Having spent a lot of time this summer on mountain roads or way out places, and frequent trips without the family, I bought this at a fair price...Came on the idea at Kennedy Meadows, sleeping in my Jeep because I was too lazy to fit my 40 footer in :DSo far works real well for short trips or tough roads, with friends or not. Keeping the big rv for now also, anyone else do this? Sorting out what I should and shouldn't carry with the van..carry too much in the rv, but never know what may be useful. So far impressed..

That looks like great fun. Sometimes the fun becomes obscured by the work bigger rigs require. When (if) the kids leave the nest many years down the road, I'd love to get a van like that.

That is killer! Wife and I have been contemplating the same sort of deal for short beach trips and remote outings. Been thinking a camper but your van would totally fit the bill!

My wife and I often have discussions about when we used smaller RVs. Our first was a 10foot chassis mounted camper. We took it everywhere plus it was on a 4X4 truck so there were basically no limits.Next was a 23ft TT with a 4X4 pickup TV. Again we could go just about anywhere we wanted to.Lots of boondocking with these two RVs.Now it's a 38foot 5th wheel and the ability to stay inside in comfort and have all of the conveniences of home out weigh the ability to go anywhere that we used to have. We very rarely boondock. I like having full hook ups.So now we tend to find a campground near where we want to play and then drive the tow vehicle loaded up with our toys over to the playground...play for a little while and then head back to the campground and the full comfort of our 38 footer. I'm guessing my getting old may have played a roll in this transition.

Thanks,My usual rig is a 40 ft diesel funmover.. some of my trips are short, meet a couple friends and ride Kennedy, Panguitch, Death Valley, etc. A place where not much for the family to do. Have already taken the van to Doheny Beach with the 4 yr old, overhead bunk works well, full bed, bathroom, kitchen, generator and ac. Drives almost like a car, I was surprised. Never thought the funmover was that bad before. Even drives well in wind. The van had 30k on the clock, I couldn't pass it up. Perfect for one toy..

And it could easily tow a small trailer if you wanted.Gary

haulers downsize, or get something smaller in addition to?

16 Replies

Spleenstomper
Explorer
Dec 20, 2013
BIL has a pop up TC for when he camps alone and then a large TT for when they go with the kids.
Bedlam
Moderator
Dec 20, 2013
We went from TH to TC with enclosed trailer in tow. We needed more garage space and did not want a large TH that would limit where we could go. Now we have 20' garage with an overall length of 45' and can leave the garage behind when we want go somewhere without our toys. A Class C was an option, but ones that tow more than 5000 lbs and had 4wd were beyond what we could spend.
rkortes
Explorer
Dec 20, 2013
We started our Rving experience with a Van Conversion and a small trailer to pull our dirt bikes. Ends up some of best times were spent with that unit. Simple... Cheap... Effective. What else is there?
WhitehouseLV
Nomad
Dec 18, 2013
These darn RVs are contagious!! I've thought about a travel trailer and throwing the bikes, ATV or 50" rzr in back. Whatever it is needs have toilet & be self contained; otherwise, I'd tent camp. Nice thing about the state of Montana is trailers are a one time registration. So I'd go that route.

Btw I have an 88 XR sitting in my dad's garage. Put a lot of miles on it growing up. :)
cbigham
Explorer III
Dec 16, 2013
It's doing pretty good with a limited/posi in the rear and at tires! 4x4 would be sweet, but $$$$ and still never be the recovery vehicle a truck or jeep would be.

Defiantly get better camp sites with it than a 40 ft motorhome or large toy hauler. I looked into the camper possibility, but too pricy for what I want to do. Would need a decent, probably diesel truck, then find a pop top with a bathroom. Rare and pricy too. Having gone that route before, I felt the van is more convenient, solid and realistically I wasn't bounding down4x4 roads with my old camper either, you could hear the truck bed flex (and by extension, the camper)

This is quick - 5-10 min to tie down bike, gone.
SoCalDesertRid1
Explorer II
Dec 13, 2013
That van would be awesome with a slight lift and 4wd conversion.... :B
TxTiger
Explorer
Dec 13, 2013
That's a great option for extended weekends. I've been looking for options when I don't want to take the toy hauler. I probably settle on a truck camper though just so I don't have something else that needs insurance, registration, tires, oil changes, etc.
cbigham
Explorer III
Dec 06, 2013
I have a xr250r, great bike for mountains. Hope the van and xr250 get into more isolated spots than the big rig.
colliehauler
Explorer III
Dec 05, 2013
cbigham wrote:
colliehauler wrote:
I bought a little 17' TH to boondock and kept the 5er TH. I wish I had never sold my XR 600.

I hear that a lot, people sad they sold that xr , sorry about that! :Sthis one's plated and a keeper!

I sold my modern te510 husky and used the money to buy 3 XR's ...250, 400 and 600. So far worked out really well. The van and the xr600 make a pretty good combo.
I had a 95 XR 250 and a 95 XR 600. I liked the 250 on tight trails in CO.
cbigham
Explorer III
Dec 05, 2013
colliehauler wrote:
I bought a little 17' TH to boondock and kept the 5er TH. I wish I had never sold my XR 600.

I hear that a lot, people sad they sold that xr , sorry about that! :Sthis one's plated and a keeper!

I sold my modern te510 husky and used the money to buy 3 XR's ...250, 400 and 600. So far worked out really well. The van and the xr600 make a pretty good combo.