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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Original poster

Campervans as your main car.

96 replies

Scramble · 26/01/2008 23:57

Have a mad urge to get a campervan, but can't afford to run a car and a campervan.

Looking at a bargain basement ancient thing probably, will it cost too much to run day to day? I do about 140 miles a week on average. I want to be able to go off the od weekend here and there and use it for weekends away working through the summer.

OP posts:
Tommy · 27/01/2008 22:12

we had one as our family car when I was young. I learned how to drive in it - a Ford Transit camper van. Very cool for a 17 year old

Remember once whe I met a bloke somewhere and he offered to walk me back to my car - I was mortified

QuintessentialShadow · 27/01/2008 22:16

We recently sold our Autosleeper (Ford Transit, SWB) for £5200. It was a 1991 model. It had a permanent high top, with sleeping place for two children.

Cons:
Insurance more than £700 per year.
Could not park where there were hight restrictions.

Pros: It was surprisingly good for parking and turning. Fitted neatly in a standard parking space. Overall a great van. We used it when our normal car was 3 weeks for repairs after an accident.

singledadofthree · 27/01/2008 22:17

would definately agree with binning the caravan - i hate them! and would get rid of the micra - also dont like jap crap. i used to use my mountain bike a lot when running the van - in and out of town was a pain and i could pedal quicker. on reflection tho - they are brilliant to drive.

singledadofthree · 27/01/2008 22:19

arghh - just seen that chavtastic caravan - dont do it!!!

Original poster
Scramble · 27/01/2008 22:30

LOL don't worry I was not intending to go for that, I will be getting rid of the micra it was wrecked twice in a fortnight and is all dented and stuff, won't get anything for it.

I feel bad about selling the carvan exH's auntie gave it to me for nothing and I FIL and me did so much work on it, but other than FIL towing it somewhere for me I can't use it.

I used it a couple of times last year for work weekends but had exH's van to tow it (he was still DH at that point), so I will have to make own arrangements this year, I would pay lots of money not to have to sleep in a tent.

If I could afford a cheap car and a cheap camper I would do that, what is the tax and insurance likely to be for one of the 25 VWs. A collegue has something like the 25 as well as a car. But hers is minging and rancid and looks shit, she was so shocked when she saw what I did with my caravan interior.

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motherhurdicure · 27/01/2008 22:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
Scramble · 27/01/2008 22:36

My caravans pics are on my profile.

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singledadofthree · 27/01/2008 22:39

tax is full amount as its a 2litre £170? - i run a little corsa and havent paid it for a while. as for insurance, theyre high, i also still have a 2.2 audi GTI, is cheaper to insure than the 25 - depends on you and your no claims of coursse. next time youre in tesco be a bit blokey and look at the vw mags - they have plenty (just near the pervy lads mags) always loads of specialist insurance ads.

Original poster
Scramble · 27/01/2008 22:42

If the insurrance wasn't too much I would perhaps run the two, but it might be better if I had one vehicle and just kept my milage down.

I am loving the idea of taking the kids off hwen I want on a whim, great way to avoid exh, sorry thats unfair he is not being too annoying right now LOL

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singledadofthree · 27/01/2008 22:42

ah - youre skribble
and you eat pot noodles too - and heres i thinking youre practically perfect in every way

singledadofthree · 27/01/2008 22:45

try confused for a quote - youll do better going to a specialist tho. and theyre really fussy about the conversions - who did it etc. is to do with carrying gas, plumbing and such like. you have to be corgi registered now to do them... honest, have done loads and never blown anyone up tho.

Original poster
Scramble · 27/01/2008 22:48

Now come on pot noodles, wine, magners, whisky, vodka, pringles and FRESH APPLE JUICE!!!

Just a normal shopping list for my weekends away working in the summer .

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Original poster
Scramble · 27/01/2008 22:48

Oh and chocolate digestives they are compulsory.

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singledadofthree · 27/01/2008 22:53

throw in a packet of hobnobs and i'll be there - tho your caravan does look like it would give the proverbial cat a bit of a headache.

Original poster
Scramble · 27/01/2008 22:56

It is a small two berth but if I am only sharing with one of the girls it is great. One place I worked the portaloos were so bad I kept nipping back to use my portapotti, I didn't tell anyone else I had one.

I wonder how much I could seel it for it is very dry inside and I did new funky curtains for it and cleaned it all up.

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singledadofthree · 27/01/2008 23:20

oh sorry - on the phone to dd, she's at uni in scotland, and it keeps raining.
and we have a lovely little thetford portaloo - also needed it at a very dodgy site in the lakes. ds found it the highlight of the trip
expect people will be looking round soon for a caravan, spring is going to be early it seems. stick a big sign in the window and pop it in the front garden.

Original poster
Scramble · 27/01/2008 23:23

Raining in Scotland never, well it didn't rain here today .

I think I will wait until the end of Feb and then try to sell it. I would put in in the drive but the trailer, trike, 4x4 that doesn't run and my micra fill it up all ready .

Oh I want a camper, I must stop looking at ebay, they are all at the opposite end of the country and I get all gooey eyed over converted coaches.

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Original poster
Scramble · 27/01/2008 23:24

Ginger nuts do????

Sorry that is aother ljoke entirely

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Original poster
Scramble · 27/01/2008 23:28

Hmm like this

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singledadofthree · 27/01/2008 23:30

ah - a trailer, am in need of on of them to stick ds's mini on - we're going racing soon. when i get a tow car that is, am also wandering to ebay looking at 4x4 cars - not people carrying things or off roaders, the lovely sporty 4wd's...sigh...
was even thinking of driving up yo lairg - have you seen how far that is? germany is closer.
and ginger nuts? behave, will get all crummy.

singledadofthree · 27/01/2008 23:34

looks good - tho colour bad, dont like the headlights, look like original front seats. apart from that, is worth a look. watch it - get an idea of what they go for. and expect high mileage, mine had done 125000 when i got it but was ok.

singledadofthree · 27/01/2008 23:35

my typing is getting worse. oh, my 25 had pearl paint, was smart.

Original poster
Scramble · 28/01/2008 00:15

I am watching a variety on Ebay to see what they go for, but I will try and find something local so I can get a look at it.

BIL has clamied the trailer for a workshop and has kitted it out, I was going to use it for market trading. The trike is his too so perhaps I should be charging him parking rent.

4x4 will be going free to a good home if I get my way , exH is leaving it to rot for now, was a good enough freelander, but has problems now.

OP posts:
Wisteria · 28/01/2008 08:44

Just wanted to come in on the plus side for the old vdubs again.

If they are properly and regularly maintained with a decent engine (I recommend the Vega) then they don't need to cost you a lot in maintenance and zero tax and insurance often offsets that side. The only thing I found a ball ache was the fuel cost as it hated short journeys, was actually quite reasonable on long ones though.

I bought mine as a nonstarter for £500, spent £2.5k doing it up and sold it for £5k 5 years later - after I'd put a new engine in, it never broke down and used to average about 70 on the motorway. Will try and put a photo up today at some point, there's one on the windowsill in the kitchen - is it weird that?

PMSl at getting stuck in the MS in Stratford though - I couldn't get under the barriers to a beach in Devon once (forgotten which one though)

seeker · 28/01/2008 08:54

we use our Bongo as our only car - but it's not converted. We have boxes of camping stuff that live under the seats, so we can just take off for the weekend whenever we want. Fab,fab,fab - and happily does 85-90 on the motorway. Not that I do of course - that would be breaking the speed limit which would be naughty. Only downside - won't go into a lot of car parks.