Campervan Philosophy: Minivans and Feeling Old

I have a dilemma in my campervan search: many of the best vehicles are NOT AVAILABLE IN NORTH AMERICA!

Ahem. Sorry for shouting. I’m feeling frustrated on many levels. Shall I name them for you?

1. Mom guilt.
2. Money and availability issues.
3. I can’t get what I want (right now).

This whirlpool of problem solving has sucked up much of my attention, and I’m determined to find something that will work for my needs. (Don't worry, I'm actually enjoying myself, for the most part.)

Let’s explore these areas of frustration and see if further philosophy emerges...

But first, check out this campervan they totally don’t offer in North America:

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That’s the new Mercedez-Benz Marco Polo. Wouldn’t that be a sweet ride?

I found a 1997 Marco Polo Westfalia with 77,000 km on it in Alberta (a province over from me) for $36,000. Not that I really want a 20 year old van, but even if I did, enter problems two and three: that’s out of my immediate budget and therefore I still can’t get what I want.

But let’s start with problem number one:

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Mom guilt.

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Road tripping is part of me. My soul demands it.

All gifs via giphy.com.

But before kids, I’d been raring to toss some stuff in the car and get on the road. Now I’m cautious of every little thing that could go wrong. And up until now, it hasn’t mattered what I drove, as long as I could sleep in it. Life is different with twins; I need more space!

The whole reason I’m looking for a different vehicle is because I have two wonderful kids to haul around with me. I’m excited to show them country you don’t see if you skip over all of it on a plane.

I want to make a map dotted with places where we’ve hiked, or discovered a new playground.

I have friends, old and new, scattered throughout Canada and the US (and the rest of the world, but we’re talking roadtrips here). I have friends in Chicago I haven’t seen in over a decade, who I wave to when I manage to get over to Facebook. I really want to see them again.

Some of these friends have kids similar ages as my children, and it would be fun for my boys to have friends in many places.

But both my partner and my father think me driving long-distance in our current vehicle is a bad idea. “More things can go wrong,” they say.

Dammit, they’re right. Frustrates the hell outta me.

But I have to road trip, one way or another.

Am I going to live my life in fear, get on a plane like a good girl and miss all the miles in-between? If I do that, will I get to see those friends of mine in Chicago?

Do I have to keep telling myself, “Wait till the kids are older?”

I hate that. Just wait, while I keep getting older. I feel like I’ve been waiting for YEARS, ever since I got pregnant.

I’m a NOW kind of person. This moment is all there is. I want to LIVE, dammit.

Still, I do want to be smart. I want to be as safe as possible.

To be safe, I feel like I want a newer vehicle, though I still find myself looking at vans like this Japanese import.

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This is a 1996 Toyota Hiace 4x4 campervan, which sleeps 4 and has a kitchen, on sale for $23,800. Only 133,000 km on it, which is relatively low, but… I guess I feel like a 22 year old vehicle shouldn’t be that much money.

This leads me to the next issue in the frustration equation:

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Money and availability issues.

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When did everything get so expensive?

I just aged myself with that question. But seriously, inflation is blowing my mind.

The other thing blowing my mind, and the thing that makes me more mad than almost anything else, is that they simply don’t make what I want in North America.

I want a modern, dependable version of the VW Westfalia, and I want it to be all-wheel-drive (AWD) or 4x4.

I’d love to get one of the Japanese 15-year-or-older imports, like the Toyota Hiace above. (Must be 15 years or older to be imported to Canada, then converted to Canadian standards).

I’ve had an import before, my Mitsubishi Delica that I lived in for more than a month, which was probably my favourite trip ever. But it broke down, and most mechanics aren’t prepared to service it, with neither the know-how nor the parts.

Breaking down on road trips with kids isn't really an option. If it happens, I don't want a mechanic telling me I'm stranded.

So, yeah. Dependable vehicle. Check.

Let's keep on with the wish-list brainstorm:

I want a pop-top with a bed above, a bed below that also safely holds their car seats when driving, and enough space for a little portable potty on the floor. There needs to be a kitchen of some sort as well.

European and Asian markets have these options readily available. People have been asking for them in North America, but for the most part car manufacturers have decided there aren’t enough people who want them. They're all like, "Well, there are some people who want them but those voices aren't loud enough, and we're selling enough of the models we make, so we're not going to go out of our way to deliver that modern small campervan. Besides, this is the land of bigger and bigger, more and more. Go out and get yourself a gas-guzzling RV."

And, for the same reason, there’s only one freaking model of minivan that offers all-wheel-drive! With all the mountains in the United States and Canada, your main options for AWD or 4x4 are to get an SUV or a truck.

The only minivan offered in AWD is the Toyota Sienna, which is currently looking like my best option, with some customization.

There are a few companies that do custom pop-tops, like the Illusion from 5Mars, based on the Dodge Grand Caravan.

This is such a cool camper conversion, and at $50,000 or so, very affordable compared to other campervans, but still out of my price range right now. Unfortunately, the companies that do custom campers are few and far between, and usually range $70,000 and up. So... back to thinking of mini vans.

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Reality check.

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I’m turning 40 this year, and I’m about to buy a minivan.

The minivan bit is a blow to my ego, I will admit. Not the turning 40 part, ‘cause at this point I’ll claim every minute of experience this life has brought me. I’ve earned those years, just like my stretch marks. I've learned a lot, and I'm proud of the fact that I've turned out okay despite it all.

But I’ve scoffed at minivans my whole life, always a truck girl, or a sports car girl, too much of a snob for the big, decidedly-not-sexy mini van.

Now I’m a mom. Safety is #1, and a close second is space. A minivan fits the bill, even if it makes me feel like I’m taking my first official climb over the hill.

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Patience, grasshopper.

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Maybe I can’t call myself “Grasshopper” if I’m over the hill. Maybe I’m not over the hill yet.

Either way, even with all the patience I’ve cultivated since giving birth to twins, I still want my camper van NOW!

Only child syndrome? I dunno.

For some reason, this gif seems relevant.

"Hit it!"

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So what am I gonna do?

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I’ve come to the realization that I want a van as an every day vehicle. Being able to take quick overnight trips with my kids or have a snack or nap on the go is a priority for me.

No, this isn’t a long-term trip solution, especially if we were going as a family of 4, but we could bring a tent if we wanted to camp. And, really, I want an every day vehicle, not a big RV that I only use a few times a year.

Maybe we can eventually get an RV as well, but for now, give me my getaway vehicle that can haul the kids, the gear, and satisfy my wanderlust.

My immediate solution seems to be to get a dependable minivan and do a DIY camperize job on it. I think I could do this for around $10,000, which is a comfortable amount for where our lives are at the moment. Of course, I’m a Gemini, so I might change my mind tomorrow, but here’s what I’m thinking...

Things I need from my van:

1. It must be dependable, and able to be serviced easily if something goes wrong.
2. Space for at least me and the kids to sleep inside.
3. Space to have a camp toilet.
4. Space to build a mini-kitchen.

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Toyota Sienna camper van

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Here’s a wicked Toyota Sienna camper conversion done by a couple who write the Mini Yet Mighty blog, which sadly only has a few posts on it.

Still this tour gave me some great ideas. I might even be able to build a bed that would work with the kids’ car seats still in place in the back seat, if I stick my feet in the space between.

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What do you think? Do you have any suggestions for my minivan/campervan mission?

Thanks for reading. Keep dreaming your dreams and living your life to the fullest!

Peace. @katrina-ariel

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