New van (and some questions!)

[Veema]

I totally disagree with the principle of choosing anything related to these vehicles based on resale!

We're choosing what we want, and how we want for us... I never want to sell it

Brilliant...I'm very fickle and in a few years will probably want a new one!

 

[Mojo80]

@PukkaT6 So the update on the ISOFIX is that apparently the upholsterer covered over the points when doing the seat. Oops! Plan is for them to come out and fix it next week, but hopefully means that ISOFIX in general is fine on the RIB beds (fingers crossed).

 

[former member]

What a cracking van/conversion!

Regarding kids and camping, we bought our last California (2012 180 4motion) when our kids were 3 and 18 months old then drove to Mull. A heck of a trip and we learnt a lot very quickly.

Our kids have always slept "upstairs" - the Cali comes with a safety net so the kids don't fall out. We don't use it now (the kids are now 6 and 8) but it was very handy at the time. Ours have always slept well but occasionally one (usually the younger one!) would come down and I'd go upstairs but it was rare.

We've since done three 5 weeks Europe tours (ferry to Santander - another booked for this July), a few 1-2 weeks France trips (via Roscoff) and countless stay at friends, local campsites etc. We've also free camped a fair bit mostly in Spain.

The Cali bench seat has two ISOFIX attachments but we just use boosters and a seatbelts now.

If you need any general advice/help on compering with kids, just shout!

 

[Mojo80]

Thanks @Polzeylad - survived our first weekend away in the van, with lots of lessons learned too! Your trips sound great, we're hoping to get over to France and Spain next summer. Any tips regarding taking the van on the ferry also appreciated.

 

[T6 Dave's Dad]

Thanks @Polzeylad - survived our first weekend away in the van, with lots of lessons learned too! Your trips sound great, we're hoping to get over to France and Spain next summer. Any tips regarding taking the van on the ferry also appreciated.

@Mojo80 the proving of the work done and I hope that all went well. Now comes the joy of making those little changes and adding your own mods to make it fit your individual needs . I wish you many happy times in your van and don't forget to post photos of your van in use please - we are a nosy lot who like to see the ideas of others too .

 

[former member]

Thanks @Polzeylad - survived our first weekend away in the van, with lots of lessons learned too! Your trips sound great, we're hoping to get over to France and Spain next summer. Any tips regarding taking the van on the ferry also appreciated.

Try and get a discount code off someone with membership - it gives you 10% off. Many people are willing to lend you a code!
Getting on an off varies a lot time wise - we've waited almost two hours, we've got on almost immediately but I'd get there about an hour early.
Parking on the ferry is very tight and feels pretty worrying with new van but people seems to respect the vehicles and you should be okay - I do try and get back into the van early though just so I can keep an eye. And I leave the mirrors out (most fold them) to keep people away from the van - you want to try and make passing tricky if you can so people go another way.
We always book a cabin even on day Roscoff trips - nice to have a base and when they aren't essential (in the day) they are super cheap.
The Pont Aven has a cracking restaurant at the back - worth getting in there an booking if the timing is right.
The Armorique isn't as good but still not bad - the cafe in front seems to be quieter in general. Get breakfast early - both ferries get totally mobbed by about 9am.
If you want to see a film on either ferry book straight away - it gets sold out very quickly.
And enjoy the trip - we see it as a big part of the holiday rather than a chore. And that's when it seems great VFM compared to hateful (IMO) flying with awful queues, the nightmare and rip off of car hire and so on. The ferry staff treat you as a customer not a head of cattle.

I think our £1200 goes out today for our Santander trip in July!

 

[Mojo80]

Wow, thanks @Polzeylad, all great advice. Am a bit worried about tight parking on ferries etc, but we bought the van to use so won't put us off.

A couple of pics of our first trip (Salisbury). Slightly droopy awning as it was my first time erecting, but will get better with practice! "Red Bed" hammock from Kiravans worked really well, as did manoeuvring the RIB into a day cot for t'baby.