The New Van--a Promaster

Ever since we donated our 30 year old Dodge van to NPR in around 2009, we have missed having a vehicle we could camp in.  Periodically we've talked about getting another van, but the huge engines and low gas mileage were deal breakers. 

When Mercedes-Dodge Sprinter vans appeared in the American market, we took a serious look at them, but living on a ferry-served island, the height of the Sprinter meant a ferry ticket would cost almost double.

Then, after the Mercedes/Dodge divorce, we started to hear rumors that the Fiat Ducato, a van we had often seen in Europe, was going to be marketed by Dodge in North America.  We were interested in the low-roof, long-wheel base version that would give us lots of room for a van conversion, and yet still qualify for the cheap seats on the ferry.  Best of all, the Ducato, called a Promaster in North America, gets 22+ miles per gallon. Ordinarily, we would be the last people to buy a vehicle the first year it is released, but two things convinced us to take the leap.
1.  We were offered a really good deal on our low-mileage Honda Element.
2.  We're old geezers and if we are going to hit the open road again, we'd better get crackin'.

We spent many a happy hour in our old van, including driving up and down the Alaska highway.  You couldn't really call that old van a camper since it mainly had a piece of plywood thrown in the back over the wheel wells, and topped with a piece of foam rubber for a bed, and a big built in cabinet where we could stash everything from the Coleman portable camp stove and a shovel, to food, water and clothes.

We are aiming higher this time, and plan to add a few more creature comforts.  We're starting with a big empty box, lots of ideas, lots of anxiety about how to do it right.  Right meaning mainly that we don't take a brand new, perfectly good vehicle and screw it up in some significant way.