Sleeping in your car: the travel trick that skips hotels

Sleeping in your car: the travel trick that lets you skip paying for hotels

Can you sleep comfortably in a car without spending a single cent on accommodation? The answer is yes, with some caveats. A group of budget travellers has been sharing their methods for years on how to turn the boot into an improvised bedroom. The key lies in choosing the right model, removing the rear seats and using an inflatable mattress that won't puncture. It's not a passing fad: some have travelled across Europe this way.

The trick isn't new. One participant recalls crossing the continent back in the 1980s in a Seat Panda, removing the front seats to swivel them 90 degrees and turning the rear ones into a flat hammock. Today, the practice lives on among those looking to travel on the cheap, even though the car fleet has changed. The models most often cited as suitable for sleeping in are the Renault 21, the Renault Twingo, the Audi 100, the Seat Alhambra and the old Volkswagen Passat.

Which car to choose for sleeping inside

Not every car will do. Interior length is the critical factor. One participant points out that a modern compact leaves barely 1.46 metres of space, not enough for a person of average height. A Renault 21, on the other hand, allows someone who is 1.83 metres tall to stretch out fully, according to its owner. The Audi 100 also comes up as a candidate thanks to its huge boot. MPVs like the Seat Alhambra offer, according to one user, 190 by 130 centimetres with the seats folded, room for two people.

The trick is to remove the rear backrest, not just fold it down. In many models, folding the backrest doesn't create a flat surface with the boot but leaves a step. Taking it out completely and turning the seat around achieves that continuity. In the Renault 21 it was necessary to modify an iron profile under the rear shelf so a hip lying on one side would fit, because a 15-centimetre-thick inflatable mattress collides with the shelf.

The mattress: inflatable, but with an electric pump

A foam mattress takes up too much luggage space. The inflatable one is the most popular option, but it has an enemy: blowing it up by mouth. Blowing with your mouth introduces water vapour that eventually creates pores and leaks, according to one participant's explanation. The solution the veterans share is to always use an electric pump plugged into the car's cigarette lighter. That way, the mattress stays inflated for several days without needing to be topped up every night. A foot pump also works, though it takes more effort.

The specific model mentioned is a basic 120-centimetre inflatable mattress from the brand Quechua, available at Decathlon. It doesn't puncture if you treat it well: don't kneel on it, don't overinflate it and don't put it on the ground. Inside the car, the risk of puncture is minimal. Some opt for a 12V compressor for inflating tyres, which also works for the mattress with the right adapter.

Tinted windows, sunshades and mosquito nets: privacy

Privacy is essential. Without tinted windows, anyone can see there's someone inside. The medium level of tint makes it impossible to see inside even with good exterior lighting, according to one participant. Add to that a large van-style sunshade covering the windscreen and part of the side windows. The combination of tinting and sunshade makes it almost impossible to detect that someone is sleeping inside, unless someone deliberately walks up to look.

To ventilate without letting mosquitoes in, the most repeated solution is magnetic mosquito nets. They are placed on the window and allow it to be left open a sustancia ilegal. If you don't have magnets, you can resort to a repellent spray like Autan, though you shouldn't breathe it in immediately after applying it. Another option is to open only the window on the roadside, so it looks like the car is just airing out and not occupied.

Where to park to sleep without problems

Choosing the spot is key. Natural areas, car parks at quiet beaches and side or dead-end streets are the safest options. Don't leave any trace of camping around the car: no chairs, no clothes, no utensils. That way you avoid drawing the attention of the police and possible fines. In Spain, according to the experience shared, there are usually no problems with assaults, although one participant mentions that having a gun licence helps you sleep more soundly.

For feng shui lovers, there's a curious recommendation: park the car with the nose facing north, east or west, avoiding the south. That way your head points to those directions, which supposedly favours rest. There's no scientific evidence to back it up, but the tip circulates among practitioners.

Hygiene, cooking and daily life in the car

Hygiene is sorted with a portable shower and water from petrol stations. Some service areas aimed at lorry drivers offer showers for about 2 or 3 euros, according to one participant. Cooking is possible with a gas stove, preferably outside, though in windy conditions it can be used inside the boot. To keep food fresh, one participant points out that a 12V fridge drains the battery even with the engine running, so many opt for a regular cooler and buy ice at the nearest shop for 1 euro.

Storing your luggage is a challenge. The removed backrest can be left at the rear during the day, hidden by the tinted windows and the sunshade. The gap between the front and rear seats is filled with fruit crates or bags, which serve as support for the head of the mattress. The pillow can be any that fits in the boot.

The van alternative and the autonomous future

Some participants believe that for sleeping regularly, the logical choice is a van, not a car. A Transporter-type van offers more space and height, but it also has condensation problems from humidity, according to one user. The suggested solution is to ventilate slightly or use insulation. Others argue that the car is what most people have and that these tricks are for occasional trips, not for living in it permanently.

Looking to the future, one participant mentions that autonomous cars could make sleeping while travelling normal. In the meantime, sleeping in the car remains a way to travel cheaply that, done well, allows you to save on accommodation. Just remember that the comfort of a real bed isn't easily replicated in a space 1.90 metres long and 1.30 wide.