The Nomadic Life

[AngryScientist]

I am camping in a field near my house: hung a hammock, pitched a tent, and brought a chair.

It's cozy.

i did that a couple weeks ago with my son. we had a good time.

[guido]

My Other Car is a...Mercedes Camper Van? - The New York Times

"Harley Sitner was in the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn for a wedding in March, feeling as if he’d just been sprayed by a skunk. Mr. Sitner’s hometown, Seattle, where he owns a camper-van restoration, repair and rental business called Peace Vans, was the site of one of one of the first huge coronavirus outbreaks. “People were like, ‘Stay away,’” he recalled.

Back home, with peak road-trip season approaching, his employees reported a rush of cancellations on rental vans. Mr. Sitner had just hired a “super-awesome” marketing manager and began thinking he might have to lay her off.

School was canceled and all but the most essential businesses were ordered to shut down. Mr. Sitner was compelled to give his employees a month off, save for a skeletal crew that stuck around to perform essential services like repairs.

“We were looking at some pretty significant revenue black holes,” he said.

Then, in mid-April, the phone started ringing in the repair shop.

“People started thinking they’d have a summer, and wanted their classic Volkswagens looked at,” Mr. Sitner said."

[Too Tall]

"Van Live" as it were began a long time before this. His business is positioned well and he'll kill it but like so many things is a fad. Bottomline, there will be a metric ton of AWESOME tricked out vans for sale real soon ;)

Honestly it's great and I'm super happy people are doing this.

[ides1056]

I have been planning to head to Bishop, CA in a few weeks to meet friends to hike in the Sierra and had been in the process of turning my winter car, a 2003 Golf into a camper- big enough for one person who is not picky. My plan was to drive across, then after the week with friends head up the East side using Sierra South as a guidebook and do an assortment on hikes for a month or so. But it seems there's no way to do this on the fly now. Everything must be booked in advance versus showing up at the Ranger Station early on the day and picking up a permit. My expectation is that everything will become more restrictive as the summer progresses and having cut one cross-country journey short I am loath to have to do it again.

I'd be happy to have a basic van myself. An apartment on wheels has no appeal. As for four-by, if you need that you likely should not be there.

When the fad passes I will shop.

[robin3mj]

I keep coming back to the Benz Weekender and trying to think if it could serve as a daily driver replacement for a Sienna.
I love the idea in theory but with 3 kids, there'd be some tough compromises. And at a $40k premium to a minivan, you'd need to spend a lot of nights in it to get a good bang for the buck. You could spend $2,000 on an amazing car camping setup and put the rest in the bank.

Something nice to dream on though.

[AngryScientist]

I keep coming back to the Benz Weekender and trying to think if it could serve as a daily driver replacement for a Sienna.
I love the idea in theory but with 3 kids, there'd be some tough compromises. And at a $40k premium to a minivan, you'd need to spend a lot of nights in it to get a good bang for the buck. You could spend $2,000 on an amazing car camping setup and put the rest in the bank.

Something nice to dream on though.

with three kids, i'd say the answer is no.

what makes a camper van so attractive is that it is ready to go at a moment's notice. setting aside the fact that when you have three kids, you're rarely able to do anything at a moment's notice, if the van has to accommodate daily driver duties for a big family, it's not going to be in "camp mode" regularly, which means you will have to do a bunch of work and packing before you hit the road for a weekend out - which is what you'd have to do for car camping anyway. it's a nice thought, but i dont see it working out in an ideal fashion.

[Lionel]

A friend of mine just got one of those. Seems quite impressive !

[jmgorman]

My wife informed me on Monday that we'll be getting a Cybertruck next year so we can go camping in it. I don't believe her, but I am delighted she's thinking about such a harebrained idea - it means my "sensible alternative" might stand a chance!

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[PaMtbRider]

... As for four-by, if you need that you likely should not be there.

When the fad passes I will shop.

We have gone to events like d2r2 where you park / camp in a field. A 2wd van goes nowhere on wet grass. If your adventures never leave the pavement you will be fine. We have no interest in “off-roading” but do like to explore sometimes beyond the pavement.
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[AngryScientist]

New wheels and tires on big red there dan? looking good!

[Too Tall]

Love that van.

[deano]

Ach, that's what my big red van wishes it could be when it grows up.

[PaMtbRider]

New wheels and tires on big red there dan? looking good!

Yea, a little bit of van pimpin. I wanted a little bigger than stock, but not so much that it kills my towing.

[Too Tall]

Yea, a little bit of van pimpin. I wanted a little bigger than stock, but not so much that it kills my towing.

It needs just one more thing. Electric cutouts.

[AngryScientist]

It needs just one more thing. Electric cutouts.

oh my yes.

[PaMtbRider]

It needs just one more thing. Electric cutouts.

Electric cutouts? Do you mean auto locking hubs instead of manual? It has auto hubs. Oh wait, you mean exhaust cutouts don't you?

[SeanEasley]

Well this is a room I didn't imagine I'd have anything to contribute to, but here you go:




Went to look at this guy's '05 Hallmark Guanella LX and ended up buying the truck to go with it. Initially was looking to do a whole 'stealth' van conversion project but realized I'd only have a tricked out van to show for it and nothing I could realistically drive to work or whatever once the first of two teenage boys starts to drive this year etc, I settled on this thing. At first was apprehensive of the camper's age, but seeing it verified the outstanding condition and the fact that if stored well and maintained, they can last decades. He did a nice solar addition 5 years ago as well, and told me they had gone several days off grid without coming close to running out of power.

[SlowPokePete]

Nice...

SPP

[Too Tall]

Homerun Sean. I'm looking forward to some good times.

[skouri1]

whats the inside of that thing look like?