Living in my car

[rvpopeye]

I remember buying those from a vendor that parked his truck in the bay at a gas station I worked at in '72 !
I just put chips in it....WHO KNEW ???? ABNORM......

[RoamerRV428]

Charlie chip....oh hell yea, I sure ate and remember those....great can they came in

[Snikwahjm]

We had a big can and a small can for chips but never used it for a pee can. I guess chips - pecan - what ever?

[heron]

Snik, the sheet was for privacy while sleeping.
For peeing & changing clothes, I draped my blanket (thicker&larger) over my head & body or just over my lower body.
If I was around significant numbers of people, then that typically meant there was a rest room nearby, which I'd use.

What sort of potty were you using?

+1 on your conclusion that a "bigger rig" would be better
Queen & the others are right: cars are tough.
That's the biggest "toughness"/difficulty gap in the vehicle hierarchy.
You deserve a Badge.

Snik has a "potty box she made. It's nicely made and ingeniously put together. She is technologically disadvantaged when it comes to uploading pix, but it's the coolest thing ever and I think she should find a 12 year old to do it for her. (i'm no better)
Oh, and Snik. Ive seen a lot of extra tall little transits, lately.

[heron]

Unassuming box and a place to sit.

Oh, Snik! You did it!

[Snikwahjm]

I have been eying the new transits and comparing the old. The old ones hold their value but seem to have a lot of miles, too. I may just get a new one. They are kind of tight for space but I’m already trying to figure out what I don’t need to haul. I think I have watched every YouTube video about converting them into a camper. I wish they hadn’t ‘improved’ the 2010’s to the 2019’s.

[Queen]

We’re considering a used Transit for a second car, the ones Uhaul buys are now used for one year and approximately 10,000 miles, then auctioned off. They come with bulkheads, rubber floor mat, full running boards, and wood tie down boards on the walls. We can find them locally in the $22,000 to $23,000 range.

[Kaylee]

Snik:
What are your goals, in terms that inform your vehicle choice?
Part-time or full-time?
Long trips or ???
Urban or dispersed camping or ?

You've got plenty of experience, and that potty setup solves the Messiest Stressful Problem, so you're way ahead of most!
It also means you're not part of the Kool-Aid crowd.

[Snikwahjm]

I’m wanting to take some long trips. I may have to settle for very short trips though.

[TWIH]

Kaylee, the Ford Transit Connect is pretty darn small. But it is bigger than my FIT. It does have front wheel drive and gets pretty good mileage. The Chevy Express is a full sized regular van like you have. I have been playing with some graph paper trying to see if it is realistic to haul everything I think I might possibly need. I test drove one and I really liked it. It also has a pretty good warranty.   I’ve watched a bunch of videos on Connect setups. I think you would have to be very minimal and out doors a lot. The drivers seat is not comfortable in either. If I got a Chevy express I wouldn’t get another high top any way. With the high top, we were all over the road and in wind we were REALLY all over the road. Made my shoulders ache to drive like that. So neither one would have stand up space. I spent a few months by my self living in the full sized van in the driveway until it was too cold. I had a lot of room in there. There is considerable difference in size. In the Connect I’m thinking a pretty narrow bed would help. Some people are using split mattresses and shifting around a lot.  Argh. I would just use a cot sized mattress. I’m also thinking using a Connect would be like having to think back packing but it might turn out ok. Maybe figure out how to pull out the passenger seat. Same foot print for solar panels but higher watt? Then again the full sized van would have enough room to spread out. But I don’t have to take everything I own anyway. Keeping things small and light would be pretty much the only way to use the Connect and maybe a very good discipline. I still waffle.... space when you are stuck in there a few days..... front wheel drive, better mileage... either one has decent resale value.

Why not split the difference with a minivan or Astro?
Cons to the minivan are ventilation and extra windows
Pros are gas mpg, stealth, ease of finding one

Astro’s are getting a bit old now and have their own dedicated forum for common concerns. Youve likely seen the older “Into the Mystery” YT vids about his rig. 

Just thoughts...