Who lives in a van? Or wants to?

[Chilli.s]

Going on holiday in a van is all fine and dandy, but living in one is more dirt and smelly. Searching for parking big enough and quiet enough. Bags of rubbish and worse to dispose of. Emptying out bikes, surfboards, wet sails, waterproofs and wetsuits before bedtime. Woken up by irate popo or landowners to move on. Ah... fond memories

 

[A380]

Doesn't it make it easier and cheaper to fit electrically powered stuff? I read somewhere that it comes with 110 volt sockets, and sometimes a fridge.

I doubt the power train battery has any connection to the vehicle. Most /all hybrid cars have a completely separate 12v system including a ‘normal’ car battery...

 

[Saul Goodman]

I doubt the power train battery has any connection to the vehicle. Most /all hybrid cars have a completely separate 12v system including a ‘normal’ car battery...

It would be a massive oversight to not utilise the power train batteries to power other things.

 

[David Clapson]

The most persuasive Alphard info source I've found is here: Toyota Alphard Review - Andrew's Japanese Cars

It seems the typical UK owner's mpg is 25 for the V6 3 litre, 5 mpg more for the 2.4 litre and another 5 for the 2.4l hybrid. Not great, but it weighs 2 tons and has poor aerodynamics.

4WD is an option with the hybrid. It's normally front wheel drive and has Toyota's 'E-Four' gubbins which apparently monitors brake pressure and switches on the rear wheel drive automatically. (Presumably it monitors other things too?) I don't know whether you can select 4WD manually. The rear wheels are driven by one of the electric motors, so you don't get the weight and drag penalty you'd have from the transfer case and driveshaft of a non-hybrid 4WD.

The 1st gen hybrid, the AH10, was thought of as unreliable (for a Toyota) in Japan. The 2nd gen AH20, from May 2008, was OK.

LPG conversion is popular. Supposedly it takes about 30,000 miles to pay for itself. You don't lose any space because the tank goes underneath.

The stereo head unit has to be replaced if you want a radio with British frequencies.

An English translation of the paper manual costs £20.

 

[A380]

It would be a massive oversight to not utilise the power train batteries to power other things.

Maybe. But that’s how they do it at the moment. I think the Prius for example runs the drive battery about 200vs. I guess in time people will do other things with that energy.

 

[kalidarkone]

What a fucking dick! and his twatty mate
Not helping the party scene at all with that self centred shite

Well he is only 18........

 

[Saul Goodman]

It's looking like this is going to be my home for a while.

 

[Sweet FA]

Well that could be excellent or shite. Where? When? Why? For how long?

Does that have a room that slides out?

Is it warm and dry?

 

[bellaozzydog]

It's looking like this is going to be my home for a while.

View attachment 254581

You got your bulk source of methylamine sorted ?

 

[Saul Goodman]

Well that could be excellent or shite. Where? When? Why? For how long?

Does that have a room that slides out?

Is it warm and dry?

Ireland. End of April. My landlord is moving back into the house I'm renting, and I'm going to be out on my ear until I find a place.
There are no slidey out bits but it's 30 foot long and plenty wide enough. It sleeps 8 and has a diesel heater fitted, so it will be plenty warm, and there's a big TV and 240V inverter, fridge, etc, so it could be worse.

 

[Sweet FA]

Ireland. End of April. My landlord is moving back into the house I'm renting, and I'm going to be out on my ear until I find a place.
There are no slidey out bits but it's 30 foot long and plenty wide enough. It sleeps 8 and has a diesel heater fitted, so it will be plenty warm, and there's a big TV and 240V inverter, fridge, etc, so it could be worse.

Could be pretty sound then. Are you going to tour a bit or plug in somewhere?

 

[Saul Goodman]

Could be pretty sound then. Are you going to tour a bit or plug in somewhere?

If/when it happens, it'll most likely be a case of park somewhere nice until I'm forcefully removed, rinse and repeat.

 

[nogojones]

Ireland. End of April. My landlord is moving back into the house I'm renting, and I'm going to be out on my ear until I find a place.
There are no slidey out bits but it's 30 foot long and plenty wide enough. It sleeps 8 and has a diesel heater fitted, so it will be plenty warm, and there's a big TV and 240V inverter, fridge, etc, so it could be worse.

I might be remembering wrong, but will you be sharing with 100 cats?

 

[Saul Goodman]

I might be remembering wrong, but will you be sharing with 100 cats?

No, only 8... or is it 9...

 

[nogojones]

No, only 8... or is it 9...

Almost a bed each then

 

[Saul Goodman]

Almost a bed each then

They all fit on my super kingsize bed now, it'll be grand

 

[Idaho]

The most persuasive Alphard info source I've found is here: Toyota Alphard Review - Andrew's Japanese Cars

It seems the typical UK owner's mpg is 25 for the V6 3 litre, 5 mpg more for the 2.4 litre and another 5 for the 2.4l hybrid. Not great, but it weighs 2 tons and has poor aerodynamics.

4WD is an option with the hybrid. It's normally front wheel drive and has Toyota's 'E-Four' gubbins which apparently monitors brake pressure and switches on the rear wheel drive automatically. (Presumably it monitors other things too?) I don't know whether you can select 4WD manually. The rear wheels are driven by one of the electric motors, so you don't get the weight and drag penalty you'd have from the transfer case and driveshaft of a non-hybrid 4WD.

The 1st gen hybrid, the AH10, was thought of as unreliable (for a Toyota) in Japan. The 2nd gen AH20, from May 2008, was OK.

LPG conversion is popular. Supposedly it takes about 30,000 miles to pay for itself. You don't lose any space because the tank goes underneath.

The stereo head unit has to be replaced if you want a radio with British frequencies.

An English translation of the paper manual costs £20.

They are very comfy, very grand things to drive. I always stick 95ron petrol in it... Although that site says it's meant to get 97ron

 

[Bwark]

I might be remembering wrong, but will you be sharing with 100 cats?

And your dog and girlfriend? I think I remember you saying you had both?

Well that could be excellent or shite. Where? When? Why? For how long?

Does that have a room that slides out?

Is it warm and dry?

Sounds a bit crowded I'm sure there must be a suitable house out there for you

 

[Bwark]

Ireland. End of April. My landlord is moving back into the house I'm renting, and I'm going to be out on my ear until I find a place.
There are no slidey out bits but it's 30 foot long and plenty wide enough. It sleeps 8 and has a diesel heater fitted, so it will be plenty warm, and there's a big TV and 240V inverter, fridge, etc, so it could be worse.

Feel really good that you have an option, there are so many that have no options aside from a tent on the side of the Thames. Let us know what happens, homelessness is no joke

 

[David Clapson]

Ten grand gets you a 2016 Euro 6 Transit with 100,000 miles on the clock. For the same money you could have this 25,000 mile German fire engine. Pre '81, so ULEZ and tax exempt. And if you remove the pump, roof rack and blue lights it's small enough for a Lambeth residents permit

 

[BigMoaner]

Couple of years ago now took a breather on the bike in late evening to discover the car park wasn't empty, some bloke had his transit van door open and was doing a brew up on his camping stove while sitting on his mattress.

Is there a euphemism in there somewhere?

 

[Boudicca]

Ten grand gets you a 2016 Euro 6 Transit with 100,000 miles on the clock. For the same money you could have this 25,000 mile German fire engine. Pre '81, so ULEZ and tax exempt. And if you remove the pump, roof rack and blue lights it's small enough for a Lambeth residents permit

Yes, I have a hankering after this Mercedes. The old ones just look so much nicer than all the white square boxes.

 

[Part 2]

This might interest you David Clapson

 

[David Clapson]

The big/old rigs are so seductive...

1978 Mercedes 206d diesel camper DEPOSIT TAKEN For Sale | Car and Classic

1978 Mercedes 206d diesel camper DEPOSIT TAKEN For Sale

www.carandclassic.co.uk

1976 Rare Mercedes Campervan - ready for holidays now! For Sale | Car and Classic

1976 Rare Mercedes Campervan - ready for holidays now! For Sale

www.carandclassic.co.uk

But wouldn't they be a nightmare in due course...unless you can swap in a modern engine? I don't want to drag a Euro 1 or 2 diesel around. One of my reasons for escaping London is the air pollution. I don't want to go to a pretty little village in France or wherever and inflict a dose of London on the inhabitants.

And if my van has a ten year life I might find that future legislation prevents me from going to more and more places in it. So I'll go the clean way, get something modern, convert it to LPG and use bioLPG when possible. It seems bioLPG will probably become more widespread...it's the only way for HGVs to cut their emissions, as they would need such heavy batteries as to make electric power unworkable.

Also, I prefer wild camping to camp sites. Something small and inconspicuous with 4WD seems better than a giant glowing 2WD Happy Bus.

OTOH...will vintage vans always have exemptions from legislation? And win over the locals with their charm and beauty?

 

[A380]

Ten grand gets you a 2016 Euro 6 Transit with 100,000 miles on the clock. For the same money you could have this 25,000 mile German fire engine. Pre '81, so ULEZ and tax exempt. And if you remove the pump, roof rack and blue lights it's small enough for a Lambeth residents permit

The Spanish used similar small pumps configured for two firefighter operation.

the seats were labelled Hose B and Jose...

Is that my taxi...

 

[hypernormalized]

I've driven around a decent amount of Europe and lived in a car for short periods. I'd love to have a van but ULEZ is going to mess with that idea fairly soon.

Then again, I suppose if you only pay it when you move the van within the zone it might not end up being that bad...?

12.50 a day, sure it's a bit annoying, but it'd take 160 days to eat up 2k in depreciation. It's not like I'd be going camping in SE24.

 

[not-bono-ever]

My neighbours just stick a car cover over their non ulez wrecks. The area is parking permit but it’s all done by wardens in a scrotum smart car with camera , so never actually catch the number plate

 

[hypernormalized]

My neighbours just stick a car cover over their non ulez wrecks. The area is parking permit but it’s all done by wardens in a scrotum smart car with camera , so never actually catch the number plate

So do you have to pay even if it's just sat there? I thought just like the C-charge it's free if you don't move for a day? Bloody hell.

 

[not-bono-ever]

With ULEZ there will be cameras on the roads so you might be able to keep it on the street as long as you don’t drive

 

[existentialist]

So do you have to pay even if it's just sat there? I thought just like the C-charge it's free if you don't move for a day? Bloody hell.

Excellent choice of icon, there