Seen a nice T6.1/T28 I fancy to scratch an itch. Would be swapping the Disco 5
I already have a big caravan and I'm obviously aware of the size constraints, lack of shower/toilet, having to make the bed up etc. Would be used for the odd weekend getaway, some nights away for work, maybe festivals rather than dragging the big tin tent.
VW tax aside (I don't want the transit equivalent) will I put up with it, or after the initial novelty will it become tedious? It's a LWB, so there is a bit of extra space
Also, anyone have any solutions for transporting a bike inside without it banging against the units?
We rented a lwb for a week. Lack of toilet aside it was a very comfortable space to be.
The big name bikers i follow seem to use these sort of systems
My personal thought is i aspire to a garage and a loo
Also, anyone have any solutions for transporting a bike inside without it banging against the units?
Tie it down / up in a configuration that fits the layout of your van basically
Fwiw, my main issue with our SWB T5 conversion is that it's problematic to have the bed down and fit two bikes securely inside while you sleep. Not a problem in a lot of places, but less than ideal in others. Probably easier with a LWB. Doubly so with some sort of bespoke bike garage system. We occasionally bodged things by laying the frames across the front seats with the wheels off or sleeping in the pop-top bed but it was always a bit of a faff.
The lack of a loo was never a big deal for us, but mostly we use campsites and French aires, I guess if you aspire to some sort of off-grid, wilderness nomad existence, it would be more of an issue.
The nice thing is that it drives like a van and is fine on alpine roads etc. Huge motorhomes seems more limiting in that respect and take up loads of space when you're not using them too. We had mates who went from a Transit conversion, to a motorhome and are now in a T6 for that reason.
Get something with a toilet inside and then you don’t have to annoy fellow campers with the “whirr, bang” in the middle of the night! -a lot better when you’re older and if you drink beer too….
Also, anyone have any solutions for transporting a bike inside without it banging against the units?
We've got a LWB T5 conversion. If you slide the rear seats to the forward travelling position then you can fit two modern LWB bikes in the back wheels on, or 4 wheels off. We just roofrack strap them to the rear left seatbelt strut which keeps them off the units. TBH that's the main use out VW gets these days is taking bikes + four to llandegla etc.
If you want to keep the rear bed made then obviously it's trickier... A road bike, or very old-fashioned MTB fits on top of the rear right hand unit ( above the wheel arch) really well and you can leave it there for sleeping 2 or driving.
A LWB MTB needs the front wheel removing then sticking it between the front seats with the fork near the gear stick. You can drive four people or sleep 4 with it there but it does get in the way. For solo it's fine..
Be wary of a conversion built on a 2.8 chassis. You may find with yourselves and the fittings on top of van base weight leave you overweight if you even try to carry a few tins of beans! Just check how little pay load you will actually have is what I am saying.
I went for a Vx Vaviro Life. Bed system lives under parcel shelf. Serves as people carrier, camping gear carrier or short stay camper. Bought a small stand alone awning as we decided to take the loo when needed as we take it when camping in a tent. I just wanted the extra flexibility and already had camping gear. Down side is bed is quite high as folds out over the big chairs. Plus side is its great to drive with 8 speed auto and 180 bhp.
Currently away camping and the van just swallowed all the gear, my bike and an inflateable kayak.
Looks nice and a decent power output (needed when loaded).
All medium sized vans are a compromise. As has been mentioned before, a sliding rock and roll is a must to add flexibility.
As a regular browser of lwb t6 conversions it looks great. They didn’t come up that often
I’d be asking 2 questions
Who converted? Then chasing around to find out if they are any good. One company i looked at had terrible reputation online.
The other is about whether t28 is a compromise that bothers you. A quick google sugests its fine, but i don’t know how more the long wheel base weighs
That model appraently has a minimum kerb weight of 2053kg in absolute poverty spec panel van mode. That means 743kilos for drivers and passengers, the conversion (roof, rock and roll bed, units, leisure battery, side windows, sound proofing and trim, etc, etc), and any payload you may wish to pack for a houliday. Like I say, you may be overweight before you even sit in the vehicle., I would definitely get it over a weigh bridge before spending that much money on it. Very nice looking van but very easy to fall foul of the law if not careful. You could alsways fit a towbar and use a trailer mind as you can tow another 2.5 tonnes!
Who converted? Then chasing around to find out if they are any good. One company i looked at had terrible reputation online.
This is absolutely key. There is zero mention of who converted it, what make the key stuff inside is - the bed, the roof etc. Loads and loads and loads of places with slightly dubious reputations out there doing conversions which look decent but use cheap parts. That, to be fair, does look like a decent conversion but they seem more keen on selling me finance for the van than telling me what its actually been converted with and for £55k (my 3 year old ex-demo van cost me not far off half that 11 years ago with top spec Reimo, Waeco, Smart Beds etc) I'd demand an SCA/Reimo roof, RIB or Smart Bed etc.
It's in the ad. Platinum Wave conversion, done from new I believe. They seem to have the odd issue but generally good reviews. I'll be digging deeper before I commit though
Looks to be a nice conversion. Not a company I'm familiar with but looks to be one of the better conversions. Years ago we had our previous van (2004 T5 LWB T30) converted by Jerba in North Berwick. SCA pop top inc bed, RIB 130cm seat/bed, fridge, diesel heater, gas locker, onboard water tank 30L etc. With all that it was around 2600kg with basic extras like camping chairs, driveway awning etc. Didn't leave enough for a family of 4 plus personal belongings plus bikes...
Looks like that one's reserved now - was it your TAFKASTR?
Yeah I've reserved it, going up for a look next weekend.
There will only ever be two of us in it, so weight 'should' be ok, but I'll bear it in mind
Putting aside that particular van in question...
I have a LWB T6.1 Camper Conversion. The conversion was done by Jack's Shack. I have no complaints with it.
Honestly it's great for me, the wife, the dog and 2 teenage kids with some caveats.
Size
For 1 or 2 of us it's palatial. For 3 of us it's spacious. For 4 of us it's a bit cozy. Add in the dog and it starts to feel a bit cramped. If we are all staying somewhere for a few nights, the 17 year old now likes his own space in a small tent. For bike trips away with one or both teenagers it's more than big enough.
But it's my daily (well 2 or 3 times a week) driver and it's as long as I can get on my relatively short driveway. So a Crafter/Sprinter is a non-starter.
Facilities
We're campsite campers rather than layby campers so lack of shower/toilet is a non-issue. If you're a regular 3am pisser get a yellow nalgene bottle.
Big leisure battery, solar, hookup, fridge, hob, sink, underslung gas tank etc make life very easy and flexible. Though a more minimalist set up would be fine too. We also have a Cadac grill thing for outside cooking. We didn't bother with a diesel heater after having one in my previous van and barely using it.
We have a simple sunshade (I dislike wind-out awnings) that slots in to a C section rail and massive (it's huge when packed up) inflatable driveaway awning thing that someone gave to us. The drive away awning barely comes down from the roof space.
If you slide the rear seats all the way forward you can get a modern long Enduro bike in length ways, though I haven't done it for ages as I just stick them on a towbar rack. https://mtbvans.co.uk/ do good fork mounts if you insist on having them inside the van.
If you have a caravan, I'd probably go for a properly minimalist van with a pop top and one of these:
Feel free to DM me if you have any other questions.
T6Forum.com have been really helpful answering my Transporter T5.1 questions, might be worth checking with them. Also they have a few vans for sale.
For that kind of money, I would want to know a lot more about the conversion components eg what insulation, which roof, bed, kitchen kit, whether lithium based leisure electrics using quality parts, solar panel fitted, which diesel heater?
Just had a look on T6Forum and Platinum Wave seems to be regarded as one of the better ones
Yeah sorry dont know Platinum Wave, but that van does look tidy. I looked at replacing my T5.1 earlier this year with a slightly higher budget than yours (£60-£70k), but on a MWB Crafter or Sprinter base and all suppliers fell down on one or two of the components which is why I made that suggestion. I have ended up refreshing my T5.1 as its only done 45k miles so still a young van. This will give me more time to consider options.
All the convertors cut corners, just a question of how many and which corners. Leisure electrics is a good example. Very few fit good quality lithium & proper victron chargers & solar kit. Thats a must for me now as means I dont have to hook up if dont want to. Yes most sites have hook up, but because i now dont need to, I can pick better locations.
Also worth checking a 112cm wide bed works for you as its quite a narrow double bed.
Have a look at the Westfalia Nugget (Ford Transit) - it's a much better layout.
They also do a VW van with the same layout I think it's called the Kepler
If you want a UK built VW conversion, Rolling Homes from Shrewsbury make excellent conversions.
If you want a modular style more towards a day van, then Auto Campers are worth a look. They are based in Reading but made near Sheffield. They are mostly Transit based but some are VW T6
Have a look at the Westfalia Nugget (Ford Transit) - it's a much better layout.
I'm not looking for another campervan (dreams only), but the different layouts intrigue me. Ours was the common layout of kitchen along one side and bench seat/bed across the van in our previous T5 and often felt we were getting in each other's way all the time (correction: I was always in Mrs a11y's way, apparently).
This thread got me looking at the company we used for ours in 2010 - the fact they're still going strong now is reassuring! I'd look at their 'Sanna' conversion - single travel seats that convert to beds, pop top, kitchen and storage along rear sides of van - if I was in a position for another camper. The quality/craftsmanship was the best I've seen, with a huge amount of planning to maximise all available space. Not cheap now though.
But, I reckon I'd not want high furniture along the drivers side rear - that could be used to carry 2 x bikes with front wheels out, on top of a low storage unit...
We had a 2008 Nugget pop-top for 6months until it was nicked in 2015. We then got a larger van but for a small 5m van the layout is much better than the classic side kitchen VW
Interestingly Westfalia made the classic VW California up to the launch of the T5. The rumours are that VW just did it in-house as Westfalia were struggling financially. VW continued with that design which then forced Westfalia to use Fords and re-design the layout.
Jerba have a very, very good reputation. Fully employee owned as well which suspect helps with honesty & quality. Also do hire vans as well. Quite unique and clever conversions as well.
Unlike All Seasons down the road who were a bunch of clowns and had to completely rework a family members van as the bed broke on first use and the quality was shocking.
T5 sized camper vans are basically not much more than a metal tent. Barely anymore space, PITA to actually carry stuff unless you want it dangling off the back etc. Fondest memories of when ours was a full blown camper were those times when we weren't actually camping but were able to pull up by the sea, stick the kettle on and swivel the front seats so we could play games etc with the kids and then go for a walk on the beach. For us, the current setup we have with 6 seats in a kombi layout with loads of room in the back for bikes etc as well as the pop top works far, far better. We rarely used the hob in the van and never used the sink so why cart that stuff around with you. New setup seats 6 (or 5 when I put single seats back up front), sleeps 4 with the kombi bed and pop top and allows 2 bikes to slide alongside the kombi bed made up and 2 more underneath if you really wanted to and in day to day work mode can fit 4 bikes in the back.
T5 Van owner here and I'd never buy a camper version. I might be tempted by a long wheel base conversion. I've seen two Transit (Custom) conversions by Wellhouse and I can't fault them. First one bought direct, second was owners dropped off with them for conversion. Cost around £20k to convert.
I see they are taking orders for a brand new Maxus conversion at £55k OTR. What! I know sweet FA about the Vans though.
The best layout for a T5 is, I think, is the Amdro Angel layout, and I would say that as I've had one since 2010. Fixed boot area means you can have everything inside the van (we can get a ridiculous amount in the boot, including two bikes, loungers, BBQ...) and still sleep in the back. Shame they don't make them any more.
Jerba have a very, very good reputation. Fully employee owned as well which suspect helps with honesty & quality. Also do hire vans as well. Quite unique and clever conversions as well.
Agree, without question (other than cost!) Jerba would be my first choice if I'm in a position for something again.
An example of your comment about clever stuff: they located the 240v hookup socket and water fill point behind the panel below the offside rear light on our T5, making it into a hinged panel. Meant no extra holes etc cut into the side of the van.
I miss that van, badly.
T5 sized camper vans are basically not much more than a metal tent. Barely anymore space, PITA to actually carry stuff unless you want it dangling off the back etc. Fondest memories of when ours was a full blown camper were those times when we weren't actually camping but were able to pull up by the sea, stick the kettle on and swivel the front seats so we could play games etc with the kids and then go for a walk on the beach. For us, the current setup we have with 6 seats in a kombi layout with loads of room in the back for bikes etc as well as the pop top works far, far better. We rarely used the hob in the van and never used the sink so why cart that stuff around with you. New setup seats 6 (or 5 when I put single seats back up front), sleeps 4 with the kombi bed and pop top and allows 2 bikes to slide alongside the kombi bed made up and 2 more underneath if you really wanted to and in day to day work mode can fit 4 bikes in the back.
Although I look back fondly at my old T5 Jerba camper, you're not far wrong. Ours was my daily driver for a couple of years, coinciding with the kids being a toddler and a newborn, and the space for days out was priceless. Even as a daily it was great for dumping the fully assembled pram in the back. As an actual camper though, not much use! Too small, cramped and lacking storage for a family of 4 when kids were young. We managed a few trips in it including a 3-week tour to the Alps and back when kids were 5mths and 2.5yrs and just about killed us - partly the lack of A/C and 35degC though too.
If I was doing it again I'd want a 'metal tent': a basic van, pop top with bed, travel seating/bed, a unit to store camping 'stuff' in with worktop space for standalone camping stove, etc, and internal storage for a couple of bikes. Probably space for a toilet given my approaching age.
The best layout for a T5 is, I think, is the Amdro Angel layout, and I would say that as I've had one since 2010. Fixed boot area means you can have everything inside the van (we can get a ridiculous amount in the boot, including two bikes, loungers, BBQ...) and still sleep in the back. Shame they don't make them any more.
How exactly can you get two bikes and loads of other gear in a T5 and still sleep inside - are you only 5' tall with equivalent sized dismantled 26er's?
The only way I can see me managing that that is by sleeping in the pop-up top and putting the bikes outside when it's ready for breakfast.
How exactly can you get two bikes and loads of other gear in a T5 and still sleep inside - are you only 5' tall with equivalent sized dismantled 26er's?
I reckon it's possible with the layout overview I posted above. Beds in that case use the single rear seats plus the front seat bases. Do without the offside furniture (items 4, 5 & 6), have bikes fork-mounted with front wheels out, bars turned or top n tailed. The single rear seats in that design look to be a similar distance behind the front seats as my factory Transit Custom L2 double-cab which I can fit bikes in lengthways with front wheel off.
RE layout: Bilbo's do a Space which intrigues me. We have a Komba with a similar ready for outdoor sports' approach to the interior and it all the brilliants.
https://www.bilbos.com/bilbos-campervans/space/
And of course the classic Nexa and Celex of similar layout.
How exactly can you get two bikes and loads of other gear in a T5 and still sleep inside - are you only 5' tall with equivalent sized dismantled 26er's?
Nope, I'm 6'1", she's 5'8". The bikes were/are flat-bar gravel bikes to be fair, and yes they're dismantled (well, wheels off). It takes a bit of faffing, packing wise, but it's amazing how much will go in.
If we're not going to be sleeping en-route they go in through the side door, across-wise between the two bench seats.
Once we're wherever we're going they live outside, locked up with a long cable to the towing eye or the anti-roll bar
You sure you want a VW? Mine’s currently spending its third week in the van centre for this episode. Something like 12th in 5 years. Now bearing in mind it set itself on fire, VW would like me to pay for an EGR flush to see if that fixes the problem before they try anything else. I’ll say it again: it’s been on fire.
You sure you want a VW? Mine’s currently spending its third week in the van centre for this episode. Something like 12th in 5 years. Now bearing in mind it set itself on fire, VW would like me to pay for an EGR flush to see if that fixes the problem before they try anything else. I’ll say it again: it’s been on fire.
Change of username required...
I remain open to being wrong, but am pretty certain that the t26 / t28 / t30 etc and weight capacity thing is entirely down to springs and shocks. A relatively easy and not overly expensive thing to get altered. All of the engines can be remapped to give a little more power if you need it.
Changing the springs and shocks doesn't change the plated axle weights of the vehicle which is what you get fined against for being overweight. So you also need to use someone like Svtech to get it replated, and then declare your modified vehicle to insurer etc etc. All possible but multiple additional hassles.
I remain open to being wrong, but am pretty certain that the t26 / t28 / t30 etc and weight capacity thing is entirely down to springs and shocks. A relatively easy and not overly expensive thing to get altered. All of the engines can be remapped to give a little more power if you need it.
It's a little more complex than that as the uprights are different on the front axle. I think both ARBs are also chunkier. I'd be going for the vented brakes at the rear and bigger 2-pot callipers at the front off a caravelle / california if you wanted to head to t30 weights. They're really good brakes, though mine did once seize on solidly as we set off on a camping holiday in our previous 'velle. I can't quite remember whether that was before or after that one set itself on fire for the second time. I do recall going the full Basil Fawlty on it in the layby next to the Angel of the North though.
All of the engines can be remapped to give a little more power if you need it.
I wouldn't map the ones with a 5 speed gearbox,
I wouldn't map any of them. They're a van, they drive like a van, they accelerate like a van, they handle like a van, accept that and just get on with it. Mine's a 54 plate T28 and is bog standard, it's done 100k miles whilst I've had it, literally all over Europe, and it's fine.
You sure you want a VW? Mine’s currently spending its third week in the van centre for this episode. Something like 12th in 5 years. Now bearing in mind it set itself on fire, VW would like me to pay for an EGR flush to see if that fixes the problem before they try anything else. I’ll say it again: it’s been on fire.
Whereas I've owned mine for coming up to 11 years and its been the most reliable vehicle I've owned. Just ticked 100k miles and outside of what I'd deem as consumables, its needed a driveshaft and and EGR valve/cooler.
And regarding remaps - mine (5 speed), remapped from 102 to 160bhp from 30k miles and been spot on. As long as its not mapped by a yoot with a laptop and some generic map he downloaded from the interweb its great.
Have had two since 2018. Off the top of my head the first one, owned from May 2018 @ 40k to December 2019 @65k with full VWVCSH, failed on.....
Rear diff oil seals while parked up; rear differential lock; nearside SLD lock; front brake callipers seized; HVAC loom caught fire; Aircon circuit pressure sensor failure; HVAC loom caught fire in a different place; oil/water temperature differential outside expected limits leading finally to... cylinder head gasket failure. Its since had another engine rebuild with it's third owner and a couple of years later required a further rebuild as the head gasket blew, again. We talk on messenger quite a bit about its crapness.
The second one, owned from new in December 2019 to 95k today, full 5+ year VWVCSH and 7 year extended warranty, failed on...
Pulls to left - known issue, TPI 2005793/9 received from VW to say "They can do this, yes. And?"
Inlet manifold / fuel pressure regulator - known issue, more in a moment.
Tailgate soft close mechanism.
Offside SLD lock, blind unit, rollers, window seal.
EGR cooler split, spent 7 weeks in a Spanish dealer being fixed.
Glow plug failure (though I accept this is a consumable, van centre somehow wangled a warranty replacement).
Tailgate soft close mechanism (again).
Set itself on fire causing failure of front assist, parking sensors, stop start system, boost pressure failure, EGR circuit failure and ultimately the diagnostics computer they plugged it into. Root cause was this morning identified as a failed inlet manifold which has a hole burnt through it from the inside. Van centre reckon it needs: new manifold, egr cooler, charge cooler, possibly turbos along with all the wiring the fire damaged.
Oh and VW delivered it new from the factory after a 9 month lead time with the passenger side window switch hanging out of the door card on its wires like it came off the Rover SD1 production line and with ENTIRELY THE WRONG INTERIOR, along with a little note to the dealer saying "Sorry, we don't make them like that any more, would you mind telling the customer? Bye!" The £17k discount and fist full of extended warranty / service plans they provided as compensation almost, but not quite made up for it.
VW would like me to pay for an EGR flush to see if that fixes the problem before they try anything else. I’ll say it again: it’s beenon fire.
Is this a common practice? BiL rang me a few months back for advise: 'VW dealer want to replace the EGR valve, but if that fails to fix the problem, then I will have to pay for it and further diagnostics'. WTF! Find the problem, confirm the problem and fix the problem, don't fire up the parts cannon. Hard to believe main dealer took this approach*. I sent him off to a VW specialist near him.
@hot_fiat. Are you writing a book on this 😁. Don't worry though the next generation is a Ford/VW colab. Somewhere for Ford to dump all the wet belt 2.0 litre engines they must have kicking around.
*I know from an old colleague that he would print out the latest dealer TSBs and give them to the technicians in the dealership and they would never read them or even ask if the problem they had was a know fault and was there a TSB for it.
My VW T5 California is a 2009. I bought it 2 years old for £34,000 just over 13 years ago with 13,000 miles on it, 3 months before my son was born.
Its a 5 cyl, 2.5 TDi, 135 ps.
Its been my daily driver for 6 years and currently has 160,000 miles on it. It is now at the age where it needs stuff doing every year and that has to go in the budget each year as a priority.
We do festivals, holidays, camping weekends, Europe trips and it serves as a great day van with the fridge, stove and always a change of clothes on board.
We love it. At the risk of sounding cheesy, it is part of the family, no we haven't named it, the kids have grown up in it and its home to them no matter where we are.
Is its definitely a keeper for us and worth the upkeep costs.
My answer to your original question is, life's short, buy the damn camper.
no we haven't named it,
My current van is grey and - after introducing them to LOTR - the kids have named it Vandalf The Grey. They've already insisted whatever van we get next must be WHITE...
I'm quietly impressed with them 😀
"Also, anyone have any solutions for transporting a bike inside without it banging against the units?"
I just throw mine in the side door. Seats clean up well enough and always look new again after scrub. Units are showing their age anyway, mostly from fighting a goat in there one time.
My festival set up. Slept in in for a total of 8 hours from Thursday to Monday 😂
It's probably been said, sorry not read the whole thread but if doing a full conversion with bed, cabinets, fridge, tanks etc then if it's a T28 you'll come very close to the max weight. Pro conversion s tend to use T30-32.
That said I have a T28 SWB, with a two up bikes tow bike rack and Bikes tow pull out bed and it's plenty of room for a bike and one person. Two people and no bikes is fine too. I use portable electric hook up, removable electric toolbox and basic camping stove, it's also got a rubber floor so easy to sweep out dirt from the bikes. It all can be removed in about 20 mins if I need to use it as an actual van
Oooh an update. Mine doesn’t get any more reliable. The entire MFD menu system that allows the driver to control the DRLs, ambient lighting and most importantly of all, set the LED headlights for driving on the right in Europe, has disappeared! I’m trying to fix it with VCDS (we’re on holiday abroad) but so far the controller that should allow that option isn’t presenting the option, for some random reason.