Possible new full time home.

[SaddleTank]

Good evening.
Will you have a look at this van for me R646ADC,i've checked the mot history but seems like it might need a bit of work for the next one.I'm getting desperate for somewhere to live,68 years old and cant get any help with housing.I've decided to live free,in a camper van.

Pardon our interruption...

 

[Robmac]

My personal opinion is that the advisory;

• several areas of rust and corrosion to this vehicle

could rapidly escalate into something very expensive. You could get free living up until November (if you can find somewhere to park for free) but then you could end up in a world of s**t and end up temporarily homeless unless you have made contingency plans in case the worst should happen.

I wouldn't consider it myself, for full time living I think you need to lay out quite a bit more money.

 

[trevskoda]

Rust is always a problem, i have the chassis cab ex lib bus same engine box etc, from the pictures i see a old school pwm solar regulator which is only going to give you 2 thirds of a charge compared to a mppt type, that aside get a garage to do a full underbody inspection, good luck.

 

[barryd]

I am afraid I agree with Rob. At that price it has to have something not right with it. Unless you are mechanically minded you could be buying a world of pain. On the other side of the coin though if you have money aside to put it right and get it how you want it then it could be a nice little van. Nobody lives in a van for free though. There is always the costs of keeping it on the road, finding places to stay, fuel, insurance, heating in the winter (either lots of gas or paying for hookup). People do it though but just keep in mind it will never be free.

 

[andyjanet]

I wont advise you on buying a vehicle! Ill just say living in a van is not free, you still have full time expences, i bought £70,000 worth of Hymer and still spent £10,000 in two years just on faults that developed whilst living in it, uunless you are heading abroad uk is expensive to live full time, you cant park on your own land for more than 60 days this means you are doing campsites or the layby shuffle, campsites average £10 per night then you have heating on top or fridge in summer, laybys cost more because of vandalism or moving on every few days , then you also have to consider no solar in UK in winter so whatwill you do for power, a cassette toilt will last between 2&5 days before it needs emptying and please not in a ditch as many new live aboards do
Our average over the first 5 years of living in a van was £30 per day this includes everything for full time living for two of us, sorry to bring a downer on your van plans but just thought id give you some full time info, so many people say they live full time in a van for free , people wake up and smell the coffee you are lying to yourselves and everyone else it cant be done

 

[Wooie1958]

I wont advise you on buying a vehicle! Ill just say living in a van is not free, you still have full time expences, i bought £70,000 worth of Hymer and still spent £10,000 in two years just on faults that developed whilst living in it, uunless you are heading abroad uk is expensive to live full time, you cant park on your own land for more than 60 days this means you are doing campsites or the layby shuffle, campsites average £10 per night then you have heating on top or fridge in summer, laybys cost more because of vandalism or moving on every few days , then you also have to consider no solar in UK in winter so whatwill you do for power, a cassette toilt will last between 2&5 days before it needs emptying and please not in a ditch as many new live aboards do
Our average over the first 5 years of living in a van was £30 per day this includes everything for full time living for two of us, sorry to bring a downer on your van plans but just thought id give you some full time info, so many people say they live full time in a van for free , people wake up and smell the coffee you are lying to yourselves and everyone else it cant be done

I definitely wouldn`t say your post brought a downer on the subject.

What it has done is to bring some reality into what some people think a fantastic almost free way to live.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Nesting Zombie has lived in his van for several years for a whole lot less than some of the figures discussed here if you look at some of his detailed back posts. But remember that everyone’s individual circumstances - and capabilities - vary greatly.

Full time van living is just like any other life choice. A lot depends on your reasons for choosing to do it in the first place, and it is very much influenced by those individual circumstances.

I wouldn’t find it easy to do in the UK for all of the reasons outlined by @andyjanet above.

It’s also my understanding that most of the active users in here own their vans entirely by choice. Vans are very much an optional luxury - which most are able to afford to indulge in because they 1) have a well-paying job, or have had a good job in the past and have a regular guaranteed income, 2) are relatively well-off pensioners, 3) own their own home(s!), 4) have maybe inherited some of their wealth from parents and other relatives and 5) are at a point in their lives where they have little or no debt and no need to borrow. In other words, they are settled and secure, at least from a financial and home-owning perspective.

Their vans are used for leisure and pleasure, not as a substitute for a bricks and mortar home.

There are many people - of all ages - who are, unfortunately, not in that happy demographic band of warriors.

I’m willing to bet that the trend in van ownership as permanent accommodation, and not as a luxury hobby, has been increasing, and will continue to increase for the foreseeable. The crisis in housing and accommodation is real and is here to stay, and the choice for some will be to live in a van rather than on the street. Can’t blame them one bit. No, it’s far from ideal and shouldn’t be happening, but what are the alternatives when faced with such a terrible choice? I wouldn’t want to be in that position, especially at my age!

 

[NeilyG]

I seem to remember Nesting Zombie doing his own calculation as £600 per month (£20 per day) which I would imagine, after getting to know the guy, will be for fairly minimal living!
So, it looks like £20 - £30 per day is the ballpark figure you are looking at.

Don’t consider myself an expert, but the van looks in good condition for its age - but money saved on purchase may well get used up on future maintenance, esp if living in it full time.
We first got a van for slightly more than that, but getting it thru its mot each year was a constant battle & worry - & if it’s to be the only roof over your head, well it just doesn’t bear thing about imo.

 

[Boris7]

Morning Saddle Tank,

Truth is you’ll not live free in a van, and truth be told you don’t actually want to live in a van and that van will simply make things worse.

I don’t know your personal circumstances but Age UK would be worth a call

Security for older private renters | Campaigns | Age UK

Home should be the place where we feel safest, the place we make our memories, and the place where we can grow old. Find more information from Age UK.

www.ageuk.org.uk

Citizen advise would be the next call and then NRLA

Why is there a growing demand for supported housing? | NRLA

Supported housing provides more than just shelter—it offers essential care and support to people who are struggling to maintain a home due to physical, mental, or social challenges. But why is the need for supported housing increasing? And who exactly benefits from it? In this article, NRLA...

www.nrla.org.uk

If you rent privately at the moment then you have rights and the government have a responsibility https://www.gov.uk/if-youre-homeless-at-risk-of-homelessness

Remember if you choose to buy and live in a van there will be complications and it will effect your access to social help, the need factor will be reduced.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Another thing to seriously consider at this time of year is keeping warm in a tin box, you have no idea how good or bad the insulation is, if this is the way to go at least look at coachbuilt vans where there is "some" insulation, and more space and of course built for the job, supposedly.

 

[955itriple]

Just my opinion, but the advertisement tells you everything. Look at the sellers other items. They are a vehicle dismantler. The advert describes the vehicle as a project. They have probably decided that not enough demand for the parts to take the time to break it, not enough profit to repair it. So punt it out as a “project” and hope that someone with rose tinted glasses comes along with the idea of a rolling restoration. Sorry, but I wouldn’t spend your money on this.

 

[Nesting Zombie]

Hi ya Saddle Tank, & Welcome to the Boards.
I think, although we all try, it’s very difficult for anyone to give any accurate advice on condition of a vehicle at the best of times unless we personally know or can see that particular vehicle.
As depending on ‘Your’ personal skills, Body, Chassis or Mechanical issues might NOT be a problem to you. However the Electronics side might be like understanding an Alien language that hasn’t been discovered yet while Blindfolded.

Then by nature of it being a Motorhome you’ve got to take into consideration the condition of all the systems on the Domestic side as well that in some cases could outweigh the cost of a bit of Body work or mechanical repair.
Make sure it’s got a Full MOT.
Consider getting an ‘AA’ report.
Ask for the ‘Habitation’ report.
Then consider getting a ‘Systems Check’ by an Auto electrician that’s part of a Motorhome service garage on the internal systems before purchasing.

I have found that a common issue is not necessarily the Vehicle, It’s the Mindset of People getting a Livaboard vehicle often thinking that - It’s about living’Free’ !.
Understand your Skills & Capabilities.
Make sure you have a Cash Safety net for Emergencies.
Network with capable people & take care of those relationships.
Understand WHY you’re considering this lifestyle.
Make a Plan as to How your going to live, Where your Travels will take you, Spend time researching the routes & Parkups.

You might start by becoming a Full Member on here
Good Luck

 

[Fisherman]

If in doubt chicken out, and if I was you I would listen to this lot and chicken out. All the best to you, be careful, things are cheap for a reason. Seldom cheap and cheerful.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

TBH without a budget it's impossible to give advice but if the van linked is the best you can do then I would forget that idea, you need several times that to get anything decent and as an old member you will remember reading tales of woe even on very expensive vans so will need some back up dosh for when thing inevitably go pear shaped, surely at 68 your local council will have some options, although I can imagine them not being very tempting.

 

[SaddleTank]

I definitely wouldn`t say your post brought a downer on the subject.

What it has done is to bring some reality into what some people think a fantastic almost free way to live.

I really do know it's not free as in cost,i mean free as in freedome.Off grid type free.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

What is your budget for a van?