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Old 09-10-2016, 06:19 PM   #21
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I'll admit I skipped through the video, but what I saw didn't impress me.
You seriously have to think, since these vans at that age sell for 32K -> 48K , what is the value of all the stuff he added, and how well was it done.
Since it looks like it would take a person about a year to add this stuff on (unless it's the 4th one he has done) that means he used it for a year and is now dumping it.
Why ??
What is wrong with it that he is going to get rid of it ?

Maybe he says something in the video about this and I didn't see it, but if he gave the reason he is buying something bigger, then perhaps you should consider that also.
He said he was selling it because he's building a house. He didn't specify but I assume he needs the extra money for the house.
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Old 09-10-2016, 06:25 PM   #22
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Maybe he says something in the video about this and I didn't see it, but if he gave the reason he is buying something bigger, then perhaps you should consider that also.
I wouldn't want anything bigger. At least not longer. I'm already wondering how i'd park a 21ft long vehicle at a library or a McDonald's. A lot of parking lots don't have back to back spots where you can just use both of them.
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Old 09-10-2016, 06:28 PM   #23
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I spent less than 2 minutes looking at diff parts of the video... when I saw the generator INSIDE the van I passed...
I doubt i'd even need the generator. With the solar panels, he said you can run the frig indefinitely in addition to charging cellphone and using lights. The only problem is if it's cloudy for several days in a row.
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Old 09-10-2016, 07:01 PM   #24
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I doubt i'd even need the generator. With the solar panels, he said you can run the frig indefinitely in addition to charging cellphone and using lights. The only problem is if it's cloudy for several days in a row.
Like a Michigan winter?
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Old 09-10-2016, 07:04 PM   #25
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Like a Michigan winter?
I would have a house on wheels, why would I go to a place like Michigan in the winter?
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Old 09-10-2016, 07:38 PM   #26
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I would have a house on wheels, why would I go to a place like Michigan in the winter?
I guess it's Wisconsin where you're at, not Michigan, but yeah, with a house on wheels you can go wherever, if your contract work gives you flexibility.
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Old 09-10-2016, 08:05 PM   #27
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The nicer Class B's are relatively expensive units, and they're more for touring and occasional camping than a vehicle used to live in every night.

Someone took a work van in this case and did a added all the RV items. And it looks almost like an amateur job. A 1 ton van, as is too heavy duty for light RV usage.

I used to have a Class B--Ford high top conversion that was out of a first rate 3rd party converter. The chassis was built for RV usage, and even the wiring harness matched up with the conversion company's wiring harness. With a gas engine, I averaged 14 mpg on the open road. I would think it weighed 8000 lbs. total.

Being single and wanting to travel, you're in a predicament. You might want to hit every RV dealership within 200 miles of you. Surely there's something that'll meet your needs, but it's not a Class B. I have no idea what to suggest as I'm spoiled to a 36' fifth wheel with 4 slides.
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Old 09-10-2016, 08:20 PM   #28
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You won't be able to run the roof A/C unit with those solar panels. If you don't have a plug in, then you will need the generator.
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Old 09-10-2016, 08:30 PM   #29
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You won't be able to run the roof A/C unit with those solar panels. If you don't have a plug in, then you will need the generator.
The solar panels will run the fan. The fan combined with the window awning gives good air flow which should be fine for sleeping at night since I wouldn't be in really hot locations in the winter.

I probably won't buy it but not because it wouldn't work for me. If I don't buy it it's because of the cost. Then again I wouldn't be paying $600/mo for rent so that's over $7000/yr I would save. I'm still considering it.
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Old 09-10-2016, 11:01 PM   #30
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Yikes! $45000!

Any way you could buy a van of some sort and deck it out with the stuff you need? I'm thinking used Toyota Sienna for $8000 or so (6 months ago we spent $8200 on a 2009 with 112000 miles on it). You could fit a top quality twin mattress in there and still have room on one side. With proper shelving you could have storage space under the bed frame. I bet you could find someone to rig it up for you including a/c, solar, basic kitchen, etc for much less than $30000. And a minivan would be way more stealthy than a sprinter van.

+1 on the suggestion to rent something like this before dropping $45k. Borrow a friends van/minivan or rent a construction van and throw an air mattress in there and try it out for a few nights.
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Old 09-10-2016, 11:01 PM   #31
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How about this idea
And I don't mean this exact one, but a pickup with camper on it. It's flexible as you can take off the camper part and just use the pickup if the situation changes, and as long as you got a 3/4 ton pickup (ex ford 250 , not 150) then you would have the ability to change to towing a trailer if you wanted.


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Old 09-10-2016, 11:05 PM   #32
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I wouldn't want anything bigger. At least not longer. I'm already wondering how i'd park a 21ft long vehicle at a library or a McDonald's. A lot of parking lots don't have back to back spots where you can just use both of them.
You could park on the street if you couldn't find a grocery store or something within walking distance, if Mcd or library lots are too small.

All the Mcd's I stop at when on the freeway have huge parking lots.

Are you thinking you could stealth camp in the library or Mcd's parking lot ? I don't think that will work out well.
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Old 09-10-2016, 11:08 PM   #33
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So you get contracts, aren't these in a city, its pretty hard to find some really long term or even 2 months spot to park (unless you just rent a driveway spot).
I once considered parking a camper at the work parking lot, but the cooking outside, brushing your teeth, showering all presented issues.
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Old 09-11-2016, 07:46 AM   #34
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Yikes! $45000!

Any way you could buy a van of some sort and deck it out with the stuff you need? I'm thinking used Toyota Sienna for $8000 or so (6 months ago we spent $8200 on a 2009 with 112000 miles on it). You could fit a top quality twin mattress in there and still have room on one side. With proper shelving you could have storage space under the bed frame. I bet you could find someone to rig it up for you including a/c, solar, basic kitchen, etc for much less than $30000. And a minivan would be way more stealthy than a sprinter van.

+1 on the suggestion to rent something like this before dropping $45k. Borrow a friends van/minivan or rent a construction van and throw an air mattress in there and try it out for a few nights.
A Sienna might be an option if I was 5'6" but i'm 6'6" so I doubt it would work. I may look into it though.
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Old 09-11-2016, 08:34 AM   #35
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I have a Sienna, and when you take out the middle seats and fold down the rear ones, it makes a bed space about 8 ft long.
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Old 09-11-2016, 08:43 AM   #36
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A Sienna might be an option if I was 5'6" but i'm 6'6" so I doubt it would work. I may look into it though.
Pretty sure you can lay a 4x8' sheet of plywood in there, so I think it would work.

The headroom might be an issue if you put the bed on a platform to create storage space underneath, so YMMV. It's certainly no full height sprinter van though. There might also be some kind of aftermarket mods you can buy that will convert the front passenger seat into a captain's seat that you can rotate toward the rear and use as a recliner/comfy chair.
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Old 09-11-2016, 09:55 AM   #37
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The sprinter itself with 39000 miles is probably worth $35k.

So the question is the stuff he added worth $10k? The DC compressor fridge is over $1000. He went with cheap solar, not worth much. The magnum pure sine inverter he used is about $1000. Awning is $500. A/C is $500 to $1000. Furnace is about $300.

It does add up. Then you have the labor to correctly install everything (assuming he did a good job). It might be worth $45k, but if you offered $40k and got it you would be getting a super deal considering you could sell the van itself stripped down for $35k if you didn't end up liking it.

We can run our compressor refrig and air conditioner off of pure solar, but we have 1100 watts and only a 6000 BTU A/C. 200 watts doesn't even seem like enough to keep up with the fridge...ours uses about 600 watt-hr per 24 hour (but it is 9.1cu-ft)
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Old 09-11-2016, 10:54 AM   #38
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I'd value that rig by looking up the van on KBB plus add in 1/2 of what the guy paid for the AC, awning, etc. Also, talk to your insurance company. Years ago Mine would not insure a customized van that had a previous owner added a furnace.
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Old 09-11-2016, 11:35 AM   #39
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I had a former coworker that lived part time in the work parking lot (stealth - management would *not* have approved) and part time down by the beach, on the street. She had a roadtrek that was built on a dodge ram van. It had AC, kitchen. She showered in the workplace gym or one of the 2 gyms she had memberships for. She had a dog -so on hot days she had to run the generator for the AC for her pooch.

For her it was a way to afford her triathalon lifestyle/training. (She was very hard core)... She was underpaid because our corporate overlords were taking advantage of her green card limbo and significantly underpaying her. (Filed for, approved... but waiting for 2 years on final processing by the government.)

Most coworkers didn't know she was living in her roadtrek... But it gave her the cash flow she needed to afford training and travel for her iron man competitions.
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Old 09-11-2016, 12:07 PM   #40
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You can find a lot of RVs for sale at RVTrader.com: RV Sales - Class A, B, C Motorhomes, Travel Trailers, & Pop Up Camper RVs For Sale although the one you are looking at is not going to be found. You can find similar one to give an idea for comparison.

I would consider the size for a whole year, you may want larger than a class B. Ultimately it is your choice. Also be wary of the stealth camping, it is not always so easy due to city ordinances. It is also nice to be in a campground with electrical and water at your site. Although your example case the water is not really an issue.
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