Tony

[tony1]

Hi

What do people think about having permanent beds in van conversions?
My gf and I are very new to the idea of motorhoming and we're planning a holiday to try it all out next year.
So we're still a few years away from buying a 'permanent' motorhome, but we are thinking about various ideas as you do.

We agree that our best bet is a lwb or xlwb van version made to look like a commercial crew cab for stealth reasons (which by all accounts seems to result in one getting far less hassle from the world at large), but one thing we don't really agree on is whether or not to have a permanent bed.

Its probably down to individual preference as with so many things, and trying a few vans out will answer this question in time, but I'm just curious about other people's preferences on bed arrangements, and why.

My gf likes the idea of having a permanent bed at the cost of a smaller lounge, to remove the hassle of making up the bed every night (and whenever you fancy a lie down).

But personally, the idea of a permanent bed, even in an xlwb van, seems wasteful of 'living' space in the vehicle, which will be limited anyway. Having as large a lounge area as one possibly can seems to make more sense to me, simply because the lounge area is where one would spend most of the time when in the vehicle, and two people could make even a generous lounge area feel pretty cramped- but that could be just my lack of experience.

So I wondered how people felt about having a permanent bed, and what pros and cons have been encountered in your experience?

 

[Deleted member 8180]

Yep - takes up lounge space but it's always there for slouching around on or if just one of you feels the need for a nap. No problems having a quick stop in a layby either.

 

[kell]

Hi Tony.
Fixed beds in panel van conversions do seem to be getting more popular by the day but I'm of the mind that I want to use the space as living space in the van when the bed's not in use.

Our previous conversion had a double bed that needed to be made up but the down side to that is that I have a dodgy back and often need to have a lie down in the daytime.

Our most recent conversion started off with two 6ft 3in bench seats that were used as single beds or could be made into a big double bed but we soon changed that to one long bench seat and two facing seats that take less than a minute to convert into a single bed.

Although we made the beds able to be converted to a 5ft 10in x 6ft 3in double, we always use the single beds in this van. So much so that I now can't remember what I've done with the beds slats I cut to fit when we converted the van.

 

[Firefox]

I have a stealth camper with crew cab type black windows in a MWB van 5.4m long.

I have a raised fixed double bed across the back and a garage underneath. The headroom is split 0.9m for the bed so I can sit up in bed and 0.9m in the garage so you have sit up and crawl space there too. It acts like a big shelf and gives effectively double the storage space.

Even in a small van 5.4m long using swivel cab seats and a half dinette I have 5 "rooms". Garage, double bedroom, shower, kitchen, and 5 seater lounge. The lounge can even convert into a single non fixed bedroom using the table. In the standard British layout with the kitchen and bathroom at the back and two bench seats down the middle, non swivel cab seats they only have 3 rooms ie Kitchen, Bathroom, and lounge/bedroom combined and this is based on a bigger van than mine, say 6.0m long.The lounge has to be made up to a bed every night and they don't have a garage either. It's a much poorer use of space in my opinion.

So the pros are all of those above. In addition you have the pro of separate use of spaces. One person can doze off in the bed for example while the other stays up and uses the computer in the lounge. Or one person can have a nap in the day without putting the lounge out of action. Some of the double bed space can be used as dumping ground during the day for all kinds of stuff, taking it out the way of the rest of the van, with garage also available for outdoor items or other bulky items.

The main con is that you do lose floor space with the fixed bed layout. I think the fixed bed type is fine for couples or singles, but if you have kids or dogs the lack of floor space is a real disadvantage. If you use swivels for the cab lounge in a fixed bed van, the lounge needn't be small either - up to 5 seater even in a panel van. Swivels and captains seats are great for reclining, but if you like putting your feet up on a bench type seat in the lounge as some older people seem to like, then that's a consideration in favour of the bench seat lounge and non fixed bed set up.

 

[Deleted member 12539]

I wanted a fixed bed in our motrohome, bur 'er indoors wanted U shaped seating!!
So you know who got her way?
The U shaped seating can be made up into a king size double and left like that if needed, so we have the best of both worlds.
We have a curtain than sections off the bed/seating area, and another dinette area for meals if we so wished.

 

[tony1]

Thanks very much for some informative replies so far, and the benefit of all your experience.

Kell, I have to say your conversion looks amazing, although I personally favour a more stealth look- simply to avoid being bothered quite so much- a crew van seems just so anonymous when trying to find somewhere to park without being hassled in a more urban environment.

Firefox, I've watched some of your youtube videos and whilst I agree with your views 100% regarding the external appearance of the vehicle (and I think the bonded windows look great), I do still have this feeling that internally, I want to find some way of moving the compromise more towards increasing the lounge space.
I would like a low garage (perhaps for a small motorcycle), but ideally the bathroom area might fit on top of that in a high roof van, leaving more floor space free?
I don't really see a big lounge as a poor use of space per se, because my hope is that the benefit will be a feeling of space (and dare I say it, luxury!).
My more pragmatic gf likes the idea of two separate lounge areas to give a bit of personal space on extended trips (one can go and read a book in the rear lounge, for example.
Again, my worry with that is that when we are both in the same lounge area it will feel a bit cramped, but in fairness that's all speculation on my part, based on wandering round scores of motorhomes at retailers.

Once again, thanks all.

 

[Deleted member 11591]

View attachment 3603I wanted a fixed bed in our motrohome, bur 'er indoors wanted U shaped seating!!
So you know who got her way?
The U shaped seating can be made up into a king size double and left like that if needed, so we have the best of both worlds.
We have a curtain than sections off the bed/seating area, and another dinette area for meals if we so wished.

is that your m/h in the pic beemer??,,doesnt it have an overcab bed,,if it does its the same layout as mine (dethleffs fortero),,for me the rear rear u shaped lounge,mid dinette area and over cab bed is perfect............sorry this detracts from the thread somewhat,but i couldnt be without the fixed bed,

 

[Firefox]

Firefox, I've watched some of your youtube videos and whilst I agree with your views 100% regarding the external appearance of the vehicle (and I think the bonded windows look great), I do still have this feeling that internally, I want to find some way of moving the compromise more towards increasing the lounge space.
I would like a low garage (perhaps for a small motorcycle), but ideally the bathroom area might fit on top of that in a high roof van, leaving more floor space free?
I don't really see a big lounge as a poor use of space per se, because my hope is that the benefit will be a feeling of space (and dare I say it, luxury!).
My more pragmatic gf likes the idea of two separate lounge areas to give a bit of personal space on extended trips (one can go and read a book in the rear lounge, for example.
Again, my worry with that is that when we are both in the same lounge area it will feel a bit cramped, but in fairness that's all speculation on my part, based on wandering round scores of motorhomes at retailers.

Garage under a bathroom is a good idea in a hi roof, but maybe for a push bike, as the motorcycle would need to be horizontal(?) I think it would be a real a squeeze but may work with an extra hi roof and limited headroom in the bathroom, perhaps 1.8m and you could have a 0.5m garage. 2 big steps up to the bathroom.

Only you can say if the lounge would feel cramped. My lounge table is quite big. Either 3 foot x 2foot unextended or 4 foot by 2 foot with the flap up.

There's loads of space to spread out eating for two or four people, or even with two playing games, reading newspaper, computer TV etc.

But having 4 -5 people lounging around for drinks, I would say that IS cramped. The table gets in the way. To cater for this possibility, which I haven't sorted out yet the big table needs to be removed, stored in the garage, and the floor space opened up with a small table for drinks say 1foot diameter. The other time the lounge is cramped is when the seats are not swivelled eg on the road. Then it is only a 2 seater lounge. So if you like to spread out on the road in a layby etc, thats a disadvantage of the swivel lounge.

When the cab is phased into the accommodation, my lounge actually takes up half of the floor space in the van which is as much as I'd want to devote to a lounge. But it is only a 5.4m long van, so while it fits into a standard parking space and drives like a car, it's never going to compete with a coach-built or a LWB for spaciousness no matter how it layed out.

 

[n brown]

the van i did for my daughter is a sprinter luton.the bit over the cab i extended to 4'6" over an l-shaped seating area then a shower and kitchen. very easy to convert and can be made to look like a horsebox if you want something acceptable.because the walls are flat,the extra width and high ceilings give loads of space.one time i phoned her and she had 10 people in the van having a party.just a thought,the van's no longer than usual but you get the entire floor space as living area.

 

[al n sal]

we have two bench sets that convert into u shaped lounge and also the double bed.

when i'm tired and want to just climb into bed i hate having to make it, real bind. however we really love the space that we have due to the layout without one, three of us, (including 1x teenager) can spend a couple of weeks in the van without feeling too cramped. as we can use the whole van, front swivel seats middle travel seat and also the rear lounge.

so by day we love no fixed bed and by night, really want one. :rolleyes2:

 

[Kontiki]

On a SWB Renault Master I made a fixed bed (sort of) across the back, the width was about the size of a single bed for daytime but it would pull out to a double size. I used a couple of single Ikea bed frame with slats which interlocked. This gave me a large storage area at the back for carrying everything including a couple of bikes. Did a 3 month trip down to Spain in it & managed ok.

 

[el-D]

Lots of great observations here and Firefox, I love the sound of your van. Really neat for a relatively small vehicle.

I just thought I'd add my feelings on the subject although, as has been said, it does come down to preference. Our first 'real' van had a U-shaped rear lounge area that was really great for day use and made into a BIG double bed, so plenty comfortable! I really did tire of making up the bed though, especially on long trips, and it had that disadvantage of taking up most of the living space once it was a bed. I have to say that the over-cab was not ideal for us and I found the lack of headroom particularly difficult. That led us to choose an A-class for our next van since the drop-down bed over the cab area could be pretty much left made up and just pushed up out of the way for day use. Added to this we also gained swivel front seats and a removable steering wheel to make the lounge area adequate and easy enough to set up even for those brief stops for a quick coffee. The A-class's full body width in the cab area also added to the lounge space. An L-shaped settee completes the seating and makes quite easily into a generous single or rather snug double bed (or day-time play-pen? ) Having said all that, I'm not getting any younger and I now have thoughts of a fixed bed being the way to go. Even with its gas-struts the over cab bed is still quite a lump to get back up and there will come a time when my back says "No More!" The problem will be of course that we are now used to good seating space and there is no doubt that adding a fixed bed has to take its space from somewhere. We've grown kind of attached to the WC and shower being separate too, which is another added factor.

So there you have it really. It comes down to what you want from a van and how you envisage using it — and maybe how fit and agile you are! But maybe between us we've flagged up some of the issues and the questions you need to ask yourselves.