I meant sleeping sideways…

A Vito Dualiner extra long is about 18 inches longer than a 5 series saloon. Mine’s done 195000 miles and had no major work. Just had its first replacement discs, still on original exhaust, no rust, goes like stink. A lot less vanny than a T5. It’s around 1.8m tall so fits in all car parks, you can book it in as a V class on ferries and pay the same as a car. It will take 5 or 6 bikes behind the rear seats with wheels on, roughly the same load length as a T5 lwb.
I bought mine new in 2006 and will probably order another new one next year to last me well into retirement.
I love the look of a T5/T6 but the reliability horror stories have put me off, new engines after a couple of years, drive shafts only lasting 50000 miles, check out the T5 Facebook groups.

@dickbarton
You wont get a transverse bed in a Vivaro, they’re only 1.6m wide iirc. Movano/master is wider though..

Anyone got any experience of a nissan NV200, looks tiny but i like the higher driving position compared to a caddy for example

OP – sound like you’re going down the same road I did.

Here’s a couple of photos of my van once it had been lined/insulated, windows fitted and Q/R rear seats installed.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/dhPTZX]IMAG0146[/url] by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/dhPTro]IMAG0148[/url] by Colin Cadden, on Flickr

The rear seats would normally have been fitted facing the front but there’s more room for “camping” in it this way. The seats are a pair and a single (not shown in the photo). Leaving the single off also improves access to the rear from the side door.

We’ve now gone full campervan conversion. One more thing to consider, if this might be your eventual outcome, is roof height. Mine is the standard height and the conversion includes a full Reimo rising roof. A high-top van would make this mostly superfluous but brings its own disadvantages, including steering in high side-winds. Also – the Reimo can be fitted with a sleeping platform which might work for you as a family.

Nice work. Which is financially the most economical way of going with this…

Buying a twin cab with rear windows already or buying a standard van and having Windows and seats fitted?

I don’t have a lot of diy time so will be paying other people for any upgrades to be done.

I don’t know about fitting seats, but an average price to have a window fitted is about £150 so working out the seats and how many windows against buying a ” normal ” van and one already fitted.

£150 labour or £150 supply and fitting?

That’ll be supply and fitting, think I paid £175 all in inc vat

Edit, actually I’m not sure. I’ll have to check.

Edit edit, £175 all in plus vat

The pre-built Trafic/Vivaro crew cabs have the seats built into the bulkhead. I wanted the ability to remove seats and create one long load/camping space so had to go this route.

FWIW I still have those rear seats and need to get them sold. Fitting is a bit more complex as the under-floor strengthening plates require the fuel tank to be dropped for access.