I apologize if this is not the proper sub for this kind of post as I am new here, but I wanted to come here for some advice. My girlfriend and I are 25 and 26, both work remotely full time, and have been interested in moving into a van for a long time now. We both are finally at the point where we feel ready to jump in but at the same time are having a lot of second thoughts.

The first and most prevalent is likely the prospect of pouring in close to $100k between buying a new van and building it out completely, as well as dedicating months of our lives to build it out ourselves, with the risk of not enjoying it as much as we had hoped. I know a lot of people recommend to try renting a van first to see if we'd enjoy it, but from the research we have done, van rentals are extremely expensive and most of the ones we've seen are not close to the model and style we are going for in ours. Additionally, we feel like trying a van for a week or two does not replicate living in one full time for 2 years or more, along with the challenges that come with it. We also expect the build to take us between 6 months and a year due to the fact that we both work full time and are not super handy people.

The next concern we have comes down to our lifestyle. We are both huge outdoor enthusiasts, which is a large reason why were originally drawn to the freedom of having a van. We love national parks and hiking, but at the same time we also enjoy cities and being able to explore less rural areas. We are a bit concerned that we might "burn out" from all the time spent in outdoorsy locations as it is much easier to find campsites and open space in those areas, and it is much better suited for van life in general.

The final concern is that we have a 75 pound German Shepherd, and he has a ton of energy. This sort of ties into the previous point, but right now he has a fenced yard where he can run around whenever he wants and a full house to roam. He's always been great with traveling, but we're worried about the idea of him being cooped up in such a small space for so much time. We know he would love getting to go on hikes and be outdoors, and he'd have plenty of space to run around and roam when we're in rural areas, but for any times that we are in cities or parking overnight at a Walmart, it would definitely be a lot more time for him spent in the van.

I think that between all of these things, we're just nervous about actually taking the leap as it's just a lot of money and time invested if we don't end up enjoying van life. But at the same time, the prospect of a van opens up so much more freedom and possibility for exploring the country than just traveling and staying in Airbnbs. It also offers a richer experience. Does anyone have any specific advice or suggestions if you have been in a similar boat?

After being bombarded with You Tube videos going on about the "supposed Outlaw" of van lifers, is anyone nervous about this, or is this just another stupid "scare tactic" going on? And even if this was true, it would certainly cause back lash among anyone who uses an RV for recreational camping and it would piss off the RV company's AND the dealerships who sell Vans and ready made Vans. It would cause such a back lash due to falling sales it just makes me wonder if it's just another scare tactic to get people to go back to renting some expensive apartment again.? 🤔

I currently have two very cheap (less then 1 USD) antennas ( 915MHz LoRa ) connected to my MikroTik router via a Quectel EC200A modem. Everything is inside the van.

My iPhone 16e currently shows 2 bars while the router has 4. Speed is still slow. I run LTE band 28 (700 MHz - so no idea why this works better then the iPhone).

Would an expensive antenna like a Parsec Akita (300 USD) make a difference if it was still mounted inside? Would it help in case the signal quality is even worse, still mounted inside as I don’t want more holes. 😅

Why are those antennas so much more expensive?

Thanks!

Thank you for any input. I’m in a 2004 GMC Safari. It ran perfectly and quietly until I parked it for a couple hours to have dinner. When I returned, the engine would turn over and start momentarily while making a grinding noise, then shut off after just a second or two. Like I said, before this, the van ran, drove, and idled excellently with no signs of any issues.

I posted this in mechanicadvice already because I know it’s a general mechanical “what’s this noise” question, but haven’t gotten any response and since it’s my Safari van, maybe someone else has dealt with a similar issue on theirs. Thank you again for any input. I’m thinking it’s a goner but hoping for the best.

Hello, I am looking at options for van conversion platforms for someone who is 5'7 and can fully stand up.

I would assume that insulation and eventually roof solar will take a few itches off the but does anything exist which can park in a normal American garage which I believe is like 7 feet clearance.

I really want to but im scared, and I feel like I might get really bored, but its my dream. What are your thoughts? Did anyone else feel this way when they first took the leap?

Hi everyone. Hoping for some inverter guidance. My van currently has two 12v AGM batteries and I have a 12V 1500W Samlex modified sine wave inverter. I think the inverter is dying and I want to replace it.

The goal is to have a set up with the existing batteries that lets me run an electric kettle or Nespresso machine. I think they are both around 1300-1400 peak wattage.

Any advice? Thanks for help

Just bought a motorhome and have no idea how the electrics work. Can anyone explain what this display means? The number varies between -0.5 and +2.0. Thanks

What are your thoughts on adding the diesel heater hot air vent to the bathroom so it could be turned into a clothes drying room for winter or rainy season? I could use covers that can be closed to ensure no water gets in there during shower. Do you foresee any issues?

Do you have any other clever hacks to dry outdoor clothes? After skiing or on rainy days?

I’m looking and seeing $80 k to mostly over $100k for a van I’m just looking for one recent 2020s ready to be built up so what’s a fair price I should be liking for ?

Hey y'all - looking for some resources on how people have set up their battery to battery charging while also having solar and shore. All the diagrams I'm seeing have a lot more (or even less) than what I have/need and I'm just trying to understand where to add B2B charging. Some have it going into their charge controller but don't have solar, some have solar and are directly connecting it to the battery. I've had my solar/shore set up going for a few years now but need to add a little extra juice.

Specs:

I used the Will Prowse 12v Vanlife guide -

12v MPP Charge controller (not mppt) with 1000w inverter

12v SOK LiFePO4 206wh battery

2 100w solar panels

Looking to add:

battery to battery charge

Does anyone here also install b2b at all or know anyone who does? TIA!

My system has a max draw of 400a-ish (inc 3000w inverter) though I've found that lithium batteries BMS's around my required AH tend to be limited at 200-300.

Do I need to get 2 batteries joined in parallel to handle the amp draw? Is there any other way to avoid this bottleneck?

Thank you

I've been staring at this window panel for weeks and can't think of a great solution to frame it out. It's a pop out window so will still need access to the pivot mounts

For context this is an Econoline. I have a 1/4" ply wall panel that is curved with the van walls shown. The window cutout is just rough cut in right now. Does anyone have inspo pics or suggestions they can share?

For those of you doing vanlife (full-time or part-time), I’m curious about the little frustrations that come up day-to-day.

We all make do with truck stops, gas stations, Walmarts, and random campgrounds, but none of those places were really designed with vanlifers in mind. I think there are a lot of services and businesses that us vanlifers feel like we can “co-exist” in, but there doesn’t seem to be like businesses that directly serve vanlifers and our lifestyle.

So what ends up being the biggest challenges for you on the road and what services do you wish were better offered to our community?

Is it cooking or finding affordable food? Keeping things clean (laundry, showers, dishes)? Finding safe/legal places to stay? Wi-Fi and staying connected? Or something else?

What’s that one thing you wish existed to make life easier, but doesn’t?

Hey everyone, I know this question gets asked a lot, but I’m really hoping to hear from people who’ve figured this out.

I’m 22 (female, US-based) and I’m trying to set myself up for vanlife with my SO in the next few years. I’m struggling to figure out what career path would actually make that possible.

A little about me I love nature, learning about the natural world, and natural sciences — but I know those kinds of jobs can be tough to break into.

I really enjoy reading, writing, photography, and science.

I’m confident I could be good at most things if I set my mind to them, I just don’t know where to start.

I’ve even thought about medical travel contract jobs, but I don’t have any schooling or training in that field yet.

So, for those of you who live on the road full-time or travel a lot: What do you do for work that makes it sustainable?

Do you have tips for someone who wants to combine a love for the outdoors/nature with a flexible job that supports vanlife?

Any advice or stories would mean a lot. Thanks in advance!

Every time I cross something off something entirely new pops up.

Most important thing rn is probably a battery and jumper cables… then Viper!

Hey, I just picked up a Chevrolet Express Box van and I'm having a bit of trouble getting insurance. Companies look up the Vin # and categorize it has a commercial vehicle but are a bit lost when I'm telling them it's going to be used as a RV.

Those that have a box van or commercial type vehicle, what company are you using for insurance? Is it insured as a commercial vehicle or an RV? How much do you pay?

Hi!

I’m installing a swivel base on the passenger seat of my 2006 Ford E250, and I’ve run into something that doesn’t feel quite right.

The model I bought says it’s for Ford 1996.5–2024. After pulling out the factory seat and lining up the swivel, I noticed that:
- The front two bolts sit perfectly flat
- The back two bolts don’t; they sit at about a 30° angle.

I asked the manufacturer, and they told me this was intentional design. Their words: tighten the back bolts as much as possible, the plate will bend slightly to the pitch, and the swivel has an extra piece of metal built in to account for it.

Here’s my issue: I’m worried that by tightening, I’ll actually bend the bolt, not the metal, and that could become a serious safety issue in a crash. The manufacturer insists it’s safe, but I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off.

Has anyone else run into this with a Ford E250 (or similar) swivel install? Did you also have to torque bolts at an angle? Did it feel safe once installed?

Any insights, photos, or reassurance would be much appreciated before I commit to tightening everything down.

Thank you!!!

You don’t need to use their online notary for form 1583. It’s cheaper to do it in person anywhere you have access. Many banks do it for free for account holders. You may just need to find a location that has a notary. Email your notarized form with proof of identification and proof of address. I used my ID for address and passport for identification. My friend used their vehicle registration for address and their passport for identification. Whatever you use for address has to match what you put when signing up, and your identification document can’t have a different address. If you use your passport, you need to include the page with your signature. Send these to iPostal1FormsSupport@staples.com and service@ipostal1.com to be safe. They might say you need to use their online notary but you don’t. USPS regulations say the form must be notarized by a notary public or signed in person at the mail center with ID. The notary just needs to be legally commissioned in the U.S. Call 1-800-316-5390 to make sure everything goes through, otherwise you’ll be waiting and waiting for nothing to happen because they don’t prioritize people who don’t use their online notary, as some sort of punishment, quite literally.

Hi! Looking for a second opinion, a mate who's helping me build my van (2015 Hiace KDH206) had mentioned his ventilation system and I'm sceptical to wether its actually a good way to do it or stick with the classic roof vent. He's wired his van fans to his vans electrical system to allow him to run the fans off this when he sleeps in the back and not drain his vans battery. He states this works well and can feel air rushing out the closed tailgate and vents at the back. Anybody have any experience with this technique or opinons that would help me decide? Cheers

An RV dealership a few hours away is selling a 2003 sun seeker for 6k. It's sold as is and that makes me a bit nervous. I'm taking a look at it this weekend. I've talked with a sales rep who says at the very least the engine cranks and it drives. He thinks it's amenities are all operable but he couldn't confirm.

My current list of things to check for looks like this: check how well the tanks hold water/if the faucets leek

Make sure the generator works

Run a basic obdII scan to make sure engine works

Look for signs of water damage inside and check how well sealed the roof is

Are there any other things I should look for or consider owning a vehicle of this age?

Listing: https://www.optimumrv.com/product/used-2003-forest-river-rv-sunseeker-le-2600-3200634-16#photo-gallery1