Conversion Van or small rv

[Piper2022]

Am looking at picking up a used conversion van or small r/v like a class b. My current plan is to road trip cross country for a few weeks as well as use it on weekends. I want to spend enough money to get something that isn't on its last leg but at the same time I don't want to tie up too much money into this. Over the years I have done all my own car repair, from starters to engine and tranny swaps. I was hoping to spend under 10k. This is a little older than I hoped and the mileage is a little high but it seems like a good deal and now is the season to buy a van or rv.
https://nh.craigslist.org/cto/4823700851.html

Needs a power steering pump, and the side skirts and bumper covers need some attention as they have seen some abuse over the years. It's one of the last years of the 5.7 before they went to the LS engines. I like the better mpg of the ls engines but I have owned a few of the 5.7 vortecs and they have always been reliable.

I plan on traveling with only one other person so a conversion van is ally I really need. I would be camping and staying with friends most of the time. But a nice class b where I could cook, etc would be nice.

How many of you guys have conversion vans or small r/v's? Any recommendations on what to buy? I would like to buy something in a month or two before prices and demand start to increase.

 

[Looking4new]

I think that you might find a conversion van a little small for two. You might be better off with a smaller motorhome. A Class 'C'.

Rentals - C-Small Motorhome - Fraserway RV

 

[bigtiller]

Around 1990 I drove a buddies new Chevy leisure van on a 15 hour round trip. The 4 captain seats were great, the ride was very smooth, plenty of power from the 350 and it was a quiet ride.... But there wasn't enough foot room for the driver. It was so uncomfortable that I swore I would never buy a van of any kind.

 

[caver]

Find a used Chalet or Aliner. a-frame hardsided pop-up. easy to tow, sets up in less than a minute, insulated and small.

 

[aczlan]

Around 1990 I drove a buddies new Chevy leisure van on a 15 hour round trip. The 4 captain seats were great, the ride was very smooth, plenty of power from the 350 and it was a quiet ride.... But there wasn't enough foot room for the driver. It was so uncomfortable that I swore I would never buy a van of any kind.

As of the 2004-2005 model years, the Chevy Express 3500 wasn't any better and they put a nice bump in the drivers door that always hit my knees on the one they had where I used to work...

Aaron Z

 

[Looking4new]

My parents had a Class 'C' motorhome on a Chev C30 (I think) chassis that they drove all over Canada from Toronto to B.C. to the East coast. It had a 350 in it and the only complaint with it was that at speeds over 70mph it tended to guzzle the gas. (I drove it down to Florida and back in 1973-74) Dual wheels on the rear made it pretty stable at the higher speeds. A very nice 'entry level' morothome.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I've had them all. I started with a regular size class C, was fine, then a truck camper, ( WAY too small), then a Large C with a garage ( too big ) then a deal on a class A, ( WAY too big ) currently I have 2014 Phoenix Cruiser 2400....
Phoenix Cruiser Inventory

I absolutely love this one. The entire wall slides out so it has GREAT room when parked. My style of RV'ing is to use the rig more as a road cruiser, with the option of camping. We're not into staying somewhere for a week camping. We like to drive, camp a night or two, drive, stay in a hotel, day camp, night camp boondock. We aren't big kitchen cooking people, nor do we want to look at a bed all the time. The back kitchen works brilliant it's small but functional for out needs. The john is HUGE, the bed is huge. Has two euro seats for computer work, reading.

I added jacks, a solar panel and extra fans inside. I can drive it like a van park in a single parking spot if I want to rest at a truck stop and take a nap.

I took it on it's inaugural cruise last summer. I sent all my camping gear and cloths to the factory, flew to Indiana, picked it up and spent the next four weeks driving from Indiana, Southern states, DC, Disney world, back along Texas, Arizona, to the Coast of Ca. Then to Yosemite.

It was my daughters last year with us before college, so I was thankful she even wanted to go with us. It was a trip of a life time and I don't regret one second of it.

I went with the gas guzzling Ford V-10 that I swear by and I drove it like I stole it for a moth at speeds up to 80 mph and she performed flawlessly.

I may or may not have answered your question but thought my experience with different RV's might help. Too small and too big is a problem with RV, you need the perfect fit to you and your needs.