My Home, My Van

When I first got my Aerostar, I wasn't planning to live in it. It was going to my mini RV, a portable pup-tent. You know, something to go camping for the weekend, and for extended road trips. Little did I know! While up in Whistler, a couple of years back, vandwelling was the thing to do, so 'Aero' became my home.

Most vandwellers usually find a mini-van too small for their needs, but, I have adapted to the compact space. I would define my home on wheels, as a mobile sleeping pod, with adequate storage. I don't cook food in the van; I tailgate and picnic in public parks. I don't wash up in the van; I shower and shave at a convenient rec centre. Working full-time and taking off on the weekends, I don't really hang out in my van, more kinda around it. During the midweek evenings, I'm either visiting friends, going to the gym, library, cheap night at the movies, the pub, and so on. On the weekends, I usually visit my folks, or friends, specially Dave's cabin in Whistler, or jam at Eric's studio in Sooke.

I really only stealth sleep or drive around in the van. The weather here is very temperate, so it doesn't really get cold in the winter (usual lows, 4 degrees C or 39 degrees F), or very hot in the summer (usual highs, 27 degrees C or 77 degrees F). So, it's mellow, no real extremes. This allows me to live comfortably, out of doors most of the time, which a mini-van will force you to do. My mini-van parks easily on congested city streets.

If I lived in a colder climate or wanted more of a compact bed-sitting space, I would definitely go with a nicely setup, full size van. Most vandwellers seem to choose a full size van. When I move to the next city, which is less congested, I'm gonna be thinking a lot about up scaling to a Ford E-series van, for example. You could hang out more comfortably inside, have more storage, etc. We are all different folks with varying routines, wants, needs, and climate, so what works for me, will be different for you. Camper vans, motor homes and cube vans, aren't a option for me. I want reasonable fuel economy, and for me, the ability to stealth park is too limited with these vehicles. However, if I was mostly out in the countryside, they could be an excellent option.

When buying a vehicle, leftover lifespan, mechanical condition, and affordability are prime considerations. I like buying vehicles with less than 100,000 miles, which have been maintained well, and are cheap as possible. I bought my Aerostar for $1,500, with 76K on the odometer, plus spent a extra grand for some glass work, brakes, tuneup and new battery. Vans make an expensive lawn ornament, and the urban parking nazis don't like vehicles that are stationary. I always keep my vehicle it top mechanical condition, for safety and reliability. The Aerostar is still a very common vehicle; new and used parts are readily available, and a lot of mechanics are familiar with them. Also, my 'Aero' gets around 20% better fuel economy than a full size van.

Take your time before you spend your hard earned cash. It took me some searching to find out what I wanted, and get a good deal. Read the forum on Vandwellers Yahoo Group, check out my links to Vandweller's Den, CheapRVLiving, Hobo Stripper & CarLiving, for wise and sage advice by experienced vanners. Talk to trustworthy mechanics and experienced couriers. They'll tell you what's good, and which vehicles to avoid.

Happy Trails!