The Ford Transit Diaries: The Wild Ride to Finding the Right Van

There wasn’t some big, cinematic moment where I threw my hands in the air and yelled, “I need a van!” No dramatic Clueless moment with a lightbulb going on, and no slow motion montage of me packing up my life.

It was more of a creeping realization and uneasy feeling.

The deeper I got into my vision for For Creatives LLC, the clearer it became: every road led to a paywall. Studio rentals? Expensive. Workspace memberships? More Expensive. Investing in a physical location? The Most Expensivest (Shout out to 2 Chainz for that amazing show)

I needed a workaround. A solution that would give me mobility, flexibility, and most importantly… control.

That’s when the research hyper focus began.

The Great Van Debate: Promaster vs. Transit

Originally, I had my sights set on a Ram Promaster. It felt like the logical choice:
Boxy build = more interior space
Front wheel drive = better handling in snow
A staple vehicle within the van lifer community

But after watching what can only be described as an unreasonable amount of YouTube videos, van conversion tours, and deep dives into Reddit forums (shoutout to the people who get way too technical about literally everything), I started rethinking my choice.

Enter the Ford Transit 250.

Medium to high roof – Perfect for standing up inside (because who wants to crouch all day?)
Tougher build – Feels more durable, and I plan on putting this van through some miles
All wheel drive option – Because if I’m doing this, I want to be ready for any road trip detour (but Im prepared to not get it if I’m at least hitting everything else I want)

So, I pivoted. Transit 250 became the goal.

Now, all I had to do was find one within my budget.

A Van Search That Feels Like a Reality Show

You’d think finding a used Ford Transit 250 for under $16K would be simple enough. It’s actually not.

Between shady FB Marketplace listings, dealership markups, and vans that looked decent online but were literally one pothole away from falling apart, this process has been… eventful (and entertaining).

I’ve had salespeople try to upsell me on everything.
One dealership called to tell me they had the perfect van for me but when I showed up, I found out it had 275,000 miles on it. Bro, at the very least try to roll the numbers back.

Another listing conveniently left out the fact that the van had been in three accidents. When I pointed it out, the guy rolled his eyes and said, “But, it still runs though.”

I’m learning that having patience is the key and that car salesmen might be the original kings of “fake it til you make it.”

Why This Van Matters (And No, I’m Not Living in It)

Now that I’m in the trenches of actually finding a van, I’ve been getting all kinds of reactions.

Friends: “Omg, that’s dope!”
Strangers: “So… are you okay?”
Family: “This is just a phase, right?”

Some people genuinely think I’m about to live in this van with a toddler.
Others have kindly offered me places to stay.

Let’s clear this up: I have homes. That’s not the problem.

The problem is that traditional workspaces (whether it’s a rental studio or a leased office) are ridiculously expensive. Hello, I’m a single mom on one salary over here. This van isn’t about escaping life; it’s about building something sustainable for me but also attainable for others.

A mobile podcast studio that gives creatives a real space to record, collaborate, and create but without paying up the wazoo for it.

The Bigger Picture: A Moving Monument to Creativity

This van is going to be more than a vehicle. It’s going to be proof that you don’t have to wait for permission.

Instead of renting, I’m creating my own space.
Instead of waiting for the “right time,” I’m making it happen now.
Instead of taking “no” for an answer, I’m rewriting the rules.

And if this van search is teaching me anything, it’s that persistence beats perfect conditions every time.

Want to Follow the Chaos?

I’ll be documenting the entire process from new test drives to more negotiations.
The first podcast episode is coming soon!!!
Oh, and I might just go into details about the most ridiculous dealership experiences along the way.

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Coming Next:

Did I Finally Find a Van? Stay Tuned.

#VanLife #FordTransit #PodcastStudio #ForCreativesLLC #CreativeFreedom #DIYBusiness