Sprinter Van Owners

r32

Administrator
Staff member
Apr 1, 2005
17,937
9,463
113
Cambria
Link? I'm curious,been hearing anecdotes of people bailing Babylon and wonder what the data shows. There are people leaving SFBay, but it sounds like the destination is maybe a smaller city or other state, but not necessarily the sticks.

If you go to uhaul, quotes for SF -> Austin Tx are 2-3x the rate from Austin Tx to SF

SF -> Billings MT are 6-10x the rate from Billings to SF
i see articles all the time about mass exodus from CA and yet our population of each city seems to keep going up. So maybe more are coming than going? Or ones that are staying have kicked baby-making skills into the overdrive.
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,857
11,267
113
San Diego
Is that guy down at the cliffs still driving the Rolls Royce with roof racks bolted through the roof? That was a statement!
Lol. Pretty sure I know the vehicle you’re talking about. Can’t say for sure, haven’t been a regular in those parts for almost a decade now. (...crap time flies...)
 

Bob Dobbalina

Miki Dora status
Feb 23, 2016
4,261
4,656
113
Link? I'm curious,been hearing anecdotes of people bailing Babylon and wonder what the data shows. There are people leaving SFBay, but it sounds like the destination is maybe a smaller city or other state, but not necessarily the sticks.
People are definitely leaving SF. There has not been a day since April that there were not 1-3 moving vans moving people out of my neighborhood. Imagine if the only reason you moved to a city was work and/or the appeal of great food and night life. Food and Night Life is dead, and too many jobs in SF can work from home. Why stay if you were rootless to begin with?
 
  • Like
Reactions: the janitor

brukuns

Kelly Slater status
Mar 5, 2014
9,774
4,526
113
Sao Paulo/Brazil
:roflmao:
Well their entire day is self-care because so few seem to have jobs.

Can we try an analogy? Sprinters are to public parking as Brazzos are to the lineup. (@brukuns I mean no offense) I did have to fight my way through a pack of Brazzos the other day to get waves. One tried to paddle underneath me to get a wave that was clearly mine (Lowers-style) and I went anyway.

If we we all felt as entitled to public resources as Brazzos and Sprinter van owners, it'd be a huge problem.



Don't get me wrong: sprinter vans are cool I just want to see sprinting dun right and introduce this concept of "other people" to sprinting Millennials.

I had a Millennial friend who went the "rape van conversion" route. He drove all the way to LA County to have the top cut-off and basically an upside-down boat installed on the top. I was always worried about him asphyxiating from the carbon monoxide of his space heater or catching his man bun on fire.
I wound't even have read it if you hadn't marked me on the post, you will not see me talking about sprinter vans anytime soon. feels like something only pathetic morons would talk about. No offense. :poke::dancing:
 
  • Haha
Reactions: PRCD

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,857
11,267
113
San Diego
Maybe SF will belcome affordable now?
If home prices in SD through COVID are any indication “pretty“ places will always be expensive.

SF is “pretty” and, (no) thanks to tech, has high paying jobs. Now that jobs aren’t tied to the locale it’s just another “pretty” place worth living.

rent is dropping but from a pretty ridic level above the norm.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mr Doof

Sharkbiscuit

Duke status
Aug 6, 2003
26,270
19,097
113
Jacksonville Beach
SF is an easy bail on affordability and a double ditch in a pandemic. I hope Mr. Doof's house appreciates though.

Still, either you live in Coastal California, or you sweat your balls off all summer, or freeze them off all winter. It's Phoenix, Cane Bait, or a Winter that'll make you drink bleach it's so depressing.

I can see the Sprinter if you live somewhere expensive and have a job to go to and the line on good sleeping spots, but I could never work out of one of those things.

For what those things cost I feel like I could get a used Taco/Tundra, a tent, a sleeping bag, a kayak (with a dank fishfinder), mask/snorkel/fins/pole spear, few boards, wetsuit, few poles, air compressor, tire, water, tools and have enough money left over to drive south from SD for a year or three.
 

ElOgro

Duke status
Dec 3, 2010
31,867
11,809
113
SF is an easy bail on affordability and a double ditch in a pandemic. I hope Mr. Doof's house appreciates though.

Still, either you live in Coastal California, or you sweat your balls off all summer, or freeze them off all winter. It's Phoenix, Cane Bait, or a Winter that'll make you drink bleach it's so depressing.

I can see the Sprinter if you live somewhere expensive and have a job to go to and the line on good sleeping spots, but I could never work out of one of those things.

For what those things cost I feel like I could get a used Taco/Tundra, a tent, a sleeping bag, a kayak (with a dank fishfinder), mask/snorkel/fins/pole spear, few boards, wetsuit, few poles, air compressor, tire, water, tools and have enough money left over to drive south from SD for a year or three.
Fecal’s rig is more practical for most people. grg’s too.
 

silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
33,499
23,099
113
Tower 13
Lol. Pretty sure I know the vehicle you’re talking about. Can’t say for sure, haven’t been a regular in those parts for almost a decade now. (...crap time flies...)
I haven't seen that guy in forevers

but oh, the lot at the beachbreak nearby is full of solid entertainment. gentrification hasn't kept out the weirdos!
 
  • Haha
Reactions: sdsrfr

One-Off

Tom Curren status
Jul 28, 2005
14,128
10,250
113
33.8N - 118.4W
Here's slightly off topic question. Since nowadays a lot of crew cab pickups have 5 foot beds, is there any one making a little tent extension for the back of a camper shell that will let you sleep in the back without getting frost bite on you toes? And I don't mean a full tent on top on the truck.

never mind found it-
 

tenover

Kelly Slater status
Jan 17, 2003
9,318
1,704
113
Point Loma, CA
I haven't seen that guy in forevers

but oh, the lot at the beachbreak nearby is full of solid entertainment. gentrification hasn't kept out the weirdos!
That is NO JOKE. What a hipster/troll/tweaker-fest that lot has turned into....Been surfing dawn patrol there for the last few months, and when I'm leaving around 7:30/8am, the hipster/van crowd is arriving in droves(I'm referring to the DB lot, not pier).
 
Last edited:

TeamScam

Miki Dora status
Jan 14, 2002
5,486
1,119
113
Mid-Atlantic
A lot more self-contained surfmobiles at the parks around here lately. Not the crazy stuff pictures here, but wannabe family suvs a little decked out.
There is a high rate of people moving coastal to this rural area, even 30 miles inland just a steady stream of new people able to pay more than the indigionous.
 

SlicedFeet

Miki Dora status
Dec 17, 2004
4,730
968
113
Swarm Diego
Seriously, what type of American buys a Sprinter to venture into Mexico?

What a dick move...now to go surf North County San Diego - Richteous Bro.

Are they kosher in Canada?

Inquiring minds want to know. M:):monkey:
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
11,990
22,531
113
PNW
I wouldn't mind the sprinter vans so much if they didn't leave toilet paper and sh!t behind every bush and along every beach trail in the area.

Pulled in next to one of the super kitted Mercades with my buddy to check the surf a while ago. Waves looked fun and we had some music playing while we suited up. A chick slid open the door and glared at us. She looked like she'd been napping. Not sorry.

Now we are in the habit of pulling in next to any sprinter we see with the music blasting just to see if we can get a reaction. Christian rock works really well but doesn't feel worth the self imposed suffering.
 
I've had my Sprinter since '06... Love it...
Great mileage, easy to build out, semi-stealth...
Before CV-19 I slept in it for out of town work about 50 days a year... So easy...

In addition to the Sprinter, this is the true go anywhere rig I built out...
Gotta have a hobby, right...
One that pays is even better...

Don't worry, you will never see me at your beach...