Road trip camping with a large family

[stoveliker]

But you only *need* the seating plus cargo when you go on vacation.
You have enough seating now - tho without the cargo?

Why spend $75k on something that you need two weeks a year when you have something that works (minivan+trailer).
You can use the van many more.times per year making that investment much more useful than something you only need 4% of the time.

And if you feel the trailer sucks, imagine how often you can rent something for 75k$....

That's my (European) view of your line of thinking...

 

[EbS-P]

But you only *need* the seating plus cargo when you go on vacation.
You have enough seating now - tho without the cargo?

Why spend $75k on something that you need two weeks a year when you have something that works (minivan+trailer).
You can use the van many more.times per year making that investment much more useful than something you only need 4% of the time.

And if you feel the trailer sucks, imagine how often you can rent something for 75k$....

That's my (European) view of your line of thinking...

That was my view until the ride home thinking what would need for a 4 week trip. long road trips while camping you can basically live out of your car for 2-3 days if you want to make lots of miles. 5 growing kids will need more space. Kids were way too cramped. It was a good afternoon of Tetris. Trailer would help. But I would want bikes and gear in there. Realistically you can’t tow at max capacity with the van loaded full of people. Didnthe math I could get 800 pounds of people two hundred pounds of cargo and 100-200 pounds of tongue weight (10% of the trailer weight) and be ok (if the trailer had brakes). That would be with in the capacity of most 3.5L mini vans (Toyota hybrid is out at this point) 6000 miles at those limits would require an oil change mid trip and an transmission flush every other year. It’s just pushing it hard.

I went to bed thinking the Sprinter was the right choice. A bit panicked about the price. Woke up feeling slightly less panicked. My sister just bought a new Outback and a teardrop camper. She’s happy with that purchase. She has No regrets. It’s a luxury for both of us. Fortunate we have to make “tough” decisions like this. The Sprinter is here and available. More options than I’d choose but the only silly one is the navigation system. It’s basically fully optioned for a passenger van. And yeah it’s it’s over 75k.

Unless something really changes we will be bringing it home next week!

 

[begreen]

The good thing is that if well cared for, they hold their value reasonably well if sold a few years from now, unless gas prices suddenly go up a lot.

 

[EbS-P]

The good thing is that if well cared for, they hold their value reasonably well if sold a few years from now, unless gas prices suddenly go up a lot.

So part of the reason we chose high roof is the possibility of a camper conversion down the road. I don’t see the getting more than 8k miles a year. I’m hopeful it will last us 15 and beyond. Youngest will be 17!

Interesting fact it’s built in Düsseldorf. They are pushing over 300 ft pounds from a 2L. No way I will adhere to the 20k mile oil change interval. That’s just stupid.

 

[begreen]

Is this diesel or gas? Out here diesel often costs more than premium gas.

 

[EbS-P]

Is this diesel or gas? Out here diesel often costs more than premium gas.

Diesel is the only option for new Sprinters. They had a 2L gas option up to 2023. Not sure it was even available on the AWD. It was 188 HP. Saw a RWD drive 12 passenger high roof with the gas motor but did not drive it.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Who knows, you may find short trips to places like the Smokies a good thing for 3 day weekends!

 

[EbS-P]

Who knows, you may find short trips to places like the Smokies a good thing for 3 day weekends!

Hopefully we will. My dream is to keep everything organized and packed away in the attic in a way that you could load all the gear in an hour or two. I’m hoping I can build a rack in the van that hold the 20 gallon Costco tubs so I don’t have to unload everything each time.

It’s not a short trip across the state. About 400 miles! Figure 7.5 hours for us on a good day. NC is a big state. Planning something this fall.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I keep everything in totes, then upload into the truck when needed. Even small stuff like dishwashing soap in a small container gets packed away.

 

[begreen]

Same here. I can be packed and ready to go in 10-30 minutes depending on how many are coming along.

 

[EbS-P]

Same here. I can be packed and ready to go in 10-30 minutes depending on how many are coming along.

That’s my dream! Packing for 7 I probably need to at a zero to your time.

 

[EbS-P]

We are planning to pick the van up Friday but… since we are under a tropical weather warning I can’t get full insurance coverage until the storm passes. Hopefully by noon Friday I can get insurance. Not driving it without.

 

[EbS-P]

Insurance restrictions lifted while we were in the road. It still hasn’t sunk in that the drive up was the last road trip for us in the Odyssey! I now look down on super duty owners! Not for their choice but because the van is that tall!

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Now you need to plan the first trip and break it in!

 

[EatenByLimestone]

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[EbS-P]

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I saw that. I’ll just nab an old sprinter Come over and see it 4x4 badge. And take off my AWD. I have a locking center diff it’s just automatic. It’s pedantic difference today. Sign should read you must have two locking differentials. Or have some tall obstacles right at the gate you must go over.

 

[begreen]

Found the ideal vehicle for you - It's a Subaru so AWD is built in.

 

[EbS-P]

Well first camping trip needs to be replanned. We were planning on heading to western NC. That won’t happen for quite some time. We have negative time it seems to get everything together. I did manage to get a hitch installed. Now I’m half heartedly shopping for pop up campers. (Reliving my childhood I guess) GCWR of 13k pounds ( LOL it’s a 2.0L ).

I’m getting used to MB differences like oil specs and emission compliant diesels. It was nice to have a high clearance vehicle with all the rain and flooding last month. There are intersections I know to avoid as I flooded the EBSP filter on the van one day. Won’t have any problems with those in the sprinter. I’ll start a new thread with more impressions at some point.

The biggest realization after joining the sprinter forum is how truly great this forum is! There are so many trolls over there. Lots of good info for sure but it it can’t hold a candle to the Hearth.com community.

Kids can’t wait to drive it to Maine after Christmas!

 

[begreen]

Nice family shot. They look like happy campers.

Good call on skipping western NC, I wouldn't do Florida either. Maybe PA?

 

[EbS-P]

Nice family shot. They look like happy campers.

Good call on skipping western NC, I wouldn't do Florida either. Maybe PA?

My sister is in Lynchburg. It a last minute decision on a holiday weekend. Any campsite that takes reservations is booked. I think we just camp in her yard. It’s going to get down to 40 Thursday and Friday. If that’s at low end of what we are equipped for. If it too cold we will just head inside.

 

[stoveliker]

Man, camping when it freezes is the best. Get good jackets without sleeves for activities outside, get excellent sleeping bags - sleeping inna cold space while cozy in a bag is the best sleep. For me...

 

[EbS-P]

Man, camping when it freezes is the best. Get good jackets without sleeves for activities outside, get excellent sleeping bags - sleeping inna cold space while cozy in a bag is the best sleep. For me...

We may get there. We all have 35 or 45 degree bags. I’m not sure how much camping we will do at 20 F or colder. Then I’d have to store 7 more sleeping bags.

 

[begreen]

Sleeping in a good bag at 30º is ok. Getting out of the bag in the morning, not so much fun.

 

[EbS-P]

Browsing the other day I had started second guessing myself…… https://www.buybyebluebird.com/CoachListings/awesomeness/1987stli9162024pt

That’s one sweet bus! Then I realized it would be quite the chore to take on an ice cream run!

 

[stoveliker]

Also, it's much less safe than your van. The cage construction on such RVs generally collapses easily....