First post, is a campervan right for me? (1 Viewer)

[Langtoftlad]

Not cheap - but Wildax squeeze a 4 berth, 4 belted seats, loo & shower into a 5.34m Transit
WildAx Triton
or their Pulsar - only 2 berth but only 5m long
WildAx Pulsar

 

[beachwomble]

We had a VW T4 California for 10 years and it was ideal for us at the time and easy to live with. Our trips lasted up to 3 weeks. The limit related to available holidays. We could have toured in it a lot longer.

VW reliability and build quality is overrated. It was quite costly to maintain. From the forums it seems that the T5s were no better and perhaps worse. I don't regret the change from VW to FIAT. The FIAT X/290 dashboard in piano black is classy enough. The dials are harder to read but apart from that no real drawbacks.

Now we have a 5.4m Rapido V43 on a FIAT (no longer made by Rapido). The next size up the MH ladder. Relatively easy to park both on the drive and at the supermarket. Enough storage and payload for our needs. Of course you get more room in the longer 6m and 6.4m PVCs but all have some layout compromises and payload trade-offs so they suit different owners according to their priorities. Don't buy a PVC with only 3,300 kg MTPLM, look for 3,500 kg which most should have.

Hi and thanks for your interesting reply. I've still got to learn a few technical terms before I understand everything which is put to me. I take PVC means panel van conversion but what does MTPLM mean? Sorry I'm not up to speed with all those acronyms! I had been querying which chassis I should go for, so I'm glad you wrote about choosing the correct one. I understand that choosing the 3,500 kg chassis will increase the payload. In spec options lists I see there is a choice between a 3,500 kg Light and a 3,500 kg Max chassis.
Could you tell me the difference between the two? All I see is that the Max is a lot more expensive.

 

[SpeedyDux]

Hi and thanks for your interesting reply. I've still got to learn a few technical terms before I understand everything which is put to me. I take PVC means panel van conversion but what does MTPLM mean? Sorry I'm not up to speed with all those acronyms! I had been querying which chassis I should go for, so I'm glad you wrote about choosing the correct one. I understand that choosing the 3,500 kg chassis will increase the payload. In spec options lists I see there is a choice between a 3,500 kg Light and a 3,500 kg Max chassis.
Could you tell me the difference between the two? All I see is that the Max is a lot more expensive.

MTPLM stands for Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass as shown on the plate and V5. Also called the MAM or Maximum Allowed Mass.

The Max version of the Ducato is different from the the Light in many technical ways, including not least the capacity to upgrade the max weight. That is significant for 6.4 m PVCs which can be a bit tight for available user payload. The extra steel bodywork for the 6.4 m vans means quite a lot of extra weight plus there is more interior furniture as well. It all adds up.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[St Ivian]

 

[WingyK]

We went from a T4 to a T5 both conversions then we had a VW California T6 my Take would be as everything in the Cali is factory built it’s solid and works well however it is very bland as my husband’s daily vehicle it went anywhere without issue however we hired a moho for a w’end then next trip in the VW it rained we were climbing over each other and going to the loo was a pain, this was because we’d got used to the mohi as we’re planning long term when virus is over we sold it have a motorhome now however for 2 years we did weeks away no problem but you do need to be organised and put everything back and everything has a home !! Good luck take your time finding the right thing for you and check out the conversation co’s indepth some are horror stories !

 

[Rosemary1]

Ah yes - we are very active here!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Kannon Fodda]

The top tip (as mentioned above) has to be to attend a few shows, clamber over vans and pretend you are actually using them. Take an imaginary shower - how many times do you clobber the elbows, can you dry yourself off and such like? Can you sit on the loo and wipe your backside? If you are using an oven grill can you still get cupboard doors open for the plates? Where are you going to store the bedding when you want to use the bench seating? If you are swinging the front seats round do your legs dangle in mid air whilst slurping that morning coffee? You may be a nuisance to a dealer, so the main NEC shows may prove a bit too busy, but some of the open air ones will have a good range of vehicles to try out.

In the 5.4m length, space is undoubtedly at a premium. It can work, but there will be compromise. Some converters tend to price a model that has most stuff built into the price. Others start quite basic and you'll have a lot of add ons which can make it become expensive. Do think of storage versus payload, and also look at what capacity of water, battery and suchlike is on offer.

I have an Autotrail V-Line 540SE. If buying a few years old I had seriously considered the Autosleeper Stratfford. The v-line works well for me, but I'm on my own. I clocked up over 4,000 miles in around 4 months as I enjoyed my toy pre-covid, so living in it for over a week at a time has proven fine. But this size layout I think two people could well struggle as they'd always be having to get out of the other's way. The transverse rear bed, replacing the two bench seats is just wide enough for me at 5'11", but as one person I'll usually sleep diagonally. I've bought a mattress topper as the seat cushions that make the mattress prove lumpy at the joints. But, storage space in the van is a premium and the topper, plus duvet, haven't really got a place to hide. I had thought I'd use the front passenger seat mostly during the day (swung round), but feet do dangle a bit, so usually I'm laid on the bed as I can't be bothered, once parked up to make and unmake it, and actually those bench seats aren't that comfortable to slouch in compared to an armchair at home. The 6m length van would be a lot more versatile with longer rear seats allowing two narrow single beds (but wouldn't fit in the parking space I have). As identified the real benefit of the MH over the camper has to be the on board facilities.