Hello,
I would thoroughly appreciate any thoughts seasoned camper van enthusiasts have on the following...
We are a middle aged couple who are fair weather campers.
We have never camped in a van but like the idea of it and have started digging into camper van conversions.
We live in the middle of London so we need something that is ULEZ compliant and is comfortable nipping around London. Not some lumbering beast.
I imagine using the van to get to great places and to sleep in but I also imagine we would have a tent, especially if we went with friends.
I’d love something that felt ecologically responsible but having looked at all electric I’m sure that it can’t deliver the mileage we’d need to get to the Gower and beyond so I guess we’ll have to wait a while longer for that. However, whatever could be done on that score would be considered at least.
Looking into options it seems there are plenty and I wonder what is right for us.
Do we buy a van and get it converted by a conversion company?
Or do we buy one already converted, either privately or from a conversion company?
Is there much difference between small van conversions wherever you go to get them converted?
Should I narrow my search to a few models and the companies who convert them?
Which are the best vans to convert if you want something small, fuel efficient and maybe ecologically sound?
Is the best way to answer these questions to rent a few different ones and see what fits?
Are there any absolute watch outs I should be aware of before embarking on this journey?
Any thoughts are most gratefully received.
Thank you for reading.
Hi,
Rent & try & rent different layouts.
Make lists of what you want from your vehicle & what you could compromise on; type of bed, toilet for example.
If you’ve not camped in a van before even more reason to rent before you buy.
Visit any shows or dealers that you can to get ideas.
Fiona
As above, especially hiring to try before you buy.
I’d say you’re looking at a ULEZ compliant short or long wheelbase PVC (panel van conversion). A Motorhome will be “lumbering” as you put it, it won’t go under car park gantries & it’s rubbish for the supermarket run.
Go & visit some dealers (pity the caravan & Motorhome show at NEC is by); sit & stand inside, with doors closed; some have high roofs, others have pop tops. There are a range of layouts & one will suit you more than the others. All the usual makes do PVCs - Auto-Sleeper, Autocruise, IH, WildAx, Hymer, and do look at Bongo! Google others, check layouts online, YouTube is helpful.
Bear in mind that a conversion that’s tailored to suit you by a firm that converts PVs may not suit anyone else when you come to sell, whereas A-S model X or Bongo model Y is a known commodity.
The extreme is buying a white van & throwing a mattress & cooking stove in the back: not ideal & has its risks, but it’s easy to get carried away with the bells & whistles. Check the forums on here for home conversions vs DVLA regs & insurance.
Good luck. Adventures await!
Concur with the others about rent before you buy, and to visit as many shows as you can, to have a feel of the different layouts, and to see and feel examples of van conversion companies should you wish to go down that route.
I went down the custom PVC route as I could not find a van that suited my needs and wants, such as no LPG, a drop down bed, and end kitchen and bathroom that I could separate from the main living area, etc. etc...
She is a MWB VW Crafter, diesel, with as powerful an engine as I could find from a van dealer as VW could not give me a build date after months of waiting due to Covid.
The company that carried out the conversion had sadly gone out of business, otherwise I would have recommended them highly as they did a great job in turning my own design into reality.
She is not perfect, however, she is as close to perfect as I could ever wish, and am very happy with her, now in her 4th season.
Good luck!
DK
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Starting point will be the size of the van. If you want to use it in a similar way to a small tent i.e. its somewhere to sleep, but most living is outside, a VW Caddy size van will give you enough to sleep and live basically, but also be easy to drive around London.
Up in size from that is something like a Toyota Proace.
After that you are into Transit type vans which may be getting too large for your everyday needs.
Youtube is a great resource for looking at the options.
As a somewhat middle aged solo camper, I decided to move from caravan to campervan, having had both trailer tents and various other tents in the past. I popped in to the local VW commercials showrooms, where they had an ex-demonstrator California; I sort of fell in love with it. On further research, I decided on a conversion from Needingworth Campers; just delivery mileage, and with a healthy winter discount. I was advised to hire first, which is the sensible way to go, but I’d already made my mind up, and threw caution to the winds. I have a 150PS diesel DSG T6 Transporter, ULEZ compliant, fits under nearly every height barrier, and fits in a car park space ((albeit tight, and a bit longer than I’m used to.) It does 30-35 mpg; not ideal on short trips, but cruises like a good un.
I’m now on my third trip, in the Lakes, and it’s standing up to the weather, narrow roads, hills and all. There is a complicity among campervanners, I’m finding; a friendly bunch. I’m not one of those who wants to wild camp, but I am planning a long trip or two abroad soon.
Had I been younger, I’d have commissioned my own conversion, but I’m only just starting to explore what works and what doesn’t. In the end, all camping is about compromises.
Good luck with your travels: in the end I think you just have to go for it; apparently they maintain their value, so you can always change your mind.
Quote: Originally posted by morepints on 02/4/2024
As a somewhat middle aged solo camper, I decided to move from caravan to campervan, having had both trailer tents and various other tents in the past. I popped in to the local VW commercials showrooms, where they had an ex-demonstrator California; I sort of fell in love with it. On further research, I decided on a conversion from Needingworth Campers; just delivery mileage, and with a healthy winter discount. I was advised to hire first, which is the sensible way to go, but I’d already made my mind up, and threw caution to the winds. I have a 150PS diesel DSG T6 Transporter, ULEZ compliant, fits under nearly every height barrier, and fits in a car park space ((albeit tight, and a bit longer than I’m used to.) It does 30-35 mpg; not ideal on short trips, but cruises like a good un.
I’m now on my third trip, in the Lakes, and it’s standing up to the weather, narrow roads, hills and all. There is a complicity among campervanners, I’m finding; a friendly bunch. I’m not one of those who wants to wild camp, but I am planning a long trip or two abroad soon.
Had I been younger, I’d have commissioned my own conversion, but I’m only just starting to explore what works and what doesn’t. In the end, all camping is about compromises.
Good luck with your travels: in the end I think you just have to go for it; apparently they maintain their value, so you can always change your mind.
Love this story. Sounds exactly what I'm looking to embark on. Thank you for sharing.
Quote: Originally posted by benjamin163 on 01/4/2024
Hello,
I would thoroughly appreciate any thoughts seasoned camper van enthusiasts have on the following...
Yep sadly vans and specifically electric ones are currently woefully unable to deal with anything remotely long range. Our old LT35 diesel is not currently able to go through the middle of Bristol so we take the circular road around though it pumps out less CO2 than our friend's 500+ BHP Range Rover SVR that is allowed through.
Eurocap 6 diesel vehicles are currently accepted and if it was me, and that petrol vans are thin on the ground, i'd go with a Eurocap 6 diesel van and ideally get it converted or if you're handy, do it yourself as we mainly did.
Next month's show, usually good shows with plenty to look at, may be worth a day out as about the closest to you. Should give you some good ideas and plenty to look at and compare. Just don't rush into it, think with the head not the heart.
Quote: Originally posted by George-Mildred on 27/4/2024Warners Show
Next month's show, usually good shows with plenty to look at, may be worth a day out as about the closest to you. Should give you some good ideas and plenty to look at and compare. Just don't rush into it, think with the head not the heart.
This is great, thank you for drawing my attention to it.
Much appreciated.
Can only second the view of 'go look, and don't rush'!
I took about a year of quite serious 'looking' at various options when I decided to move up from a tent to 'something more kindly to my aged bones'! I visited the big shows, and countless dealers forecourts, I clambered in and out of endless, trailer tents, campers, MHs, caravans etc. ..... and I changed my mind significantly from what I first thought I wanted!
I went through the motions of simulated 'using' rather than just looking at the various options, that alone put me off a fair number of things, miniscule 'all in one/shower over toilet type bathrooms were a casualty, initially thought I could live with one, but soon discovered I didn't really fit in them and banged head and elbows on just about everything in there! ... a decent full sized bathroom and shower became an essential!
Cooking! - I like cooking, and had every intention of being as self sufficient as possible, so the two tiny hobs on the draining board type 'cooker', no oven, no microwave all got the elbow, a decent kitchen became another 'must have'. ... and the fridge had to be adequate too!
Seating. Sit and sprawl, you may find the seating is neither that comfortable, nor has space to really sit in a relaxed way! If you want a TV, is it comfortable to watch in what is often a fixed position for it!
Sleeping. I'm a big bloke, I need a reasonable sized bed. I wasn't too fussed in theory about whether it was a fixed bed or a convertible seat/bed, but decided fixed beds compromised space elsewhere too much for daytime use, and some conversions to beds were just too big an ask after a long day hiking or a shandy or two!
Looked at basic campers and caravans, but decided they were to all intense and purposes, literally a 'tin tent', lacking much amenity over and above a decent tent, but with ALL the disadvantages of being a vehicle in their own right! If I was going to suffer the expense and inconvenience, then it HAD to be a major step up from a tent!
Finally settled on a quite large 4 berth caravan with a fair degree of luxury about it, and 6 years on, I made ABSOLUTELY the right choice, would happily go out and buy a near identical one as a replacement should I need to. That was the very last thing I thought I wanted when I started my 'upgrade' from a tent!
I was no stranger to caravans and various campers/MH's as a number of friends have them and I'd spent time (visiting, not staying) in them, BUT when you start looking at them for what suits YOU, you look with very different eyes! I was no stranger to towing an assortment of trailers over decades, so a caravan was of no concern to me. I've also driven various larger vehicles, so a MH was not off putting. If you have never experienced a Camper/MH as a living space, then I absolutely recommend you hire one for a holiday, both to familiarise yourself with it as a living space AND as a vehicle on the roads. It's a sizable investment, and can be an expensive mistake if you purchase in ignorance or unwisely.
As to a camper as an everyday vehicle in London, rather you than me. I live in NW London just off the A406, and even though very at ease with driving all sorts of vehicles in all sorts of places, even a largeish car (7 seat MPV) can be hard work in the chaos of London's roads, and where the hell can you park it with it's potential length and height! - parking bays are small, and most car parks have low height barriers! I don't see it getting better under Mayor Khan's stewardship if he gets back in as Mayor, his declared hatred of Diesels can only cost more and more! I changed my car from a Diesel to a Petrol because I saw the day it would be prohibited outright or prohibitively expensive to carry on with a Diesel vehicle! Even car parking around my way has a premium rate for ALL Diesels! Virtually NO petrol camper vans out there!
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Questions from a campervan newbie
via mobile 01/4/2024 at 10:11pm
