I have a Toyota Sienna Limited Van 2011. I've lived in it full 3 years. I only had to take out one second roll reclining seat. ( Tape measure is my friend) 😊 On the passenger side. I installed a Microwave wood stand (36" x 15"). One top is a Pecron 1500w Generator and a small 300w Generator for my 4 and rechargeable Fan bungee the 1500w to the Microwave stand and the Jesus bar.😊 On the stand is also a 900w Microwave, Toaster Oven, Refrigerator, Medication shelf, Miscellaneous x2, Air monitor, Weather Alert, Swivel Fan, Air Purifer, Cell Phone holder, and a Bar speaker for my Lap Top. Additional Plugging Outlets. Shag Carpet on the floor. Limited comes with a Moon and Sun roof. JBL speakers for the Theater 🎥 set up on the dashboard and second roll. One Reclining chair. On the right side of the Microwave stand. I have a Cabinet where I store wiring, cords, and miscellaneous things. On of the stand I have a flower pot. Collection of DVD'S. Next to the stand I have a food tray with Toaster, Hot plate with Waffle macker. Food storage and Pots and Pans. Third roll seat, I put down in the well. I installed a Cloths Rack to range. Storage for shoes. Space for an Ice Chest. Additional smaller Microwave stand for Larger miscellaneous things. I have 500w Solar panels. I put on top of the roof. I crack the Moon roof and run the wiring when in use. I store two Solar water bag 🎒 on the roof for showering in the summer. I installed two shower curtains onto the back opening. One to protect my cloths from getting wet and the other so no one can see me naked.😊 I have an All wheel Drive 🚗 Leather seats. HAPPY CAMPING 🏕 EVERYONE 😊
@lamarrharding4776 This is a light Grey. I see a lot of my color. One time, I went to the wrong Van. While a person was sitting in the drivers seat. 😆 🤣 😂
I lived in my beloved, adored 2005 Mazda 6s with 3.0 engine for over 2 years. I'm now 63 and a lady invited me to stay in her spare room. We did become friends but 2 months after I moved in ,she died suddenly. She was 60 years old . Her family begged me to stay in her house since they all live several states away and she had no will. So for almost 9 months now, I'm living alone in a house ,paying the utilities ( least I could do since they are paying the mortgage until estate is settled. But my Mazda was killed by a repair shop and I'm saving money to buy another car.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Condolences for the loss of your friend. Good luck with the next vehicle. Hopefully, you have enough time to save before everything is finalized.
I miss my mazzi6s too. Little zoomer. Miss that engine come alive after 4grand in rpm. Notorious for rust though. If I can find one without rust, I am getting another one for sure.
@@visakhrajendran741 I. absolutely LOVED mine and it was awesome burnt bronzey orange . Always peeps remarked how sharp it looked . I'm still heartbroken, it was the first car I bought myself. It had all the bells and whistles,too 😪
I went w/ a rice cooker w/ 6 settings instead of instapot bc it uses only 600 watts. I can boil water in it, cook noodles, etc. Also, i have a portable kettle (folds flat) uses 800 watts. This way everything is electric & no flames/gas in vehicle. .. i also bake, cook scrambled or omelets all in rice cooker. Limiting the number of gadgets. .. i might, however, look into the ninja cooker - way more expensive then what i have, but more features.. i don't remember watts on that.
Love the video and all the clear info you give! I have searched the comments real quick and didn't see anything, but if someone has said so already, please disregard... I wanted to point out that carbon monoxide is approximately the same density as air, just a touch lighter, and so detectors should be kept at breathing level or higher. They should also be kept clear from objects that can stem air flow around them. It is a common misconception that CO detectors need to be kept low (I'm a firefighter and fire prevention officier... if that helps with credibility 😉). Thanks again for the great video!
I have the very same Sienna and really love your videos. so tired of the kids of the uber wealthy and their parents tricking out an already expensive rig, and then pretending how rugged and frugal they are. To each his own, but I really appreciate you and others who produce the "everywo/man" mods. Since I do not have the cabinet making skills, tools, or facilities that are required for other builds, your videos are most inspiring. I am slowly growing my Sienna in the same directions as you and appreciate the small bites scenario. I also have noticed how more smooth and sophisticated your videos have become as your skills and confidence have grown. I wish you much success and look forward to more videos
Hi, thank you so much for your feedback. I’m glad to hear it. I enjoy making videos as a hobby and enjoy making them around the Sienna the most. I don’t want this to become something unreasonably expensive but want to have fun camping. Good luck with your Sienna, and I hope you have a lot of great experiences with it.
Here is a hint: Think outside of the box instead of buying high cost items. You can make many things yourself for little money. We use plastic screen and magnets over our windows. Works great. We have an ecoflow for power and solar panel from SanTan Solar, Arizona. Fire maple Stove Sleeping Bags Tarp from Walmart and paracord for sunshade, folds up easy peasy For washing up ourselves and dishes we use a plastic spray bottle with pump from Home Depot We bought a car tray from Harbor Freight that we put on the hitch in back of our vehicle. We have a Chevy Spark. We found a used cargo carrier and mounted it to the top of the car. We keep our tent chairs sleeping bags solar panel snorkel gear etc. up there. Black Friday sales and yearly sales, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay, local garage sales, Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity have lots of good deals. Also go to the wealthy areas where they throw out lots of good things on trash day. Those are free.
I would recommend adding a lip all around the edge of the cooktop so that if something spills over, it can remain contained and not get all over the mattress.
Well done - an excellent version of this "genre" of RVing. As mentioned elsewhere, Bob Wells, HOWA & Company use the no-build minivan a lot in getting people started and on their feet with boondocking -- "spreading hope". Thanks for making.
I have a 2009 Pontiac Montana, without the bells and whistles. I have bought a Ezetil 12 V cooler, a camp cot and 3" foam mattress, a butane stove, cook kit with kettle and a Luggable Loo. I have ordered a Jackery 1000 and will, eventually, get a 200 W solar panel for the roof. I'm buying things a little at a time as my pension money allows. The hardest part is getting those darned middle and back seats out. Once I get it set up, I'll camp close to home, as my old cats get angry if I'm gone for too long. I'm not sure if they'd adapt to harnesses for transporting from house to vehicle. They really hated being caught and stuffed into carry crates when we were evacuated during the wildfires. Thanks for showing me how it's done. :) Jon in rural BC, Canada
Thanks for sharing your experience. It sounds like you’re taking slow and steady which is a great way to start. The Pontiac Montana is a rare vehicle nowadays. Enjoy!
Just stumbled across your channel. Love the format of this video; clear, concise and simplistic. I love the idea of minivan RVing even though my spouse and I full time between our stationary 5th wheel and our mobile slide-in truck camper. I was attracted to the "no-build" concept as I would have little skills to do any kind of build and I would like the ease of removing stuff for everyday use of the vehicle. Since you made an effort to do a shout out to us Canadians, I will search out more of your videos ;). Thanks for sharing.
"using a minivan for more than one person, can be tight". This makes me crack up, thinking back to a couple of years back, we were 3 guys working and travelling for 5 months straight, in this old toyota estima. We never stayed at any real camp sites, just on parking lots away from town or in the middle of nowhere. No fridge, no electricity, only 2 seats so 1 guy always had to lay in the bed whilst driving. Hard work outdoors during the day, no showers after, just beer, joints, and lots of laughs. It was extremely tight, i still don't have a clue how we got through it for that long, we only met a month prior to that, so we barely knew each other. How fucking beautiful life can be.
I’m 60yrs old, and I’m looking for a van. I’m GONA use it to live in. And I’m looking for ideas that are simple and easy. I’m on a very fixed income. VA Survivor benefit. I’m familiar with camping. So I can be outdoors as well. It’s kinda scary going into this. Thanks for ur video
Hi Eugenia, sorry for your loss. There are quite a few ladies out there in minivan campers. The most popular are Dodge Grand Caravan, Toyota Sienna, and Honda Odyssey. They all have their pros and cons. The biggest problem with full time is limited space. Otherwise, this is extremely enjoyable. Good luck and enjoy!
Nice setup. Simple and functional. I have a similar set up in a caravan with stow and go seats removed . Fuel economy is important these days. Im looking at the Toyota Sienna hybrid awd for my next build. I have seen some people put a lift kit on their minivans with impressive results for ground clearance. Thank you for showing people that you don't have to spend a fortune to enjoy getting out on the road and exploring beautiful places outdoors. 👍
My brother works at the Toyota dealership and he said the batteries are basically a rip off because it would take you 10 years of fuel savings to equal the cost of the battery if you're going to keep a brand new car for 10 years it may be worth it over the course of that. Of time other than that I do love the all-wheel drive feature but I finally settled on a caravan because it was the best deal I could get
I’ve thought about upgrading, but this one is paid off and reliable. I’m going to try to get as much time as I can out if it. I am strongly considering upsizing if I ever have to replace it.
@@AdventureGearTVI owned and lived out of a Tesla Model Y for 2 months. Loved living out of an EV. I also have lived out of a 2007 Toyota Sienna. I was quoted $10k for engine replacement on that van. There's alot of anti-EV propaganda out there. Currently building out a 2015 Sienna
Harbor Freight, Dollar-type stores, Walmart, and truck stop stores are your friend. Try an elastic net for the top shelf for extra storage and to prevent launching them at every twist and turn. You might also consider this for the entire shelf face for the same reason. I have the same window reflective panels setup as yours but store them in an overhead netting secured from four interior perimeter roof handles. It's perfect since the panels don't have much collective weight and frees precious floor space.
I always think of the minivan campers as ‘self-contained mini-teardrop campers’. That’s what I tell people when I tell them I want one to turn it into a camper van.
Prefer the idea of a no build. And a battery station and solar panel makes more sense for my possible needs than wiring battery rigs. I'm not an electrician or mechanic.
Great ideas, and well presented video. I have a similar cot and use a self-inflating air mattress + foam pad. I no longer carry a fridge, learning how to live comfortably without it. I do have a barrel type porta-potty filled with a small amount of horse stall pine pellets for no odor and super easy dry disposal.
Those fold out beds are UNCOMFORTABLE!!! I drove Minivans as a taxi,,,, i would go get a thick Foam Folding Chair that makes up into a Bed,,, I slept on them before. You usually find them in Mattress stores or online they are usually about $80- $130 and up,,,, I think they are called Stuffed Flip Chairs,,,, Builds installed into your Van can cause your Insurance to not cover any accidents. People that do builds in their minivans usually do not know that till its too late,,,, Build plus all your stuff can all be to heavy and affect performance of the van,,, it might not brake well because of weight
Not all of them. Depends on design. You wanna look for the ones that don't have any bars running under the stretcher (ie 'mattress area'). I like the ones that are just tautly stretched material held by the frame. But if you like a bed you can sink into then yeah, this isn't gonna be your bag. I *like* a firm mattress and would be fine sleeping just on this but having a thin foam (even just a yoga mat, for me) helps with getting in and out imo - it's the hard bar surrounds that can be uncomfortable and good to put something soft between you and that. As a temporary option (in a camper) I've really come around to these frames cos allow for more storage under. AND, if you like to set up a tent for an extended camp-site stay I've seen ppl easily move them out to the tent. V versatile
I just bought an ‘09 AWD Sienna and didn’t even know about using as a camper until I saw these RU-vid videos. Now I’m planning to go stealth camping in Moab. Cheap, reliable fun!
I actually camped in my Toyota Yaris last month for 3 days. Someone sprayed something awful in my neighborhood and it made me sick. I tucked a bag of clothes for 3 days in a gym bag along with a towel, washcloth and soap. I had one box full of dry food and fresh fruit for 3 days and a box of things like small garbage bags,toothpaste, medicine I take daily and utensils for eating. I tucked in 2 1 gallon bottles of water I can refill at Walmart. I normally keep a cup in my car. I had my iPad and phone plus my chargers. In the backseat I had a Korean mink blanket with a foam pad underneath for a bed and a sheet, pillow and extra blanket. So my trunk was full of the above except my bed plus a small cooler full of ice 🧊 I know where most of the better parks and campgrounds are in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky. I’m familiar with many in Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Northern California and eastern Washington. I have a YMCA pass to take showers and enjoy the company of others. It’s interesting visiting other churches too. I may do this occassionally besides escaping horrible pesticide.I like the way you set up this Sienna. I may consider doing this too.
@@dki8 it is a physical condition. I have a good friend who has a highly sensitive immune system and will became sick very easily, even from entering a person's home or a grocery store. Pesticides or smoke in the air will send her to the hospital. At this stage, she has to travel to safe locations in a small, clean, used trailer she bought. She was not even able to purchase a new trailer because of the odors released from new building materials. It is a very difficult life.
I'm so glad that this particular video came up in my sea just as I turned on RU-vid! My biggest thing is the solar and the power and so I'm going to get exactly what you did! It takes a big load off of me! Now if I could just drum up a little ferry that could install the panel that would be awesome 🤣🤣🤣💜 it's getting my friend to get that floor in but we're getting closer and closer 🤣 💜
That is great news, I am excited to see your final build video. I didn't mention it in the video, but I have a separate set of cross bars for the panel and the awning. That way I can take one off separately, if needed.
I noticed that too. I was wondering if the person with the red jacket was with him or was sneaking to take a look and backed up when they spotted him and the camera. 😅
I have seen SOOOOOO many of these. Your's was the most informative. The safety part, ( the knives), I NEVER thought of, but seen alot of people have those. Also like windows not obstructed, I just like to see ALL AROUND. 🙂 thank you!👏👏
Very informative! I have been using a GasOne dual fuel single burner stove, and like it a lot. More stable than my old ones that perched on the fuel canisters, and it is easier to find fuel, as either propane or butane are almost always available. Plus, butane doesn’t work well below freezing. Always keep a fire extinguisher accessible in your van, open a window a bit, and have a CO and smoke detector!
Same 200 watts on the roof AND. A max air roof vent THATS a MUST shut all windows even in Florida heat. 10 speeds in 10 out even in the worst storms no leak Game changer
Between this comment and another, I am thinking about putting a fan on the roof. Do you have the same panel? Does the max air fan fit with the panel in place? I am thinking about mounting a flexible panel a little farther forward directly to the roof which would give me the space for the fan in the rear.
I use window socks which allows me to have windows up/down and everything in between. I also installed rain guards/wind deflectors which was a game changer.
The big thing missing is a toilet. For older folks who have to go more frequently, are there any reasonable solutions for that? An idea I've had has been to get a cheap Planet Fitness membership. This gives a 24/7 access to toilets and showers in most medium and large cities.
Love your build and the car size. I car camp in my 2002 Ford Focus Estate. With the smaller space available for me and my collie dog it's very basic! Dog's bed behind the passenger seat permanently. A couple of deep and wide 3 section folding exercise mats are my very comfy bed behind the driver's seat. A strong cool box holds dry food etc, a well insulated cool bag with freezer packs in it, or a bag of ice if I can't borrow freezer space somewhere to refreeze the first,n in keeps fridge good good for two days. A plastic box holds everything else including a flat gaz cooker - like yours, cooking utensils and other sundry items, might lights etc. When driving these all sit on my bed wedged together so nothing moves along with clothes bag, sleeping bag, pillow - and tent in case needed. I carry two 5litre bottles of water in the front passenger well in a medium flexi bucket along with boots and rain gear, dog's coat nightlight collar, brush etc. one 20 litre and one 8 litre dry bag. The large dry bag useful for storing extra water if washing clothes in the small one. I move the boxes and bags into the empty space behind the dog's bed off the bed to sleep. Strapped to the side wall in the back beyond the dog's bed are two chairs, a table, a large umbrella, hiking sticks, a tarp and some electric fence posts. The tarp forms an awning over the open rear door when tied to the roof bars and out to the electric fence posts giving me a shade and rain shelter beneath which to cook and sit outside. The large umbrella can act as a wall on the windy side if needed. I don't have a battery or solar panel but have 3 power banks which keep my phone charged when I have no access to plug in charging. My toilet is two Tupperware containers under the drivers seat when necessary and that system works well for me. I can, just about, clamber into the drivers seat from the back in an emergency. The car has a roof window that opens, handy for ventilation at night. Bubblewrap on windows for daytime privacy and black out window curtains for overnight. I can't fully sit up on the bed.. but can use the drivers seat to sit and read etc at night. A popup shower tent stored under the bed I can shower in jugging water over me from a pop up basin placed on one of my chairs and standing in the flexi bucket to catch the wash water. Basic but functional for all personal needs for short trips of a week or two away!
This year I've upgraded with a Bluetti battery ..luxury! I've also got a tailgate tent now for when I'm based a while in a camp site to have a room which can be stand alone when I want to go off in the car..plus a smaller separate tailgate awning tent that just goes over the open trunk door and has a fly sheet and the awning zips closed if you want it to. Now besides my camping Gaz stove I have a fold up bbq which I use not to bbq on - too messy😊- but to cook on outside, or to use my Coleman oven on.. I bought a basic homemade teardrop trailer but so far I prefer to sleep in the car and use the teardrop as a storage trailer, just using the kitchen area of it to cook on. Parked parallel to the car a tarp from the roof bars on both makes a nice shaded rainproof space and if taking the teardrop trailer my bike fits in it as I can't use my tow bar bike rack when towing the trailer.... So all good for camping this summer in luxury rain or shine!
I have a 2016 Sorento and I'm thinking about converting it. Over the past year (before the Sorento) I found myself homeless. I welcome any tips and tricks on the Sorento to "campnto" conversion.
Take a piece of insulated pipe wrap (the kind that looks like a slit pool-noodle) about 5 inches long and fold around your bedframe leg. Secure it with black Gorilla tape. Would look much better and keep the leg out of that gap for sure.
Please check your addition on the expense table. You listed the Oupes 1200 Power twice at $800 each. Was that a mistake? Even if the 2nd one is removed, your total exceeds $2,500. With the 2nd Power, your total is over $3,300.
Thank you for putting this together. Great job btw. It gives us newbies a realistic look at what items might cost. So I might choose the window covers and/or black out curtains when initially setting up my build, while delaying the solar panel and a power station. And or the awning vs an icebox/refrigerator. I like the cot and that you mentioned keeping the lighter items behind you while driving. Good tip. And the airbags. That is definitely one I wouldn't have thought up on my own. Thanks again, and happy travels! 😊
Hi, I recently weighed the full setup and it only came out to around 320 lbs. So, taking out the middle row almost offsets the entire weight of the camping gear. You can see the video in my channel.
@@AdventureGearTV I can believe that. I have read, depending on the Van, these seats can weigh as much as 50 lbs. per seat. I'd say the 60/40 seats would vary. The 40 may weigh a little less than the 60 may weigh than more so than the 2 middle row seats. Thanks again.
AWESOME build and I absolutely LOVE what you have done with the space that you have used as I am looking with the space that you have USED!! Kudos to YOU!!
As an RVer I was hesitant to travel this year with the price of fuel. So I've converted my Toyota Matrix into a car camper! I travel with my dog and cat, even in the Matrix. I'd love a mini van, but for now the car is great!
Get 4 wheel drive, not all wheel. It is a major pain to get a set of tires, 6 months later you damage one tire and you find yourself buying a new set of tires
22:20 - Look at your list. Oupes 1200 Power is listed twice. You should replace the first mention of the Oupes 1200 power with the Airlift Suspension Airbags. That would only add $98, making the total investment around $1300. That sounds better. Thanks for your information. I'm just getting started with my 2004 Sienna as a low-build camper.
Seems like the Awning isn't worth it. Seems like a Tarp, some Bungees and some Poles would do the job just as easy at much less cost and be more versatile. GREAT TIP on taking the shoes off before you get in. Who knows what you might track in. Maybe a place to put those shoes as part of the Cubby would be a great addition. A Bag or sorts that you habg from the Top Shefl that could increase the function of that space. .
Thanks for this. I have seen one other person use a narrow twin bed frame with leaving the one seat still installed and I loved it. Watching this video reminded me again that I think that's the route I will go. Bummer about not being able to sit straight up though. Although I am only 5'4" so maybe I am short enough that I could still sit up? Still in the planning stages but your video helped a lot. Thanks!
Hi, it’s not that bad, but I wanted to point it out. I am very comfortable sliding into the seat to sit and relax. I don’t usually try to sit around in the bed.
I was all set up to start full time rv'ing with my partner but he bailed. I have a small class A motorhome, 26ft. I feel like its going to be too big for 1 person. Thats why I'm checking out vans like this. Down sizing will make it cheaper im sure but what other advantages or disadvantages are there to downsizing now that youve been doing it for a while?
I have read that siennas can have transmission problems around 150,000? I'm asking not pointing a finger. I would like a sienna but the more I research the more it becomes out of my price range. Thx
I think changing the fluid helps keep the transmission running. I changed my fluid and it looked pretty dirty at only 70k miles. A transmission can be expensive.
keep propane detector low air is lighter than propane but carbon monoxide is lighter than air and that detector should be kept 5 feet above the floor, in Toyota case, on the ceiling
Absolutely bro I build camper vans professionally Your rig is practical and inexpensive for camping Two biggest expenses, awning and solar is really what makes it great 👍
I didn’t know people did this- this video was recommended by RU-vid. Three questions I have- where do you go to the bathroom, especially if you wake in the middle of the night and have to go? How do you bathe or wash your hair? Lastly, if you’re in the northeast, which I am too, how do you not freeze in the winter when the temps get into the single digits or lower?? I’d love to try the nomad life in a camper.. but a van is probably not for me. I’m glad for you if you make it work for you, though. I think I would need a bathroom and a good heater.
use two sleeping bags or quilt inside sleeping bag. use hand warmers and feet warmers. If you park at truck stops, bathrooms are open all night. some truck stops have showers, but you can use a wash cloth and soap to clean arm pits and private areas in restroom.
For a bathroom, you can use a bucket with pellets. For a shower, there are silicone spray nozzles that fit on 2 litre pop bottles. I found mine at the pet store, but have seen them on Amazon.
Wait, you didn't add very well. You list two chargers at $800/each. That is already $1,600. When you add the rest of your list, it comes to way more than 2,000
Did I miss that you had to buy a 2nd Oupes 1200 Power for $800 for some reason or am i misunderstanding cuz you have it on the total cost list two separate times. Did you actually buy 2 and I missed/forgot it in the video or is that an error and why the no-build cost is so high? Oh, nevermind that theory, upon reviewing your math- it's terrible. Youre just bad at math... don't do your own taxes k 😆 jk. I'm gonna assume you didn't actually use the list, as shown at the end, to add it up but tallied it up elsewhere and then made this list but you likely didnt check this one and the other were identical in the end... So (without the 2nd $800 power machine on the list which you obviously didnt add in or your cost would have been $3180) the total I get is actually ~•$2380•~ but if you remove the expensive awning (which I think you were suggesting having the awning would be a bit more luxury and not necessary) that brings it down to a nice even ~•$2000•~, which still isn't what you got, at $2080? Perhaps just a typo and you meant to put a 3 but put a zero instead? So it should have been $2380 but you accidentally wrote $2080. So, I dunno... Just so it's clear, the cost is $2380 INCLUDING the $380 awning. Obviously, if you forego the awning, the cost would be $2000 exactly. Cheers!
We have almost the same name haha. I also have a Toyota sienna I'm doing the van life thing in. No build though. Just memory foam on floor at moment but do have a 12v setpower fridge. Bluetti eb55 to power it and 200 watt solar.
@@AdventureGearTV so far I'm a year in and great so far. The lifepo4 battery is hard to beat. Accepting 200 watts of solar makes it better than the jackery. Friend has the jackery 1000 and 2 jackery panels and get max 125 watts. I get 104 out 1 rigid 100 watt panel. I get roughly 2 days with 0 charging on fridge. 100 watts makes it last like 4 5 days. 200 watts in solar gives me plenty for fridge phone head lamp
@@AdventureGearTV I actually have 2 eb55 and 2 100 watt panels. Thinking I need just a 200 watt panel and install like you did on a video. I need to see if my cross bars work like yours. That panel still holding strong ?
Another great video, thank you! This is super helpful as I begin preparing to change from my Buick Encore no-build car camper to a Sienna. Sienna seems like the perfect vehicle for car camping on cross-country trips. I love how you are an outdoorsy car camper with a hipster vibe. Not the typical combination, but you make it work well. Thanks again! Blessings!
I use a camping cot, as it's relatively light weight, I have a 4 season SI mat on top, and a full length sheepskin on top of that, as wool is less likely to get moldy, and it works in all temperatures
You did pretty good job with your van I like the way you set it up and laid it out it suits with the purpose you made it for and a handy when you need it something like that and you got a bug out it's always good to have a camper system in case of emergency
Thank you for this video. I am thinking of doing this. I collect signatures all over the country and over half of my expenses are hotels. This would save me a grand a week. And as I have no building skills I think even I could do this.
Wow! Thanks for the tour and suggestions. I converted my 2007 Honda minivan and so far have had 3 road trips (solo camping). The only big difference between my set up and yours is my floor and your awning + solar panel. I'm considering both items for next trip in the spring. As for my floor, I removed the two middle captain chairs from the van and also removed the stow-able third row bench. So there is a sizable "well" where that third row used to be. I made a floor out of plywood, and it hides the hinges and hardware in the van floor. My plywood floor has a trapdoor to access the well and I also have storage under the floor in front of the well. it is leveled and polyurethaned, etc., so looks pretty nice. Other than that, we have very similar set ups. I like your solar lights. I did break my cot (hinges on leg). It looks a lot like yours. What brand did you go with for that? also, where did you get your window shades? I made mine out of reflectix but I need to re-do them. I did meet another female solo camper who doesn't block her windows at all, and she's been camping out of a Toyota Forerunner for 10 years! But I'm with you - I don't want to have curious people looking in. Happy camping and thanks again!!
Hi, thank you so much for sharing your build and thoughts. My bed is a Zinus narrow twin bed frame. The collapsible lights are from goal zero. It sounds like you put a lot of thought into your setup and if you pass through Kansas City I would love to check it out in person. Good luck on your journey!
I'm looking at doing the same thing. Any drawbacks to the older models? I'm looking at older model Sienna's to keep my initial cost down in the project. In my area, I've found 2007, 2005, etc. various mileages.
Very nice setup, my question is are you solo camping or somebody else is with you? On the video after you open the cooler, there is somebody wearing a red sweater on the other side of the van. Just see this video again.
Nice! Ive converted my sienna long time ago and have had sooo many different no build layouts. I recently put in a hammock! I like the idea of having the back chair up, but i wanted more space especially living fulltime in the van, so im taking the third row seats out as well. Great video!
Build total may be different...Oupes 1200 listed twice. Still a great everything-you-could-need setup even at plus/minus $2k. We did 10k miles in 9 weeks last spring (Siennna) just sleeping on van floor with sleeping bags/yoga mats. Only power was car 12v and that was sufficient (no cooking). I'd really like a solar setup however, but at about $1k, want to make the right decision. Thx for your reviews and installation vids, they help.
Shucks. Thanks for pointing that out. I was swapping the rows to match what I was talking about and did not delete that duplicate. I should have looked it over at least once more.
As someone who over budgets and makes these kinds of typos, I spotted this too, and I appreciate it being less than expected. $1200-2000 is still fairly common for no-build builds. It’s always the electrical gear that costs the most.
Hi, We have the UK version of the Sienna, badged a Previa. Ours is quite old (2002) and has 140,000 on the clock but we are using it more and more without any trouble so far. I built a double bed system out of scrap wood and soundproofing panels from a friends studio he was replacing. To improve the space available, the sink/fridge unit in now on casters. When we stop we move the unit forward with the drivers seat forward as far as it goes, then move it back when on the move. I’ll try putting a video together if anyones interested. Peter
Start simple. You can always add things as needed. My storage is in cardboard boxes - free, easy to find "custom" sizes - that fit under the bed. Walmart sells a 14" High Profile Foldable Steel Queen Platform Bed Frame, half of which is 30 inches wide ($110). Sell the other half. (Note - The frame doesn't require any tools!) Level the bed to the wonky floor using PVC pipe. (See the RU-vid "A Fantastic Super Cheap and Easy Van Build With Almost No Construction or Tools Required". In fact, Cheap RV Living has MANY RU-vids featuring low-cost no-build ideas. My skill level is 2nd grade (cut and paste), so YOU CAN DO IT too. Best of luck and happy travels.
@@AdventureGearTV wow those are genius... I almost got the adjustable rear suspension but I just put new rear suspension on my caravan and these would work great thank you so much for the idea I'm going to look into this one!! Thank you so much your videos are not only fun and inspiring they are so very informative!!
