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Topic: Camper or MH?

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dk168

30/8/2020 at 1:01pm
Location: Devizes Wiltshire
Outfit: PVC_VWCrafter_MWB

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My custom converted MWB VW Crafter will be my first campervan/MH.

Having visited a number of big shows and stepped into as many different make and layout of campervans and MHs as I could, I know a small van like a T6 is not for me.

DK

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themarsh

30/8/2020 at 1:30pm
Location: Suffolk
Outfit: La Strada Regent L

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Having done tents, caravans, camper vans & motorhomes over the years, I always end up going back to a camper. We did find the extra space in a motorhome or caravan invaluable when the kids were teenagers but to be honest they much preferred being in the camper sleeping in the awning.
A lot will depend if it is a second vehicle or your daily driver, I found it impossible to use even a small motorhome as my only vehicle.
VW's have a lot of detractors & it is true that they do attract a 'scene' tax if you're not careful when buying but I'm on my 9th one over a 45 year period & have never been let down once by them.
I would not even consider buying one at the moment, because prices are absolutely crazy at the moment. I could sell my early T5 for double what I paid for it. Once the package holiday brigade start booking their holidays to Spain again the market will be flooded with sensibly priced campers

Airborne

via mobile 30/8/2020 at 4:29pm
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Good advice I reckon, thanks 'The Marsh'.

Capt Lightning

30/8/2020 at 5:09pm
Location: Turriff Aberdeenshi
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Themarsh makes a very good final point - a lot of people are taken by the idea of owning a camper, and I'm sure that when the dream has faded and air travel is less restricted, a lot of vans will come back onto the market.

In the early days, I did use my camper as my 'everyday' car. OK, I lived in an area where parking etc.. was no problem - no height barriers or multi-storey. Not terribly economical though!

As for reliability, I've never been let down by any of my Fiat / Peugeot/ Citroen vans. (My current Citroen uses Ford Transit mechanics).

In good weather my children sometimes slept in the awning, but it was good for everyone to be able to sleep in the van when it was cold or wet.

Here's my current van. 4 proper seats, washroom and kitchen, but only two berths.

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Two drifters off to see the world.

I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.

Colin21

30/8/2020 at 7:51pm
Location: East Herts
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We've gone through quite a variety. Started with that borrowed Bedford Dormobile pictured in my earlier post, then we bought a frame tent, two caravans, three river cruisers (boats), then back to two more caravans, one of which we still have. We have enjoyed all of them in their own different ways. The tent, boats and caravans have all been one at a time by the way.

The 1970s frame tent is still up in the loft, and got used in the garden just a few years ago as a temporary shed when I replaced one that was falling down.

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Best Regards,
Colin

Katieep

via mobile 01/9/2020 at 10:20pm
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Outfit: Xplore 422

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Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 29/8/2020
I have a friend who has a T6 with a pop up top for her family with 3 boys, the oldest is about 15yo now.

I don't think they use a drive away awning, and do not know how they managed to cope for a family of 5 to be honest!

It's not for me as it has no facilities, and I do not fancy having to make up and put away the bed every time I use it.

Hence I am having a MWB VW Crafter converted, and it will have its own onboard facilities with a drop down bed, kitchen and toilet/shower etc...

It will be my home from home - as long as I can get a decent internet connection, I can work from it while I am camping.

With a drive away awning, you'll have more habitable space and storage, therefore it may be fine for short trips.

Enjoy your van, whatever you decide.

DK

Do you mind me asking who is doing your conversion and is it costing more than an 'off the shelf' conversion. I like the idea of a drop down bed but donr want a coachbuilt MH. I dont understand why some of the larger converters arent doing them.

Cheers

dk168

01/9/2020 at 11:27pm
Location: Devizes Wiltshire
Outfit: PVC_VWCrafter_MWB

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Quote: Originally posted by Katieep on 01/9/2020

Do you mind me asking who is doing your conversion and is it costing more than an 'off the shelf' conversion. I like the idea of a drop down bed but donr want a coachbuilt MH. I dont understand why some of the larger converters arent doing them.

Cheers

My van will be converted by Young Conversions near Milton Keynes.

I am only 5'2", hence I can still stand up fully in a VW Crafter with a standard high roof with a drop down bed tucked away in the roof.

I do not expect to go camping with anyone else. If I do, then the other person would just have to duck!

I have seen quite a few MHs with a drop down bed when I attended one of the big shows in NEC last year. Unfortunately, their layout do not suit my requirements as I want an end kitchen that can be shut off from the rest of the van, and do not wish to use LPG, etc. etc...

Hence I am going down the custom conversion route.

DK

Katieep

via mobile 02/9/2020 at 8:40am
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Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 01/9/2020

Quote: Originally posted by Katieep on 01/9/2020

Do you mind me asking who is doing your conversion and is it costing more than an 'off the shelf' conversion. I like the idea of a drop down bed but donr want a coachbuilt MH. I dont understand why some of the larger converters arent doing them.

Cheers

My van will be converted by Young Conversions near Milton Keynes.

I am only 5'2", hence I can still stand up fully in a VW Crafter with a standard high roof with a drop down bed tucked away in the roof.

I do not expect to go camping with anyone else. If I do, then the other person would just have to duck!

I have seen quite a few MHs with a drop down bed when I attended one of the big shows in NEC last year. Unfortunately, their layout do not suit my requirements as I want an end kitchen that can be shut off from the rest of the van, and do not wish to use LPG, etc. etc...

Hence I am going down the custom conversion route.

DK

Thank you. Being short is excellent- I'm only 5'6" but one of my girls is almost 6' - her Dads not that tall either !

dk168

via mobile 02/9/2020 at 9:20am
Location: Devizes Wiltshire
Outfit: PVC_VWCrafter_MWB

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Quote: Originally posted by Katieep on 02/9/2020
Thank you. Being short is excellent- I'm only 5'6" but one of my girls is almost 6' - her Dads not that tall either !

At one stage, I was advised to go for a super high roof in order to accommodate the drop down bed.

However that is not available in a MWB, which would require a LWB van which is about 0.5m longer.

Although that does not sound much, it is longer than the space I have for parking it outside my house, and moving it in and out of my drive could be a nightmare due to all the vehicles about.

So I put my foot down and insisted on a MWB with standard high roof, as the van is for me and I am not getting a bigger one just in case I may camp with another person!

I opted Young Conversions as they could fit a drop down bed in a panel van.

DK

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