VAN BOOM: Why Are Vans Trending & Is Van Life The New American Dream?
VAN BOOM: Why Are Vans Trending & Is Van Life The New American Dream?
405,000 new vans hit US roads every year. Sprinter vans, Ford Transit vans, and Dodge Promasters are literally everywhere with some media outlets speculating that van life is the new American Dream. I wanted to get to the bottom of why vans are booming so I interviewed 80+ people and made a documentary film about it.
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Van Boom: https://youtu.be/OniYdmH6QKA
Vanlife, Vanning, DIY CamperVan is all the rage in the WORLD these days, not just America. It’s going crazy in Germany, Spain, Australia, NewZealand, South Korea, and more. Just look at all the youtubers from all over the world doing VanLife these days, even in the middle of this pandamic.
Since the sixties, vans. My dad had a upholstery business as a child. When I began sleeping in a van it almost felt like home
The man in the green van gives me Jack Black vibes
That taz girl is just a spoiled brad. She thinks that she’s so cool "you don’t need all these possesions". Whilst her trailer is full of it!
wondering if you are able to update this documentary to assess if a lot of people have changed their lifestyle to living in grounded homes verse vanlife in the midst of the pandemic
DIY converted van may have trouble getting insured as RV. Most insurance companies want proof of bonded and insured professional installation to issue insurance. I ultimately decide not to get a converted van. I do fine in my unmodified Outback. I donāt think I can boondock unless I get solar and take out back seat to make room for a fridge and large water tank. However, for a week at a camp site or trail head I am very comfortable sleeping in my car.
Thank you for the most outstanding vid.
You’re so right about what one considers to be the American dream… To each it’s own!
Van life coupled with minimalism makes it more bearable. I’ve seen vans that are packed all the way to the roof and that automatically removes the comfort level. There are van lifers who have a static address to come home to once in awhile and that take away some of the burn out factors. A well-planned itinerary plus a self sufficient van (solar energy,etc..)with just a backpack of belongings can really make van life satisfying.
I feel a return to the mid to late 70ās where āvanningā was extremely popular, course we donāt see the killer murals like the old days but at least thereās a return to the freedom of the road like there used to be. Hope this time it doesnāt die out too quickly
I have the van and a wife that wonāt go…UGH!
LOL–LOL—REALLY!!!!! HOW I MEAN HOW CAN ANYONE THESE DAYS PROUDLY PROCLAIM THEY ARE FROM PORTLAND,SAN FRANSICKO OR SEATTLE???!!!!????? IS THAT THEIR WAY OF SAYING—-NOOOOOO, I COME FROM A BIGGER SHITHOLE THAN YOU AND DAMN PROUD OF IT.
nice, watch nomadic fanatic, started with the a team van chevy, now has a class a rv i think, about the class. nice.
Great film! Enjoyed it immensely! ššš
my dad has a 1988 dodge wide body a few tricks it gets 14 and mint shape and worth 7000$ tops ha ha lets run out and spend 80,000 on thinking your saving money . And old vans parts everywhere .. well you must have no trade and believe a salesman
If you ever come up to Canada (Ottawa) I will try to help your video !
Ok, Maybe a van cost $40k, but you certainly DO NOT need to put another $60k in a build out, Get real
Hi Sergei! Great documentary! Truck campers seem to be on the rise as well. Have you met people during your travels with this type of setup? Thanks for making and sharing!
The people with $100,000 vans still have their houses too.
"Ecoventure"
$60,000 for just the build?!?!?! You are crazy!!! Very max would be $10k. Buy a used van throw a new motor in it and you’d have $20-25k tops
I can’t wait to have my own van build. I live in a country where earthquakes, floods, fires, and volcanos are always active, not to mention that we have a regular typhoon season. Just being able to avert danger in a snap really relieves my anxiety, PLUS I get to travel and see the country. Though my country is humid and half of the year just sunny, I wouldn’t mind, there’s solar.
Amazon delivery trucks. Duh. The whole world doesn’t revolve around us.
Great to have talked about the wild onions too!
Hummmm. I wonder how Vans are now in 2020 !?
Cuz of my idea, u need to give me credit for van life.
For people with other options, living in a van for a while might be an interesting little adventure. Knowing they can ‘return’ to a more conventional way of living any time they choose. But for people who resort to living in a vehicle due to desperation and limited alternatives? It can be less of a ‘dream’ and more of a nightmare. Especially older people. For poor people, it’s just another type of homelessness.
I sure hope that is biodegradable detergent you are using.
Vans are simple, inconspicuous and practical. And unlike a trailer or massive RV you don’t really need a special place to park them overnight or when you stop during the day.
Vans can work as cargo haulers – better than a truck because you keep your gear locked inside instead of in a bed. You can tow with a van. You can carry 9 people in a van. You can remove the seats in a van. You can have a reclining sofa/bed in a van. You can put a 29 inch TV in a van. All better than what’s possible with a typical crew cab truck.
Vans can have 4WD. You can lift them, put all terrain tires on them, add off road bumpers, light bars and a winch. I’ve even seen one place do a supercharger in a V8 GMC for a 525 horsepower ride with custom dual exhaust. When the drive is just as fun as the destination you begin to get the picture.
Last but not least vans are inexpensive. Certainly cheaper than a RV, are inexpensive to convert and also more serviceable than a RV. Maybe the days of big family budgets are over. Maybe people are returning to a more frugal lifestyle. Money certainly plays a factor in the decision.
For many the idea is to just get away from the norm, escape to the surroundings and enjoy nature. Some even get a thrill from stealth camping – something that’s incredibly easy to do when you’re in a van. But for an inexpensive weekend getaway for the couple that doesn’t want to pay hundreds for a hotel room, bunking in a cozy/comfortable van just cannot be beat.
well are you kidding me the sprinter mercedes are junk as do your home work here as that dick 20 miles per gal. and 10 really
so this seems only marketed for well off ppl…. poor ppl are anti social losers apparently so no need to talk to them when they cant afford expensive toys. You can get their footage from a far & call it good. Almost all the ppl interviewed had pricey rigs. There are whole aspects of this lifestyle you missed like the huge ALL inclusive Vanner community not involved in van shows, trust me they are not lonely. Some even live in older minivans, SUVs, even cars that cost less than a tesla… imagine that!
His woman has a BODY!
I can appreciate with what the lady is saying in comparing living the vanlife as opposed to living in a house, BUT that is comparing apples to oranges so unless she has "experienced" both lifestyles, what she is saying is "completely subjective". Just saying!!
im sorry, you lost me at the intro…
This was an amazing Documentary! Thank you. We have ordered a Dodge Ram ProMasTer to have built out into our ultimate VanLife travel mobile. So excited! Thank you š š»
Its my dream
Dear Viewers, first and foremost, thank you for watching my film and giving me input. I will consider your feedback in the future when making new films. As a content creator I make a concentrated effort to convey information as impartially as I can. While being 100% unbiased is not humanly possible, I think overall, I do a pretty good job.Ā Secondly, Iām a bit confused by the bulk of the negative comments… It appears that my critics make judgements based on the first few minutes of the film and donāt take the time to watch Van Boom in its entirety. Iām confident that should these folks watch the movie at length, theyāll see that most of their critiques are addressed adequately throughout the film.
Finally, in order to have an honest/productive discussion about the cost of a van build, we must first agree on the definition of what a van build is… Some folks drag an old couch into their vehicles, get a five-gallon water tank, purchase a propane stove, and consider this an adequate setup. If this is your definition of a build, then I can see why $60,000 seems offensive. On the other hand, if you build your van out so that you can comfortably live in it (i.e. install a proper shower, sink, bathroom, bed, drawers, etc.) than your costs increase significantly. $5,000 for a full build out seems highly unlikely to me. Unless you have the carpentry skills to DIY, own the necessary tools for every job, have a free place to park for 3-6 months while you build out your rig, and can take enough time off of work to build everything yourself, your expenses will be much, much higher than $5,000. It has been my experience that those who choose to live the van life full time and are successful at it, have spent some serious coin outfitting their vehicles. Ironically, a few years back, when I published a video about my own minimalist build, I got criticized in the opposite direction. It turns out that you canāt win on the Internet. āŗ If you want to see my van build video, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/awwZ7N07w4w.
Yes I do see a lot of negative comments. Don’t worry about them. I’m 78 years old have a multitude of skills. I can do about anything. I think you did a good job making this film.
I’ve been wanting to watch the entirety of your film but kept getting interrupted. Today, even with one interruption, I was able to watch it all. Thank you so much for sharing this brilliant production of van life and those who live it, especially the reasons for living the nomadic lifestyle. I have been a nomadic spirit all my life, my father being an active duty soldier then transferring into the newly established Air Force in 1947, the year I was born in Manila, Philippines. I have traveled ever since. I served 23 years in the Air Force with 16 of them overseas. On and off duty I loved to explore by backpacking, camping and visiting other nearby countries. Even after retiring in 1988, I needed to travel more and accepted a job in Maui, HI. One of my other jobs was with Canada 3000 Holidays. I flew to every island in the chain to ensure the clients were happy with their accommodations or even the resort. If not I would help them resolve the issue. Hawaii was a stepping stone to Fiji and Australia and I spent time with my sister as she used her timeshare opportunities. I worked as a Class A driver hauling bulk products, food products, flooring products throughout the U.S. coast to coast. I finished a security job in 2018 and haven’t worked since. I wanted to travel more but life took over. Within the next few months I will begin traveling and living in a ’19 GMC Savana 2500 cargo van which I converted myself, finishing yesterday with the installation of a refrigerator. Hopefully the pandemic will not be a hindrance as I travel throughout the lower 48, Canada and Alaska. I’m looking forward to escaping the increasing cost of living in a bricks and mortar structure and I yearn for the freedom of the road, a new backyard whenever I move. At 74 I have several years to build more memories, seeing new places, meeting new people.
If youāre living in a van, and the van breaks down, then what?š¤·āāļø
Most people in van life have a successful Youtube, instagram or TikTok. If not that they work remote or do seasonal work. If you work a blue collar job you cannot do this unless the blue collar job is a marketable skill.
Most countries have a lot of free wi-fi spots.
We Americans can monetize anything.
Excellent video.
I’ve been living over the road for 5 years and 55:57 is the best explanation of what I feel is the attractiveness.
Holy cow, I was not expecting those kettle bells, lol
I bought a brand new van. Building it out yourself is nowhere near 60K. I will however be able to put the very best in it because I donāt need a lot. You will have your job which you must maintain to crack that nut every month. Iāll be on permanent vacation. Should I ever want to sell it, you are dead wrong about resale value. Research what you pay to have a fully built out van. Iāve learned that āstuffā doesnāt make one happy. Freedom, travel, nature, however does. There are forums, caravans, travel groups all over. If you want to be with people you can. And if the government wants to step in and make my life hard with rules and taxes and crap, Iāll be gone. There are wonderful other countries too. I wish it for everyone. Live your life, not someone elseās idea of what you should be living.
RV-ing for almost 3 years. Not van living, but a plethora of similarities. One ? you had asked. How much $? Each couple determines how much they will spend. $30K to the sky is the limit. Itās basically, āfreedom vs comfortā in a nutshell.
You really struggle with the concept of how living in a van is cheaper than a house? 100k you’re having a laugh. Plenty of people have done it for less than 10 grand
I believe that the average person or couple are being priced out of the housing market as the average cost of a home in a major metropolitan area are averaging over $400k. Considering the pandemic and the housing-crisis with the uncertain times. I don’t think people are looking to build equity in a van but the choice comes can I afford a $400k house or a $100k van???
To live in a van vs living out of a van.
In the latter the primary living space is all of the outdoors, the van is a bedroom, storage facility, and in a pinch, a place to sit out a rainstorm. This sounds romantic, but I don’t see it as sustainable in the long run full time for most people.
I want to live in my van, step van actually with the option of living out of when I want. I’ll be outdoors all day long and I want a nice open, bright, uncluttered living space to come home to. Even looking forward to a couple days of rain. This I see as sustainable for the long term. But of course, a step van is bigger than these cargo vans, actually just wider and more efficient with space.
Ha 46:41 the Griswold vacation movie? š