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Planning and Prepping: The Van Life Diaries 3

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Updated on May 4th, 2025

I am a big fan of the planning phase of any project. Prepping? Not so much. Planning is the dreaming and organizing, two things I’m great at. Prepping is just all the little stuff you have to do before you can actually start on any of the fun stuff. It’s tedious and in most cases it is stuff that you’ll never see once the build is complete. Lame.

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Who Doesn’t Love a List

List making is one of my favorite hobbies and the beauty of building a van means there are a lot of lists to make. Wants and needs lists. Things to purchase lists. Things to do lists. Videos to film lists. Andy does not get the same thrill from this part of a project which is why it usually falls to me. We are good at playing to our individual strengths.

I started with our “needs and wants” lists. We try to do something similar to this for every project because it helps us prioritize the most important parts of a project. It is the “big picture” dialed down to bullet points. I thought I would share with you all a bit of those items here:

Gwen NeedsAndy NeedsGwen WantsAndy Wants
Queen Size or Bigger BedRoof Vent FanOvenTrailor Hitch
Hot Water HeaterShowerA/CA/C
StovetopEnclosed Toilet SpaceAt Least 25 Gallons of WaterElectric Appliances
Refrigerator Bigger than a Dorm FridgeOverhead LightingSpot for Trash and LaundrySpace for foldable bikes
ToiletTwo Computer Work StationsSpace for Camera GearIndoor Shower
HeatSpace to Sit up in Bed
At least 76 inches of bed length

Now that we had our van, and our priority list I could start dreaming up layouts.

Planning Layout(s)

Andy had quite a few projects going on with work and boat projects so when we were ready to start putting together layouts we decided that I should do the initial planning and then he would take my “draft” and put it in CAD so that we had a better model for planning how much wood and paneling we would need.

I started out with pen and paper but quickly grew frustrated with visualizing what it would look like. Until I found Vanspace 3D. A program that is relatively user-friendly for someone who doesn’t know CAD but still allows me to create three-dimensional models. I took our list above and started playing with how I could fit as many items as possible into the build.

It became apparently pretty quickly that an indoor shower was going to take up a lot more space than we were willing to give up for a “nice to have” item. We are no strangers to showering outside, we primarily shower outside on the boat and we only showered outside for the first eighteen months we were cruising. So this was not a huge compromise and one that is going to make a lot of the other items on the list possible.

The next problem was figuring out how to have an enclosed toilet space without it taking up the same space as a shower/toilet combo. Andy had the brilliant idea to use something similar to what we had on our Alberg 30 and utilize the “hallway” as part of the bathroom. The door that will hide the toilet will double as one of the walls of this “bathroom”. With this idea we are also able to use some of the space above the toilet as a cabinet! Win-win!

Taping Out the Design

The last part of planning was to tape out the design on the floor of the van. This allowed us to check widths of walking areas and the bed. It also gave us a great visual to realize that our original plan for a banquet behind the driver’s seat wasn’t going to work. We reworked that idea and are actually more excited with our new plan but I’ll share more on how that will work later on!

Once we were happy with the tape out, Andy took our dimensions and made a CAD model so we had a working model to plan materials purchases and to reference as we build!

Prepping for the Build

The last thing we needed to do before we could actually start the build was to remove all the old contractor equipment and do some touch-ups to paint on the interior.

Our van was previously an electrician’s vehicle so there was some interior shelving that needed to be removed. We also removed the ladder rack from the top of the van and the divider from the driving compartment.

Once everything was cleaned out, we wire brushed all of the surface rust on the interior, primed and painted those spots so that we don’t have to worry about them getting worse!

Cost Breakdown

New Costs: $76.44

Total Cost: $13,349.44

We Bought a Broken Van: The Van Life Diaries 2

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Updated on May 4th, 2025

We bought a van with a broken transmission. Not just shifting a little funky broken, but truly will not go into any gear broken. Was this a good idea? Probably not. Andy and I have done a lot of crazy things over the years and this doesn’t even register in the top 5. The only crazy part of this idea was that we were about to own three cars and only one working transmission. Yup, you read that right. Andy was halfway through rebuilding the transmission in our 1973 Jeep CJ5. We decided that buying a van that needed to be towed to the house was a brilliant idea. *Insert eye roll here*

Why We Bought a Broken Van

When we sat down to talk about what our next campervan was going to look like, the very first thing both of us said was, “it has to be a high top”. Lavendar, our last van, was a Chevy Express low top. While she did the job, there is no way we could have lived in her full time. Even before my cancer diagnosis, we knew that we would be spending anywhere from 4-12 months at a time in the van, so we wanted it to be a lot more comfortable this time around.

We also knew that we were going to be on a relatively tight budget for a full-time build. We decided that we could afford to set a budget of $30,000. This meant that we needed to get a van for less than $20,000 if we were going to have enough left to do a decent interior.

In the US, there are three major options for high-top vans: Mercedes Sprinters, Ford Transits, and Ram Promasters. After watching Facebook marketplace for a few weeks, we knew that the Mercedes and Ford would be out of our budget. That’s ok though. Both are notoriously hard to work on yourself if anything goes wrong. Andy doing all of our maintenance and repairs is one reason we are able to make all out adventures happen. That meant we were looking for a Promaster.

We had three requirements:

  • Very little or no rust
  • No transmission issues
  • Under 200,000 miles

The problem we were running into was that almost every van on the market that met those requirements was in the $21,000-$23,000 range or was beat. And I mean beat. We test drove one that wasn’t even firing on all cylinders listed for $15,000, and another that didn’t have a single straight body panel for $18,000.

Then Andy stumbled on the listing for a 2017 Promaster. It was a 155 high top with 144,000 miles and not a spot of rust listed for $8500. We did some quick research on how much replacing the transmission would be and how doable the job was in a driveway. Armed with some cabin fever, cash, and a touch of delusion, we drove the 4 hours to check it out.

A Good Deal?

This van was in nearly perfect condition. Not a spot of rust on the body or the underbelly. A few minor spots of surface rust on the interior. The engine sounded great and the service records were impeccable. It also had 4 brand new all-terrain tires on it. We knew it was very unlikely that we would find a van in similar condition inside our budget. Even with the potential cost of rebuilding or replacing the transmission, we were making out with a good deal since we were able to do that work ourselves.

The owner of the tiny dealership offered to tow it the four hours back home for only $400. Hands were shaken and the deal was done.

Fixing the Transmission

The first hurdle of fixing the transmission was removing it from the van. We needed to get inside to see what was going on. Andy had high hopes that he could get it working for around $400. We were hoping for the best but planning for the worst. The worst in this case would be having to buy a rebuilt transmission for nearly $4000.

Andy managed to get the transmission out and into the garage so we could see what was going on. Without getting too technical, Andy thought that it might just need a new lift pump. Unfortunately, once we had it apart it was clear we were not getting out of this for $400. The inside had basically imploded.

Andy had already found a company who could get us a rebuilt transmission for around $3500 and in less than 7 days. The next hurdle was where to get it delivered because it was coming by freight and both our temporary digs and my dad’s house had posted weight limits because of the spring thaw. Fun fact, loading a 200lb Promaster transmission into the back of an ancient Volvo station wagon in a Home Depot parking lot is possible!

To say getting the new transmission in was a dirty job might be an understatement. Mud season in Maine is always fun but especially so when you are laying under a car in a gravel driveway. But after several hours of building cribbing and slowly bringing the transmission to the height we needed, it was bolted in. Andy ran some fancy software flash, and we had our moment of truth. It started and it went into gear!! We officially have a van to turn into our land home!

Cost Breakdown

While we were hoping that this was going to turn into an absolutely stellar deal, we still ended up significantly under our initial $20,000 budget for a running van and all repairs to make it reliable!

  • Van: $8,500
  • Tax, Title, Registration: $500
  • Tow Home: $400
  • Rebuilt Transmission: $3873

Total Cost: $13,273

Van Diesel Heater Install

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Updated on September 29th, 2020

As summer turned into fall, and quickly to winter here in New Hampshire, we realized that if we wanted to keep using the van in the winter we would need some sort of heater.  We wanted to keep using the van, so we started researching options and landed on doing a diesel heater install.

[Read more…] about Van Diesel Heater Install

Planning a Van Conversion

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Updated on September 29th, 2020

Planning for a van conversion is probably the most important step in the van build process! Like most DIY projects good planning and prep will save you time and money, while not planning leads to headaches and in our house a lot of yelling. We bought our van on September 29th and did not touch it until October 26th, that month was spent planning. We are happy to report that we had a very smooth build that probably would have only taken us 8-12 weekends if it weren’t for filming.

[Read more…] about Planning a Van Conversion

Test Driving a Van

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Updated on January 1st, 2025

Once you’ve decided on what type of van you are going to buy you’re going to have to start test driving vans. We know this can super intimidating so we put together a list of things to look for when you are test driving a van.

Before Test Driving a Van

Examine the Body for Damage

Most used vans on the market were previously used as commercial vehicles. Many businesses self-insure their vehicles so a previous accident may not show up on a vehicle history report. The following can be signs that a vehicle was in an accident and repaired:

  • Do the panels line up?
  • Are all the panels the same color?
  • Is there overspray paint in the wheel wells or behind the gas cover?
Body panels on a van

If the answer to any of those questions is no, you’ll want to ask the owner about any accident history. Hopefully, they will be honest, if they lie, it might be time to walk away.

Look for Rust

This is especially important in places where salt is used on the roads in the winter. If you live in a northern part of the US it is unlikely you will see a rustless vehicle more than 2-3 years old. We aren’t looking for perfect, just nothing structural.

  • Check the wheel wells and doors. This is where rust will show first on the body.
  • Check the frame for rust. Any significant frame rust should be treated with extreme caution. We aren’t talking surface level stuff, we are talking flaking.
Rust found while test driving a van

Rust on the body isn’t necessarily pricey to fix if you can do it yourself, but it is a pain.

Check Under the Hood

A quick look under the hood can tell you if someone has been messing around where they shouldn’t. You don’t want to see a lot of modifications or messy wiring.

  • Check for “extra” wiring, especially any that looks untidy.
  • Check clamps and hoses for signs of fatigue.
  • Is there corrosion on the battery terminals?
  • Are there any visible fluids?
  • Is there an aftermarket remote starter?
Battery under the hood of the van

Check the Fluids

Check important fluids before you test drive the van. Ideally, the fluids will be at the appropriate level and recently changed. A normal amount of “use” visible in the fluids is fine, what you’re looking for is deferred maintenance. Check the following fluids:

  • Engine Oil
  • Transmission Fluid
  • Power Steering Fluid
  • Brake Fluid
  • Coolant

Start Your Engines!

Cold Start

You will want to hear the engine as it starts from cold. There are certain noises, specifically belt noises that will not be heard after an engine warms up. If you cannot cold start, just be sure to exam the belts and pulleys a little more closely. You are listening for any:

  • Squeals
  • Squeeks
  • Thumps
  • Ticking
  • Odd Rhythms

Relative Compression Test

The engine should have consistent compression across all cylinders. This can be tested at a shop but most people are not that thorough. A relative compression test is the next best option. A quick google search will give you how to test in the specific vehicle you’re test driving. If you are test driving a GM van (Chevy or GMC) you can do the following:

  1. The engine should be off, parking brake on, and transmission in park.
  2. Press gas pedal all the way to the floor.
  3. Turn the key like you are starting the engine.
  4. The engine will attempt to turn over but not catch.
  5. It should be an even rhythm with no part of the noise louder or more intense than any other.

Use a Code Scanner

There are ways to reset a check engine light so that during a test drive it would not appear. An honest seller will let you know there is something wrong, but you should verify for yourself. Let the engine run for a little bit and then connect a code scanner. If you don’t own a code scanner most auto parts stores will do the diagnostics for you. Look for:

  • Any Codes
  • Any Pending Codes
  • Any Incomplete Monitors
Code scanner used while test driving a van

Push All the Buttons

Test all the knobs, buttons and levers inside the van:

  • Does the fan work on all levels?
  • Is the A/C cool? Is the heat warm (once the engine is warmed up)?
  • Does the defrost mode direct air correctly?
  • Do the windshield wipers work through all speeds?
  • Do the windows move appropriately?
  • Do the door locks work appropriately?
  • Do the headlights work?
  • Do the brake lights work?

Take it for a Test Drive

Steering

Make some nice slow turns. You want to see if there are any dead spots in the steering and how responsive it is. Remember this is a van not a race car a little steering slop is expected.

Braking

There should be resistance when you push on the brake. You also are looking for any vibration or pulsing while braking. Listen for any squeals or pulsing as well.

Transmission

A transmission repair is probably the most expensive repair on a vehicle besides replacing an engine. It’s important that you put it through its paces while test driving the van.

  • Bring the engine up to highway speed when safe. It should smoothly shift through all gears. You should have a hard time telling it’s shifting.
  • Step on it! The engine should downshift.
  • If your test driving a 4×4, put it into 4 wheel drive high and low.

Engine

When you step on it the engine should not smoke or blow any sort of black smoke. It’s pretty unlikely that someone has modified a van for “performance” but if they have it will show up here. The original manufacturer would have put that extra 50-100 horsepower in from the factory if it was a good idea and safe.

After Test Driving the Van

Ask to see any maintenance records that the current owner may have. This is a great way to see how well a van has been taken care of. Our van came with a whole fill folder which included evidence of every. single. oil change, all 23 of them!! It also included receipt of a recent transmission rebuild from a local respected shop.

Maintenance records provided to us when we test drove the van

Once you’ve completed your tests you have a decision to make. Is the price fair for the condition of the vehicle? Take into consideration not only part costs but the cost of your time! Use any findings to negotiate price, and be willing to walk away if you can’t come to an agreement with the seller. As the saying goes, there are always more fish in the sea!

Previous Step: Deciding Which Van Is Right For You

Next Step: Van Build Planning