Personally I spent lot of time in different libraries, when I need a place to sit down and work. I’m sure other vanners use libraries too.

I am looking into getting a van to live in a few days at a time next summer. The main goal is to help avoid multiple hours of quick succession commutes and convert that time into more sleep and time to relax a bit.

I essentially did this in my compact car this summer and it was decent.

Does anybody have any advice on where to look for vans that have already been used for van life? if I am going to do something like remove all the rear seating it just feels like buying a van without seats would be more economical.

Hi I'm well aware of how ridiculous this question is.

I (25M) am currently facing the most difficult moment of my life. My girlfriend had a miscarriage, they would've been my first child. My older brother is currently in and out of psychiatric hospitals and is acting like someone completely different. He has struggled with mental health all his life and has had multiple attempts on his life in the past. He was recently doing pretty good but now this is the lowest point I've ever seen from him and I have no idea how to help anymore. I am so tired of being depressed and feeling guilty for not being able to be the best support for my loved ones right now.

In the past when I've gone through difficult moments, going out to nature has always healed me along with therapy. I once spent a week off grid with no phone after a painful breakup and I ended up coming out of that experience with a lot of love for myself.

I've always been obsessed with the idea of van life. Gone close to buying a used promaster and building it up myself. Right now, what I need is to be away for a month or two. The way my career is going I don't think permanent van life is on the cards but I do want to do it at least temporarily.

Is there anyone in the US who has a van sitting around that would be willing to lend it to me for a month or two? I know thats a crazy request. But I thought I'd put it out there cuz why the hell not. Nature and adventure heals. And regardless I will find my way out on the road soon.

TLDR: Does anyone in the US have a van sitting around not in use right now that is willing to lend it to me for about 1-2 months to help me heal from losing my first child. (I know this is a crazy request)

I'm planning a trip, I've been saving money & have a CD maturing at beginning of March & I am buying either an RV or a van. This is where you guys come in. I need help deciding.

First, I've done this before though its been about 20 years. I spent a month on the road by myself in a 74 Dodge Tradesman conversion van. I loved it and have wanted to do it again since then but life has gotten in the way. Now I'm ready.

I am starting in Seattle. I have a whole trip planned from here to Maine and back down, ending in western VA where I have some family (with many meandering stops along the way) that includes stops from Yellowstone to upper peninsula of MI to Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland & Rochester. I'm going for peace of mind, but also scouting places I may want to get a job & stay in. So there are a lot of details to keep in mind when choosing a vehicle.

I've been looking at 24' RVs (no slide outs) because of convenience and space, however I know they don't usually come with solar set up (which is a non-negotiable for me) and way worse MPGs. On the other hand, I've been looking at conversion vans, which I love for stealthiness in the cities, better MPG and overall just coziness (plus often already set up with solar). I also notice these vans that are commonly used have a lot of mechanical problems, which scares the shit out of me.

After getting to VA, I could stay a while, settle down somewhere or continue on my travels. I am not sure yet.

With all this in mind, what would you guys buy & why? Also, if it matters, I'm a middle aged woman thats not scared at all. I don't have endless funds but I have enough to get me around & some skills that could help me make money along the way if needed.

I have everything except advice, or anyone to really ask. I want to be smart about this. If you have any questions for me, please ask. And I'm welcoming advice and opinions (if relevant).

Thanks!

Forgot to mention, I have a budget I'd like to stay under. The very most i want to spend on a vehicle is 40k.

Hello, I am reaching out to you for some advice.

I am currently designing the van layout that I want to build with my wife. It is a Fiat Ducato L3H3. We will have a drop-down bed, and we measure 1.78 m (5'10") and 1.64 m (5'5") tall, both with an average build.

I have two options, but I am not sure which one is best.

First option: Sleeping with our heads on the shower side. The bed would measure 130 cm (~51 inches) wide on that side. The bed would then narrow slightly at the foot end to about 118 cm (~46.5 inches) in order to keep the fridge at eye level. We do not want the fridge to be too low; we would like it to be easily accessible.

Second option: We give up on having the fridge at eye level and place it down below. In this case, our heads would be on the fridge side and our feet on the shower side. The foot end of the bed would then measure 125 cm (~49 inches), and the head end would measure 135 cm (~53 inches).

My questions:

• Do you think a 130 cm wide bed is sufficient, or would you recommend a 135 cm wide bed?
• Could sleeping right next to the fridge be annoying due to noise (it will be a new fridge, presumably quite silent)?
• Is having a fridge at eye level and losing 5 cm of bed width a tradeoff that is truly worth it?

Thank you for your advice!

Has anyone decided to just sell it all, stop doing van life and move to another country? I'm still finishing up my build and I'm already thinking about it, as it might be just easier, 😂😂😂. Probably not, and it's probably just all the fake YouTubers keep watching making it seem so grand!

The boxy shape caught my eye, but a photo doesn’t tell us much about its condition—or how much work it would take to make it roadworthy.

For those who’ve converted older vans, what would you check before putting money into the interior? What issues would make you walk away, even if the van itself was cheap?

Curious whether you’d take on something like this or start with a newer van.

Loved my RUTX50, but since the series is being discontinued I'm looking for a solid replacement. I still have a few years of support left, but want to plan ahead.

Upload speed and reliable connectivity are very important since I upload video content on the road. What are you guys using?

Hey everyone I’d just like to show my conversion that went from July’25 to July’26. I’ve done it all myself and have been living in it for the past 3 months with my wife and two cats. I know some things are not perfect but it’s my home now and handmade with love.

I’ve been trying to build a social media following with hopes to eventually earn money through social media/brand deals. I don’t really want to sell any products to my (current limited) viewers.

Any tips or tricks that I can use to hopefully earn an income from socials. I’m currently posting on TikTok and Instagram under the user @igotyournose96

If possible leave me a follow, like and comments if you’d like to help me reach my goal. Thank you for your time.

I’m trying to plan a simple setup for weekend camping and occasional road trips.

I already have a 12V LiFePO4 battery that can run lights, a fridge, and a few DC devices. The easiest next step would be buying a portable power station for AC output, solar charging, and USB ports.

The part I’m struggling with is that I would be paying for another battery, another BMS, and another closed charging system when the battery I already own is still useful. Building a full DIY system would avoid that duplication, but then I need an inverter, MPPT, fuses, breakers, cables, enclosure, and enough knowledge to connect everything safely.

Has anyone found a sensible middle ground for this kind of setup? When does the convenience of a power station justify duplicating battery capacity?

So I will be installing Unistrut as roof rails for my solar panels using M8 rivetnuts but I was considering of using plus nuts instead because the wings of the nuts look like they give a much better grip compared to rivetnuts.

However after looking at videos of plus nuts being installed on YouTube it seems that the gaps in the plus nuts would be a significant potential cause of leakage?

Many times when travelling solo van travellers are far away from any sort of metro area and far away from anyone they know. How do you handle medical emergencies in such a situation? If travelling with pets, how do you find someone to take care of them on such a short notice, especially when you don't know anyone in the area?

Next week unexpectedly have a free week to take the van on a solo trip in Colorado, leaving from Denver. Any tips on where to go—ideally dispersed or harvest hosts, cool with rest stops — van just isn’t that stealthy.

Looking at a wonderfully built out Ford Transit 250 Ecoboost for $26k. The van is lovely, but it has 218k miles. Am I crazy for being interested? (The options are slim for vehicles with more than 2 seats)

This is my new vehicle and my first Van ever! A 2014 Ford Econoline 250 Triton 4.6L V8! I'm so excited to convert this van. More updates to come!

Hi all. Hope everyone’s day is going well. I had a question about Sprinter service. Must you only go to Mercedes for service? What about truck or van service centers? For example, Camping World has locations across the U.S. There are others in every state. Can I go there for service?