“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so go,
Explore. Dream. Discover.“
– Mark Twain

Reality check.

Beside driving, most travelers are not spending a lot of time in their B-Class R.V, they will basically use them to sleep and sometimes to cook. Paying nearly 100 000$ for a ‘B-Class' type vehicle with all the equipment is a lot of money, especially when you think about the time you will spent in it and the time it will be sitting in your driveway while you are not using it. It is always surprising to see the amount of customers that went from minivan, to trailer tent, to C class, to A class, to B class and then return to minivan… It is a long way but after trying everything, they are unanimous about one fact; They are done with problems and headaches!

Fortunately, you can have a very similar journey with the Freeway Camper Kit for a FRACTION of the cost. This will leave you with MORE money for your activities, such as cinema, restaurants, museum, boat expedition, air plane expedition, fishing parties, hotels, etc…And you will never have to think about your vehicle size, can I enter here, can I go there, am I too tall, can I park here... and the best part is that your displacement cost will be close to nothing!

Additionally, when considering the fuel economy of a 9L/100 km minivan versus a 18L/100km obtained with a full size cargo van, the minivan camper kit pays for itself!

We can make a simple calculation on a trip around North America, from a 9 liter van vs a 18 liter van, we will omit the 30L+/100Km from a C-Class R.V., this is roughly a 26 000 km voyage.

9 Liters/100 Km
26 000km / 100km = 260
260 x 9 liter = 2340 liters
2340 liters x 1.25$ each liters = 2925$

18 liters / 100 Km
26000 / 100 km = 260
260 X 18 Litres = 4680 liters
4680 litres X 1.25$ each liters = 5850$

Doing the math, you will save 2925$ by choosing a more fuel efficient vehicle for the same trip. You can add to that the fact that you will save at least another 1500$ in campground fees due to the size and appearance of the van that will allow various sleeping spot. This brings you to nearly 4500$. Local authorities usually spots suspicious larger vans and do not tolerate overnight parking in sensitive area. They are well aware that those vans do not belong to construction worker and they will usually inquire them. A smaller van will assure you peace of mind and eliminates unwanted visitors

One of the main advantages of minivans such as Chrysler, Dodge, Toyota, Honda, Kia is that they can be repaired just about anywhere by any mechanic and all parts are readily available at low cost. You don’t have to be afraid of high repair/towing expenses usually associated with some European vans.

The second main advantage is the van comfort level. These drives like a charm on any road, suspension are smooth and soft. No bumpy truck suspension here.

There are several other advantages related with the removable Freeway Camper Kit used into a minivan:

1. You can take the kit out within minutes and store it out until your next adventure.
2. You can use the minivan as your daily driver with the camper kit out and can sell the van as a standard van whenever you wish.
3. You do not have to have a second camping vehicle that needs to be maintained even if it is not used frequently.
4. You can choose the van model you prefer and invest the budget you desire for the vehicle, anywhere between 1 000$ to 40 000$
5. You have access to the nicest camping lots as the minivan will get the ‘tent only’ campsite. ‘Tent only’ sites are usually more private and offer a lot more trees, nature and tranquility than other sites with services. You rarely see your direct neighbors on a tent site and they mostly do not require any réservation.
6. The minivan appearance allows you to sleep anywhere without attracting unwanted attention.
7. The minivan can be driven anywhere (even down town New York!) and its compact size allows easy parking.
8. There will be no water intrusion, mildew or rot in the minivan, unlike other trailers and Rvs.
9. The minivan will supply sufficient a/c and heat for comfortable night's sleep, no need for a secondary a/c (Running a/c with window closed at recycle for 5-10 minutes with full blower speed will cool down and dry out air in the cab for the night)
10. Packing up your camp can be done within 2 minutes, no wet tent, no sand and mud, no humid sleeping bag, only goodness!
11. The possibility to un-camp within 2 minutes allows you to move from one site to another very easily, this is a plus for ‘one night only’ sites. You can usually get another ‘one night only’ site in the same camp ground by asking the reception. Using ‘One night only’ site gives you the liberty of moving to another camp ground whenever you desire if the atmosphere does not suit your needs. Having a bad site/bad neighbors for many days can be annoying. I personally suggest to visit the campsite and choose your site before paying, this way you know what you will get!
12. Lastly and nonetheless, it allows flexibility in some unfortunate events such as described below.

If the van breaks down irremediably you can simply transfer the camper kit in a new van, this gives you the opportunity to evaluate the ‘repair vs replace’ if ever a major issue were to occur on your trip. Major unexpected break down such as transmission issue may lead to excessive down time on your trip. Having the possibility to interchange vehicle if anything bad happens will free your mind about having to spend a lot dollars uselessly. The freeway camper kit is not solely attached to your vehicle.

It is false to believe that brand new diesel vehicles don’t break down, they do and it’s mostly due to their complex antipollution systems. These systems includes a turbo charged intake system, an oxidation catalyst, a diesel particulate filter, a selective catalytic reducer, a decomposition tube device that uses urea, an exhaust gas recirculation valve and coolers, differential exhaust pressure sensors, a Nox sensor and other multiple exhaust temperature sensor which can be troublesome. Most of the time, only qualified dealership mechanics can figure out what is happening when things go wrong and the engine stops on the side of the road…

Such events could have you to pay for recovery and get unit tow back to the nearest dealership which in some location, can be very, very far away. Having this in mind, you can hope that the truck would be in the garage the next day and that the part needed would be in stock…

But, next thing you know, the dealership garage was backed up for 2 days and the part needed is back ordered for 2 days, that gave you a 1 week vacation at the dealership, from there, you only hoped that the repair was covered under warranty…..

By knowing that most diesel motors need qualified technician and cannot be repaired by your corner garage, the advantage of diesel fuel economy is relative when compared to the ‘hassle free’ of a standard gasoline engine. In most cases, diesel will cut about 20% from gasoline and in some cases will be almost the same rating for ‘highway’ mileage.

Also, maintenance costs are generally higher on diesel engines as well as engine noise and exhaust smell.

Freeway Camper kits are the best traveling systems

An outside kitchen…

There are several differences between the Freeway camper kit and a standard B-class R.V. The main one is the outside kitchen. It never made any sense in my opinion to have an interior kitchen when you are stopped anywhere. Having to go into the R.V. all the time for cooking and accessing water will inevitably bring a lot of debris into the cabin. Eventually, the debris will get everywhere. But, you can still take your shoes off…every time you go in to access water, which is a lot. Additionally, cooking food inside a small place will leave strong and persistent odors in the upholstery and those odors are very hard to get rid of.

Having the kitchen outside allows constant and instant access to fresh water. Easy access to water is usually the most desirable amenity when rv’ing. You can wash your hands after prepping the fire camp, wash the veggies you have just bought at the country market, cut and prepare your meal on the convenient folding counter, prepare a nice tea on a chilly evening. All of this can be done with your boots on while enjoying the outside environment! You set up the propane oven, charcoal BBQ on a nearby picnic table and you are ready to go with a complete kitchen! There’s also an advantage with the minivans hatchbacks versus the 2 folding doors from full size vans, in case of rain, the hatch will protect you just right!

Freeway Camper Kit gives you the opportunity to travel in a comfort that you can’t even imagine at a cost that will keep you smiling!

Bathroom??!

There’s also a question regarding the bathroom necessity. Most, bigger B-Class offers tiny bathrooms, with built in shower and toilet. Knowing that every camping site has showers with unlimited hot water, the need for a shower that follows you everywhere seems unnecessary. Luckily, America is great and there are nice options for you if you spend the night in a non-camping site and you need to get a shower the next morning.

1. You can stop at any campsite and buy a day pass which will allow the use of all amenities for a couple of dollars.
2. You can also stop at any truck stop and use the shower for a reasonable price. If you are not traveling alone, you can make it a 2 for one!

Now, the portable toilet dilemma, well well well, first, you want to be aware that due to strong odor concern, especially in warm weather, and unpleasant maintenance, I won't suggest using such device. That portable toilet thing might seem like a good idea but in fact it is not. This flavorful potpourri bomb will surely turn your environment into a delightful experience every time you open up your doors and yes, you will trash it after couple usage or simply won't use it. Lastly, I do not think I need to talk about the cleaning of this lovely machine.

If you do not have mobility concern or digestive health issue, a much better Option is to use this Clic! for both man and ladies, this is pretty self explanatory. For Ladies, you will also need this Clic!. This female urinatory device can be used kneeling on the bed during the night so this is no problem. It is also easy to get use to it and it has minimal maintenance, it can be stored in a big ziploc bag and does not take any space. As of emergency #2, this is the best option Clic!with the use of compostable plastic bags, it is very sturdy, compact and will work in the rare emergency situations you may encounter.