Campervan tips?

[mx wcfc]

I'm taking the plunge and looking to get a van in time for festival season. my Ford Focus is at death's door, and if I bin it there is room on the drive for a camper. The original plan was just to buy an elderly Transit and chuck a second hand bed in the back, but mrs mx won't put up with a white van in the drive.

It need only last 2 or 3 years, and I have a limited budget (poss £7k max) - the thinking behind just getting a panel van was that they are half the price of a campervan. I'm not over fussy - I just want anything more comfortable and easy than a tent. I need to be able to stand up and I'm looking at SWB so I can still park it in the drive and pop down Sainsburys in it. I'm not looking at "mobile homes", and the letters "VW" seem to add £££s to the price of anything. Plus I want a fixed bed and a bit of space.

The more windows, the more blackout material I'd have to buy and tape up, and whilst a loo would be nice for those 3am bladder bursting wake up calls, I get on fine with a big milk carton if needs be. I have camping kit so I don't need cooking etc facilities, though an awning would be a bonus. A leisure battery seems like a good idea, if only for charging phones/vapes. Lighting?

I'm scouring ebay and gumtree, keeping an eye on prices and I'm not rushing into anything. I am planning to spend a weekend soon going out to check a few out before bidding. I'm not buying anything before I see it driving and check the mot etc.

Any tips? warnings? any avoid-at-all-costs? anything I haven't thought of?

cheers!

 

[bellaozzydog]

I’m a fan of keeping it simple and secure. My camper is insulated and carpeted walls and sponge tile floor not much else. Just got a bench bed.
It means it’s a flexible space and doesn’t feel cramped. Once you start putting everything in it just gets more cramped and less usable

Keep it simple

My en-suite is a garden hose with a funnel that gets put in a little hole in the floor

 

[Ground Elder]

Keep it simple is good advice.

Are you looking to buy something already converted?

Facebook groups are a good place to look - loads of advice and sales.
Leisure battery - 12v LED lighting, phone charging, but not for anything much heavier. Fitted electric hook up is very useful, when you've the opportunity for 240v
Off grid for any length of time consider a solar panel.
Sliding doors are always a pain in the arse - leaky, sometimes hard to shut from the inside* etc - but mostly unavoidable in panel vans
Ventilation - windows that actually open are great*. Also consider condensation - bare metal and glass will attract - good insulation is also essential
Storage space wants to be as accessible as possible*
Don't be seduced by a good looking interior - getting a solid, reliable van is the most important bit
Go for the biggest van you can fit in your parking space
It's advantageous to get something that is already registered as a camper, but not essential - easier for insurance purposes and less stringent MOT

After decades of shoddily converted panel vans*, I'm now a smug owner of a 1994 Hymer

*bitter experience

 

[Saul Goodman]

anything I haven't thought of?

How many hotel rooms you can get for 7 grand over 3 years?

 

[Tankus]

Seen something about camper vans being reclassified with a significant hike in road tax by a couple of hundred quid..dunno

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

How many hotel rooms you can get for 7 grand over 3 years?

Or indeed glamping tents at festivals...

 

[Ground Elder]

Seen something about camper vans being reclassified with a significant hike in road tax by a couple of hundred quid..dunno

I think that's a one off tax on sales of new motor homes, not road tax.

 

[mx wcfc]

How many hotel rooms you can get for 7 grand over 3 years?

The festivals I go to are sometimes in the back end of nowhere. Plus I like the vibe in the campsite. Plus I have been known to struggle to get back to my tent, so getting somewhere to get a taxi back to hotel miles away might be a stretch.

 

[salem]

Watch out for the ulez if you're in London or going to visit

 

[bellaozzydog]

Look at the cube shaped panel vans that have vertical side walls rather than sloping walls. Much roomier and more usable space (plus they are seen on cheaper makes) fiat ducato, Peugeot boxer, Renault master etc

 

[Boudicca]

I have a Mazda Bongo if you want a look around one. Much cheaper than the VW and lots of support and meetups.

 

[not-bono-ever]

a mate had a bongo- loved it but said is was a bit thirsty ?

 

[Boudicca]

a mate had a bongo- loved it but said is was a bit thirsty ?

Yes, it is a bit, but I love driving it.

 

[nick]

Or indeed glamping tents at festivals...

Having just booked some I can tell you the simple answer:
Not many

 

[19sixtysix]

A small romahome is in your price bracket but need checking for rust is based on the citroen visa.
They are perfect for festivals

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