# Converted Van/small



## farske (May 12, 2010)

Hiya

I thought I'd post here first with my question and or guidance.

I recently went around ireland with my mate in a hire car. Cost around £200 quid and we slept in a tiny kia. Killed us, but it was worth it. After much discussion I said "convert a transit!".
A quick google and I found this website and lots of WIP threads and ideas.
Following the line of thought I hit autotrader and looked at vans.

I'm looking at a smaller van (or if a bigger transit if cheaper!) and keep hitting the massive insurance quotes!!
Anyone got any advice?

I'm 25, male got my licence in may 2007. Have had no accidents and no infractions. First car was a TD vauxhall astra estate, sold for rent when I was in a tight spot. I have no current car. It will also be my main.
I will be keeping it when not in use up a 1 mile private track at our home, very secure ... <3 the countryside.

I know it will be classed as a van, as im only looking at getting a bed/sofa at the back and using a portable stove and using a large bottle for water ^.^

So.. can anyone give me advice?
All I've found on mock quotes is around 3-4k!! :O

Thanks
F


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## biggirafe (May 12, 2010)

farske said:


> Hiya
> 
> I thought I'd post here first with my question and or guidance.
> 
> ...



I expect you are hitting 'white van syndrome'. The quote machines just see this as a commercial vehicle that is high up the accident list with a young driver.
You call an independant broker who might be able to give you a private use only quote.

.
.


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## farske (May 12, 2010)

Righto, I see there is one advertised here I'll contact them.
Thanks


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## hank (May 12, 2010)

lots of help is available on www. sbmcc.co.uk this is a site for motorhome self builders
if you do a proper and permanent conversion your insurance will come down. look atwww. camptons.co.uk. this company is specialising in insuring conversions. there are a few others which you will get from the sbmcc website.

good luck mate you already know it makes sense


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## farske (May 18, 2010)

hank said:


> lots of help is available on www. sbmcc.co.uk this is a site for motorhome self builders
> if you do a proper and permanent conversion your insurance will come down. look atwww. camptons.co.uk. this company is specialising in insuring conversions. there are a few others which you will get from the sbmcc website.
> 
> good luck mate you already know it makes sense



Thanks Hank.
I'll look into that


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## kangooroo (May 18, 2010)

farske said:


> Hiya
> 
> I'm looking at a smaller van (or if a bigger transit if cheaper!) and keep hitting the massive insurance quotes!!
> Anyone got any advice?
> ...



I'm also a 'white van' driver, albeit nearly twice your age with a clean licence and history from age 17, but I've found huge variation in quotes.

I have a 2002 Renault Kangoo on a commercial vehicle policy.  I wanted mainly SD&P use but with the ability to do limited business mileage together with 'carriage of own goods'.  Very few companies would consider such a policy as they normally offer only full commercial policies on commercial vehicles.  A few are more flexible - try Direct Line, Norwich Union and Highway. I found Highway particularly helpful and had a personally-tailored policy as a 'referral' case.

I pay £175 fully-comp with protected NCB.

HTH

K-Roo


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## Hobbsy (May 18, 2010)

brentacre is a broker and im with sureterm (through them)! they do good prices for all the vw boys and self converters such as me! give them a try!


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## skye (May 19, 2010)

*Look good inside!!!!!*

Hi sorry i cant help with the insurance quote i still shop completely everywhere when insurances come around complete pain but always worth all those phone calls really can save pounds. As for your conversion i am a mum who loves tinkering with diy and i have over the years repaired caravans and am now starting on a job in my motor home van breakers prove invaluable when doing a home made conversion look them up on internet also on this site if you go back on history one guy posted all his photos on his white van conversion as he did it really interesting, pick up a couple of motor home mags to they often have good advise. Know a easy little job can be done but it is not too difficult to give yourself alittle more luxury without going to mad give it a go and good luck done forget to keep us informed.


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## n8rbos (May 20, 2010)

welcome farske your best bet m8 is to ring specialist insurers for self-built conversions! they will give you an itinery of whats required in your van to make it a camper!!just a bit more work than you intend but worth it and you will find your ins. fall rapid. by the way stay away from sureterm. also has advised look up sbmcc well worth joining too!!

as for vans look at an ldv convoy make sure it has the same engine and box as a transit  eg. 2.5di not turbo and deffo not 2.4inj, too many nasty bits to go wrong you can get an ldv for half the price of a similar age tranny 

but parts are easily available


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## urbtaf (May 20, 2010)

Commercial van insurance will always be dear. It can be reduced by putting a 50 years + relative with a clean licence on the policy, been known to reduce cost by 20%.
The other way (if your not changing it to camper) is to explore the chances of putting it down as a custom van with limited mileage . Or join a local fishing club, many of them insure vans for their hobby and private use.


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## Samson (May 21, 2010)

I run commercial vans for my business, and the cheapest insurance in the last two years has been with AXA, through Swinton brokers.


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## Jules and Jack (May 21, 2010)

See if you can get better quotes on a slightly smaller van, LDV cub / nissan vannette is worth a look (plenty of space inside and attracts less attention when overnighting). We traded up to a T4 this year but found the cub great for wild camping and the insurance was a lot cheaper than the new van


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## farske (May 22, 2010)

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the info.

Had a few cold calls since I looked up quotes online. Nothing cheap. I will try who you recommend.

Talking of vans however I saw an old Bedford 1978 Ice Cream truck going for a grand the other day. Really was tempted!
Auto Trader UK - BEDFORD CF HARDTOP ICE CREAM VAN

F


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## Kontiki (May 30, 2010)

I remember a problem I had when I bought a Renault Trafic to convert to a camper. When asked my job I said engineer after that I had to try to convince them I wasn't using it for business . They don't seem to like the idea that you might just want to have a van instead of a car . Some companies like Shield will allow you to insure the van whilst you are converting it, if you contact them they have a list of what is required to make it a camper. After calling & speaking to them they were reasonably helpful, the camper spec & definition can be interpreted quite flexibly, you have to provide them with pictures when done. There concern was you didn't just have a van with a camping stove & an air bed then use it for other purposes. It seemed that as long as the bits you put in are fixed so the van can't be a dual purpose vehicle it was ok. In my case I wanted a transverse bed in a Renault Master, but the specs said it had to be 6 foot. With insulation the width was 5 foot 9 inches. I sent them a letter explaining this & they gave me written confirmation that this would be ok.

My daughter is in the process of looking for a small van to convert to a camper, something like the Peugeot Express, so she will be having to look for insurance herself.


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## vwalan (May 30, 2010)

have a word with your local dvla office they can let you have the specs for m,home camper requirements .you do not have to put in windows .get it converted could be by diy. then either let dvlainspect it or go the photo route.i get them to come er and view it. when its passed they let you have a new logbook with class as m,home . thats important as insurers look up your number to check. 
you may find coop very good for a younger person. my kids did. there are other specialist m,home ins out there that do cover homebuilds .the main thing is get m,home on the log book.


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## cornishgail (May 30, 2010)

hank said:


> lots of help is available on www. sbmcc.co.uk this is a site for motorhome self builders
> if you do a proper and permanent conversion your insurance will come down. look atwww. camptons.co.uk. this company is specialising in insuring conversions. there are a few others which you will get from the sbmcc website.
> 
> good luck mate you already know it makes sense



I've been with camptons for years but this year had a horrid quote so got a quote from caravan club for over £100-00 cheaper BUT it was with the same company that campton's used so got back to them and they matched the cheaper quote.  Morale of the story is that caravan club might be your best bet.


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## n8rbos (May 30, 2010)

also try caravanwise are good and very helpful! i foolishly left them after to 2yrs to go with sum1 called sureterm never again.

always go for a simple van thats easy to work on !! so hopefully you can do your own work ,cheaply and not be beholden to a garage!!


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## jennyp19 (May 31, 2010)

farske said:


> Hiya
> 
> I thought I'd post here first with my question and or guidance.
> 
> ...



have a look on here for Self Building help SBMCC ~ Self Build Motor Caravanners Club  Its from there that I found this site


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## camp3rvan (May 31, 2010)

*transit*

hi farske if your thinking about buying a transit have a look at these two sites they go hand in hand 
Ford Transit Forum • Index page
MIG Welding Forum
try and get one with a log book that says motorhome on it might work out cheeper on insurance got mine down to £230 with wife as well  it was convert by the owner before me  so had to prove to dvla it was a campevan but mind you i am an oap


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## winchman (Jun 11, 2010)

When you buy it you need to change the class of vehicle with the DVLA to motor home, google the requirements
Its some thing like bed, water, but can be a bottle and simple pump, stove etc, its easy.
Look at this
Mercedes Sprinter conversion - The Pampy Camper | Campervan Life

Then before you do anything ring Pete Best insurance, tell them you are buying a van and converting it, but just insure it once the class of vehicle has changed, if its limited miles and you beling to a club thats something to do with it then it shouldnt be much, also try Carol Nash


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## farske (Jul 12, 2010)

Thanks chaps.

Still looking for a good van. Finally decided on just a Transit Van.


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## Firefox (Jul 12, 2010)

DVLA can be awkward. They want photos and receipts for parts. And it needs at least one window, bed, storage, table, seating, cooking facitlites. All permanently fixed and bolted to the van. Putting your portable camping stove on a trestle table will not qualify  Try Adrian Flux for insurance. They will insure while you are converting.


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## vwalan (Jul 12, 2010)

i must say no windows are required to get a van put as m,home on your log book. i have been building m,homes for years and now only do expedition trucks . you need a table ,seats cooker or micro wave .cupboards can be the seats . all must be fixed rivetted or screwed ,welded to floor or walls the seats and table can be made into a bed , thats it roughly. if you visit your local dvla .they should be able to give you the spec. ours uses a book for importing vehicles as its guide all hm stationary stuiff. because of my continuing building i ring them up and they come out and look make sure its to the spec and a log book replacement from swansea is in my letter box within 3 days.if you have a problem pm me i,ll try to help even ring my local office to get your problem sorted. if you ring swansea they get carried away . i,m lucky i have for awhile now had desk numbers to ring up there. if you do ring them stay calm it will take ages be calm i mean calm . but if you need pm me. cheers alan.


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## Firefox (Jul 12, 2010)

Check out this link:

Campervan Legal Information, Requirements & Rules DVLA | Campervan Life

It gives advice and specifies at least one rear window. It's not "official" so could be slightly wrong on the windows but you can see the general thrust of the requirements. They are talking solidly fixed and permanently built in to stop people insuring as a motorhome and using it for deliveries during the week


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## vwalan (Jul 13, 2010)

you are correct . a motorhome is a motor home. as a matter of interest pay your local dvla a visit ask if they can give you a true definition of the requirements of a m,home. as i said mine uses a booklet about importing. it quite plainly describes what is needed , i find most of the u tube type stuff not correct and mis leading. get it from the people that count. sorry if i sound hard but we have to abide their rules so they have to tell us what we need ,not fat man down the pub.(could be me .ha ha )but always check .i find dvla and vosa very helpfull . speak to our local guys almost every week always with an awkard question but always get an answer or they ring back.always ask it does work in your favour.
dont believe me do the questioning your selves then you will find out yourselves.
just looked at the last post thats the booklet i have in my van. no mention of water . it did used to be a fixed water supply but it changed years ago. get that booklet from your dvla office its free. cant remember the hm stationary no. but get it.


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## farske (Jul 13, 2010)

Cheers Vwalan and firefox. I've arranged a call with flux insurance and I'll take that one from there.

Regarding the window I found:


> “at least seats, table, sleeping accommodation which can be converted from the seats, cooking and storage facilities”.


Still, I think I'll find out myself by contacting the chaps when i need to.

Thanks both


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## vwalan (Jul 13, 2010)

to be truthfull its usually better to get it sorted by dvla ,then when insurers look on the data base it says m,home.blind them with science. thats what i was always told. they cant argue with you if it says m,home.


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## freedom999 (Jul 17, 2010)

*insurance for self build campers*

i have a minibus self converted to camper and i found frank pickles motor home insurance cheap £169 tpft worth a look just google it


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## shawbags (Sep 11, 2011)

farske said:


> Hiya
> 
> I thought I'd post here first with my question and or guidance.
> 
> ...


 
Hello mate,never trust the quote sites,try FRANK PICKLES  and ask for Barry,cheers Shawbags.


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## Firefox (Sep 11, 2011)

This thread is over 16 months old so he's probably found a solution by now, or given up


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## shawbags (Sep 12, 2011)

Firefox said:


> This thread is over 16 months old so he's probably found a solution by now, or given up


 
Silly me:lol-049: i did'nt realize that,cheers.


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