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| 1 | 2 | 3 |  » Stats |
Members: 48,655
Threads: 78,892
Posts: 821,432
Top Poster: glsammy (14,779)
| | Welcome to our newest member, redfrag | |  | | 
06-10-2009, 06:07 PM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hastings, East Sussex
Posts: 374
| | | Re: I want a Campervan
If you can run to it a land rover based camper is great for 2 people as you can get off the beaten track with it. Failing that a land rover with a roof tent is a good compromise. |
06-10-2009, 06:12 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Watford, Hertfordshire.
Posts: 4,568
| | | Re: I want a Campervan
We recently bought a second hand 'Dandy' folding camper and are very pleased with it. Dandy Forum - Dandy Forum
It doesn't use canvas, but is made from double walled pvc with foam insulation in between. This means that it is warm in cold weather and cool(ish) in hot. It also doesn't hold water and be liable to rot if packed away wet. Although I have a 1800cc car, apparently the Dandy will tow quite satisfactorily with 1300cc.
Jim |
06-10-2009, 08:17 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Lancashire
Posts: 3,166
| | | Re: I want a Campervan
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Ford  We recently bought a second hand 'Dandy' folding camper and are very pleased with it. Dandy Forum - Dandy Forum
It doesn't use canvas, but is made from double walled pvc with foam insulation in between. This means that it is warm in cold weather and cool(ish) in hot. It also doesn't hold water and be liable to rot if packed away wet. Although I have a 1800cc car, apparently the Dandy will tow quite satisfactorily with 1300cc.
Jim | I've been looking at these myself Jim, but having had a shufty at a Conway Countryman recently, I've got my heart set on one of these. They are pricey though and we will have the drying issue. We have a 1600cc Focus and apparently they are no problem to tow with one. However, I've never towed anything in my life and the prospect does scare me a trifle.
Regards, Chris |
06-10-2009, 08:19 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Lancashire
Posts: 3,166
| | | Re: I want a Campervan
Quote:
Originally Posted by BloomingMarvellous Just read your post ChrisJB and some Ebay advertisment came up along side it, this could help you out slightly I thinik.  | How odd. Just noticed that.
Regards, Chris |
06-10-2009, 08:42 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Watford, Hertfordshire.
Posts: 4,568
| | | Re: I want a Campervan
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisJB We have a 1600cc Focus and apparently they are no problem to tow with one. However, I've never towed anything in my life and the prospect does scare me a trifle. | I find that engine capacity isn't the main issue. I have an 1800 cc 20 valve turbo in mine, producing 180 BHP, but I think towing would be easier with a lower power diesel, giving more torque at lower speeds. Being restricted to 60 mph I find I'm having to keep changing between 4th and 5th on undulating roads. I think the car would be happier towing at 80 mph!
Jim |
06-10-2009, 08:47 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Lancashire
Posts: 3,166
| | | Re: I want a Campervan
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Ford I find that engine capacity isn't the main issue. I have an 1800 cc 20 valve turbo in mine, producing 180 BHP, but I think towing would be easier with a lower power diesel, giving more torque at lower speeds. Being restricted to 60 mph I find I'm having to keep changing between 4th and 5th on undulating roads. I think the car would be happier towing at 80 mph!
Jim | I've read similar to what you say Jim, but to be honest I'm a bit thick on stuff like this and I don't really 'get it'.  I need to get a towbar fitted too and these are more expensive than I was expecting as well. I was also wondering if I need extension side-mirrors when towing a folding camper?
Regards, Chris |
06-10-2009, 08:57 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Watford, Hertfordshire.
Posts: 4,568
| | | Re: I want a Campervan
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisJB I need to get a towbar fitted too and these are more expensive than I was expecting as well. | I had a detachable towbar fitted. I think it was worth the extra. It cost around £400. Coming from an engineering background, I could have fitted it myself, but had put some money aside and couldn't be faffed. Quote: |
I was also wondering if I need extension side-mirrors when towing a folding camper?
| I find the side mirrors OK - the camper is the same width as the car. The windscreen rear view mirror is pretty useless though - all I can see is the camper!
Jim |
06-10-2009, 10:35 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bandit country between Offa's Dyke and Welsh border
Posts: 638
| | | Re: I want a Campervan
I had a succession of small vans a few years ago, starting with a mini van, morris minor, ford escort and fiat citivan and regularly used to sleep in the back of all of them. Short on comfort and length to be honest (especially if you're over 5'7'' (I'm not) but brilliant for parking up anywhere, specially on climbing trips. I did get into a rut of sleeping in the back when I found myself living 200 miles from my workplace and that wasn't so much fun. But in general I think they're good, useful and cheap. All depends on how much sapce and comfort you need.
I'd like a camper van now and would have to call it Beethoven - as in Camper Van Beethoven  Always thought that was a great name for a band. |
06-10-2009, 11:11 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Coventry
Posts: 7,144
| | | Re: I want a Campervan
I have an Astra Estate and those that know me know that I regularly sleep in it. I pull down the back seats which creates plenty of space to sleep in. I take a single thin mattress with me, a duvet and a pillow and I am as snug as a bug in a rug.
Very flexible, very cheap and gets me where I want to be at the end of each day.
John |
06-10-2009, 11:17 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bakewell, Derbyshire.
Posts: 3,255
| | | Re: I want a Campervan
I had a VW camper van (transporter with a 'Devon' conversion) and loved it.....some of the time! It was great for weekends away and holidays when my daughter was little.....but I found it much too cramped as she got a bit older....and taller!
It had a lift up roof where there was a section you could slide along to make her a base for sleeping. Once it was slid across, there was no chance of standing up straight! 
After a 3 week hol touring Cornwall, I returned home with severe back ache from stooping too much......and ended up having a course of physio! 
It's my dream to have one this sort of size...... Quality Motorhomes For Sale at Oak Tree Motorhomes Limited in Sutton-In-Ashfield, Nottingham UK
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