How much have you spent on upgrades (not repairs) and what are/were they

[Rob Hammond]

Guess what none of ya are taking it with ya

 

[Dolmen]

I reckon I have spent over £20k on diesel for the motorhome over the last 10 years

 

[iandsm]

But it'll turn into one.

Which is what I thought.

 

[WESTY66]

You are looking at over £5k for full air on the rear so not really worth it, as you know I was going for full 4C air but with the VB front struts it drives so well I'm going for semi air on the rear for the rear axle uprating.

Isn’t semi air for alko 2.5k? It’s only another 2.5k for full rear air!! You will wish you had gone for it, you heard it here first you can’t take it with you

 

[hja]

I forgot the wing mirror protectors and the sat nav.
Solar panel was already on the van, as was the wind out awning.
Kitchen towel holder, (that took ages to find) loo roll holders, few hooks, couple of cushions. Small power bank.

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[Ponner]

I was going to post a very cynical reply
But I've forgotten what it was!!!!
Don't get old

 

[LostInSpace]

The previous (original) owner of our second motorhome had spent half a fortune on upgrades.

The first change we made was to take his redicuously heavy towbar off the back.
It was much nicer to drive after that.

Next job was to undo the wiring and inverter he had to run the aircon of both batteries whilst driving.
We should have taken the heavy aircon off the back aat the same time.

 

[JJ]

What I have spent on my motorhome (which also happens to be my home) is information for my eyes only...

Talk about money obsessed, nosey folk!

(Just spent €58 on Temu.)


JJ

 

[Captain Yoghurtpot]

I have fitted

Sterling B2B
1 x Gaslow 11kg cylinder
80w solar panel

All fitted by a friend who got my 33' sailing boat in return

Plus several ratchet straps

I don't know the cost but they have all proved worthwhile.

Sorry, Error.
Fat Fingers typing and no got my 'readers' on.

 

[carolyn]

We picked up our new van on the 1st of August and went on a 2 month trip on the 26th August with our daughter’s wedding inbetween so a lot of our upgrades were done by Consort which we wouldn’t necessarily have done if we’d had more time but they all worked! Eg Lithium, extra solar, diesel heater, ,B2B inverter 1000w(I notice they now do 1500 as standard which would have been better).

We squeezed in the fitting of,

Vanbitz Growler about £1,000 I think
Thule awning £1350, Consort do Fiamma which is cheaper but we have the nice side
bits for a Thule and they’re better.

We haven’t got lots of apps telling us how much electric is in each. There’s a Victron round monitor in the van that tells us a few things. The bit I’m most interested in is how close to 100% it is. It took a few times to stop panicking when it read 65% after a couple of wet days before we were going to drive 100 miles!

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[L' Hobo]

What I have spent on my motorhome (which also happens to be my home) is information for my eyes only...

Talk about money obsessed, nosey folk!

(Just spent €58 on Temu.)


JJ

Now that the price of stamps have gone up yet again, we wanted to gauge who has got the spare cash before we send out the begging letters.

All we have to do now, is look from previous posts, who MAY have some left and who has spent up.

PS. Best £20 we ever invested.

 

[Dawn B]

£24.99 on a new step to replace the one we found in a layby many moons ago

 

[Lenny HB]

We haven’t got lots of apps telling us how much electric is in each. There’s a Victron round monitor in the van that tells us a few things. The bit I’m most interested in is how close to 100% it is. It took a few times to stop panicking when it read 65% after a couple of wet days before we were going to drive 100 miles!

Download the Victron Connect app, it is so much easier to use than that little display.

 

[activecampers]

Technically I bought an empty van and everything inside in an upgrade from original.... So £18-19k? Too many to list

 

[carolyn]

Download the Victron Connect app, it is so much easier to use than that little display.

The trouble is I’ll then be forever asking you what it all means Lenny. The first one will be “how do I get it to recognise my batteries?”

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[bigwood]

When we first bought the Rienza I changed the batteries uprated the solar controler and changed the tyres.
Until the last MOT and service it was just service costs and minor repairs. For the last year the bills have ramped up. Heater plugs needing changing and welding for the MOT.
Considering it’s twenty years old next year but only sixty seven thousand miles on the clock it’s been worth spending the money.

 

[Richard n Ann]

I didn't think I'd spent much on the van as it's pretty much sorted, but thinking about it now I need a sit down

Scooter carrier £900
Compressor fridge conversion £400
Solar £300
Inverter £300
Cab Deadlocks £150
Window rain guards £50
Front mud flaps ££?
Seat lock...

Oh enough

 

[Abacist]

Vanbitz Alarm, Immobiliser and Tracker & external alarm loop
2 solar panels and Victron controllers
3000 Victron Inverter
High Amps B2B Charger
High Amps Victron Mains Charger
2 150 Amp Lithium Batteries
Battery Master
Victron Smart Shunt
Victron Cerbo GX
Various USB Din plug adaptors
4 Din sockets
4 240 volt sockets in garage
2 12 volt Endless breeze fans with din plugs
Hymer clothes hooks for towels, jackets, dressing gowns etc
Amazon Firestick
Huawei Mobile Router
WIFI roof aerial
Carpet exchanged for mats
2nd Cassette for toilet
Aquaroll and pump
TomTom SatNav as in-built is out of date & crap
2 Gasit refillable cylinders & Bluetooth gas guage for them with external fill point
Apple IPod with 3000+ music tracks as radio is crap
Motorhome WIFI site WIFI Booster kit
Additional fusebox and negative busbar for additional din sockets

Its interesting to see what funsters have added to their vans to make then more like home for their travels.

I have also bought an orthopaedic driver’s seat cushion as the Captain’s chairs are hard and uncomfortable on a long drive. I will also get the wife one when we are next on the Mosel !

 

[Spriddler]

Too much information in the hands of people that don't understand the information is pointless

Exactly. Information isn't knowledge.
I suspect that apps, Google and Anxiety Panels are responsible for the deterioration of so many peoples' mental health.

 

[Al n Val]

why do certain folk get so upset.

if you don't like whats been posted then simply scroll on by

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[oldiesontour]

This year a few changes
Outed the compressor coolbox and 3way fridge
Compressor fridge freezer minus £100
a good start but then
Double Solar to 440w £115,200w folding £85
2 x 320ah lithium £500,100amp mains charger £60,50amp b2bb with mppt £210,extra Bluetooth mppt £45(for folding and to switch roof panels through to keep starter battery topped up in winter to allow lithium's to be hibernated) another 2kw psw inverter £125.
Outed the oven new air fryer oven (when hardly used oven is sold) another minus .Added 4 double usb sockets,Alexa,Huawei router , poynting roof airel,digital temp controller to carver water heater,Total say £150,500amp shunt Bluetooth and screen £41.3 WiFi led strips £15.Remote control alarm to all doors .Remote immobiliser £25.Resistor charging to both inverters £10.
2 Roof vents (400 x 400) £200
And just put a WiFi/Bluetooth monitor in the fridge so I can see that the cans are cold enough without opening the door it even sends a warning to my phone if temp rises above pre set level(otherwise known as a warm beer alert !) just ordered 2 more for the house
£4 each
That's all I can remember apart from cambelt and water pump kit that I have still to fit( had to save something for 2025) £80 aux belt still to buy .
That is it then not doing anything else . unless......

 

[activecampers]

T
And just put a WiFi/Bluetooth monitor in the fridge so I can see that the cans are cold enough without opening the door it even sends a warning to my phone if temp rises above pre set level(otherwise known as a warm beer alert !) just ordered 2 more for the house
£4 each

Link? Thanks

 

[oldiesontour]

Link? Thanks

Ali express tuya (ensure WiFi or if you prefer Bluetooth make sure gateway not required)

 

[Cush]

Link? Thanks

I use these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08DL5NN58?tag=mhf04-21

 

[oldiesontour]

I use these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08DL5NN58?tag=mhf04-21

I bought WiFi as BT is no good to receive notifications if you're not near the sensor IE on holiday and the home freezer dies.(We also have a router in the van

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[activecampers]

Ali express tuya (ensure WiFi or if you prefer Bluetooth make sure gateway not required)

Cool (pun intended)
Thanks

 

[Onemanandhisdog]

why do certain folk get so upset.

if you don't like whats been posted then simply scroll on by

It is weird isn't it. I'm in the "your upgrades cost more than my van" camp but it's still interesting reading.

 

[CAB96]

VW camper van.

Most expensive single purchase, but most satisfying, is Koni shocks and new springs. ~ £1300. Transforms the drive.

Most useful for camping is Towbar and Towbox. About £2k in total (the Towboxes are now double the price in the UK than the EU).

Best upgrade for sitting in traffic jams is replacement speakers and amp. 500 or so?

Best bang for buck is the dash rubber. Fills the gap between dash and windscreen and stops your parking ticket sliding into oblivion! All of a tenner or so.

Fixed waste and water tanks due in the New Year, then will be saving up for Lithium, chargers, battery maintainer and inverter.

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi .
When ordering it in 2017. Had fitted. Extra habitation battery. Auto box. Solar panel. Wind out awning and Pirelli 4 season spec tyres..
It has had since then . Air bag Red light unit replaced,auto box being given a shake up at the garage in Mortgua Cab and both hab.batteries renewed,oil , wipers etc being changed.
Would we buy it again........... Yes....... But.......it goes along,,,,Swiftly ? Stops. Starts and we would only change it for the same again. Wildax Conny 3. Fingers crossed.... No need.
Tea Bag. Mira the dog and... Jennifer. ( Accounts !!! )

 

[Saucer]

I think it’s interesting that some people have seen this as a thread bragging about how much money they have. For me, waiting for our first MH to be delivered in Spring it’s really interesting to see what people have bought/added.
I am under no illusion that it is anything but (and I’m quoting a previous poster on this forum) an expensive way to have a cheap holiday

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