The new Wildax Voltpac the van with no gas.
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Fisherman
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Martin you get two tables a small coffee table, and a larger dining table. All wildax models come with both. If you look at the floor you will see the fittings.
But this is not the van I am considering I was just asking for views on this voltpac system. Here’s what I fancy in a few years, many thanks for all your comments, I value them.
Elara Range - Wildax Motorhomes
wildaxmotorhomes.com
Martin P
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Couldn't see the floor fittings on the Elara. Then I looked at the review video and see the the table leg is on a swan neck that fits to the back of the passenger seat base. My missus would grumble about that. Table storage is good but we would need a footstool to be comfortable evenings
What percentage of wildcamp to sites do you do? . Do you travel abroad much?
What percentage of wildcamp to sites do you do? . Do you travel abroad much?
Fisherman
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Martin do the 3D tour you will see them there. Also the Peter Vaughan video is worth a look.
No we don't go abroad, but plan a visit to Trevs homeland next year.
We only wild camp in Scotland, in England and Wales we go to campsites.
When we wild camp its three nights wild camping, a night in a site to sort things out, then another three nights wild camping.
So probably 60/40 wild camping overall.
In winter we don't travel far, and it's normally two nights.
I reckon a third battery may well suffice for us.
But when the time comes I will do my homework on what's best.
My grandson is 12 now, we reckon when he's 16 he won't want to travel with us.
So the two berth Elara is no good for us until then.
colinm
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Here's our view, we have a Globecar Campscout, it is basically the same layout as the Elara, we got it new in 2011, so just coming up to 10 years old. I had always said I'd look at replacing it after 10 years, and over the years we have kept an eye out for a better model, but in PVC's we've never seen anything we'd rather have, and that includes the Elara, it's OK, but it offers just a tiny bit more room than the Campscout but is 7m long, then we would need to add a bike rack, even if I design and build my own 'swing aside' it will make the van 7.6m, a brought one will make it 8m!
A couple of years ago 'robinhood' on OAL, who originally had a Campscout, got a Hymer like Graths so that he could store bikes inside still be 7m and get more room inside. This got us thinking and looking at vans other than PVC's. We ruled out the Hymer, too little headroom over bed, we seriously considered a Hymer Duomobile 534, good, but not quite what we wanted.
Prior to CV-19 we decided the best option for us was a Cathago compactline 143, same basic layout as the Globecar ( and Elara) same length as Elara or our Campscout with bikes, 4" wider than Elara, but inside seems much larger. Have looked at a couple of secondhand ones, but they seem overpriced for the condition they are in, so am considering buying new.
A couple of years ago 'robinhood' on OAL, who originally had a Campscout, got a Hymer like Graths so that he could store bikes inside still be 7m and get more room inside. This got us thinking and looking at vans other than PVC's. We ruled out the Hymer, too little headroom over bed, we seriously considered a Hymer Duomobile 534, good, but not quite what we wanted.
Prior to CV-19 we decided the best option for us was a Cathago compactline 143, same basic layout as the Globecar ( and Elara) same length as Elara or our Campscout with bikes, 4" wider than Elara, but inside seems much larger. Have looked at a couple of secondhand ones, but they seem overpriced for the condition they are in, so am considering buying new.
colinm
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WildAx will change table fittings to suit the owner, they don't always get it right, tried to copy our Campscout for SiL and only got it half right.
Fisherman
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Thanks Colin great post, but I have some comments.
As I said on an earlier post buying vans involves compromise.
I love my current van (roller team Pegaso 590). I reckon it’s the best 6m A class you can buy right now. But there are things I don’t like about it. The main one being the traverse bed. I would much prefer a longitudinal bed. And both versions available on the Elara are longitudinal, and come with 20cm sprung mattresses.
One thing you never mentioned was the base vehicle. I got a chance last year to drive the new sprinter and take my word for it, it’s head and shoulders ahead of anything else. It’s smooth, responsive, and tighter than anything else available. But one draw back and a reason why the inside may be a bit smaller than a normal 7m van is the bonnet is 35cm larger than the Ducato.
No matter what you buy there will be things you don’t like Colin, that’s the nature of this pastime. But I hope you get what you want, and it gives you plenty of years of trouble free pleasure.
Fisherman
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Yes Martin I think you are right, possibly both tables fit the same way. But on other models the floor fittings are plain to see. Look at this one. There’s a table set up, and the floor fitting for the coffee table on the elevated floor between the seats,
Fisherman
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R
The strong points are highest quality insulation. All the vans are fully winterised to the highest degree set by European standards. Tested to minus 20c. Fibreglass shower trays, largest water tanks of any van conversion from 100-120L reasonably priced options, base vehicles come highly specked as normal, and they will alter spec to suit the buyer.
The strong points are highest quality insulation. All the vans are fully winterised to the highest degree set by European standards. Tested to minus 20c. Fibreglass shower trays, largest water tanks of any van conversion from 100-120L reasonably priced options, base vehicles come highly specked as normal, and they will alter spec to suit the buyer.
Martin P
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Ive been hiring some merc vans and they are really nice. I haven't driven an auto version but our mhome has a 6 speed semi auto box and its a real pleasure when touring. Took us up to Applecross in comfort too. Worth the extra to me.
We have 100 lt tank and wouldn't want any less. The guy on the first vid you posted seemed to know what he was talking about and pretty proud of his machine.
Looks good quality.
What are your thoughts on a wet room?
We have 100 lt tank and wouldn't want any less. The guy on the first vid you posted seemed to know what he was talking about and pretty proud of his machine.
Looks good quality.
What are your thoughts on a wet room?
Fisherman
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He used to own the company before selling out to rapido. He is now the managing director, and he makes himself available online via email, and on the phone.
Wildax have their shower trays custom made, and don’t use plastic which can crack with age and use. They use fibreglass instead. I do prefer a separate shower which I have currently, but that is rare on van conversions. But I like their washrooms, they also use porcelain WC bowels rather than the normal plastic.
And I have been driving Mercs for 20 years now Martin, and their auto boxes are superb. I would not not buy a manual.
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Sorry but I don’t see anything new here from Wildax that couldn’t be retrofitted. 200 ah lithium with suitable chargers is pretty much a game changer. I can testify to that - period, but I wouldn’t be tempted by this outfit simply because they are trading on what you might want with a new van rather than what you can have right now in your own van without that massive expense!? What am I missing here? Sorry Wildax.
Obanboy666
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Martin you get two tables a small coffee table, and a larger dining table. All wildax models come with both. If you look at the floor you will see the fittings.
But this is not the van I am considering I was just asking for views on this voltpac system. Here’s what I fancy in a few years, many thanks for all your comments, I value them.
Elara Range - Wildax Motorhomes
Visited their factory / showroom 3 years ago when I was changing from a C class to a PVC. Quality and variants available were first class and you had the option to ‘tweek‘ the layout etc. The problem was the waiting list was something like 9 months and very expensive. I looked at a couple of Solaris sl’s they had available for sale, demo vehicles as I recall that had a few options fitted. Both £60,000 +.
Looking at their price list the Elara based on the Merc is £75,000 !
I ended up buying a Devon Conversion pvc but soon realised I missed the extra space and carrying capacity of a c class so changed back to a c class. I now carry everything but the kitchen sink, something I couldn’t do with the pvc.
mark61
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Think we are just pondering options for next van, not running out and buying one right now.
These panel van conversion look nice.
I have seen plenty on the "Rebel" model, but not really looked at the others.
https://www.rpmotorhomes.com/explorer-2
Fisherman
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Well I would have to replace my Truma boiler, gas hob, remove the gas oven, fit a microwave, replace my two lead acid batteries with lithium, install a pure sine wave inverter, larger alternator, faster mains charger, replace my 3 way fridge, add additional solar panel, and some of this may involve having to carry out works to furniture in the van.
colinm
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Our old VW died in middle of house build we where doing, not having time to sort out the next van we hired a WildAx Aurora which has transverse bed as it's what we thought we would be buying. We had what I always call the worse weeks campervan holiday we've ever had! Bear in mind our previous van was a T25 PVC, gf's claustrophobia kicked in big time with the transverse bed, and even when she did manage to get to sleep in bed it triggered night terrors
wildebus
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interesting.Our old VW died in middle of house build we where doing, not having time to sort out the next van we hired a WildAx Aurora which has transverse bed as it's what we thought we would be buying. We had what I always call the worse weeks campervan holiday we've ever had! Bear in mind our previous van was a T25 PVC, gf's claustrophobia kicked in big time with the transverse bed, and even when she did manage to get to sleep in bed it triggered night terrors
Out of curiosity, was it anything to do with windows (or lack of rather)? I've noticed a lot of van conversions can be pretty dark inside, and also the centre showers fitted on many seem to encroach massively into the van and with a galley kitchen opposite can turn a van into a bit of a corridor with two little boxes at either end if care is not taken.