Building a practical camper on a budget, tips and advice. Transporter T5 / T6 | Transporter HQ

If you are just about to start your camper conversion journey or even if you are mid build, hopefully you find this video useful.
There is no right way or wrong way and no set amount of money you need to send. The things we have shown in this video, and similar items are available from various supplier, we've listed some below to help.
Thanks for watching, from all at Transporter HQ
- When looking for a van, consider VW main dealers. You'd be surprised how they compare to resellers that have added the dreaded scene tax.
- Adjustable lowering springs transporterhq.co.uk/vw-transp...
- This wheel and tyre package transporterhq.co.uk/vw-transp...
- Headlights transporterhq.co.uk/vw-transp...
- Window camperglass.co.uk
- Air conditioning retro fit www.alpinair.co.uk
- Seat Covers transporterhq.co.uk/vw-transp...
- www.vwrustylee.com/product/vw...
- Bed cushions / Seat / hadleytrim
- Cupboard sets www.evomotiondesign.co.uk
- Planar deisel heater transporterhq.co.uk/vw-transp...
- Double swivel seat base transporterhq.co.uk/vw-transp...
- Pop tops www.westdubs.co.uk & www.skylineroofs.co.uk
- Under slung LPG www.lpgshop.co.uk
- Complete camper electrics www.rayneautomotive.co.uk
- Sound deadening and insulation transporterhq.co.uk/vw-transp...
- 4 Way Stretch carpet lining, glue and hidden panel clips transporterhq.co.uk/vw-transp...
- Hardwearing office floor carpet - Your local carpet shop
- Curtains camperglass.co.uk/van-windows...
- Pre-made diamond panels transporterhq.co.uk/vw-transp...
- Longer Threshold covers transporterhq.co.uk/vw-transp...

[@StephenBradley-sd8rk]

most useful video for a beginner .... clear and straightforward

[@baggedr32mk5]

Really impressed as you just talked through a 21min video without taking a breath 😂

[@THQAutomotive]

I have a really bad habit of talking too fast 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@baggedr32mk5]

@@THQAutomotive well you do have a lot to cram into each episode so understandable

[@_marcus_does_]

He must play the flute! Circular breather!

[@THQAutomotive]

@@_marcus_does_ nah, I do CrossFit though 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@dccinematicarts]

Wow, what a great video! You covered so much and the advice and suggestions are really helpful. Thanks so much!

[@THQAutomotive]

Thanks for the comment. Glad it’s helped 😊

[@DPlaya]

Brilliant video guys, I’m right in the middle of converting my 1st t6 panel van and this has helped a lot, nice one 🤙🏼

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad it’s helped 😊

[@isabellastephens4723]

Great vid, filled in lots of blanks that I had for doing my first van. Thanks

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad it was useful 😊

[@konradrachlewicz8897]

Thanks for the great vid. I'm beginning with my build this year so I did find this video very useful. Take care. Konrad 🤙🤙🤙

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad it was helpful 😊

[@jasonocallaghan4358]

Great video. Looking forward to my t6 arriving in a couple of weeks. Your drl lights are amazing!

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad it was helpful 😊

[@stevehadfield1164]

Great advice mate! 👍🙌

[@drewsteroriginals4564]

great video, great looking wheels, really useful tips.

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad the video is helpful 😊

[@kevinburns1527]

Just installed your grey and black front 2 &1 vw 5.1 seat covers I just purchased from you with hello from Chris for a client and these are very high quality. Very pleased.

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad you’re pleased with them 😊

[@BornPedalling]

Excellent video, should be getting a van in the next month or so. Found this very helpful. Thank you 👍

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad its helped.

[@toshnee]

Planning on converting my t5.1 very helpfull video for tips and advice. Thanks

[@THQAutomotive]

Awesome, glad to help :)

[@dannymacarthur13]

Great help, so confusing when starting/thinking about the first camper build. Cheers

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad it’s helped.

[@richardgoodall3580]

Once again. Great video.

[@THQAutomotive]

Thanks, glad to help

[@B16GYG]

Great video keep the good work Very helpful😎👌👊👍

[@THQAutomotive]

Thanks, glad it’s helpful

[@Stonehead52]

Just stumbled across the video - very useful although I’m going with my old van (used on a croft). It’s been used for carrying everything from pigs and sheep to fencing and fertiliser. We have camped in it - airbed on the floor - but decided to join the posh folks and get more comfortable. So, I’m starting with a ply-lined T5 2.5 T32 4Motion SWB mid-roof commercial van with barn doors. It also has a Seikel lift kit, Range Rover wheels and mud-terrain tyres, air con and heated seats. Well, it has to go to the same places as our Defenders did and be dryer and warmer in winter. It only has 95,000 miles on the clock at 16 years and has been heavily rust proofed do it should be good for a few years more. I’ve stripped it out and am about to starting turning it into a beast of a swamper. 😁

[@janebarton3792]

Great👍thanks for great vid, really full of info

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad it helps.

[@Yorkshirepoptopadventures]

Looks just like my van! Great video buddy!

[@THQAutomotive]

Thank you :)

[@gt8578]

Brilliant video & helpful

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad it was of use 😊

[@jpro747]

Some great ideas here guys. Makes me want to do another conversion 😜

[@THQAutomotive]

Do it 😉

[@maxgiii_beach_street_photo7161]

Thanks a lot. I didn’t d not know I can cut the roof and set a pop top after market. Planing to buy a caravelle 204 cv 4motion.

[@RobEvansWoodsman]

Very useful video, thanks

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad to be able to help

[@buggs9950]

Nice! Good solid information with no frills. There's far too many Transporter videos made by people who like the sound of their own voice.

[@THQAutomotive]

Haha, I actually hate the sound of our own voice but its the only one I have and I'm stuck with it! Thanks, glad you like the video :)

[@fosterb247]

Many Thanks 🤓

[@jaywhitney789]

Great tips their matey 😎🤙

[@THQAutomotive]

I'm glad you found it useful :)

[@clondon84]

Great tips 👍

[@THQAutomotive]

Thanks, glad it’s helpful 😊

[@keanMechanic]

Greta information thank you.

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad to help 😊

[@michaelord8084]

Helpful vid thank you 👍

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad it was helpful :)

[@glennclark762]

I can defiantly agree with the barn doors. I always wanted a tailgate but ended up with barn doors and would not go back now. The advantage is also you don't need as much space behind to open them as you do with a tailgate, especially if your drive it not too big and you reverse up close to the wall.

[@THQAutomotive]

That’s another good point, I forget to mention that.

[@willsvanadventures]

Thanks for the video! Van looks great, liking the wheels as well. I'm thinking of taking on a LWB T5 for my next project.

[@THQAutomotive]

LWB are great. An extra 40cm between the sliding door and the wheel arch. A little tougher when finding parking spaces and a little more expensive to buy, but great to have the extra room.

[@willsvanadventures]

@@THQAutomotive that's good to know! The extra space would be nice after having a caddy.

[@THQAutomotive]

@@willsvanadventures for sure, it’s going to feel loooooong after a caddy 😊

[@willsvanadventures]

@@THQAutomotive Yeah haha deffo be a good project to work on and hopefully create some good videos. Think I'll do another caddy first then onto the T5.

[@maxgiber]

Super!

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad with was helpful :)

[@kevinfletcher7471]

Sound bit of knowledge passed on thank you.

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad it was useful :)

[@francenomadvwt4]

really nice van 😍

[@THQAutomotive]

Thank you ☺️

[@carlgreenman]

Really useful video - definitely provided some food for thought and helpful tips. Particularly found the point about keeping it at a level that you’re happy to use it regularly a good reminder.

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad it was helpful 😊

[@TheJohnnySaunders]

Its the same van as ours only ours is lwb .... cant wait to get started ...

[@THQAutomotive]

Enjoy the build, let us know if we can help

[@Kennnyboy888]

Good choice of alloys mate!

[@THQAutomotive]

Yeah I love these.

[@Kennnyboy888]

@@THQAutomotive it's funny, in the ads in autotrader you see quite a few vans with 20" alloys - look nice but the ride must be truly rubbish.

[@GS04WAL]

Before I bought my van I hired one as a trial and went on a trip to France. The hire van had no air con and it was painful in summer. Air con went to the top of the spec list when I was procuring my van.

[@THQAutomotive]

Yeah I'm do the no air con thing once. Never again!

[@chrisb5839]

Lovely van but I wouldn't describe that as budget!

[@THQAutomotive]

It was more of budget compared to what you could spend. Some cheaper options to some of the more premium equivalent version. How to save money and still get a similar function.

[@wayne_morgan]

Really useful video and some of the links you mentioned certainly give me more options to look at. Already have the curtains and glass from you, and hopefully within the next few weeks I will start cutting the van, nervous about doing it but also looking forward to converting the T6 Highline (AC a requirement as you mentioned).

[@THQAutomotive]

Glad its helped :)

[@MrLdvo]

Now I need a Mexican budget minimalistic motovan setup lol. On mine im planing only a small front slideout kitchen/cabinet/bench/office and a side closet the rest free for two dirtbikes a hammok.

[@THQAutomotive]

Sounds good 👌

[@TheOystei]

I did not know you could get t6's (or even t5.1's) without aircondition. Maybe because base trim tends to be a bit higher here in Norway since taxes makes the base cars expensive, and equipment comparably cheap. (so lots of low powered premium cars with lots of options :P)

[@dannymacarthur13]

Hi Buddy, I have just bought my first VW Transporter. I will be following your advice, if your get some dope on the phone please be patient. Cheers

[@THQAutomotive]

Always happy to help 😊

[@peterludlow9847]

What a brilliant channel and such good advice, can I ask about weight. When you start building I surpose the weight adds up what weight model should you be looking at for a campervan . Many thanks

[@THQAutomotive]

It would very unlikely a fully loaded camper would weigh 2800kg so a T28 is fine. I guess if you have the option, get a T30 (so 3000kg) just to be safe.

[@linoleumbonypart385]

I love the commercial front end... Painted front stone chip nightmare

[@THQAutomotive]

Agreed but I see why people like both look. This is super practical for sure.

[@Ricqu]

Paint protection film. 150 quid worth of it will do the bonnet and bumper. I used 140 microns thick, Stanley knife, hobby knife, squeegee, mildly soapy water in a sprayer and a hot air gun. Took me less than 2 hours to do the front bumper and 15min on the bonnet.

[@linoleumbonypart385]

@@Ricqu yes did my bonnet as id heard a magnet for chips... Not as easy as you explained it though

[@THQAutomotive]

@@Ricqu great idea. I had my carbon fronted van and my chrome yellow TSI done by signs and graphics uk in Hinckley. I’ve not bothered with my 6.1 as I’m not so protective of that.

[@Ricqu]

@@linoleumbonypart385 If you've ever wrapped anything its pretty similar. And the method for applying is similar tu window tinting.

[@ae86gtv2]

Cool video could you do a similar video but with money no option version? Would be interesting to see aswell.

[@THQAutomotive]

Yeah, I reckon we could do that 🤔

[@boxall587]

Nice informative video, can I ask what the total cost was as I am going to be building one sone, d

[@TheJohnnySaunders]

Me and my lass are just about to start ....

[@THQAutomotive]

All the best 😊

[@gary98]

Couple of inconvenient facts …Lowering suspension always ruins the ride. Secondly AT tyres look great but ruin the road holding, gobble fuel and are noisy.

[@THQAutomotive]

Totally agree on the tyre's, totally disagree on the suspension. Lowering on the right suspension is 100 x better than standard suspension.

[@leebarton9170]

Nice van, which shelf did you fit over the bed?

[@THQAutomotive]

It was an evo designs unit that came with the cupboards

[@jamesbarr6379]

What’s the view on using standard steels with the all terrain tyres? Any downsides to using the standard wheel? Thanks

[@THQAutomotive]

Find although they are narrow. Ideally a wider wheels like an 8 or 8.5.

[@juliefoster3387]

Just received my v3t6 upgrade headlights and have fitted led dipped beam. Need to upgrade the main beam as it’s yellow and not great. How do you remove the main beam bulb and which bulb do you recommend to match the new H7 led’s.

[@THQAutomotive]

Hello. This video explains it all kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWKbimh9nqeDkLM

[@kevinburns1527]

Thanks great advice. Would you have any advice I am trying to fit things I need together but having a t5.1 be minivan now needing a 3 seatbelt rear bench seat for day u to o day school runs & looking a camper situ with kitchen/ kitchen unit for camping hols/ beach days and weekends.

[@THQAutomotive]

You can get 1300 wide beds that have 3 belts and still allow you to have a narrow cupboard down the side. Rusty Lee do a none tested one. If you want tested, look at the RIB 130.

[@kevinburns1527]

@@THQAutomotive looked at the rib 130and your video on KZbin was brilliant. big money but Look and fit great. See in g what other options are avail.

[@GumbaMS]

Could you have a baby seat in the front? We have same van and we have to have a baby seat on the second row of seats and that takes almost all of the available space in there.

[@linoleumbonypart385]

Definitely need new lights next...

[@THQAutomotive]

They make a big difference to output, especially with the H7 LED’s.

[@EWmedia]

Where do you put your long skiing gear or maybe mtb bike? Look like the backseat take up to much space and you cant move it

[@THQAutomotive]

You could add a roof rack to the pop top. You could also go with a tow bar bike rack or ski storage.

[@shanevanzyl4662]

Great video, super helpful. Who did the actual work on the van?

[@THQAutomotive]

We did

[@shanevanzyl4662]

@@THQAutomotive Amazing job! Do you convert vans now as a service?

[@THQAutomotive]

@@shanevanzyl4662 no we don’t sorry

[@LewisDoubleday]

How much is this lowered by? Looks perfect for how I want to set my van up

[@THQAutomotive]

This is about 50-60mm lower than standard

[@EWmedia]

So how much did your build cost?

[@alexrutterford6358]

Are you able to estimate the drop on this van please? 🙏

[@jarno3000]

Do one on Caddy Maxi's!

[@THQAutomotive]

We don’t do caddy’s sorry 😞

[@l.s.tukbigbud7715]

How much was the tyres and wheels..😕😕 budget..

[@stuspawton]

I really don't like the comfort of the Rusty Lee bed, I don't find it comfortable to sleep on but I know its £1400 cheaper than the RIB equivalent

[@THQAutomotive]

Comfort in the bed is all down to the foam used not the bed frame it’s self. I find RIB really hard and had to also have a mattress topper on a previous van. Rusty Lee beds are as comfy as you make them depending on the thickness and how dense the foam is.

[@raychambers3646]

Got alto floor in my van T4 bought an office floor off cut square which take out and clean cost about £10. T4 lighting ,talk about prince of darkness! are LEDs mot compliant?

[@THQAutomotive]

Great idea. Sorry we don’t do T4 lights 😔 We “shouldn’t” run LED headlight bulbs in the UK but thousands do. If they are behind a projector lens you won’t have any MOT issues.

[@raychambers3646]

@@THQAutomotive some fitted aftermarket lights to it , if it was supposed to be an "upgrade"it failed , although it does have projector style lenses what LEDs to you recommend?

[@THQAutomotive]

@@raychambers3646 it all depends what bulb the aftermarket headlights take

[@raychambers3646]

@@THQAutomotive ok thanks for the prompt reply I will do a bit of investigation.

[@GOFABVIDS]

Hi @Transporter HQ you didn't show the water tank and batteries stored ok

[@THQAutomotive]

You’re right sorry. There is a clean and grey waste bottle in the cupboard and the battery is behind the electric panel to allow from maximum storage

[@vwtransportersandmotorcycl3729]

Don’t suppose you do a replacement glass for that cooker?

[@THQAutomotive]

No but search a company called Miriad. They should be able to supply it.

[@vwtransportersandmotorcycl3729]

@@THQAutomotive Great thanks!

[@Ricqu]

When are the flush style sliding windows coming to the shop?

[@andrewfaulkner-clegg9306]

Spring, I was told a few weeks ago..

[@Ricqu]

@@andrewfaulkner-clegg9306 Great. Hopefully by then UK knows how to send goods to EU, been declined shipping outside UK from various sellers this month because there seems to be some hassle. 🤷‍♂️

[@THQAutomotive]

Corona slowing things down more 😔 still don’t have a confirmed date for the stock delivery.

[@Ricqu]

@@THQAutomotive Worldwide problem. Do the new sliders have a tint of some degree?

[@THQAutomotive]

@@Ricqu yeah, 80% tint.

[@lukegoodridge-reynolds7920]

Would this be big enough to 2 adults and 2 kids

[@THQAutomotive]

Yes I'd say so. Lots of 2 children families run a similar set up. An awning would add a useful extra space.

[@bill3021]

What sort of fridge is that ?

[@THQAutomotive]

Dometic crx50

[@MonaichFother]

Budget of £25k?

[@maximusmarzy]

Could you mention the total cost of this build? Budget 😆

[@THQAutomotive]

I lost track 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@User-pp9jg]

'On a budget' lol. If i was gonna rack up that sort of money on interior kit then i'd at least get a decent looking van like a Highline to start with, that stuff looks wasted on what's essentially still a builders van from the outside. Each to his own i suppose. Then again, the way the resale market is now I suppose people will buy anything.

[@THQAutomotive]

Thank you for your input. Your experience in this area is highly valued.

[@DGT73]

This is on a budget?!

[@THQAutomotive]

Yeah compared to a lot for sure. As mentioned, you can make it cheaper with not having air-con, diesel heater etc

[@taffpower9347]

I don’t know why everybody fits altro flooring it’s horrible stuff you can see how poor it is when you see it in hospitals ect it scratches easy and holds onto dirt Polysafe flooring is a thousand times better it’ll definitely last the life of the van 💪

[@THQAutomotive]

I agree on Altro, it does scratch very easier. There are several better options out there now.

[@palsingh4984]

it's not budget camper, budget savings.

[@THQAutomotive]

Fair point. It's just ways to save.

[@admiral690]

nothing on budget hire mate !!

[@THQAutomotive]

It’s not a hire vehicle?

[@zeptepi7931]

On a budget? There is hardly any BUDGET advice here, jesus.

[@THQAutomotive]

That’s a budget build compared to many options. Oh and I know I have a beard, but I’m not Jesus.