Camper advice.

jamesbil

Hi all, have been surfing this section for a while now and getting a bit overwhelmed with all the posts, advice, what is up to date and what isnt

so, here goes....

We are looking to get into campervanning, there are 4 of us including 2 boys, age 8 and 10.
I am of the opinion that a van type would be better for us as we have no covered storage and surely a van would be less prone to damp than the other type.
Also I think round here (Mayo) a van is a lot easier to drive around in.
Budget is about 5k.

I would love to do a conversion from something like this;http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/commercials/3207546

I am a furniture maker by trade and have experience lining vans, and getting my hands dirty!!
Would the new regs stop me doing this?
Do any insurance companies cover a rolling conversion?
Anyone have any links for layout plans/ideas?
Where to buy a donor caravan? Seems a shame to take a part a usable caravan, so any insurance right-off or damaged repairable ones?
What to pay for said caravan?

If I was to convert a van, would I have to import as a van, do the conversion, then pay again to re-register as a camper?
Is converting worth it? It would be a newer van than a factory build camper for the same money. (if you see what I mean!) Or would I lose out when it comes to resale value?

Also, it will be mainly used for stay-cations, so which club to join to avail of discounts? What can we expect to pay in a site?
Is wild camping allowed?

Thanks for all the help.
James

jamesbil

Just one more for anyone reading...

The weight restriction?
An Iveco or Transit of the right size has a GVW of 3500kg.
Does this mean when converted it would be over weight?
Would it be too heavy for my car licence?

Thanks
James

defike

3500 is the gross vehicle weight i.e. its own weight + what you put into it,it cannot go over this ever. Thats all it was designed to carry.
A car licence will do.
I imported one from the north to convert 3 yrs ago so my experience is no good to you as everything has changed since then.

smurph10

Sorry if I'm hijacking a thread. I hv insured and taxes my camper last month with Dolmen insurance. Now my question is do I have to DOE it or can I drive as is.

I am going to the Euros and have done the full service and got it checked to the last but brought it for the DOE and am now told the windows aren't shatter proof. These are the typical campervan windows and I believe every campervan in the country that's over 10 year old will hv problems if this is the case.

So Is the Doe a must even it fully insured and taxed
And
Is there any way round having to change the windows if so..

Thanks

paddyp

smurph10 wrote: »

Sorry if I'm hijacking a thread. I hv insured and taxes my camper last month with Dolmen insurance. Now my question is do I have to DOE it or can I drive as is.

I am going to the Euros and have done the full service and got it checked to the last but brought it for the DOE and am now told the windows aren't shatter proof. These are the typical campervan windows and I believe every campervan in the country that's over 10 year old will hv problems if this is the case.

So Is the Doe a must even it fully insured and taxed
And
Is there any way round having to change the windows if so..

Thanks

Are there any markings at all on the windows there may be a din marking on them that they are not familiar with. If theres no markings at all on them then they are most probably caravan windows, caravan windows were never designed to be in a passenger compartment.

Heres the word from the RSA:
Q. Am I allowed to drive my camper van after March 1st if not tested?
A. The legislation requires that for motor caravans to be used in a public place from 1st March 2012 that they must have a current CRW. Hence we are
advising owners to book their vehicles in for a test as soon as possible and
keep a record of the appointment in their vehicle with them should they be
stopped and asked to produce a CRW by a member of An Garda Síochána.
However as with all legislation members of An Garda Síochána will have to
exercise discretion at roadside enforcement checkpoints from 1st March 2012
when it is clearly demonstrated (i.e. by way of an appointment at a registered CVT Test Centre) that the vehicle owner is attempting to comply with the legislation and is either taking his/her vehicle to have repairs carried out in preparation for a test or is actually driving to the test centre for the purpose of undergoing the test.


Q. What documentary evidence do I need to supply if the glazing materials
are not of the standards mentioned in the information leaflet?
A. A letter from the fitter/supplier or manufacturer of the glazing materials used stating that the glazing material is suitable for automotive use and not likely, if fractured, to produce fragments capable of causing severe cuts.

There is a comprehensive list of glazing standards here in case yours are marked:
http://rsa.ie/Documents/Vehicle%20Testing/Motor%20Caravan%20Testing/Motor%20Caravan%20Roadworthiness%20Testing.pdf

jamesbil

defike wrote: »

3500 is the gross vehicle weight i.e. its own weight + what you put into it,it cannot go over this ever. Thats all it was designed to carry.
A car licence will do.
I imported one from the north to convert 3 yrs ago so my experience is no good to you as everything has changed since then.

Thanks for that!

So I need to find out what the actual weight of a Transit or Iveco would be then? Of is it safe to assume the average van + conversion will be under 3500?

paddyp

jamesbil wrote: »

is it safe to assume the average van + conversion will be under 3500?

Yes. Average van would be 1800kg to 2200kg empty.

Back when the VRT was cheap as long as the van was over 3 ton people went to all sorts of lengths building in rolls of lead and bricks to get the van over the 3 ton.

I spoke to galway VRO when I started my conversion and when I asked about the 3 ton limit they said there was no way that you could legitimately get a lwb panel van over 3 ton and if you did they'd be doing some serious digging.

When I started calculating the weight of the contents and materials i could see what they were talking about. Even taking the piss and cramming in tons of stuff, 4 huge batteries and making everything out of 3/4 inch ply I would have been 400kg short of the 3 tons.

A person I met who has a colossal twin axle extra long wheel base sprinter with a very comprehensive conversion was still 200kg under 3 ton.

jamesbil

Great thanks for that paddyp!

jamesbil

Any thoughts on the vrt?
Would I have to import as a van, convert then pay again to register as a camper?

paddyp

jamesbil wrote: »

Any thoughts on the vrt?
Would I have to import as a van, convert then pay again to register as a camper?

Yes but the amount of VRT you pay will be knocked off the camper VRT.

jamesbil

great thanks again paddyp!

Looking at campers for sale at the moment, would I be right in assuming alot will not pass current DOE regs? There seem to be many with caravan windows, no walkthru etc?

Also any more thoughts on my original post?

Thanks
James

jamesbil

Ok, moving along slowly!
With ideas anyway...
Narrowed it down to a Citroen Relay (Ducato). Looks like this is the widest van so i could fit a bed across it.
Also looking for a caravan for cooker, sink, toilet, shower, battery wiring etc.

As for layout, kinda thinking bunks across the back doors (2'6"), sink and hobs on sliding door wall, toilet and shower opposite this (4'), then seats and table that will convert into double bed (4'). also both front seats swivel. storage above cab and under bunks.

What do you think? On the van and on the layout?

Macy0161

iirc a UK company called Wildax do a relay conversion that has bunks. Might be worth a look, for ideas and layout that you can do something similar?

We never did it, but we were looking at the Renault Master/ Nissan Interstar/ Opel Movano. They are a little longer than the relay/ ducato but are still just about wide enough for a bed across.

paddyp

jamesbil wrote: »

Ok, moving along slowly!

Wait til you start looking for a vehicle and trying to source parts and timber and materials in the west of ireland then you'll know what slow is

Iveco daily is also a good choice width wise the 2.3 2.5 2.8 and 3.0 citroen relay engines are iveco also.

In terms of width, it depends on how tall you are. I am over 6 feet and to fit the bed across I had to go right out to the panels across the back with insulation glued directly to the panel. That gives about 3-4 inches more than lining over the ribs.

The van curves in toward the top so if you're putting a 2ft6 bunk at the back the kitchen unit will have to be tiny and/or cross the sliding door. Also the space between the toilet/shower and kitchen unit will be really uncomfortable to cook / clean etc in.

The space in a lwb relay is really tiny if you want the shower and toilet you'll have to let go of the permanent rear bunks and go with something like caravan style stretcher bunks. across the cab and sliding door.

Can't make out your bed plan - were you planning on having the kids travelling sideways thats a terrible idea from the point of safety, comfort and travel sickness.

If I was doing it again I think I'd definitely buy a ready made seat / bed unit like
FASP:
http://www.fasp.it/en/divani.htm
RIB:
http://scopema.com/anglais/rib.htm
or a reimo variotech if you can find one second hand.

jamesbil

Thought I had found a van today, 04 Relay 80k my brother in law looked at it at €1950, the guy wouldnt budge on price then actually called my brother in law later and came down to 1300, then 1000! got to be dodgy!! Think I will pass!!

layout is something like this:

http://www.eubookingsdata.com/products/ireland/bc/4b/index.html

Macy0161

They could just be desperate - you never know in the current market to be honest. But i'd be double checking everything.

Travel seats for the children was the biggest headache I had when trying to work it out. Only advice I would say is join SBMCC - I did see where people have replaced the base of belted seat for a flat base for making up into a bed.

This is the Wildax link for their bunk bed model. http://www.wildaxmotorhomes.com/specs.php?WEBYEP_DI=6 I was going to modify this layout (probably with a two person belted minibus seat rather than the two seperate seats on that plan.

Really wish I'd done it years ago when I had the time, although I probably don't have the skills really! Mind you, probably wouldn't have thought of the travel seats either at that stage...