ToolsnTrack
Posted a lot
Homebrew Raconteur
Posts: 4,117
Club RR Member Number: 134
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Sleeping/living in your carToolsnTrack
@overdrive
Club Retro Rides Member 134
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Done it in a Volvo in the summer months, very comfortable and would recommend it as a makeshift camper.
Also tried it in an MR2 and a Supra out of sheer necessity. Don't.
It all depends on the car, which we are all unsure about.
As said above, you *think* its the best or only option. It wont be.
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Actually nobody's said it - get a camper!
Instead of "making do" with sleeping arrangements, you have a decent bed, but also a sink, cooker, and possibly a fridge.
Scruffy ones pop up quite often, and sometimes one with an mot can be had for sub £1000 levels.
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1993 Fiat Panda Selecta 2003 Vauxhall Combo 1.7DI van 2006 Mercedes Kompressor Evolution-S AMG SportCoupé
"You think you hate it now, wait til you drive it"
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Apr 28, 2017 10:42:23 GMT
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I did it for four months in the late 90's. FOUR MONTHS?!!! You sir have just been elevated to Hero status! Crikey four months, i did it a lot, but not every night, probably ony three or four times a year in my early twenties and that was bad enough. Looking back it was quite foolish, I was to proud to ask for or accept any assistance. In the US it is pretty well impossible to graduate from or attend a private college without either crippling debt or wealthy parents. I had and have neither. There are always other options they just may hurt the pride more than roughing it but I was essentially homeless for that period which is not something to be proud of.
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Apr 28, 2017 10:49:14 GMT
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I spent best part of a year living in a tiny campervan (Fiat 900T - about Escort estate size?) when I was working around Cambridge, a good balance of space for living and still being a "normal car" size so folk don't look twice Remove passenger seat, fit big comfy drivers seat, single bed behind driver, leave 50% of van open as living space. Handy as you can park when you like (a local sports center were happy with me parking there at night - they looked on it as a free security guard), look for layby areas where truckers park up - safe and no trouble with locals. Also great being able to drink somewhere different every weekend and just walk home! Showers & loos - at work in the mornings, go swimming then shower after work. I found Spring/Summer/Autumn were great but winter was savage cold! Read up on "Wild camping" / "free camping" www.campervanlife.com/camping/free-campingThen "Stealth camping" / "stealth living" There is a scheme where you pay a small annual fee and get a directory of places where you can park for free (actually a good idea - pubs where you can have a meal and then sleep in their carpark etc), my ex used it and some of the places are very nice for holidays/weekend breaks. Shame I can't remember the name! Brighton was in the news recently for trying to stop folk sleeping in vehicles, not something I've looked into but some info www.change.org/p/peter-castleton-stop-public-space-protection-orders-from-being-enforced-in-brighton-and-across-the-ukPM sent Not mine but similar (Note it's lower than the head of the bloke standing next to it!)
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Last Edit: Apr 28, 2017 11:09:30 GMT by nomad: add links
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Mr S
Posted a lot
10-4 Good buddy.
Posts: 2,654
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Apr 28, 2017 10:57:08 GMT
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I slept in my car at the gathering last year. Air mattress in the back and it was both comfy and spacious. Should probably mention it's a Chevy Suburban, and you can fit 8x4 sheets in the boot....
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Suzuki GSXR1000 K2 BMW R1150GS BMW K1200RS Chevy K5 Blazer Chevy Suburban LT Jaguar XKR
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gib
Part of things
Posts: 163
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Apr 28, 2017 11:50:00 GMT
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I have slept in the back of estates for years when out camping, at parties, visiting friends etc. key Points I find: Block out the light, 5am wake ups with a hangover are not good. An external cover is easiest but you need at least one area inside that you can open so you can look out to see what is going on. Work out where the interior handles are and make sure you keep this area clear. Plastic box for boots left under the car by the door you get in / out off. Personal preference, windows closed as it attracts less attention and pokey fingers in the middle of the night (cars are well ventilated). Work out what you need the next morning and have that to hand not wedged under all your other c**p. As to it being cold as soon as it gets snowing or serious ice better sleeping bags and crack the windows
Regarding Drink Driving , I may be wrong but as long as you can obviously prove your intention was to sleep in the vehicle and not drive it then you are ok. Having the keys in the car is here nor there check Pepo or what ever the site is.
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Apr 28, 2017 12:55:28 GMT
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As to it being cold as soon as it gets snowing or serious ice better sleeping bags and crack the windows Crack the windows?
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merryck
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 477
Club RR Member Number: 9
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Sleeping/living in your carmerryck
@merryck
Club Retro Rides Member 9
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Apr 28, 2017 13:00:46 GMT
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I was essentially homeless for that period which is not something to be proud of. I have to say though, it's not something to be ashamed of either. It's just something, a situation any of us could find ourselves in. Being homeless puts you in serious danger, and leaves you seriously exposed, so it's far better to swallow your pride and ask for any help available than to put yourself in a potentially life threatening situation.
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gib
Part of things
Posts: 163
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Apr 28, 2017 14:31:34 GMT
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jiminwatford same as any shelter its there to stop the elements getting you to not keep you warm that's what sleeping bags are for. As soon as it gets seriously cold you get condensation so you are better of cracking the windows open to get some air circulation rather than having serious condensation issues in the morning.
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andyborris
Posted a lot
Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.
Posts: 2,162
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Apr 28, 2017 15:29:20 GMT
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FOUR MONTHS?!!! You sir have just been elevated to Hero status! Crikey four months, i did it a lot, but not every night, probably ony three or four times a year in my early twenties and that was bad enough. Looking back it was quite foolish, I was to proud to ask for or accept any assistance. In the US it is pretty well impossible to graduate from or attend a private college without either crippling debt or wealthy parents. I had and have neither. There are always other options they just may hurt the pride more than roughing it but I was essentially homeless for that period which is not something to be proud of. Sorry, but I think being homeless and climbing out of that pit is something to be proud of......and when I used to race I had a Renault 21 Estate as a tow car, air bed in the back, camping cooker under the tailgate, quite comfy really. Only problem was the condensation in the morning if I had to drive home after rising early! Also slept in a Austin Healy Sprite in Switzerland once, not recommended! Either the car as a bedroom or the country!
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Apr 28, 2017 16:20:38 GMT
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As soon as it gets seriously cold you get condensation so you are better of cracking the windows open That i understand. I was just struggling with cracking the windows, as in breaking them
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Danny
Part of things
On your screen
Posts: 837
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Apr 28, 2017 16:34:41 GMT
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Sleeping in the estate this weekend in the BHP show in kent, will have a tv on the go and a few blankets so hopefully will be ok or not haha
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Apr 28, 2017 17:50:27 GMT
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I can attest to the supreme luxurious comfort of an air bed in the back of a Vauxhall Carlton. Me and my mate slept in this for almost two weeks driving to Rome and back. We pretty much slept every night with all the windows open and the bootlid propped open because it was so hot. The two nights we camped in the UK were actually not so bad If you find an estate with a big enough boot its really easy, especially if its just 1 person. For the odd night or so it's actually quite a good laugh. Saves you swearing over a tent.
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Apr 28, 2017 18:22:34 GMT
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Do the main 24hr supermarkets now not have a limit on the amount of time you can spend in their carparks? it may just apply to a couple that I know situated close to stations etc but I think some of them fine you if you're parked up for more than (I think) 2 hrs. Wouldn't be a good end to a bad night to wake (assuming you've actually slept) to an £80 overstay fee!
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Apr 28, 2017 18:55:30 GMT
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There's quite a few people living in vehicles in laybys near me, they seem to be there for the week and gone at the weekend. One of them has a car they obviously use for commuting leaving the van parked all week, saw it on an a frame behind the van the other week. Someone else always parks up with a van in the same spot in the evening at the side of an industrial estate.
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Apr 28, 2017 19:16:23 GMT
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I chased the rally GB round Wales and England a few years back in an escort van which was fine, wouldn't like to do it long term though. A van or large estate is the best bet after a camper van
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Apr 28, 2017 20:38:07 GMT
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I've slept in my A6 in France at the Aire Baie de Somme on my way between Dunkirk and Brittany, stopping at about 2am. With stuff packed to take for a two week holiday, it meant wearing a sleeping bag and reclining the seat. Not ideal, but I managed to get some sleep.
Back in 2004 I slept in a Chrysler Sebring in Denny's car park in Florida. The motel we stopped at turned out to be infested with cockroaches, hence the couple of hours sleep in a hot and humid car. This was after driving back 500 miles from Pensacola Beach eventually to Daytona Beach to be close enough to get to the flight back home from Orlando Sanford the next afternoon. The silver lining was going to the beach at silly o clock in the morning and watching the sun rise.
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Apr 28, 2017 20:43:51 GMT
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My mate had his astra van locked in a underground carpark once after we all went out on the beer when we were at college . We had to scale the gates and sleep in it . 5 of us in a astra van full of tools with the lad who emitted at least one fart every minute . I think there was a huge fine to pay so we almost ran the chap open who unlocked in the morning as we tore out !
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Sleeping/living in your carBenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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Apr 28, 2017 21:14:16 GMT
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Looking at the various replies, I think there's definitely a line between sleeping in your car for a few nights while on a road trip, on holiday, or some other temporary set of circumstances, and living in your car for a longer period.
Personally, I've slept in an e34 for 3 or 4 nights when I found myself without a roof over my head whilst on holiday many years ago. It was uncomfortable, but as it was summer it wasn't too cold and in the mornings I just drove to the beach and used the showers and toilets. It was a temporary set of circumstances so it was bearable, and when you're on holiday you don't really have to consider much "real life" stuff.
Sleeping in your car on a longer timeframe, when you're not in some sunny holiday location and you have to cope with everyday things like holding down a job, keeping together a relationship, eating well and staying safe and warm every night for the forseeable future becomes a whole different game.
I'm assuming that you don't have the capital to be buying a more suitable vehicle to sleep in so will be making do with what you have. Personally I'd be looking at any and every option other than roughing it in your car - sleeping on mates sofas, contacting organisations like Shelter... whatever, unless it was a very temporary situation.
I hope you get things sorted out.
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Apr 28, 2017 21:43:34 GMT
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I chased the rally GB round Wales and England a few years back in an escort van which was fine, wouldn't like to do it long term though. A van or large estate is the best bet after a camper van 3 of us "lived" (cooked , ate , slept & farted) fairly well in a Peugeot 305 estate for a weekend back in '91 when following the fram welsh rally (condensation and methane build up were major issues!). I also spent a fairly comfortable night in the front of my old suzuki samurai on a rough camping off roading trek when it was a combo of too late/too wet/too lashed to put a tent up! (rover 100 seats and beer helped on the comfort front!)
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Last Edit: Apr 29, 2017 8:31:54 GMT by strikey
'80 s1 924 turbo..hibernating '80 golf gli cabriolet...doing impression of a skip '97 pug 106 commuter...continuing cheapness making me smile!
firm believer in the k.i.s.s and f.i.s.h principles.
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