VAN LIFE: Testing out Ford Transit cargo van for DIY van conversion (Tips before buying)

Ep. 2: We rented a cargo van and took it camping at Jonathan Dickinson State Park to test out van life before we bought our Ford Transit high roof camper van! If you are considering buying a van or other RV, here are some tips we recommend before making a purchase:

TIP #1: Watch and read videos and blogs from vanlifers... such as Trent & Allie, Far Out Ride, and Explorist Life to gain a well-rounded understanding of what you'll be getting into and develop preferences.

TIP #2: Make a list of your priorities and requirements - What are the things that are important to you? We made a list of priorities. Things to consider might include whether or not to have a shower, windows in the back, bike storage, or enough height to stand. Identifying your requirements will help figure out what van or RV is right for you.

TIP #3: Look at and test drive some vans and RVs - Attend RVs shows and visit RV dealers and local car dealerships to get a feel for what's right for you! We are so glad we tested several RV's, a Promaster, and a high roof Ford Transit cargo van to narrow down our choices!

TIP #4: Rent a van and try it out... to get a taste for what it will be like to spend time living in a van!

TIP #5: Develop a potential layout - While we still had the rental van, we spent some time mapping out a potential layout for the build we had in mind. We wanted to make sure the space in the van would accommodate the items we identified earlier in the process as must-haves.

TIP #6: Make a budget of monthly expenses and anticipated costs - Make sure you can afford the purchase, build, travel, maintenance, and other monthly expenses of van life. Create a budget based on anticipated expenses such as vehicle registration, insurance, food, gas, van repairs, and gym membership. Estimate expenses involved in a van conversion such as hardware, wood, wiring, plumbing components, insulation, solar panels, power generator, roof vent, windows, appliances, etc. We also calculated the expenses involved with various travel itineraries to compare the cost of traveling in a van to other traditional methods of travel.

TIP #6: Shop for Insurance - Some companies won’t even insure a conversion and options vary from state to state. Call insurance companies to find out your options and potential costs.

TIP #7: Start looking for the right van! Once we made the decision to go ahead with buying a van, it took us several months before we finally found the right one for us. Be patient and good luck!

FOLLOW ALONG ON OUR JOURNEY:
Connect with us on Instagram: @steveandaudra
Connect with us on Facebook: facebook.com/steveandaudra

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 Van life intro
00:50 Renting a Ford Transit to test drive
01:31 Is it easy to park a Ford Transit cargo van?
02:59 Loading cargo van for overnight camping
03:59 Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Hobe Sound, FL)
04:37 Campfire cooking
05:30 Flowers & wildlife at Jonathan Dickinson
06:17 Hobe Mountain Tower
06:34 Jupiter, FL intracoastal & beach
07:02 Introducing cats to van life
07:23 What to do before buying a van for van life

MUSIC & SOUND EFFECTS CREDITS:

Ice Flow by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0

Werq by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

Bossa Antigua by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

Sneaky Adventure by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

Marty Gots A Plan by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

Corncob by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

Unseen Horrors by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

Day of Chaos by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

Thief in the Night by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

Umbrella Pants by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

"Bamboo Swing, B12.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org

"Bird Whistling, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org

Run Amok by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song...
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...