Camper hire & Buying Advice

[Steverob55]

Hello!

First of all I hope I am posting in the right place. Apologies if not.

Looking into a T6 conversion for my family. We are 4 , 2 adults 2 tweens. First step will be to hire one and see if we like the setup, as soon as BoJo allows of course.
Based in Lincolnshire so could anyone recommend a place to hire a t6 in either North Yorkshire, Lincolnshire or Norfolk please?
Also any sites in those areas would be a bonus!

One last question for now, what features would you definitely want to have on your van? As a newbie what’s the things to be looking for? ie Storage solutions, awning, grill, swivel seats etc etc

thank you!

 

[CAB]

First of, welcome to the madhouse! You'll be here for days reading through.

Everyone has different priorities, for us it was loo, sofa, waist high fridge. That meant a rear kitchen layout. No kids and touring rather than camping, so no driveaway awning.

Fridge? TV? Film Projector? Solar? Stereo and funky lighting? It's all here somewhere!

 

[Steverob55]

First of, welcome to the madhouse! You'll be here for days reading through.

Everyone has different priorities, for us it was loo, sofa, waist high fridge. That meant a rear kitchen layout. No kids and touring rather than camping, so no driveaway awning.

Fridge? TV? Film Projector? Solar? Stereo and funky lighting? It's all here somewhere!

I have been through a lot in a week already!! So much info.
Your setup sounds amazing. Sadly 4 of us will dictate a lot of the spec.
Def want to try before taking any kind of plunge hence the ask for good places to hire from.

 

[True Romance]

I usally say pop along to one of the T6 forum meets or visit busfest to have a look at various set ups/conversions but who knows when the next meet will be and doubt busfest will run this year. Difficult time to be looking at conversations with the current lock down rules.

 

[Steverob55]

I usally say pop along to one of the T6 forum meets or visit busfest to have a look at various set ups/conversions but who knows when the next meet will be and doubt busfest will run this year. Difficult time to be looking at conversations with the current lock down rules.

I was hoping to go to the show at Peterborough Showground later this year but who knows if will be on.
I hear you. I have toyed with the idea for years and all this lockdown stuff has made me think screw it, so what makes you happy.

 

[hoggle]

Maybe by hiring one first, and spending time in it. You will have a good idea about what you like in the Van, and what missing that you can add to your own. Take a note book and write about the pros and cons, then take it from there.
I'm single, so i don't need the various things that a family of Four need. Just get out there and have a ball, you will love it!

 

[Sturge]

Probably not practical but @BognorMotors are brilliant for hiring. Maybe too far for you but highly recommend them. I hired before I took the plunge for a Europe trip (van not camper). They have California’s for hire.

 

[Steverob55]

Thanks. Sadly is just a bit too far

 

[RichDavies82]

So there’s four of you? Definitely need a LWB. Whilst a SWB will be fine for sleeping in, a LWB gives that 300-odd mm to live in. That doesn’t sound like a lot but believe me, it makes a massive difference!
This also allows for a three seater RIB bed in the back - plenty of room whilst travelling.
You also need a decent base vehicle. An engine 150bhp or above is a good idea - as is a T32 for the extra weight of a conversion, four people and shed loads of camping gear.
From a envy point of view, if you can get a van with factory LED headlights, you’ll save loads of time and messing about replacing the two candles that come as standard.
In short, whatever extras you can afford, go for it!

 

[$immo]

I hired a camper before I bought one, like you, to confirm in my mind that I was doing the right thing!

Rather than finding somewhere near me (Kent) I hired from a company in Inverness and did a short holiday in it. I flew to Inverness on a £30 flight on easyJet, the camper company met me at the airport with the camper. I drove the north coast 500 for 7 days then flew home.

Shortly after I bought a Kombi and converted it myself into a camper.

Once lockdown is over it might be something to consider? I used a small family run company in Inverness.

North Coast 500 Camper Van Hire | Inverness | Go North Campers

GoNorth Campers offer affordable Camper Van hire in the Highlands, ideal for the North Coast 500 & Cairngorm National Park- Collect/ Drop at Inverness Airport!

www.gonorthcampers.com

Best of luck.

 

[cgtmiles]

We have a 13 yo and a 12 yo and hired a van to do the north coast 500 for a week to see how we got on, actually drove up and picked the van up from campsie campers. We took a 1/2 man tent with us and had one in the poptop and one in the tent some nights, they were a little smaller then so they did spend a few nights in the poptop together too. Campsie used 8ball campervans for their conversions and we ended up going to them for our conversion. 8ball are based in Hull and offer vans for hire too so you could try them.

Good advice here about LWB, min 150bhp and T32 but we went for SWB, 102 and T28 though . We wanted to use the vehicle as a daily run about too and believed the SWB was that little bit more useable. I have always gone for small engined cars with as many creature comforts as possible and I did the same here too, highline spec is a must imo as was sat nav (although lots slate it and go aftermarket), I find the power is fine despite being pretty heavy when loaded up. A 150bhp would have given us the auto option and I would have liked it for that but the money only stretched so far!

The kids are really too big to sleep together in the poptop now (and we all need a bit of personal space) so have purchased a big awning with 2 sleeping compartments for them when camping for a few nights and have a sun canopy and small Individual tents for them for when we are touring. This is really a necessity due to their age but with them sleeping in tents of some description it does limit our usable season for family trips in the van. Although with lockdown ruining our first summer with the van we may push it to the October half term this year (and hopefully have some kid free weekends later in the year too!) assuming that this will be possible with covid! We have a night heater too to make it more useable out of season.

Anyway, key points I guess are that everyone has their own priorities and requirements so get in a hire van (or 2) and find out what’s important for you. Good luck!

 

[Steverob55]

Thank you for your advice. Will check out 8ball. I would have to go SWB as would be used most days.

I think an awning would be a must for us as kids are getting older, plus girl and boy so will no doubt want to spread out into their own space. Plus like the idea of having extra living/storage space.
Fingers crossed we are allowed to go clamping again soon!

 

[Broadside]

We’ve got a LWB Shuttle which is used as a family daily driver, yes they are obviously bigger but I wouldn’t completely dismiss them as an option if you really need the space.

Driving around is really no different and parking is fine so long as you think before you park. Generally it just means reversing in to most spaces which gives you slightly better manoeuvrability. They are longer than a standard parking space so you will often have to leave your nose hanging over the edge of a space.

I was initially focussed on a SWB but then realised we needed the extra load space for camping trips etc. so went LWB and don’t regret it. Finding out later that a SWB was too small was a risk I didn’t want to take.

 

[RichDavies82]

The “recommendations” I gave were as a result of me NOT doing what I suggested. Although I went down the LWB route, I also had the 102bhp T28. With full conversion, passengers and camping gear, a T28 quickly becomes overloaded. I use mine whenever possible and never really struggled with a LWB. We did hire a SWB prior to getting ours and found it was a little cramped at times.

 

[Spaghetti]

Cambridge Campervans hire them out. Not sure about Needingworth which is also nearby. May be worth a try.

 

[VanDamMan]

Just a thought...Most fitted out vans have cookers....
A. Do you need a fitted cooker
B. Do you want cooking smells in the van
C. Would you prefer to cook alfresco ( social cooking )
D. Would you prefer to have the flexibility to use other cooking methods
E. Would you prefer to utilise the space in the van for bigger fridge or toilet

Vans are very personal...but also very expensive and getting the best out of the fitted appliances will save money in the long run...
Space in a van is very limited...all that glitters isn’t always gold

Sorry to upset the cook in the van lot....but a lot of the guys and girls I’ve meet all cook outside

 

[Callum939]

We have a 13 yo and a 12 yo and hired a van to do the north coast 500 for a week to see how we got on, actually drove up and picked the van up from campsie campers. We took a 1/2 man tent with us and had one in the poptop and one in the tent some nights, they were a little smaller then so they did spend a few nights in the poptop together too. Campsie used 8ball campervans for their conversions and we ended up going to them for our conversion. 8ball are based in Hull and offer vans for hire too so you could try them.

Good advice here about LWB, min 150bhp and T32 but we went for SWB, 102 and T28 though . We wanted to use the vehicle as a daily run about too and believed the SWB was that little bit more useable. I have always gone for small engined cars with as many creature comforts as possible and I did the same here too, highline spec is a must imo as was sat nav (although lots slate it and go aftermarket), I find the power is fine despite being pretty heavy when loaded up. A 150bhp would have given us the auto option and I would have liked it for that but the money only stretched so far!

The kids are really too big to sleep together in the poptop now (and we all need a bit of personal space) so have purchased a big awning with 2 sleeping compartments for them when camping for a few nights and have a sun canopy and small Individual tents for them for when we are touring. This is really a necessity due to their age but with them sleeping in tents of some description it does limit our usable season for family trips in the van. Although with lockdown ruining our first summer with the van we may push it to the October half term this year (and hopefully have some kid free weekends later in the year too!) assuming that this will be possible with covid! We have a night heater too to make it more useable out of season.

Anyway, key points I guess are that everyone has their own priorities and requirements so get in a hire van (or 2) and find out what’s important for you. Good luck!

We're thinking of going with 8ball - has yours stood the test of time? Keen to have a conversion that will get us a good 10-years use out of it! With a LWB we're thinking of getting the ball3 - is that what you went for? The wider bed is very appealing!

 

[Farnorthsurfer]

Dont be afraid of the LWB option, don't know anyone who wants to get rid of the LWB but quite a few who want one instead of the SWB. Its not much bigger than a Passat estate in truth.
And also the T32 gives you a lot more load legally than a T28.
Both of these things can't be bought later and bolted on unlike lots of other stuff like lights and all the camping gear.

 

[cgtmiles]

We went for a 2ball (full size cabinets) and SWB T28 but can’t comment on longevity as spent 1 night in it since we got it (not including on drive) in Feb. So far it has survived though . We plan to keep for ever more and hope to get years and years of use out of it. The cabinets are fairly standard quality, nothing special but does the job nicely.

I think I may possibly agree that a T28, keep thinking I should take it to a weighbridge to see but not had the 8balls to do it yet! 8ball did think a T28 would be no problem as a camper though.

I wanted a SWB as easier to live with day to day. It would be a problem on my drive even but would be maybe when camping although I like the idea that @ROMANY TAMPIN had where he has fitted a SWB furniture into a LWB van and used the extra space in the back. Still LWB never an option for me. But if we were then the wider bed option would definitely be good too.

 

[Irvine101]

We also hired & drove the NC500 before buying.

We hired from Jerba in North Berwick as they hire out both side conversion and rear conversion vans, whereas most companies only hire out ones with side layouts and it was on the way to the NC500. We had previously hired a side kitchen California, and wanted to try a rear layout van before making a decision on which suited us better.

There is only 2 of us plus a dog but we opted for the rear kitchen on a T30 lwb van, we preferred that layout but it is personal choice. For 4 of you I would definitely recommend a lwb. I use the van as a daily drive, but if you opt for reversing camera & sensors then lwb is fine. I have taken our van to a weigh bridge post conversion & the weight was fine us.

I don't believe all MOT stations can test a T32 van as it is Class V11 for MOT purposes.