# Thinking of selling Motorhome and get a panel van



## Teutone (Feb 4, 2013)

No sure where this is going. We are thinking the sell the 6 berth Motorhome (for just the two of us) and get something smaller, like a panel van conversion.

Don't get me wrong, we love the space and the big bed in the alcove. But we like to move around a lot and see places rather than staying. If we sit 3 days at one place we get bored and want to move on. A faster more nimble vehicle will open more possibilties we hope.

Only thing I am worried is the space / bed size. I had a few converted Vans in the past and the down side in my opinon was the width. They are just not wide enough to
fit a bed traverse unless the vans have grown these days.

Does anybody here have a panel van with the bed traverse? Would like to know what the prefered choice of van is? I was looking at a Citroen the other day and that was quite spacious.


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## gaz2676 (Feb 4, 2013)

a panel van aint wide enough for a bed across the width but get a long enough van an youve cracked it.... weve a lwb sprinter panel van suits us just fine... can go anywhere a car can go within reason ....and its not to bad to park up at all                      http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/show-us-your-van-motorhome/22269-harvey.html


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## Firefox (Feb 4, 2013)

I have panel van with bed transverse.

It's a self build though. On the Renault Master chassis you can get a 6ft 1 or 6ft 2" transverse bed by thinning down the insulation to about 1" and using the space between the ribs where the body bellies out at mid height. Garage goes underneath the bed. 3ft headroom in the bed, 3ft in the garage. Probably can do similar in the Fiat but not Transit or Sprinter which I think are a bit narrower.


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## whitevanwoman (Feb 4, 2013)

gaz2676 said:


> a panel van aint wide enough for a bed across the width but get a long enough van an youve cracked it.... weve a lwb sprinter panel van suits us just fine... can go anywhere a car can go within .....reason and its not to bad to park up at all



Oh yes it is if you're a 5 ft 3 short a**e like me :lol-053: 

I'm just in the process of swopping from a lengthways foldaway bed (sunlounger with boards and memory foam mattress) to a width ways bed / seat arrangement (once I've designed it as the 6 foot sunlounger is about an inch too long to go widthways because of the ply lining).

A widthways bed will give me loads more room to move around when the bed is being used and means that hopefully I'll have the space and clearance to fit a donated Carver heater which I can't use with the bed lengthways as there wouldn't be enough safe clearance space around the heater. 

Firefox has a fitted widthways bed in his Renault panel van but I think it's not quite 6 ft in length as he's not that tall. 

You could probably fit a full 6 foot bed widthways in my LWB Transit without the ply lining and if there wasn't too much insulation taking up space at the head and foot of the bed. 

But go for it, I suspect that you don't stand out as much in a panel van as you do in a motor home, and especially at beaches etc, you see loads of panel van campervans being used as day campers by surfers etc and no one bats an eyelid. 

I still have to think ahead and sometimes use Google Earth beforehand to check for places where I know I can park but my LWB Transit would fit into a standard supermarket car parking space if it weren't for the rear step which overhangs a standard parking space by about 1 foot. I am considering taking the step off off as I don't use the back doors that much. It's worth putting some kind of sticker on the back doors though, asking for people to leave clearance to open the doors - it's not been a problem in the Transit because of the step and also having a side door but in my Peugeot Partner van without a side door, I've had problems getting the dog out of the back when thoughtless drivers park an inch from my bumper. 

My Transit is a high roof so loads of headspace and room for high storage shelving etc. I've also got a roof rack on it which adds another 10 inches so height barriers are a problem, but same for most panel vans. 

Also for repairs etc, it's probably much easier to find a garage / mechanic who can work on a common panel van than you can for a coachbuilt motorhome. And cheaper. And parts much easier to get. That's why I went for a Transit as I knew that pretty much any garage could fix it, and that it would be easy to get parts, both new and second hand. And you'll probably get better mpg with a panel van especially, if like me, you like to trundle along at 55-60mph. And truckers are much nicer to you on the motorway, letting you out to overtake and then pull back in. 

There's no windows in mine so it is technically a van not a motorhome so as far as my insurance company is concerned its insured as domestic, social, pleasure & commuting, and I use it as a "day camper" for my leisure activities and hobbies, with all internal fittings removable within an hour or so. But it means that I can get away with stealth camping pretty much anywhere as a 10 year old white transit van doesn't look out of place parked up on streets, industrial estates, laybys etc, although from choice I prefer to wild camp, but I do have the option of being able to use the van if I want to go out at night and not have to drive home or pay for B&B, or if I want to visit friends who don't have a spare bed etc, as I can get away with parking it and sleeping in it in town, without hassle from nosy neighbours or jobs worth parking attendants. In fact, if I had to pay for B&B, or taxis home after a night out etc, I probably couldn't afford to go out in the first place.

I am going to put a roof light in it though, as I really could do with more light in it. Firefox and others have black glass windows and their vans could easily pass as commercial crew vans, especially if vents and fittings are located underneath if poss.

edit  :lol-053::lol-053:  crossed post with Firefox!


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## Firefox (Feb 4, 2013)

I'm five foot 8"  :lol-053:

But... anyone less than about 5 ft 10"  would fit across a panel van bed. You could even sleep slightly diagonally if you were taller and if you wanted to use as a double, and partner was short, it may still work. But basically you are only going to get a 6ft 1" or 6ft 2" long bed transverse in a panel van. I think you might get a bit bigger in the LDV Maxus (out of production)


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## UFO (Feb 4, 2013)

I am 6 ft 2 inch and we have an Adria Twin with a transverse bed and it's great. It has a very comfortable mattress and we always get a good night's sleep. We've done about 120 nights.  Ours is a Fiat Ducato but their are similar van based on the Fiat, Peugeot Boxer and Citroen Relay, all the same vans, but bed length depends on the build and insulation / internal wall thickness.

Before we bought the Adria Twin we did research and tried out similar vans (went inside and laid down on the bed) some like the Trigano 665 have a side window and this reduces the width available bed length. 

Definitely great for going anywhere and even some place you should not go!


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## gaz2676 (Feb 4, 2013)

im not gettin picky or nowt but dont it say in dvla rules the fixed bed must be 6 foot could go against you if you change log book something for them to pick up on and deny you your change of use ....but there is plenty do it .........me bein over 6 foot i cant sleep width ways in the van and dont like cramped conditions


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## Aladdinsane (Feb 4, 2013)

gaz2676 said:


> a panel van aint wide enough for a bed across the width but get a long enough van an youve cracked it.... weve a lwb sprinter panel van suits us just fine... can go anywhere a car can go within reason ....and its not to bad to park up at all                      http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/show-us-your-van-motorhome/22269-harvey.html



I've got a small double transverse in my '09 Relay, 6'3" x 4' plus 25mm of kingspan and 6mm ply lining.


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## Dave Preston (Feb 4, 2013)

*Van width*

I drove my first motorhome, a hired one, last May in Scotland. It was a coach built and some of the minor roads in the obscure places I went left a few scratches, including on a perspex window, which cost me. I decided that as I am only 5'7" and my partner is about the same that a standard panel van was a better choice. I bought one in October last year, a Renault Master with a transverse bed at the back. Only had 3 trips out so far but it's great.

Happy motorhoming


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## mark61 (Feb 4, 2013)

A few of the German convertors cut out the rear panel and fit a fibreglass one to get extra bed width in the Sprinter, fugly, but works I suppose.

HRZ and CS-Reisemoblie

Sprinters are a bit narrower and have more of a curve then Renaults & Fiats, I think the Fiat is the widest.

I can just about sleep width ways in my Sprinter, but choose to run bed length ways.


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## gaz2676 (Feb 4, 2013)

Aladdinsane said:


> I've got a small double transverse in my '09 Relay, 6'3" x 4' plus 25mm of kingspan and 6mm ply lining.



so your saying the Citroen is over 6 foot wide ??? i did not know that


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## Deleted member 26233 (Feb 4, 2013)

Citroen Relay MY54 lwb hightop with traverse -- I am 6 foot 2 and sleep like a baby in the back of ours..

Panel vans rule.. park them anywhere and drive any road..


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## ellisboy (Feb 4, 2013)

My van has a transverse bed 6ft long and 4ft wide, the X250 vans are the widest internally.


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## gaz2676 (Feb 4, 2013)

whats an x250 ?


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## Aladdinsane (Feb 4, 2013)

gaz2676 said:


> so your saying the Citroen is over 6 foot wide ??? i did not know that



Yup, same as the Fiat and Peugeot, I should have said 50mm kingspan and 12mm ply, (25mm and 6mm each end) Bed is mounted just above the main longitudinal rail which measures, internal 188cm (6'2") from side to side. I will be cutting a bit off  the mattress to allow the bed to raise without fouling on the taper of the van sides. But if you want a full length fixed transverse bed and don't want it to raise then these are the vans to go for.


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## mark61 (Feb 4, 2013)

Not all coachbuilt motorhomes are huge, some don't have a much bigger footprint then the commercial van they are based on. Possibly or more likely probably better insulated, no huge sliding door. Pros & cons as always


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## jibztv (Feb 4, 2013)

I use a Vauxhall Movano (a Renault Master really) converted Mess Van, my bed is basically a canvas stretcher mounted in hanging brackets lengthways. It rolls up into nothing, it's as comfortable as anything and I sleep like a log in it. One point is it's only good for one person (deep shame) but for a single it's ideal.


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## Firefox (Feb 5, 2013)

You're right gaz2676, the bed is supposed to be 6ft for DVLA, but you can honestly get a 6ft 1" transverse bed in the Renault Master/Vauxhall Movano and the Fiat/Relay/Peugeot. So long as you don't board inside the ribs with ply and fill behind there with insulation in the normal way.  The insulation in mine in the bed area is silver radiator bubble, 3mm hardboard with camping mat on front and stretched over with leatherette stapled on the back. Its, conductive and reflective insulation all in one and works out less than 25mm. Yes it sometimes does get a bit cold behind the pillow, but that's a small compromise. You honestly don't feel it in bed.


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## ellisboy (Feb 5, 2013)

gaz2676 said:


> whats an x250 ?



The current shape Fiat/Citroen/Peugeot van.


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## Teutone (Feb 5, 2013)

Great Answers! Thanks everybody for chiming in.

As soon as I have some time off from work, I will visit some Van dealers with a tape measure.

We both are not too tall and I am no stranger when it comes to self build motorhomes.
All the ready build MH's we looked at, had at least one feature which was completelty useless to us
and in the end we played it save and bought something big because it's my wifes first MH.

Well, time to take some pictures of our current MH and hit the classifieds. Real shame after all the work I have put in (rear view cam, solar panel etc) but I can always do it again  Keeps me busy.


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## gaz2676 (Feb 5, 2013)

your right there Teutone
all the ready build MH's we looked at, had at least one feature which was completelty useless to us
and in the end we played it save and bought something big because it's my wifes first MH.

exactly the same as us there mate some good points to be had with coach builds but can be not very practical in other ways we opted for a custom layout to accommodate our needs for space and other things i just dont like to be cramped and some of them raised bunks are too close to the roof id have a dicky fit in the night our lass would get shredded in the chaos


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## Teutone (Feb 5, 2013)

gaz2676 said:


> your right there Teutone
> all the ready build MH's we looked at, had at least one feature which was completelty useless to us
> and in the end we played it save and bought something big because it's my wifes first MH.
> 
> exactly the same as us there mate some good points to be had with coach builds but can be not very practical in other ways we opted for a custom layout to accommodate our needs for space and other things i just dont like to be cramped and some of them raised bunks are too close to the roof id have a dicky fit in the night our lass would get shredded in the chaos




our MH = 6 Beds and ONE wardrobe.


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## mark61 (Feb 5, 2013)

Looking through this German firms PDF's it appears they do coachbuilts ready for self builders to do the inside,(ie nothing fitted) not sure how many other firms do this. Still bloody expensive though.

Woelcke individueller Reisemobil- und Sonderfahrzeugbau GmbH & Co KG

http://www.woelcke.de/prospekte/Autark-crosser.pdf

http://www.woelcke.de/category/autark/Autark-runner.pdf

http://www.woelcke.de/prospekte/Autark-Boxer.pdf


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## GRWXJR (Feb 7, 2013)

My van has a transverse bench seat that converts into a transverse bed.  Mounted behind the front seats and goes across to the sliding door.

I'm a smidge under 5'10" and its fits me so I can lay flat without worrying about rubbing me swede on the wall.  As Firefox (I think it was) says above, taller folks than 5' 10" wouldn't be so keen on it.

As I've put captains seats in and the kitchen area is on the other side of the bed it doesn't feel claustrophobic (the f seats turned around facing the rear and the bed help this feeling a lot).  The only thing with this layout though is of course that you can't realistically use the sliding side-door with the bed out - so if you really HAD to get outside in the night mode then exiting via the side passenger door or opening a rear door needs to be a method of access/egress.

But.... seeing as 'Sully' is a LWB Hi-Top LDV Convoy with a 2.5L naturally aspirated (asthmatic?) diesel lump and looks only a mother could love, I don't think you'll want one, and can go for something rather less er... agricultural in the running gear dept :drive: :lol-049:

Edit:  





> The only thing with this layout though is of course that you can't realistically use the sliding side-door with the bed out


I should point out that if you DID want to get out in a hurry for any reason, the side-door would still be possible and easiest/fastest route, but maybe not the most elegant exit!


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## gaz2676 (Feb 7, 2013)

GRWXJR said:


> I should point out that if you DID want to get out in a hurry for any reason, the side-door would still be possible and easiest/fastest route, but maybe not the most elegant exit!



theres no shame in landing in a heap...... thats my usual entrance


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## pochaie (Feb 8, 2013)

have just brought a Globecar Campscout, plenty of room and the beds are lenghways ,either 2 single or a large double, depends on how lucky i get...LOL:king:


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## Teutone (Feb 8, 2013)

mark61 said:


> Looking through this German firms PDF's it appears they do coachbuilts ready for self builders to do the inside,(ie nothing fitted) not sure how many other firms do this. Still bloody expensive though.
> 
> Woelcke individueller Reisemobil- und Sonderfahrzeugbau GmbH & Co KG
> 
> ...



nice vehicles but have you seen the prices???


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