Not one thing in this world is perfect. Though I love our Ford Transit Connect Campervan, there are several things I really don’t like about our campervan, and there are things I LOVE about our campervan.
When you visit people’s campervan pages on Instagram, just remember their life may seem glamorous. They, in fact, have many similar struggles as we do. Not many people are willing to post about the downsides of camping in a campervan.
Needless to say here is our official pros and cons list of the Ford Transit connect and our overall campervan experience.
Hopefully, our pros and cons list of owning a campervan will help you decide if it’s worth getting a campervan yourself!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
First, here are all of the items in a chart that we have decided to talk about in this post.
Cons
Let’s jump right into the cons of traveling in a Ford Transit Connect, and lay all the bad out on the table. When I say cons, however, that doesn’t mean that any of the bad will prevent me from traveling in our campervan.
Sometimes it’s a matter of weighing out pros and cons in order to figure out if you are suited for this type of lifestyle.
Breaking Down
This has not happened to us just yet! Knock on wood! It is a huge fear of mine that we will be traveling several hundred miles away from our home town and our van breaks down.
There is literally no family member around to help us out when we are away on the road. I guess it’s a good thing to invest in some triple-A! While this provides some relief, there’s still some worry about traveling long distances.
There are a few things that will help to prevent some of this road worry, keep reading below which will bring us to my next point on the con’s list.
Mantinence fees
As I stated above I’m constantly worried about breaking down. It helps to have a mechanic who is a friend to give our Ford Transit Connect a routine check-up. Also, Youtube is amazing as well, I just wouldn’t recommend using that as your main resource in keeping up your vehicle.
Unfortunately, oil changes and replacement breaks can add up to be a pretty penny. I would say it’s worth it, in the long run, to keep up with any vehicle you constantly run.
Too small
This is my BIGGEST complaint about our tiny little Ford Transit Connect campervan, the space!
We only have enough room in our campervan for some storage and a bed. Our kitchen and our bathroom have to be set up outside when we find a campsite. Thankfully, we have a privacy tent for potty business and a canopy for our kitchen. It helps us spend more time outside, and isn’t that the whole point of having a motorhome?
There is absolutely no headspace when we are in the van. Even though we purchased the high-top version of the Ford Transit Connect, we still struggle to have space when sitting up in the bed. This sucks when it’s raining and we are trying to watch tv.
If you are still in the process of looking for a van, make sure it is big enough for what you need. If you think it’s just barely big enough, always go a bit bigger.
Somewhat slow
The engine lags a bit. I mean it is only a 4-cylinder! I know what your thinking, But it’s a work van meant to hull stuff. I KNOW! We make do with what we’ve got!
It really struggles when traveling uphill. I guess we won’t be bringing it to Montana.
Stressful to find place to camp
I’ve gotta say campsites are on my pros and cons list of owning a campervan. On one hand, the whole world is your campground, on the other, you can’t legally park wherever you want.
Finding a place to camp is actually not that difficult once you understand state laws of boondocking. I only put this point down, because it used to be a huge struggle finding an appropriate spot to park. We were constantly stressing out about whether or not we would be towed or fined for camping in a certain spot, so we took our van out less than I wanted to in the beginning.
Stressful packing
Ugh, packing is always so stressful when you travel. There are so many components to getting the campervan ready to go.
We do not live in our van full time, Yet! We will take it out for weeks at a time, pack it, then come home and unpack it.
We had one trip where we forgot just about everything, from the cooking stove to the shower! It turned out to be an okay trip, but we had to make a few pit stops at the store every time we found out we forgot something important.
Hard when it rains
There have been a few times now where our vacation has been ruined by the rain. Because our van is so small we really can’t do much more than sleep in it.
When it rains we try to go for a hike with our rain jackets, or stay in the van and watch some tv. Sometimes this is nice, however, when we find ourselves in need of a rest day.
Rainy days would be more enjoyable with a bigger campervan because there is more space to move around. In case you were wondering we can still cook while it’s raining. Find out how we cook and clean here.
Showering
Showering out in the middle of nowhere isn’t as bad as it sounds, and it can be quite an adventure if you have the appropriate showering equipment. It can be a bit stressful wondering how much water you have left, and trying to save it for the next few days you need showers.
I’m not the type of person that LOVES cold showers. I usually boil some water over the fire and add it to the cold water for the shower. Doing this warms up the water quite nicely. However, I hate that this takes so much time. It’s definitely not like taking a pampered shower back home. ‘
If you don’t want to go through the trouble of taking a shower outside in a little shelter, you can install one inside of your van. You obviously need a campervan that is big enough for a shower. A water heater is also an option if you don’t want a cold shower. Read more about showering here.
toilet is iffy
I’m super shy when it comes to using the bathroom in the woods. If we aren’t at a campground with certain amenities, I really do hate the bathroom situation.
Yes, we have a portable toilet and a small privacy shelter. But it’s a little different than camping with an RV with a full bathroom and sewage system.
Hopefully, one day I can get used to this. My husband. on the other hand, could take a crap on a log and not even care how exposed he is.
Dishes
Dishes really aren’t a huge hassle unless we are boondocking. Conserving water is always a big worry of mine, so of course, washing dishes is one of my least favorite things to do.
Read here about how to better wash your dishes while boondocking. It’s everything you need to know about cooking and cleaning while boondocking.
Don’t have a fan for ventilation
This is a major screw-up of ours! Mainly because we didn’t want to take the time to install a fan, and we didn’t want to pay someone to do it.
To prevent condensation we open up two windows just a crack and put a small fan in the window. When we transfer to a bigger van we will most definitely be installing a rooftop fan for ventilation.
Pros
Ah yes, the pros of owning a campervan! This is literally why we wanted one in the first place, and though there are fewer pros they far outweigh the cons!
Gas mileage
The whole point of getting a Ford Transit Connect for a campervan conversion was the gas mileage. It’s not a gas guzzler compared to a bus or even a sprinter van.
This saves more money that we can use to travel to places, purchase better food, and make more upgrades to the van.
Freedom to Travel
This is probably the main reason anyone decides to convert a campervan, the freedom to travel. Even if you just camp at campgrounds you will still be saving tons of money by not staying in a hotel.
Hotels at their cheapest can range from$100 to $200 a night. With a campervan, you can find spots at a campground for at least $25 per night. And if you decide to go boondocking, that’s free!!
Grounding/Nature
We can all agree that as humans you need to be out in nature to center yourself every once in a while. I find myself being stressed out at work, but once we travel in our van I feel grounded again and ready for more life challenges.
It’s the perfect way to stay out of nature but get into nature at the same time!
Everything is With You
My final point is all of your gear (stuff) is with you! You have your bed, kitchen, and bathroom right there as you travel. You don’t necessarily need to stop at nasty gas station bathrooms anymore.
If you have all of your stuff organized correctly, grabbing it really quick is a cinch!
Conclusion to The Pros and Cons of Owning a Campervan
Everyone has their own journey to take. If you think you are cut out for vanlife, give it a try!! If you are unsure try renting a campervan or borrowing one for a few days from a friend or family member.
