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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Nov 26, 2018 - 03:02pm PT
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Cheap ain’t goin’ outta style! In Europe they buy those cheap miniscule caravans and as soon as they save a few Euros they move up to a van. In Sweden you see plenty of big trailers cause they have good Murrican style roads. In Norway they can afford any damn thing they want but the roads are waaay unfriendly to trailers.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Nov 26, 2018 - 05:07pm PT
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Not in Europe! You can camp almost anywhere you have room to get off the road, including picnic areas and rest areas! The US blows chunks in comparison.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Nov 27, 2018 - 08:15am PT
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It is a good thing if you like a little privacy and don’t like paying through the nose. It does get a little out of hand in France sometimes but considering they’ve the population of California and Illinois crammed into an area the size of New Mexico and Arizona they’re pretty civil most of the time. It wouldn’t work here because Americans are stoopid, rude, and ruin everything. Give ‘em an inch and they’ll take the whole farmer’s field. And then the guns would come out, right?
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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Nov 27, 2018 - 08:47am PT
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You are camping in a different Europe than I.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Nov 27, 2018 - 09:19am PT
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You are camping in a different Europe than I.
Not sure what that’s supposed to mean, please try being more specific, but maybe you’re too good to hang with Euro dirtbags?
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radair
Social climber
North Conway, NH
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Dec 10, 2018 - 10:35am PT
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Those trailers are pretty cool but I am a van person. I blame my dad, who bought me a 1957 Divco milk truck to use for a summer rig. That thing was way cool, with a fold-up driver's seat and a second set of pedals so you could drive standing up. 58-mph maximum speed with a tail wind and downhill. I once got stopped by the cops 3 times in one day, no tickets or warnings though.
Through marriage and kids we went thru the usual mini-vans, then I picked up an '84 VW Westfalia full camper. This was an excellent vehicle but the reliability and head gasket problems of the Vanagons were kind of an issue. The engine caught fire right before I was about to sell it so I parted it out and netted more than if I sold it whole.
I replaced the '84 Westy with a 2002 Eurovan Weekender, which has the pop-top and fold down table but no kitchen or storage cabinets. This rig was a flawless beast that took us on many adventures over the 11 years I owned it. I sold it a month ago for $15k with almost 187k miles on it. The down side of this van was winter use - sleeping in the pop top is like winter camping and I need 4wd in my driveway, so it was stored every winter. The other issue is I wanted mountain bikes to ride inside for weather and theft protection after two horrendous trips thru Colorado mountain passes in full conditions last spring.
With that in mind I took the plunge on a 144" wheelbase Sprinter with 4wd. I bought it as a bare cargo van and have been slowly converting it. I still have lots of finish work to do, but I have installed a solar-electric system, DC-powered fridge, roof vent/fan, swivel seats, sink w/running water, super comfortable bed and a diesel heater that is the bomb (not literally). The stand up room is not to be dismissed either. Yes, they are ridiculously expensive to buy and maintain. I'm not totally comfortable with how ostentatious it is but after spending a week in it recently I'm getting there pretty quickly.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Dec 10, 2018 - 10:46am PT
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I once got stopped by the cops 3 times in one day
What, they thought you were rustling cows? That thing is so cool!
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radair
Social climber
North Conway, NH
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Dec 10, 2018 - 10:56am PT
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Reilly, it was about as cool a vehicle as a kid in high school could own. Bifold doors you could swing out and back in. Wheelies in 1st gear, no seat belts, 10 mpg and a 6V electrical system where sparks would fly when jumped with 12V (often).
It was sold in the fall to some people who left our plates on it and committed burglaries in Rhode Island.
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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Dec 10, 2018 - 12:50pm PT
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That's a neat history and progression, radair. Share some pics and stories of your new build. Love that stuff.
BAd
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Dec 10, 2018 - 12:59pm PT
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usually the vanagons catch on fire from leaky valve cover gasket dripping on the manifold. Always roll with a fire extinguisher. when you see too much smoke in the mirror stop, hop out and spray. usually draws a few odd looks ;)
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Sport climber
moving thru
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Dec 10, 2018 - 01:16pm PT
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So Jim, I probably missed it but what kind of a trailer are you thinking of? I think the logic is good.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 10, 2018 - 02:37pm PT
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Lynne...I’m cooling my heels in Sydney, Australia waiting for a flight to the States. We got a T&B 400. Going to take it down to Arizona in a week.
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Iamjus10
Trad climber
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Dec 11, 2018 - 03:09pm PT
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What do you call a fully built out Mercedes Sprinter with a young couple? Answer...Trustifarivan.
Thats pretty dumb. I live in a built out Sprinter van and dont have any trust fund money. It cost about 45K to make a BRAND NEW Sprinter van home. 45K for an entire home isn't that crazy. Get a 6 year loan with 0 down and you're still around 700 a month. $700 a month isn't so bad. Especially since that is 0 down. It can even be afforded on minimum wage.
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Sport climber
moving thru
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Dec 11, 2018 - 06:30pm PT
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Looks very sweet Jim. Have fun with it!
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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^^^. How is that worth $200K? And you wouldn’t even be allowed to use it in griz country,
let alone in winter.
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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I like this set up, but I be old.A few years ago I would have said I would never pull a trail.
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Jim Clipper
climber
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Meh. If it has wheels, it's probably too high rent for me.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Frumy, how old is yer Fox and has she treated you fairly?
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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She is a 2016, I've put a little over 14,000 miles on it. It has had a lot of little problems, but nothing that wasn't easily fixed. I actually love the damn thing.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Feb 15, 2019 - 10:44am PT
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I just found out about another great rig we don't get in the US, that's prime for camper conversions. The Toyota Land Cruiser Troop Carrier "Troopy Campers".
The Land Cruiser is among the longest lasting and most off road capable vehicles there is.
Lots of them converted in Australia.
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