About time to post my build process for our Adventuremobile. My wife and I are avid cyclists, and we wanted something that would cater to that lifestyle. So over the course of a few posts, I will relate my build, step by step as much as possible.
Background:
I retired a couple years ago, and moved cross-country to where my wife was in residency. We sold our long-time home in North Dakota, and sold almost all of our belongings, rather than move it all. I moved down with all of my belongings in the back of my Subaru Outback. So very few tools, etc.
I do have a long history of DIY, home remodeling, and even (long ago) construction and cabinet making. My wife insisted that the build be very simple and basic, where as I wanted a bit more sophistication. We settled on the simpler side of things, and in hindsight, that was a good choice for us.
We attended a 4-day cycling event in Georgia, camping out of my Outback in a tent. We arrived just before midnight, in the rain, and had to pitch camp. It was cold at night, and wet, and in the morning, as we were sipping our coffee, another cycling couple pulled up in a rented camper van, deployed their awning, and were camping! My wife said: "We need one of those!" And the adventure begins.
Deciding on the Promaster:
After looking at the vans that were available, we decided on the Promaster because of the lower floor height, wider cargo space, and good gas mileage. We considered diesel, but the cost of maintenance and repairs led us to the Promaster gas. We knew we wanted the high roof, and enough room for a comfortable camper build, but also the mobility and manuverability to get into and out of some "less-than-stellar" backroads and campsites. So we ultimately settled on the PM 159 HR. Now to find one!
Purchasing the van:
I shopped in 5 states for a van. The used market was such that you could save a few thousand, maybe. They were few and far between. I did not want to spend a lot of time and money on a build on a van platform that had high miles. So new it was! The standard operating procedure for Promaster salesmen seemed to be advertise and enticing low price online and in the newspaper, then bait and switch when the prospective buyer came in to make a deal. This happened at six different dealers.
Then, I ran into Hendrick Chrysler in Charlotte, NC. I was literally just passing through, and decided to stop and talk to them. Of course, I had checked their inventory and prices online before I arrived, and even printed out the ad for the one I wanted (awaiting the bait and switch). I bought it on the spot for the offered price, which was very fair. It had cruise, the tow package, and that's about it. Just what I wanted. After my week long trip, I had to return with Mrs Blues to pick it up.
Here is a picture of it new at the dealer:
Background:
I retired a couple years ago, and moved cross-country to where my wife was in residency. We sold our long-time home in North Dakota, and sold almost all of our belongings, rather than move it all. I moved down with all of my belongings in the back of my Subaru Outback. So very few tools, etc.
I do have a long history of DIY, home remodeling, and even (long ago) construction and cabinet making. My wife insisted that the build be very simple and basic, where as I wanted a bit more sophistication. We settled on the simpler side of things, and in hindsight, that was a good choice for us.
We attended a 4-day cycling event in Georgia, camping out of my Outback in a tent. We arrived just before midnight, in the rain, and had to pitch camp. It was cold at night, and wet, and in the morning, as we were sipping our coffee, another cycling couple pulled up in a rented camper van, deployed their awning, and were camping! My wife said: "We need one of those!" And the adventure begins.
Deciding on the Promaster:
After looking at the vans that were available, we decided on the Promaster because of the lower floor height, wider cargo space, and good gas mileage. We considered diesel, but the cost of maintenance and repairs led us to the Promaster gas. We knew we wanted the high roof, and enough room for a comfortable camper build, but also the mobility and manuverability to get into and out of some "less-than-stellar" backroads and campsites. So we ultimately settled on the PM 159 HR. Now to find one!
Purchasing the van:
I shopped in 5 states for a van. The used market was such that you could save a few thousand, maybe. They were few and far between. I did not want to spend a lot of time and money on a build on a van platform that had high miles. So new it was! The standard operating procedure for Promaster salesmen seemed to be advertise and enticing low price online and in the newspaper, then bait and switch when the prospective buyer came in to make a deal. This happened at six different dealers.
Then, I ran into Hendrick Chrysler in Charlotte, NC. I was literally just passing through, and decided to stop and talk to them. Of course, I had checked their inventory and prices online before I arrived, and even printed out the ad for the one I wanted (awaiting the bait and switch). I bought it on the spot for the offered price, which was very fair. It had cruise, the tow package, and that's about it. Just what I wanted. After my week long trip, I had to return with Mrs Blues to pick it up.
Here is a picture of it new at the dealer: