Can’t afford a camper. I’ve been very impressed with some of these T4/T5 type vans that people have converted into day vans/ sleepers and was going to go down that route. However it then occurred to me that I don’t even need to go that far. All I need is a van that’s big enough to get a double airbed blown up in the back of it and room to hang up two bikes and assorted crap – clothes etc – overnight. Pack it all away when we get up and job’s a good un. No conversion needed. When we get bored of using it we can just flog it again as a van.
So recommend me a van please. Cheap, reliable, economical, moon on a stick etc etc. Or tell me why it’s just a stupid idea and I should stop cluttering up the internet with shite when I’ve got a hangover. I thank yew.

When I’ve looked into it, insurance on vans has been prohibitive.

Oddly, for being the same van, camper van insurance seems very reasonably priced.

This would be with zero no claims, as I was looking as a second vehicle, if you’re moving over a sensible amount of NCD then the disparity might be a bit less.

Worth checking out, any how.

Yeah that bit should be ok. It’d be on the Mrs insurance and she must have years of ncb. Ta.

Got a point though – vans are commercial insurance and driver specific often.
Brentacre are good.
Vauxhall vivaro van?

I had to pay extra on my van insurance to cover my little girl its a good job i asked as they didnt say anything, allot of the time they just cover the driver

I’ve got a trafic lwb high top and you could easily hang a few bikes and kip in it.
Can’t get budged for work gear tho!

I’ve just Insured a Transit through GoCompare and it was thirty quid more than the car. It goes in your favour that you have another vehicle with claims bonus.

my pug expert was less to insure than the preceding seat leon ( a very average car ). direct line.

Oddly, for being the same van, camper van insurance seems very reasonably priced.

I think this is down to how much they expect you to use them.

Most campers spend most of there lives parked on the driveway. Some vans are used like cheap alternative to the USS Enterprise

I think this is down to how much they expect you to use them.

I’d’ve thought that limiting the mileage to sub-5000 miles/year and declaring SDP use only would have negated that, though.

You’d think. Sometimes I suspect it’s a case of them just not believing you. Whereas as with a camper, they know its pretty unlikely to be used for cheeky commercial purposes.

Will you be keeping another vehicle?

I recently bought a van and the specialists such as Brentacre came up with ridiculous quotes, like £800 or so (and I’m almost 40).

But it was surprisingly cheap to add it as a second vehicle with Aviva. Only about the same again as my Mondeo, £300-odd.

I think it would replace her car. She’s mid 40’s and I even older, btw.

All I need is a van that’s big enough to get a double airbed blown up in the back of it and room to hang up two bikes and assorted crap – clothes etc – overnight. Pack it all away when we get up and job’s a good un. No conversion needed

Make sure there is plenty ventilation, did someone not die recently because of poor ventilation in his van.

Transit, proper campervam mattress is better than airbeds which are in the end crap. As for insurance was cheaper than cars for me

Airbeds are fine when we camp and they can be deflated and shoved out of the way so would be happy enough to stick with ’em.
Good point about ventilation.

Seen your at malham tomorrow, welcome to have a poke around our self converted vivaro swb van. It’s black with a top box on. It’s nothing fancy, started as somewhere to get changed out of the rain and keep the bikes inside, with a few bits of wood added and an awning we regularly overnight and have spent over two weeks in it.
It’s small enough to use as a normal vehicle and in the fours years we’ve had it has been very reliable with no issues.

Make sure there is plenty ventilation, did someone not die recently because of poor ventilation in his van.

I think this is especially a concern when cooking in a van.

Sparkly, have you had a good mosey around the DIY campervan conversion websites?

A young fit hillwalker died in his van in Glenshee a couple of years ago after doing some munros. His previous YouTube clips showed him cooking with a gas stove in the same converted van. Not sure if he’d sorted ventilation during the conversion but it makes you wonder.

rsvktm – thanks, I’ll try to take you up on that. We’re coming up in a mates builders van, coincidentally. I’ll be floundering round on a red Voodoo Singlespeed. Hope to see you there.

Ok, maybe see you there. I’ll be on a big silver 29er and wife’s on a tiny white turner. Fingers crossed for the weather.

My Mrs and I use my Trafic with a double airbed in the back. It means it’s still usable as a van when necessary. It’s been insulated and lined, so no problems with condensation.

As regards ventilation, I bought a couple of those wind deflectors that allow the front windows to be left partially open without getting a draft.

The most useful, minimal conversion you can do is lay a false floor over the height of the wheel arches so that you have the full width of the van to sleep in, not just the 4ft between the arches. Then you can stuff must of your gear under it to get it out of the way. With the bikes front wheel off, turn the bars and strap to the sides of the van.

rsvktm – appreciate you showing me your van. Nice work. Hope you had a good one.

maccruiskeen – yes, that’s good advice. Thanks.

If you have a leaking gas cylinder you can asphyxiate in any confined space eg tent / van, as the gas forms a layer at the bottom of the enclosure just where your head is when you sleep.

No worries re showing van. Not good so many had to bail today, van was especially useful as Jane used it to put on complete new dry outfit before going out again for second loop. Was a good event let down by the weather and some erratic signage.

Transit? Pics n details?? Love to drive them