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Who lives in a van? Or wants to?

David Clapson said:
That's a great find, thank you! It's a lot like my plan, because I would try to wander where the warm weather is. Maybe Sicily or even the Canaries in the winter? I haven't researched this, I'm just daydreaming. But I don't want to be parked up for any length of time in the UK in the cold. On the other hand, best laid plans etc....there are bound to be times when I have to hurry 'home' to deal with life.
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God, I hear you.

I woudn't want to live in a van full time. That's definitely hard work. But I'd love to spend January to April every year out of the country, somewhere hot, travelling around in the van....
 
han said:
God, I hear you.

I woudn't want to live in a van full time. That's definitely hard work. But I'd love to spend January to April every year out of the country, somewhere hot, travelling around in the van....
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When I was pondering my exit from my marriage, one option I did consider quite carefully was heading off in the camper van. And, even though this one is quite capacious by some standards, the idea of it being the entirety of my living space didn't appeal. What it would have been like in lockdown, I can't bear to imagine...
 
han said:
God, I hear you.

I woudn't want to live in a van full time. That's definitely hard work. But I'd love to spend January to April every year out of the country, somewhere hot, travelling around in the van....
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And I'd be off on cycle-camping trips a lot, with the odd bit of hostelling and couch surfing. And perhaps similar trips on the motorbike, if I can take it with me. I wouldn't want to be in the van with my farts for months on end.

Might have to rethink the motorbike. It's too big to go on a tow bar bracket. 203 kgs. 2.2 metres long. It would be such fun though.
 
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David Clapson said:
Probably a silly question, but what are the disadvantages of getting a really big van? Like this ex -Police one? 3 litre Iveco diesel. I know what's it like driving them, have had several jobs doing it. Does the size stop you from taking it to places that smaller vans can go?
100,000 miles, £8k. 2008 Iveco Daily XLWB COMBI-CREW-CAMPER CONVERSION Van Diesel Manual | eBay

s-l1600.jpg
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It’s the headroom that reduces your options

that a helluva lot of metal
:D:eek:
 
han said:
Hi David!
Yes, but they don't tell you that it applies to vans, camper vans etc.

www.gov.uk

Specialist tests for lorries

The specialist HGV tests to carry dangerous goods, take goods outside the EU, change weight restrictions, qualify for a Low Emissions Certificate
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk

Every year I get what's called a Low Emissions Certificate, which I get from a garage I go to get the test at in Croydon. This tests the levels of pollutants in the van's exhaust, which come through the particulate filter. It's a TFL certificate.
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Is that the place off of the Purley Way?
 
David Clapson said:
And I'd be off on cycle-camping trips a lot, with the odd bit of hostelling and couch surfing. And perhaps similar trips on the motorbike, if I can take it with me. I wouldn't want to be in the van with my farts for months on end.

Might have to rethink the motorbike. It's too big to go on a tow bar bracket. 203 kgs. 2.2 metres long. It would be such fun though.
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Get a monkey bike. China do great copies now.
 
If you are serious about getting a decent van you should have a look at this lot, bought my last van from them or alternative big auctions

www.auctioneers.co.uk

Merthyr Motor Auctions - The Largest Direct Fleet Auction in the UK

You'll be spoilt for choice with over a 1,000 one owner Cars, Vans, 4x4's, Pickups, Crew Vans, Tippers, Dropsides, Minibuses, Lutons, Disabled Access PTS Buses, Ambulances, Fridge / Freezer Vans for Auction to the Highest Sensible Bidder
www.auctioneers.co.uk www.auctioneers.co.uk

It’s wholesale buying rather than buying off some one who has sourced his vans from auction and chucked 5k on the price

Lots of low mileage well looked after fleet disposals

to get the best look around the site you need to register which is no drama

they really plow through the sales and there are some absolutely stonking bargains once you factor in auction fees
 
I lived in a VW hightop for about 6 months with my boyfriend at the time when I was 18 and it was great in many ways and not great in others. We got broken into in Amsterdam whilst out on NYE and broke down all over the place. I went everywhere in that van - all over Europe, all the festivals. It was a LOT of fun but a pile of mechanical shit. It will/would be 45 years old now if it's still around.

I have another (very new) van now and we've not done more than 2 weeks in it - 4 of us and a large dog and it's just a SWB Renault Trafic. I do love it, but I'd also quite like a much bigger van as it is definitely "cosy". Thing is, with our small and unobtrusive van we have managed to camp all sorts of places without drawing attention to ourselves - woodland/seaside carparks etc - it's very versatile. Also as it's a pop up we can fit under most barriers. With a larger van we'd be much more limited. On the odd occasion when we've left the kids somewhere it's been perfect for two though and if I were alone, it would be excellent.

Anyway - in short - I'd totally live in a van again. Our "plan" for retirement (well one of them, but our favourite) is to maybe rent out our house and try a canal boat. We'll probably both still have to work a bit to support ourselves but we reckon we could manage that with a houseboat and some bikes.
 
existentialist said:
It's coming to live in Laugharne! Probably in the church car park, until I can organise more secure storage (some obliging farmer's yard, for example). It has an electrical (leisure end) problem since some welding work was done, and I want to fit a solar panel and charge controller to keep the leisure battery topped up, and I have all the bits to put a heat exchanger into the engine bay so as to heat my hot water with waste engine heat, so that'll need doing too.

It's bonkers, really - for all its size, it's a 2-berth, and that's a double, so I am somewhat restricted in my choice of camping companions. My neighbour's just got a bongo, and I made all the right appreciative noises, but was thinking "nah, bit too spartan for me..." :D He loves it, though, but then he's 30, not 57.
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I initially looked for a van which had two separate sleeping areas, so that I could bring a friend and not have to sleep with them. (This was the plan with the Bongo, but there was only room in the roof for a 6 year old and no use for geriatrics who need to go the loo at night.) But I was effectively looking for a 4 berth which is too big really. Then I realised that none of my friends wanted to come with me anyway, so I'm back looking for one person comfort.
 
existentialist said:
It's not just that. On the 7.1 metre (XLB) models, there is a shitload of overhang past the rear axle - sideswiping stuff in a tightish turn is a very real possibility.
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XLWB seem like absolute cathedrals/warehouses inside.
my preference is for minimal fixtures and smaller vans.
An XLWB is just asking for the metaphorical kitchen sink to be thrown in it

My last three vans were insulated, plywooded out and spray glue carpeted on walls and ceiling with a rubber floor. Either a bench bed or a foldable camp bed with decent memoryfoam mattress

if I needed any fixtures I could just screw in to the plywood lining

I’m probably not really best example for van life set up experience:D
 
Where do you get measured floor and wall plans so you can mess about with layouts? I don't want to go mad with Adobe, just a back of the envelope idea. But I need to know door widths, wheel arch intrusion etc. I want to try a motorbike garage in a 1st generation Alphard, 2002-2008. Google hasn't found much. I was hoping that the van life community would have this sort of thing in obsessive detail.

Eta: these are the best I've found. I reckon they'll do for a start.

alphard1.gif
alphard2.png
 
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I lived in an old ambulance in the woods for two years as a youth, and I couldn't even drive :D Had to get a mate to shift the thing for me. Had a job in town at a pub where I could get showers and a very cosy woodburner I could run off what I picked up on my way home from work. Pretty happy couple of years though you had to get the burner going in the summer even to keep out the damp.
 
David Clapson said:
She's a bit odd. Treats me like a mother. If I'm carrying her she'll go anywhere. Very relaxed on the bus and tube. Or in cafes. Or parks and open spaces away from home. If I'm there and there's some means of hiding from dogs she'll take herself for a walk and stay within 30 yards of me.
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I want one!
 
mod said:
I want one!
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A lot of people do! She always follows me on walks, like a dog. She comes when I call her. Wants to be with me most of the time. Although she does ask to go out on her own if I don't go out often enough for her. She tries to spoon me at night but she can't work out how to do it very well. Apparently her mother died when she was very young. She was born in Brixton Foods, next to Franco Manca. Then she had to fend for herself in the market. Nobody looked after her. One day when she was about 8 months old she caught my eye and decided I should replace her mother. She was very insistent about it. I carried her home and she's been happy as Larry ever since. She's 7 years old now, and shows no sign of growing up. She's even more affectionate than before, I think because we understand each other better and communicate very well. She's very sensitive, and feels more secure if she knows she's complying with the house rules. Doesn't like it if I'm cross with her. Also just like a dog. But she can't be bothered with other people. Not interested in having any friends. Hates all animals, except for the local foxes. She actually touched noses with one once. That's the only time I've ever seen her be nice to another creature.
 
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