Campervans

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in4time
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Campervans

Post by in4time »

I’m thinking of getting a campervan. I want a 2 berth one that I can use as a base for day rides in remote areas. Anyone got an experienced viewpoint to share? TIA.
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Paulatic
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Re: Campervans

Post by Paulatic »

Make sure it’s going to carry bikes easily. Local keen cyclist bought one without thinking that one through. Without a thorough dismantle it was impossible to get two bikes in it and a rear cycle rack was going to create no end of problems. He since sold it and bought a mahoosive estate car.
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al_yrpal
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Re: Campervans

Post by al_yrpal »

My VW T25 has 2 berths and 2 more with the roof up. It fits into a standard parking place and is no wider than a normal car. You could carry a bike inside but most people carry them on a rear carrier. Obviously bigger more expensive vans means access to narrow lanes is more problematic. But, they often have showers and toilets instead of something like my Porta Potty.

Al
20180322_171800.jpg
Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
francovendee
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Re: Campervans

Post by francovendee »

Love the colours AL
pwa
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Re: Campervans

Post by pwa »

francovendee wrote: 5 Jul 2022, 7:52am Love the colours AL
+1
Very nice finish.
pwa
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Re: Campervans

Post by pwa »

We have a 2 berth motorhome, which in terms of size is the next step up from Al's format. A bit wider but still under 6m long, and with a loo and shower, and a proper cooker and sink. The lounge has 2 settees that face each other and which quickly convert to a double bed. It is okay to use on narrow roads, but obviously it becomes harder work on lanes. And it is (compared to a car) thirsty. 30mpg if you are light on the pedals. It has a tow bar which would take a 2 bike rack.

A bit like this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjbFek08iQw
Not as nice to look at as Al's, and a bit less nimble on narrow lanes, but more comfy when you are actually at your chosen destination and are using it as your home. It is all a question of compromises.
Last edited by pwa on 5 Jul 2022, 8:12am, edited 2 times in total.
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al_yrpal
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Re: Campervans

Post by al_yrpal »

francovendee wrote: 5 Jul 2022, 7:52am Love the colours AL
Its a 1980 Devon Moonraker in the original colours, made in Sidmouth. Very original. Now VED free, with MOT optional.

Heres the sales brochure...flares, kipper ties, everythings brown :lol:

https://devon.vwt25camper.info/DevonMoo ... hureWM.pdf

Al :D
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VinceLedge
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Re: Campervans

Post by VinceLedge »

Any small/medium size van based campervan should carry a bike or 2 without any problems, either on a rear door mounted rack or a towball mounted one. If you want to carry bikes inside then you would need to look for a conversion that has suitable storage space built into it.
Conversions of vw seem to attract a premium price new and secondhand, for no good reason that I can see.
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al_yrpal
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Re: Campervans

Post by al_yrpal »

Vee Dubs or just Dubs are a cult with a huge following which is the reason for the premium. Original T1s cost silly money. T25s like mine offer the most space but are much cheaper.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
thirdcrank
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Re: Campervans

Post by thirdcrank »

al_yrpal wrote: 5 Jul 2022, 9:17am Vee Dubs or just Dubs are a cult with a huge following which is the reason for the premium. Original T1s cost silly money. T25s like mine offer the most space but are much cheaper.

Al
Are you a member of a campervan forum you would recommend to the OP and anybody else interrested in getting one?
pwa
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Re: Campervans

Post by pwa »

When we were thinking about getting ours, one thing that directed our search was the decision that we didn't want to have to leave it to go for a tinkle in the night. We wanted a loo in it. Al's solution, of a portable toilet kept in a cupboard, is the most compact way of dealing with that.
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Nearholmer
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Re: Campervans

Post by Nearholmer »

My bro uses a “multifunctional bus”, a van/minibus with sliding side door and opening back doors, which can seat up to eight, but from which all the seats are removable pretty easily, so it can be configured in multiple ways.

It isn’t “fitted out” as a camper, but he has a whole raft of folding beds, portable potty, thing that I would call a field kitchen etc, which he loads aboard according to the demands of the trip. That way, he can configure for days out with himself, wife, two adult children and their partners, or a two person camping trip, or fishing trip, or day rides by bike from a pitch, or taking his very aged parents in law (who need all facilities close at hand) for a day out, etc.

He found that buying a bus and all the gubbins worked out far less costly than a fitted camper, and is far more flexible. Don’t ask me what model the bus is ….. I’ve ridden in it, but have no idea!

Even my good lady’s VW Sharan, which is probably roughly the size of the old Devon, gets close to being suitable for use as above, but it’s not as flexible as the bigger thing my bro has.
pwa
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Re: Campervans

Post by pwa »

Nearholmer wrote: 5 Jul 2022, 9:31am My bro uses a “multifunctional bus”, a van/minibus with sliding side door and opening back doors, which can seat up to eight, but from which all the seats are removable pretty easily, so it can be configured in multiple ways.

It isn’t “fitted out” as a camper, but he has a whole raft of folding beds, portable potty, thing that I would call a field kitchen etc, which he loads aboard according to the demands of the trip. That way, he can configure for days out with himself, wife, two adult children and their partners, or a two person camping trip, or fishing trip, or day rides by bike from a pitch, or taking his very aged parents in law (who need all facilities close at hand) for a day out, etc.

He found that buying a bus and all the gubbins worked out far less costly than a fitted camper, and is far more flexible. Don’t ask me what model the bus is ….. I’ve ridden in it, but have no idea!

Even my good lady’s VW Sharan, which is probably roughly the size of the old Devon, gets close to being suitable for use as above, but it’s not as flexible as the bigger thing my bro has.
Insurance can get a bit complicated if you reconfigure a van / bus like that. What do you insure it as? A minibus with X number of seats? If so, are you then covered if you take some seats out and fill the vacant space with other kit that might or might not be secured in the event of a crash?
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al_yrpal
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Re: Campervans

Post by al_yrpal »

thirdcrank wrote: 5 Jul 2022, 9:20am
al_yrpal wrote: 5 Jul 2022, 9:17am Vee Dubs or just Dubs are a cult with a huge following which is the reason for the premium. Original T1s cost silly money. T25s like mine offer the most space but are much cheaper.

Al
Are you a member of a campervan forum you would recommend to the OP and anybody else interrested in getting one?
No, I am not. Ask any Dubber and they will recommend a VW, so thats useless really. Small campers as above are the next step but you are talking serious money probably £20k+. Mine would go for £6k to £8k probably. For a bigger van I would look at Hymers, wonderful pieces of kit.

My advice would be go and look at lots of campers and buy in the autumn.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
pwa
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Re: Campervans

Post by pwa »

It may be worth pointing out that tow bar carriers and rear van doors get in each others way.
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