For VW Van types only!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chockswahay
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Chockswahay

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So then team, this thread is only for the limited few here who drive/like/want VW type campervans.

I really fancy the Buzz Cargo (having cancelled an ID Buzz order) ............. but now I look at the dimensions online.....it just seems SO SMALL inside!

Am I missing something (well obviously a few sandwiches ready for my picnic :LOL:)

We had in mind converting one ourselves..... but I'm losing the faith a little now :confused:

Weirdly enough, whilst in Ireland a few weeks ago I bumped into an industrial designer who has designed a pop top exclusively for the Cargo (y) he showed me a few plans and it looks great (going into production with a local converter) but I can't help but think it will still be small :eek:

Someone save me! I really want one and my heart is winning the argument!
 
Dont anyone take the bate this is a windup :D
 
im still not taking the bate ;)

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How about putting one of these on top ? 😎
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OK I'll take the bait. :reel:

It will be small. Even with a pop top it will still be small.

BUT, IF you go into a build with a 'micro camper' mentality, you could still have a perfectly usable and fun camper. My last van was based on a Citroen Nemo, which is smaller than a Buzz, and I still had a bed (longer than the RIB in the 'dub!), hob, sink, pumped water, loo. So it's all do-able. Take a look at some micro conversions to see what you may end up with in 'real world' camping. I've photographed some fab campers based on Caddys, for example. (Not the VW's own conversion ones, they're utterly uninspiring, IMHO.)

It might be worth taking a look at Jerba Campervan's YouTube page as they did a post on the Buzz (before the cargo was a 'thing'). Jerba on the Buzz

I would also recommend considering going all electric inside. And I'd strongly recommend talking to Big V Kampers in Swindon. They build campers based on the NV200, which is a similar size, all electric, on e-NV200s, for a company in Bristol. They support self builders and they can certainly give you plenty of help and advice. Karl is your person to talk to. (If you do, say hello from Anne with the Lancaster van!) Big V - Electric Campers

If you're really inspired by going small, you may also like to take a look at Life is Too Short on YouTube. They're a couple who tour for quite long periods in an NV200. It gives you an idea of the compromises you may have to make. (Though I've ALWAYS had a proper loo in my vans!) Here's their intro video about their NV200.

Oh, and just asking: 'Is Katy as keen as you on this project?' :smiley:
 
The Buzz is nearer a people carrier size vehicle than a van. It's shorter than a SWB T6. The overall height is similar, but it's going to have a lot less headroom inside due to the batteries in the floor. The shape is a lot more aerodynamic too, which means less practical shape inside for fitting out. Like Tonks said, it's going to be nearer a microcamper experience.

I'm also sceptical about what adding all the camping paraphernalia will do to the range. Adding a few hundred kg of permanent fixtures and fittings is not going to be good if you're planning on travelling in it.
 
Even a Bongo was too small for us. The T4 California was brilliant and I would have liked to have kept it. A tiddley Buzz wouldn't work for us as a camper. There are limits to being a fashion victim ... :rolleyes:

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Think you’ll get better feedback on the VWCalifornia forum, they’ll be very interested in what you’re considering. Good luck, sounds really interesting.
 
I had a 5.4m Ducato (L2H2) and my brother had a T5 LWB with a pop-top. They were almost the same footprint. The few centimetres extra length and width on the Ducato and the squarer sides made a massive difference to internal space. It meant we had a permanent transverse bed and a bathroom. No setup required. No faff when we want to go to bed. Only downside was I couldn't get under 2.1m height barriers (which he scraped his pop-roof on occasionally). Dropping from a Transporter camper to a Buzz SWB is going to feel a lot more cramped.
 

Otter Spotter said:
Why? Do you like driving toy cars and dressing up as a modern day Noddy 🤣
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No, I like driving around in modern comfortable vehicles that have less in common with a delivery van or a builders truck than the majority of motorhomes do! Our current California is an absolute dream to drive, I’d just prefer to be more green….. electric vehicles are the future.
 
Guigsy said:
I had a 5.4m Ducato (L2H2) and my brother had a T5 LWB with a pop-top. They were almost the same footprint. The few centimetres extra length and width on the Ducato and the squarer sides made a massive difference to internal space. It meant we had a permanent transverse bed and a bathroom. No setup required. No faff when we want to go to bed. Only downside was I couldn't get under 2.1m height barriers (which he scraped his pop-roof on occasionally). Dropping from a Transporter camper to a Buzz SWB is going to feel a lot more cramped.
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We have had 6m Globecar and 5.4m HymerCar…….. the California is the nicest yet to drive, we can park anywhere, and (important) we can use it as our daily drive 👍
 
Billylou said:
Think you’ll get better feedback on the VWCalifornia forum, they’ll be very interested in what you’re considering. Good luck, sounds really interesting.
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Thanks Billylou, I am a member on there. For obvious reasons that site is more receptive 🙂

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SpeedyDux said:
Even a Bongo was too small for us. The T4 California was brilliant and I would have liked to have kept it. A tiddley Buzz wouldn't work for us as a camper. There are limits to being a fashion victim ... :rolleyes:
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Nothing to do with fashion, just the desire to embrace modern cleaner more environmentally friendly technology 👍
 
Chockswahay said:


No, I like driving around in modern comfortable vehicles that have less in common with a delivery van or a builders truck than the majority of motorhomes do! Our current California is an absolute dream to drive, I’d just prefer to be more green….. electric vehicles are the future.
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Poor aerodynamics and excess weight are the enemy of EVs. They have by far the biggest effect on range. Both of which are much harder to avoid for motorhomes. Motorhomes are going to struggle to become battery powered. We'll see panel van conversions that weigh 4 tons with 150 mile range and that cost cost £150k first.
 
Guigsy said:
Poor aerodynamics and excess weight are the enemy of EVs. They have by far the biggest effect on range. Both of which are much harder to avoid for motorhomes. Motorhomes are going to struggle to become battery powered. We'll see panel van conversions that weigh 4 tons with 150 mile range and that cost cost £150k first.
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Hydrogen is the answer
 
Eldest daughter now has a converted T6, pop top, very small, no Jed’s how they cope with two kids 😳

But biggest issue for me no toilet , not enough room 🤔

Looks smart though and it’s their second car used daily to get to work
 
Guigsy said:
Poor aerodynamics and excess weight are the enemy of EVs. They have by far the biggest effect on range. Both of which are much harder to avoid for motorhomes. Motorhomes are going to struggle to become battery powered. We'll see panel van conversions that weigh 4 tons with 150 mile range and that cost cost £150k first.
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Well you do have a point….. however the Buzz is very aerodynamic and relatively light. We do not want a full on motorhome (let’s face it, the California isn’t!). Our plan is to ‘go light and go minimal’. What has surprised us is how quickly and easily we have adjusted to the campervan way of touring, it suits us and the way we travel. For us a campervan is simply a means to an end. 🙂
 
Coolcats said:
Hydrogen is the answer
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But if there aren't enough hydrogen cars, there won't be a big enough market to build the filing stations. So there won't be hydrogen vans. BEV has won for smaller vehicles. I think we'll just have to live with batteries as the inferior solution for our larger vehicles.
 
I looked at all this last year and my two criteria were plenty of headroom and enough room for a proper loo. As I mostly go away anytime except summer I was put off the pop tops because too cold in winter and too flimsy when really windy. So in the end I bought a crafter lwb and converted it myself and so glad I did as it works perfectly for me, fixed bed too which is an added bonus and plenty of storage space.
The only downside is that it is too high for multi-storey car parks and too long for an ordinary car park space but I am going to the countryside not towns.
 
I think it's a great idea. Do you know what the range is on the Buzz? Of course weight is the issue and I am sure you are savvy enough to realise this. How will the vehicle work for you? As a DD I get it, but camping may well see you going back to basics with the lack of insulation, water and facilities etc. But good luck to you with this and I hope the project gets off the ground, well done.

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Guigsy said:
But if there aren't enough hydrogen cars, there won't be a big enough market to build the filing stations. So there won't be hydrogen vans. BEV has won for smaller vehicles. I think we'll just have to live with batteries as the inferior solution for our larger vehicles.
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Nothing has been won or lost regarding Hydrogen as the ‘race’ has not started. Hydrogen is coming it has not had the development focus of batteries. Hydrogen is an option in the future for converting ICE vehicles (still using ice technology.
 
We have a California which we love. Agree it’s a compromise on set up and no loo against ease of parking and driving in historic towns. A couple we saw in France were camping in a smaller van conversion - we chatted to them about their experience and they said that they had to spend most of their time outside which was limiting especially in the wetter weather. They used it for stopovers on the way to their ski chalet!
 
Coolcats said:
Nothing has been won or lost regarding Hydrogen as the ‘race’ has not started. Hydrogen is coming it has not had the development focus of batteries. Hydrogen is an option in the future for converting ICE vehicles (still using ice technology.
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BEV is comparable cost, there are lots of models available and the infrastructure is already there. And the disadvantages of BEV in terms of filling time and range are disappearing fast. The chance of hydrogen getting a foothold now when it's 10 years behind is pretty low.

I think the conversion thing is a red herring too. A diesel engine would need totally different heads with spark plugs, a completely different fuel injection system, geometry changes because the compression needs to be lower and new engine management. It's going to be uneconomical to convert ICE to burning hydrogen the vast majority of the time.
 
Chockswahay said:


No, I like driving around in modern comfortable vehicles that have less in common with a delivery van or a builders truck than the majority of motorhomes do! Our current California is an absolute dream to drive, I’d just prefer to be more green….. electric vehicles are the future.
Click to expand...
Now I know it is a wind up, EV MoHo.
I want to do more than 100miles a day, hopefully JCB's converted to hydrogen engines will be the way.
 
Chockswahay said:
So then team, this thread is only for the limited few here who drive/like/want VW type campervans.

I really fancy the Buzz Cargo (having cancelled an ID Buzz order) ............. but now I look at the dimensions online.....it just seems SO SMALL inside!

Am I missing something (well obviously a few sandwiches ready for my picnic :LOL:)

We had in mind converting one ourselves..... but I'm losing the faith a little now :confused:

Weirdly enough, whilst in Ireland a few weeks ago I bumped into an industrial designer who has designed a pop top exclusively for the Cargo (y) he showed me a few plans and it looks great (going into production with a local converter) but I can't help but think it will still be small :eek:

Someone save me! I really want one and my heart is winning the argument!
Click to expand...
Have you looked at the Leisuredrive conversions. I have a T5 and yes smaller than my previous van there are two important factors in the choice, I wanted. 1The toilet 2.I can park it in normal car parks. As I chose the high top I cannot park where there are barriers. The van is well designed and equipped.

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