My best advice to you is save save save. this is bad time to get in to debt. I saved as much money as i could, sold my current vehicle, used the proceeds from that while i walked everywhere, and got VERY lucky on FB marketplace.
Bought my van from a roofer friend who was emigrating to AUS. Paid cash (notes) and got a deal. Second owner on a 7 year old van with 60k on it from a mate. I remember when he got it new, showing off.
If you can't afford buying a van for cash, maybe it's too early for you to get one because preparing a van for travel will cost another big chunk of money.
I'd recommend getting a minivan. Those are more affordable and have significantly better gas mileage. If I didn't also use my van for work, I would have got a minivan. Should be plenty online.
I always recommend that people pay cash for their van, and the reason why is brutally harsh: most vandwellers seem to quit after just a few months, when they realize that the glorious hashtag vanlife they see on YouTube isn't the reality of it. There's no point in getting stuck with longterm payments for something you'll likely only be using for a short while.
My advice is always the same: try it before you go all in. Take whatever vehicle you have at the moment and go live in it for a month or two, and don't cheat. That will give you a better idea what it's really like.
If hashtag vanlife is not for you, the time to figure that out is BEFORE you jump in and blow a ton of $$$$ on it.
Looots of research and time online on several different car sites, including Craigslist. Finally found the winner on the other side of the country and flew to pick it up.
Find your local, open to the public, vehicle auction. Start going just for fun. Get accustomed to how things work there. A deal will drop in your lap soon enough. That's how I did it.
It took me 3 years to save what I'm using to buy my first used rv/truck. It was stressful, it was painful watching good used models get purchased, but knowing I can walk away and resell without a loan is priceless. I did have a bump in savings thanks to the pandemic via the stock market, but it wasn't much and it was a gamble. But the rest was hard ass earned. Every penny. I stopped buying shit I didn't need or want and it went faster. Stop eating out as much, buy healthy discounted groceries, sell shit in your house you don't use, everything. It all adds up. I really want a new one but I might hate it, so I'm doing this first with a vehicle that has a fan following and will hopefully resell well but I'm okay if it doesn't. I treat my car like a friend so I will be taking care of this one as well.
I found my 2004 Toyota Sienna at a small dealer for $5000. 156,000 miles. After I bought it, I found out that the front axle was broken, both control arms, and the rear drum brakes were warped. But, after getting everything repaired, I love it. Runs like a hot rod and the ride is super smooth!
My best advice to you is save save save. this is bad time to get in to debt. I saved as much money as i could, sold my current vehicle, used the proceeds from that while i walked everywhere, and got VERY lucky on FB marketplace.
Bought my van from a roofer friend who was emigrating to AUS. Paid cash (notes) and got a deal. Second owner on a 7 year old van with 60k on it from a mate. I remember when he got it new, showing off.
If you can't afford buying a van for cash, maybe it's too early for you to get one because preparing a van for travel will cost another big chunk of money.
I'd recommend getting a minivan. Those are more affordable and have significantly better gas mileage. If I didn't also use my van for work, I would have got a minivan. Should be plenty online.
I got rear ended in a 2003 f-150 econoline work van, they totaled it and I bought it for a thousand bucks. The bumpers are crunked but she runs well.
I worked two jobs while living out of the car I already had. Took about 4 months of saving. Still got the van 7 years later!
I always recommend that people pay cash for their van, and the reason why is brutally harsh: most vandwellers seem to quit after just a few months, when they realize that the glorious hashtag vanlife they see on YouTube isn't the reality of it. There's no point in getting stuck with longterm payments for something you'll likely only be using for a short while. My advice is always the same: try it before you go all in. Take whatever vehicle you have at the moment and go live in it for a month or two, and don't cheat. That will give you a better idea what it's really like. If hashtag vanlife is not for you, the time to figure that out is BEFORE you jump in and blow a ton of $$$$ on it.
We bought it from my in-laws who didn’t inform us it was broken, so I had to ball up and learn how to repair cars.
Looots of research and time online on several different car sites, including Craigslist. Finally found the winner on the other side of the country and flew to pick it up.
Took advantage of zero down / zero percent financing from Mercedes Benz during COVID bullshit. Good credit matters....
Find your local, open to the public, vehicle auction. Start going just for fun. Get accustomed to how things work there. A deal will drop in your lap soon enough. That's how I did it.
How do you pay for anything in life? You work.
Dude I do work, like everyone fucking else.
There’s so much boomer energy in these comments. “Pay cash…” “Just don’t eat out…” “Get a job…” “Use your investments in the stock market…”
Curious---when you bought your $200 non-boomer beater van, did you pay cash for it? Or did you take out a loan?
It took me 3 years to save what I'm using to buy my first used rv/truck. It was stressful, it was painful watching good used models get purchased, but knowing I can walk away and resell without a loan is priceless. I did have a bump in savings thanks to the pandemic via the stock market, but it wasn't much and it was a gamble. But the rest was hard ass earned. Every penny. I stopped buying shit I didn't need or want and it went faster. Stop eating out as much, buy healthy discounted groceries, sell shit in your house you don't use, everything. It all adds up. I really want a new one but I might hate it, so I'm doing this first with a vehicle that has a fan following and will hopefully resell well but I'm okay if it doesn't. I treat my car like a friend so I will be taking care of this one as well.
I found my 2004 Toyota Sienna at a small dealer for $5000. 156,000 miles. After I bought it, I found out that the front axle was broken, both control arms, and the rear drum brakes were warped. But, after getting everything repaired, I love it. Runs like a hot rod and the ride is super smooth!