Seven years ago I bought my first van for $3500, which didn't last too long. A transmission here, a few electrical issues there, and the costs of repairing the van kept adding up, quickly, putting a damper on my nomadic van life dreams. That's what I get for buying a 16-year-old van with over 100k miles on it, but I was also broke at the time. While the 1998 Dodge Ram 2500 with the Tiara conversion got the job done, I wish I had known a few things before I committed to life on the road and pursuing the idealized van life craze.
Exploring Death Valley’s dirt roads via van. Photo by Dalton Johnson
Things Break, Especially An Old Van
The harsh reality of buying an older vehicle, they break. Vans for van life are no exception. I will go out on a limb to say, van life vans will break down more because they are not made for living. Even if you buy a conversion van off the lot, they are not made to live in full-time. So, the dream of van life, driving around the world with your tiny home on wheels, can and will be interrupted by repairs.
If your van needs to go in the shop, that is understandable, but you'll need a place to stay. When (not if) you break down, if you don't have a place to stay while it is getting fixed, your wallet is not going to be happy. A week, maybe more, of hotel rooms will add up fast.
So, you have two options; rent or buy a newer van. If you rent a van in the beginning, you will be able to test out van life without any of the maintenance obligations. However, if you already know you want to live van life full time, invest in a new van that does not need constant maintenance, saving you money in the long run.
Always Remember Why You Started
Van life can be costly. The most expensive part of van life is going to be moving your van life van around. Each time you pack your home up and start driving, you'll need to fork out more dough. At first, that won't be a big deal, as you will be saving money from not paying rent, however, after a year, or two, your mindset will shift around money and those $400-to-$800 road trips start adding up.
If you let a mental shift around money slow you down from the wanderlust lifestyle that van life can provide, you will start to feel trapped. That trapped feeling, sitting in your gut, isn't good. Trust me, you might start thinking van life is overrated. But, van life isn't. So, figuring out a way to constantly reinvigorate your why behind living van life will be critical longevity. If you lose your original reason for starting van life, you might quit. But, maintaining an understanding behind your van life why, you will stay on the road for several years.
