vw camper van for 6 people?

[Pollyanna]

We would like to buy a campervan that can take me and dh and 4 children comfortably. I know nothing about camper vans - does anyone here with a large family have one?

(I am being shallow in looking only at vw ones, but will look at other types too ).

Can anyone recommend a website (I know there are loads of vw enthusiasts ones) or a magazine which can provide information?

thanks

Hello Pollyanna, how are you?
It seems much longer than just two years ago I met you and your very sweet kids at Hampstead Heath, and now there's another

Hello again pollyanna.
I have four kids and we've just bought a VW T25 from ebay. Most of the T25's have a bench which will only fit three next to the kitchen cupboards. In ours the bench goes the width of the van so we can fit four.

I would certainly say go for a VW because they're the best. I love ours. We were also looking at the VW Transporters with the long wheel base (LWB) which would give you a fair bit more space.

You can get a cheap one and have it converted yourself, or look for an ebay bargain.

Ours has a pop up roof. Three kids are supposed to sleep up there but it looks a bit squashy to me so we'll be brining a tend as overflow. You can also get awnings which fit onto the guttering of the camper.

No advice pollyanna but we would like one for the 6 of us too. The ones we have seen sleep 6 but only have 5 seatbelts which is crap.

Xena we fitted out own seatbelts.

I would really love one too

Have you seen the new ones?

link please

dh really wants one

Hadn't thought of that spidermama, you used to be able to buy seatbelts from halfords before all cars had them in the back as standard

here Enid

Yes xena they only recently stopped selling them. You can still get them on breakers yards or ebay.

Pollyanna do you want a cooker, fridge, sink etc?

Hi Suzy! Yes, dd3 is 18 months now, and we spend most days on the Heath (moving away on Monday though...).

I think I would prefer a van with all the equipment in, so in theory we could stop anywhere not just campsites. I would prefer that we could all sleep inside at a push, but am ok with taking a tent too.

How much do you want to spend? There are some great campers out there with solar showers, flushing loos. Brilliant for family holidays.

We've got a VW type 25 which we've had for a couple of years, and have done a lot of trips in. It sleeps 4 (two on the rock 'n' roll bed, and two in the pop-up roof) but we also have an awning that the kids prefer to sleep in (it's drive-away so you put it up once and then zip it up if you are away for the day).

We don't have a loo (but are thinking of getting a separate loo plus tent), our camper is approx 20 years old and cost £3k. We have spent quite a lot of money and time on it though - it had a fair amount of rust which dh has had to deal with for hours and hours.

But we absolutely love it! We spent (or rather dh spent) hours on the internet doing research, we also saw umpteen vehicles before this one.

There's a fantastic vw garage in Farnborough (don't know where you are but if that's reasonably close - I'd recommend giving them a call, asking their advice etc - they may also know of some for sale). Let me know if you want their details.

Hope this helps!

We can't afford much - we definitely at the battered end of the range, rather than new motorhome type. (plus dh needs convincing this is not just another of my [many] short-lived hobbies )

Which websites are good for advice?
What is the garage in Farnborough called?

adviceandvansforsale

orhere

I have a vw type2 1971 it sleeps two inside and then kids in the awning, although you can get conversions that will sleep six it is unrealistic without a tent as there really isn't enough space. Please be prepared that they cost alot of money in maintenance, live the dream its fab

the trouble with things like bark throwing is that it is a repetitive behaviour, and therefore incredibly difficult to stop (hmm like throwing things out of windows- I was going to reply earlier but stuff started being chucked out of the window again).

It would be a lot easier if the general public had some understanding of autism - even if it was at the level of "that behaviour is difficult to stop because they are autistic", rather like I vaguely understand that someone in a wheelchair will struggle with steps, although I know very little else about physical disabilities. If steps stop people with physical diusabilities from moving about easily, being unable to let some low level undesirable behaviour go isolates families of children with autism (and its not just the child it affects siblings as well). Now in my world, I would absolutely NOT let ds1 throw bark at anyone, I would not let him throw it repatedly in close vicinty to someone else, but if some bark throwing meant that the other 2 boys could have a pub lunch then yes I would let it go.

IN reality what happens is that society's inability to tolerate any sort of infringement of noraml social expectations means that we don;t go out, or I'll tend to interfere to stop ds1 doing something that really isn't affecting anyone else at all (it's my fear of ebing challenged that is disabling if you like), and so we get an escalation. I am trying to develop stronger hide as I think ultimately it will be better for him and his siblings, and he'll learn more.

on the dubs4sale website i have linked to there is a viking conversion which sleeps 5 btw forgot to tell you II have four kids and we manage fine in ours x

whoops!!! PMSL

Although I do want a camper van for 6 so will look!