The Rise of the Panel Van

[599]

hi jim. there's one thing i think nobody has mentioned is the price of PVC vans . at our last stopover at Brownhills we was having a walk
round & we noticed that its the same price for PVC or COACH BUILT in the price bracket of £50,000 to £70,000 . give that most coach builds are 4 berths & have more room so we think that the manufacture's over price PVC because they know most people will sell there car & just use the PVC that's what we did to our regret it just wasn't our cup pf tea P.S its the only m/h we haven't any photos of it i wonder why

 

[Pirahna]

Wifey and I live in our PVC, we don't seem to have any issues with space. Couldn't find what we wanted so had one converted. It's a 7.3m Crafter, so not exactly small but it's got a lengthways fixed bed, bathroom and plenty of space to sit. The garage under the bed is huge, there's two mountain bikes on a slide out, I could easily fit two more on of I wanted, plus plenty of space down the side of the slide out. There's no gas. Heating and water are from a Truma 6de, hob is a Webasto diesel, oven is a combi microwave/grill/oven and can be used off grid. There's a 3000w inverter, solar, lithium etc.

 

[Nirvanauk]

Wifey and I live in our PVC, we don't seem to have any issues with space. Couldn't find what we wanted so had one converted. It's a 7.3m Crafter, so not exactly small but it's got a lengthways fixed bed, bathroom and plenty of space to sit. The garage under the bed is huge, there's two mountain bikes on a slide out, I could easily fit two more on of I wanted, plus plenty of space down the side of the slide out. There's no gas. Heating and water are from a Truma 6de, hob is a Webasto diesel, oven is a combi microwave/grill/oven and can be used off grid. There's a 3000w inverter, solar, lithium etc.

Any pictures please?

 

[MandP]

We have had a 7.5 Motorhome and now have a 6.3m panel van.We have found advantages and disadvantages when moving to the panel van. For us, we miss the big garage, large shower and fixed bed of the 7.5m but really like being able to park more easily ,the lounging seats and the general feel of the panel van so won’t be changing . Everything to their own and to enjoying whatever they have, that’s the main thing.

 

[Pirahna]

Any pictures please?

Pics from the chap who did the conversion

Rhales Conversions – Campervan Conversions

www.rhalesconversions.co.uk

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[David BW]

We started with a CI with over cab bed and quickly changed to a
Hymer B574 with french bed and pull down bed at front. It was kak handed Sandra hated the suicide seat so after 18 months we upgraded to another Hymer a B774 7.5 mtr tag axel had it for 9 years loved the space but was difficult to find parking especially when touring UK. 2 years ago we decided to down size. Looked at lots of PVC’s, loved the Adria Twins and Globecar. We eventually bought a Burstner Brevio, the back door swings up. We love it, it’s coach built but same size as a PVC, well insulated, clever bathroom. We have set it up as a permanent bed in the back giving plenty a space below for storage. The front area is more restricted than the A Class we have had before. But as we are retiring we expect to be heading for warmer climates and hope to spend most of the daylight outside

The van is more manoeuvrable and very good on fuel. For us this was the right decision

We used to have a Hymer C408 which was effectively a rebadged Brevio. It was a great van, having the insulation advantages of a coach built with the width and loading flexibility of a PVC. There seem to be remarkably few of them around. We changed to a Globecar Campscout as the drop down transverse bed was just a bit too small for me (6'1"). We love having the more open feeling of the Campscout and find the beds so much more comfortable and much less claustrophobic than the Hymer. The shower space is excellent, though a little bit of a faff to dry after use. The extra 40cm in length has made made a huge difference to us in comfort. Being on the Ducato Maxi chassis and with an A/C unit on the roof it tends to use slightly more fuel than the Hymer.

 

[Nirvanauk]

Pics from the chap who did the conversion

Rhales Conversions – Campervan Conversions

www.rhalesconversions.co.uk

Very nice. Thank you.

 

[uzsnowdrop]

Wifey and I live in our PVC, we don't seem to have any issues with space. Couldn't find what we wanted so had one converted. It's a 7.3m Crafter, so not exactly small but it's got a lengthways fixed bed, bathroom and plenty of space to sit. The garage under the bed is huge, there's two mountain bikes on a slide out, I could easily fit two more on of I wanted, plus plenty of space down the side of the slide out. There's no gas. Heating and water are from a Truma 6de, hob is a Webasto diesel, oven is a combi microwave/grill/oven and can be used off grid. There's a 3000w inverter, solar, lithium etc.

I don’t want to turn this into a tyre thread but how are finding the bfg s?

 

[tonyidle]

My third, and ideal, van was a Hymer B584. 6M and not too wide. My wife then developed a spinal problem and needed a 'customised' bed to be comfortable (head raised and thicker mattress). We didn't want to compromise on lounge space as we travel with three dogs & ended up with a wider van just under 8M long. We take a car on a trailer so we can keep the van out of tight spots. On the upside it has a domestic size shower and a big water tank and is a Merc auto. I love it.

 

[uzsnowdrop]

My third, and ideal, van was a Hymer B584. 6M and not too wide. My wife then developed a spinal problem and needed a 'customised' bed to be comfortable (head raised and thicker mattress). We didn't want to compromise on lounge space as we travel with three dogs & ended up with a wider van just under 8M long. We take a car on a trailer so we can keep the van out of tight spots. On the upside it has a domestic size shower and a big water tank and is a Merc auto. I love it.

Admire you! Keep on enjoying!

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[Barclaybasher]

I have a 2001 Mobilvetta A class which is great to drive, comfortable with loads of space but I am taking my 1992 Eriba coachbuilt poptop to Spain next month because it's easier to find parking spaces - for one (and cheaper on the ferry)

 

[Pirahna]

I don’t want to turn this into a tyre thread but how are finding the bfg s?

I've had then on from new so have no experience of driving the van without them. They drive ok. Very occasionally there's a bit of road noise, when it does happen it's not for long and it's not intrusive. It's a heavy van, with a full tank of fuel it weighs 3.5t, I've updated it to 4.1t. Fuel consumption seems ok given the weight of the vehicle, this morning on very steep, twisty mountain roads in the Sierra Nevada it managed 20mpg, on a long motorway trip it won't quite reach 30mpg but it's close. I'm on a Crafter Facebook group, some people complain the BFG's have reduced fuel consumption well below the figures I get, so it might be a driving style thing.

The BFG tyres I wanted aren't available in Europe yet, they seem to be US only. Have a look on the US site for the Trail Terrain.

 

[Jim]

I've had then on from new so have no experience of driving the van without them. They drive ok. Very occasionally there's a bit of road noise, when it does happen it's not for long and it's not intrusive. It's a heavy van, with a full tank of fuel it weighs 3.5t, I've updated it to 4.1t. Fuel consumption seems ok given the weight of the vehicle, this morning on very steep, twisty mountain roads in the Sierra Nevada it managed 20mpg, on a long motorway trip it won't quite reach 30mpg but it's close. I'm on a Crafter Facebook group, some people complain the BFG's have reduced fuel consumption well below the figures I get, so it might be a driving style thing.

The BFG tyres I wanted aren't available in Europe yet, they seem to be US only. Have a look on the US site for the Trail Terrain.

Be careful with them when they are a couple of years old, they harden up and will let go in the wet

 

[georgio]

Very interesting topic , we started by tenting so are campers by nature but where does camping end and mobile homes start because that is what the high end motorhomes are. We have a globecar family scout I

 

[Barti Ddu]

Our PVC is our first motorhome but we had a four berth caravan for 10 years when we had young kids.

Amongst the reasons we chose a PVC (as well as ease of fitting on our drive), is the ability to drive along small twisty roads to places that would be harder to access in a wider and longer vehicle, and also it's ease of "blending in" when parking up overnight. Picture below is of sunrise this morning in a carpark in the centre of a lovely Wilshire market town. Lovely undisturbed night sleep, although down to minus 2 degrees in the night (down to minus 4 tonight according to the forecast).

We've only had it 6 months but already spent 10 weeks touring France, Spain and Portugal, almost all on free parkups or aires. Plenty of space for two of us and a Border terrier.

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[Wellington]

I have to hand in my MHF card, because I have downsized from Carthago compactline a to T6. And a short wheelbase at that! It’s a mid roof, so 5 foot me can stand up in it perfectly, it’s wide enough for me to sleep in a rear transverse bed, and her ladyship can sulk in a pop top. I’ve lost all the bike storage from the garage, but as I will fit in a regular parking space, I don’t think we’ll need them.

I did it specifically because the Carthago had a clear 18 inches of spare headroom and a foot at the end of the bed (plus two additional belted seats in the dinette) I didn’t need. So I was driving around space I physically couldn’t use. I will have almost the same facilities in the T6, once she’s had her refit (if I had held out for the LWB, I could have had almost exactly the same layout, but without the dinette. Both cab seats will swivel, with a table between so we’ll still have a dinette/lounge. LWB, mid-roof, twin sliders were like hens teeth, though) but sized to fit ME, rather than a 6’6’ person!!! I realise this is not a common reason, but there you have it.

Oh, and my sliding doors are POWERED. No whoosh-banging here! (They do beep though, which is a bit counter productive)

 

[Mark and Mindy]

We have had 2 different 5.4m PVC for our first try in the motorhoming world, I'm guilty of thinking that a front lounge would work well for us but making the settee into a bed at night became a nightmare in the end, messing about with cushions and bedding, if one went to bed the other would have to go as well because it was impossible to sit in the swivelled captain's seats with no leg room. I'm the one who gets up at night and having to move 2 dogs, both in dog beds, out of the corridor so I could get to the toilet and back again was really annoying. So we switched that one for a Hymercar Ayers Rock, fixed transverse bed in the rear and fitted perfectly on our drive. We sold that one at the end of 2020 as we were selling our house and going into rented and as it would be hard enough to find somewhere to accommodate us and the dogs we decided that adding 2 cars and a 5.4m van to the mix which all needed to be off road was just too much.

Now we've made the full move into our next house we have an Adria Twin on order, 6.4m long which gives us a longitudinal bed, bigger fridge, oven and that swing wall shower washroom (no more shower curtain!). We still get the front dinette for the dogs to be hooked up to the seat belt restraints in travel and a place for them to sleep at night, can't wait for it to arrive and we can get on with travelling again.

 

[Pirahna]

Be careful with them when they are a couple of years old, they harden up and will let go in the wet

From what I've seen and heard this seems to be more of problem on lighter vehicles. The van is rated at 4.1t and the tyres conform to that. The first hint of "sketchiness" and they'll be changed.

 

[nicholsong]

We have had 2 different 5.4m PVC for our first try in the motorhoming world, I'm guilty of thinking that a front lounge would work well for us but making the settee into a bed at night became a nightmare in the end, messing about with cushions and bedding, if one went to bed the other would have to go as well because it was impossible to sit in the swivelled captain's seats with no leg room. I'm the one who gets up at night and having to move 2 dogs, both in dog beds, out of the corridor so I could get to the toilet and back again was really annoying. So we switched that one for a Hymercar Ayers Rock, fixed transverse bed in the rear and fitted perfectly on our drive. We sold that one at the end of 2020 as we were selling our house and going into rented and as it would be hard enough to find somewhere to accommodate us and the dogs we decided that adding 2 cars and a 5.4m van to the mix which all needed to be off road was just too much.

Now we've made the full move into our next house we have an Adria Twin on order, 6.4m long which gives us a longitudinal bed, bigger fridge, oven and that swing wall shower washroom (no more shower curtain!). We still get the front dinette for the dogs to be hooked up to the seat belt restraints in travel and a place for them to sleep at night, can't wait for it to arrive and we can get on with travelling again.

How much did that trading between MHs cost you? If you have the courage to calculate.

Geoff

 

[panda]

We started camping 25 years ago and we had a Talisman,quite compact,then a Swift Royale,a bit bigger,then an A class Pilote,even bigger, then down to a Tribute, and then to a Swift Mondial,which we loved,but after some health issues we had a static caravan for 4years,got bored and have really downsized to an Autosleeper Mezan which is only car size. But as we are now in our 80's it is perfect size for hubbie to drive.This is 'last of the summer wine for us 'but it's 'horses for courses' as regards other people

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[Mark and Mindy]

How much did that trading between MHs cost you? If you have the courage to calculate.

Geoff

Not really sure, didn't do the calculations. I'd only say that we could afford it.

 

[PhilMary]

I think, like a few others, family circumstances change and one can choose what's best.
I had a 7mtr coachbuilt with space for two Grandparents and two Grandchildren. However, as time passed the eldest one is not be interested in traveling with Grandparents and soon the youngest one will be the same.
My wife only tolerates the motorhome so it's really only me and my bikes.

Enter the PVC, I leave it with the rear bed made up as I don't need a rear lounge and four seat up front. It provides everything I need for traveling to ride my bikes, shower, food, siting, sleeping.
The PVC is smaller so is a little easier to manoeuvre and does more miles per gallon.
I'm glad I tried both and am happy with the PVC.