Campervan purchase
Discussion
WE had a small toyota in OZ for 4 months, another in NZ for 2 months. Owned a nice caravan for 2 big tours around the EU for 5 months then 3 months. That was all 7/5/4/2 years ago in that order. So Wifey has the hankerins for a campervan to travel around the UK/EU when we can this year...(are we dreaming??). We are thinking a converted panelvan is the way to go, sort of a bit stealthy..yeh I know...but with a small garage inside for a 110cc bike and a loo. Solar on top and an extra leisure battery...
Anyone here done that, any hints/tips.....be nice now!
We think a VW crafter/MB sprinter/Transit are not wide enough for a bed athwartships, but a Relay/Master/movano are from what weve read and seen. (more room inside).
Anyone here done that, any hints/tips.....be nice now!
We think a VW crafter/MB sprinter/Transit are not wide enough for a bed athwartships, but a Relay/Master/movano are from what weve read and seen. (more room inside).
Meltham Terrier said:
Yep seen them but I dont have anywhere near that expertise. I'm looking at around 10k ish. I have seen the Greg series and they are very good, especially the follow ups where he has said he would change this and that. Also I have been reading up on the differant type of vans used. Relays/Boxers/Ducatis are all a bit wider than the popular Transit and sprinters and at under 6m long, more budget friendly for ferries.
Having travelled around the EU in a car/caravan, we saw plenty of motorhomers stranded outside the campsite waiting for buses etc, whilst we drove into town. Obviously their advantage was using aires and a spot of wildcamping...both have advantages and disadvantages.
We had a small ish van in OZ and NZ and having sold our caravan, thought about having a bash in a converted van. I know of a small company that can fit a van out, that has all the wiring/preinsulation in BUT I wouldnt trust myself to do that properly. I would be happy putting in sinks/hobs/water supplies/heaters etc....and the price and PITA of fitting it out would be worth it...to me...to use a fitting company as above.
We are in the hey ho phase. Our holiday was cancelled for Easter and flights in the late summer sun destinations are looking dodgy so we thought, maybe a self drive, bit of wildcamping ourselves in frogland, Spain........Looking at the ads etc.
Was just wondering if any PH ders have been there, done that and got the t shirt!
Having travelled around the EU in a car/caravan, we saw plenty of motorhomers stranded outside the campsite waiting for buses etc, whilst we drove into town. Obviously their advantage was using aires and a spot of wildcamping...both have advantages and disadvantages.
We had a small ish van in OZ and NZ and having sold our caravan, thought about having a bash in a converted van. I know of a small company that can fit a van out, that has all the wiring/preinsulation in BUT I wouldnt trust myself to do that properly. I would be happy putting in sinks/hobs/water supplies/heaters etc....and the price and PITA of fitting it out would be worth it...to me...to use a fitting company as above.
We are in the hey ho phase. Our holiday was cancelled for Easter and flights in the late summer sun destinations are looking dodgy so we thought, maybe a self drive, bit of wildcamping ourselves in frogland, Spain........Looking at the ads etc.
Was just wondering if any PH ders have been there, done that and got the t shirt!
You need to be looking at what others have done with track day vans. Usually a high bed at the back with space under for a motorbike. Most people seem to use crafters or something that sort of size.
Lessons learned from our camper:
A fixed, or at least easy to convert, bed is worth its weight in gold.
I like our propex chassis mounted lpg tank. Expensive set up but £7 of gas from the petrol station lasts 2 years.
Go to town on insulation (sound and heat) before you start converting.
I’d definitely go for a 3 way fridge. 12v ones smash through leisure batteries.
Solar is brill. Get as many panels as you can afford and a proper controller. Don’t bother with flexible panels; they last 2 years and then cells break.
As long as the cost of keeping an extra vehicle isn’t a problem campers are great. We have been to the continent in ours, and we usually have a week or two in uk with 2 kids.
We also use it for loads of weekends away, trips to seaside, carrying bikes etc. We’ve even been on holiday on the drive (!) during lock down.
Lessons learned from our camper:
A fixed, or at least easy to convert, bed is worth its weight in gold.
I like our propex chassis mounted lpg tank. Expensive set up but £7 of gas from the petrol station lasts 2 years.
Go to town on insulation (sound and heat) before you start converting.
I’d definitely go for a 3 way fridge. 12v ones smash through leisure batteries.
Solar is brill. Get as many panels as you can afford and a proper controller. Don’t bother with flexible panels; they last 2 years and then cells break.
As long as the cost of keeping an extra vehicle isn’t a problem campers are great. We have been to the continent in ours, and we usually have a week or two in uk with 2 kids.
We also use it for loads of weekends away, trips to seaside, carrying bikes etc. We’ve even been on holiday on the drive (!) during lock down.
Edited by drmike37 on Friday 1st May 12:03
My main advice for off grid is more solar than batterys IE 200AH in batterys = get 3 or 4 100W pannels if you can, the sun in the UK is nothing like NZ or Aus 
Mayby concider an ex ambulance ?
Pros
a lot wider,
already insulated
way better built than any camper
cheaper to buy than an equiv year van
Lots of extra inc (heating, roof vent,lights, mains hook up ect)
Cons
higher millage
wiring can be a nightmare, maybe easyer to start anew
Re regestering can be a PITA
Mayby concider an ex ambulance ?
Pros
a lot wider,
already insulated
way better built than any camper
cheaper to buy than an equiv year van
Lots of extra inc (heating, roof vent,lights, mains hook up ect)
Cons
higher millage
wiring can be a nightmare, maybe easyer to start anew
Re regestering can be a PITA
Cheers for that. I am thinking of 2 110 ah batteries and 2 120w panels. A compressor fridge and thats sorted. We wont have much of an electrical need, no hairdyers/microwaves/tv's etc....I am looking at a race van layout with garage one side/bed above and a toilet to the left. Height of garage to be no more than 1.1m for the small bike/scooter, (top box off/mirrors bent). I have seen a youtoob with the bed hinged at the feet end to allow extra head height when loading the bed. At the rear behind the toilet will be the access for the cassette, so none on show at the side of the van.
Looking at relays/boxers/fiats as they are wider.
Due to the uncertainty of any wiring/corrosion, I have been advised best to start from scratch. I reckon around 6-8k for the van and a further 6k to fit it out.
Looking at relays/boxers/fiats as they are wider.
Due to the uncertainty of any wiring/corrosion, I have been advised best to start from scratch. I reckon around 6-8k for the van and a further 6k to fit it out.
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