Camper Van Repairs: Vanlife Reality Check

Camper Van Repairs That Left Me Feeling Homeless

If you’ve ever romanticized the idea of van life, I don’t blame you. Many people do, but here’s the truth: when your van is your home, repairs aren’t just inconvenient—they’re downright terrifying. And after nearly a year of being without my rig, I’ve lived that fear intimately. Had to adjust every plan and revamp my life completely and I’m not being dramatic, it’s the truth.

I finally got my van back. But the road to this so-called “comeback” was long, gritty, and feels as thoug it is far from over.

Surviving Without a Van

For the last few months, I’ve been bouncing around—staying with family, friends, and even sleeping in my van outside the repair shop. I felt truly homeless. Van life is freedom when everything works—but when it doesn’t? You feel like your whole world is cracked wide open.

If you’re curious what actually happened to my van, I shared the full story in this post about the wind storm that wrote it off:
It wasn’t pretty.

Camper Van Repairs Begin: A Shiny Outside and a Broken Inside

When I got the call that my van was finally ready, I was equal parts excited and nervous. The body looked brand new—seriously, the glittery paint job actually sparkles in the sun like the vampires in Twilight. But the reality quickly set in: the interior was another story.  Admittedly, my repair shop contracted the interior project out, and the contractor was a little lacking.

The First 48 Hours: 

I was assured that an RV tech came to check that everything was working on my rig.  First thing I noticed as the Fantastic Fan? Totally Not Working. This is the fan every recreational vehicle has.  It is a must because it sucks the heat out in summer and keeps humidity at bay in the winter months.  The fan being broken meant I ended up staying in the repair shop parking lot for two extra days. This is not the glamorous #vanlife people post about. Anyone who lives off grid in an RV or van knows that rooftop fan can make or break you in the heat.

Read my post about Roof Vents here: https://missadvanture.com/blog/van-roof-vent

The Water Tank Debacle: 

When I finally got the van on the road and headed to my favourite spot I quickly realized the fresh water tank isn’t holding water. Three more days were spent troubleshooting—with fresh washers, multiple hose setups, and a chaotic water tote connection borrowed from my wonderful neighbour.

If you’ve ever dealt with a leaky water system in a van, you know it’s the kind of frustration that can make you question your entire life on the road. The water tank is about 100 feet away through some trees and up a hill so running back and forth in 35-degree Celsius weather was an adventure to turn things on and off.

When Camper Van Repairs Create New Problems

The paint job truly looks amazing—don’t get me wrong. But when I was told the van would be “better than it was,” I assumed that meant the inside too. The work is under warranty, so it’s going back to the shop next month. Hopefully, they can replace the tank I’m about to order.  

The timeline of the original project has me shaking in my boots for how long the next set of problems will take to fix.  I’m going to be living in it, though, so my presence will put the pressure on. 

Sourcing a New Tank and Chasing Repairs

I’ve been assured the van wasn’t exposed to freezing temps. The tank was fine when I dropped it off. And while a tree landed on the roof, I doubt it reached the underside where the tank lives. But I’m still sourcing a new water tank because water is life.

If you’re trying to keep things running off-grid while juggling these kinds of issues, I can’t recommend a portable solar generator enough. Read about my chosen one here. That thing saved my butt when nothing else worked.

The Real #VanLife Isn’t Always a Vibe

This isn’t the glossy version of van life you’ll find online. It’s not beachfront camping and minimalist vibes. It’s me, in a glittery van with a leaking tank and a fan that wouldn’t spin, sitting in a parking lot and questioning everything.

This lifestyle tests you, especially when it breaks down. And if you're considering full-time road life, make sure you're ready for the not-so-Instagrammable moments.

PS: If you’re traveling solo and want the honest version of this lifestyle, my $5 ebook Rolling Solo is packed with real advice from the road.
Link: https://she-said-it.com/book-rolling-solo/

Author Bio: I've been living full-time in an RV since 2009. I share honest, unfiltered stories from the road—because this lifestyle isn’t just about beach sunsets. It’s also about broken fans, leaky tanks, and finding your way back home when the road gets rough.