[Misc] Campervan thingie - help pls!

[WATFORD zero]

Ha, ha funny you should say that.
Went to a holiday home 2 years back in the middle of the Kent countryside, the shower kept going hot and cold. I had a word with the property owner…..”how can I put this, the fancy looking shower is shite” He showed me the boiler (combi) the water was pumped from a spring.

I do hope you didn't suck air through your teeth GP style

 

[BN9 BHA]

I do hope you didn't suck air through your teeth GP style

I wasn’t impressed when he said other guests hadn’t mentioned it.

 

[Bansko Seagull]

That's a nice van. We spend August bank holiday most years down at West Bay with Bournemouth & Poole dive club and some of the members there have beautiful vans, all in the 80k+ new though. Not what I'd like to be driving down a narrow road in Western Ireland or Cornwall.

Perfect for them, as they're all pretty much retired and can use the van frequently enough to get the value as you certainly have it would seem.

Once I retire I would like to do the Grand European tour with Mr Laz (she's my wife now) in a slightly larger 2 berth van, with a shower, fixed bed etc. I see so many accounts of trips all over the continent, and it really appeals to me. I just need to get to retirement age with enough pension and health left to make it happen!

It’s a great van for us but it is an older one and therefore doesn’t meet Euro 6 which is a bit of a nuisance. I hope you get to do your European tour.

 

[Bansko Seagull]

What's the fuel economy.like on that? Looks really spacious

It is an older model so doesn’t meet Euro 6 but drives well. It’s very reasonable on fuel but we do only do longer journeys in it and I haven’t measured it accurately. (It’s definitely more economical than Seagull Travel).

 

[Bansko Seagull]

Out of interest looked up the model to see what it looked like - first one I saw on auto trader - very good with the number plate https://www.autotrader.co.uk/motorhome-details/202305197549270?advertising-location=at_motorhomes

I really shouldn’t have looked at the link- it’s very tempting now to upgrade, if just to get the number plate!

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Recently saw a VW Buzz thought it looked great and might get into these things, looked at the price + £80K ........................... HA HA

 

[happypig]

The only advice I can offer is: You can buy a camper van on Ebay for three grand but, for the love of god, dont.

 

[zefarelly]

BUy a few mags (no not that sort)
Do some homework

Having been full circle, id suggest a conversion, something around 10 years old probably offers best vLue

Look for rust, under damp/mould i nside and dont be fooled by VW’s

October/november is probably a good time to buy

Spend as much as you can afford and look after it, they hold thier value if well maintained.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

We have just had an addition to the family and my partner mentioned that she'd quite like to buy a camper van/mobile home (not a caravan) so that we can do long weekends/a week (or maybe 2?) in the UK and near continent with the little one, instead of braving airports and planes with a screaming child. Like an idiot, I said "yes, that sounds like a good idea" - As mitigation, I have only the fact that the perpetual extreme tiredness has fuddled my rationality.

One small problem. I know nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing about said vehicles. Thinking about the various things I need to research: how the f do I get power to it? how do we cook? how do we shower? what the f do I do with shit and piss? what facilities do I look for on a site that we might visit? is it legal to just park it anywhere? which models are reliable? As I said I know nothing about any of this. The only thing I do know is that it'll need to sleep 3, in two beds (and for a couple of years, it'll need to be able to sleep a baby/toddler).

I'm sure that some of you do know stuff. Any tips welcome...

No advise other than perhaps rent one a couple of times before you buy.

 

[ForestRowSeagull]

Hi - we have a VW 'California Beach'. 4 berth. Its great - but I think even second hand it was 50k ish. Got to factor in all the added 'bits' too that cost surprisingly high amounts

 

[Nobby]

Cheers - a lot to go do some research about.

Great reply from Papa Lazarazou
Really good advice there

We’ve just been changing our minds for the last five months on whether to go for Van Conversion/ Campervan or Coachbuilt/Motorhome.
Deposit on a more top end Campervan paid yesterday!
Decided we wanted a converted van rather than a caravan on wheels - less chance of damp and water ingress and easier to manoeuvre, park and drive.

But it was a really touch and go decision - Motorhomes are generally more spacious, have more storage and more luxuries.

However, our 2 person van will have air ride suspension, solar power, Wi-Fi, bathroom with separate shower and loo. 25 litre underslung gas tank so no need for gas bottles, and 170bhp engine.
The heating and fridge will work on either electric or gas and there’s a full sized side awning.

We’ve done so much research on all this our brains are even more fuddled than normal.

What we’ve found is that it’s much easier to get a Motorhome at the moment, Van Conversions are like hens teeth. And prices continue to rocket although depreciation is minimal. We’ve found with some models, that second hand vans are as expensive as new - as there are less snagging issues and supply issues mean lengthy lead times.

PM if you need any explanations or advice on how to go about starting the process.

We’re now like kids at Christmas waiting for the new van.

 

[jackanada]

I miss just having one baby.

Take advantage of the fact that one baby is incredibly portable. You can pick up the baby and a small bag and you're off. For a day trip you can just about stuff everything you need in your pockets.
They get in everywhere for free, they travel for free, all manner of staff are delighted to see them (do tip well should the bairn trash the place though).
Of course you're only a short way in so you don't believe this yet, but once sleep is more settled hopefully you will because this is a limited window.

So f*** the campervan, book some flights when brain fog lifts.

 

[Willow]

Hello @Goldstone1976, how did you get on with your campervan dilemma? Did you take the plunge?

@Nobby, getting good use out of your shiny new toy?

I have some budget and have been looking at the VW California range but nothing quite ticks all my boxes. Ideally I would like the electric VW ID Buzz California which is slated for release but could still be some years away!

 

[North East Seagull]

Hello @Goldstone1976, how did you get on with your campervan dilemma? Did you take the plunge?

@Nobby, getting good use out of your shiny new toy?

I have some budget and have been looking at the VW California range but nothing quite ticks all my boxes. Ideally I would like the electric VW ID Buzz California which is slated for release but could still be some years away!

An ID Buzz camper would be awesome but I suspect way out of my budget. I’ll have to stick with my battered old T5 conversion (which I love) for a while yet..

 

[Diablo]

spend say £50k and do all work yourself. Depreciation,Insurance,Petrol. Cheaper to drive car (which I`m sure you`ve got) and book in to hotels for B&B.

£50K in bank would give you £2000 year @4% !!

 

[albionalba]

Ideally I would like the electric VW ID Buzz California which is slated for release but could still be some years away!

There are 'properly crash tested' Buzz camper conversions out there such as this one:
https://www.coast2coastcampers.co.uk/vw-camper-conversions/101-the-id-buzz

 

[Chicken Run]

We have just had an addition to the family and my partner mentioned that she'd quite like to buy a camper van/mobile home (not a caravan) so that we can do long weekends/a week (or maybe 2?) in the UK and near continent with the little one, instead of braving airports and planes with a screaming child. Like an idiot, I said "yes, that sounds like a good idea" - As mitigation, I have only the fact that the perpetual extreme tiredness has fuddled my rationality.

One small problem. I know nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing about said vehicles. Thinking about the various things I need to research: how the f do I get power to it? how do we cook? how do we shower? what the f do I do with shit and piss? what facilities do I look for on a site that we might visit? is it legal to just park it anywhere? which models are reliable? As I said I know nothing about any of this. The only thing I do know is that it'll need to sleep 3, in two beds (and for a couple of years, it'll need to be able to sleep a baby/toddler).

I'm sure that some of you do know stuff. Any tips welcome...

First came the Child, then the Hens, and now a campervan i’m assuming it’s a dog next, i’m assuming you’re still quite young to have the energy for this?

 

[Whoislloydy]

We just sold our campervan a couple of months ago, built it myself during COVID. It was a 2002 GMC Savana 5.7L v8. Did a 10,000km road trip last summer through interior BC, Canadian Rockies, down through Washington, Oregon and California. Once in a lifetime trip, I took a career break and my partner was changing jobs.

I was reluctant to sell it, but it was 23 years old and was getting expensive to maintain, everything that went wrong was another $2k

 

[Willow]

There are 'properly crash tested' Buzz camper conversions out there such as this one:
https://www.coast2coastcampers.co.uk/vw-camper-conversions/101-the-id-buzz

The regular Buzz is too small for my 6'4 frame. The Buzz California looks like it will be the bees knees but VW are dragging their heels, citing insufficient market demand which is surprising.

spend say £50k and do all work yourself. Depreciation,Insurance,Petrol. Cheaper to drive car (which I`m sure you`ve got) and book in to hotels for B&B.

£50K in bank would give you £2000 year @4% !!

Believe me, I am a renowned frugalist, but this sort of DIY skill is not in my Toolbox. In fact, I don't even have a toolbox. There are many third parties that can do the conversion on your behalf but that bumps the price back up and the waiting lists are exceptional.

 

[albionalba]

The regular Buzz is too small for my 6'4 frame.

Ah, sorry, I get what you mean now. Not sure many campers are comfy for you tall folk. I've owned an old petrol Autosleeper in the past and hired a few different ones and beds always seem short. Never wanted to own a diesel one and electric would be great to see. I wonder what the range will be for a Buzz California? I keep entering Best of the Best for the hybrid eMultivan as have this dream of driving down from Scotland for home matches with a kip along the way (and no range anxiety).....