Looking to buy your climber rig

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chick_on_ice

Trad climber
Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 8, 2016 - 09:06pm PT
Hi everyone! I'm graduating soon, and am lucky in terms of having a job lined up. The idea of being boxed in by a fulltime job as WELL as a lease for rent is too much for me to handle. Which means I'll need a place to live. Obviously the best solution I've come up with is to get a sweet climber rig to cruise around and live in as an employed adult.

So: if anyone owns/has friends that are selling their climber rigs/vans/cars/pickups/etc, let me know the details! It's not urgent, but sometime within the next couple of months pre-summer I'd like to start the move in.

Doesn't matter if it's west coast/east coast, I fly enough that I can come check things out whatever coast you're on.
chick_on_ice

Trad climber
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 8, 2016 - 09:14pm PT
Thanks for the link Burch!
I should probably specify that I'm most likely looking at something smaller than a full-sized van. I'm a small girl that really doesn't need all the amenities. Something pickup-truck size or minivan-size would be ideal.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
Feb 10, 2016 - 03:38pm PT
You can make a pretty cool rig out of a grand caravan or town and country for short money. not much extra room and you have to cook outside but it can be done.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
Feb 10, 2016 - 04:11pm PT
The aboslute best liveing space vs gas mileage is a vanagon or euro van but they are pricy. the vanagons are also a lot rougher to drive long distance VS the town and country.
the Fet

climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
Feb 10, 2016 - 05:11pm PT
I wouldn't want to "live" out of anything smaller than a mini-van. The idea of being cooped up in a camper shell for months at a time, no thanks. But a mini-van has enough room to have a bed, storage, and be able to sit up.

I've had a town&country (same as grand caravan) and a VW, they are good for about 100K miles before they started needing major repairs. But later had a Toyota Sienna. The Toyota will cost more but can go up to 200K miles without major repairs and breakdowns.

You can get a gym membership in many places and have a place to shower. You can "camp" in many walmart parking lots for free.
Happiegrrrl2

Trad climber
Feb 10, 2016 - 05:21pm PT
I don't know how people who spend real time living out of vehicles can do it with anything that allows people to look in from the outside. I would feel so weird sleeping at night. It's one thing if you are ONLY sleeping out in off-road places or campgrounds, but even in a WM lot - just not enough privacy for me.

Meanwhile - even though the van SEEMS fine, it is going to need to be replaced for next winter migration. I am considering the possibility of a smallish camper atop a pickup. Probably will go with a hightop van again - it just suits me, but I am open to the idea.
rwedgee

Ice climber
CA
Feb 10, 2016 - 05:25pm PT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dodge-Sprinter-2500-Extended-/281924023543?forcerrptr=true&hash=item41a3fb34f7:g:ftsAAOSwYIhWlj2K&item=281924023543

I used to think 300K miles was a lot until I saw the dozen at my buddies ambulance company the lowest mile one was 480k and the highest was 800k miles. Mine is approaching 300K and runs great.
briham89

Big Wall climber
santa cruz, ca
Feb 10, 2016 - 05:33pm PT
I'm a small girl that really doesn't need all the amenities. Something pickup-truck size or minivan-size would be ideal.

You had me at hello..... ;)





Just kidding, I'm happily in a relationship. If life went a different way, and I was single I would be living in the exact same kind of rig though haha
Dingus McGee

Social climber
Where Safety trumps Leaving No Trace
Feb 10, 2016 - 06:36pm PT
a great Diesel? 3.0L Mercedes turbo diesel engine but from the wiki:

The glow plug controller is known to malfunction on these engines

On some older engines, an orange colored air intake hose gasket attached to the turbocharger, starts leaking engine oil.

But After a couple of years of driving, oil starts dripping from the seal and onto the swirl motor below the intake manifold. The swirl motor casing, made from nylon plastics, is somewhat pourus and alows the dripping engine oil to accumulate inside the swirl motor causing all sorts of electrical problems.

This engine also has an inherent design flaw with the TWC temperature sensor (part no. A005 153 40 28) and the part in the electronic parts catalog is now specifying part no. A007 153 74 28; there is no recall on this service item yet. A check engine light may present with the OBD-2 diagnostic code P2031 upon failure of this sensor.[6]

In addition to the oil cooler seals; this engine can also have an issue with the design of the positive crankcase ventilation system. The crankcase ventilation system vents to the inlet of the turbo. The issue is that the air vented from the crankcase contains too much oil to easily pass through the swirl motor valves downstream of the turbo. Once this oil and sludge begin to accumulate, the valve becomes inoperative and blows a fuse that controls many other sensors required to properly operate the engine and emission system. This will immediately place the vehicle into limp home mode and limit the rpm to 3000. It also causes a check engine light and numerous OBDII Codes
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
Feb 11, 2016 - 03:30am PT
Tami is right. vans rule for the simple reason that you don't have to go outside to get set up or to leave. Good curtains are a must. My recent camper rigs have both privacy glass and curtains. My latest camping rig.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Feb 11, 2016 - 07:20am PT
I have a 1992 Sportsmobile that I paid $11,000 for eight years ago that I'll let go fo $30,000. Sure it's showing some wear but the good kharma keeps on growing.
the Fet

climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
Feb 11, 2016 - 04:42pm PT
Sprinters are rated, Well Above Average, better than 88% of vehicles for long term reliability. Here under Dodge: http://longtermqualityindex.com/reports/Dodge.html
You do see the engine issues cropping up in 7% of them traded in at an average of 148K miles.
And German = high maintenance, repair, and parts cost.

I don't see the issue with going from my camper to the cab of my truck. I wouldn't want to camp in an area where I was worried about that period. But it's easy to see out of the blinds of my camper, high above someone standing there, and walk out of the door vs. climbing out of the back of a pick up bed.

I guess I'm old and spoiled but I couldn't see truly living out of a vehicle without a kitchen and bathroom. If you are camping in the woods you could get out and pee in the woods. If you are urban camping what do you do? Hold it until you find a McDonalds the next day?
sween345

climber
back east
Feb 11, 2016 - 04:43pm PT
Do you have a multimeter?
johntp

Trad climber
socal
Feb 11, 2016 - 04:46pm PT
I have a 1992 Sportsmobile that I paid $11,000 for eight years ago that I'll let go fo $30,000.

Sweet deal!
Happiegrrrl2

Trad climber
Feb 11, 2016 - 04:48pm PT
If you are urban camping what do you do?

Commode for pee. For poop, planning ahead is the way to go. While I know that on occasion one gets taken by surprise, the fact is that one can usually "expect" that there is going to be a need to find a toilet at certain times. It's good to have an emergency plan for those times when you get ambushed though.

Another reason why I don't know how people can live out of mini vans and cars!
Crimpergirl

Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
Feb 11, 2016 - 05:30pm PT
Sween345 for the win!
Dingus McGee

Social climber
Where Safety trumps Leaving No Trace
Feb 11, 2016 - 05:38pm PT
this add sounds like Donald Trump speaking about himself:

[quote]Sprinters are rated, Well Above Average, better than 88% of vehicles for long term reliability. Here under Dodge: http://longtermqualityindex.com/reports/Dodge.html[/quote]
Dingus McGee

Social climber
Where Safety trumps Leaving No Trace
Feb 11, 2016 - 05:47pm PT
I have a 1992 Sportsmobile that I paid $11,000 for eight years ago that I'll let go fo $30,000.

good karma? only fools bite on that.

What did you sell it to one of your young climbing converts?
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
Feb 11, 2016 - 05:48pm PT
Pee bottle is key.
matlinb

Trad climber
Fort Collins, CO
Feb 11, 2016 - 06:17pm PT
I just purchased a Chevy Express for 13K. AWD and decent size. If I were living in it I would pay the cash to get a high top. Often times these come in a handicap van setup. Of course a Sprinter or other newer style van would be better.
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