2-Berth Van Conversion (2021 - 24) recommendations (please)

[clonkel]

Hi, we had a couple of motorhomes (swift) many years ago and now we are both retired are looking for a new van. We want a van conversion with a budget of around £70k (could go a bit higher if need be). We have looked at an Autotrail V Line 610/635 sport and liked them but looking on here it seems that Autotrail are not particularly recommended. The Bailey B62 comes out well but after looking at one it didn't inspire us. We live on the S. Coast (New Forest) but are willing to travel to find the right van.
Ideally a U-Shaped back but this is not a deal breaker and we would both prefer an automatic. The most important thing is mechanical reliabilty with a decent habitation build quality.

Thank you for any recommendations

 

[The Coops]

Have you looked the the Pilote 540 or the Adria Twin max?

 

[NicandJay]

Another vote for Globecar here, Summit Prime 640. We use a 15.6 inch laptop as tv and stream everything.

 

[BrochMike]

You are missing something, do you really need a u shaped lounge more than storage
The Globecar dinner has a useable lounge at the front , granted not perfect but it’s good enough

Why the persistence on a layout the OP has said they don't want?

TheMachMan suggestion to "do NEC" would be good but I suspect any large dealer has a huge selection of layouts at the moment so clonkel (with some previous MH experience) can see for themselves....

Some people just prefer a comfortable lounge with great views through the double doors, rather than a large garage.

Like carolyn (good luck with the new van BTW!) we've managed months at a time away with our seemingly inadequate garage and not felt we were missing anything.

Each to their own....

 

[DJIT]

The space under a fixed rear bed conversion is very impressive. Originally we were going rear U lounge until we looked under the bench seats and at the back and realised how little storage you got. Plus your bedding stays on the bed, rather than having to be packed away which also takes up most of storage under the bench seat. I’d go to the NEC have a good old poke around which is what changed our view

I understand that the point about fixed bed versus bigger living area is a personal one.
However, I disagree with you on the point about the boot size under a U lounge, as it depends on the layout and where the rear seat goes. If you put it tight up against the rear doors then the boot is smaller, but if you bring the rear seat inboard a foot or so then you have much more boot space.
That's one reason why we went for the van we chose, as it has a U lounge and a large boot.

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[bubble63]

I’m not advocating either a U shaped lounge or a fixed bed , it’s personal choice
My 3 must haves , fixed bed ( my plan is to never have to make up a bed, hate it) toilet and both cab seats turning in a PVC
After that there are a few choices

Malibu
Adria
Globecar

A U shaped lounge always seemed to mean making a bed up , yes I would like a sofa but not enough to want to make a bed afterwards

Storage, I fill the space under a fixed bed so couldn’t imagine how I would manage with bedding and chairs and chocks etc etc etc in the rear cupboard of a U

All choices are good choices, and always a compromise

 

[BrochMike]

I understand that the point about fixed bed versus bigger living area is a personal one.
However, I disagree with you on the point about the boot size under a U lounge, as it depends on the layout and where the rear seat goes. If you put it tight up against the rear doors then the boot is smaller, but if you bring the rear seat inboard a foot or so then you have much more boot space.
That's one reason why we went for the van we chose, as it has a U lounge and a large boot.



View attachment 930687

Devon XL is one of the few vans which could tempt me to change

 

[BrochMike]

Thank you (now subscribed so can post).

We are going to look at a WildAx Europa on Monday at Wiltshire Caravans.

Its a bit out of our price range as there seems to be so many options that you can add on and we have to be careful it does not become a 'sweet shop'.

The options I have marked down, assuming we like the van, are Bike Rack (£700), Lithium Battery (£1400), 142W Flexi Solar Panel (£600).

They also have:

• Upgrade from Combi 4E (lpg and electric) to Combi 4D (diesel and electric) – £895 (available on certain models only)
• Webasto Diesel Heater (Proteus) £995

It already has

• Truma Combi D4 Diesel/Elec Heating/Hot Water with iNetx Controller

So I guess that can stay 'as is' unless there is a good reason to upgrade?

Is there anything that I should ask the sales guy or anything I can look out for?

He has already said the factory set the price but he can do things on the options (sure he can move on price)?

Would like the automatic but thats another £3k which is too much

thank you

Good luck for Monday. Hope you find something to suit.

Don't rule out used - lots of nearly new around (although it looks like Wiltshire have limited stock) - wrinkles already ironed out & more cash for upgrades later if you find you need them.

Any larger dealers near to you so you can get a bigger variety of layouts/brands?
Or how about one of the shows...?

Diesel instead of gas might be good, especially if Scotland/UK in winter is in your plans!!
Consider towbar carrier for bikes (especially if heavier e-bikes). I don't fancy hanging heavy stuff directly on the door.

Edit: per DJIT looks like there's a used Devon in Swindon if you wanted to check it out

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[clonkel]

Thank you again

We had a couple of vans years ago at which point I was working full time and could not care less whether the fridge was compression or absorption (didn't know this until yesterday). Now with far too much time on my hands I am getting paralysed by the vans and options available. I'm sat working out how much power the van will take, what batteries I need, if the solar panel is big enough, do I need diesel heating/water, what about an inverter....the list goes on. We enjoyed our previous van life in a basic coach built and managed the Alps in winter.

I guess at the right price we can change most things so the fridge can be changed to a 12v compressor, the solar panel can be upraded, an inverter can be added (with separate sockets not mixing with the 230 ehu) and so on.

If we get it wrong and we love the layout is there anything else we cannot change (at a reasonable price)?

Thank you

 

[TheMachMan]

I understand that the point about fixed bed versus bigger living area is a personal one.
However, I disagree with you on the point about the boot size under a U lounge, as it depends on the layout and where the rear seat goes. If you put it tight up against the rear doors then the boot is smaller, but if you bring the rear seat inboard a foot or so then you have much more boot space.
That's one reason why we went for the van we chose, as it has a U lounge and a large boot.



View attachment 930687

Ultimately it’s a personal choice, but we couldn’t fit all our gear in there.

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[BrochMike]

We are going to look at a WildAx Europa on Monday at Wiltshire Caravans.

How did it go?
Did you get a chance to see some other models / different layouts?

 

[Tigger-Tim]

Hi, we had a couple of motorhomes (swift) many years ago and now we are both retired are looking for a new van. We want a van conversion with a budget of around £70k (could go a bit higher if need be). We have looked at an Autotrail V Line 610/635 sport and liked them but looking on here it seems that Autotrail are not particularly recommended. The Bailey B62 comes out well but after looking at one it didn't inspire us. We live on the S. Coast (New Forest) but are willing to travel to find the right van.
Ideally a U-Shaped back but this is not a deal breaker and we would both prefer an automatic. The most important thing is mechanical reliabilty with a decent habitation build quality.

Thank you for any recommendations

Mainstream: Autosleepers Warwick XL, Wildax Europa.

Specialist: IH, Consort.

 

[TravellingSmurff]

I think I've seen IH go bankrupt somewhere

 

[clonkel]

@all thank you for the replies. The vans we looked at were circa 80k which we could stretch to and with the right van we would have. Initially we looked at the Autotrail V-line sport 635 (new). I was put off because I saw a lot of negativity surrounding Autotrails, especially damp or water ingress. It seems this relates more to the coach built rather than the PVC. The Autotrail was slightly more than 77k. That meant we were comparing 'apples with apples' when it came to Wildax, Consort etc. based on cost. We liked the Autotrail layout a lot and after looking around and going back to the original dealer (20mins from home) we negotiated a 7k discount + an upgrade to 2 x 85ah AGM batteries. We could not get this discount elsewhere so we were then comparing 'apples and oranges' regarding cost. The two things we did not like on the Autotrail were a small'ish fridge and no window/skylight in the bathroom. We decided that we could live with this and if need be we could change the fridge to a larger 12v compressor rather than the small absortion one that is in place, but that is down the road. We felt that the large discount would allow us to change things if we wanted and still be in pocket.
The dealer was very good (family run) and we felt comfortable with them. It has the standard 2-year vehicle and 5-year habitation warranty with 3-year Europe wide breakdown.
Overall it is not the perfect van and it is doubtful we would have found that anyway. Time is not our friend and we want to get on with our adventures.
Thank you again for all the help

 

[CAB96]

@all thank you for the replies. The vans we looked at were circa 80k which we could stretch to and with the right van we would have. Initially we looked at the Autotrail V-line sport 635 (new). I was put off because I saw a lot of negativity surrounding Autotrails, especially damp or water ingress. It seems this relates more to the coach built rather than the PVC. The Autotrail was slightly more than 77k. That meant we were comparing 'apples with apples' when it came to Wildax, Consort etc. based on cost. We liked the Autotrail layout a lot and after looking around and going back to the original dealer (20mins from home) we negotiated a 7k discount + an upgrade to 2 x 85ah AGM batteries. We could not get this discount elsewhere so we were then comparing 'apples and oranges' regarding cost. The two things we did not like on the Autotrail were a small'ish fridge and no window/skylight in the bathroom. We decided that we could live with this and if need be we could change the fridge to a larger 12v compressor rather than the small absortion one that is in place, but that is down the road. We felt that the large discount would allow us to change things if we wanted and still be in pocket.
The dealer was very good (family run) and we felt comfortable with them. It has the standard 2-year vehicle and 5-year habitation warranty with 3-year Europe wide breakdown.
Overall it is not the perfect van and it is doubtful we would have found that anyway. Time is not our friend and we want to get on with our adventures.
Thank you again for all the help

Is it a new, unregistered van?

If its a Fiat, apparently you can purchase an extended 5 year mechanical warranty with UK + Euro breakdown cover.

But you only have 14 days from registration.

Search on here for extended Fiat warranty.

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[Pausim]

Is it a new, unregistered van?

If its a Fiat, apparently you can purchase an extended 5 year mechanical warranty with UK + Euro breakdown cover.

But you only have 14 days from registration.

Search on here for extended Fiat warranty.

The 5 year warranty can only bought from a Fiat Professional which means most motorhome dealers do not sell them or tell you about them. Don’t get fobbed off with an insurance warranty, they rarely cover the important things. The proper Fiat one can be organised over the phone. Adams Morey, Portsmouth are very motorhome friendly and know how to organise the Camper Assist Warranty 02392 691122.

 

[clonkel]

Pausim we have an Adams Morey here in Southampton - will call them - thank you

CAB96 we pick up the van late September (thats when our investment matures so we can pay for it). The called us last week to sort out the new reg (74 plate). I will contact them to find out when it will be registered. At that point we may not be the owners so not sure how I will navigate the 14 days.

thank you

<Edit> just emailed the Van Dealership to ask about this as I am keen on doing it

 

[BooBooKing]

I don't get people wanting a fixed bed in a panel van then sitting upright at a teeny weeny table in the evening-we much prefer a very quick change from our supering sized bed to a U shaped lounge in our Vantage Sol. Lounging means stretching out on a long settee in the evening-and let's face it, winters in the UK mean staying in most of the time. Maybe different if you only travel abroad, but for the UK, U shaped lounges are King!

 

[Pausim]

I don't get people wanting a fixed bed in a panel van then sitting upright at a teeny weeny table in the evening-we much prefer a very quick change from our supering sized bed to a U shaped lounge in our Vantage Sol. Lounging means stretching out on a long settee in the evening-and let's face it, winters in the UK mean staying in most of the time. Maybe different if you only travel abroad, but for the UK, U shaped lounges are King!

If I want to stretch out I can use one of the permanent beds but there is nothing uncomfortable about the seats in the lounge diner area. Our table is a good size. Works for us in the UK just fine. Proper comfortable beds are our priority. It is called choice, we choose permanent beds above faffing around putting sheets on at bedtime. You choose something else, what is there that you “don’t get.”

 

[Minxy]

I don't get people wanting a fixed bed in a panel van then sitting upright at a teeny weeny table in the evening-we much prefer a very quick change from our supering sized bed to a U shaped lounge in our Vantage Sol.

Since 1996 we've had lots of MHs/PVCs (on our 11th!) and since 2003 they have all had fixed beds as that suits us. By having a fixed bed we actually have 2 lounge areas so if we want a bit of space to ourselves we can each occupy one of them. The fixed bed is especially good for slobbing out but at present I'm on the l-shaped dinette sofa and hubby is sitting in the swivelled passenger seat which he finds very comfy, as do I.

Lounging means stretching out on a long settee in the evening-and let's face it, winters in the UK mean staying in most of the time. Maybe different if you only travel abroad, but for the UK, U shaped lounges are King!

Lounging is being able to relax somewhere comfortable and isn't restricted to a long sofa as I've mentioned. We used to do winter MHing in the UK but tried to go to places where we could get out to do something even if it wasn't great weatherwise, however we much prefer to go abroad for better weather but that's not guaranteed so being able to still be comfortable if its inclement is still important and our layout allows us to do that.

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[Vaman]

I understand that the point about fixed bed versus bigger living area is a personal one.
However, I disagree with you on the point about the boot size under a U lounge, as it depends on the layout and where the rear seat goes. If you put it tight up against the rear doors then the boot is smaller, but if you bring the rear seat inboard a foot or so then you have much more boot space.
That's one reason why we went for the van we chose, as it has a U lounge and a large boot.



View attachment 930687

We also have a Devon XL and the rear storage is huge. To give you and idea I fit (and still have more room) a 2 bike Atera DL3 tow ball mounted rack, 2 chairs with lounger extensions, a pair of 4 stage ramps, a full aluminium table, a 10L watering can, a 7 litre water bottle, 25mtrs elec cable reel, electric tyre pump, small toolbox etc etc. Oh and I sleep better in the van that I do at home on our expensive mattress.

 

[Pausim]

20 years ago I had a panel van conversion where the seats needed converting to beds at night. It was ok for me at that time. I can now afford one with permanent beds and choose to spend my money buying a van that meets my current requirements. Why do some people have difficulty understanding this?

 

[Emmit]

Thank you (now subscribed so can post).

We are going to look at a WildAx Europa on Monday at Wiltshire Caravans.

Its a bit out of our price range as there seems to be so many options that you can add on and we have to be careful it does not become a 'sweet shop'.

The options I have marked down, assuming we like the van, are Bike Rack (£700), Lithium Battery (£1400), 142W Flexi Solar Panel (£600).

They also have:

• Upgrade from Combi 4E (lpg and electric) to Combi 4D (diesel and electric) – £895 (available on certain models only)
• Webasto Diesel Heater (Proteus) £995

It already has

• Truma Combi D4 Diesel/Elec Heating/Hot Water with iNetx Controller

So I guess that can stay 'as is' unless there is a good reason to upgrade?

Is there anything that I should ask the sales guy or anything I can look out for?

He has already said the factory set the price but he can do things on the options (sure he can move on price)?

Would like the automatic but thats another £3k which is too much

thank you

Beware, flex panels.
They have a reputation for a short life expectancy. Get a rigid one and, as Carpmart suggested, look elsewhere for the 'sweetie'add ONS. You may (will) be pleasantly surprised.

 

[hja]

I don't get people wanting a fixed bed in a panel van then sitting upright at a teeny weeny table in the evening-we much prefer a very quick change from our supering sized bed to a U shaped lounge in our Vantage Sol. Lounging means stretching out on a long settee in the evening-and let's face it, winters in the UK mean staying in most of the time. Maybe different if you only travel abroad, but for the UK, U shaped lounges are King!

We have had vans and caravans with beds needing daily make up. Not just the fag of making up but storage for the bedding. In our last van, Autosleeper, because of boiler and battery being in one locker not all the bedding would go in, some had to go under other bench which was difficult to get to and had the outdoor hatch, so had to be for ramps, cable etc. as well. We had had one caravan with a fixed bed which we liked, so when deciding to change to our current PVC fixed beds were one of the essentials. This also gave much better storage. Not regretted it at all. Don’t find bench seat uncomfortable and we have two very comfortable swivel seats. We only lounged in previous van because we found the bench seats uncomfortable to sit up on for longish periods.

 

[carolyn]

We have had 2 IH630RDs, one a manual and the 2nd a Comformatic. I know it’s early days but we picked our Consort Oslo up 2 weeks ago today and the workmanship is unbelievable. The aftercare is so different. I even had an email yesterday as Dan who is the magic man in the workshop has a new mobile number to put in my phone! He looks just like Tommy Fleetwood, golfers will know and the Griffiths family love him.

We love the Unshaped lounge but you also have a mini lounge at the front where you can put up a flap at the side of the cooker or a little mini table. The mini table is in fact big enough to eat your dinner in in the main lounge as well for that matter.

The bed is so easy, the support just slides out from one side. The cushions fit. No more jiggling the metal frame from both sides and then trying to force huge heavy cushions in place. We haven’t reached the stage of 2 singles yet!!

We have bought all their lithium etc as we had such a short time before our 2 month tour. We leave on the 25th. Time will tell if it’s OK. The battery is a Roamer one under the seat 240a. The inverter is NDS or something Road pro sell anyway!! See I’m nearly an expert haha.

Busy loading it up now that the wedding is done although we still have one guest. We are sleeping on the drive I think over the weekend to get some more practice as we’re leaving so soon.

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[BrochMike]

I can now afford one with permanent beds

Thanks for the boast but not sure price is relevant to whether you have a fixed bed or not

Why do some people have difficulty understanding this?

I don't think anyone has difficulty understanding that different folk prefer different layouts...
...but some people seem to think (insist?) their preferred layout is what everyone else should have!

 

[Pausim]

Thanks for the boast but not sure price is relevant to whether you have a fixed bed or not

Sorry if that came across as a boast, not intended but it does help if you are in the lucky position of being able to make choices.

I don't think anyone has difficulty understanding that different folk prefer different layouts...
...but some people seem to think (insist?) their preferred layout is what everyone else should have!

It was precisely such a post at #47 that I was trying to counter.

 

[BooBooKing]

Isn't it great that we don't all want the same thing?!-it'd be so much more expensive if there was no choice!

 

[The Coops]

Pausim we have an Adams Morey here in Southampton - will call them - thank you

CAB96 we pick up the van late September (thats when our investment matures so we can pay for it). The called us last week to sort out the new reg (74 plate). I will contact them to find out when it will be registered. At that point we may not be the owners so not sure how I will navigate the 14 days.

thank you

<Edit> just emailed the Van Dealership to ask about this as I am keen on doing it

If you don't have the V5 and want the 5 year warranty then the Fiat dealership should be able to register the van with the VIN number and when the V5 arrives a copy of that, The Vin number should be easy to spot or take to a Fiat Professional Workshop and they should be able to do it there and then. Enjoy the new van when you get it

 

[Minxy]

We also have a Devon XL and the rear storage is huge. To give you and idea I fit (and still have more room) a 2 bike Atera DL3 tow ball mounted rack, 2 chairs with lounger extensions, a pair of 4 stage ramps, a full aluminium table, a 10L watering can, a 7 litre water bottle, 25mtrs elec cable reel, electric tyre pump, small toolbox etc etc. Oh and I sleep better in the van that I do at home on our expensive mattress.

Wot ... no cuddly toy!

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[clonkel]

Coops Thank you

I emailed the dealer who said it would not be registered until a couple of days before we pick it up. He should have the vin number so I will email him again to get it as it is currently in their compound waiting for us to pay (late September)

thanks again