Anyone used their car like a mini camper van?

[Neighbourmystery]

I was recently in a local forest (it's a tourist attraction not secluded) there is a car park area where people park their campervans and motor homes. There was a couple there who had the back seats of their car down, lots of foam pads and cushions/duvet. They were sitting looking at the view with their boot open.Thay had a flask and some cakes Essentially they had turned the back of their car into a bed/settee. I have often thought about getting a campervan but am put off by the faff of hooking it up etc as well as the cost and I am quite nervous about sleeping in it as a solo traveller. Does anyone on here do this? It strikes me as a great idea and a good halfway point. Then I could just get cheap hotel/b and b stays. Anyone here done similar and if yes, how did you make it all comfortable etc?

Exh & I used to do this in his Citroën Grand Picasso when night fishing in the summer, lay all the back seats down, an airbed & sleeping bag, left the tailgate open so we could hear the bite alarms, better than a bivvy.

It wouldn't be for camping overnight on campsites

I had a second-hand one for 16 yrs. The only issue is that I'm just over 5ft8 and the fold-down bed was slightly short for me - my ankles were over the edge.

Ah ok yes an airbed. Good call. I was thinking of some sort of folding foam thing.

Or just find a laid back campsite that doesn't care 🤷‍♀️

Certainly the farm I camp at regularly wouldn't lift an eyebrow at, say, a Citroën Berlingo without a "proper kitchen".

yes we have one like this from amdro
it goes in the back of our ford tourneo
it also has an awning that hangs over the opened out back door, which gives you quite a big extra space
we've done 2 week holidays in it - very flexible and comfortable enough for that amount of time, I'd recommend it

Hiya I said in my first post, I would get cheap hotel and b and b as accommodation, but I'd like to do the other bits of having a camper like parking in a beautiful forest and not having to sit in the drivers seat , (like the couple I saw who had made the back of their car very cosy and lovely to sit in )

We do this for festivals and gigs. 7 seater car, special blow up mattress that make a great double bed. It's very comfortable

Are you having a bad day @Highwash ?

What is required for a campsite is a means of cooking. A single burner gas ring is fine. It is a requirement of licensing of campsite for them to take camper vans not just tents. There are a few other things like water supply, which can be a carrier, lighting seating and fixed bet. Bootjumps are built and come with an accessories pack that ensure that they can comply. Some campsites don't care, normally it's the big ones that have the most to loose if they loose their licence.

Not in a car park, at the beach, in a forest etc etc. Previous poster said she also does this for day trips in her micro camper.
It's not that hard to understand

I slept in the back of my 7 seater mpv a few times, the both rows of seats down you could fit a double air mattress easily. Tended to be in quite specific circumstances eg one night only, and when you are likely to be out until late eg a few times at Hay festival, in pub car parks that allow overnight stays etc

No buy you can to a headland, beach, mountain view point, beautiful place to swim in river etc

I used to have a Citroen Picasso that I could remove the back seats from. The boot space was then enormous. We live near Dartmoor National Park and loads of beaches, so when my son was little we would put bean bags and duvets in the back, park up and have picnics.
Never slept in it though. It was great fun to sit in the back and relax, really good fun 😬

@Neighbourmystery I have also enjoyed a cup of tea from the back of the Berlingo in nice forest car parks too. Usually after a nice walk. It’s very pleasing.

Yes friends often drive to the beach and ‘live’ out of the back of the car for the day / evening. I’d love to but for some reason our back seats don’t fold down flat! One friend has an inflatable car mattress but she drives long distances across Europe on her own so it’s part of her emergency kit in case she’s ever stranded.

I'm with @Highwash
I'm finding v weird, but also really funny.
Sitting in car parks on a foam mattress in your boot!!!!!

I was already going all misty-eyed reminiscing about our Bongo (are you one of my children?!) My sister used to say - are you going Um Bongo?
You would understand this - one of the children loses a tooth, puts it under their pillow in the roof space because they know the tooth fairy can get through that little round hole! But another child sleeps across the trap door…
I definitely endorse the Bongo.

This is exactly what I was thinking!

Thank you! I'm not mad!