After having tried and tested basic tenting, motorhome, trailer tent, caravan and folding caravan, we have made the decision that motorhoming is the best suited for us. There are just two of us. We have decided on a fiat Doblo as we want this to be our main car also.
Anyone have one of these and if so, would appreciate your experiences.
Girlfriend had a fiat sciento once, terrible car, 5 years old and:
New radiator
New clutch cable (recovery job)
New battery
New petrol tank, yes that's right! petrol leaking!
And all on a car less than 5 years old at the time!
Also only a 2 star crash test rating.
I would never buy a fiat again. The van you're looking at MAY be built by Sevel, which is half owned by PSA so it might be ok but be careful.
Nothing wrong with current Doblo or as alternative for micro camper you can go for Citroen Berlingo or Peugeot version of same car. The Sciento based on old type Panda has not been sold in the UK for 10yrs so hardly a comparison.
Nowadays there is little to choose between any make, many common parts like engines/gearboxes are used. To show how far things have come, the current Mercedes Citan Traveliner which could also be considered for a micro camper conversion is in fact a rebadged Renault Kangoo, built in a Renault factory.
Two/three years back we looked at swapping the OH's car for a previous model Berlingo Multispace, with the intension of kitting it out with detachable kit, so as to make a basic "camping-van". At the time we also had a 7mtr motor home and the idea was, the Berlingo would give us the option of a slightly more "casual"(for want of a better term)way of camping...but It *never happened purely because the OH wasn't really sold on one as "her" car..
(*..the OH ended up with a smallish Peugeot "something-or-other-with-numbers-in-the-title" and I got an old Hiace van to use as the basic "camping-van").
We do see a few Berlingo/Doblo sized vans on festival sites..BUT in the main they(and along with a lot of swb VW & Bongo sized stuff), tend to be just used more as secure, comfy beds and as something to hang an awning off. Most/all of the cooking, dressing,("living",) seems to be done outside in driveway awnings...
A lot of the smaller(and again,I'd include swb VWs & Bongos etc) do look great all fully kitted out..BUT once you start loading a couple of holdalls, some coats, boots, sleeping bags/duvets/pillows etc,into 'em..PLUS 2 people..and they soon fill up.
So if you want a vehicle that the two of you can "live-within", then personally, something Doblo/Berlingo sized probably isn't it...but if it's for use as a versatile "camping-vehicle" then I think it's doable...
Have to disagree to a certain extent. We camped, year round (even at Christmas in the snow), in a SWB VW for 12 years, the longest trips being 6 weeks in Europe. We never used a drive away awning and had plenty of space. It's the conversion that matter, I think. We had a hi top fully converted van with plenty of storage and headroom though. This was our only and main vehicle and the only problem we had with parking was where we came up against height barriers.
We have friends with a pop top SWB VW and others with a similar Bongo and they find they are ok for short breaks but not for long holidays due to the lack of storage.
My advice would therefore be that a Doblo would probably be too small and that a fully converted hi top van is the only 'small' vehicle that would be suitable if you really want to use it for camping holidays.
I didn't/don't mean to imply that anything VW sized is totally unusable without an awning, it's just that you would have to be a bit "minimalistic" without one..
..and when bearing in mind that sammie16(OP)has previously had a trailer tent and a caravan etc, I think that without some form of additional "living space" (ie tarp, awning, dayroom/shelter etc),then they'd probably find that two of them "living within" anything other than a reasonably sized MH, could feel a bit claustrophobic..
..and watching friends of ours off-load their camping chairs, tables, coolboxes, camping stoves/BBQs etc ,from their(admittedly flat roofed),VWs,there wouldn't be a hope in hell of them using their vans with all their clobber still on board...
I agree that you couldn't take all the stuff you would in a larger caravan and yes, you do have to consider the size of things but we carried 2 camping chairs, 2 roll up tables and a BBQ inside our VW, plus a coolbox in the summer. The tables and chairs lived in the footwell when we were parked up if they weren't out and in use, the admittedly small BBQ went under the bed at the back but the poor old coolbox did have to live outside. I have to admit that ours was particularly well designed with a lot of storage under the bed, above the back seat and in the overcab.
When we decided to swap our lovely big tent for the van I was adamant that I wouldn't have a SWB van as I thought there wouldn't be enough room but was pleasantly surprised at what we ended up with. My point was that a cleverly converted SWB van can work if you are prepared for a bit of compromise.
I agree a doblo sized van is great for one but would be 'snug' for two without an awning or pup tent, but is doable if say you are used to a small tent.
OP have a look at amdro boot jump, which is a box which fits into the back of a doblo/kangoo that has cooking, storage, and converts to seat and bed, without being a permenant conversion.
All camper/motorhome choices depend on your choice of compromises! Small campers are great if you don't want the disadvantages of 'big'!!
For ideas- quite a few converters use the Doblo.
E.g. :
http://www.wheelhome.info/skurry
http://www.fiatdoblocampers.co.uk/
Reliability:- Re. fleck2,s comments - do not worry!
1. We have got a Fiat Qubo (mini mpv conversion of the Fiat Fiorino van. Best small car we have ever had! 1.3 95bhp diesel - drives really well, quite speedy and easy 50mpg! Incidentally built in Romania and absolutely perfect! Note also that 'wheelhome' do a fine conversion on same vehicle - makes the Doblo look big! (see recent MMM for test report)
2.Have also got a MH based on the Fiat Ducato. Fantastic van - drives better than similar vans based on equivalent Mercedes! Note also this is our 3rd Ducato MH in last 13 years - all have been very reliable and fun to drive.
3. Forums often just tell the worst cases - and usually a one-sided subjective story! Nothing wrong with that - we all tend to learn by our own personal experiences; I could relate my experience over 48 years of driving ... have been let down 'on the road' by Fords (plenty!)Volvo's (one) VW's (one) but not Fiats (yet!)
(All normally maintained according to manufacturers spec and driven sensibly .. e.g. not riding the clutch, sensible use of gearbox, etc etc)
Re modern cars generally - I agree with screen's sensible comments above!
Finally I hope I don't regret singing the praises of Fiat!
------------- The older I get the better I used to be.
hi i have a fiat doblo mini camper van 1.9 deisel i bought in july 19 it is 15years old 70,000 miles and drives with ease the newer vans may differ from mine but they are all the same size my camper is for 2 adults but im a widower so its just me but for a couple it might be a squeeze but go and try one i love my wee camper best thing i have bought
I have seen a few of this type of small camper vehicles this season. Some based on the VW Caddy, Renault and Citreon.
Why don't you hire one out of season and give them a go to see if this is the road for you.
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: Fiat Doblo
via mobile 18/10/2019 at 5:28pm
