Viewing 13 posts - 41 through 53 (of 53 total)
  • Campervan v tent pros cons ?
  • Or for £25k you could have this caravan – similar in a campervan would be getting close to £80k at a guess

    gazc
    Free Member

    we have a T25 high top, pic below. over the years cost a fair bit more than originally anticipated as the original engine blew so now it has a 2.0L subaru engine in it, and i built an ikea interior inside but for all the costs, expenses and stresses its given us so much joy i wouldn’t give it up for the world. sounds cheesey i know, but with a campervan you either love it or just don’t get it.

    if you think you’ll only use it a few weekends a year it’ll probably be too expensive an investment to just sit around most of the year doing nowt. but for us we’ve easily got our moneys worth in the last 4 years. in fact i was staying in it last night in the lakes, decided i was going yesterday morning, rocked up, did a ride, made some food, had a few beers with some music on, closed the curtains, put the bed down and home away from home… no hassle booking b&b’s, putting tents up in the pissing rain, dragging bedding across a wet field from a car, having to follow a set plan. the sense of freedom is fantastic. if staying in random spots/car parks doesn’t float your boat you can always just book into a campsite like you would do with a tent anyway

    as for T25’s, well check out http://www.club80-90.co.uk for advice on buying and in general. avoid the smaller diesels, and whatever you do, buy the most solid van you can afford. yes our engine popped after 3 years, but at least i’m not sat every weekend cutting out rust and trying to weld it all back together 🙂

    btw we still have a few tents, which we use for backpacking/bikepacking/festivals where we’ve missed campervan tickets etc but we’ve never bothered with huge family style tents so can’t make a comparison to that style of camping

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Or for £25k you could have this caravan – similar in a campervan would be getting close to £80k at a guess

    Not a chance. I’ve been round £80k campervans, they are still pretty pokey. The chassis robs loads of interior space, as does the cab. You have to go into triple figures and some colossal vehicles to get the same size as a caravan.

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    Stainypants
    Full Member

    I have a half way house – mine was expensive but you could get something similar for 3 grand and newer than a t25.

    I have a VW caravelle. Which can be used as camper but we use it as the mobile living room that was described earlier. The front seats swivel and the five of us and sit round and have breakfast, lunch or tea inside. I keep all the stuff under the seats for tea and coffee and eating and washing up and a small cooker in the boot. I also have a small fridge. But we sleep in a pop up tent I have a several and I can set it up in five minutes for 5 of us to sleep in and break it down about the same time. I did this on Friday spontaneous camping trip with my two kids.

    I like the idea of an eriba or a tab caravan but the wife won’t allow it.

    I’d absolutely love a £100k+ proper job with the sides that extends out – do you need a class 2 licence to drive em?

    But as I’ll never afford one, I’m happy working my way up the ladder in caravan luxury – no doubt will have a £25k jobbie one day. The beauty of them is – they depreciate like cars, so if you are prepared to go a few years old you can get some beauties for £10k. Not so good for those buying new mind, but only a mug would buy a brand new caravan or car!

    RichPenny
    Free Member

    What I’m not really getting is why you’d spend that money on a caravan. Isn’t camping about keeping it simple? And if you wanted some luxury, why not just stay in a hotel or rent a holiday home?

    Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    Cos you can bugger off somewhere different every weekend, and still sleep in relative comfort.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    Isn’t camping about keeping it simple?

    No. It’s about going somewhere out in the sticks and being outside a lot. Having a caravan means you are just much more comfortable and don’t have to put up tents.

    Having stayed in many hotels and caravanned a lot, I much prefer caravanning, cos it’s your own space with your own stuff. Cheap hotels in the countryside are usually a bit rubbish. Plus food costs a fortune in hotels and you have to wait for it.

    ianpv
    Free Member

    I had a t4 van before I had kids which I used to sling the bikes in etc. When we had the children I decided to convert it into a camper, which cost about £5K, but was a lot of fun to do (insulating, carpeting, doing all that electrics etc) – it seemed a bit crazy for a 10 yr old van but in the end I love it. My wife much prefers it to a tent. The kids love it, too, it is great for days on the beach as well as camping, and I still sometimes get to escape in it for biking trips. Being able to sit in the van having a cup of coffee or tea in the morning, or when the weather comes in is just great. It’s not flash, but is quick enough, economical enough, incredibly reliable, has decent (by which I mean safe) rear seats, a comfy bed, a fridge/cooker/sink etc. I don’t think I could justify it economically – we just don’t use it enough – but it is my only vehicle (wife has a commuting car). I guess you either want one or you don’t. I’d get a T4 or other relatively modern van though, unless you’re in to the whole camper scene thing (I’m not). I’m going to put a high top on it this winter (look incredibly uncool, but storage/headroom will be great).



    piemonster
    Full Member

    Isn’t camping about keeping it simple?

    molgrips – Member

    No

    😆 you bloody love to make things more complicated than they need to be don’t you!

    unfitgeezer
    Free Member

    …after years of deliberating and looking at vans I bought a T25 4 birth hightop best bit its air cooled, so crap MPG, on the plus though its in good condition and I bought it from a retired couple, had proper 3 point seat belts fitted today along with a gas check.

    Roll on the weekend !

    alpin
    Free Member

    enjoy!

    pictonroad
    Full Member

    Air cooled high top, strong work, it’s a 2.0 I hope the 1.6 is an interesting experience. 😆

    Just one small thing, it’s a T3….

Viewing 13 posts - 41 through 53 (of 53 total)

The topic ‘Campervan v tent pros cons ?’ is closed to new replies.