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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder if a camper van is worth it? Have campervan envy!

183 replies

malificent7 · 27/05/2019 08:24

I am in a campsite in a tent with campervan envy.
They are so lovely but very ecpensive and i am on a budget. If i did get one it would be 2nd hand. Any advice / recommendations about owning a van without breaking the bank?
It is the mechanics that worries me most after hearing some horror stories.

OP posts:
bowchicawowwow · 28/05/2019 11:53

We have a motorhome. I'm currently sat outside it in the sunshine in Northern France. We don't use it as much as we should, it's harder work than I expected constantly packing up and packing down. We paid £16k for ours and yes you could say we could spend that on nice hotel holidays but we are quite anti-social and like camping in quiet locations and not knowing where we will stop from one night to the next. We have been doing this for about 5 years now, not sure how much longer we will carry on as kids will be teenagers in a few years and I don't think they will enjoy all having to kip on the big bed together and hang out with boring parents all day.

Campervanlife4me · 28/05/2019 12:07

Well, I would tell you from my experience to save up and get one. Me and dh go off in ours whenever we can. DC used to come with us but prefer to be at home now plugged into the wall with their phones etc, but when they were younger they did enjoy it. We get our moneys worth as we use ours every day for commuting as well. In fact the van is cheaper on diesel than my 4x4. So we bought ours as a big standard panel van, the cheapest way, then converted the inside to exactly how we wanted it. We never have a problem parking as it is the same length as any large 4x4. Rain, sun or anything else, we are always dry and warm. If we don't like where we are, then we just drive off rather than packing everything away. The running and maintenance costs are actually cheaper than a car. When you have it all converted, get the logbook changed to say that it is a campervan rather than a panel van and that reduces your insurance considerably. Feel free to contact me for anymore info.

MsChookandtheelvesofFahFah · 28/05/2019 12:35

I thought I'd bring the two boards closer S1naidSucks. Thanks for noticing Grin

Cismyfatarse1 · 28/05/2019 12:50

Our Council is doing what they can but we are a series of remote scattered communities and there is no money - where do they get the funding for to put in facilities for camper vans that won't pay for the existing facilities (campsites etc) and prefer just to park by the road.

Another story - this was sorted but it was to do with the camping apps (places to camp for free). One of them recommended a lovely concrete area overlooking the sea and it was duly parked in by about 6 vans. They were squashed up together so parked over the painted lines on the concrete and the later arrivals just followed their predecessors.

When locals realised we got them moved on. It was a matter of some urgency as they had parked on the helicopter pad used for air ambulance or evacuations from the lifeboat. But the app had decided that the lovely concrete area (probably found via Google or something) was a great spot. Again, fund-raising was done to supply a chain and a code which a few individuals have to allow pedestrian / vehicle access to the area for ambulances / cars etc meeting the helicopters.

Please - don't wild camp in your vans. Buy stuff. Even self-catering gives someone some money for the accommodation. If you arrive with a Tesco shop from home and buy little (and pay your road tax to a government that spends it on the M8 and not rural services) you are going to be welcomed by few.

And they are terrible polluters (not just blue loos and rubbish but diesel fumes and giant guzzling engines).

MsChookandtheelvesofFahFah · 28/05/2019 13:06

Tbf this is a thread about campervans which are generally smaller than transit vans and some are no bigger than a Range Rover so I think you are talking more about motorhomes. In England signs abound about no overnight parking and fines for offenders. Surely someone can update these 'apps'? People in campers do NOT do a big Tesco shop! Where would they put it? Again, a council problem v a few people who don't abide by the rules. It's never ok to empty a toilet into streams.

HollaHolla · 28/05/2019 13:52

My parents bought one as a retirement project. They’d hired overseas a few times, and bought an older, smaller one, which they kept for a couple of years. They used it, and liked it, a lot, so progressed to a larger, newer, posher one.

They spent many an evening working out their ideal layout, etc! It had to have a fixed double bed at the back, so there was no making up/taking down the bed; a toilet & shower (for middle of the night wees, and wild camping); a heating/air con system; not have to climb up above the drivers cab for bed; and have good storage for outdoor furniture, bikes, etc. They found a 4 year old one which met their requirements, and traded in. They went to a well-known dealer with a big range, so there was a warranty, etc, on an expensive purchase. My dad’s handy, and good with mechanics, so does running maintenance himself.

They use it for two big (6 week) holidays a year - usually one in the uk, and one in mainland Europe. Then there’s at least a dozen weekends. I, and my siblings, are all insured on it, and have used it with families/friends. I’m taking it away in a couple of weeks, so i can stay with a couple of mates, after a wedding, without paying £150 a room in a fancy hotel! We’re in Scotland, so can take advantage of some of the wild camping laws.
We always used to camp in tents as kids, so were always used to that type of holiday too. Love it! It’s a big investment, but because we all use it, it’s worth it.

HollaHolla · 28/05/2019 13:57

@Cismyfatarse - I feel your pain on the wild camping piss-takers. Near us, there’s a car park by the teach which is constantly in use by wild campers. Not for a night or two, but for 6 weeks. The problem is that they either don’t have loos, or don’t go to somewhere which has facilities to dump waste. The dog finds human waste peppered around the sand dunes, and it stops anyone else enjoying this part of the beach.
I am very much of the opinion that 1 or 2 nights is very different. Stopping for a night where you go to a local pub/restaurant, wander around the town, pick up food from the local bakers, etc. is quite different from what I’ve first outlined.

museumum · 28/05/2019 14:09

We have a small can with a blow up awning for longer trips. We use ours a lot as a day van for picnics etc when it’s too cold otherwise. We can make hot drinks soup etc. Also in summer the fridge is great to have.
We use it to transport our bikes and for changing after wet rides or runs. We go away between Easter and October at weekends even if just one night as it’s always packed to go and we take a summer holiday in it each year.
The summer holiday we could do with a big tent but the other stuff not really.

RavenLG · 28/05/2019 14:28

We have a '68 VW. It costs us very little year on year as it's tax exempt (classed as a heritage vehicle) and we don't have a lot of issues with it to be honest. (fully shit the bed once where we had to get towed home but in the 7 years I've been with DP I think that's a fair record).

DP bought (pretty much the shell) when he was 17 and did a lot of the work himself, but did sink a fair bit into it to get it into the condition is it today. It is however the basic van (no cooking equipment or cupboards etc.) just the front seats and back seats / rock and roll bed. So it's fairly basic. We can't camp wild due to no toilet facilities (not that we would anyyway tbh) but we mainly use it for festivals now. We have the attachable awning and the general camping stove etc.

Honestly, we don't use it as much as we both would want to. Hopefully in the future we can (saving for a wedding / doing up the house), but I think you need to work out initial cost and then yearly costs, vs how much you would use it.

Tiscold · 28/05/2019 15:30

@HollaHolla. That sounds amazing, I've seen some beautiful conversions. There was one i saw that had a fixed bed but it raised up to the roof, so you could sit on a sofa bit during the day and evening and then at night lower the bed down on struts and sleep on it

HollaHolla · 28/05/2019 15:42

Hi @Tiscold - this one has another double which can pull out from the banquettes. So it’s really a 4 berth. Gives a bit more space.
It’s a 7 year old Fiat. Doblo chassis. About 6.5m long. I’ve not seen tonnes of them about, but there are a few on the road of that style. Some are on a Ford or Vauxhall wheelbase too.

Tiscold · 28/05/2019 15:43

@HollaHolla. That sounds amazing, I've seen some beautiful conversions. There was one i saw that had a fixed bed but it raised up to the roof, so you could sit on a sofa bit during the day and evening and then at night lower the bed down on struts and sleep on it

mlawn1 · 28/05/2019 15:52

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Tiscold · 28/05/2019 16:48

Ooh @HollaHolla, that sounds amazing, they did this all themselves? Or is this the dealer bought one?

HollaHolla · 28/05/2019 16:51

@Tiscold this is dealer bought, but with some upgrades done by my dad.

Tiscold · 28/05/2019 17:31

It sounds lovely, one can dream

Yearofchange · 28/05/2019 17:51

Ah so many joyless van nay sayers here! Camper vans are the dogs bollox. We have had three, the first two were 1970s/80s and we did spend much of our disposable income on keeping them on the road. But we also drove to Morocco and travelled around Europe for 6 months so... now we run a more modern one as our only vehicle, no repair issues, no parking issues, it’s about the same size as a family estate, cost us the same as a Skoda Octavia would have (we compared at the time of purchase) but we can camp whenever we want to and brew up in a traffic jam. We keep food etc stocked and sleeping bags in van. Festivals are so much better as van areas tend to be quieter and a bit calmer. Was amazing when kids were small cos you just took home with you and could pack all the baby kit plus body boards, bikes, trailers. And we contribute loads to local economy by paying campsites, cafes, pubs.. you’re all just jealous! Grin

Peperpiperpickedwrong · 28/05/2019 18:00

Compromise and get a trailer tent. Grin More spacious than a tent, warmer to sleep because you are up on platforms, kitchen area and cooker, no need to tax or pay mechanic for. See how much use you get out of it and then sell and put towards a camper next year if you have made loads of trips.

MarvellousMonsters · 28/05/2019 18:06

We have a folding camper, which is very similar to a trailer tent, it’s a neat little trailer that easy to hitch and tow, which folds out into two solid double beds, either side of a built in ‘kitchen’ with two gas rings, a grill, a sink (with foot pump for water). The awning is fairly easy to pitch and makes it huge, enough room for an inflatable sofa and a table with 4 chairs. Very similar to this, we got ours from eBay for under £300.

Ellybellyboo · 28/05/2019 18:09

My friend has a Toyota Alphard which he had converted and added a pop-top.

He imported it himself from Japan and had the roof and conversion added by a professional converter - rock and roll bed, side kitchen with a hob, fridge and porta-loo

It’s lovely - they go off all over the place but still use it as a family car

DH has serious camper-envy but I think our kids are just at the wrong age for it. Too old to want to go away with us, but too young to leave at home overnight

pictish · 28/05/2019 18:32

Trailer tents are for campsites.
We want a van to go mountaineering at the weekend, so looking for something small to fit along wee single track, remote mountain roads and tuck off road for a few hours kip before setting out at dawn. You can’t do that with a trailer tent.
We’d never park up in a public car park - the motorhomers call it ‘wild camping’ but really it’s just free parking. Why anyone would want to sleep in a car park is beyond me.
We would definitely pay for a campsite if the campsite location suited our plans.

manicmij · 28/05/2019 18:34

I have had campervan envy for years. They are though not to be thought of as a dream machine. The cost, maintenance, insurance, mot, fuel consumption, storage costs can really mount up. When parked up on a site unless you are near public transport or are biking made you basically have to unhitch and also pack everything inside away to make sure whatever doesn't go flying. When driving the noise from everything inside rattling is awful. Then, finding a parking space in towns, villages or roadways can be a nightmare. Hope I haven't shattered your dream!

blackshadow · 28/05/2019 18:36

Exactly us - we bought a lovely, almost 30 year old 5 berth Talbot and we have loved every minute - we never stay on commercial sites, always farms and the like which are normally cheap. Last summer we spent 3.5 weeks travelling Europe in ours and it cost about £1000 for the 4 of us and dog including food, diesel, ferries and sites - we would never have been able to do that otherwise. We try to get away at least one weekend a month and at least another 4 full weeks each year. Definitely worth it - love it and also looking to upgrade now we know we love it so much.

HillRunner · 28/05/2019 18:39

We have a camper and love it. It's a converted panel van, and we did the conversion to our own spec so it fits our needs perfectly. We get lots of use out of it, and the flexibility it offers is amazing.

Van + conversion cost us £21k, and it was worth every penny. Smile

HillRunner · 28/05/2019 18:40

When driving the noise from everything inside rattling is awful.

I've never experienced this! What are you transporting in your van?