The Campervan Thread

[Ridgeway]

WE have a peugeot van, would like something bigger, but not a motorhome, Mercedes vito with a bed in the pop top will do, Lack of parking for anything bigger, plus increased running cost, we get 50+mpg out of the peugeot, am guessing a vito would be around 40 mpg. don't know the consumtions on the bigger motorhomes.

We get 25mpg on our MoHo although we‘re 5.5t.

TBH it was the same on our previous, smaller 3.5t van as it towed the box trailer for the 5 bikes.

 

[Gunk]

While we're on the subject, mine is going in on Saturday to be fitted with a Fiamma awning and some more engine power.

Remap?

 

[mikeIow]

Well we are selling up. TIme to go back to car from our professionally converted poptop roofed, nearly complete campervan. Kind of a day van cross camper that you have to use a camping stove with. Not sure where or how to sell it but it is going. It is a van that started the conversion just before the Covid pandemic hit and was finished after it by a good local converter. We got what we could afford done and decided that we didn't actually need or want anything else added. The intention was to put in a kitchen and full set of electrics until use made us realise it was not us.

So it does not fit into day van territory or full campervan territory. I think I see day vans at £16k and full campers in the £20-30k+ range for a Vivaro van from about 2016 ish age. Does that mean I should offer at £16k or higher? I once saw on Quirky Campers sales page a partially converted vivaro from 2014 base van for £17,999!!! It was not even fully lined out, no LED, battery, bed or anything. It is not on QC site now. I really do not understand used camper pricing.

Sounds intriguing! Any pictures?
Might help someone apply a faint valuation 🤷‍♂️

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I was handed this on Friday

A patient had left the magazine on a ward, which was nice, as l considered buying it last week

They’ve done some fairly nice builds

https://www.rigautomotive.co.uk/

 

[G-Zero]

My camper in tour mode !

Bought it new in 2017 when there was just me, my dog and my kayak, but acquired a kayaking/cycling wife along the way

 

[Jameshow]

Beware anyone with a camper as a sole vehicle.

My insurance company were funny with my NCB as it's been on a camper for past few years.

Going to underwriters for clarification...

 

[Drago]

Beware anyone with a camper as a sole vehicle.

Mine is my sole vehicle. Adrian Fux were fine with that.

 

[Jameshow]

Mine is my sole vehicle. Adrian Fux were fine with that.

View attachment 751873

View attachment 751874

My situation is going back to a car.

I went with cheap insurance, probably a bad mistake tbh. Better going with a big brand...

 

[Drago]

I've been there before with my old pickup. It's usually not a problem going back and forward between cars and such vehicles with your NCD. Usually.

That said, you are right in that the odd insurer here and there gets arsey soma wise person asks the question before signing on.

 

[Ridgeway]

Our last summer weekend outing (1st wk Sept):

Most of the time being spent on the lake😉

Having the tow bracket fitted this winter for the car trailer, things will get a big long then… close to 13m

 

[Gwylan]

Beware anyone with a camper as a sole vehicle.

My insurance company were funny with my NCB as it's been on a camper for past few years.

Going to underwriters for clarification...

Thank you. We share the vehicles in our household. Will watch that.
Might have to sell to the youthish other half and be named driver. But it does complicate things.

 

[fossyant]

Still on the look out here. Even if it's a people carrier van, it won't be used mid week, so we will do some more research and looking come January. Still really want to tent it, as we've a cracker of a 'glamping' cotton tent for longer stays, but one nights, I plan having a boot jump installed permanently where the parcel shelf would be. A couple of preferred options, and one company does the floor rail bolt in mini kitchen too. Too much to think about.

The original plan was scuppered by taking MrsF to the Motorhome show. Its got complicated. Nice complication to have though.

The get a fast two seater sports car would be cheaper, but MrsF has seen the opportunities with a van for seaside day visits/ quick stop overs mid week on camp sites, move on find somewhere else to stop. What ever I get needs to carry bikes inside, oh and some BHP's for the Welsh hills.

 

[BoldonLad]

Having been to the Camper show at the NEC, MrsF has now seen what coach built are like. I'm a little bothered by size, and some planning needed when parking by the coast due to height. Still prefer my Pug Traveller idea with a fold out bed system in the boot.

Added benefit is that the ones we liked were compact with a spacious interior. The Chausson Flash 610 (used) looks like a good van, with a large accessible garage that will take full bikes, paddle board and stuff.

Tell me a van is a better idea. PS We don't need an additional daily. We do have parking and can add an additional stone area on the side garden to get a small car off the road.

The Van I'm looking at is 5.5m, a motor home 6.5ish

We have a Chausson 610 Welcome (2017) Fiat Ducato based.

It is the fourth Coach built we have owned. (two Elddis, 1 Autotrail preceded it).

From 2005 - 2020 we spent 6 - 7 months a year roaming mainland Europe, typically arranged as two trips January-May and September-October. Fantastic!

The roaming came to an end with Covid, and, subsequently Brexit made long stays more difficult (although not impossible), added to that, my wife's failing health means that long trips are not plausible.

My view is the choice of van type and layout is very much a personal thing. Personally, I would not want to spend 4 months in a VW camper type van, but, on the other hand, our current Chausson is less than ideal for short (eg 2-3 weeks or less) in UK. (UK is notoriously "unfriendly" to Motorhomes.

In short, it very much depends on how you are going to use the van, and, your personal preferences.

 

[Drago]

Indeed. Mine is my 'daily' drive (more like weekly as I prefer to walk or cycle, but you know what I mean.)

My old Eddis was simply too big for anything other than going away and just wasn't being used as a result.

The VW, on the other hand, can be used much like a normal car, can park in a normal bay, and does 45 mpg if driven sensitively. It's actually more comfortable to sleep in than the Eddis, which had the berth across the width so the bed wasn't quite long enough for me.

Also the VW is great as a base for days out, something the old coach built was impractical for.

Whatever we choose presents a compromise in some area, and Mr Lad is correct when he says everyone's favourite position on the compromise scale is entirely personal.

 

[dicko]

Ten years ago we hired a camper van in New Zealand. The camp sites were pretty basic