally been okay. In my experience it's the everyday people who start giving you shit if you stand out. For instance, I had parked my van on the side of a rural road across from a forest owned by some logging company. A few days of doing this later, some rednecks throw a shitbag with rocks at the side of the van (reflected thankfully). In another episode, I had been staying next to an empty lot that was commonly parked in fairly often. One night I wake up with a crazy wailing on the side of my van and trying to break the window with rocks (he couldn't, previas seem to be awesom in this respect)

by drawing attention to yourself you invite other people to victimize or become fearful of your motives. It's hell pretending you're invisible if you're unemployed and low on money.

that's what I mean. I need to emphasize I was in a bad state of mind, but vanning definitely amplified this. I could only ever do 2 weeks straight without feeling compelled to visit family for an overnight breather. The monotony gets to you

apparently police could be taken to court for arresting vans

>>696989
We're you depressed before living in the van or just during?


>if you live unemployed while doing this, your life will be absolutely miserable. The routine required to avoid getting in trouble is stressful

Can you explain this? Is it because of the sheer number of hours you will be in the van and do you feel like you are always being watched or trying to find a place to park?

>>697006
not him, but the droll of goalless living is always painful. depressing because its quite literally a depression. you spend time, money, work on your continued lief with no obvious reward

>>697006
I was depressed before, during, and after. But the experience of having to fend for myself and do all this shit when I just wanted to die all day wore on me

the number of hours you spend in the van, or in a single place is what gets to you. There's no spontaneity and everything starts to seem meaningless at best. Inside the van is always pretty shitty as an environ no matter where you are (sweltering in summer, uncomfortably cold in winter, raining dampness that fucks with your car otherwise). The sleep quality thing in conjunction with food quality from lack of an easy cooker also makes it harder to feel like you're operating at full capacity.

I had some fun moments, no denying it. But the daily grind is just inherently stressful even after you get over the initial stealth gap. A stable home with electricity and essentials is easily worth the $100 you are often saving

If you have a job, if you have a well kitted out van, if you have friends in the area and something like a gym or pool pass life is okay. Cultivating a restaurant or tea house as a daily base of operations for an hour (you just pay for a pot of tea daily) is a good strategy for making things livable and you'll befriend the waitresses as well.

If you have no friends, if you're not very good at coping with stress, if you have no job or money it is a hard lifestye. The gap between these extremes dictates how livable the circumstances can be

>>697009
Why didn't you travel

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>>697009
>Inside the van is always pretty shitty as an environ
>sweltering in summer, uncomfortably cold in winter, raining dampness that fucks with your car otherwise)
>lack of an easy cooker

sounds like you're doing it wrong, friend.

>>697099
no cash and I lived on an island

>>697148
environmentally it is actually just the truth. Vanning is best in a mild environ and that's about it

>>697288
Disagree. If you're living in an unmodified car or van sure, but with a litle forethought things like condensation shouldn't be a problem..

FYI have lived in a converted van in the extreme cold (alps) so have some experience.

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>>696086
park by the river and sign up for Gov't cheese

>>697647
Do you think a cargo style van would work okay with decent ventilation? I'm keen on the stealth thing. Just need a bed and a place to store my stuff.

>>698922
*insulation* I ment not ventilation. I think it will be hard to get decent ventilation in a cargo van.

>>696175
>living in a filthy van?

Do you not do any cleaning at all and think no one else does any cleaning?

Take a fucking shower and clean your fucking room before you gf gets angry and moves out with her kid leaving you behind. They probably don't like living with your parents anyway.

>>696215
>>696208
You can also install a switch back there so that the engine only starts when that switch is flipped. If anyone puts a gun to your head asking why the van won't start just tell them the battery is dead. You can have a similar push button switch under the floor mat so once the one in the back is flipped, you have to step on the one under the floor mat as you start the vehicle.

My dad had a setup like that. It was pretty cool and saved the truck from being stolen. A friend of mine had stuff like that on all his muscle cars too.

>>698922
I think both are necessary for a comfortable build. Insulation will help condensation problems but a passive ventilation system is a prerequisite if you're gonna be living in there full time IMO.

Check out these:

http://fordtransit.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=58&sid=764c34944ae2c90b29380e998fc8e56e

http://sprinter-source.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=119

They're the subforums on the Ford Transit and Mercedes Sprinter forums. Plenty of build threads to get loads of ideas from.

Why would anyone choose to live in a van? It's can't be much cheaper than living in a studio apartment.

>>698987

teenager detected.

Where I am:

1 bedroom flat in the city = £500-700 / month

= £6000-8400 a year

Compared to:

Buy a decent van with <50k miles and <5 years old = maybe £5000 (forgetting I can trade in my car, which incidently, is another monthly expense)

Leaving you up to £3400 to convert said van, rough costs being:

- Insulation £400
- Diesel cab heater + install £600
- Rock n Roller bed £400
- Ply, flooring etc materials £???
- Solar panel set up inc leisure battery £500
- Fridge <£200
- Hobs/sink <£200

Never mind the fact utilities will be much lower - don't have to heat a whole house, elec generated by solar, so only propane for the hobs and diesel for the engine really.

tl;dr

Cost of setting up a van is roughly equivilant to a years worth of renting, therefore after one year I am now saving ALL MONIES

That's fucking why. Renting is throwing your money away.

And the kicker is if you convert a van yourself (doing it WELL) you can probably sell it for a (small) profit.

>>699067
>You have to be a teenager to think living in a van is a waste
>Lists city prices

How about this you. Don't live in a fucking city?

>>699082

Why so fucking salty? I gave you a legit answer.

In rural it'd still works out the same, only over a slightly longer time period (18 months rather than a year). In some respects it makes more sense in a rural environment.

Fact remains renting is a blackhole for your cash, and not everyone wants to or can get a mortgage. Hence, van living is a viable alternative.

Ultimately if you don't like the idea you don't have to do it but don't shit on anyone else because they choose to live differently.

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>Fact remains renting is a blackhole for your cash, and not everyone wants to or can get a mortgage. Hence, van living is a viable alternative.

>Ultimately if you don't like the idea you don't have to do it but don't shit on anyone else because they choose to live differently.

>>696086
>Never mind the fact utilities will be much lower - don't have to heat a whole house
Gasoline is MUCH more expensive than utilities.

Also, he said "studio apartment," not "whole house." I have a 2 bedroom apartment in Boston, and my total cost of utilities (including internet, which you can't get in a van unlimited, fast, or cheap) is ~$75/mo. The cost of gasoline for my 4 cylinder sedan to go to the grocery store (I take the bus to work) is $50/mo. When I lived in a studio apartment in NYC, my utilities including internet was closer to $40/mo.

>>699339
Why not take a bicycle from your van to go to the grocery store? I use a bike as my main transportation. They are cheap, fast and great for fitness.

I'm sure a 2 bedroom appartment would cost alot in rent. Some thing like that in my area of town costs about $650 a week. So its way out of my league to rent a entire appartment and blow a massive sum of money each week on rent.

>>699363
>$650 a week
I live in Boston, and pay $1400/mo for it. I am also married with a child.

If you are solo and want a studio, you can live far more comfortably than a fucking van for under $1000/mo. (I found a studio for my buddy that was $450 in Boston proper).

Also, even when I was single, I could barely carry groceries back to my apartment walking. Forget about trying to carry them on a bike.

>blow a massive sum of money each week on rent.
Who fucking pays rent weekly?

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>>699369
>be farmer
>no student loans
>no credit cards
>live on 40acres of land, no mortgage
>2 vehicles, no loans on them
>3 houses, no mortgages on those
>farm all the food i could ever eat, sell most of it
>45 miles from the nearest fast food place
>literally don't need to use money for anything more than insurance, taxes, and internet
>make less than $5k a year
>2-3 vacations a year
>have plenty of time to shitpost on 4chan

I can't even fucking imagine spending that much money on rent. Ever.

>>699417
>I can't even fucking imagine spending that much money on rent. Ever.
That's because you're a welfare queen.

I loathe the idea of living in any space that won't let me stand up inside.

What I want to do is get a sprinter van, (those tall delivery vans) and build it up into a decent RV. Including a partitioned off section in the back with a shower and composting toilet.

That's another issue with VW vans and so on. No hygiene or toilet facilities. Fuck that shit. if I'm LIVING in a place, especially something I might have to park in a city for work where "shitting in the woods" isn't a fucking option, I need a toilet and a fucking shower.

>>699422
lol u dumb anon

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Not living in a van but I am in the middle of doing up a Falcon panelvan as an old school shaggin wagon.

>>699427
let me ask you this...what percentage of your life have YOU spent living in vans, stationwagons and school buses? Because for me it's about 40%.

I'm not "dumb" It's "the voice of fucking experience".

>>699508
Different anon here. But is it possible for you to pay a little rent some where to be able to park and use shower/shitter facilities? I've thought about this with offering to pay a little bit of cash to park behind a share house sone where. Also would mean you don't have to keep moving the van and wasting fuel.

>>699519
Sure, trailerparks exist, but it's not " a little money". One thing some people do is gym memberships, which provide access to shower and bathroom facilities, especially in 24 hour facilities.

But that depends on where you are. That's not a service available in all locations, and it's an added cost.

everyone in this thread http://vandogtraveller.com/

there is a fucking guide and everything go crazy

>>699525
I wasn't talking about trailer parks. I imagine trailer parks would be a pretty depressing place to be.

>>699531
Commercial places where you pay to park a vehicle you live in to have access to showers and shitters are trailer parks. That's it. That's the end of the list.

You might be able to find someone desperate on craigslist or something, but beyond that? No.

>>699552
I'd be able to do it. Maybe you can't. I can understand that.

>>696086
The only proper way to do it is down by the river.

>>699417
>inherited several million dollars worth of land and housing
>can't imagine paying rent

YOUDONTSAY

>>699594
You don't think.

>>699561
You'd be able to do what? Live in a van without access to restroom facilities? Of course you can. Anyone CAN. It's not impossible.

Again. I've done it. I was homeless for a fucking decade, living in vans and station wagons and school bus bodies.

I've LIVED that life. It SUCKS. And I would NEVER choose to go back to it. Not without stacking the comforts in my favor. Having to go into public places to take a shit, take a leak? Having to take a sponge bath after a day of hard work to make yourself slightly less horrible smelling for work the next day? It sucks. It's a fucking horrible way to live.

For you this is "Hurpdurp I could totally pull this off and live this life, no problem". For me, it's history. it's life experience.

>>699598
No. I'd be able to find people that would let me park at there place.

It low key sounds like you were doing it wrong by the way. If it sucks why'd you do it for 10 years? Because you didn't have the ability to dig yourself out of the hole you got into.

Your pessimism comes through in your posts.

>>699599
Actually, I dug myself out of a hole my parents raised me in.

I'm not "pessimistic". I lived the lifestyle you people are fantasizing about because I had no choice, and it's not nearly as easy or enjoyable as you're painting it as. Being homeless (which is what you're describing, in the eyes of the world) sucks. It's limiting, it's stigmatizing.

But it's also very easy to move from "sleeping in a van and begging and pleading for basic human necessities" to thriving and being self contained.

What you read as "pessimism" is something that any sane person would call "pride". I'm not a fucking hobo begging for a fucking handout from someone. I'm not going to beg to use someone's toilet or shower, because I fucking HAVE MY OWN.

You moronic tit.

>>699607
Beg for a shower? You don't get what I'm saying. Work a deal out with people who will let you pay a bit to be able to park and use a shower. Maybe its harder for you to find this as it would be for me. Maybe your much older than I am and maybe appear a little rough?

But I get where you're coming from. Its not for you and didn't work well for you. I guess it. I am also aware there are downsides.

As some one whos hitchhiked and camped for over a year a van seems pretty comfy compared to a tent. But the hitching and camping thing was hellla fun. Almost froze once though haha.

But yeah don't bad vibe every thing just because it didn't work for you.

>>699607
you're a fuckin idiot guy
you managed to fuck up for an entire decade that could have been the best time of your life
you are so much of a fuck up, you couldn't even turn living in a van into a good thing
way to fucking suck anon you colossal fucking faggot

>>699610
Whoa harsh language. But yeah he does sound like a bit of a fuck up.

>>699609
What part of "You want some basic fucking amenities to make it not be horrible" is "bad vibes".

>>699610
yes, being a homeless kid is a MAJOR life opportunity!

>>699614
yes it fuckin is you dumb fuck
one of the absolute easiest ones, and you still managed to be miserable
way to fuckin go dumbass, you want a fuckin medal for your "pride"
sorry shitbag you fuckin lose

>>699614
Because you have this attitude that getting basic amenities is hard to do. Its not. There's many ways to go about getting these. Your attitude is as if its impossible, when it actually seems fairly easy to me.

>>699619
not only does it seem easy, it is
so easy in fact, a bum could do it!
fuckin imagine that

>>699619
"seems" being the key word. Often, it is. If you're set up in the right area, you can be set for weeks, sometimes for months. I'm not saying you shouldn't look for local opportunities.

I'm saying. My entire point this entire time, is that you should be prepared to be as self reliant as possible. And that SHOULD include the ability to make yourself clean and not get ticketed for indecent exposure when you end up having to shit behind a dumpster at 2 AM.

>>699625
you're so fuckin full of yourself you can't even register that you did it all wrong
i'm not gonna sit here and spell it out for you either because you do a good enough job of showcasing your fuck up that anyone with a brain will steer fucking clear lest they be as stupid and hopeless as your incompetent ass

>>699625
Just carry a bucket with some soil or some thing in it. Cut a hole in the bucket lid or even find a toliet seat from some where those are throw away items.if you can't fine toliet paper your a retard. Whats the challenge here? Pretty simple stuff. Don't like the smell biff the bucket and get some new soil.

It sounds like you never thought ahead. I bet you were just sleeping in a basic van with no modifications or adjustments to make life easier for yourself.

>>699297
Hey douche, where did I say mortgages were wrong or shit on people for choosing it? Oh right I didn't.

>>699339
If you have a house chances are you have a car too (I do), so you're going to be buying diesel already. Using a diesel cab heater might use a more expensive fuel than nat.gas. but the space you're heating and the length of time needed to heat it are much reduced.

>>699805
Mortgages are a bad idea. Especially since we all saw what happened with the sub prime housing crisis and it looks like its happening again. House values seem to be getting the age old pump and dump thing going on.

That being said I can't predict the future.

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>>696086
lots.

Get a modern RV, those old VWs are overpriced deathtraps

>>701401
An rv why? What about just a modern van. Rvs don't look very practical

>>696116
Where do you live?

>>696116
How do you make money?

>>696112
I've been living in a van for 10 years now and none of the shit you said is relevant

>>696086
Is it down by the river?

>>696751
How bad is your credit score anon?

>>699339
I'll call bullshit on that. Water and electric easily breaks 100$ a month. Your electricity service fee is probably 30 dollars to just even be connected.

>>703269
Yeah, water + sewer + trash pickup + electricity + nat gas = $150-$200 / mo for me.

>>703250
All over the u.s.

>>703251
I play music

I drive a 3.5t box van for work. You could EASILY have a very comfortable stealth house in the back. Plenty of space.

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It can be nice, with a nice rig.

I was just going to do RV living. It comes with its own challenges, and no stealth camping, but I can get a truck so i can do side jobs without having to clear out my entire house, and its more comfortable, with having my own indoor shower, and more space to walk around in.

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>>703258
I got that one.

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>>704278
Travel trailer*
Theres a difference between an RV and a travel trailer and I need to get used to saying it that way.

>>696424
Maybe someone saw the ammo and thought there would be a gun to steal in the car.

>>704281
>putting offroad wheels/tires on a fucking trailer

... I'm pretty rustled

>>704297
Nah, the ammo was down in the floorboard in the backseat inside some of those cloth shopping bags, so it wouldn't have been visible from someone just looking into the truck. Not to mention the truck was up in my driveway and off the road so someone would've had to walk about 20ft off the sidewalk to even look into my truck's windows. They were obviously just looking for unlocked vehicles to toss.

>>704424
99% of camper trailers are off-road set-up here in Australia.

>>704476
What benefit is there to having offroad tires on non-drive wheels?

>>704481
> looks cooler

>>697001
>arresting vans.

That's pretty fucking stupid. Where do they take them? Van jail? The island of misfit cargo vehicles?

>>704546
To the scrap yard maybe?

>>696189
I don't know much about his van specific videos, but check out Cyclecruza on youtube. He has a stealth van and I think he takes his wr250r with him (or maybe it's just his cbr, I'm not sure)

Never considered living in one but I've always wanted to buy a van or SUV and travel the lower 48 states sleeping in it. The only thing that is stopping me is that I have a job that barely allows me to have weekend camping trips. .

>>696086
It's best when you live down by the river.

>>705736
So basically you don't know what you are talking about.

Nice post, Skippy.

>>705816
It was a suggestion to look at someone's videos who is doing what was mentioned in the post since.

So yeah, I don't know anything, but that youtuber does, and would be good to check out since the post ended in "can't quite figure out how to make that happen.."

>>696583
I hear people talking about how they have to repair central A/C units all the time and it can add up. Some say it's the type you get. Is central A/C worth it?

>>706401
It depends on the climate and how much area you're trying to heat/cool. Central AC units are much more expensive than window units but they are also a lot more energy efficient and tend to last 10-20 years or so. If you live in a climate where you only really need to run the air conditioner maybe 1-2 months out of the year then it might not be worth it. If you live in a hoter climate where you'll be using the A/C 6+ months out of the year and are trying to cool a 1000+ square foot house then having a central A/C unit will save you a lot of money over the years vs using 4 or 5 window units to cool the place.

A close family friend of mine grew up on a hippy bus.

Generally, it's not fun.