Your Favourite Panel Van Conversion

[MillieMoocher]

We are really happy with our Autosleeper Kingham, it suits us very well mainly down to the layout. Quality of fixtures and fittings is OK, as in acceptable but nothing special. If you want to use the van all year round/for skiing trips etc then it wouldn’t be suitable, there is no double floor and the heating is rubbish. But we don’t do either of the above so it works well for us.

If IH or Consort did the layout that the Kingham has then we would have bought one of their products over the Autosleeper. But they didn’t, so the choice was made for us.

For use between mid March and mid October, if you like the layout it is overall a great van.

 

[jumar]

For starters...needs to accommodate 2 eMTBs...without compromise...OK... I'll look again when I can no longer ride a bike .

 

[carolyn]

Which bits did Nigel/Roger upgrade Caroline ?

They replaced the chinese B2B and MPPT controllers with nice Victron ones plus a Battery master as our Starter battery was only ever reading about 12.2v in the cold weather. This was from the MiPhantom app and even when Nick checked it (we know this app isn’t accurate) with a multimeter it would only ever be 12.2-12.4. The lowest it’s been since is 12.56v which we’re much happier about on the BMS712 and the MiPhantom reads 12.5 or 12.6v every day.

The other bit we have is a Globalink 520 plus BMV712 (instead of the 700) . The 712 connects via bluetooth to an app so we can ask clever people questions more easily.

The Globalink 520 is because for the next few years our Wintersun is likely to be in Panama visiting our daughter so we can now monitor our leisure battery from afar and if it goes low our gardener can pop in and plug the van in for a day (gosh how middle class, yes I do read the Guardian). This might be overkill as the battery master is so much better than whatever Dan did. However we feel much happier.

 

[Gingernuts]

Having previously had a 3 litre fiat ducato Murvi morello and now a 2.2 litre Citroen Jumper Possl 2 win I think the perfect van would be a 3 litre possl 2 win with diesel heating! Obviously without adblue and dpf nonsense

 

[Carpmart]

I’d like one built on a 4wd Iveco chassis… bespoke build with it set up just how I want it. Kind of like the 4wd Hymer Grand Canyon, but more rugged and with much more useable payload.

Not planning anything for at least another 10 years though!

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[yorkiebar]

They replaced the chinese B2B and MPPT controllers with nice Victron ones plus a Battery master as our Starter battery was only ever reading about 12.2v in the cold weather.

Ah yes, replacing the stock solar controller is definitely on my list! We don't have a B2B, just the naff split charge relay, totally unsuitable for a smart alternator. That's on the replace list too i.e. ditch it and put in a B2B.

 

[Bernie P]

We like our Possle Globecar Summit Prime 6.40. It’s the only PANEL van we’ve had but we did do a lot of research before buying. We would prefer a 6m van but it wouldn’t give us two fixed singles, plenty of kitchen work surface and adequate garage. We are not impressed with the sky roof over the cab. Yes it lets in lots of light but even with the retro fix it is still noisy.
We have an auto, wouldn’t have anything else. Really easy to drive. Loads of storage, more than our previous coachbuilt of the same length.
We can keep below 3.5 which is essential for our licenses. I look at descriptions of other vans but they fail on some essential criteria or other.

I second all of the above except our skyroof is dead quiet.

We downsized from a 7.2m A Class and still have empty cupbord space! in fact we've only just found another storage locker under the n/s bed.

 

[TrudeandDall]

The one we designed ourselves, built by Richard Hales, Rhales ltd. There was nothing available on the market, perhaps even now, that suited us.

But I would say that.

Of course everyone has different opinions, but after 5 years, we really wouldn’t have done it any differently at all.



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A PVC with a Guzzi in the living room ~ now you are talking..........

 

[Pausim]

We looked at Adria but the Malibu Van impressed us far more.

 

[Dutch 68]

The one we designed ourselves, built by Richard Hales, Rhales ltd. There was nothing available on the market, perhaps even now, that suited us.

But I would say that.

Of course everyone has different opinions, but after 5 years, we really wouldn’t have done it any differently at all.



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Fair play that looks fabulous, only thing is I would hate making up beds, don’t do singles either, I like my wife a lot lol

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[hja]

I second all of the above except our skyroof is dead quiet.

We downsized from a 7.2m A Class and still have empty cupbord space! in fact we've only just found another storage locker under the n/s bed.

Oh, I wonder if that is the same cubby hole we recently found under the NS bed!
Another thing I like about ours is that the shower is useable, with a swing door.
We wernt bothered about the woosh bang door being on the off side, and it has never been a problem in the UK.

Was your skyroof silent from the start, Bernie P or have you don something to it? Ours is a 2021 van.

 

[lorger]

Our last van was a Possel Roadcruiser, we liked the van just wanted a bigger garage for the bikes. I don’t understand why they don’t make the beds higher to give a garage high enough for bikes, although I do think Malibu or Adria have brought one out and the Glibetraveller looks good and has higher garage and double floor. I also noticed more PVCs at 6.8m long which would make a big difference, the only issue now is the price as you won’t get much change if any for £100k.

 

[beachwomble]

La Strada Avanti H, but not sold in the UK. What I've got is probably the next best thing for me despite the woeful aftersales. A Murvi Morello XL would be next on my list.

 

[Dave and Jen]

Our Timberland Endeavour is great but because of disabilities we are changing it for an A/T Cheyenne which has a lot more room inside. The T/L is a great van and very well equipped with electric awning, electric vent, eberspatcher diesel heater big bed when made up, cruise, auto gearbox etc.
We thought it would be good for us, but for our physical conditions limiting us we would be keeping it.
Cheers, Dave