Presently driving around in a 6.7mtr motorhome which is a bit cumbersome around Morrisons carpark, its got to go.
Had a Vivaro before which I loved but a tad too small as I want to get a shower in there, just doable I reckon with a 3mtr load space so something under 6mtr max. Budget is £13kish inc the vat.
Short list;
Master/Movano – test driven a few, good size and drive nice but build quality poor so perhaps not a long termer.
Sprinter/Crafter – not sure of the differences between the two but loads of Sprinters on the market. Concerned about the bodywork rust and pricey garage bills?
Transit – rust problems? New shape looks nice but not many about in my budget.
Iveco – no idea about these other than the flappy side door.

Have I missed any? Any thoughts/opinions on the above?
Thanks!

Fiat Ducato/Citroen/Peugeot MWB ~5.4m

Look at spookys new camper build thread

Ducato with 3.0 diesel, only available in the Fiat variant. Plenty of space for underslung tanks, know a couple of guys that have converted these.
One guy has a double garage with bed above. One half is for bikes/motor bike and the other half is dog cage.

The benefit of a Ducato/Relay/Boxer is that you can sleep widthways unless you are unusually tall. That can save about 50cm of length.

Discounted the Ducato as the MoHo is Ducato based and its very cheap and nasty in the cab tbh, new shape might be an improvement though, will have a gander at the dimensions/prices.
Spookys the Iveco guru int he? Talk to me Spooky….

AlexSimon – Member
The benefit of a Ducato/Relay/Boxer is that you can sleep widthways unless you are unusually tall. That can save about 50cm of length.

Once you have insulation etc, the max bed width is about 5ft11 (so not that unusually tall)

It depends where your bed is vertically, but I’d heard 6’2″ is doable.
(6mm ply over metal work with insulation inside).
I’ll check, because it’s important for my build.

I can’t go widthways In any of the relay conversions I’ve seen. -3 . They seem quite popular round here

I’d go with a LWB transit which is slightly bigger than a MWB sprinter/crafter. In fact I’d probably go for my rust free waxoyled 2007 welfare van that’s for sale in the classifieds at a dirt cheap price!

Alex – it might be possible for a home-built van but nearly every van we looked at was a little short for me. I’m 6ft 1.5in

The LWB transit (old shape) is just about perfect dimensions wise and there’s loads about. How prone to rusting are they and is it just the panels or are we talking chassis?

Wildax state 6’2″ for the Solaris.
Globecar Globescout states 1,960mm which is 6’5″ (don’t know how they’ve managed that).
Auto Trail state 6’1″ for the low bed in the Tribute and 5’10” for the high bed.

Possibly their beds are front to back.

My bed is 6ft 6 front to back and it’s 5ft 10 wide. For midgets you might get 3 across haha

No, I only chose vans with transverse beds.
Looking at the Adria Twin 600, they state a 6’5″ bed, but you can see that they’ve somehow gone in-between the pillars:

Anyway – I’m not trying to persuade anyone to put up with a short bed, but it’s only way I can possibly fit 4 in mine, so I hope it’s enough!

Surely that means minimal insulation in the walls no ?

A mwb is a good a good shout, from experience just about doable as a daily and plenty big enough. Transits are pretty cramped in the cab and they aren’t the most reliable, don’t see too many old ones about given how many they sold. I have a 2002 2.8 158 vw Lt mwb high roof which hasn’t rusted too badly and goes like stink… as with all vans it depends if it’s been looked after. Next van will be a sprinter most likely but I do like the look of ivecos and the new Renault master is the nicest looking new big van imho.

I’m guessing that too, although you can get better insulating products than kingspan, if you can give up a bit of weight or money.
Aerogel looks promising for e.g.

Despite being three different makes of the same van, theyre doesn’t seem to be that many MWB Ducato’s about with the high roof so probably off the list.
Plan for the layout is a pull out bed lengthways behind drivers seat so the extra width isnt necessary. Shower will be behind that, over the wheel arch for max awkwardness. Kitchen stuff on sliding door side. Small garage for bikes with front wheel off in the back doors – piece a piss! 😀
Loads of Transits, FWD or RWD?

RWD of course for STW style making progress!

FWD for slightly lower rear load area. Also a bit better in snow/mud

Whoever was asking about transits rusting – they go on the sills near the rear arches if not waxoyled, also under the front step area under the plastic footstep. They also pick up stone chips above the cab/windscreen which go snotty quickly. Not too bad though if you keep on top of them when you get a stonechip.

French are best for not rusting though.

Blatant plug
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/2007-transit-lwb-day-van-bike-hauler

Rnp where you based. I have a mate who’s interested.

Cheers for that info Rusty, will have a good old gander where the sun doesn’t shine..

Trail Rat
I’m in Rossendale (Lancashire) – 5mins from Lee Quarry, 20mins north of Manchester

im a transit man

the mk7 doesn’t rust much, I’ve had 3 off them now

my camper build is nearly done !!

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/my-camper-van-transit-base-vehicle-not-transporter

RNP – just looked on your link to the van, that’s something I was thinking of getting but did I read right that’s £2.5k to insure?! If so how come?

Edit, just read it again and saw the first bit, blimey! What was insurance on something like this before that happened?

Hi Twang.

You got it right about the flappy side door, they can be a git to adjust and make water-tight.

Iveco – cheap, big, strong. Thinks its a truck. Can get a 5’11” bed if careful, I reckon you need an extra inch or so over your height to make it comfortable and not feel like the bed is too short. RWD = high floor.

Sprinter and Crafters = £££

Ducatos/Movano’s etc, probably a fairly good choice but built to a price.

Transits – big beam above the windows makes it difficult (impossible?) to get a reasonably wide bed at a height that gives a garage with a useable space (although I did see a pro-conversion recently where the windows were higher so they must have cut out a lot of the metalwork)

You need to decide if you are going to try and squeeze in a sideways bed, or a dinette that converts. A fixed longways bed will take up most of the space in a MWB.

I just got my ducato mwb. The quality is a huge step up from previous 2008 model I had. Will be my only vehicle. Impressed with everything so far…..just need to turn it into a camper now!

RNP – just looked on your link to the van, that’s something I was thinking of getting but did I read right that’s £2.5k to insure?! If so how come?

Edit, just read it again and saw the first bit, blimey! What was insurance on something like this before that happened?

I bought the van as my wife had a clothing shop/business so was handy for the occasional events she sometimes did, for the both of us including business use it was £650. Both of us are early 40’s, 2years (IIRC) no claims bonus as it was a 2nd policy (10 years on NCB on 1st policy).

I had a collision with an uninsured motocross bike being ragged on a main road, he is claiming £25k personal injury that my insurer isnt contesting. This happened in end of November last year, insurance renewal was January.
And was ~£2.5k due to the claim and loosing my NCB.

Pissed off with the whole experience hence sale of van.

A Solidwork rendering I did for a day van unit for my LWB Transit that fitted in place of the factory bulkhead.
The top items are a SMEV sink and tap on the left and a Dometic Origo 4100 spirit burner stove on the right.
Microwave in the right hand side of the mid section with a space for a small removable Waeco fridge in the middle (cant remember model at the moment).
2 leisure batteries, inverter and water pump in the lower section.
Drawers are steel with ply fronts on push to open substantial runners.
Construction was cnc cut 15mm laminate with minifix cam fastenings.
Cut out to the left hand side was for a switch panel for the water pump, inverter, interior lights etc.

Floor was Wisa Hexa cnc cut.

I also designed a removable laser cut aluminium raised bed that gave bike room underneath but I cant find the file at the moment – not that it matters due to bikelife ****!

Thanks for that spooky. Not sure about the Daily, it’s got a massive overhang which make me very nervous in a confined space.
Had another drive in a Movano today, very nice to drive but cheap build quality, door shut lines are going to bug me and drivers seat worn through:-\ Sprinter tomorrow, a bit long but a solid quality feel plus rear end chevrons for max stealth (they’re definitely staying!) Vans are ace! 😀

Rusty I think Ian should be in touch now

Rusty I think Ian should be in touch now

Thanks – we’ve had a chat via email

😀

If it makes any odds he loves a transit. Even has a model transit on his mantlepiece 🙂

Tell him to get his money out and he can have a real one parked outside!

🙂

With the width-ways bed thing. How many partners/wives/SOs are over 5ft 10? How many peoples’ feet need as much room in a bed as their shoulders? Simple solution is to make a bed width ways but trapezoidal in shape. So the shorter one sleeps at 90 degrees and the taller one sleeps on a slight diagonal. I bet you wouldn’t need to put in much of an angle to get a 6 ft + sleeping place. Would also save space at the foot end of the bed which could be usefully incorporated into a shower cubicle for example. Means getting custom mattresses made, but most campers end up with them to be honest anyway.

Unless your partner is very short that tends not to work. This is because the angle you end up at means you end up needing either a very wide bed (such that you would largely negate the space saving) or you end up kicking each other while sleeping as you actually “cross” quite a long way up the bed.

Same here, I considered a diagonal bed, but I had already planned for a narrow ‘small double’ which is 6″ narrower than standard. Once you allow a bit more width you suddenly realise your bog has become a narrow cupboard, or your kitchen has run out of space for a sink!

I considered a fixed longways bed, with the bottom third on a flap that folds down over the kitchen units place across the van. Downsides – without some clever design, the bottom third would have to hinge up vertically, blocking off the bed area and making the van feel small, kitchen is blocked until both of you are up, bed is excessively high. Still uses a lot of space as when the bed is ‘up’ you still have a kitchen across the van which reduces flexibility to plan the layout.

Right, pick us a winner STW…

[/url]IMG_20170311_103415477-01 by pat5barnes, on Flickr[/img]
2013
64K £600 cheaper than..

[/url]567-01-01 by pat5barnes, on Flickr[/img]

late 2014 45k

Driven both and i like both but are very different beasts. It’ll be my only vehicle and a long term keeper so which would you go for?