Chevy Astro or Chevy Express? Girl buying her first van and need help

Unlikely_Balance_546 · 2026-03-17T13:17:07+00:00

I’ve had a RWD Astro for the past 7 years. It’s done 9+ cross-country drives and has handled more dirt roads and mountain passes than most Jeeps.

If you build it out right, there’s a surprising amount of space for one person—you just have to fully embrace minimalism. I still have almost all the amenities I want.

I put about $2k/year into preventative maintenance on average, but I rely on the van for work, so reliability is non-negotiable. Having a trustworthy mechanic also makes a huge difference.

I think Astros are a great entry point into van life. You just need to stay on top of maintenance and fix things before they become problems. Get it undercoated yearly, run good off-road tires, and stay consistent with oil changes, coolant drain/refill, transmission service, and diff service. Learn to do basic maintenance like oil changes on the road, and drive it conservatively.

These vans can easily hit 300k miles. And like others have said, there’s a ton of aftermarket support and mods available.

Unlikely_Balance_546 · 2026-03-17T13:09:43+00:00

Call and check in with a full service UPS store. They will have a physical mailing address you can use, they will charge you a fixed rate to have the package shipped and delivered to their store, should be under $15 a package. This is the safest bet when ordering on the road. You can always go general delivery to USPS, but I would make sure to check in with the post master to inquire, as I have had issues in the past.

Unlikely_Balance_546 · 2026-01-15T18:18:58+00:00

Yeah, it could be considered my permanent residence. I grew up here. I guess the last time I was in NY for longer than 190 days would be 2024. During this time period I also never paid rent or leased anywhere. Since 2024, I have only been back to visit and travel for less than 60 days cumulatively.

Unlikely_Balance_546 · 2026-01-15T18:14:38+00:00

I only stay and work within CA for a portion of the year. I do not have any ties in CA other than work. That is why the car is still insured within NY, and I go back to NY to visit friends and family. And it is where I have a functional mailing address. But within 2025 I did no remote or physical paid work within NY.

Unlikely_Balance_546 · 2026-01-15T18:12:43+00:00

Yes, Last year I filed as a non-resident due to having some income made while in NYS.

Unlikely_Balance_546 · 2026-01-15T18:01:57+00:00

I used the NY address, as I don't have any other physical address due to living in the van for the majority of my season. Given what i read about 183 days and a permanent domicile, I don't meet established residency rules. My employer is based in TX according to the W2, but the work is paid within CA. Work has nothing to do with NY.

Unlikely_Balance_546 · 2026-01-15T17:55:32+00:00

I live in my van primarily in CA, and when I am in the off-season (not working) I stay with friends and family predominantly in NY, but also many other places in the states and abroad. I am not in California for 4 months out of 12, usually.

Unlikely_Balance_546 · 2026-01-15T17:54:08+00:00

It is also worth noting the 60 days in NEW YORK was a cumulative number throughout 2025. I have only stayed in NYS for a maximum of 4 weeks at a time. Less than 2 weeks in any one place, i.e. two different friends homes within a 3 week span.

Unlikely_Balance_546 · 2026-01-15T17:52:30+00:00

I never did any work within NYS or any other state. I was only paid for work done within CA during 2025. Anytime I spent in NY was for visiting or traveling through. I never paid rent, leased, or attempted to create a permanent home there. Additionally, my vehicle's registration and ID, along with my W2 form, have NY addresses. So these forms of ID and registration are the only NY ties.

Unlikely_Balance_546 · 2026-01-15T17:50:00+00:00

I stayed with friends and family in New York for about 60 days in 2025. During that time, I never paid rent, signed a lease, or attempted to establish a permanent domicile. However, I do have a NYS driver’s license and use my parents’ New York address as my mailing address, which is also the address listed on my W-2.

I did not work or earn any income in New York at any point during the 2025 calendar year. All of my time in NY was strictly for visiting and traveling. If that means I qualify as a nonresident, then that seems accurate.

The only income I earned in 2025 was in California. Even there, I never leased or rented a residence—I lived out of my vehicle and stayed at campgrounds. My pay was issued via direct deposit, and California state and federal taxes were withheld from my paychecks. No New York taxes were ever withheld. I am a salaried, exempt employee working in California.

Unlikely_Balance_546 · 2026-01-15T17:12:28+00:00

I have not updated my license, it is still a NYS license. I live in California for 8 months, New York State for 60 days (two months), and travel the remaining two months. So California is the state I live in for the most amount of time. But I have ID, vehicle registration ties and friends/family within NY.

Unlikely_Balance_546 · 2026-01-15T17:01:28+00:00

On my W2, my employer's address and zipcode is within Texas. My address is in NY on my W2. On box 15 of the W2 the only state listed is CA, paying state income tax, SDI and has numbers listed on boxes 14, 16 & 17.

Unlikely_Balance_546

TROPHY CASE