{"id":2225,"date":"2016-10-31T17:10:59","date_gmt":"2016-10-31T21:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/shaleewanders.com\/?p=2225"},"modified":"2022-02-09T00:04:30","modified_gmt":"2022-02-09T05:04:30","slug":"budget-van-renovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shaleewanders.com\/budget-van-renovation\/","title":{"rendered":"Budget Van Renovation: How to Renovate a Van For Under $600"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Shalee\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n

\n\t\tBudget Van Renovation: How to Renovate a Van For Under $600\n\t<\/h1>\n\t

January 25, 2020<\/p>\n\t

\"van<\/p>\n

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I’ll always look back and remember that my first home was a van.<\/p>\n

Nearly two months after arriving back to Michigan from Europe<\/a>, I am preparing to embark on yet another adventure that will hide me from a mortgage and 401k as long as possible.<\/p>\n

Some people say I’m doing this because I am afraid of something. That I’m constantly running away from my responsibilities.<\/p>\n

Well, of course I am. *lights candy cigarette* Adulthood can suck.<\/p>\n

And that’s why my boyfriend and I renovated a van to road trip the United States<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We aren’t the first millennials to embark on this adventure, and we certainly won’t be the last. Chances are, you are dreaming at this exact moment, wishing one day to have an epiphany, pack your bags, sell your suburban SUV for an old rusty 1960s retro van, and take off into the sunset heading for the west coast.<\/p>\n

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On a brisk Saturday, we drive into metro Detroit, a list of Craigslist ads stored in our phones. The goal: find a van to suit our needs and that won’t break down as we ride into dusk.<\/p>\n

Eventually, we end up in a used car lot looking at a 2001 GMC Savana. The price just dropped from $2,900 to $1,900. If anyone knows anything about Josh and me, it’s that we tend to jump at chances without really thinking about them too intensely. Keeps life interesting.<\/p>\n

The sides are rusting; it needs new tires<\/a>, and the odometer clocks in at 144,000 miles. Then again, there is already a shelving unit built in the back, black carpet lines the flooring, and the previous owner already insulated the sides of the van.<\/p>\n

World, meet our new baby. We bought it on a complete whim.<\/p>\n

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Excited to show off our first “home” to our friends and family, we discover that only one of the back doors opens, the rust has practically rotted through our entire right door, and the reverse lights fail to work.<\/p>\n

Okay, okay, okay. It’s a diamond in the rough, and I still see potential, even if I need a bottle of wine to convince myself.<\/p>\n

So we get to work.<\/p>\n

1. The Basics<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The top priority includes getting together with our friends at Belle Tire<\/a> to check out the van. Before the renovation process can begin, we need a complete check-over to ensure no mechanical surprises will be waiting for us the moment after embarking. Buying a used vehicle comes with risk.<\/p>\n

The day we take the van in to get\u00a0four new\u00a0road-trip-ready tires from Belle Tire<\/a>, we also ask them to inspect\u00a0the van. A service offered for free by the company.<\/p>\n

With winter quickly approaching, getting a new set of tires<\/a> is the most critical fix. No tread=slipping on icy roads=going in the ditch=paying as much for a new set of tires as it does to get towed out.<\/p>\n

I am not a fun person to be around when I am stressed. Invest first to save yourself from throwing an adult tantrum somewhere on the side of I-90.<\/p>\n

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2. The Prep<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The planning portion will make or break your design vision.<\/p>\n

First, step into the van to decide on the design and logistics. Ask yourself questions like this:<\/p>\n