Sleeping in back of car

It’ll be cold. Take a sleeping bag and a duvet. The duvet is warm and keeps the light out.

For blocking out light, and keeping in a "bit" of warmth, something like this

https://redcoteleisure.co.uk/product/citroen-berlingo-2008-2018-with-tailgate-blackout-blinds/

Curtains are probably nicer.

A hat, very soft if you don't usually wear them. A big one can be used as a eye cover too.

The car will get colder than a tent, but a good sleeping bag/duvet will keep most of you warm. The hat will keep your head warm.

Used to do it loads after night shifts, finish at 7am and grab nearly 150mins (I worked in the mountains), before going out with my mates.

Crack a window open, if you have wind deflectors these are ideal for stopping any rain getting in.

Sleep on a thermarest.

Wear a sleep mask.

Have a proper decent sleeping bag or duvet.

That's about it. Tinted windows obviously keep prying eyes away and as long as you are taking your crap away (literally) and peeing in a bottle then nobody should hassle you and whatever spot you find will be usable next time.

I've done it for years in a variety of cars.
You can get sucker window blinds for Blingo's to keep the light out / bit of heat in.
Sleeping bag & duvet (cars/vans are cold), window wind deflectors are useful for ventilation without rain/midges getting in, or a boot door stay.

https://www.doggiesolutions.co.uk/products/cool-dog-car-ventilation-tailgate-lock

Buy a pair of wind deflectors for the side windows. Drop both windows 25mm within the protected zone, not so obvious that a window is open. Team Heko deflectors seem pretty good

It will get cold - colder than a tent. Sleeping mat + duvet to line the floor and a good sleeping bag.
If there's any way you can string a dark-coloured sheet or tarp up above you to keep out the light / anyone looking in then that's good and it doesn't look quite so obviously like someone is sleeping in it as blinds would.

If you can park somewhere right close into a wall, hedge etc and then crack the window open on that side it'll stay sheltered and it aids in security too.

Put the key somewhere secure where it's not going to get knocked under anything or fall out when you open a door in the early morning...

Foil backed bubble wrap and little rubber suckers are your friend for blocking out the light and insulating a bit.

Heko deflector (as mentioned) and a midge net over the open window to keep weather and bugs out.

I've camped in the back of an uninsulated van inside a tent inner, was baggy but much warmer than in van without it. Had windows cracked open and had one of those gizmos that lock the door open a couple of inches.

me and the wife sleep in ours quite often
it is a big old zaffira tourer
the space with the seats down and front seats forward, is massive
a huge alpkit double airbed with a quilts on it, then us in our sleeping bags.
it is warmer than our bed.
i leave my window down a inch or so, i like fresh air whilst sleeping.
we did 5 nights last september in the lakes. perfect.

Eye mask. Air mat. Sleeping bag. Bosh!™️ worked for me in my old car (Octavia estate)

Get a boot jump. I built a single bed version which leaves room for the bike too. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52371171317_3329ed2f15_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52371171317_3329ed2f15_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p [/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/59201879@N05/ ]Ken H[/url], on Flickr" alt="" />

I believe it's an offence to sleep in the back of your car if you're drunk.

Which is a shame because it would make it a lot more bearable.

its not an offence to sleep in your car when drunk. It can be an offence to be in charge of a motor vehicle when drunk, but if you make it really obvious you're not planning to drive before getting drunk (ie put the drivers seat right forwards over the wheel so its impossible, and don't put your keys in the ignition) you'll be fine.

For me, a proper thick (10cm or more) self-inflating-mattress makes a lot of difference, from being sleeping uncomfortably to being almost as nice as in bed.

I slept in a car in February on Dartmoor once with snow on the ground. It was very cold but warmer than the tent I'd been in the night before. That could be down to the fact that the tent it turned out had broken door zips and it was windy. 🙂

I've considered this before some jobs and pocket the extra hundred quid paid for the hotel. A friend of mine does it, who said a folding / portable camp bed makes the WORLD of difference (raises you a few inches off the hard car/van flooring)

Our daughter does on a regular basis. Has spent weeks in a Tourneo Connect in the Alps. Got some custom blinds from ebay and some mosquito netting.
Two and two bikes seems OK for her

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If you lock the car while you are inside, doesn't the movement set the alarm off?

Reminds me of this bloke.

@dawson Don’t know about anyone else but my last two cars have had an option to turn the interior monitor off when locking.

its not an offence to sleep in your car when drunk. It can be an offence to be in charge of a motor vehicle when drunk, but if you make it really obvious you’re not planning to drive before getting drunk

It's down to the police officers interpretation of whether you are likely to drive. In the back with a sleeping bag you are probably going to struggle to convince a grumpy officer that you are not going to try and drive an hour later.

In a camper or kitted out bikemobile you've got a better chance but you really need to be off the public highway. I always park on private land if I plan to drink and sleep in my camper, it's just not worth the risk of getting done for being in charge whilst under the influence

No pics but I've slept in my Puggy Partner Outdoor a few times. Passenger all the way forward and folded forward as well. Single airbed on passenger side (with rear seats removed), pillow at tailgate, sleeping bag and all good.
Bike goes on other side and the cooking stuff in passenger footwell (stops the end of the airbed drooping).
Front windows cracked open and all fine - isn't warm but I didn't feel cold.
Clothing and food went underneath bike and filled rest of rear space.

If you lock the car while you are inside, doesn’t the movement set the alarm off?

in our V70 and XC90 you can turn the internal mass sensors off whilst locking the doors. Both are great for car camping in!

Good call on the alarm. I don't know if I have one so will check that out.

The boot floor is already raised by 15cm with drawers under it so could make another section to fit ontop of the seats when they fold down.

So would a tent liner work well enough to block out some light?

Try it at home one night before you find yourself miles away from bollocks all at 2am and realise you've made some grave error or other.

If its for your benefit rather than others, just use an eye ask. It's a lot less faff

I've slept in my van loads, have blinds that can go up but depending on where I am, an eye mask is less faff, quicker and easier

I sleek in an uninsulated van on a plywood slot together bed. I just use a normal sleeping mat and a sleeping bag. Often take a real pillow for a bit of luxury though!

In Skoda's there is a button mid way down the drivers side b pillar, press that then lock the car and the moment sensors are not active.

I slept in the back of a Volvo estate at the Reading Festival once, before the concert of sleeping mats was common knowledge - it was bloody hard, and also cold even at that time of year. Self-inflating mattresses are a god-send.