Panel van conversions for winter - models? (1 Viewer)

Feb 19, 2015
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I called Bob from Bundesvan and he was dubious about whether a panel van conversion can withstand the cold temps. Exactly what I have always fretted about but the owners of Globecars, Wildaxs etc have assured me this not so.
He needs specific models to search for and I wondered if anyone knew one that would fit the bill? Possl, I guess, with the usual features I've been banging on about for weeks:
rear bed or lounge / bed
4 travelling seats
plus one berth in front with dinette.
His fee is £2000 to source one for me bearing in mind he'll have more of an idea where to look and could barter them down further than I could maybe.
 
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Jac Sprat
Feb 19, 2015
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Sorry i didnt ask for specific model numbers though. Bob says there are thousands each year changing.
I only got general advice on those threads which i much appreciated
Before trawling through the German lists i thought id ask for specifics on here. Apologies if it seems repetitious.

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Kim H

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I think it's up to you now to do the research armed with the advice you've been given. You know what layout you want so I think you need to trawl through mobile.de until you find one that suits you. Play around with the filters to refine your search.

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Jac Sprat
Feb 19, 2015
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It doesnt include stuff we would have to pay if we found it ourselves.
It just does the legwork .
Do you have a ball park figure @scotjimland for the costs you mentioned ?

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Jac Sprat
Feb 19, 2015
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I think it's up to you now to do the research armed with the advice you've been given. You know what layout you want so I think you need to trawl through mobile.de until you find one that suits you. Play around with the filters to refine your search.

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Cheers
I shall try.
I find it a hard website to work with because it often doesnt translate properly but Ill have another bash.
 
Jul 29, 2013
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what is included in this fee ?

does it include importing to uk, modifying for UK, MOT (if required) and registering with DVLA , ready to drive away ?
That’s what our fee included when we bought through them three years ago well worth it.
Saves a lot of hassle although there are those on the forum that could do it themselves it’s not everyone’s forte and it’s a lot less stressful.
 

Mr B

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Cheers
I shall try.
I find it a hard website to work with because it often doesnt translate properly but Ill have another bash.
Mobile de has English in the drop down menu.
It’s quite easy to navigate through

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4

42208

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I think Bob from Bundesvan is correct, however, a lot of people do go on winter adventures in PVC campers so it can be done given enough will power. Most seem to adopt the van in a way that suits them best, from doing nothing and and wearing warm clothes 24/7 with the heating on accepting they cant always have water available etc or they go to extreme lengths to modify the van until it reaches an acceptable standard.
http://www.doyourdream.co.uk/2010/12/tip-winterising-a-panel-van-campervan/
How far you want to go is down to yourselves, however, unless you buy one that has been self modified for extreme cold you will have to compromise so you may as well pick the van you want and decide how far down the winterisation route you want to go. Even vans advertised as fully winterised usually only have the water and heating system protected and then only down to a certain level. With a PVC van you only have to open the sliding door and all your heat has gone so there will always be a natural limit that you can achieve. The attached article should give you a flavour if you haven't already seen it
 

Southdowners

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You recently asked for recommendations for sites which had cabin/chalet accommodation as well so you're husband could spend time in a chalet when you went skiing. You'd then incur the cost of the pitch plus the rental of a chalet.

Why not just rent a chalet to go skiing? At least then you wouldn't need to have a fully winterised vehicle and your husband will have somewhere to sit comfortably whilst you ski. You also wouldn't have to try to accommodate skis and equipment in an already tight for space vehicle.
 
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Jac Sprat
Feb 19, 2015
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You recently asked for recommendations for sites which had cabin/chalet accommodation as well so you're husband could spend time in a chalet when you went skiing. You'd then incur the cost of the pitch plus the rental of a chalet.

Why not just rent a chalet to go skiing? At least then you wouldn't need to have a fully winterised vehicle and your husband will have somewhere to sit comfortably whilst you ski. You also wouldn't have to try to accommodate skis and equipment in an already tight for space vehicle.
Thanks. All excellent points we have discussed here at home . Sadly my husbands PD is such now that he doesnt fancy a ski chalet on his own through the day so we are more likely than.ever now to use use the van with skiing friends and myself and he stays at home with family. Re the ski storage i always use the resort to store my boots skis near tge slopes etc.
It would be SO much easier if i just gave up skiing....
 

Lenny HB

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It doesnt include stuff we would have to pay if we found it ourselves.
It just does the legwork .
Do you have a ball park figure @scotjimland for the costs you mentioned ?
Speedo dial £50, RHD headlamps £600 to £900 depending on type, VCA fee £100. Buy from Dumo and he will change the headlamps and buy the LHD ones off you.
A member on another forum recently bought a new PVC via Blundesvan total cost was around £4000.
 
Jul 29, 2013
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Speedo dial £50, RHD headlamps £600 to £900 depending on type, VCA fee £100. Buy from Dumo and he will change the headlamps and buy the LHD ones off you.
A member on another forum recently bought a new PVC via Blundesvan total cost was around £4000.
Ah but Lenny you don’t mention the insurance and driving it home whereas Bundesvan do all that and deliver it to your door, and not everyone wants all that hassle.
 

Lenny HB

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Ah but Lenny you don’t mention the insurance and driving it home whereas Bundesvan do all that and deliver it to your door, and not everyone wants all that hassle.
I've imported 3 vans total import cost has always been below £500, agree some people are prepared to pay for the convenience. I can't bear paying anyone to do something I can do myself, only come across one thing so far - plastering.:D
 

Debs

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Our Adria twin 640 is as warm as toast in any low temperatures. Not an issue here.
Phil
Have you looked at Geoff Cox? Might be worth giving him a ring, they have an Adria Twin in under your budget.
http://www.geoffcox.co.uk/leisure/

No Idea what the Adria Pvc s are like, only heard good things about them and my Adria A class is winterized & I've been pleased with it.

I saw someone mention a coachbuilt hymer that was slimmer...did you look into that one?

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Mar 23, 2012
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Thanks. All excellent points we have discussed here at home . Sadly my husbands PD is such now that he doesnt fancy a ski chalet on his own through the day so we are more likely than.ever now to use use the van with skiing friends and myself and he stays at home with family. Re the ski storage i always use the resort to store my boots skis near tge slopes etc.
It would be SO much easier if i just gave up skiing....
What resorts do you tend to go to we find it would probably cost more to ski in the van than get an out of season package or rent a small appertment through a French agency and share it. You could then forget the winterisation stuff and just get what suits for normal use. For example in Flaine there are 4 bed apartments for 319 euros (per apartment not per person) https://www.grandmassif-resa.com/en....html?startDate=17-03-2018&endDate=24-03-2018 and thats for March it would be cheaper oput of season in January. The appartment would be very compact not as much as a pvc though!. By the time you have taken into account the extra diesel cost /ferry/snochains /campsite/gas for heating/hookup etc I bet there won't be alot init. But don,t give up the skiing!!!!
 

Mr B

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How about this for winterising an Adria panel van.


Fantastic channel with English speaking Finnish couple. Also worth following their tour around Europe.


Love the wood burner:)

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Jac Sprat
Feb 19, 2015
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Have you looked at Geoff Cox? Might be worth giving him a ring, they have an Adria Twin in under your budget.
http://www.geoffcox.co.uk/leisure/

No Idea what the Adria Pvc s are like, only heard good things about them and my Adria A class is winterized & I've been pleased with it.
Thanks! This has opened up a whole new line of enquiry. Never thought they winterise but apparently they do and are on a par with euromobile (who I also don't know)


Thanks! This has opened up a whole new line of enquiry. Never thought they winterise but apparently they do and are on a par with Euromobile (who I also don't know)
[/QUOTE]
 
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Jac Sprat
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Love this couple. They have certainly sold the van to me with their winterisation solutions - thermal inserts inside the blinds and their fresh and waste water inside - in a bottle and a basin!

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Jac Sprat
Feb 19, 2015
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Adria have their own winterization apparently so i will research this . I might go and see this if the van meets with the general approval of this forum....(my revered maestros)
 
Aug 18, 2011
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Thanks! This has opened up a whole new line of enquiry. Never thought they winterise but apparently they do and are on a par with Euromobile (who I also don't know)
[/QUOTE]

If your van has a decent heater i don't really think the level of winterisation matters to much. Spent some very cold nights in UK in un=winterised trucks over the years and can only remember being cold pre night heater days,,,BUSBY:D2:D2

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Aug 22, 2017
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If your van has a decent heater i don't really think the level of winterisation matters to much. Spent some very cold nights in UK in un=winterised trucks over the years and can only remember being cold pre night heater days,,,BUSBY:D2:D2
Yes -- if you can keep your heating on, what's the problem?
I suppose the main question is: how low do you want to go? We've been in our UK PVC conversion down to about -20 degrees C without too much bother. We've done arctic travels down to about minus 40 but not in the van -- you start to get all sorts of other issues at those extremes like plastics becoming brittle and batteries losing charge, etc. so I don't think I'd want to try that in the van.

The next question is: will you be on electric hook-up? Things get much easier then, as you can use tank heaters to keep the fresh and waste water from freezing and you don't need to worry about running out of gas for your heating. If you are wilding, then it's not quite so easy, but still do-able.
 
Jan 28, 2008
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if i was planning on long stays in cold countries i would consider an eberspacher heater a full tank of deisel will last much longer than even two gas bottles
 
Aug 22, 2017
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if i was planning on long stays in cold countries i would consider an eberspacher heater a full tank of deisel will last much longer than even two gas bottles
Good call -- we've had Eberspacher diesel heaters on boats, very effective and you get used to the low rumble while they're running :)

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