Getting down and dirty in this video with the Mercedes sprinter van build, although it’s more of a van destruction as I take on the nemesis, the battery guard 3000.
Author: Orange Van Guy (page 3 of 7)
Every van build has to start somewhere. Without a clue, tools, guidance or a care in the world, I start my first ever solo van build with my Ex British Gas Cadent Mercedes Sprinter 313.
Alright, let’s get into it. This is the beginning of my journey converting a Mercedes Transporter into a fully functional home on wheels. For those with an ex-British Gas van, you’ll appreciate the rugged base these vehicles provide for a conversion. Here’s a look at what the first day entails.
Here we go then, I’ve gone out and got myself a van, but I have doubts. Did I get the wrong van despite spending hours researching the Mercedes Sprinter 313? A chain-driven van for life, or a perpetual rust bucket of misery?
🚐 One Week, One Van, One Mounting Crisis
Happy one-week anniversary to me and my new van — a 2016 ex-British Gas Mercedes Sprinter, or as I’m now calling it: Regret on Four Wheels.
I thought I’d scored a deal. A clean 65,000-mile Sprinter with decent bones. But just seven days in, I’ve got buyer’s remorse, a turbo that might be howling at me in distress, and a van that randomly beeps like it’s trying to contact alien life.
Read moreSick of relying on dodgy campsites and dwindling phone batteries? The Allpowers r600 might be your new best friend… for a while. This thing packs a decent 299Wh punch and can pump out 600W, enough to keep your laptop humming and the mini-fridge chugging along for a few hours. It’s got all the usual suspects – AC outlets, USB ports, the works – so you can charge whatever gadgets you’ve dragged along on your escape from civilization. Just don’t expect to run your fridge all night on this thing. You’ll be living off trail mix pretty quick.
Read moreIt’s been a long while since I’ve done a winter stealth camp let along a winter road trip. The last time I did this was in winter during the time of covid when working in the welsh vallies and yet somehow I didn’t get the dreaded pox.
And now in the winter of 2023 I’m getting to realise a dream, the uk version of Benidorm because I’m off up north to hit Blackpool, but before I get there I’ve a few stops to make.
Read more: The Next UK van Life Road Trip PT1First up it’s going to be Swansea for work purposes. The intent is to leave around 9am as there’s no blinking point in leaving earlier. This was demonstrated to me jsut the other day that leaving the house 45 minutes earlier resulted in getting onsite a whole 15 minutes earlier than leaving later.
Trip time to Swansea 1hr 40
After Swansea it’s then a trip up to Wrexham to meet a bloody good friend of mine who the universe has allowed me to connect with for a second time.
Trip time: 3hr 4
Miles: 143
It’s always amusing when friends say bring a sleeping bag and a pillow and you can crash here. Then when I go I’m all good sleeping in my van they find it weird. A few months ago I crashed on a friends driveway in Enfield (before that stupid charge), went out for the day, had good, a few good beers, found my way back and remember watching AEW collision, having a few beers, warm, comfortable and it felt like my happy place.
After Wrexham it’s a trip to Southport for work, standing a very good chance of being sober as the Wrexham trip will NOT involve any Ale.. ok thats a lie as no way am I not going into the boozer featured in Welcome To Wrexham.
Wrexham to SouthPort
Trip time: 1hr 11mins
Miles: 60
Liverpool.
Next up is Liverpoooooolll. A city that I have yet to go to. According to old internet whipsers and legends a city to rival Newcastle on a night out, with the 2nd sexiest accent in the uk following geordgie. There’s a slight problem with this as I’ve not been ot on a proper staff party in almost 10 years, least one with the average age being half my / zambuca drinking age. At least a hotel is being provided to offer a slight relief from washing with a wet wipe. Plus a lay in without fear of being moved on will be nice
Southport to Liverpool
Trip time: 50mins
Miles: 40
Illuminations
Don’t ask me why but there’s always been a curious fascination with the Blackpool illuminations. I was there in 2023 for the airshow where I’d never seen so many bodies crammed so close together for so many hours to watch all manner of aircraft flying over head. I’d also spent 5 days in the same parking spot, having an Alan Partridge style meltdown tho those £1 burgers were bloody tidy.
The Blackpool Stealth Park is inspired by a van that I walked past right on the sea front, outside of a disbanded hotel. Aparently that couple had been coming there for years, at least Covid had one upside for someone. I’ll be happy to pay for a nights parking there… but then as it’s the Christmas period, what is my rush to get home? Now if the dart’s is still on at the Blackpool gardens I can do that as well, failing that I’ll be in the best boozer in Blackpool.
Liverpool to Blackpool
Trip time: 1hr 10mins
Miles: 57
Where to next?
Do I go home? Do I go to a client site for work? Do I go to the office? What way should I go home? Should I try and do a night in Cardiff. For now let’s go with I take the hit on a Sunday and start to drive “home” with no reason to go home.
Blackpool to Aberwyswyth
Trip time: 3hr 30mins
Miles: 177
I REALLY dont like this route. if I go down the coastal route I’d get to see some really nice views, from behind someone who can’t drive more than 30 miles per hour
Of I can go the longer route down half of it but then there’s no rest stops or anywhere to stop and park for a brew let alone getting a bacon butte.
Or I can go even more miles but then it’s motorway miles which is dull as anything. If I really wanted to go “home”
Trip time: 5hr 30mins
Miles: 240
In my latest van life adventure, I hit a new level of “oops” when a flat tire strikes on a quiet Saturday night, in the most remote spot possible, with no garage for miles. Talk about bad timing – this happens right before my first day at a new job, and I’m supposed to be there by midday. Then, as if on cue, the weather turns sour, adding a stormy twist to my already chaotic situation. It’s one of those moments where you have to laugh to keep from crying, a true test of my van life resilience and a reminder that sometimes, you just have to roll with the punches (or flat tires, in this case).
It’s a van life thing when winter hits, topping up your batteries with solar is a thing. I’ve got my eyes on the LMENGER 200W Foldable Solar Panel, and I’m here to share my unfiltered thoughts, influenced by some intriguing reviews I found from Amazon’s Vine program.
Read more
It was one of those days where the universe seemed to conspire against every attempt to move forward. A simple drive home turned into an odyssey of frustration, beginning with a distracted moment and a merciless curb.
The van, my trusty companion, had just been fine-tuned, ready to cruise the open roads without a fight. But in a blink, we were back in the trenches, wrestling with unexpected troubles.
Read moreIt’s with a certain sense of irony that the last van life event of 2023 was at the same location as my first van life event at the Stratford Upon Avon racecourse back in 2023.
Organisation and Parking.
Couldn’t have been easier. Rock up to the front gate with the friendly staff, scan the QR code, follow the track around and park up. I was lucky that once again Heather had kept a spare space for me and there’s no better moment of rocking up seeing your mates, grabbing a chair, settling down with a drink, or even better being offered a brew when you arrive. It’s those moments when you haven’t seen your van life mates for months that make that 4 hour drive disappear into the either.
Spaces were nicely marked out, plenty of space around us all and the ground nice and level for the most. I did spot some vans with the ramps and all that yet overall the ground seemed nice and level.
There were plenty of vans in the main attraction area pumping out tunes, live music but never so much to permeate into the sleeping areas and best of all I had no idea what time the music stopped. The quietness ended naturally for the event it felt unlike other events where the hammer went down at 10am (looking at you Warner group).
The Cost.
For 3 days of camping, plus talks, live music, showers and facilities was around £80 for 3 days. A price given the cost of living you really cant complain at. There are campsite which will charge more just to park on a bit of grass in Pembrokeshire that charge a lot more for a lot less.
What was on offer was a nice mix, the usual trade stands where you can buy a van starting from 20k, fancy a roof box for 2k or how about a total cool over priced solar panel or fridge for £200? You were covered but what I personally liked was the jumble sales. A change to get bits and bobs that you might need and I ended up taking a chance on a battery for my van just costing me £20. Will it work im not entirely sure but I’ll take a punt to support people who turn up.
The downside was the location of the jumble, being in the concourse of the racecourse with only one crossing point going over the raceway to the jumble area. This would of been better placed over with the tanks on the far side of the walking about and mooching area rather than a protracted walk to get there.
Back to costs
Beer and cider £5
Fish and chips £12.50
Pint of Pimms £10
Curry Goat £12
Coffee £3.50
1/4 Burger £7.50
Over the three days there was a definite pattern of food traders being dead during the day and then picking up early evening onwards. The cost of living has put pay to “cant be bothered to cook, let’s eat out”. Now it’s more people choosing to have a treat night than anything else.
Even during the last of the summer weather on Friday where it was baking, there was never a queue for the bar even when the late night acoustic bands were in effect. No fault of the event more a combination of the cost of living and the artificially inflated prices of holding an event at a racecourse.
The Traders Feedback
Like I’ve mentioned there was a nice little mix of those selling vans, expensive trailers and new heating equipment through to those handy bit’s and bobs for a few quid. People were mooching around yet to me it seemed more like something to do rather than spend money. That being said quirky bar b cues were oft seen being carted around the site and who could blame anyone with summer seemingly having an agreement with autumn to finish a few weeks early and let it take up the slack.
I always try and speak to traders how they have done. It’s more common for the majority to say we have covered costs, made fuel money and it’s great to see their enthusiasm still there for these events. Do bear in mind this being a smaller event the same was said from traders at the bigger van life events.
There has been some feedback on the disappointment of traders lacking on a Sunday. A valid point but have some sympathy for them, a severe weather warning was in place for Sunday and I would say the majority were there till 3pm.
Overall.
Had Friday’s sunny balmy blitz continued onwards through the weekend I have no doubt this would have been heralded as a a punctuation for the end of the season. No doubt in my mind if the Indian summer had prevailed it would have been a completely different experience. That’s not to say it was bad at all.. More a case of what if.