A Van Without a Plan is Just a Can
Research. So much research and planning and waiting went into this lifestyle change that we are currently experiencing. My hubby is a research addict thankfully because after so much, everything starts to look the same to me. As a result, he chose almost all the upgrades, features, doohickeys, embellishments and accessories we added to the van. That’s why it’s Mantastic. My input was the kitty cabinet design idea, the request for exhaust fan in the shower/toilet (also known as: the little fan that could), the extra storage cabinet between the fridge and bed and the color of the cabinets. All other selections are a result of his extensive research and experience.
There are so many options out there when it comes to camping, van life or full time RV living, it is overwhelming. After deciding on what we thought would best suit our wants and needs, it took well over a year for us to drive OurRambinVan out of the builder’s parking lot. Patience is a virtue.
There is so much stuff out there in the internet universe about building your own van conversion. We opted for a professional builder because, well, we’re just not that handy. Also, at the time we were living in an apartment which really does not lend itself well to construction projects. There are a lot of good van building companies out there, it takes a while to narrow the choices down to who can deliver the things you want for the price you are willing to pay. We settled on ActiVan Conversions in Reno because their van buildouts are beautiful, already incorporate a lot of stuff we wanted, and they allow some customization of their designs. We were the first Mercedes Benz 170 extended van chassis they had worked on, and they did an amazing job blending their standard Cypress Plus 170 floorplan to the extended length chassis of our van while adding our extensive list of requests. They not only helped us find the vehicle we wanted, but they also coordinated its delivery to their shop. Our build out sheet looked like Santa’s naughty and nice list by the time we incorporated all the features we wanted, it was ridiculous. Could we live without some of the upgrades we chose? Nope.
I know there are lots of do-it-yourselfers out there who have made great living spaces in their vans for much less than we spent. We love watching them on YouTube and admire their inventiveness, adventurousness and expertise. Most of the YouTube channels we follow are of younger people that built out their own vans and have decided to prioritize experiences over the traditional path of life with mortgages, corporate jobs and kids and good on them! They are inspirational, but some of their do-it-yourself vans do not even have an indoor toity. At our age and fiber intake situation, that is just not happening. If you have the wherewithal to build out your own van, I commend you. Heaven knows there are plenty of online resources to refer to along the way.
Your home should be where you feel comfortable. We are fortunate that were able to take the time to plan for everything we wanted up front for OurRamblinVan. Our van is designed for us, no one else. Everyone has different priorities that need to fit into their living situation, so you do you if you should decide this lifestyle appeals to you. We would do very few things differently if we had it to do again. We did wind up having to upgrade the rear suspension post build; this baby is heavy! Something to keep that in mind if you build your own: the suspension has to support all those options.
The very best thing about our little house is, we can take it anywhere. Who else except full time RVers can go see Alaska from their living room? Well, except for people who actually live in Alaska. So, for the way we are using and plan to use Our Ramblin Van, all our choices bring us comfort and peace of mind, except the fancy orange and black wrap, that was just for fun. Isn’t that what life should be?