[Closed] Spec me a van - What features would you not be without?

Seats, wheels and engine

The wheel base is dependant on the van, used to park a LWB transit in most normal supermarket spaces.
If you fit a bike rack you failed
Wider vans get you more space

What do you want to use it for? Do vans not have restricted speeds (I think) so maybe get the car-varient instead?

As long as it can fit a bike (or bikes in the back and take the kids and dog then not really needing much else - bit of space for the clothes and you are fine.

Stove setup can just be a camping burner and kettle so no need for fancy bits there.

* Front and rear parking sensors

Rears are great to van in a van, fronts are really needed tbh as it finishes right in front of your nose.

Not sure about:
* Seating arrangements in the back

Transporter 2 and 1 setup works well. Very easy to take the single out. The double is easy too, but the size of it means its a lot easier to move with an extra pair of hands.

* Have a bench seat as a fold out bed

Would love that for races or just getting anywhere the night before rather than an early morning.

If you fit a bike rack you failed

this is true

Windows in the back doors, so you don't pay commercial vehicle tolls.

Make sure it's registered as a PLG , not a LGV or you are limited to 50 on single carriageway and 60 on dual carriageway roads. That doesn't seem a big deal, but two speeding tickets later it gets annoying.

It'll be used half the time for popping to the shops, playgroup, the beach and the other half of the time it'll be loaded up for car camping weekends away trips down south to see family.

The speed limits thing is an interesting point. No one seems to be able to give a concrete answer that I've see so far.

I'm really interested in the stuff you "[b]couldn't live without[/b]".

In my van I am building a full size double bed, small seating area, hob, sink, fridge, propex heater, pull out bike store in garage, roof vent, side window.

What I would not be without:
Somewhere to sleep, bike storage, some heating, storage for bedding, cooking kit etc.

My old van fit the latter requirements, the new one is a luxury in comparison.

Reversing camera is a must IMO, sensors don't allow you to spot people walking by etc, I have mine on a switch so I can put it in when I want, not only in reverse. This allows me to see people behind me without giving them a fright, also means I can see those cars that like to hug the rear bumper who might otherwise be hidden from me.

"The speed limits thing is an interesting point. No one seems to be able to give a concrete answer that I've see so far."

Only its in black and white . the only people not giving a concrete answer are mostly the people who are getting the speeding tickets.

https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits - even having seats and windows in the back doesnt make it a dual purpose vehicle UNLESS it was registered as such when new. The only exception to this is getting reclassified as a motorhome meeting the criteria. retrofitting seats and windows wont get your reclassified off van status.

for me i cant live without - an engine , 4 wheels , and a bike sized load space.

Other than my dog being big rather than small you could be me. We ended up with a T5 Caravelle for mostly obvious reasons but a few you might not have considered :-
1. Airbags all round, not just for front seats
2. Easy to insure with regular domestic insurers as its a car not a van
3. Independent climate control to the rear seats
4. Seats fold into a bed as standard, move around as required me come out easily (but they are very very heavy)

fix 2 by just using an insurer that covers it, not exactly a tough thing, chuck it into gocompare vans.

Bugger reversing sensors just fit a tow bar

The one thing that I really couldn't live without was being able to stand up straight inside.

Only its in black and white . the only people not giving a concrete answer are mostly the people who are getting the speeding tickets.

Yup, it simple. Hence me sitting at 50mph on the (single carriageway) A9 with a huge traffic jam behind me. Admittedly it is quite enjoyable when you know your mates are stuck in your traffic 🙂

Rubber floor (as per t5 kombi)
Twin sliders
Tailgate (not barn door)
Cruise control
Winter tyres
Towbar fitting
Captains seats

I would go Swb, rather than lwb - bit of a squeeze but easier to park generally...

Tow bar - especially for those long family trips around europe.
Roof bars - for the roof box - see above

Twin sliding doors... having these on both sides makes life a lot easier.
Some form of ducted air con in the back so you dont rely on the dash vents alone
Lighter colours so the van doesnt get so hot. A black van is like a cooker.
Go for the single and double in the rear... very practical
LWB.... T32 are a different and more expensive class I believe but the difference is worth it.
Additional heating unit... this may bump you up a CO2 band..... check
Stick on 16 rims as the ride will be more comfortable than 18 or 20's
Tailgate vs twin doors.... personally went for a tailgate but a rack on this door will overpower the gas struts
Detatchable Brinks aftermarket fitted towbar.
Heated seats IMHO overrrated as they took an age to get warm
Some form of FF or aftermarket lighting in the rear.
Split charge battery

On our VW combi (2+1 in the back) we have the 2 front seats which swivel and have armrests. The swivel we almost never use in a day to day vehicle, the armrests I would spec every time. I got cruise and rear parking sensors retrofitted.

Having had an older LWB van we went for another LWB. YMMV of course but parking it never concerns us and there's space for bikes in lengthways behind the back seats.

In T5 combis I noticed that LWBs are relatively hard to find. I'd imagine therefore they're easy to sell when the time comes but I'm no car salesman.

We've got heated seats too - ours are seriously hot, some love them but I don't like feeling like I've peed myself...

EDIT:

Rickmeister
T32 are a different and more expensive class I believe but the difference is worth it.

Ours is a T32, but not something I went looking for. What's the benefit for a van that won't carry big loads?

When folk say 2 + 1 in the back, is this in addition to the driver and passenger seats - total?

With young kids the twin sliding doors are a real bonus.
2+1 rear seats are much more versatile than a triple (I have a triple and it's one thing I would change).
For me I like the tailgate, others prefer barn doors.
Rubber floor great for kids, dogs, beach etc.
Single front passenger seat with arm rest more comfy than the double, and allows easy walk through access. It's surprising how much we use that. Although there is the odd time it would be be handy to seat 6.
I have never used the swivels on my seats.
Differnce between the LWB and SWB is really only noticable when...
1. Parking (I've never not parked the LWB, just chosen the right parking space or taken a shunt)
2. Loading (LWB takes bikes with wheels length ways behind the second row seats)
Unless doing a full camper conversion I wouldn't bother with a fixed stove. Camping stove and kettle. Maybe make a demountable ply box to house it all if you want to get fancy.

Edit: 2+1 is refering to the rear seat configuration, ie a double and a single that can be tilted or removed indepenedntly, rather than the triple bench seat which is all in one.

Another vote for a rear camera. Made a huge difference to damage on our fleet!

As a T32 owner I would say go for a T30 unless you really need the extra load capacity. T32 is a bit harsher ride when empty and also has some T32 specific parts which are of course more expensive than the parts that fit the rest of the range 🙁

You need a vw caravelle All the practicality of a van with different configurations of seating

What's the benefit for a van that won't carry big loads?

Personal choice I guess.... but its possible to get the same length and features in a van that isnt set up for carrying huge loads with stiffer suspension and load ratings for the tyres... unless its a window van or passenger carrying one.

As for speedlimits... thats another one to debate as well.

Its an info minefield... if its a VW van your looking at get on the T5 forum...

 

I've spent a fair amount of time recently looking into this as we want to convert a van next year.
I've looked at a few different vans and realistically looked at what we need as a family of 4 for extended breaks in Europe.
For a weekend or an overnight, I think a SWB van is fine but a compromise for longer breaks and the lack of space will become a big issue on longer trips.

We rented a LWB HR VW the other week to help my mum move and it is a perfect size for us for a camper. I'll be opting for the panel version with a removed bulkhead and side and rear windows with one sliding door.
The rear will have a bike garage to hold 4-5 bikes with a fixed double bed above (i'm just short enough to lay across the van without issue.).
A sliding rock and roll bed will be fitted toward the front of the van and the front seats will pivot.
I plan to have LED lights, a leisure battery, a heater and a fridge fitted.

I'm not going to bother with a sink or cooker as it's more faff, more to go wrong/maintain when I can use camping alternatives.

I basically want a tent on wheels with a few luxuries that will keep the van fairly flexible.

I've also realised that it won't be great for everyday use so i'll probably get a second car as a runaround.

Think about full windows with "limo" tint at the back. It's a big vehicle - all round visibility makes it s lot easier to drive. Vans get broken into - if someone can peer in and see there's nothing to steal it might save you hassle. At the same time the tint means if there's stuff in it (bikes covered with blankets) they're not obvious from across a car park.

DVLA can give the full spec for re-plating as a motor-home. You need to meet the spec exactly and get it all inspected then Robert is your mother's brother.
Requirements for vents and toilets, wiring and gas supply is all covered. A friend has just re-classified a Transit

We've got a T30 LWB converted with pop-top roof, side units and a 2 seat RnR. After having a couple of trips in it - about 15 days of sleeping in it - make sure there's adequate ventilation in the pop-top, ours has a small vent strip which isn't enough in warm climes.
Other things I think we'd have different - 'lectric mirrors as they make adjusting so much easier, maybe aircon (but that's not a biggy), can't think of much else...

I've got a Cali and it works well. Things I like beyond the pop roof are glass all round makes viz spot on, 4wd is excellent for getting in and out of ropey places like wet fields etc, M+S tyres also good, parking heater amazing in winter, f+r sensors good, factory towbar excellent, MFSW also essential. They can be a bit crashy in ride but i can chuck my bikes in with the seat rolled forward no problems or have 3 on the rack on the back and my surfski on the roof.

Defo make sure the seats other than the drivers seat are comfortable for long journeys.

Hired a transit custom crew cab and the passenger seats were all bolt up right and horrible to sit in.

Had a Hyundai Iload previously and it was good as gold.

I would echo the comments about T32's being harsh.
With swivel seats in a VW Kombi you will be knocking knees with those in the back.
I i were to do it again i would have got a panel van & then had the multivan sliding seat installed which means rear seat forwards & fully assembled bikes in the back for riding duties (assuming 1 driver & 1 passenger) then slide it back when you're picnicking with the family (assuming no fully built bikes in the back of course). Plus it converts into a bed.

Phew, my must have list a much shorted than others. With an ex panel van t5 the three for me are 1) power (we remapped from 90 odd to 130 odd, huge difference) 2) electric windows 3) air con.

We don't have 2 or 3 and it grips me everyday in summer!

Removable rear seats.
My first van had bolt in seats and it was a pain unbolting them if I wanted to use the full load space. My new van has kombi seats and removal is a doddle.

Just get a minibus and take the back seats out, it's what I'd do 😉

check out the fiat ducato peugeot boxer type they are very square which makes moding things in the back easier and more spacious and i would go mid wheelbase and six speed box is a must have.

the fiat is quiet and drives like car I have had one for 3 years highly recommend it, I have the 3 liter and get 35 mpg.

I think we're thinking about remapping from 102 to about 130, just to give a bit more oomph on dual carriageways/ motorways.

205bhp, 3.5t towing capacity, 8 speed automatic (a real torque convertor gearbox, not a robotic manual) and all the toys gets my interest! Shame its about £15k outside of my budget! Supposedly so quick it should be illegal and will show a clean pair of heels to all the ickle Sportvan types while not bothering to use half its gears as it races through the box 🙂

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Iveco-Daily-Panel-Van-model-35C21A8V-/252061263796?hash=item3ab005a7b4

Standing room.
A van that you cant stand upright in is just a very big boot.

a LWB transit in most normal supermarket spaces

Really ? my medium wheelbase old school sprinter is about that size and is a good 2 feet longer than a suoermarket space !

Fwiw Here's what a full sized bike looks like in the back of a Caravelle with the bench all the way forward (leaving normal car sort of leg room for rear

[img] [/img]

Parking sensors or camera are not at all essential, i drive a mwb transit every day and have never wished i had them. If you use your mirrors and look at the space before you reverse in it's easy to judge.

I'd not have a van with too much "convenient" junk inside, bike racks etc. Strap bikes to the sides well out of the way, leaving lots of useable floor space.

A picnic chair. Sleeping can be a tent or hotel/b&b so no need for cold beds in a van.

Cup holders, surprisingly annoying if they're no good.

Comfy seats. Good engine. Width so 2 passengers are comfy.

I agree with air con, vans are greenhouses and i always wish my van had it.

[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/2004-transit-connect-lwb-hi-top-converted-into-stealth-camper ]Just bought this...[/url]

My first dabble as a van owner, great so far. Getting it's first proper outing to torridon this weekend coming. 😀

The only thing I ever have to have is electric mirrors.

Spare set of steel wheels with winter tyres

Least appealing pics ever...
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Exceptionally practical, proper bike store was under the bed (5 bikes + BBQ, gas, tools, jet wash and other assorted crap.
Properly insulated, comfy bed and 2x duvet makes it warm enough. Plenty of other space and as I said in my things you couldn't live without room to stand up straight. A history of back pain means that is non negotiable.
Not the flashest van in the world but 100k miles and heaps of bike events and weekends away and it was brilliant.

I'd also add a set of orange "park anywhere" flashers on the roof

Longest van possible that you think you can live with.
Eberspacher heater with 24/7 timer
6 speed box and/or long legged motorway gearing, to make long distance 120km/h Euro cruising easier.
Rear camera/reversing sensors.

oh and the blue cable in the pic above is a heavy duty extension with the outdoor camping plug wired onto the end, about 5 quid and with a small RCD on the other end prefect for a heater and charging stuff.

I think what you've halfway invented is a people carrier with a pop top - like a Mazda bongo - but without a clunking old diesel engine.