Seeking Campers with Rear Kitchen Feature

[BlueMoon]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum so any errors, I apologise in advance.
I'm considering purchasing a camper / motorhome. A fairly major consideration due to storage / parking issues is the size, I'm really looking at a maximum length of 5m.

Campers:
I'm looking at lots & lots of classifieds and recently went to look at a Stimpson St Tropez (Renault Trafic) , which I didn't purchase but really did like the rear kitchen that was fitted which would have enabled me to stand outside, at the back of the van and use the kitchen, I also liked the two single beds at the front, and would prefer this arrangement to a rock & roll one.
I see Northstar on the Isle of Wight do rear kitchen conversions but I don't really fancy a Japanese grey import van. Are there any other campers out there that utilise this feature ?

The bodywork of the above Renault was in fabulous condition, however a lot of the vehicles I do a bit of research on seem to have rust mentioned on their DVLA MOT history, does anyone know if there's any information on the internet ref' which makers have galvinised their vehicles and the dates they started doing it.

Motorhomes:
Other than the Romahome R30 (which I really like) are here any other motorhomes out there that are 5m or under ? I'd like to be able to stand up in it so a R20 isn't going to work for me.

My budget is £20k

Regards,
Andy

 

[Elsie2010]

Have you thought of buying a standard SWB van, dimensions to suit then get a van converter company to do the rest, bespoke to your needs?

 

[Guigsy]

I presume you don't want a pop-up with a bed in the roof?

 

[CAB96]

For a campervan you're looking at a SWB. So VW Transporter, Renault Trafic, etc. There are plenty of convertors doing new, at least a dozen. With your budget you are looking for an older van. Mine is a Leisuredrive Vivante, they have been doing them for decades, so a good place to start searching.

For a motorhome, so with full washroom and shower, Wildax Pulsar used to be 5 metres. Also East Neuk Fifer (I think?).
The older model Autosleeper Symbol was 5 metres, I think there were a few variations as well, Symphony? Maybe a few other brands with similar layout using the older Peugeot Boxer at the time, earlier this century.

Good luck with your search.

 

[CAB96]

Just to add, googling "Rear kitchen layout" will get the best results.

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[BlueMoon]

Hi everybody,

Thank you all for your replies.

• Yes a bespoke conversion had entered my mind and if I can't get something pretty close to what I want I'll probably pop into a couple of local places and talk it over with them to see what could be done and for what price.
• If I get a camper I'll certainly be wanting a pop up roof but sleeping up there wouldn't really be my preferred option, at 6ft I'm not sure it'll be to comfy up there & it's a long way down if I want a wee in the night.
• Thank you for highlighting the Wildax and East Neuk, yes they are both 5m length so I'll add them both to my search list. and I will do some reading up and looking at the old Autosleepers, I looked online at a few this evening and a well looked after one could well be what I want, more reading up for me to do. So much to learn when buying one of these campers.

Again Thank you very much for your replies, I really appreciate it, you've given me lots to think about.

Regards,
Andy

 

[Elsie2010]

Hi everybody,

Thank you all for your replies.

• Yes a bespoke conversion had entered my mind and if I can't get something pretty close to what I want I'll probably pop into a couple of local places and talk it over with them to see what could be done and for what price.
• If I get a camper I'll certainly be wanting a pop up roof but sleeping up there wouldn't really be my preferred option, at 6ft I'm not sure it'll be to comfy up there & it's a long way down if I want a wee in the night.
• Thank you for highlighting the Wildax and East Neuk, yes they are both 5m length so I'll add them both to my search list. and I will do some reading up and looking at the old Autosleepers, I looked online at a few this evening and a well looked after one could well be what I want, more reading up for me to do. So much to learn when buying one of these campers.

Again Thank you very much for your replies, I really appreciate it, you've given me lots to think about.

Regards,
Andy

Ooh, one thing to mention about you height of 6' is that a lot of vans (certainly 5.5m and under) you may struggle with
Ours is 5.5m and sleeping width wise (can't recall the correct terminology) is 6'1 but given the pillow element, you can cut a few inch off that, and sleeping north to South isn't really an option as that's the smallest dimension