02/17/2025
WHICH VEHICLE SHOULD YOU BUY FOR VAN LIFE?
“There are more considerations than you might think!”
28-minute YouTube Video with Bob Wells of CheapRVLiving and Brian Gifford
Brian has been on the road for 14 years “and in the entire time I've mostly been in my 23’ Class C Motor Home. It's a late model 1977 but I've also spent plenty of time in my car with a tent and in a van and in a trailer.”
Bob explains “Brian is much more of an expert on RVs because I've never lived in an RV. I've been in a lot of different vehicles, I've been in a box van, a van, a pickup, a cargo trailer - so I've been in a few things. Between us we've got a really sound basis to discuss these things.”
They go topic by topic, comparing experiences and weighing pros and cons.
LIVING IN A CAR
Brian says “I've taken my Ford Festiva and my Geo Tracker down to Mexico for two months at a time and I'm sleeping in a tent on the beach, setting up an outdoor kitchen – so I have had a lot of experience with that.”
They’re nimble, gas mileage is amazing, “you can zip around anywhere you want, you don't have to worry about it.”
“The other thing is that most of us already own a car, so the entry point into getting into a car is very cheap because you probably already own one.”
Downsides – “Space and some other things.”
Bob adds “Zero comfort! A car itself is not very comfortable, but a car and a good tent can be amazing.
LIVING IN AN SUV
Brian’s living in a Tracker; “It’s a very teeny tiny SUV.”
Bob says “A Jeep is an SUV essentially and that will take you deep into the back country and give you zero comfort.” But you could eventually move up to something like a Suburban or Expedition ‘which would grant a surprising amount of comfort and a surprising amount of back-country-ability but really poor gas mileage.’
Brian: “You can set up a bed inside of them, you have enough room for storage. Some of the conveniences – you can drop the tailgate, do your cooking there, so it can be very easy to do and it really opens it up. It is definitely a step up from just being in a car.”
Bob: “Absolutely. And to my mind it's a big step and it finds a much better balance than a car of back-road-ability and freedom… except you're going to get poor gas mileage.”
MINIVANS
Neither of them have much experience with minivans – but they hear from others who say they enjoy more room, more comfort. Brian adds “You can still get into them pretty cheap.”
On the downside, Bob explains; “One of the big things to consider is when the weather's good, it's not too bad being inside a rig; but when the weather's bad … you're stuck inside your rig. I would rather be stuck inside a minivan than any car or even most SUVs.”
VANS AND HIGH TOP VANS
Brian spent a month in a van and came away knowing what he’d need in a future vehicle. He has to be able to stand up, wants refrigeration and a restroom.
“If you're going to go with a van, I really think the high top is the way to go.” There are some negatives, but “there are a lot of positives.”
Bob lived in a van. He says he got used to it.
He also had “a lot of high top rigs; my ambulance is a high top now and it is infinitely better.”
He put a high top on one of his vans and says “It was expensive, but boy was it worth it.” He suggests “If you have the money, you can buy a good reliable van and then put a high top on it.”
He also likes the new Transit Pro Masters. “You can get them with a high top from the factory and they are very comfortable.”
TRUCKS WITH SHELLS OR SLIDE-IN-CAMPERS
Bob says he knows “a lot of people that live in pickups with shells and some of them just absolutely love it… What I would consider the best is a four wheel drive pickup with a high shell so I could almost stand up. I had one of those once and I do kind of look at it as the best balance for me.”
Regarding the shell - Bob warns “The big-huge 800 lb. gorilla in the room is, with the shell … most of us have to get out and walk around to get in.” That can be a safety issue.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES
Bob’s currently living in a commercial vehicle - an ambulance. Another was a box van that was being used as a delivery van. He loved living in both – “so there’s two examples of commercial vehicles I have lived in.”
Brian says “The cool thing about those is that they're usually square, so they're a lot easier to build out. The planning, the construction of them is so easier and they have a lot of the things you already need.”
They discuss ‘schoolies” and shuttle buses.
Brian says “A school bus is more of a specialty item.”
Bob warns he might make some mad by saying “I don’t recommend schoolies at all. I have known a lot of people with schoolies who have just poured money into them… They will break down, you will be doing repairs.” He discusses the issues involved with working with different types of vehicles and recommends people "stay away from any commercial vehicle that has a commercial drivetrain.”
TRAILERS
Brian has experience with these.
“Compared to vans, the next transition for me would be adding a trailer to that truck. I've lived a couple months in a trailer at a time and I have to say – to me - that might be the ideal situation.”
He explains why. “If the truck engine goes bad, I keep my home. My trailer stays the same, I just get a different tow vehicle… Plus, with the truck, you’re more nimble. You can drop the trailer, go into town, go to the back country, go to trail heads. You have so many options with that truck/trailer combination that I think that’s a good option for some people.”
But it has no stealth factor.
Bob suggests a cargo trailer. “You can park that in a commercial district. A truck and cargo trailer looks just fine, might be one of the better stealths you can do.” Bob goes into some detail based on personal experience.
MOTOR HOMES
Brian assures “They're all going to have that basic sense of comfort, that you're going to have running water… It’s like living in a home with a furnace; the positive of it is that you do have the creature comforts of living in a home, it’s almost identical. I consider it my studio apartment on wheels.”
The downside is maneuverability, gas mileage and repairs.
PURCHASING RENTALS
Bob suggests considering vans that have been rented out by a rental company. “A lot of companies that rent out motor homes buy these little shorty ones, 18 ft. - and man that is a sweet spot… You can get surprisingly good gas mileage out of them, they're easy to drive and they fit in a standard parking spot.”
Brian cautions that “If you build your own vehicle, you know exactly where all the wiring is. You know what the insulation is like if something goes wrong. In my motor home it could be catastrophic; I don't know where all the wires are, I don't know how the system is exactly plumbed - so you're ripping out a lot of cabinets trying to find those.”
They discuss the pros and cons of class A, B and C - older vs. newer.
THEIR PERSONAL PREFERENCES
Bob says “The sweet spot for me personally, with my priorities and my desires it'll be completely different than yours probably; I would say is a four-wheel drive van with a high top that gives me all the comfort I want. It doesn't give me very good gas mileage, but it gives me all the comfort and back-road-ability - the two things I think are really important to me.”
Brian shares, “I personally really like the small trailer and a capable truck - let's say a Toyota 4Runner because then you can go further in the back country. You have four-wheel drive and then you can just set up your trailer someplace and go off exploring. That – to me – is a really great sweet spot. I think that might be my next foray into vehicular dwelling."
He believes this discussion with Bob "is going to be very beneficial for a lot of people out there, to help them decide what is the best option for them. Again, there's no perfect solution but you can get one that most fits your needs and your desires.”
Bob reminds viewers - “We want to emphasize over and over again - budget first, have an emergency fund, live below your means and choose the most reliable vehicle that meets your needs.”
The comments are fascinating 😊
https://youtu.be/p0Hk-p-utLQ?si=izshL_UmM4Ll4B7L
