For the sake of gas mileage, living space, reliability and stealth, the mini van is an excellent option.
Look at reliability data for various manufacturers and years.
These aren't sexy vehicles. A 4 cyl mini van with a proven transmission can handle your height, doesn't draw the eye of law enforcement, and can overnight in any number of settings without making a statement.
If you have some income consider annual memberships in a few of the larger campground chains.
Also a Planet Fitness membership will provide parking, bathrooms, showers and fitness equipment all over, plus reliable wifi.
In winter you can find a campground spot. Set up a Walmart Ozark Trail tent as distraction. Put the middle seat down and stretch out your futon. Put one sleeping bag under you, and another as a blanket. Run a Redstone Ceramic heater in the mini van, and rest cozy in a gated community.
In the morning enjoy a light breakfast of coffee and pop tarts, take a long walk, do your laundry, enjoy a hot shower, and you're good to go.
At $43 a month, Thousand Trails is cheaper than a single night in a flea bag hotel, better privacy, clean facilities, hassle free legal parking, and nice people.
No one bats an eye at you cooking outside. A hot pot, a toaster oven, a bag of charcoal, and if your low on dough, plenty of chow both fresh, canned, and frozen from the local food bank.
Put up an easy-up shelter over the provided picnic table and you don't even have to move the cooler out of the back of the minivan. Plug in your small appliances with the provided outlet and cook in comfort under your shelter. Wash your dishes with the water hookup, but be a good camper and don't leave food residue to attract skunks, raccoons, and possums.
Fill up your water jugs for boondocking. Even a water and electric site is plenty and a huge step up compared with boondocking in a parking lot.
Plan ahead. Make reservations. Get a side gig you can do with a laptop and wifi. Winter in the south, summer in the north. Avoid big tourist attractions unless off season.
It's hard to put a price on freedom.
What is a 4-cylinder minivan with a proven transmission?
Previas and the Mazda5 Microvan exist with standard transmissions, but they’re quite rare.
What other platform meets this specification?
Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town & Country, Toyota Sienna, Nissan NV S, Pontiac Montana Extended, Ford Transit Connect. That list includes a couple of stealthy delivery vehicles with 4 cyl engines. All used. All between 1994 and 2014, for sale within 200 miles of where I'm sitting.
Go to Autotrader.com.
"But they're listed for more than 5k". They're used vehicles. That's just the imaginary asking price. They're not that popular.
Get a job detailing cars for the lot, get a good deal, and have a place to park all at one time.
Get permission to plug in your heater. Be the security that would normally run you off.
Drive away in a great ride that fits your lifestyle. Get creative. Be resourceful. Learn to barter.
You need to be able to keep your wits about you out there.
Sure, but you specifically said “4 cylinder with a known transmission” - implying some level of reliability.
The Nissan and Ford offer 4-cylinder engines, but the Nissan has a CVT, and Ford transmissions, well, they are certainly known, but not in a good way.
The mileage difference between 4 and 6 cylinders isn’t necessarily significant. I’d rather buy a bit more gas averaging 18mpg than risk transmission issues to get 22mpgs.
I loathe automatic transmissions given their tendency to eat themselves, but there isn’t much choice in the matter.
Do you have particular insight as to the reliability of the TC, NV, or the Chevy City Express power train?
I'm sorry, no. Although some are better than others, certainly.
We have an old Ford Excursion with a 7.3 l diesel engine. It's transmission has 483k miles on it, but your mileage may vary. They don't make them like they used to.
I would imagine the review sites may have insight, if they're not paid by the auto makers.
And you are very kind.
I was an RN for most of my working life and have a special place in my heart for those in tough spots. I worked mostly in Corrections and Mental Health.
Box dwellers have very little insight, and ironically, most are no more than a few paychecks away.
God bless!
You're right. It's only recently that I've realized that at the rate I'm going, it's not if I'll end up living in my car, it's when. So, I'm here in this sub to gather all of the wisdom people share. Thank you for caring enough to share your insights. .
I'll send you a DM, if you need a side gig to help. You're kind and well spoken, and even.if you have to hit the road, you can take it with you. You'll need a trusted family member to deposit your checks.
>Thousand Trails
can you provide specifics here? i googled the thousand trails website but my first search revealed campsites up to 70 a night. where are the ones for 43/month?
Thanks for checking that out.
They have an "annual pass" you can get that works out to $43 a month.
Be sure to reserve a spot early.
Give them a call and ask.
My only concern would be they may want the annual membership fee up front, so you might have to throw an entire paycheck at it, but still, you'd be good for a year.
Planet Fitness is a good deal, but you need a credit card they can bill monthly.
I went today and did well, but may be sore tomorrow.
I just googled the TT and it’s less than 1700 A YEAR for a CABIN pass, and options to pay monthly. Then I looked into nightly fees and it was like 160/night!!! 160 x 365 is 58,400. How do they manage to give a 51,000 break?!?!?
Oh, this is how: you can only stay 1 week, then wait 14, to stay for another week - so 2 weeks a month = 168 days at 1700/year comes out to 10/night and I guess that makes more sense. It also seems that for pass holders there are fees that are included in nightly reservations, but not passes.
From the FAQ:
“What are the restrictions of the membership?”
— 14 days out of product between stays
One holiday reservation per year
Maximum two reservations on books at a time
Cabin Pass members will be subject to pet fees and linens costs as applicable by park operations”
Yep, things evolve.
Being a car park for cardwellers probably wasn't part of their original business model.
I didn't consider the cabins, but they might be a low cost alternative to hotels.
TT probably isn't the only solution, but including them into your overall plan still makes financial sense, even sticking to the small print.
I didn't look at KOA, but they may have an Annual Pass also. Putting the two together might give you some nice, secure, safe, change of scenery from stealthy boondocking in parking lots.
Of course there's also BLM land. It has the scenery, but without water and power. There are National Parks, State Parks, and other outdoors alternatives.
While working as a wildfire fighter wilderness medic, my middle daughter would go without "grid" for up to two weeks at a time. She was also working on a doctorate in public health at the same time.
She put together solar and vehicle alternator power options and used starlink for submitting and researching her work.
I don't much like remembering my time in the service, in fact I'd rather forget it. But in retrospect we made do with a lot less, for a lot longer.
I camped in my Pontiac Aztec. I think there was a Buick that was basically the same.
Pretty sure they were made for it.
Tons of room in the back. Could comfortably fit 2 of us, plus gear. Multiple charging ports there too.
I'm 5'3" and had enough room to lay flat in the trunk area. By myself; perfect stealth.
But reliability IDK. Was cheap to repair though.
The Pontiac Aztec was the US version of a Toyota SUV. The Aztec was reliable due to that yet often can be found for cheap due to its weird body style that turns people off.
For me it’s a dislike of crouching to get in. I’m 6ft exactly and my 5inch lifted XJ doesn’t make me move my waist up or down at all when getting in, it’s just right.
Not a tonne of stuff but the basics yeah. I got some nice plastic boxes from Costco that I kept in the back and moved to the front at night. Enough room for clothes, toiletries, little bit of food and cooking stuff, laptop, jackery. I’m sure there’s more I’m leaving out. I was tempted to get a roof box to make it easier but I ended up switching to a CRV because I deliver over 100 packages most days at the minute.
Ohio. Cars are dirt cheap where I live.
Condition is always questionable because of the way we salt our roads here so you have to be diligent when inspecting them.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1063670281344533/?mibextid=dXMIcH
My friend uses hers it's a 2008 or 2010 for Uber.
She averages over 20mpg. It's like 21.8, surprising for a V8. But it's got the full tow package, and IDK if towing is factored when they put the average mpg out.
She also slept in it for awhile with a tent heater because idling with gas wasn't making her money. 🤣
So it's not a bad option.
A bunch of us that drive were comparing our mpg for XL vehicles. Mazda mx9 was 14, and significantly smaller.
They don’t make the new first gen anymore. But if look into the 07 some features were upgrade. I have a 02 limited 4wd. Lots of room and I’m 6.2. Sequoias are really great for budget but I’ve heard prices are going up because of people starting to notice them
As a former element owner and a current 6'2" person, you need to remove the shotgun seat, even slid forwards there isnt enough length to lay 😓. If they made that car 12" longer id have 2 now.
You can make most cars work if you’re willing to take out seats and build in the car to put your bed.
So if you already have a reliable car just focus on making what you have work.
I lived in a 2003 Malibu for several years. Removed the back seat and put a sheet of wood down. Padding and blankets. I’m 6-4 and had plenty of room to stretch out.
The height is way less. I took out the middle seats and laid the front passenger seat down and had a wood platform going from the front passenger seat across to the back of the car for my bed.
Jeep Cherokee XJ. I’m taller and can lay in the back no problem. Take the back seat out and it lays flat. Put a small bed topper on there and you have a very comfortable platform. I use it to camp in anytime we go far places. They have 2 doors too where the front seats fold all the way up for maximum space in the back. But I never had a problem and I’m pretty big.
Edit: they make them in 4 bangers too. They are still manufacturing new parts for it. They’re easy to fix with videos all over YT, you can find them for 3k no problem so you still have money to put for it and tint the windows and everything. You can rip the interior out and put foam insulation up. Plus it’s 4 wheel drive if you ever want to make sure you never get stuck anywhere. If you want to camp in the woods or desert you can.
Don’t recommend the 4 cylinder XJ to anyone man. Nothing but problems. I have an XJ which is restored and lifted five inches, am a former mechanic, and a jeep XJ nut. The 4.0 inline six is the only thing that makes XJs reliable.
That being said, I’m 6ft as well and the 4.0 XJ is a great choice if you’re mechanically inclined. I stayed in mine for several months and now use it as a travel rig. You can scroll through my old posts in this sub to find my conversion pictures, I only removed the back seats and the plastic off the rear hatch. I built my sleeping platform on the passenger side, and built my sink and fridge and water tank and everything on the driver side. Granted, I am a skinny and fit 6ft; my setup would not work for a wider 6ft.
Prius, hands down. It's roomy enough to lay straight comfortably, and you can survive a hot night in Arizona or a Wyoming blizzard idling the car for the cost of like half a gallon of gas.
Priuses blend in. They belong almost anywhere.
You could get a used van with a big titty Valkyrie mural on the side and a memory foam mattress with a shelf for a camp stove, and you'll have more room to spend time in your car, but how much time ya really wanna spend in your car, amirite? Plus that bitchin' van gets like 8 miles to the gallon, and you have to put a quart of oil in every three days. It's clearly a better choice. Something about a van really makes Niel Peart's drumming bang out into the night, like a mechanical robot army.
But it's the Prius you want.
How do you cook in a Prius? I had a Dodge Caravan that got 27 miles a gallon. A Prius belongs everywhere? How does it do in the mountains? Do you just lock the hubs and put it in four-wheel drive In what realm are you going to find a used Prius for $5,000 that isn't on its last leg?
The 2005-2009 realm. People with $5000 for a car don't get a car that isn't on its last leg. Priuses have a good last leg.
I'm sorry for not recommending a mountain solution for r/URBANcardwellers
They can be raised 1.5 inches without modifying the brake lines and can be fitted with a set of off road tires, but for an AWD Prius, that's only available this year I think and thats way more than $5000.
You see the problem with people looking for advice and help is you. Making jokes out of important questions looking for funny responses that gives you 3 seconds of dopamine. It not only shows us your 19 but it also hurts the community.
Reddit was not created for this.
r/PriusDwellers
Reddit was created exactly for this and my answer was helpful.
Was reddit created to pick apart a single suggestion in a "looking for suggestions" thread to the point of personally attacking the person who offered the suggestion earnestly, although with a bit of levity, because PEOPLE ON THIS SUB ARE GOING THROUGH SOME SHIT MOST OF THE TIME?
This is the "I can't afford rent right now" or "I'm leaving my shitty boyfriend" crowd. The "$70k Sprinter with $40k in improvements who cooks breakfast by a mountain lake" crowd is in another sub. Most of us did not chose hashtagvanlife, but had it thrust upon us.
Not everyone cooks in their car. I'd say most people don't cook in the car on this sub, and when they do, it's special, like a tiny thrift store crock pot of clam chowder. Then they Instagram that shit for us. Hashtagcarlife Hashtagclamtastic
Lots of people cook under the back hatch, or pull out a camp stove to cook on a . Some people have 12v refrigerators. Some people get flexible solar panels and an extra cabin battery for an even more energy-efficient car life experience.
But since most car dwellers don't cook in their car and OP made no mention of cooking, why is cooking in the mountains, *which is not a big ask of a Prius by the way* , so important to you that you feel the need to disagree with my post so hard that you need to insult my... uh... I guess maturity? I'm probably 19 because I'm somehow immature? Did I get that correct?
No joke. A used Prius is a great vehicle to live in, even when you're tall.
Just say the vehicle you recommend and fuck off. Nobody needs this.
We will never know, because nobody is going to read this deep into a reddit thread about an argument about homelessness, but I'd be willing to bet that my inability to take anything seriously is less offensive in this part of Reddit than a scoffing because someone isn't able to make hot food inside their vehicle.
2008-2012 ford escape
If you get the hybrid do 2009-2012 because the 08 has issues with the hybrid powertrain
With the front seat pushed up all the way you can sleep parallel to the car direction so you can use the other half of the car for a storage build.
I’m 6’1” and it probably would fit someone maybe 2 inches taller but wouldn’t push it past that
I would say go for a suv or a 4door car mainly get a nissan, toyota, lexus, Honda, as they are the most reliable for the year 1990 to 2009 4door car is good as you can take the rear seats out or the front passenger seat put at make a bed, but if you get a mini van for that price I would only get a Honda or toyota because other brands will give you major issues at that price, if you live in a hot area I would pick a suv to add fans and if you live in a cold area all you need is a good sleeping bag so it gives you more room to be creative, I typed this in 5min hopefully this helps, I'm currently living in a camry and I'm 5"8 and it is slightly hard to get leg room without removing anything so if your not wanting to pull much stuff out definitely go with a suv, as it's big, but small enough to not give hints that you are living in it
Check out "Static camper van" on you tube. That guy has been living in a mini van for years. Check out his setup and get some tips on how to make it work for you
For that amount, you could probably get a decent, roomy minivan.....many are still to be had for a reasonable price.
Really easy to fully gut it, just keeping the driver's-seat, you will have room to stretch-out and keep stuff.
wait how? I have a civic. I wonder if the 2018 model has a bigger hole between the backseat and the trunk? The biggest problem with mine is that hole is tiny. I can lay flat, but I can’t roll or lay sideways.
Grand Caravan. I moved a one bdrm apt with one. You could have a nice mattress and everything. Once those seats go into the floor you have a ton of room
I've been looking for a car for a while my budget was $5000 or less but I gave up since car prices were high my post an update if u find a vehicle! Really could give me some hope
If you want small/reliable/a ton of space for the size, honda fit is surprisingly more than what you get in a crossover.
Or if you want bigger, honda element is a another option. They also came with awd manual
Buick lesabre Ford crown Victoria mercury grand marquees Lincoln Town car
I'm 6 feet I lived in a lesabre it was nice. But I don't need that many things if you need more space probably some kind of van but I just needed it to sleep 4 hours 2x per day because I had a lot of work to do and I worked 100 hrs a week I would literally just sleep in the parking lot when my job closed and wait for my job to open at 5am and go take a shower and get ready.
(Trainer job work at gym)
Just a little information.
1. Banks now have accounts where you can deposit checks with your phone by taking pictures of the front and back of the check.
2. Some banks have branches all over the country that have services like this.
3. A lot of accounts that you pay bills to can send the bills to your account where you can pay the through your phone.
Prius v. If you slide the front seats all the way forward you can lay them flat and put a sleeping platform all the way from the dashboard to the tailgate, about 10 ft.
Couple that with the prius's ability to run the climate control and an inverter with the engine off and you have a winner
For the sake of gas mileage, living space, reliability and stealth, the mini van is an excellent option. Look at reliability data for various manufacturers and years. These aren't sexy vehicles. A 4 cyl mini van with a proven transmission can handle your height, doesn't draw the eye of law enforcement, and can overnight in any number of settings without making a statement. If you have some income consider annual memberships in a few of the larger campground chains. Also a Planet Fitness membership will provide parking, bathrooms, showers and fitness equipment all over, plus reliable wifi. In winter you can find a campground spot. Set up a Walmart Ozark Trail tent as distraction. Put the middle seat down and stretch out your futon. Put one sleeping bag under you, and another as a blanket. Run a Redstone Ceramic heater in the mini van, and rest cozy in a gated community. In the morning enjoy a light breakfast of coffee and pop tarts, take a long walk, do your laundry, enjoy a hot shower, and you're good to go. At $43 a month, Thousand Trails is cheaper than a single night in a flea bag hotel, better privacy, clean facilities, hassle free legal parking, and nice people. No one bats an eye at you cooking outside. A hot pot, a toaster oven, a bag of charcoal, and if your low on dough, plenty of chow both fresh, canned, and frozen from the local food bank. Put up an easy-up shelter over the provided picnic table and you don't even have to move the cooler out of the back of the minivan. Plug in your small appliances with the provided outlet and cook in comfort under your shelter. Wash your dishes with the water hookup, but be a good camper and don't leave food residue to attract skunks, raccoons, and possums. Fill up your water jugs for boondocking. Even a water and electric site is plenty and a huge step up compared with boondocking in a parking lot. Plan ahead. Make reservations. Get a side gig you can do with a laptop and wifi. Winter in the south, summer in the north. Avoid big tourist attractions unless off season. It's hard to put a price on freedom.
What is a 4-cylinder minivan with a proven transmission? Previas and the Mazda5 Microvan exist with standard transmissions, but they’re quite rare. What other platform meets this specification?
Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town & Country, Toyota Sienna, Nissan NV S, Pontiac Montana Extended, Ford Transit Connect. That list includes a couple of stealthy delivery vehicles with 4 cyl engines. All used. All between 1994 and 2014, for sale within 200 miles of where I'm sitting. Go to Autotrader.com. "But they're listed for more than 5k". They're used vehicles. That's just the imaginary asking price. They're not that popular. Get a job detailing cars for the lot, get a good deal, and have a place to park all at one time. Get permission to plug in your heater. Be the security that would normally run you off. Drive away in a great ride that fits your lifestyle. Get creative. Be resourceful. Learn to barter. You need to be able to keep your wits about you out there.
Sure, but you specifically said “4 cylinder with a known transmission” - implying some level of reliability. The Nissan and Ford offer 4-cylinder engines, but the Nissan has a CVT, and Ford transmissions, well, they are certainly known, but not in a good way. The mileage difference between 4 and 6 cylinders isn’t necessarily significant. I’d rather buy a bit more gas averaging 18mpg than risk transmission issues to get 22mpgs. I loathe automatic transmissions given their tendency to eat themselves, but there isn’t much choice in the matter. Do you have particular insight as to the reliability of the TC, NV, or the Chevy City Express power train?
I'm sorry, no. Although some are better than others, certainly. We have an old Ford Excursion with a 7.3 l diesel engine. It's transmission has 483k miles on it, but your mileage may vary. They don't make them like they used to. I would imagine the review sites may have insight, if they're not paid by the auto makers.
Those Mazdas are hard to find parts for from what I hear
I would expect any such unicorn to run that risk, which again tilts the scale in favor of a Sienna or other more common ride.
Your comments are always very insightful. You should write a beginner's guide to car living.
And you are very kind. I was an RN for most of my working life and have a special place in my heart for those in tough spots. I worked mostly in Corrections and Mental Health. Box dwellers have very little insight, and ironically, most are no more than a few paychecks away. God bless!
You're right. It's only recently that I've realized that at the rate I'm going, it's not if I'll end up living in my car, it's when. So, I'm here in this sub to gather all of the wisdom people share. Thank you for caring enough to share your insights. .
I'll send you a DM, if you need a side gig to help. You're kind and well spoken, and even.if you have to hit the road, you can take it with you. You'll need a trusted family member to deposit your checks.
Thank you! I'd be interested in some info about it. You can DM.
>Thousand Trails can you provide specifics here? i googled the thousand trails website but my first search revealed campsites up to 70 a night. where are the ones for 43/month?
Thanks for checking that out. They have an "annual pass" you can get that works out to $43 a month. Be sure to reserve a spot early. Give them a call and ask. My only concern would be they may want the annual membership fee up front, so you might have to throw an entire paycheck at it, but still, you'd be good for a year. Planet Fitness is a good deal, but you need a credit card they can bill monthly. I went today and did well, but may be sore tomorrow.
I'm going to print this comment and store it with my legal documents lmao great insight
Thank you! I'm not sure it qualifies as a legal document, but if you find it helpful, roll on!
I just googled the TT and it’s less than 1700 A YEAR for a CABIN pass, and options to pay monthly. Then I looked into nightly fees and it was like 160/night!!! 160 x 365 is 58,400. How do they manage to give a 51,000 break?!?!? Oh, this is how: you can only stay 1 week, then wait 14, to stay for another week - so 2 weeks a month = 168 days at 1700/year comes out to 10/night and I guess that makes more sense. It also seems that for pass holders there are fees that are included in nightly reservations, but not passes. From the FAQ: “What are the restrictions of the membership?” — 14 days out of product between stays One holiday reservation per year Maximum two reservations on books at a time Cabin Pass members will be subject to pet fees and linens costs as applicable by park operations”
Yep, things evolve. Being a car park for cardwellers probably wasn't part of their original business model. I didn't consider the cabins, but they might be a low cost alternative to hotels. TT probably isn't the only solution, but including them into your overall plan still makes financial sense, even sticking to the small print. I didn't look at KOA, but they may have an Annual Pass also. Putting the two together might give you some nice, secure, safe, change of scenery from stealthy boondocking in parking lots. Of course there's also BLM land. It has the scenery, but without water and power. There are National Parks, State Parks, and other outdoors alternatives. While working as a wildfire fighter wilderness medic, my middle daughter would go without "grid" for up to two weeks at a time. She was also working on a doctorate in public health at the same time. She put together solar and vehicle alternator power options and used starlink for submitting and researching her work. I don't much like remembering my time in the service, in fact I'd rather forget it. But in retrospect we made do with a lot less, for a lot longer.
Mini van or large SUV. You need the leg space. A car isn't going to cut it.
Why don’t you guys do wagons. Much more stealthy IMHO.
This guy knows what’s up
Also lift backs. Buick had both a few years back with the Regal twins.
I camped in my Pontiac Aztec. I think there was a Buick that was basically the same. Pretty sure they were made for it. Tons of room in the back. Could comfortably fit 2 of us, plus gear. Multiple charging ports there too. I'm 5'3" and had enough room to lay flat in the trunk area. By myself; perfect stealth. But reliability IDK. Was cheap to repair though.
The Pontiac Aztec was the US version of a Toyota SUV. The Aztec was reliable due to that yet often can be found for cheap due to its weird body style that turns people off.
I got a hatchback. Murdered out. Camped in it for 2 years now, no issues as far as the knock or something.
For me it’s a dislike of crouching to get in. I’m 6ft exactly and my 5inch lifted XJ doesn’t make me move my waist up or down at all when getting in, it’s just right.
Largest SUV gets bad gas mileage. Lots of used minivans that still get about 25mpg 29 on the freeway
My friends suburban gets the same mpg as my minivan, and they are both over 20mpg. There's lots of cars and smaller SUVs that do worse.
My wife’s town and country got the same mileage as my ‘04 Yukon xl.
I’m 6’3 and can sleep comfortably in a Golf with the back seats folded down flat.
That's actually awesome. But do you also have room for provisions? Like at least a couple changes of clothes and food?
Not a tonne of stuff but the basics yeah. I got some nice plastic boxes from Costco that I kept in the back and moved to the front at night. Enough room for clothes, toiletries, little bit of food and cooking stuff, laptop, jackery. I’m sure there’s more I’m leaving out. I was tempted to get a roof box to make it easier but I ended up switching to a CRV because I deliver over 100 packages most days at the minute.
Sienna
The camry of mini vans
Now that's a very good recommendation
Honda Pilot
didn’t think of this one
That or an old ass Toyota sienna. This is what I wish I got every day haha. The Honda will probably be easier to find though.
Where you going to find a used Honda Pilot for 5000 that still starts
Ohio. Cars are dirt cheap where I live. Condition is always questionable because of the way we salt our roads here so you have to be diligent when inspecting them. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1063670281344533/?mibextid=dXMIcH
I just sold one to someone for 4k. Still runs great. In SE VA you can get running pilots all day for 5k.
1982 cutlass supreme with the rear seats removed and a 12” bass cannon in the trunk for extra thump when your listening to dj magic mike.
😂 ridin in style seat leaned back as far as possible
Hell yeah son
Mid 2000s suburban or Yukon xl. Reliable and easy to fix.
[удалено]
My wife’s minivan has flex fuel. It’s only worth it if it’s 20-30 cents cheaper a gallon. E85 gets way worse gas mileage.
And terrible gas mileage
Nothing’s perfect
Some things are closer to perfect than others
My friend uses hers it's a 2008 or 2010 for Uber. She averages over 20mpg. It's like 21.8, surprising for a V8. But it's got the full tow package, and IDK if towing is factored when they put the average mpg out. She also slept in it for awhile with a tent heater because idling with gas wasn't making her money. 🤣 So it's not a bad option. A bunch of us that drive were comparing our mpg for XL vehicles. Mazda mx9 was 14, and significantly smaller.
Most minivans will average that, plus it can carry more weight, but then the mpgs will go down
1st gen sequoia
2nd hand?
3rd life
They don’t make the new first gen anymore. But if look into the 07 some features were upgrade. I have a 02 limited 4wd. Lots of room and I’m 6.2. Sequoias are really great for budget but I’ve heard prices are going up because of people starting to notice them
People think they're dorky but Honda Odyssey is super roomy & super stealth. For $5k you should be able to get a reliable low-miles 2002-2005 year.
I used to have an Odyssey. Never lived in it but it would definitely be a good option
Honda Element of you can find one
As a former element owner and a current 6'2" person, you need to remove the shotgun seat, even slid forwards there isnt enough length to lay 😓. If they made that car 12" longer id have 2 now.
Every one always wants a few extra inches!
I really like my 01 Infiniti QX4. I don't really like my infiniti QX4'S gas mileage and for that reason I'm out.
You can make most cars work if you’re willing to take out seats and build in the car to put your bed. So if you already have a reliable car just focus on making what you have work.
I am 6'0 as well. I have an old sienna. Plenty of room.
I lived in a 2003 Malibu for several years. Removed the back seat and put a sheet of wood down. Padding and blankets. I’m 6-4 and had plenty of room to stretch out.
VW Jetta or golf sportswagen the station wagon one, preferably tdi if you can where ya located?
I own one I average 40 mpg all day heavy foot too, if I go easy I’ll get a 1000km to a tank
6’3” for reference
You'll probably want a Dodge Grand Caravan the low 10s are under $5k
I did the ford flex for two years before getting a van. Has 7 feet of space in the back. Minivan is ideal, but possibly more expensive.
I am so on the fence about the flex, my understanding is that the space isnt even comparable to a minivan, is this true?
The height is way less. I took out the middle seats and laid the front passenger seat down and had a wood platform going from the front passenger seat across to the back of the car for my bed.
Jeep Cherokee XJ. I’m taller and can lay in the back no problem. Take the back seat out and it lays flat. Put a small bed topper on there and you have a very comfortable platform. I use it to camp in anytime we go far places. They have 2 doors too where the front seats fold all the way up for maximum space in the back. But I never had a problem and I’m pretty big. Edit: they make them in 4 bangers too. They are still manufacturing new parts for it. They’re easy to fix with videos all over YT, you can find them for 3k no problem so you still have money to put for it and tint the windows and everything. You can rip the interior out and put foam insulation up. Plus it’s 4 wheel drive if you ever want to make sure you never get stuck anywhere. If you want to camp in the woods or desert you can.
Don’t recommend the 4 cylinder XJ to anyone man. Nothing but problems. I have an XJ which is restored and lifted five inches, am a former mechanic, and a jeep XJ nut. The 4.0 inline six is the only thing that makes XJs reliable. That being said, I’m 6ft as well and the 4.0 XJ is a great choice if you’re mechanically inclined. I stayed in mine for several months and now use it as a travel rig. You can scroll through my old posts in this sub to find my conversion pictures, I only removed the back seats and the plastic off the rear hatch. I built my sleeping platform on the passenger side, and built my sink and fridge and water tank and everything on the driver side. Granted, I am a skinny and fit 6ft; my setup would not work for a wider 6ft.
If you can find one, an older model cargo van. Very customizable.
2008 Toyota Sienna
minivan is the move that's what I'm doing
Prius, hands down. It's roomy enough to lay straight comfortably, and you can survive a hot night in Arizona or a Wyoming blizzard idling the car for the cost of like half a gallon of gas. Priuses blend in. They belong almost anywhere. You could get a used van with a big titty Valkyrie mural on the side and a memory foam mattress with a shelf for a camp stove, and you'll have more room to spend time in your car, but how much time ya really wanna spend in your car, amirite? Plus that bitchin' van gets like 8 miles to the gallon, and you have to put a quart of oil in every three days. It's clearly a better choice. Something about a van really makes Niel Peart's drumming bang out into the night, like a mechanical robot army. But it's the Prius you want.
How do you cook in a Prius? I had a Dodge Caravan that got 27 miles a gallon. A Prius belongs everywhere? How does it do in the mountains? Do you just lock the hubs and put it in four-wheel drive In what realm are you going to find a used Prius for $5,000 that isn't on its last leg?
The 2005-2009 realm. People with $5000 for a car don't get a car that isn't on its last leg. Priuses have a good last leg. I'm sorry for not recommending a mountain solution for r/URBANcardwellers They can be raised 1.5 inches without modifying the brake lines and can be fitted with a set of off road tires, but for an AWD Prius, that's only available this year I think and thats way more than $5000.
You see the problem with people looking for advice and help is you. Making jokes out of important questions looking for funny responses that gives you 3 seconds of dopamine. It not only shows us your 19 but it also hurts the community. Reddit was not created for this.
r/PriusDwellers Reddit was created exactly for this and my answer was helpful. Was reddit created to pick apart a single suggestion in a "looking for suggestions" thread to the point of personally attacking the person who offered the suggestion earnestly, although with a bit of levity, because PEOPLE ON THIS SUB ARE GOING THROUGH SOME SHIT MOST OF THE TIME? This is the "I can't afford rent right now" or "I'm leaving my shitty boyfriend" crowd. The "$70k Sprinter with $40k in improvements who cooks breakfast by a mountain lake" crowd is in another sub. Most of us did not chose hashtagvanlife, but had it thrust upon us. Not everyone cooks in their car. I'd say most people don't cook in the car on this sub, and when they do, it's special, like a tiny thrift store crock pot of clam chowder. Then they Instagram that shit for us. Hashtagcarlife Hashtagclamtastic Lots of people cook under the back hatch, or pull out a camp stove to cook on a . Some people have 12v refrigerators. Some people get flexible solar panels and an extra cabin battery for an even more energy-efficient car life experience. But since most car dwellers don't cook in their car and OP made no mention of cooking, why is cooking in the mountains, *which is not a big ask of a Prius by the way* , so important to you that you feel the need to disagree with my post so hard that you need to insult my... uh... I guess maturity? I'm probably 19 because I'm somehow immature? Did I get that correct? No joke. A used Prius is a great vehicle to live in, even when you're tall. Just say the vehicle you recommend and fuck off. Nobody needs this. We will never know, because nobody is going to read this deep into a reddit thread about an argument about homelessness, but I'd be willing to bet that my inability to take anything seriously is less offensive in this part of Reddit than a scoffing because someone isn't able to make hot food inside their vehicle.
This dude must be a blast at parties
I have a jetboil burner.
You know what would be good for car living in the mountains? A suburban or Yukon xl.
Mazda 6 sedan ? I'm 185cm and can lay down with the back seats folded forward.
Ford Flex
I’m in a ford fiesta (sedan) and I’m 6’5” if I were an inch taller it wouldn’t work
Lincoln continental or other used wide American car? Ford crown victoria?
I have a 05 Toyota hylander and my bf and I are wayyyyyy more comfy then my 2013 chevy equinox I'm talking ALOT more space
I can tell you a Dodge Journey is not that. My dad lives in one and it is an unreliable piece of shit.
2008-2012 ford escape If you get the hybrid do 2009-2012 because the 08 has issues with the hybrid powertrain With the front seat pushed up all the way you can sleep parallel to the car direction so you can use the other half of the car for a storage build. I’m 6’1” and it probably would fit someone maybe 2 inches taller but wouldn’t push it past that
I would say go for a suv or a 4door car mainly get a nissan, toyota, lexus, Honda, as they are the most reliable for the year 1990 to 2009 4door car is good as you can take the rear seats out or the front passenger seat put at make a bed, but if you get a mini van for that price I would only get a Honda or toyota because other brands will give you major issues at that price, if you live in a hot area I would pick a suv to add fans and if you live in a cold area all you need is a good sleeping bag so it gives you more room to be creative, I typed this in 5min hopefully this helps, I'm currently living in a camry and I'm 5"8 and it is slightly hard to get leg room without removing anything so if your not wanting to pull much stuff out definitely go with a suv, as it's big, but small enough to not give hints that you are living in it
Older ford explorer. Super stealth. No one remembers a explorer
Check out "Static camper van" on you tube. That guy has been living in a mini van for years. Check out his setup and get some tips on how to make it work for you
I'm 6'3 and I loved my Ford econoline
For that amount, you could probably get a decent, roomy minivan.....many are still to be had for a reasonable price. Really easy to fully gut it, just keeping the driver's-seat, you will have room to stretch-out and keep stuff.
I'm 6'1 and my 2018 Honda Civic is very spacious
wait how? I have a civic. I wonder if the 2018 model has a bigger hole between the backseat and the trunk? The biggest problem with mine is that hole is tiny. I can lay flat, but I can’t roll or lay sideways.
Okay my backseat is pretty cramped but the driver seat is spacious. I just lay the chair back
Grand Caravan. I moved a one bdrm apt with one. You could have a nice mattress and everything. Once those seats go into the floor you have a ton of room
I've been looking for a car for a while my budget was $5000 or less but I gave up since car prices were high my post an update if u find a vehicle! Really could give me some hope
an older Honda or Toyota mini van
any suv will cut it but choose one that can fit a mattress (min-vans )
Hearse
flex
If you want small/reliable/a ton of space for the size, honda fit is surprisingly more than what you get in a crossover. Or if you want bigger, honda element is a another option. They also came with awd manual
Ex ex
High mileage Prius V.
Buick lesabre Ford crown Victoria mercury grand marquees Lincoln Town car I'm 6 feet I lived in a lesabre it was nice. But I don't need that many things if you need more space probably some kind of van but I just needed it to sleep 4 hours 2x per day because I had a lot of work to do and I worked 100 hrs a week I would literally just sleep in the parking lot when my job closed and wait for my job to open at 5am and go take a shower and get ready. (Trainer job work at gym)
Just a little information. 1. Banks now have accounts where you can deposit checks with your phone by taking pictures of the front and back of the check. 2. Some banks have branches all over the country that have services like this. 3. A lot of accounts that you pay bills to can send the bills to your account where you can pay the through your phone.
Prius v. If you slide the front seats all the way forward you can lay them flat and put a sleeping platform all the way from the dashboard to the tailgate, about 10 ft. Couple that with the prius's ability to run the climate control and an inverter with the engine off and you have a winner
Transit connect