Converting a Toyota Matrix into a Camper Car/Van - Living in the Matrix
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- čas přidán 26. 07. 2024
- So can you convert a Toyota Matrix or similar compact hatchback into a camping vehicle? Yes.
Should you? Maybe. If you want to see this baby in action during our nearly coast to coast road-trip, you can find that series right here: • Our Epic Road Trip in ...
#VanLife #LivingInTheMatrix
So this is kind of a build video? I guess...
When we were going nuts trapped in our 9-5, we needed to escape, and this beast (and beauty) of a vehicle was our vessel to greener pastures (and desert climates).
We managed to pack 4 seasons of sporting equipment, camping gear, clothes, food, and the most basic of necessities into this car - all while still leaving configurable space to sleep.
Was it comfortable? Yea, surprisingly.
Was it convenient? Definitely not.
Would we do it again? Heck yea.
TL;DR/Don't like all the talking:
The ultimate camper van - 0:00
Getting the first items - 0:40
Unboxing and installing the Thule Aero Blade - 2:37
Cringy Rant - 8:06
Explaining the interior racking system - 9:27
Building the interior racking system - 11:54
Explaining window coverings - 15:02
Making window coverings - 15:54
Installing window coverings - 17:07
Putting winter tires on - 19:22
The final product / tour - 20:54
Follow here too! / sendstory - Sport
We downsized our $3200 mortgage for a $300 in a rural area. Lived outta our 03 matrix in WLA for 2 years during the week.The important thing is to keep the vehicle uncluttered and clean. No food or tooth brush on dash or front seats. All my bed sheets , blankets , bags and clothing black so if you have to open rear hatch it’s not noticeable. Used black towels for curtains and limo tint widows. No need for stove or fridge. (I bought groceries daily allowing room for a printer) . $29 a month for a gym to shower. By day I’d ride my motorcycle serving legal documents. Nights I’d stake out in the matrix. Rode motorcycle home Friday’s with all my laundry. Cops never bothered me. They didn’t suspect someone sleeping in a clean matrix. No need to get outta car just pull into nice area at 11pm drop passenger seat down move into rear area put passenger seat back up close the black curtain . Go to sleep and leave the area by 6:30am. (Keep water and a pee container, drain daily at public restrooms) They never knew I was there. Money saved on LA rent went to make extra house payments. Debt free now , Stuck it to the man!!!
Haha, that's amazing. Definitely a more authentic experience than our temporary car camping experience. I can imagine it working for sure though, it is definitely a great multiuse vehicle, and unsuspecting no doubt! Thanks for sharing, and glad you managed to work it so well!
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I stupidly forgot my password. I appreciate any tricks you can give me!
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I spent 10 days in my matrix for a road trip of 2600 km... it was comfortable for sleeping... on Quebec roads... yessss!
It is also get 275000km and still a good car
👌 nice! Haven't slept in ours in Quebec, but definitely slid all around some pretty steep hills in Tremblant though... one of the few times I felt uneasy in it, haha. Almost good at everything, with just a few exceptions. Ours for sure has over 400,000 and still going, so you got plenty left!
I have a 2004 Matrix. Best car I’ve ever had. I bought it new and it now has 192k miles. I’m interested in doing this for a road trip this summer.
Such a versatile car. Being able to fold the seats down to get a level and solid surface is really great and it means you can do a lot without having to do anything permanent to the car. I say go for it! Even the seemingly simple modifications we did took a while, so my advice would be to start planning out the space and making whatever you need earlier than you think and make sure all your fluids are topped up and breakpads/tires are good. Have fun!
Don't forget the passenger front seat folds down(forward) it has a hard back that works great as a shelf... I was once told it was so you could work out of the car as it was often sold to cities etc as municipal vehicles and you could Laptop and other stuff on it. Heck I fold it down and load 8' 2x4s in it. The truck owners with 6' ft beds just say "that ain't right"! LOL!
Definitely, we used this multiple times to load it full of building materials, both inside and on top. The guy at the lumber yard always thought "it wouldn't fit", but it always did, haha. On this trip we left the seats up to be a bit more "stealth" (well, as stealth as you can with a roof carrier...) and to help us stack things up that we couldn't fit in the back when we were sleeping there. For most people reading your comment, they would probably benefit from folding that seat down though, so thanks for the comment!
Dope! I'm more and more convinced there's nothing a Matrix CAN'T do/be.
Without any exaggeration, I have used this car to transport lumber and concrete to build a deck. I was definitely was pushing the suspension and those cylinders, but yea, this is definitely a great car. Thanks for the comment.
What do you need to do when it is time to drive
You are the coolest couple ever! 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💝💝💝💝🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡 Matrix owner from PR. 🇵🇷
Thanks! Enjoy that car, it's the best!
This Vehicle is a tresure guys... takecare of it. I hope so you enjoy it your entire life.
Looking to do this to my 06 Matrix! Thanks for the video 👍🏼
That's awesome! Good luck!
I have a 2009 Toyota Matrix, tired of moving back in with my parents. Tempted to convert it into a camper and put my possessions in storage and rent a spot at an RV park
Yea, times are tough. If you have a decent relationship with your parents, there is no shame living with them. Some people would like you to think otherwise, but if you have people (family, or otherwise) you can lean on, accept the help while you can and do what you gotta do - there will always be a time you can live in a vehicle, but it will never be as comfortable as a place with space to stretch out with amenities - plus the luxury of a fixed address for mail and employment. If you have to arrange some type of living in your car, check with the RV park if you are allowed to do so. In our road-trip videos following this build video, I mention having some troubles parking at a camp/RV site. They did not want to accept our vehicle as an RV. It was annoying to say the least. Some places they legally dont allow people to sleep in vehicles unless they are proper campers and in a designated area as well - so it is worth checking into first before you make any decisions. Best of luck, hope things work out for you.
I love my Matrix. The best thing about this build is that there's only a SINGLE irremovable interior piece which is the "L" bracket on the drivers side. Unless you count the velcro strips!
I honestly think most of the handles and hook placements in this car are in the most convenient places. It made doing those slight mods/accessories so much easier.
My buddy has a matrix and I've seem him do just about everything from autocross to camp in it. He once found a Thule Mountaineer Roof box in a dumpster and gave it to me. He delivered it to me in his matrix...and my mind was blown. The box is nearly 8ft long and it fit!
Haha. We have used and abused this car so much, from this road-trip all the way to transporting hundreds of pounds of lumber and concrete... it has been good to us. Honestly, it is such a well rounded car, it's a shame that they even decided to stop manufacturing it. Thanks for the comment!
I just returned from an Arizona road trip 7000km. My only bad night was on a snowy night so I dtayed at a hotel 6. What was I thinking it was only 26 degrees. Out on the desert a rat was chewing on my firewall. To think that I was worried about the border smugglers. I enjoyed sleeping at truck stops. With inflation I had to eat and sleep in my car. My latest innovations were ..I had 1" foam underneath my insulating air mattress. Under my torso I had an old sheep skin. I was toasty warm. Though us happy clams shouldn't be warm.
Yea, the desert can get crazy cold at night this time of year. Never thought about rodents being an issue, but I guess that makes sense in that climate with food supplies inside. I'm sure it was a great trip outside of those hiccups. Thanks for stopping back to drop another comment, appreciate it.
Done a very similar trip every summer with a friend for racing in BC. My set up is also similar, a medium crash pad works amazingly to match the passenger seat folded down. One of the things that was game changing for my self sleeping in the car during the summer is to have a mosquito net that can either cover the whole trunk space when the hatchback is open or for more security a bug net that converts just the back window hatch. That way I can sleep in there on a hot night and never worry about overheating. Puck lighting stuck to the inside of the back hatch was another thing that changed how we use the car. When you open the trunk and turn on the lights The back of the car would become the kitchen area.
The puck lighting is a sweet idea! We had a similar mosquito net setup with our blackout curtains. We had a slot sewn into them, only like a few inches tall by about 2 feet long on the bottom where the window hatch opened. Then we had small plastic pieces that fit in-between the window and the frame so it would stay open just slightly. It let airflow in, but the rain out. Thanks for the comment!
Cool setup inside with the curtain cover with pockets. And rack in side too, painting it did look a lot better.
Thank you, I am glad you thought so too!
I have been having road trips in my Pontiac Vibe for 9 years. Two years ago I drove all the way across Canada. I am as happy and as comfortable as a clam on the road. I treat my Vibe like a Jeep. If the road get real bad probably its washed out just around the corner. Matrixes and Vibes are bulletproof. Bon voyage.
@@georgepaget5748 that's awesome, I concur! Cheers!
Thanks so much! Looks like the right storage container can build up that head of the bed space. This is my car exactly, 2005 Matrix, 150k, no major problems. Very inexpensive to maintain. I do cross country trips in mine and eschew motels for campgrounds, saving money. Plus great mpg at 32 hiway. Toyota built a great car. I’m planning to keep mine running for as long as I can.
That's awesome! Definitely a great car! Thanks for the comment.
the interior rack system is genius
Thank you kind sir! It definitely served it's purpose without causing any permanent damage/changes.
Hello, I liked your video, what a good adventure, I have a Toyota Matrix 2008, it is a good car, it does not fail me, it is very noble. Greetings from Mexico City
Thanks for sharing!
nice work. gonna check out a matrix soon really like the space when folding the seats.
I love my matrix, my family has owned it since I was 2/3 years old. Now it’s my first car. It’s a wonderful car and is very reliable. After all these years all we’ve had to fix was the starter. Definitely look to have one of these beauties! Especially the red ones. :))
I have an 04 Matrix.. I am looking to remove the front passenger seat.. I already have a roof rack and a cargo holder above.. and I figure I can place a cooler in place of the seat, plus I can drive with a some camera gear, and a laundry basket to look more "stealthy" when I park.. I like your window covers..! Smart idea..!
That's awesome. Are you planning on documenting those mods/your setup at all? I would love to see how that turns out. Having that extra passenger space would probably make the experience a lot more comfortable and practical. Unfortunately, with two of us, as well as the fact that we didn't want to physically alter the vehicle, that kind of setup wasn't in our sights, but it sounds great!
Good ideas. Thank you. I have been road tripping in my '09 Pontiac Vibe for ten . Just before the WuHan lockdown I drove from BC to Santa Barbara. I was able to sleep in the car with my dissembled road bike. The year before I drove from Vancouver to Halifax then on to Washington DC and L A. I am a lot safer eating good food and sleeping in a clean car. At the age of 76, I just repaired my air conditioning in preparation for the bucket list drive, The Dempster. The Vibe / Metrix is bullet proof. I can not think of an adventure vehicle I would rather have. Instead of curtains I use snug fitting cardboard. George
Wow, that is awesome. It sounds like you've adventured more in your car than I have in mine. Enjoy your travels and stay safe! Thanks for the comment!
george paget I like the cardboard idea. I’m doing my bucket list road trips in my 2005 Matrix. Thanks for the comment.
Wow! You guys did an incredible job! Well done you two! Hope you had a wonderful adventure and had no serious encounters! Cheers!
Much appreciated. Adventures were definitely had! Nothing too serious, the most... weird (I guess?) encounter was at the border on the way home. Other than that, we made a ton of great memories. We actually put the full road trip we set this up for into a series you can watch. It starts off a bit slow but I think gets better, I hope. Haha. If you feel inclined, feel free to check it out. Thanks for the kind words. czcams.com/play/PLfQ5x53Mm6Q_DIJ_XWrPYvh7fJTmoPVJr.html
This is super cool! Thank you for sharing your journey and experience so we can do this ourselves if we're so inclined. ☺️
No worries, glad you dug it. Thanks for the comment! :)
This is so cool! I'm trying to figure out what car to get next combing AWD, flat cargo area, with affordability. Your creativity is inspiring!
Thanks for the comment. The AWD would definitely be handy!
The front passenger seat has a function that will lay it flat forward. It's the lever by the door on the seat.
First off, I’d like to say bravo!! Well done. Today is June 5, 2020. This weekend I’n taking my wife on a two night camping trip. It will be her first camping experience. I live in New York City. I’m currently sitting at my job in Manhattan.
I own a 2003 Matrix XR.
220,000 miles. I got her in 2015 after my 1992 Ford Taurus named “THE TANK”, with 480,000 miles blew a head gasket. I had to painfully watch her get destroyed at the local junkyard.
She was my baby. I didn’t think she could ever be replaced.
A friend of mine was getting rid of this Matrix with 136,000 miles, I needed a car, and was hesitant to pick up the Matrix. I’ve had it for a few years now, and I’ve done a lot of things with her. She’s an excellent car, and I love her. I think the engine is definitely losing a bit of power from when I first got her, Most of that is probably due to the fact that I let my son use it for a year while I was away on a Military tour. I know he beat on her!
Anyway, if the engine ever blows, I’m gonna have a rebuilt put in her. Getting back on topic, I’ve always wondered how to turn this car into a camping type of vehicle. So I’m sitting here like I said, and I decided to open CZcams, and typed in “Toyota matrix Camping”... And your video popped up. You and me are a bit of like when it comes to ingenuity. Very good with your ideas, outstanding job. Your girlfriend as well. I’m going to pick up those roof racks you bought. I’m not actually Going to take it that far with all of the road trip modifications, but definitely have some good ideas. I’ve actually put an air mattress back there once on a camping trip. It worked out perfectly. The car is just so versatile. Anyway great video. Thanks for sharing.
Christopher NYC
That's awesome! I really do like this car. We did something similar too, just threw a mattress in to try out it and then that got our gears turning. Thanks for the comment!
cool set up
Thank you for the inspiration!
No problem, happy to help!
Thank you guys for recording, awesome job
We're glad you liked it, thank you very much for the comment!
Excellent work! I drive a 2007 with many of the same features. I bought it used and almost immediately folded down the back seats, to see if I could stretch out comfortably. The guy I bought it from looked at me like I was nuts, but it's been a great little "getaway car." After watching your videos, I think I may adopt a few of your ideas - particularly the velcro window covers - brilliant!
Clearly they didn't see the potential, haha. The velcro worked out for the trip, but the adhesive definitely started falling off of the window frame later on, but only the ones attached to the metal part (all the ones stuck to plastic seemed to hold up fine). It probably has to do with the complete glossy texture of the metal and the fact that it condensates with temperature changes. It wasn't a big deal to just clean the spots and cut a new strip to adhere again, but figured I'd just flag it! Enjoy!
@@SendStory Thanks for the tip! Yeah, metal expands and contracts more than plastic - so it probably played hell on the adhesive over time. Thanks for the tip! I'll keep it in mind!
Love this! I have the same exact car! I totally want to try this.
I just picked up a Matrix to "car camp" I down sized from a conversion van to a caravan to a Matrix😄👍 so you are not the Only Matrix camping.🍻🚗 I was going to do a volvo wagon But the 5 speed is Difficult to find. Matrix to the Rescue.🏁🚗🚗
Awesome! There are more of us! How did you find downsizing, is there anything you miss/find you are lacking?
@@SendStory tough definitely. My RV offers ample room. Now obviously my house & garage were great. having a conversion van offered Travel. Those being sold transformed into 30' toyhauler & caravan. The Matrix offers dependability & economic sense the RV offers a "home base". Definitely if I had the place to keep a bigger Trekking vehicle, I would choose a "sprinter van" VS conversion van. Adaptation is fine, just cramped after having a class C rv to a tow trailer & conversion van. I make Do. I must get my Y.T. channel going again to document My Adventures( Way too many people now on Y.T.) I should have Pushed my channel when Y.T. was young, many have now duplicated my venue.😒
@@shawnhampshirehick101 Definitely a saturated place, but I think there is always room for a fresh face with different stories to tell. At least I hope for my sake, haha. The matrix is definitely amazing on gas, that is something I have noticed now that we have a secondary vehicle that is larger. Good luck on your future trips!
Don't know how much of a difference this would make but, the front passenger seat does also fold down - maybe if you're 6 foot plus this is another opt to consider - we have a 05 Matrix bought it used with 110k miles on it and love it. It's our husky transport to the dog park. :)
Definitely a great dog car. We kept our seats up at the front to help with some privacy and as a containment space for items we moved out of the back to make room to sleep. If you travelled with less crap than us, the folded seat would definitely help, haha. Thanks for the tip, I'm sure someone will have a more comfortable sleep because of it!
Good job!
Thank you!
Really impressive!
Thanks, glad you think so!
Hatchbacks are handy. I've yet to figure out how to create enough sleeping space in my 2000 Toyota Echo sedan whose back seats don't fold down.
One approach might have been simpler. Rather than build a rod frame for curtains, run a steel wire around the interior and hang curtains from it. Full-length curtains also avoid the hassle of cutting individual ones for each window and provide some insulation on cold nights. You can make them dark on one side for privacy and light on the other to keep the car cooler when parked.
Cars can get stuffy at night. For that I have two suggestions.
1. Look online for mesh screens that fit over your door frame. Lower your window and you've got the equivalent of a screen door.
2. Look for a battery powered fan to create a bit of a breeze. One powered by two 18650 batteries will last the night and avoid the risk of running down your car battery.
Some solid tips here, thank you for taking the time to write all that out! The wire system is a cool idea, definitely could work. For us, we also hung heavier items on it and use the cross bracing, but I definitely don't think that's the only solution. We did actually have a back window cover that terminated in a mesh at the bottom so we could leave the hatch ajar for air flow. Also, because it was the hatch window, which opens up, it protected the interior from rain because the opening was at the bottom and slanted out from the car. I used two pieces of left over foam with Velcro to keep it propped open and a short length of chain from the latch to the interior to keep the window from being forced open when we were asleep.
Thanks again for the comment!
@@SendStory your actual window opened in the back? I wish mine did that. That's a cool idea.
@@soulsearchmedia yea, it worked out really well. However, like I mentioned, we had to use little blocks of foam to keep the batch window ajar and then add in a chain for security reasons, considering we were technically leaving a window open while we slept.
Just find a used Scion XB. They are the mechanical equivalent to the Echo except for the hatchback body.
That's amazing! A lot of hard work but it turned out so good! I didn't expect such a small car to be so liveable as a camper. You're definitely gunna get a lot of adventures out of this.
We slept in our car one night in Iceland and found it freezing so good call on the extra insulation around the windows and stuff.
Definitely had some cold nights in the desert in Utah and Nebraska greeted us with sub zero temps. Those sleeping bags were put to the test, but two bodies in that small space definitely make it more comfortable - body temperature wise. Thanks!
Not gonna lie, I got a 03 Pontiac Vibe (same as matrix) and I do like the inside roof rack you made. I may make one for my Vibe camper. I was interviewed on my Pontiac vibe while in Arizona. The guy hasn't uploaded it yet but I look forward to it.
That's awesome. I really do like this format for a car, pretty functional if you know how to use it. When your interview is up, please share, I'd love to check it out!
I will. If I forget. It'll eventually be up on SUV Rving page. Cool guy as well
Insane!!!
Really cool looking! Btw...that passenger seat folds down forward. Makes a nice catch all or leg room if sleeping in the vehicle. 😊
Good call! I think we left ours up to try to keep it more "stealth"... which in hindsight is kind of ridiculous considering we had a roof rack and hitch carrier, haha.
@@SendStory awesome! 😊
The Gospel of John, when you guys are ready!🔥♥️
I had a matrix a that little car. It had a cot, foot, water, and photography equipment. My granddaughter was driving and had a wreck. It have its little life for her., As don’t make matrixes anymore. I bought a Corolla hatchback which is way smaller. I love it but really miss my matrix.
We unfortunately don't have our matrix anymore either, but we honestly miss it all the time. It was indeed a fantastic car. Sounds like you got some good life out of yours as well.
Very nice job! I have an idea for you, turn your hitch cargo rack into a collapsible bathroom stall. Search on youtube you will only find one video on it but would be cool. Great build!!
Love this adventure series! I have an 06 matrix base model and was tryna think of ways to make it work for camping and am blown away on how you guys made this thing with basic skills and materials on budget. Not sure how cold it was when you went on this trip but I’m wondering if you need a heater and if there was condensation problems
Thanks for the comment! We only spent two nights in it when it was "cooler (the coldest of the nights was -4 Celsius). So we cant say that we really tested the setup in the cold, but those nights it was comfortable with two peoples body heat under the sleeping bag. We wore long sleeve flannel PJs, and I think we kept toques on our heads. We didn't really talk about it in the video, but when we showed the interior of the vehicle, you can see the reflective foam panels in the windows (super cheap at Home Depot). We cut these to pressure fit into the windowsills after we put our covers on the windows at night. Our thinking was that it added a sound barrier for us as well as insolation. How much it helped... not entirely sure. However, between those and the fairly thick curtain, we think it helped us retain some of our body heat. Metal is a pretty terrible insulator, so it would definitely be good to consider that when thinking about being in a car in cold temperatures. You will probably be relying on what you add to the interior, what you are sleeping in, and what you are wearing to keep you warm. Where the shell of the car probably functions more as a wind break for temperature control. We personally didnt find we had a ton of condensation in the vehicle, but we didn't sleep in it every night and in temperatures that would cause obvious condensatio, and we think the window covers, and back curtain helped keep visually noticeable moisture off of the windows. We also had a system the kept the hatch window open (while still being secure) and usually had a least one of the other windows cracked slightly for proper airflow (even on the colder nights). Parallels can be drawn between regular winter camping in a tent and in a car, so general clothing and what-not that you would wear in a tent in the winter should be considered. Some type of heat source might be nice, but I am not sure what would work in the space and be safe while still being effective. We typically just blasted the heat in the car before tucking in bed. Remember that you want to be warm, but not sweaty, as that is worse for you. Sorry about the long comment, hope it helps! Good luck!
I one-day probably be living in 2005 Toyota Matrix RS myself
My XRS is not only my sports muse, but my second bedroom! I used to go to parties and plan to just sleep in the back of my car..
Haha, multiuse vehicles for sure! Just gotta make sure you don't get caught sleeping in there after partying. Cheers.
Interesting build. I'm thinking of putting a diesel heater in a roof top cargo carrier to heat the inside of my Vibe. Definitely some interesting ideas here, such as the ceiling rack system.
Overall this looks great!
Thanks! Heating in ours would have been a luxury a couple of nights it got below freezing! You probably wouldn't need to run it too much with the amount of space you would be heating, I think those things put out a decent amount of heat. Good luck, be safe!
@@SendStory I agree. The system I plan to build is intended to primarily heat an ice fishing tent, or the garage. The interior of my Vibe is just a bonus feature
That’s cool. I been living in my ford transit connect for a couple years now. I been thinking bout getting one of these matrix’s though and just staying in that. It’s smaller and I think it’s big enough for just one person. I travel extensively doing paintings so I don’t need all that much storage.
That sounds cool. I would say that living full time out of one of these would be a bit tight. Most of the storage has to be external to make space to sleep, which has obvious security issues, and protection from the elements is difficult. There is also no recreational space, you can barely sit up in the vehicle when in the back (set up to sleep). Similarly, to set up the sleeping space, you need to push the seats forward, which essentially means setting up for bed outside of the vehicle, which isnt terribly fun when it is raining, cold, or if you are trying to be stealthy. With all of that said, however, if you removed the back seats, it might make the space a bit more functional for camping/living situations. This car was/is our day to day vehicle, so any permanent modifications were out of the question. If you wanted to downsize, there might be better compact vehicles for you, but if you end up doing something to a car like this and making it work, please share because it would definitely be interesting. Thanks for the comment.
I know this was a long time ago but I highly recommend not having sharp or hard metal pieces installed near the crown of your head incase of a wreck. I had a friend pass away because hit a curb and it launched his head into the A pillar area (no seatbelt, was only going 30-35mph) and it broke his neck. Freak accident obviously. But even in the case of wearing a seatbelt if you get into a high speed wreck with another car, thats a jagged piece of metal with enough force to crack your skull. Try to find something more pliable like plastic brackets or even just zip ties.
Thanks for sharing this, and good call. One would hope a seatbelt would keep your body from getting anywhere close to the ceiling, but accidents can happen. In the day and age of 3d printers, there is probably a less janky and safer way to afix things to the interior of your car. Hopefully someone reading this comes up with a better solution. Sorry about your friend. Thanks again for sharing.
@@SendStory good call on 3d printing. Maybe replace that visor mount with a 3D printed one that has a dowel rod insert that's a soft plastic or maybe even just an elastic silicone.
what you are doing that I have been doing from 2011. I have a Vibe (totally same as your matrix) I travelled all north america and center america by sleeping in this car. sometimes 2 person. sometimes solo. it is a really good car.
dude said he gonna do the curtains and than actually sew some lol
Dope! I'm about to get my own matrix. I'm downsizing from a 97 4x4 Tahoe for gas reasons.
Never driven a Tahoe, but the Matrix is a fun car. I still find it super odd that they no longer manufacture it. Enjoy!
@@SendStory they've started manufacturing it again but are calling it The Corolla hatchback.
@@WickdPerfekT Oh snap. Didnt know that. Just checked it out... yup, looks essentially like a revisited matrix. For some reason it looks a bit smaller though, or at least the back hatch tapers off quicker. It also seems to lack the rugged trunk interior that my matrix has - oh well, at least they came to their senses.
@@WickdPerfekT I have a 2003 for sale if interested
@@andreonque1237 bought one two days ago actually but thanks
Love this! I have the same car and I'm trying to transform her into a winter car camping machine. I keep my bike in the back when I'm summer camping, and tent it, but when it drops below 30 the car keeps me warm and toasty--trying to figure out how to do this without any carpentry skills! Thanks for posting this.
No worry, hopefully it helps! The coldest we slept in it was -4, but we had both of our bodies to keep us warm under our sleeping bags. So depending on the temperatures you experience and the duration of time you are sleeping in it, you might need to figure out some other modifications, but we definitely were just fine for the few dispersed nights that it get below freezing.
@@SendStory that's awesome! You mean -4F or -4C? If you're sleepin in -4F that's mad props, haha. Honestly I think I could pick up an electric site if it was that cold, and plug in my heating pad.
@@maggienancarrow9782 Haha, sorry, I keep forgetting that I should be giving both measurements of temperature. That was definitely Celsius. Sorry about that. I should have been more attentive and realized your 30 degrees was clearly in Fahrenheit. I also dont talk about it much/show it in the video, but we did end up cutting foam inserts that just pressure fit into the window frames for insulation. It was an insulating foam from Home Depot that has a reflective material on the outside of it, and at the time it was dirt cheap. I figured I should point that out too, if you didnt catch that from the shot where we show the inside of the vehicle all set up.
@@SendStory awesome! thanks :)
You guys, did U know that Ur front passenger seat folds all the way flat into a table?? There are 2 latches on back of seat. Pull up on both latches and there U go.
Thanks for the heads up!
No way I could not watch this.. I have an 05 VIBE GT which besides the original alternator and a pontiac badge is the same car.. I've slept in that car multiple times, fold down the back seats, pump up air nattresses with the 2 110 outlets and roof racks for jeeps fit right on
Honestly, such a well rounded vehicle that has so many uses. I'm not surpassed others have camped in theirs too, it worked so well. Thanks for the comment!
I'vr got an 05 natrix and am looking into getting a roof rack. Which jeep racks should I look for?
I've been looking for roof racks. Can you recommend what jeep racks I should look for?
Check out that sick RV!!!
The sickest.
Love it! I have been working on converting my SUV into a stealth camper and your interior rack is an excellent idea!
Thanks, hope it helps! It's nice that it can come down quick and be put back up just as fast and doesn't permanently change/damage the car. Good luck!
Check the ratings. It can take more weight on the hitch than the Corolla...
Love my 2013 Matrix. Getting ready to drive up north to James Bay
Hi guys loved this and got loads of tips. Could I ask what size Carabiners you used for the poles re curtains? I'd love to do this x
Glad you liked it! We used the Black Diamond Litewire carabiner, it's a rock climbing carabiner which is definitely overkill, but we already had them. You could probably find one that is cheaper. Not sure of the overall size, but the specs on a site say it has a 23 mm (0.9 in.) gate. Hope that helps!
The way gas prices are going up, toyota will reconsider matrix in Canadian market
I'm sure that would make some people's dreams come true... if they can afford it!
I think affordability is going to be a dream for many of us. After Ukraine war. What u think reply must
I'm buying a matrix soon and doing this. found an 03 with 78k miles
Oh man, that's awesome, congrats! Ours is still kicking around. Anxious to get out on a road trip again. Thanks for the comment. Enjoy!
I've also got a Matrix that I love. I'm planning on driving to Arkansas a lot for biking and climbing and intend to do something similar. What kind of storage bins do you have in the rear foot wells? They seem like the perfect size to extend the sleeping area.
I cant be sure (I dont have it on me to inspect), but I think this was the bin we got at Walmart, or at least something like it: www.walmart.ca/en/ip/tuff-store-by-accent-tuff-store-44-liter-storage-tote/6000192076674 - I was more focused on meeting the rough height of the cargo bed when the seats were lowered than the width/depth of the bin and it just kind of worked out perfect. Thanks for the comment and good luck!
Question: when you were driving back from Home Depot and you had your rant I thought I could hear either A) warped rotor heard a thumping sound when slowing down or stopping or B) a flat spot in tire or bad ball joints or unbalanced rim. . . . Or was that just my imagination I was just hearing things?…….ALSO) the pants you had on during your sewing machine scene those were pretty cool mind telling me where you got them?
Is your matrix AWD or Fwd? Mines Front wheel and I'm planning on doing my matrix just like this. Thanks for explaining the whole process!
No worries, hope it gave some inspiration. Ours is fwd. We definitely took it though the paces and over loaded it, but it survived. We are in the process of editing some of the 3 week road trip we took it on and we were lucky in some of the mountain diving that it made it. Thanks for the comment and watching. Good luck!
Hey awesome tutorial!!! Maybe I missed it, but can you tell me what the sleep mat is yall used? It looks super comfy!
Hey! Great question. We used something called a crashpad, which is for bouldering (rock climbing shorter boulders rather than the traditional tall cliffs you see people climbing with ropes on), using the pad for falling on to instead of using ropes. It's kind of like a portable gymnast mat. While we definitely found it comfy for us (and dual purpose since we climb), I think there are better and less expensive options if you aren't also using it for climbing! Try to look for a foam distributor near you and see what you can get. I hope that helps! Best of luck!
I love your build! What storage containers did you use for the foot wells?
Thanks! I think they were something like these: www.walmart.ca/en/ip/tuff-store-by-accent-tuff-store-44-liter-storage-tote/6000192076674 - we just took rough measurements and went to a couple stores and tried to find the closest size to what we needed. Ended up with those blue bins from walmart (not sure if the linked bin is the correct size or not, but they were that style). Hope that helps!
This is sick! What kind of cargo box did you get? Currently on the hunt for one for my 08
Got one from uhaul, who also put the hitch on. Had to get the converter to connect it, since the carrier was 2" for the fitting but the hitch for that size vehicle is the next size down. Caused some issues on the trip and we had to get a new converter that elevated the carrier when in Colorado, and also decided to mount small caster wheels on the bottom just in case it didn't clear some inclines in Utah. Be sure to keep the cargo weight light to save yourself from headaches and your suspension, haha. All part of the adventure though! Hope that helps!
I'm actually looking for one of these Matrix's right now (not so much to live in, as I don't think I couild do the "van/car" life but for weekend trips as it would probably pay for itself in about 2 years with hotel stays.... Dont care the mileage or age, or to an extent, the physical condition, just as long as it's reliable as I think these are great, reliable little cars that can be great for car camping, because the rear seats fold down mostly flat so you have enough room to sleep 1-2 people and they get great gas mileage so they're good for road trips. Unfortunately, for the used car buyer, Toyotas tend to hold their value, as even the 2004-2007 ones I've seen are still about $5,000-$7,000.
Yea, if you have one, their life is a blessing, if you are looking to get one used, it is a curse. If it persuades you at all, both of our Toyotas are used and while they hold their value/were a bit steeper than other used cars, they both have held up. The Matrix has well over 400,000km on it and the only thing we had to fix was a alternator and battery, which was most likely caused by the dying battery and not the car. The "new matrix" (different model name, but essentially the same car) unfortunately doesn't have the plastic ridged liner on the back of the fold down seats like the older models... it's super unfortunate that they discontinued them, I definitely think they are a gem. Good luck hunting for one, hopefully you can find one at a decent price at some point, definitely worth it for car camping. Thanks for the comment.
I've got a '05 Matrix RS love it hopefully it'll run pass 500k currently at 225k It's really ashamed they discontinued making these they're fantastic fun to drive as well
about the velcro window covers, can you just use the 3m stick on velcro?
We used the adhesive for the window frames (and just to be transparent, we didn't use 3M brand - just whatever it was at the dollar store - they do come off over time and have to be replaced with use, but not a big deal. 3M might hold up better). If you are using fabric for the actual window covers, I would sew it. From my experience, the adhesive never sticks and gums everything up. Especially with the force you need to pull apart velcro, the consistent use requires sewing. If you made the covers out of something plastic based (poly sheets or whatever), or something else that isn't fabric, you might get away with it for a good while, but just like the ones in the window frame, they will eventually come off. Hope that helps.
I really like your work on the windows. Nice! Is your girlfriend a nurse? Mine, too! I finished my own matrix build not too long ago.
Thanks! I'm not a used to sewing anything, so it was a bunch of work, but I think it worked out perfectly, so we were super happy with it. Yea, she definitely is. Thanks again for the comment, nice to find another matrix camper!
How do you deal with condensation? I have tried sleeping in mine with all 4 windows cracked and still manage to need to wipe down the interior of the windshield before driving the next day. I wish I had a sunroof, this would likely solve the issue.
We had pieces of foam in the back hatch window to keep it open and had a chain that attached to the window latch to keep anyone from being able to open it. We also cracked another window for cross ventilation. If you had the drip edges/trims for the windows, it would also conceal that they were ajar. Other than that, you could maybe add a fan to force the air movement. Climate and temperate also affects the amount of condensation you collect, so maybe the places we visited were environmentally better for that? The curtain between the back of the car and the front may have also helped keep some condensation out of the front window, and we also did have a sun shield in the windshield that might have helped further keep moisture away from the glass. Some mornings we had some condensation on the windows, but don't remember it being the biggest issue. Hopefully something in this is helpful. Let us know if you figure out a solution.
I was homeless for 9 months. I slept in matrix. In the summer hot as F couldn't sleep
Yea, I can imagine that being tough. Luckily we only spent the end of October and November in it and were comfortable. I hate sleeping in the heat. Glad it sounds like you aren't still sleeping in a hot matrix. Hope all is good l, have a good one.
Hey! Awesome, few questions, can you link me to the crash pad you are using? Also the bins for storage that fit perfectly?? Thanks!
Hey, sorry for the late reply! The crashpad is a Metolius Magnum pad. As for the bin, I couldnt tell you the exact one, or even find a link to it, but I think we got it at Walmart. It kind of looks like one of these: www.walmart.ca/en/tuff-store-by-accent/N-1281004 - I hope that helps! Thanks for the comment!
@@SendStory Hi! It looks like you took off the back head rests in order to put those storage bins in?
@@MAPSACGAMERZ yea, good eye, we probably should have mentioned that. You definitely need to pop those off to make use of that space.
I wonder if you could install a bent curtain rail in a U shape for the sides?
Would you recommend the bouldering mats for a mattress? And which brand .. thanks
There are probably better sleeping options, but if you are a climber and it can serve both purposes, we actually found it pretty comfortable. We did, however, put a sleeping bag on top of the pad as a layer to just soften the pad a little. So I am not sure how comfortable the pad was on its own, but like I said, it was comfortable the way we had it. We used the Metolius Magnum pad, but I am sure most of them would feel similar. Hopefully that helps answer your question. Thanks for the comment!
Hi friends, where can I find side skirts or body kits for the Matrix XRS 2003, please answer ..!??
Nice video man, I'm in the market for a Toyota Matrix right now - hoping to do a similar build. Any idea which models have known mechanical issues or which years I should avoid? Again, nice video!
Thank you for the comment. Unfortunately I'm not a big car aficionado, inclusive of the matrix. We have a 2005 matrix and I can honestly say that the only thing we have had to "fix" was the battery/alternator. That is all. With that said, I think our transmission might be starting to slip, but it happens on and off very seldom. Also, considering it has over 400,000km on it now, I can't even be frustrated.
I think the 2004 and 2005 are very similar, while I believe that layer editions have design changes. So if the cars produced in those years (the same as my generation) are similar to what I have, I'd say they would be worth looking at if you don't mind an old car... But again, I'm no expert. I hope that was at least slightly helpful, sorry I couldn't be more insightful.
@@SendStory Thanks for the reply! That's very helpful info. I'm probably going to wait a few months to purchase until the COVID situation blows over, but I definitely wouldn't mind an older vehicle at all. I just want something reliable that has an area that I can fully lay down/sleep. Thanks again and cheers to the open road!
@@SensatiousHiatus The 2nd gen Toyota Prius is one dependable car with plenty of room, and can use the A/C for sleeping comfort.
@@SendStory According to Cars complaint.com, the best of the best is the 2008 model. Very hard to find.
Do you know what the measurments from the back of the seats to the back hatch is so I can know if I'll fit being about 6 foot tall
Hey, my Metolius Magnum Crash Pad (what I was using as a mattress) fit snugly in the space (pretty exact). It is 4' x 6', so technically it should fit someone 6' tall (I am just under 6'). You could also sleep on an angle, which theoretically should give you a few more inches. It might be tight though.
It could be worse, the Home Depot in St Augustine never seems to carry ANTHING we need, everything has to be ordered online and shipped (and no free shipping, ever). I hate it, I hate it, I hate it.
Wild. Not surprised though, unfortunately. I think we are going to see more and more of this. What is starting to become common practice by some companies is definitely taking more and more power and access away from the consumer, and similar making businesses less accountable and responsible. Hopefully as the pendulum swings over time, some of these headaches will be ironed out, but I'm a sceptic.
I just got an 09 matrix. Definitely gonna give this a go. Whats the best way you found to insulate it? It gets awfully cold here.
Sick! We slept in it as a pair, so I think we cheated because we could use double the body heat. The coldest we slept in it was somewhere around minus 4 Celsius, as well.
I wouldn't rely a ton on the car for insulation, I would treat it more like traditional winter camping for cold temps. Grab a quality sleeping bag (or two, using one open as a cover), warm socks and clothes, and keep minimal surfaces exposed to the climate.
With all of that said, we used foam insulation that was cut to pressure fit in the windows. It has a reflective material coating on it (comes like that from home depot - super cheap) and duct taped the one side so it was black and stealthier. I would also argue that the curtain helps seal off the space and give an extra layer of insulation from the exposed windows we didnt cover up front. Unfortunately, the majority of the cars exterior does not give a good thermal break and isnt efficient for maintaining temperatures. However, I do think the bit of insulation and curtain helped beyond giving us privacy. Sorry for the long winded comment - hope it helped. Good luck!
@@SendStory it did help. Thanks!
Do you remember what size roof rack you used? Thank you in advance.
Hey, sorry I can't exactly remember what the specs were, but it was the Tule Aeroblade and it was adjustable. If I recall correctly, we either just measured the width of our roof or the product said what type of cars it fit. On that note, it is definitely one of the more expensive racks, and I'm sure there are cheaper ones you can get that do the same thing. We had limited time and just grabbed the one we could get fastest, which was not cheap. Sorry I couldn't give you a better answer, but I hope that helps!
I'm wanting to do this to my 2006 toyota matrix xr! I've always wanted to go on a road trip :3 how much was it to do all this?
The roof rack was the most expensive. It was several hundred. I'd say look for a model of roof rack that works on your car and keep an eye out to buy one used, or if you have to go new, look for the cheapest one that works. We were in a rush, so we got the only one available to us, which was pretty much the top of the line one. We found the roof carrier on top for cheap second hand. The rest was pretty inexpensive, just a lot of labour, so you can do the rest cheaply, but buckle in for finicky work. I know that answer wasn't super clear, but hopefully it helps.
Nice work, great interior racks. Kind of makes me sad I sold my Matrix a few years ago.
Thanks, I wish I had more foresight and filmed more of how we actually used the car/rack, but it was super handy and configurable for different uses. Sorry to hear you sold it, it sucks that they are no longer producing newer models of the car either - it is honestly one of my favourite cars and I am certain we only have a short time left with ours (somewhere over 400,000km on it now).
@@SendStory I've seen them run through 560000km so good luck.
What size tires and wheels were you running?
do the front seats fold down flat too? Or is that just certain years
Yup, they do. We just didn't fold it because we moved some stuff from the back to the front and put blankets over them to kind of make the car look a little less obvious (which sounds ridiculous with a roof rack on, haha). Although they provided some privacy and the back of the seats helped contain the items we moved at night too. Depending on how you were set up, you could definitely use the folded space though!
Im planning electric AC conversion with solar roof and battery bank hidden in rear seats.
On a matrix? That sounds pretty ambitious and sweet. Would love an update once you have completed that. Thanks for the comment.
What year matrix? I just bought a 2007 with 186000
I think it's the 2005, so within a few models or so. Still kicking around, enjoy!
How much did your gas mileage decrease? Just curious!
It definitely did, but I don't think by a whole lot. It's hard to say for sure because gas is much cheaper States side than where I normally commute north of the border. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
Hey where do you get the blueprints?
I honestly don't remember exactly. I believe I found a diagram in a pdf user manual and used it as reference to reillustrated (simplify it to the bare line-art). I didn't really use it for the actual plan, just as a prop for this video. Sorry I wasn't more helpful.
Was something wrong with the alignment or wheel bearings it sounds super loud going down road
It is pretty old and hasn't had any work done to it, so probably all of the above. However, the windows aren't air tight and the stock microphone on that camera is not very good and even worse in it's enclosure, so that could be part of it too. It's also directly mounted to the vibrating dash. So all around the audio in the car isnt great, sorry about that.
Hey thanks for the reply! I was just curious if that was standard for the mark. What you said makes sense. Are you still camping from the car? Do you still enjoy it ? I’m looking into one
@@DevinWofford sorry, just saw this comment and it got buried somehow. We have used it for car camping one more time, but honestly haven't traveled much by car for vacation since. The car is still on the road though, definitely over 400,000km now, which kind of justifies what we did because nothing done to the car was permanent and it went right back to being our normal commuting vehicle. We honestly found sleeping in it pretty comfortable, the only real annoying part was having to physically get out of the car and rearrange it to sleep. It wasn't great to have to get out of the car to set up in cold or wet weather and wasn't super stealthy. It also meant that even after a really long day when we were tired, we still had to spend like 10 mins+ setting up. So if you had something bigger and had to do less rearranging, I think that's better, but in all honesty, we were pretty dang happy with it. Hope that helps.
Does this video come with a track list?
Hey, all the music is from CZcamss royalty free assets. Even though I don't need to give attribution, I want to go through and do that at some point. Maybe I will update the descriptions of our videos with the track information at some point. Sorry if that wasn't all that helpful.
What is the crashpad model name?
It's the Metolius Magnum (the largest tri-fold). Hope that helps!
What crash pad? what size?
It's a Metolius Magnum, the site should have the specs on the exact size, i wouldn't be able to tell you off the top of my head. I hope that helps!
Crikey, you go top of the line for your rack rails & crossbars, then skimp on the hardware... AND you don't follow the instructions?! All hope I HAD for future generations has been dashed! ;-)
Sorry about that. I like to think of it like wearing a baseball cap backwards.
@@SendStory Yeah, I never understood that... unless you're a catcher. And yeah, I'm a "boomer".
Good luck in your travels!
@@donwyates haha, all good brother. Have a good one.
Did roof racks effect your mpg?
Roof rack alone, we can't say we really have noticed at all (we have just left it on since installing it a few years ago). However, with the roof carrier on top, it definitely did negatively affect the mileage, but couldn't really tell you the exact extent (we had a ton of extra weight in the car and we were driving in all kinds of different terrain). Sorry if that isn't all that helpful, but I think the rack alone doesn't affect it all that much. You can also fairly easily remove the rack when not in use if it's an issue (I know a lot of people who ski only install it for the winter for ski equipment and remove it in the summer).
@@SendStory great. Thanks
Great video. How do you handle venting, say you are laying there with your women and you fart. Other question is, where do you poop?
What’s a Tyota?
It's a special hybrid between an accent and butchering a name of a Japanese car company, some might say. Dang, I knew someone was going to comment on it, you win first prize, ha.
@@SendStory Lol cool, and sorry I wasn't teasing just have never heard it pronounced that way and thought of pointing it out. The car looks really cool. I wouldn't mind having a build like this as well.
@@almurda ha, it's all good man. I appreciate the comment. Honestly, if you have a car like this, this stuff is all non-destructive, so you could make the pieces you need as a hobby project and then just store them away for if you ever go road tripping or even just plain old camping. I definitely recommend it. Thanks again.
You carry a cellphone in home Depot right? So why do you need a pen? Just make note the items you have on your cellphone .
You have to write the product number and the amount of them on the correct corresponding bags (sometimes you put multiple items in one bag and have multiple bags), unfortunately. I'm sure a reasonable cashier would be fine with me reading to them what is in each bag, but it's store policy to have it written on each bag for the cashiers. Generally speaking, I think if a company wants you to perform a specific action for them to serve you properly, it should be their responsibility to facilitate it, not ours. Replacing pens (or coming up with a better solution) when you have revenue numbers in the hundreds of billions of dollars a year shouldn't be asking for too much when they require us to use them to profit from. Anyhow, I think your suggestion is a good idea, or even if their app had a "digital cart" that you could scan and add loose items to so when you got to the cash they didn't even have to manually add them in (just check that you aren't stealing anything). I agree that using pens to write on bags is pretty archaic. Again, I also think someone stealing pens from any store is also pretty stupid and frustrating at the same time, but it shouldn't be our responsibility.
You just under six feet ahahaha some has a height complex because you are 5.11 or 10
Background music is too loud
Thanks for the feedback, I am still getting used to editing videos and I am not the best with audio. I will try to be more careful with the background music as I edit - hopefully as I do this more I can get better.
Here's some advice never buy an automatic matrix
Where did you get your racks for on top.
Hey, we got them from a place that installs hitches and other third party carriers for vehicles. I would look for a hitch and/or roof rack installer and see if they sell these type of products or have a storefront. Otherwise, you can probably find them in automotive stores, or the automotive section in a store like Walmart (sorry I can't confirm if they actually have them or not). This rack is one by Hule, but it's definitely one of the more expensive ones, and there are cheaper ones available. Just make sure you get one that matches your make and model of car. Hope that helps!
I have 2007 matrix also.
@@amybestickclark8614 Oh, and also, amazon probably has a selection as well, but I would say buy local if you can. The company above was supposed to read *Thule, by the way (typo), and I think the specific product is called the Aeroblade (or something like that). Another reason to go with a local business is because someone can help you find the right one for your car and you can ask questions. With that said, most of these are adjustable and pretty universal and have different models for different cars. I think ours fit "generic compact cars". Best of luck!