Who lives in a van? Or wants to?

[David Clapson]

I may have. But I didn't realise it was a sentient life form.

 

[David Clapson]

Does anyone have first hand experience of a composting toilet? They're claimed to be less stinky. Or something.

 

[bmd]

Does anyone have first hand experience of a composting toilet? They're claimed to be less stinky. Or something.

Are you shitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.

I have looked into this. I also have dropped a deuce at the biggest composting loo I've ever seen, at Glastonbury. I got there early doors due to work and it was empty, like a small room dug into the ground. There was one of those builder's merchant bags full of sawdust at either end of the row. At the end of the week this small room was now a cube of human shite, liberally sprinkled with sawdust. It didn't smell too nasty. I have a few books on the subject in pdf form if you're interested.

Also, there are compost loos which are so named because you use compost to cover your shite and composting which you won't find in a van due to being emptied/re-sited less regularly. If they weren't then they would have nothing to compost.

 

[Sweet FA]

How many things can you plug in while you're driving and not flatten your battery? I always have my phone plugged in for satnav/music and a 12v camping fridge. What about another phone and a fan? Everything gets unplugged whenever I stop.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

How many things can you plug in while you're driving and not flatten your battery? I always have my phone plugged in for satnav/music and a 12v camping fridge. What about another phone and a fan? Everything gets unplugged whenever I stop.

Why would you want a fan when you're driving? Just open the window.

And the faster you drive the more amps you can draw, most Audi drivers are mining Bitcoin, hence the need to fucking 'ave it...

 

[Sweet FA]

Why would you want a fan when you're driving? Just open the window.

And the faster you drive the more amps you can draw, most Audi drivers are mining Bitcoin, hence the need to fucking 'ave it...

Because I'm driving to Portugal in August and I've heard it gets a bit toasty. It's for the dog really - I've got aircon, I'm not a hippy. The dog goes on the floor behind the front seats so the dashboard fans don't reach him.

 

[Dystopiary]

Does anyone have first hand experience of a composting toilet? They're claimed to be less stinky. Or something.

Yeah, not in a van though, only outside.

 

[Sweet FA]

2 men and a dog go to Portugal in a van.

 

[Orang Utan]

Getting the impression that greyhounds are either all-go whirlwinds or bed-loving layabouts with no inbetween?

 

[Callie]

Getting the impression that greyhounds are with all-go whirlwinds or bed-loving layabouts with no inbetween?

They go very fast now and then but mostly like sleeping. Preferably upside down, legs in the air

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

When you buy a parrot you must buy a dictionary, when you get a long-thing you must buy a cushion, said the Lord.

 

[Sweet FA]

And then carry the cushion around with you at all times lest your hound want to lie down but lo he cannot for he is too bony. Ffs.

 

[Sweet FA]

Getting the impression that greyhounds are either all-go whirlwinds or bed-loving layabouts with no inbetween?

Tbf they'll walk for miles but broadly yes: run at the speed of sound for 3 or 4 minutes then eat* then sleep for 8 hours, pref, as Callie says, with legs in the air.


*Wait 30-40 mins before feeding as they can get twisted stomachs

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

And then carry the cushion around with you at all times lest your hound want to lie down but lo he cannot for he is too bony. Ffs.

Oh yes, on top of the three household cousins (and four beds), there is of course the car cushion, plus the pub-blanket…

 

[Sweet FA]

Er what's this? (I know it's the exhaust ) How important is the casing that's hanging off? Can I cut it off?

I'm here for the next couple of days and I'm near Faro so could get it fixed/replaced if I have to. Or it could wait til where I'm going in Spain but that's another 400km and the last few miles is on unmade road.

bmd Boudicca bellaozzydog David Clapson Part 2 kalidarkone

 

[bellaozzydog]

Er what's this? (I know it's the exhaust ) How important is the casing that's hanging off? Can I cut it off?

I'm here for the next couple of days and I'm near Faro so could get it fixed/replaced if I have to. Or it could wait til where I'm going in Spain but that's another 400km and the last few miles is on unmade road.

bmd Boudicca bellaozzydog David Clapson Part 2 kalidarkone

View attachment 336972View attachment 336973

How does it sound

 

[Sweet FA]

How does it sound

Fine. Just the bits hanging down scraping the road.

 

[bellaozzydog]

Fine. Just the bits hanging down scraping the road.

A bit of wire around might help. Ultimately if it sounds alright it’ll keep going (it’ll keep going if it sounds like tiger tank TBH)

Neatening it up with wire might prevent it getting caught and causing damage which effects the integrity of the system (hole)

Having said that it looks quite fucked you might try and tidy it up and when you touch it, it all collapses in orange dust

You need to Get under it with a screw driver and a torch (on a ramp at a friendly garage would be ideal) and have a gentle poke around

Ultimately you need a new bit of exhaust/whole exhaust

Caveat not a mechanic

 

[Sweet FA]

I guessed as much - thanks. Its rusty af under there and I reckon it all might fly away if I'm not careful.

Right, now to find a mechanic.

 

[A380]

I guessed as much - thanks. Its rusty af under there and I reckon it all might fly away if I'm not careful.

Right, now to find a mechanic.

 

[ska invita]

Unless you have a filter fitted to make it compliant. I have a 1996 Toyota Hiace camper (diesel) and got a particulate filter fitted about 10 years ago when the LEZ came in. Anyone who still has an old diesel van in London has one. They're not cheap though, but they're much much cheaper than buy a new van.

How much is the filter?

ETA already answered, £2k for LEZ copmliant £5k for ULEZ - is that right?

Ulez spreading to M25 plus other cities I gather

ULEZ Expansion 2023

To help clear London's air, the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expanded across all London boroughs on 29 August 2023.

tfl.gov.uk

"Cities with clean air zones
Bath has a Class C clean air zone.

Birmingham has a Class D clean air zone.

Portsmouth has a Class B clean air zone.

Future clean air zones
Bradford will start charging on 26 September 2022.

Bristol will start charging on 28 November 2022.

Greater Manchester (under review).

Sheffield will start charging in early 2023.

Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead) will start charging in winter: late 2022 to early 2023."

More cities will implement clean air zones in 2022.

 

[Boudicca]

I decided I wanted a ULEZ compliant van but because I wanted automatic transmission and because the market is wierd (lead times on new vans are really long), it's been impossible to find for a reasonable sum of money. So making do with the Berlingo at the moment.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

How much is the filter?

ETA already answered, £2k for LEZ copmliant £5k for ULEZ - is that right?

Ulez spreading to M25 plus other cities I gather

ULEZ Expansion 2023

To help clear London's air, the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expanded across all London boroughs on 29 August 2023.

tfl.gov.uk

"Cities with clean air zones
Bath has a Class C clean air zone.

Birmingham has a Class D clean air zone.

Portsmouth has a Class B clean air zone.

Future clean air zones
Bradford will start charging on 26 September 2022.

Bristol will start charging on 28 November 2022.

Greater Manchester (under review).

Sheffield will start charging in early 2023.

Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead) will start charging in winter: late 2022 to early 2023."

More cities will implement clean air zones in 2022.

Can’t go right to the M25 in, e.g. Staines; was in the Metropolitan area, was removed in 2000 and now firmly in Surrey, so Kahn has no authority there. Would make sense to have all inside the M25 as part of London really. Residents would probably be ok with that, tfl rail fares etc…

 

[Sweet FA]

A bit of wire around might help. Ultimately if it sounds alright it’ll keep going (it’ll keep going if it sounds like tiger tank TBH)

Neatening it up with wire might prevent it getting caught and causing damage which effects the integrity of the system (hole)

Having said that it looks quite fucked you might try and tidy it up and when you touch it, it all collapses in orange dust

You need to Get under it with a screw driver and a torch (on a ramp at a friendly garage would be ideal) and have a gentle poke around

Ultimately you need a new bit of exhaust/whole exhaust

Caveat not a mechanic

This was spot on - cheers.

I ended up going into Faro, visiting 3 different mechanics who respectively: a) didn't do exhausts b) didn't do VW c) "leave it with me for a week".

While I was waiting, a mate with a van confirmed what you said above so I took matters into my own hands, rolled up my sleeves and ignored it.

 

[Sweet FA]

Great trip and the van was excellent - everything worked. Also easy enough to turn up at places and find somewhere to stay even in August. Switching maps to 'no motorways/tolls' works really well in France; cheap municipal campsites everywhere with decent facilities. No wild camping anywhere on the coast though - patrolled by security all night. Doesn't work so well in Spain - no municipal campsites and as it's bastard hot; camping inland is pretty uncomfortable. Me and the dog overnighted just outside Toledo - 24 degrees at 3am. Lastly, in an emergency, there are always aires that have power/toilets but it's camping in a car park; saved me 3 times this trip though.

Handy things:

• velcro pockets that stick to the interior of the van so you don't keep dropping your phone/charger/book down the side of the bed
• magnetic rechargeable light that attaches to the van:

Final night - an aire just outside Loredo. Got told off as you're not allowed to cook outside your vehicle...

 

[bmd]

How lovely. Greyhounds are chill. Ex had an Italian one called Monty. He always slept in our bed and farted all night, bless him.

Good trip?

 

[sim667]

I’d love to take my campervan to Europe at some point: we mainly just use it for pottering around festivals and the U.K.

We keep saying we’re going to do the NC500 and I’ve just had a diesel heater fitted so we can try and use it over the winter more

 

[mx wcfc]

I’d love to take my campervan to Europe at some point: we mainly just use it for pottering around festivals and the U.K.

We keep saying we’re going to do the NC500 and I’ve just had a diesel heater fitted so we can try and use it over the winter more

Furthest I've taken my van is just north of Birmingham (I'm about 25 miles from the English Channel, so "fairly south"). My local Transporter FB group have organised an NC500 tour this year, and I might be persuaded post retirement, particularly as there would be plenty of T5 mechanics on the tour, but I would want to be insured up to my arsehole to take it abroad.

But, yes, just festivals for me.

 

[bmd]

2 men, Sweet FA? Well? Where is his photo?

Also, I really am going to be living in my van through the winter as I like to live on the edge. That's what I call my bed, The Edge, because it's not the widest. Still, can't complain. Mainly because I'd be complaining to myself.

 

[t0bytoo]

I made a couple of trips around bits of the NC500 over the last year. Amazing countryside.
Hoping to go to Portugal in January so may well hit up Sweet FA for some tips