Camper van

[wacomuk]

We are thinking of buying a van and converting it in to a camper.
We are looking to spend around the £3000 mark on the van
What vans are good? I know transits are a strong van but what about iveco and sprinters etc
I don't really fancy a front wheel drive van
Is it easy to register converted vans?

[MrT]

I assume you're after a 'modern' van?

If it really must be RWD...

Transit - the best in the business, but pick your spec and engine carefully and be fussy.
Sprinter - overpriced, horrible to drive, unreliable (oddly, the later the van, the less reliable!) shoite, if I'm honest (and yes, that is personal experience - been running fleets of vans for years and tried most of them).
LDV Maxus - good van, and quite pleasing to own in a 'two fingers up at the opposition' kind of way.
Iveco - probably a bit too big and 'industrial for what you want.

If I can persuade you to go FWD...

Despatch/Relay/Boxer - OK if you buy carefully and don't thrash it too regularly, feels a bit cheap, but good to drive. Can be unreliable though.
Movano/Master - avoid at all costs!

That's the big ones covered - wanna go smaller?

Dale

[austinpowers]

I have to say that out of all the different vans I have driven the Transit vans are the best.
They really do drive like a large car, at work I drive a transit jumbo and you just don't feel like you are driving something that is nearly twice as long as a large car.

[wagoneer]

We have a Renault Master high roof (Vauxhall badged one also available!) and it's not a good drive. The van is very bouncy, the seat doesn't recline well and the radio/satnav is awful. Engine and box are nice though!

[chess]

VW T4 all the way, its retro, its small enough to use everyday, it goes in car parks and will only increase in value if its registered as a motor caravan. I have just sold mine had it for 6 months it failed its MOT hideously but as I had done a very basic conversion I sold it for more than it cost.
Registering is quite easy ill the info is on the DVLA site, motor caravans as they call them are cheaper to insure and there are companies that will insure a van and give you 3 months to convert it.

[MrT]

Aug 13, 2010 21:21:20 GMT chess said:

Registering is quite easy ill the info is on the DVLA site, motor caravans as they call them are cheaper to insure and there are companies that will insure a van and give you 3 months to convert it.

Now that is useful info.

I think the OP is after a slightly larger van that a T4, but that still applies. I've actually been wondering how well a 'dayvan/overnighter' built on a largish MPV (Galaxy/Sedona/Voyager/etc) might work, as a cheaper alternative to a T4...

[PandaSelecta]

Why have either rwd or fwd, when you can have 4wd ;D



(looks identical to mine which is for sale for £800)

[chess]

Aug 13, 2010 21:25:52 GMT MrT said:

Aug 13, 2010 21:21:20 GMT chess said:

Registering is quite easy ill the info is on the DVLA site, motor caravans as they call them are cheaper to insure and there are companies that will insure a van and give you 3 months to convert it.

Now that is useful info.

I think the OP is after a slightly larger van that a T4, but that still applies. I've actually been wondering how well a 'dayvan/overnighter' built on a largish MPV (Galaxy/Sedona/Voyager/etc) might work, as a cheaper alternative to a T4...

It is possible but has to have a high bed, as a double takes up all the available space, so you can store everything under it and you have to dress/undress without standing up, I did it with a Sintra but it would be difficult to register as 'motor caravan'.

[Brian Damaged]

Early Sprinters are great, if you can find one that hasn't done starship mileage. Our old S-plated 312 at work had 370k on it and still drove well when we sold it, the 04-plated facelift (dash gearchange) 311 we have now is a dog by comparison with just over half the miles under its wheels.

Ivecos are great if you can find one that isn't rotten. They are normally solid underneath but the body panels just dissolve. We had an ex-Notts Police dog van LWB Daily 45-12 when we started rallying, it pulled like a train but boy was it rotten.

If it's just the two of you I'd be tempted by the T4 route. Just the job when touring as you can squeeze 'em in under car park height restrictions, especially if you lower it..... (thats how to justify a slam-job to your other half, anyway... )

[popuptoaster]

there is info on the DVLA website about what you have to fit to get your van classed as a camper, for example you have to have a table you can eat at, running water, a bed etc etc.

[wacomuk]

Thanks for the info guys! are sprinters unreliable with high miles or just poo in general?
every FWD van i have encountered has had gearbox problems, especially my mates vauxhall movano

[popuptoaster]

is there a particular reason you want to convert your own van? if you buy one ready built its likely to have less miles and less wear and tear on it than a van thats spent its life doing commercial duties, you can buy perfectly acceptable campers for 3 grand, even classic ones if you look around.

Personally i'd stay away from VW vans, they are all scene taxed, even the newer ones, my transit cost me 500 quid and is pretty solid although it came wth no gearbox in it (could have bought one for 50 quid had i been keeping it original) and needing some reassembly, how much would a solid 30 old VW van have cost?

[retrowagen1234]

Aug 14, 2010 9:05:13 GMT popuptoaster said:

is there a particular reason you want to convert your own van? if you buy one ready built its likely to have less miles and less wear and tear on it than a van thats spent its life doing commercial duties, you can buy perfectly acceptable campers for 3 grand, even classic ones if you look around.

Personally i'd stay away from VW vans, they are all scene taxed, even the newer ones, my transit cost me 500 quid and is pretty solid although it came wth no gearbox in it (could have bought one for 50 quid had I been keeping it original) and needing some reassembly, how much would a solid 30 old VW van have cost?

although I agree with the statement about buying one allready converted... I don't agree with steering clear of vw's. Yes some are scene taxed. It depends where you look. Buy one off an old couple and it wont be. Your going to get a solid, reliable van with great aftersales in every respect, and itll hold its value for years, then shoot up when it becomes retro... Its the best bet if you want to hold on to your money.

Oh and my SOLID 72 hightop bay , running with full camping interior cost £500!! depends where you look and don't believe the whole vw tax hype...



Other than that, Id say steer clear of sprinters... I used to drive a 2000 plated one where I used to work and it was awefull... We traded it in on a vito and that was worse.... frankly merc vans suck... The vauxhall vivaro thingy we had was ok, bit boring and gave ya a numb ass after a while....

It depends how big a van you want I guess? Japanese?


URVAN maybe? if you can find a good one.... or a hiace? theres probably some camper kits floating around somewhere for hiaces.....

[popuptoaster]

I guess we all get lucky sometimes, a ready to use camper for £500 is cheap whatever make it is let alone a tax free '72 VW bay window, the cheapest BIN on Ebay at the mo for a bay is 6 grand which gives you an idea of what they would normally be worth.

[popuptoaster]

Nothing to do with me but this is for sale over on Freds mk1 &2 transit forum,

mk1mk2transit.19.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=1361&highlight=


1500 quid or near offer.

[wacomuk]

we have bought a 2003 citreon relay 2.8 hdi 130bhp and 220lb

[MrT]

A very good choice

[mortcars]

cant praise VW T4's highly enough, ive had loads and still have one now, if you want a bit more space get a LWB.

[alfazer]

You need to look here for everything self-build. A great forum and some retro stuff too. www.sbmcc.co.uk

[HARDCORE]

Aug 13, 2010 21:45:06 GMT Brian Damaged said:

you can squeeze 'em in under car park height restrictions, especially if you lower it..... (thats how to justify a slam-job to your other half, anyway... )

That is brilliant ;D