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Thread: Could you actually live long-term in a van?

  1. #1
    DiscoMick Guest

    Could you actually live long-term in a van?

    Interesting story about the pros and cons of selling up and actually living long-term in a van.
    Sounds great, but it's not all roses.
    Personally, I'd like to have a base to go back too.
    What do you think?

    Inside the real #VanLife, the growing movement of young Australians living on the road - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

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    We sold / gave away everything & hit the road long term in our trusty Defender & brand new trakmaster van . Trackmaster knew what we wanted the van built for & that soured pretty fast when we discovered it was not actually really any more suited for use on outback dirt roads than the old Jayco was. Still loving life on the road after 2 years then the Gearbox blew up , Ordered a new R380 from Ashcrofts & limped to Sydney in 4th (from Longreach without Van) to pick up & get new Gearbox fitted .

    Then with lack of confidence in vehicle suitability for Long Term outback towing decided to buy the Iveco 4x4 , surely that would be up to task , but oh no A new Truck with 3 year warranty was more trouble than any used 4x4 Ive ever owned and the Van got even more of a hammering .

    So had to pull the pin on "Life on the Road" & find a House / build a Shed / buy machinery to allow me to re-engineer the POS truck because Iveco have no idea how to . So been in the House 2 years now & getting itchy feet again , but this time will keep the House as a base because this place is easily the best of any town we ever visited touring the country many times over. (except in April when the surrounding cockys are burning stubble)

    I'll see if we can Hang out for the Bollinger B1 to arrive , I'd love our next tour of Australia in an Electric 4x4 towing a Van & prove everyone wrong.

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    Easily. I've done it for a couple of years on and off. Not in a van, in a tent! loved it.

    It's always been my fallback plan, but increasingly it's becoming my primary plan. There are zillions of grey nomads doing it already, but relatively few pre-retirement age peeps on the road... But that's changing due to high rents, boredom with the city, ...although the problem is that #vanlife is becoming more hipster urban by the day.

    ...all the more reason to hit the road sooner than later IMO!

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by goingbush View Post
    We sold / gave away everything & hit the road long term in our trusty Defender & brand new trakmaster van . Trackmaster knew what we wanted the van built for & that soured pretty fast when we discovered it was not actually really any more suited for use on outback dirt roads than the old Jayco was. Still loving life on the road after 2 years then the Gearbox blew up , Ordered a new R380 from Ashcrofts & limped to Sydney in 4th (from Longreach without Van) to pick up & get new Gearbox fitted .

    Then with lack of confidence in vehicle suitability for Long Term outback towing decided to buy the Iveco 4x4 , surely that would be up to task , but oh no A new Truck with 3 year warranty was more trouble than any used 4x4 Ive ever owned and the Van got even more of a hammering .

    So had to pull the pin on "Life on the Road" & find a House / build a Shed / buy machinery to allow me to re-engineer the POS truck because Iveco have no idea how to . So been in the House 2 years now & getting itchy feet again , but this time will keep the House as a base because this place is easily the best of any town we ever visited touring the country many times over. (except in April when the surrounding cockys are burning stubble)

    I'll see if we can Hang out for the Bollinger B1 to arrive , I'd love our next tour of Australia in an Electric 4x4 towing a Van & prove everyone wrong.
    Geez you've had a tough run GB. Do you ever wish you had your Defender back? Hope you can get back on the road again soon...

  6. #6
    DiscoMick Guest
    I suppose, as goingbush said, one advantage of hitting the road for a while is you might identify the perfect place to settle down.
    Another point is there could be a difference in needs between those who need to keep working and those who are able to retire and tour.

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    Finding work on the road is often easier than you might think, if you stay away from the most popular cities and towns, because most people want to live in the cities these days. ...if you find your paradise along the way and decide to stay, all the better.

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    My Pa spent nearly 25 years living in his VW Kombi camper after he divorced my Ma and was dead within 3 months of his licence being taken away. Unlike the crazy old houses he bought to do up and resell his van was pretty much rat and mouse proof and always kept the rain off.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Zeros View Post
    Finding work on the road is often easier than you might think, if you stay away from the most popular cities and towns, because most people want to live in the cities these days. ...if you find your paradise along the way and decide to stay, all the better.
    So True , We weren't looking for work but stay anywhere long enough to be recognised a 2nd time by locals and we always got offered jobs , A mate of mine stopped for fuel at Curtin Springs 30 years ago & still there .

  10. #10
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    Plenty are doing it......

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