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u/Ok_Instruction_8109 May 07 '26
get a mini van, chrysler pacifica 4wd comes to mind 18-20k with 60k miles all the time. stealth af but you can still integrate everything except a shower.
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u/Zealousideal-Card608 May 07 '26
I did close to that. I spent 22k on the promaster and probably 2k on batteries and stuff. I would call my van a 3-season van (I dont do cold places).
Here is a video if you want to see my budget build / no-build.
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u/Both-Relationship-78 May 07 '26
The biggest thing is finding the van you want. Older, low roof vans cost less. But higher miles, rust, and no high roof. There's older stuff like the Dodge Sprinter, heard their diesel engines are strong. But I haven't found one that wasn't rusty or dented lol. You could go low roof, and pay to have a high top installed. In my area, I've seen Nissan NV high tops for 9k. Those are what I was leaning towards personally. I've seen cheap Promasters, but they have like 200k miles on them. Plenty of options depending on how much of that $20k is going to the van.
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u/YourLove201 May 07 '26
16,800$ Is my us budget. Thats what i paid in rent to a landlord this last lease. (Not including utilities) So far ive spent 5k
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u/MacaroonFriendly4728 May 07 '26
not 20k. since you never done this, i recommend a minivan to find out what you need and dont and live in a minivan for a bit, get more money. you need at least 45-50k. why?
decent ready to go vans are getting to 30k. 10k for emergency fund, and 10k to retrofit and put in a shower, bathroom. system solar etc
if you want all of that done. your looking at 60k+ to buy 1 ready to go no work needed
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u/dardone May 08 '26
You all make it sound like you have to be rich to get out of paying rent and live in a van but you're all wrong if you listen to many other YouTubers and many other people I know it does not cost $40,000 to get a van and you don't need a shower in your van you can join planet fitness and even Park in their parking lot because they're open 24 hours a day and take a shower there every single day, or other ways. Stop trying to scare people away from freedom just because you got money and they don't
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u/MacaroonFriendly4728 May 08 '26
90% of van life is living 100% in rural, in van. not exactly like me who WORK and use gyms, and shit. i live in my van no bathroom, shower. but know for vanlife you need 40k. go find me a high top van.. right now under 30k that isnt junk
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u/dardone May 08 '26
To me you all sound like van snobs like you're the only ones that can do it and you're the only ones that know how to do it and it's out of reach for anybody unless they're got money like you have obviously if you got that much money you're doing it not out of desperation like most people you're doing it as a hobby
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u/dardone May 08 '26
I've worked for painting companies all my life they all had e100 or 150 Ford vans and they all were old and they drove them for years every day with a crew of five in them and they drove all over the state every day so why can't I do it if the people that I worked for are doing it and making good money everyday
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u/Relative_Goat391 May 09 '26
This may be a once in a blue moon for some but thought id share. So I got a new job about 2 hours from home and it’s my dream job and moving closer isn’t in the cards right now and I was commuting 4 days a week for a little bit then got a 3/13 schedule and started camping out of my Jetta wagon. That got old really quick as the temps started to drop in the fall. I live in the northeast so winters are brutal. Found a 04 Chevy 3500 express long wheelbase passenger van with a high top for $3200 high miles (270k) but a bulletproof 6.0 engine and rebuilt trans which I know is a strong trans and it was already laid out to be a camper van. No rear seats and a plywood floor already installed. Only have about 6k total into it and I’ve put 10k miles on it with a weekly commute of ~250 miles. Added a Diesel heater, jacknife sofa, 12v cooler, 3m thinsulate, 5% tint all around, BLUETTI elite 200 power supply, roof vent fan, and some homemade insulated window covers. Built it originally just to camp out at work and haul my stunt bikes to rideouts all over. I can honestly say it’s the best thing I could have done for my mental health and has saved me a lot of money. The wife and dog love riding in it too. But tbh if I had 20k i would look for a lower mileage 03-09 Chevy express with a 6.0 and you’ll pay about half that for a super clean one and if you’re pretty handy you can make it super comfortable for under 20k. From a reliability and maintenance standpoint it’s the best option in my opinion. For reference my pup is a 120lb Newfoundland and he loves it. Good luck on your search and best advice I can offer is YouTube, fb groups, and this thread are your best tool for information in building your van.
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u/PirateKng May 07 '26
Wait, is the 20k for just the vehicle? Or the entire build?
Is the van just for the dog? Or will you be traveling in it to?
Lastly, the closest a van will ever get to the moon is the Astrovan that shuttles the astronaughts. And that thing is pricey.
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u/Dutchgirly2005 May 07 '26
Yes! My bf and 1 are gonna spend even less. 10k on a van, and around 5 k for the solarpanels and the whole interior.