The Campervan Conundrum ...

monkeyleader

monkeyleader

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Nigel
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Hola folks,

Later this year we hope to pickup a campervan ..... after numerous back and forward, forward and back (and a bit of up and down) we thought we had decided on the model (if not the exact year / spec) of campervan. We loved how much was in the Autosleeper Symbol range and felt this offered pretty much everything we wanted, in a MWB van.

That was until we visited a VW conversion company yesterday which totally blew the field wide open again .... the quality of the finish, the customisation and of course the fact the conversion plus a brand new T6 van would be around the same price of a 2012 Symbol .. really got us thinking ...

The downside to the VW is that you loose out on toilet (although a porta can be included) and a shower (although again an external shower attachment can be included) ..

In both the symbol and the VW we would be considering the fixed high top which allows for extra storage and we feel more comfortable living for extended periods, mainly 1-3 weeks in UK (potently up to 2 months in Europe in a few years time)

One concern of course about fixed high top is how more and more councils are cracking down on parking with height restricted barriers ...

Advice, thoughts (and of course pictures of your van to confuse us even more) most welcome ....

cheers,

Nige
 
Serious question - have you considered the autohomes from Chausson ?

Some years ago my husband and I seriously considered buying one - the layouts were excellent , quality very very good and value for money at that time was good.

What put us off was the fact that we really couldn't use it as a car between the trips in Europe
 
Having had both a coachbuilt and two van conversions if I were you I would seriously consider hiring given the amount of time you intend using it.
 
monkeyleader said:
Have hired a number of times - we defo don't want a coach built right now ....
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How about a small A Class, best of both worlds although you still gave the height barrier problem
 
monkeyleader said:
Have hired a number of times - we defo don't want a coach built right now ....
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Does that include a low profile coachbuilt, since it won't be much taller than a hightop? Bizarrely enough, Gumtree seems to believe that Northern Ireland is within 75 miles of the Highlands (possibly Kintyre?), so I see attractively priced motorhomes for sale there on a regular basis, compared to the prices over here, such as this one for example? https://www.gumtree.com/p/campervan...o-630eb-2-berth-motorhome-for-sale/1196266156

My needs are different to yours and I wouldn't consider one without a toilet and washing facilities, since I ain't wandering about sites in the middle of the night in crap weather. :eek: Rain drumming on the roof may affect the middle aged in a similar fashion!
 
Peter B said:
Does that include a low profile coachbuilt, since it won't be much taller than a hightop? Bizarrely enough, Gumtree seems to believe that Northern Ireland is within 75 miles of the Highlands (possibly Kintyre?), so I see attractively priced motorhomes for sale there on a regular basis, compared to the prices over here, such as this one for example? https://www.gumtree.com/p/campervan...o-630eb-2-berth-motorhome-for-sale/1196266156

My needs are different to yours and I wouldn't consider one without a toilet and washing facilities, since I ain't wandering about sites in the middle of the night in crap weather. :eek: Rain drumming on the roof may affect the middle aged in a similar fashion!
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Yup - includes low profile coach built ...
 
Check with the builder you can have the same built as the symbol on a t5 if you go for a lwb version and you don't have to lose the bathroom.
 
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rjbell said:
Check with the builder you can have the same built as the symbol on a t5 if you go for a lwb version and you don't have to lose the bathroom.
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I think one of the issues this would give in the VW is the double bed ... in the Symbol they are two singles which sight reasonably tight against the cab seats and then if you want a double you make it up transverse ... one of the key designs of the VW is the double seats putting out to a double bed .. There are designs out there with the kitchen at the back along with toilet and even shower, but then when you pull the bed out you loose any space between end of bed and cab seats, so one goes to bed, everyone goes to bed ..

We know there are going to be compromises whatever given we are sticking to a smaller van ....
 
monkeyleader said:
I think one of the issues this would give in the VW is the double bed ... in the Symbol they are two singles which sight reasonably tight against the cab seats and then if you want a double you make it up transverse ... one of the key designs of the VW is the double seats putting out to a double bed .. There are designs out there with the kitchen at the back along with toilet and even shower, but then when you pull the bed out you loose any space between end of bed and cab seats, so one goes to bed, everyone goes to bed ..



We know there are going to be compromises whatever given we are sticking to a smaller van ....
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more expensive but worth it if you spec for the RIB single bed seats you can use it as two singles or the have a mechanism that slides them together to make a double.

My favourite layout on a smaller van if the east nuek fifer s. They have managed a prober lounge and bathroom in a swb ducato.
 
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