Living in the ZHP

[EDS]

MY HOME HAS BEEN STOLEN....Please see latest post for details.

I haven't posted for a long time. But, I thought I would pop in and share that I have been living in my ZHP. Last year I received a job which allowed me to work from anywhere in the United States. As a young, single guy, I decided to take full advantage of the situation so I decided to embark on a 12 month 12 city adventure. Living in each city for one month. I started out living out of Airbnbs. But,once I moved to New York I started to run out of money. An airbnb was costing me anywhere from $1000 to $2200 per month. I had thought about selling the ZHP to buy a cheaper car but, I was upside down on the loan (Someone hit the quarter panel and ran), and I didn't have enough money to fill the gap. Determined to live in Manhattan for a month I cancelled my $2200 Airbnb reservation in the East Village and start renovating the ZHP to be liveable. I figured this would be a fun experiment and would teach me how to be grateful for what I have. Also, I felt like it would help "harden" me to the realities of life and scare me slightly. I feel like I raised in an environment that was almost too comfortable and it has made me soft.

Unfortunately, my ZHP didn't come with folding seats. So I rented a Jigsaw and a grinder and removed the sheet metal separating the trunk from the cabin (So sorry that I had to do this everyone). I followed by putting a piece of plywood to span from the trunk to the back of the front seats. On top I place a 4" memory foam pad for bedding. I used black foam board on the inside of the windows to black out the windows. Then put a curtain behind the front seats. The front of the car looks like any other BMW on the streets, the back looks like a heavy tint. Unsuspecting passers have no idea its my bachelor pad. A couple of battery powered fans rounded out the package for cooling.

With out the story getting too long, basically I am on my third month living in the ZHP. 1st month was in the middle of Manhattan, 2nd month was in Seattle, and now I'm in Portland. It's been great! I've been saving anywhere from $1000 to $1800 each month living in the car. To my surprise its much easier than I thought it would and it is actually a lot of fun. Some people ask if this hurts my chances with girls...so far girls love it! When I was in New York a girl lived in my car with me for the month. Who would've thought that women love adventure. It was a tight fit, but more than worth it! I plan on continuing to live in the ZHP until I am able to pay off all my debts and save enough money to sell her. Until then I'll be traveling around the country looking for free parking that is close to Starbucks and 24 hour fitness.

I love Mia...she is home.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/IMG_5213.jpg
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[danewilson77]

You have won my respect. Stay safe. Have fun. Jeep a journal.

S7 Edge, out

[slater]

very cool. as dane said... stay safe. i like the ingenuity.

[BMWCurves]

Damn, that's crazy. If you were in the Portland area a month ago I would have loved to have met up.

As Dane and Peter said, stay sharp and keep a log of your adventures.

[ELCID86]

Talk about tiny houses!


---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - anonymous

[NoVAphotog]

Nice work. If you ever come through DC let us know.

Stay safe, watch out for tow trucks!

Definitely cooler than a van down by the river...

26675

[fredo]

+1. What other cities are left in your agenda ?

[BimmerDude]

This is awesome.. so I have some questions.
1. how are those fans powered? Battery
2. where is the rest of your interior ? In storage?
3. Are you using any type of solar panel?
4. every thought about using a roof rack and storage box to to lock away your bag?
(would give you more spaces for coed's ;p)
5. You do have an alarm. Please say you do.

Good luck man! be safe. If your not already you should be Vlogging this journey.

[san]

Really cool! Stay safe and have fun!


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[johnrando]

Wow, great story.

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[NorCalZman]

Talk about tiny houses!



Right? I was just watching that HGTV show House Hunters Tiny something or other where people actually WANT and are enthusiastic to live in a space around 200sq ft or less and I couldnt stop chuckling as they toured these spaces. My roommate thought it was awesome. To each their own.

You, OP, have surpassed all of them though. So props to you. I could never do this, even when I was in my 20s or if I had a job that allowed it (I like having a nest). How old are you? And what type of work allows you to work anywhere?

You should definitely keep us updated on your adventures. This thread could be a fun read. Are you planning on visiting places other than cities? Like the Grand Canyon, etc.?

[cakM3]

I'm impressed to read about this. This is true adventure! So many good questions asked by others in this thread... looking forward to seeing what you have to say OP. :thumbsup Enjoy the journey and the moment with your ZHP! :thumbsup

[Simmsled]

Respect.
What a journey!
Keep us posted!

[az3579]

You should look into the laws of the places you're travelling to - I've been told some places forbid you to sleep in your car like that. Be careful out there.

[theothersawyer]

Reminds me of Daniel Norris the professional baseball player who lives in his VW Van.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKPa3uVddbU

[EDS]

You have won my respect. Stay safe. Have fun. Jeep a journal.

S7 Edge, out

Thanks Dane! That means a lot coming from the boss man.



very cool. as dane said... stay safe. i like the ingenuity.

Thanks!


Damn, that's crazy. If you were in the Portland area a month ago I would have loved to have met up.

As Dane and Peter said, stay sharp and keep a log of your adventures.

That's too bad, do you have any recommendations for good places to eat or see in Portland?


Talk about tiny houses!

It is a bit small, but also quite cozy.


Nice work. If you ever come through DC let us know.

Stay safe, watch out for tow trucks!

Definitely cooler than a van down by the river...


Dang! I was living in DC back in June. A beautiful city. Right now my worst nightmare is sleeping through a tow and waking up in the middle of an impound.


+1. What other cities are left in your agenda ?

So far I have lived in:

- Denver
- New Orleans
- Austin
- Miami Beach
- DC
- NYC
- Seattle
- Portland

The rest of the year

- Homer, Alaska ( I saved up enough for a small cabin)
- Santa Cruz, CA
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Honolulu, HI?? or - Las Vegas, NV


This is awesome.. so I have some questions.
1. how are those fans powered? Battery
2. where is the rest of your interior ? In storage?
3. Are you using any type of solar panel?
4. every thought about using a roof rack and storage box to to lock away your bag?
(would give you more spaces for coed's ;p)
5. You do have an alarm. Please say you do.

Good luck man! be safe. If your not already you should be Vlogging this journey.

Thanks!
1. how are those fans powered? - Battery Yep, each fan takes 2 "D" size batteries. I can get 3 batteries for $1 at the Dollar store.

2. where is the rest of your interior ? In storage? - Actually, the bottom portion of the rear seat is intacted, and the back cushion was flipped around and fits right behind the front seats to create a barrier. I really didn't want to put anything in storage so I had to get creative.

3. Are you using any type of solar panel?

Nope, no solar panels at this time. I usually don't spend much time in the car other than just sleeping. Otherwise I charge my phone before I get in at night or I use the cigarette lighter.

4. every thought about using a roof rack and storage box to to lock away your bag?
(would give you more spaces for coed's ;p)

Oh, that's a good idea! I hadn't thought of that. I might have to look into that.

5. You do have an alarm. Please say you do.

Actually no alarm. But I accidentally locked my keys in the car and I found out how secure our cars out. I figure one of the only ways someone could get in while I'm sleeping is to break a window. I'm pretty sure that would wake me up enough to spook them. Other than that I don't keep my most valuable stuff in the car often, or if I do I have the windows blocked out so no one can see inside.

When I first started traveling I did start vlogging, but then I found that I really didn't enjoy making the videos.


Really cool! Stay safe and have fun!


Wow, great story./QUOTE]

Thanks guys!

[QUOTE=NorCalZman;499975]Right? I was just watching that HGTV show House Hunters Tiny something or other where people actually WANT and are enthusiastic to live in a space around 200sq ft or less and I couldnt stop chuckling as they toured these spaces. My roommate thought it was awesome. To each their own.

You, OP, have surpassed all of them though. So props to you. I could never do this, even when I was in my 20s or if I had a job that allowed it (I like having a nest). How old are you? And what type of work allows you to work anywhere?

You should definitely keep us updated on your adventures. This thread could be a fun read. Are you planning on visiting places other than cities? Like the Grand Canyon, etc.?

Haha thanks! I think tiny houses are great because you can own your house with a small amount of money. Plus, some of those places are awesome. In Austin I stayed in a converted school bus. It had a full kitchen, full bathroom. I definitely couldve seen myself living there for a long time.

I just turned 24. I work for a large utility company in California as a contractor. I'm a CAD drafter.

I haven't really spent a lot of time thinking about visiting places other than cities just because I have to have wifi for work. But, since I drive from city to city I have seen a lot of the country. Especially, driving from NYC to Seattle.


I'm impressed to read about this. This is true adventure! So many good questions asked by others in this thread... looking forward to seeing what you have to say OP. :thumbsup Enjoy the journey and the moment with your ZHP! :thumbsup


Respect.
What a journey!
Keep us posted!

Thanks guys! I'm glad you guys find this to be a cool adventure. I wasn't expecting so much positive feedback. I thought there would be more comments about how I have my priorities messed up, I should stop traveling if I don't have a lot of money, Why did I ruin my ZHP, etc etc.


You should look into the laws of the places you're travelling to - I've been told some places forbid you to sleep in your car like that. Be careful out there.

Thanks for the tip! I try to look into the laws in the places I go. But, ultimately I'm still going to live in the car even if its against the law. I don't mind having to a pay a ticket or be told to move along. Luckily, I haven't run into any issues though. I think the stealth aspect of my car definitely helps.

[EDS]

Reminds me of Daniel Norris the professional baseball player who lives in his VW Van.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKPa3uVddbU

I saw this a few months ago. This guy is freaking awesome. I'm jealous of his setup!

[fredo]

Too bad we didn't meet up while you were in Austin. Maybe next time. :thumbsup

[NorCalZman]

Haha thanks! I think tiny houses are great because you can own your house with a small amount of money. Plus, some of those places are awesome. In Austin I stayed in a converted school bus. It had a full kitchen, full bathroom. I definitely couldve seen myself living there for a long time.

I just turned 24. I work for a large utility company in California as a contractor. I'm a CAD drafter.

I haven't really spent a lot of time thinking about visiting places other than cities just because I have to have wifi for work. But, since I drive from city to city I have seen a lot of the country. Especially, driving from NYC to Seattle.


You may change your tune when you are in your 30s, but enjoy the freedom as a mid 20s guy. haha. I think its great to have adventures. I did my share too (getting lost in Rome was a fun story....), but always had a home to come back to. I think it would be great to drive accross the US sometime.

Well if you have any stories or pictures to share start posting! Goodluck!

[BMWCurves]

That's too bad, do you have any recommendations for good places to eat or see in Portland?

Sure, depends what you're into!

Food:

Dim Sum - HK Cafe out in SE 82nd. It's hectic but it's delicious and priced fairly. Boke Bowl for a little more fusion style (westside)
Vegan - Bye and Bye bar on the east side. I don't do vegan food normally (I'm a carnivore at heart), but their food is very good, and decently priced drinks w/ a patio out front and back. One of my favorite casual evening spots in town.
Vietnamese - Lela's on 23rd, Luc Lac downtown, Pho Van Fresh in the Pearl, Ha VL in SE (you need to be selective because the soup changes every day)
Food carts - They're everywhere but the ones on 10th and Alder are quite good.
Korean - G Mart in Beaverton (it's inside a grocery store on the top floor).
Tapas - Ataula near 23rd. Expensive, busy, but oh my it's my favorite restaurant right now.
Mexican - Pretty much anywhere. Cha Cha Cha (I prefer the one on Glisan in the Pearl) Pepino's on 23rd, or Los Gorditos are all good, relatively options. La Taq is a nice little place on Killingsworth
Thai - Mee Sen on Mississippi (really good, pretty cheap if you get one of the soups/bowls), Pok Pok Noi in NE (their water's delicious, as are their wings), and then a zillion other decent places in town.
Russian - Kachka on the east side
Peruvian - Andina in the Pearl. Expensive, but very good food as well.
BBQ - Sadly, Portland is not known for BBQ and it's lacking in Portland. Best I've found is SmokeHouse 21 and Russell Street Tavern.
Steak/meat - Laurelhurst Market. One of my other favorite restaurants, but haven't been in a while. On the spendier side. Ringside Steakhouse on West Burnside is good if you go for their late night menu.
Pizza - Bunch of places. Life of Pie, Ken's on the eastside, Oven and Shaker, Apizza Scholls
Japanese - Tons of places. Cheap sushi-go-round I like Marine Polis in Beaverton, but there's one in the Pearl and a similar one on 23rd. More expensive but good sushi can be had at Yama Sushi in the Pearl, Bamboo Sushi in NW.
Ramen - A bunch of ramen spots have popped up recently, but Mirakutei is my favorite so far.
Indian - Bollywood Theatre. Good for lunch. I'm not actually well versed in Indian even though I love Indian food.
BURGER MOTHERFUCKING WEEK - Dude, I forgot! Hit up Burger Week, for sure. It's delicious and awesome. Tons of restaurants make classic to very adventurous burgers for $5! Buy a beer or some other appetizer just to be a good patron and you've got a stellar meal. Do not miss out, I had this amazing chorizo burger last year, but sadly that restaurant isn't participating this year. Here's the full list of restaurants: http://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2016/07/06/18303440/burger-week-2016-here-are-the-restaurants-where-youll-cram-burgers-into-your-face
Other places I like - Irving Street Kitchen (dinner), Mediterranean Exploration Co (dinner), Little Big Burger (lunch), Grand Central Bakery (lunch), Cheryl's on 12th (lunch), Grassa (lunch), Nong's Khao Man Gai (food carts and store front), Produce Row Cafe (drinks, dinner), Biwa, Ox (dinner), and a bunch more.

To do:

See a Timbers game. Get a ticket for the Timbers Army aka GA and get in with the crowd. It's loud, it's rowdy, it's a ton of fun.
See a movie in Pioneer Square on Fridays - Full list here: https://thesquarepdx.org/flicks-on-the-bricks/
Grab a drink at a bar - more than enough to name.
Go beer tasting at the various breweries in town - Basecamp is one of my personal favorites.
Hang out in Powell's - it's a MASSIVE book store. Very cool stuff.
Go to the various gardens in Portland - Chinese Garden in China town, Rose Garden in NW, Japanese Garden in NW
Bike/walk/drive around Washington Park.
Walk up to Council Crest, hang out, eat lunch, enjoy the view.
Go out to the Gorge - Go hiking (absolutely do this if the weather's good) or hang out in Hood River (great lunch spots and is just very nice).
Go to the coast - We have great beaches and they're pretty darn close.
MusicFestNW - late august. Fun music festival.
Bridge Pedal - They close most of Portland's numerous bridges so that people can bike across them on a Sunday morning. I've done it several years and it's a lot of fun, highly suggest it.
Dance clubs - not my favorite scene in Portland, but they exist.
Catch a concert - we have several good music venues around town (roseland, Crystal, etc).
Strip clubs - if you're into that, Portland has the most strip clubs per capita.
Shop - if you like shopping, Oregon's tax free so go nuts.

[ELCID86]

^that oughta keep you busy for a bit.


---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - anonymous

[Oli77]

That's really great!
What type of job are you doing?

[az3579]

That's really great!
What type of job are you doing?
He mentioned he is a CAD drafter.

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[slater]

Reminds me of Daniel Norris the professional baseball player who lives in his VW Van.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKPa3uVddbU

that is an impressive dude. i like him.

[DeathTrap]

That's one of the coolest mobile homes I've ever seen. Props to you sir. I'm sure this experience is very humbling

[TheFinanceGuy]

Respect man. I couldn't do it.


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[Damian]

I did this for a girl in my 1990 civic sedan when I was 19. She was previously engaged but after we met she left him. After that she had nowhere to go (who wants to move back home?). My parents wouldn't allow her to stay out of wedlock so we roughed it for a few months. We didn't think about a fan so we kept the windows cracked. A couple police officers rolled up on us a few times but just managed to scare us with truck driver stories and told us to move along. Funny thing is I ended up marrying that girl.
Kudos to you for traveling that way. Not the most comfortable way to rest but at least it's cheap! Also, you never have to worry about driving drunk.
Question I have for you is, where do you shower? Truck stops?

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[webster]

great read. not something i ever expected to see on a ZHP board :P

one question i have, which has not come up yet is...with all these miles, what are you doing to keep up with maintenance? how many miles are on your ZHP?

props though, you gotta have some balls to go through with this.

[EDS]

Too bad we didn't meet up while you were in Austin. Maybe next time. :thumbsup

Yes definitely! I really would like to spend a few more months in Austin. I am considering going back there to live in a school bus turned into a full functioning living space. It was parked in a guys back yard. Full kitchen, Full Bathroom, the works. I spent a few nights in it and it was awesome. Not to mention I love the coffee shop nearby...Bennu. Three times while I was there girls gave me a piece of paper with their number on it as they were walking out.


You may change your tune when you are in your 30s, but enjoy the freedom as a mid 20s guy. haha. I think its great to have adventures. I did my share too (getting lost in Rome was a fun story....), but always had a home to come back to. I think it would be great to drive accross the US sometime.

Well if you have any stories or pictures to share start posting! Goodluck!

Oh man, believe me even in my 20s settling down is starting to sound nice. I'm not getting tired of living in the car. But, moving all the time and not making any real friends sucks.

Hm, I suppose one of my best stories is when I went homeless on the streets of New Orleans for a weekend...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pU3UL05Zho


Sure, depends what you're into!



Wholey Moly!!! Thank you so much for all the recommendations. I truely appreciate the time you took to put that together for me.


That's one of the coolest mobile homes I've ever seen. Props to you sir. I'm sure this experience is very humbling



Respect man. I couldn't do it.


Thank you! That means a lot to me. The experience definitely has been humbling.


I did this for a girl in my 1990 civic sedan when I was 19. She was previously engaged but after we met she left him. After that she had nowhere to go (who wants to move back home?). My parents wouldn't allow her to stay out of wedlock so we roughed it for a few months. We didn't think about a fan so we kept the windows cracked. A couple police officers rolled up on us a few times but just managed to scare us with truck driver stories and told us to move along. Funny thing is I ended up marrying that girl.
Kudos to you for traveling that way. Not the most comfortable way to rest but at least it's cheap! Also, you never have to worry about driving drunk.
Question I have for you is, where do you shower? Truck stops?

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Wow that's quite the story! So far, I haven't had any cops disturb me.

I have a membership at 24 hour fitness. So I park close to the gym in each city I go to.


great read. not something i ever expected to see on a ZHP board :P

one question i have, which has not come up yet is...with all these miles, what are you doing to keep up with maintenance? how many miles are on your ZHP?

props though, you gotta have some balls to go through with this.

Thanks! I figured it might be a bit unique for this board.

The thing is, I don't drive my car much while I'm in each city. Just to get from city to city. I leave the car parked on the same street for the month. I probably only drive it for a short distance once a week. So, I actually probably only will have added 10-12k miles to the car by the end of the year.

The car has 105k miles on it. Maintenance has definitely been an issue. This is one of the reasons why I try to drive it very little. I had the cooling system go out on me in DC. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to do much preventative maintenance while traveling. So, I wait until something goes wrong. Once it does, I take it to an Indy and I get an airbnb or a hotel until the car is done. Most definitely not the ideal situation, but it's the best I can do right now. I plan on most likely selling it for cheap ($4,000-5,000) once I have saved enough money to make up the difference between how much I owe and what I think I can sell it for.

[Rovert]

Amazing journey. Remember you have a huge Mafia that I know will help you bunk, need a driveway/tools to DIY, and just to socialize! We're everywhere!

[RUS_ZHP]

Amazing journey and interested thread! Best of luck and keep us posted. If you will be in Boston and will need a help of some kind, let me know.

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[FL116]

This is an amazing story. And I've always wanted to take a long road trip around the country with the ZHP, and this gives me the perfect ideas on how to do that. The roof rack storage would be a great idea IMO. But good luck to you and I think it's amazing what you're doing man.

[BimmerDude]

Amazing journey. Remember you have a huge Mafia that I know will help you bunk, need a driveway/tools to DIY, and just to socialize! We're everywhere!

+1

[ELCID86]

You should post here when you are headed to another location and if there is a member there, maybe they could help you with maintaining it, etc.

[rguti153]

Ummm i dont know if somebody already ask , but ummm what do u to take a shower , or go to the restroom

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[Oli77]

He says above he has a membership to a gym and parks close in all cities he visits.

That video in New Orleans was a trip! Bet the BMW was luxury spot after that!

[NorCalZman]

Hm, I suppose one of my best stories is when I went homeless on the streets of New Orleans for a weekend...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pU3UL05Zho



Very entertaining. Good dance moves. lol. You did this as a personal growth exercise?

[toddness]

Oohh I like this. Many props and very close to my heart.

I moved to SF when I was 20, got robbed upon arrival and was immediately homeless. Backseat of my 2002 was my home for quite some time. Not exactly fun in July in San Francisco, but what times!

Live!

[rkneeshaw]

At first when i saw the thread title I was like "oh no way..." but dang, I'm impressed!

[Tnhl1989]

This reminds of this video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PCwnCC5Sw0

[Lorenzo]

Impressive story. Proves that while you can't drive your house, you can live in your car. And if you're going to live in a car, might as well be a ZHP! Best of luck on your journey.

[EDS]

Amazing journey. Remember you have a huge Mafia that I know will help you bunk, need a driveway/tools to DIY, and just to socialize! We're everywhere!


You should post here when you are headed to another location and if there is a member there, maybe they could help you with maintaining it, etc.

Thanks guys! My schedule for the rest of the year...

September - Homer, AK (Leaving the ZHP in Portland and flying).
October - Santa Cruz, CA
November - Santa Barbara, CA
December - Honolulu, HI (Leaving the ZHP in..LA and flying).

I might be taking another cross-country trip early next year though as a marketing strategy for Kickstarter Campaign I'm working on. I'll keep you guys updated!


Amazing journey and interested thread! Best of luck and keep us posted. If you will be in Boston and will need a help of some kind, let me know.

Dang! I should've posted here earlier. I was in Boston for a few days back in June. It was a beautiful city...and I loved the food!


This is an amazing story. And I've always wanted to take a long road trip around the country with the ZHP, and this gives me the perfect ideas on how to do that. The roof rack storage would be a great idea IMO. But good luck to you and I think it's amazing what you're doing man.

I would highly recommend it! It's been alot of fun. I just wish when I was driving from New York to Seattle that I had more time to spend exploring. So, if you do a trip, I recommend taking time to stop in different places.


Ummm i dont know if somebody already ask , but ummm what do u to take a shower , or go to the restroom



He says above he has a membership to a gym and parks close in all cities he visits.

That video in New Orleans was a trip! Bet the BMW was luxury spot after that!

Yep, I have a gym membership. So, I find a place to park close to the gym locations. Then I go to bathroom either in a bottle while in the car, or I go to the Starbucks. I usually brush my teeth in at a Starbucks, Trader Joes, etc. If everything is closed I will brush my teeth and spit in a bush.

Oh yeah, compared to sleeping in a park where anything can happen to you while sleeping, the ZHP feels very safe and secure.


Very entertaining. Good dance moves. lol. You did this as a personal growth exercise?

Thanks lol Who knew this white boy could get paid for dancing.

Yep, the entire trip has been a personal development project. 12 months...12 cities...12 habits. So in each city I live in I learn to develop a new habit. Then I stack it on top of the previous habits. By the end of the year I hope to have developed 12 habits. Many months I perform experiments on myself to reinforce the habits. In the case of developing gratitude I did 5 days of cold showers and sleeping on the floor (Back when I was staying in an airbnb), 5 day water fast..so no food, only water, and then at the end of the 5 day fast is when I went and lived on the streets of New Orleans. Needless to say...I was desperate for food at that point.


Oohh I like this. Many props and very close to my heart.

I moved to SF when I was 20, got robbed upon arrival and was immediately homeless. Backseat of my 2002 was my home for quite some time. Not exactly fun in July in San Francisco, but what times!

Live!

That sounds rough! But hey, its better living than how millions around the world live.



At first when i saw the thread title I was like "oh no way..." but dang, I'm impressed!

Thanks! I appreciate the compliment!


This reminds of this video.


Hahah yep, I watched that video while I was researching how to live in the ZHP.


Impressive story. Proves that while you can't drive your house, you can live in your car. And if you're going to live in a car, might as well be a ZHP! Best of luck on your journey.

Yes! The ZHP is quite luxurious!

[Dual]

Oh wow! I can't believe I missed this. There is another Portland in the United States, on the other coast. Great town. Hit me up if you make it here.

[Prestovie]

Just now found this thread, amazing story! Good luck with all of your travels, I was more than surprised this thread wasn't just a review of what it's like to drive a ZHP everyday:applause2
Stay safe!

[anandoc]

Hey this is you on Reddit, right?

https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/51pq64/the_executive_suite_my_bmw_sedan_home/

[EDS]

Oh wow! I can't believe I missed this. There is another Portland in the United States, on the other coast. Great town. Hit me up if you make it here.

ah yes! I have been wanting to visit that Portland. It definitely is on my list of places to go some day. I have heard it's very beautiful.


Just now found this thread, amazing story! Good luck with all of your travels, I was more than surprised this thread wasn't just a review of what it's like to drive a ZHP everyday:applause2
Stay safe!

Thanks for all the kind words! I'm glad it was a nice surprise.


Hey this is you on Reddit, right?

https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/51pq64/the_executive_suite_my_bmw_sedan_home/

Yep that is me. Mafia is everywhere. love it.

[EDS]

Well Mafia Family...it looks like my days of living in the ZHP may very well be over. I reported the ZHP stolen this morning.

I've been living in a small cabin up in Alaska for the past 3 weeks. I left the ZHP parked in Portland and flew up to Homer, Alaska. I was being cheap, and I didn't want to pay for parking for an entire month. I was really concerned that it would get towed, and then I wouldn't find out until I got back to Portland. So I asked a friend to look after the ZHP while I was gone and let me know if anything happened to it. I left the ZHP parked in the same spot where I was living in it all last month. It was in a quiet location near a street lamp. Well lit, right on the side of a grocery store. I found out I should've moved it...

Today I woke to a call from my friend....

"Hey, are you back in Portland early?"

"No, I don't come back until Sunday"

"Um, sorry to say this but, your car is gone. I have no idea what happened."

"#*@!"

I called the Police to see if it had been towed. They said no... and suggested I report it stolen.

All in all.. I suppose I really am homeless now that my home got stolen. Poor Mia, she is probably in a thousand pieces in the middle of chop shop. Lots to learn here though. Hoping the insurance will pay out for the car...otherwise I'll really be in a bind.

I'll keep you guys updated.

[fredo]

This sucks, big time. Hopefully it was towed and not reported to police yet. My nephew was in a car accident some weeks ago, and his car was towed. The storage lot sent him a certified letter saying they had the car. I would think this is standard practice.

[RUS_ZHP]

Well Mafia Family...it looks like my days of living in the ZHP may very well be over. I reported the ZHP stolen this morning.

I've been living in a small cabin up in Alaska for the past 3 weeks. I left the ZHP parked in Portland and flew up to Homer, Alaska. I was being cheap, and I didn't want to pay for parking for an entire month. I was really concerned that it would get towed, and then I wouldn't find out until I got back to Portland. So I asked a friend to look after the ZHP while I was gone and let me know if anything happened to it. I left the ZHP parked in the same spot where I was living in it all last month. It was in a quiet location near a street lamp. Well lit, right on the side of a grocery store. I found out I should've moved it...

Today I woke to a call from my friend....

"Hey, are you back in Portland early?"

"No, I don't come back until Sunday"

"Um, sorry to say this but, your car is gone. I have no idea what happened."

"#*@!"

I called the Police to see if it had been towed. They said no... and suggested I report it stolen.

All in all.. I suppose I really am homeless now that my home got stolen. Poor Mia, she is probably in a thousand pieces in the middle of chop shop. Lots to learn here though. Hoping the insurance will pay out for the car...otherwise I'll really be in a bind.

I'll keep you guys updated.
No!!!!! that is sad! Man, I feel your pain. Poor ZHP, it was your home for the last several.
You need to get another one once you done traveling

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[danewilson77]

:mafia

I'm so pissed

[san]

Damn hope you can track it down!


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[Johnmadd]

Man, that really sucks. I hope you get a good chunk of change from the insurance company.

[johnrando]

So sorry to hear. That is terrible! I've had a car stolen before so I know the feeling.

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[ELCID86]

Man, that really sucks. I hope you get a good chunk of change from the insurance company.

+1. Push back hard that it's not just a regular E46.

[holyc0w]

Good luck in finding a new home

[Oli77]

Not cool at all. Hope this story clears up.

[theothersawyer]

Damn. So sorry to hear. Hope this all works out for you in the end!

[Prestovie]

Wow really sorry to hear about that, hope they can track it down and praying it didn't end up in a chop shop. If they track down who did it we might have to put the ZHPmafia name to test and... Pay them a visit, ya know, the ol horse head on their bed.
Jokes aside though best of luck!

[BimmerDude]

what the heck is this #$it ??we got shootings happening everywhere.. earthquakes.. flooding.. and now this? this is messed up on so many levels sorry to hear man.

[Dual]

+1 fer sure

[BADCLOWN]

I'm inclined to think it was towed, sometimes law enforcement agencies aren't notified of cars that are towed unless they are alerted to it prior to being removed i.e. Property owners report it abandoned/suspicious, parked illegally, being repossessed, etc. I'd talk to the businesses close to where you parked it to see if they had it towed in addition to calling all the local towing businesses

[EDS]

Thanks everyone for the support. It's been about a week since the car has gone missing, and I haven't heard anything from the police department. I looked into the possibility of the car being towed, but Oregon law requires tow companies to notify the authorities within 24 hours after they have completed a tow in a situation like this. No parking or tow signs were at the scene. I might start calling tow companies and the businesses the car was parked close to see if they have any info.

This has definitely thrown me into a stressful situation trying to find someplace to live during the month of October. I was planning on living in the ZHP in Santa Cruz next month and then Santa Barbara in November. Luckily, I have a found a van on airbnb which I can stay in for the month of October in Santa Barbara.

I didn't have problems reporting the car stolen and helping with the police report. Actually, the officer that I met with was a really nice girl that couldn't have been more than a year or two older than me. The insurance company on the other hand is definitely been hard on me about this. I'm starting to get concerned that they think foul play was involved. They took a recorded statement (Of course making me feel like I did something wrong), requested my flight itineraries from my time in Alaska, and the last service record to verify mileage. Most of that seems standard. But, the most concerning was that they have asked for my phone records and said they have some additional things they need to investigate which could lead the claim to last longer than usual. I did give one of the keys to a friend of mine in Portland so he could watch the car, and pull it out of the impound in the case of it getting stolen while I was gone. So the insurance might think something fishy is going on there, who knows. We will just have to see what happens. At this point, if they deny the claim that would suck, but that's a thousand times better than being accused of fraud.

[holyc0w]

Damn that sucks. Best of luck

[kakashi169]

NO!!! I always followed this story and was amazed that girls dig it too! AHHH I hope you find it!

[EDS]

I got a call from the insurance company this time from a "Geico Special Investigations Unit". From my knowledge they send cases suspected of fraud to these investigators for further investigation. With him being an ex-cop he knows how hard these cars are to steal. He suspects that someone with a key stole it. Most likely, the friend that I gave one key (I have two keys, my friend has one and I have the other) to and trusted to watch after the car while I was away. He said there is no point in calling the tow truck companies, he already did that and no luck. Had to send my text records/conversations and phone records. This is getting real ugly guys. I obviously trusted someone I shouldn't have. Please guys...don't give your keys to anyone.

I'll keep you guys updated.

[danewilson77]

Damn. SMH.

S7 Edge, out

[NorCalZman]

I got a call from the insurance company this time from a "Geico Special Investigations Unit". From my knowledge they send cases suspected of fraud to these investigators for further investigation. With him being an ex-cop he knows how hard these cars are to steal. He suspects that someone with a key stole it. Most likely, the friend that I gave one key (I have two keys, my friend has one and I have the other) to and trusted to watch after the car while I was away. He said there is no point in calling the tow truck companies, he already did that and no luck. Had to send my text records/conversations and phone records. This is getting real ugly guys. I obviously trusted someone I shouldn't have. Please guys...don't give your keys to anyone.

I'll keep you guys updated.

Dang that sucks man. How well did you know this "friend"?

[bimmerteknik]

That's horrible, having it stolen is one thing but for it to have been someone you trust...[emoji20][emoji20][emoji20]


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[WOLFN8TR]

Wow!

[EDS]

Dang that sucks man. How well did you know this "friend"?


That's horrible, having it stolen is one thing but for it to have been someone you trust...[emoji20][emoji20][emoji20]


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Wow!

I suppose I didn't know him well enough. I honestly, didn't know him for very long. But, it still sucks to be betrayed by someone you trusted. I'll be the first to admit it was a dumb decision to give him a key. Another learning point for sure. I'm grateful for all of the life lessons I have learned on this trip.

The insurance investigator called me this morning to let me know he talked to me friend on the phone. My "friend" denied that I ever gave him a key and denied that he ever drove the car. The investigator told him that he has copies of our text correspondence. The texts from my friend said that he still had the key I gave him and that he drove the car twice. My friend said he had to go and hung up.

So, basically the insurance investigator is having me report my "friend" as a suspect in the theft. He says he has no doubt that my "friend" either sold the key or stole the car himself. He is closing his investigation on Monday. I'm very relieved by this. I have been losing sleep over the possibility of them thinking I was involved and charging me with fraud.

Now, I think it is a waiting game to see if the police ever follow up with my "friend" and if they find the car. (I'm doubtful) The other waiting game is to see if the insurance will accept or deny the claim. Then of course if they accept I'll have to fight with them over the value of the car.

Oh boy...I should've just paid the $200 to park the car in a garage or parking lot while I was in Alaska.

[ELCID86]

Wow. Can't believe he'd do that to you. Some ppl just suck and you can't fix stupid. Hope they nail him if he did and insurance pays you well. Thought about a replacement yet? Pontiac Aztek?? ;)

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160930/5798a082c61a9bfcf19fe3edd73274cc.jpg
Sent from my iPhone with TaT.

[EDS]

Wow. Can't believe he'd do that to you. Some ppl just suck and you can't fix stupid. Hope they nail him if he did and insurance pays you well. Thought about a replacement yet? Pontiac Aztek?? ;)

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160930/5798a082c61a9bfcf19fe3edd73274cc.jpg
Sent from my iPhone with TaT.

Yeah, it's very disappointing to think that he is the one that either took it or sold the key.


Hmm, I'm not so sure how discrete the Pontiac Aztek would be lol.

As far as a replacement, I don't think I am going to make a purchase for a few months. I'm going to stay in Airbnbs at least until January. I found a sweet van on Airbnb in Santa Barbara that I'll be staying in for the month of October. I'll probably be living in Hawaii November and December and be saving to buy something with cash once I get back to the mainland. My initial thoughts are that a cargo van could work out really well to live in. I am working on starting a business, so I want to keep my expenses as low as possible and pay off all my debt. That way the business doesn't have to make a ton of money before I can quit my job and work on building it full time.

As much as I would love to pick up another BMW, I just don't think I am in a place financially where it would be smart.

[ELCID86]

That makes sense and I'm glad you have some options in the near term (airbnb, couch surfing.com, etc). Yeah if you are looking at it logically (and logistically) a BMW probably wouldn't be the best choice!
Hope you can push thru this quickly and enjoy your time in HI and focus on the startup.

Another option!?

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161001/7261c8728a0d4665eb7a1d29b37669c7.jpg

[BMWCurves]

Time for #VanLife

[PetesZ]

Yeah - I was going with the VW bus as a better option also. Bet it could tow a new ZHP.....

but hey - I had a friend in college that hitch hiked by preference......

[EDS]

Good news everyone! I got a call from Geico today. They have accepted the claim.

They offered:
$7033 + $235 sales sax & fees = $7268

I owe $8022 on the loan, so I will just pay the gap and move on.

The only part that hurts is when I think about how much I paid for the car 2 years ago....$16,000. I suppose that's the reality of cars though.

I know I could've negotiated with them to see if I could get a higher appraisal. But, honestly this is more than I could have sold the car for, because of it's history and condition. 115k mile and body damage quoted at $1300 that I didn't have fixed from a hit and run. The car had also been in an accident previously. So thankful they accepted the claim! Looks like I'll be saving my pennies for a cheap beater with lower insurance rates that I can live in. In the meantime, I'm off to Hawaii to live in a van I found on airbnb for a couple of months. Perhaps someday I will own another ZHP.

RIP Mia.

[san]

Good news everyone! I got a call from Geico today. They have accepted the claim.

They offered:
$7033 + $235 sales sax & fees = $7268

I owe $8022 on the loan, so I will just pay the gap and move on.

The only part that hurts is when I think about how much I paid for the car 2 years ago....$16,000. I suppose that's the reality of cars though.

I know I could've negotiated with them to see if I could get a higher appraisal. But, honestly this is more than I could have sold the car for, because of it's history and condition. 115k mile and body damage quoted at $1300 that I didn't have fixed from a hit and run. The car had also been in an accident previously. So thankful they accepted the claim! Looks like I'll be saving my pennies for a cheap beater with lower insurance rates that I can live in. In the meantime, I'm off to Hawaii to live in a van I found on airbnb for a couple of months. Perhaps someday I will own another ZHP.

RIP Mia.

Congrats I guess... what happened to the "friend" of yours?


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[EDS]

Congrats I guess... what happened to the "friend" of yours?


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I had to report him as a potential suspect to the police and insurance company. Told them everything I know about him. Doubt the police will ever follow up. Nobody has heard from him recently...no idea what happened to him. He either sold the key or stole the car himself. Since he denied having the key in the first place, my guess is he sold the key.

[Rovert]

On to the next chapter!! Please give us an update on what you experience in Hawaii. We've all had the honor to experience some of your life and I'd hate to have it end because you don't have a ZHP anymore. Show us some pics of your accommodations and what you are getting to see and experience for the first time in Hawaii. I love that place and there's a little bit of my heart on those islands. What a journey it has been.

[FL116]

On to the next chapter!! Please give us an update on what you experience in Hawaii. We've all had the honor to experience some of your life and I'd hate to have it end because you don't have a ZHP anymore. Show us some pics of your accommodations and what you are getting to see and experience for the first time in Hawaii. I love that place and there's a little bit of my heart on those islands. What a journey it has been.

+1

[swchang]

Hope they nail your "friend's" ass. Good luck on your next adventure.

[EDS]

On to the next chapter!! Please give us an update on what you experience in Hawaii. We've all had the honor to experience some of your life and I'd hate to have it end because you don't have a ZHP anymore. Show us some pics of your accommodations and what you are getting to see and experience for the first time in Hawaii. I love that place and there's a little bit of my heart on those islands. What a journey it has been.

Since I no longer own a ZHP, the mods can move this to the Off-topic section if they would like.

Yes on to the next chapter! Well, currently I am enjoying my time in Santa Barbara, California. I am staying in a van close enough to the ocean I can hear the waves. It's parked on the famous Del Playa Blvd. in Isla Vista. Basically, the craziest college party scene I have ever seen. The only thing that comes remotely close is Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Other than sneaking into the college frat parties and flirting with cute california girls, I've been been working quite a lot on my day job, and working on the engineering startup at night. California is winning my heart over with the ocean, sunsets, women, and amazing weather. I'm pretty sure after my time in Hawaii I will be traveling back to SoCal to settle down. I am thinking the perfect solution will be living in San Diego part-time and Denver part-time. Here are some of the sights and sounds from Santa Barbara/IV.

The Santa Barbara Van...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/Untitled-1.jpg

The Sunset...100ft from the van
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/IMG_20161008_182417089.jpg

A party...
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/eds24/IMG_20161008_225448577.jpg

A sample of the crazy...this happens every weekend. Cops...Ambulances..huge crowds..debauchery. Usually 2-4 large parties on Del Playa on Friday and Saturday nights...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2j-NFuAcpA

[Johnmadd]

Van by the ocean is far better than A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER lol

[NorCalZman]

Cant beat California. ;-)

[Rovert]

Wow that party. I thought it only happened on movies like Neighbors. [emoji15]

[EDS]

Thought I would stop by to give an update.

I found out yesterday that my loan on the ZHP was officially paid off by the insurance company. This has been a huge relief for me.

Currently, I am living out of Chevy Astro Van on Maui. I'll be here for a month before heading to Oahu to live in a VW bus for another month. At that point, I think it'll be about time to settle down. The plan so far is to buy a cargo van in Los Angeles and live in Orange County or San Diego.

I hope to join the BMW family once again once I have quit my job and built a successful business..thanks for all the support guys!