using an mpv as a day van ?

[smallzoo]

For a few months now we have looked a sub £10k small campervans for days out and the occasional weekend away. Just my wife and I and 2 sometimes 3 dogs.

Currently if we go out for the day we would take my old utterly reliable 2005 passat b5.5 estate.

but we had these sort of dream that we would like to stop somewhere, make ourselves a brew and stuff, sit and admire the view with the dogs ( even it is was raining lol )

Looking for a cheap campervan has been hilarious. The obvious VW T4/T5, Toyota Hiace, Transit etc etc. 99% of them have been dogs, infinity mileage or just plain wrong !

So then we thought, lets forget about sleeping, what about a 7 seater, remove the middle seats so all the dogs can lie there ( restrained of course ) and if its got a sliding side door then all we would need ( ! ) is one of those customer campboxes which fits behind the rear seats and away we go !

Are we living in cloud cuckoo land... 7 seater MPV's are so much cheaper than campervans.. is it even possible

thanks

Peter (Cheshire)

[ADJimbo]

smallzoo said:

For a few months now we have looked a sub £10k small campervans for days out and the occasional weekend away. Just my wife and I and 2 sometimes 3 dogs.

Currently if we go out for the day we would take my old utterly reliable 2005 passat b5.5 estate.

but we had these sort of dream that we would like to stop somewhere, make ourselves a brew and stuff, sit and admire the view with the dogs ( even it is was raining lol )

Looking for a cheap campervan has been hilarious. The obvious VW T4/T5, Toyota Hiace, Transit etc etc. 99% of them have been dogs, infinity mileage or just plain wrong !

So then we thought, lets forget about sleeping, what about a 7 seater, remove the middle seats so all the dogs can lie there ( restrained of course ) and if its got a sliding side door then all we would need ( ! ) is one of those customer campboxes which fits behind the rear seats and away we go !

Are we living in cloud cuckoo land... 7 seater MPV's are so much cheaper than campervans.. is it even possible

thanks

Peter (Cheshire)

SsangYong Rodius / Turismo. They even convert them into day vans / campers.

https://www.practicalmotorhome.com/reviews/ssangyo...

Edited by ADJimbo on Monday 8th September 16:25

[smallzoo]

said:

Thanks

for under £10k ?

[andrewcliffe]

Something JDM like the Nissan Elgrand, Toyota Alphard or whatever the equivalent Honda is?

[tendown]

It'd work but not much different to putting your camp kitchen in the back of your Passat.

I don't know of any MPvs these days that would have a remotely flat floor if you took the middle seats out, the rearmost seats aren't usually too comfortable and there wouldnt be much room behind the rear row for a kitchen (if that's where you meant?)

[smallzoo]

tendown said:

It'd work but not much different to putting your camp kitchen in the back of your Passat.

I don't know of any MPvs these days that would have a remotely flat floor if you took the middle seats out, the rearmost seats aren't usually too comfortable and there wouldnt be much room behind the rear row for a kitchen (if that's where you meant?)

It was so thanks for that...

[Lefty]

Stupid question, what’s a day van?

[MattyD803]

Something like an E51 Nissan Elgrand would be ideal here I think. Nice ones are had for under £10k - you might even find one with a pop top roof for that.

[RustyNissanPrairie]

Honda Stpwagn, Hyundai i800, XL Berlingo/Rifter or VW caravelle if you want to pay the VW tax.

[South tdf]

We have a 14 year old Berlingo Multipspace that was purchased for moving building materials and it’s indestructible despite 120,000 miles.

I have noticed lots of people convert them into day van / campers with furnace available online.

[ADJimbo]

Lefty said:

Stupid question, what s a day van?

It’s like a mini-motorhome that you can brew up in, sit around around in it at the Coast etc. but not necessarily sleep in it for a fortnight / go away on your holibobs.

That’s my (very) limited understanding anyway.

[Lefty]

Ahhh ok, cheers!

[RustyNissanPrairie]

South tdf said:

We have a 14 year old Berlingo Multipspace that was purchased for moving building materials and it s indestructible despite 120,000 miles.

I have noticed lots of people convert them into day van / campers with furnace available online.

Likewise except mine is 21 year old Peugeot Partner (same as a Berlingo). I kept a Kelly kettle, water, pot noodles/pasta etc in a plastic Euro box in the back. Had some awesome post Snowdonia area hiking brews in the back with my beloved tired out dog besides me. I also have two Porsche Cayennes and whilst they are dynamically far better cars the form factor of the MPV with its large tailgate and high headroom in the back keeps it being my favourite vehicle that I own. Newer Berlingo's are bigger/longer but unfortunately the engines have issues (diesels have timing chain thickness recall's and the petrol is a stupid wet belt design)

You can get 'boot jumps' that turn them into convertible camper's (Campal / Amdro) and drive away boot awnings.

Edited by RustyNissanPrairie on Monday 8th September 21:13

Edited by RustyNissanPrairie on Monday 8th September 21:15

[smallzoo]

Nice

do you think I would get 3 dogs and some sort of campbox in one ?