Choosing the best van for camper conversion | Which VW Transporter?

Choosing the right van is the first vital step in any #vanconversion. Obviously it's going to be a #vwtransporter - but which of the many models, body types, trim levels and engine sizes make the best #vwcamper.
This first of four videos in our VW CAMPER CONVERSION series runs through your options when looking for a donor vehicle. It's a mix of my experiences of going through the process, plus expert advice from professional converters.
You can also check out topic on my Vanlife Virgins blog - www.vanlifevirgins.com/best-v...
There's even more detail on converting and buying VW campers - plus guides to all the Transporter models and their campers in the book of the channel - "VW Campers for Beginners". Check out print and e-book versions on AMAZON - bit.ly/vwcampersforbeginners
This video has top tips on the best places to buy a used VW Transporter - as well as advice on which body type is best to convert. Find out whether it's a panel van, Kombi or a passenger variant like a Caravelle. There's practical advice on which wheelbase and roof height night work best for you and a guide to how a van's weight rating, condition and mileage should affect your decision.
CAMPERVAN BOOKS FROM THE AUTHOR ON AMAZON:
* "VW CAMPERS FOR BEGINNERS - The Complete Guide to Owning Your First Volkswagen Campervan" - rb.gy/8lk6v
* "EUROPE BY CAMPERVAN - Turn Vanlife Dreams into Road Trip Reality" - shorturl.at/cflH8
CAMPERVAN BLOG: And there's yet more help, advice and campervan articles on my Vanlifevirgins blog:
www.vanlifevirgins.com
And if you want to find out more about the converters who built the camper featured in this video - they're at: www.8ballcamperconversions.co...

[@juliustetevano6113]

This is my new favourite channel. Thank you :)

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Thanks... and you're very welcome !

[@towerdave4836]

Mines a 204bhp, DSG 4 motion camper and is absolutely brilliant for blasting across Europe come rain, shine or snow! I use it for everyday commuting and the movable bed/ seat makes it a hugely adaptable vehicle. 45mpg just meandering around Ireland and mid 30s when planting the right boot. All in all a brilliant, if expensive, vehicle.

[@Thecampervanchannel]

That's mighty impressive in the mpg department! Agree... Great all-rounder vehicles

[@benlarcombe4591]

Advice given is sound regarding sourcing donor van. Top tips: get the most modern van you can afford. Check the floor is level and internal damage is minimal. Panel van is ideal. Consider VAT as donor van is most likely an ex-rental. I went to Liverpool to get my donor. My name was on a waiting list. Have funds ready to go. Conversion was the same amount as van cost. Get MAX rating as the suspension is very important. DVLA paperwork has changed so check this out as conversion plays an important part. The van sleeps 4 max so think about the total internal seats. I changed the front passenger double to a single with both front seats converted to swivel. Think mpg. Barn doors are best! Air con is essential. Had my camper for three years. Don’t break the wing mirrors they’re very expensive. Enjoy…… see Cambee Campers of Buckfastleigh

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Thanks for this great extra info. Will be a great help to everyone.

[@ianharrop6580]

Great channel… please keep them coming.

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Will try....(and thanks)

[@slees1847]

I’m in the (just thinking about it) stage so this was really helpful for me. Thanks

[@Thecampervanchannel]

That's called the first stage! The rest usually follow. Glad it helped.

[@outthereindustries7413]

Great info & well presented, cheers.

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Glad you liked!

[@BernardSolomon]

What about engine type? Won't a diesel be better? For load lugging more torque is desirable I thought.

[@Simon_PieMan]

Just found this so have subscribed!

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Thank you. Welcome aboard

[@portfarm]

Very helpful

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Great to hear

[@Bobby8270]

Subbed. Great video

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Thanks. Appreciated

[@andrewborrell6373]

LWB never a problem parking ever.

[@BrownieloveMike]

This is very useful information. Thank you.

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Pleased to hear that. You're welcome!

[@richardpicon9786]

Before buying a van, please check that they do come with a spare tyre.

[@stevezodiac491]

First choice, it doesn't have to be a VW. I have had converted a Fiat lwb van, it is bigger and just as good a van for thousands of pounds less with the same outcome, a great campervan.

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Interesting! Were planning to extend The Campervan Channel to include other makes....including Fiat!

[@yogibarista2818]

VW are bad enough 2nd hand, but Fiat is a total disaster... don't even accept a lift in one if you can avoid it.

[@maxgiber]

Great!😃👍

[@Thecampervanchannel]

You're very welcome!

[@HDvroom10]

Great channel👍 (skip the background music, please🙏🏼)

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Aww! Sorry. I got carried away!

[@mikehopkins3613]

Thanks really helpful series. What company did you feature in the video?

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Its 8Ball Camper Conversions at Little Weighton East Yorkshire... cos they did such a good job on my van

[@mikehopkins3613]

@@Thecampervanchannel Excellent,thanks very much Chris.

[@tnetroP]

Useful info. But aren't panel pans subject to lower speed limits?

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Well... bit of a can of worms actually... and a grey area. Neither DVLA nor several police forces responded when i approached them for a definitive answer. My understanding (and i am NOT a lawyer) is that a van permanently converted for living in... with all the fixed bits and pieces that entails... are (under the road traffic act... NOT vehicle classification legislation) subject to the same speed restrictions as cars. But i beleive there is some wiggle room in the interpretation of what constitutes a permanently converted camper! (Sorry... that may not help.). If anyone has experience of how police/magistrates have enforced this with campers... please share. Its an issue that wont go away.

[@tnetroP]

@@Thecampervanchannel Thanks. I don't own a van, campervan or any type of motorhome. So I really don't know the answer and could be wrong. But I don't think it can be a grey area if there is the risk of being prosecuted for speeding. If it were a grey area then the regulations would be closed down pretty quickly after a few failed court cases. So this leads me (in my uneducated state) to believe there is an answer but it's just not clear to the average person, which is a risky position to be in. Thinking about this further it must be related to the vehicle classification (which I think is related to the vehicle tax class on the V5C document). For example: www.gov.uk/speed-limits Motorhome not more than 3.05 tonnes= 70mph Goods vehicles not more than 7.5 tonnes = 60mph Now the next question is what defines a motorhome? What you say about it being a grey area does seem to be correct here. But it seems that the grey area is when a keeper asks the DVLA to reclassify a vehicle; they appear to not always reclassify it even when interior and exterior criteria were met: www.ukmotorhomes.net/news/converting-a-van-applications-to-dvla-for-a-change-of-body-type But the feeling I am left with is that a van remains a van, regardless of what work is done to it, unless the DVLA have reclassified it to a motor home/campervan on the V5C - and unless it has been reclassified on the V5C then the upper speed limit of a van remains in place. But I really am just guessing and interpreting here - I could be completely wrong.

[@evanray8413]

HAHAHA. Rooves. Lmao. You just got a sub and a purchaser of your e-book.

[@Thecampervanchannel]

It's old English! Thanks!

[@paulmaryon9088]

That's proper English!

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Seems it's a bit old fashioned english. Sorry!

[@paulmaryon9088]

@@Thecampervanchannel Maybe old fashioned, but still proper, great video by the way thank you

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Pleasure. (Hoof-hooves, wife-wives and all that!)

[@snappyfish]

I would like a t5/6 camper.. but i need a daily drive also, do aorund 8-10k miles a year.. do I get a camper and cheap van or just a really good camper? Opinions?

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Purely personal.... as a daily drive, campers are easy to drive and park (swb) and can o iousky carry belted passengers if proper bed/rear bench fitted. And while they di have the space to ve used as a "van' - to some extent - I was nervous about this as didn't want any cargo to damage camper interior. Also, I found using as a diaky drive also increased mileage compared with other campers... which might be a disadvantage when it comes to somparisons with pure campers when selling? If I had the funds and parking space, I think i would go for a pure camper and a separate daily drive.

[@xxwookey]

We've had just the campervan for the last 20 years. We do 4-6k/yr (as we cycle nearly everywhere at home). No problem at all using the van as a van/car (our bed comes out easily to put in plasterboard or cabinets or bikes or horespoo instead). And saves a lot of money over running two vehicles.

[@Fjilcp3]

Hi all, What sort of money is it to convert a panel van? Looking for a decent inside conversion & a nice pop top. Just looking for a call park figure from a company like the one on the video. Pete

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Very difficult for me to provide a useful figure as components and spec vary so much...and different converters charge different rates for the work. Going to have to let individuals chip in with examples ...

[@stevezodiac491]

My full conversion on a lwb van cost £18350 in total.

[@xxwookey]

@@stevezodiac491 Whearas I talked to someone recently who's conversion (no poptop) cost £5200 (during lockdown). I think that's about as cheap as they get. So 5-25 grand I think covers the normal range.

[@zaheeraliqamar5932]

Good video love from Pakistan 🇵🇰

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Many thanks...from Yorkshire in England!

[@762joe]

You need a.bigger engine if you towing a boat as well

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Our only experience in T6 was that towing a very small 2-berth caravan had a massive impact on mpg.... apart from veing a generally unpleasant experience!

[@roots2825]

You said "Mechanically, another good thing about VW is we never need to do any repairs or anything because they never go wrong" :/ Ya, probably you have vans with 0km, but you have to admit that the engine friability is worst and worst from year to year. I struggle to find the best engine type from 2000 to 2022, each engine has it's own special hilarious problems. I think people buy this vans with they heart not head.

[@Thecampervanchannel]

We had a dual mass flywheel go on our automatic which was very dissapointing at around 50,000 miles. Around 2k to replace

[@roots2825]

@@Thecampervanchannel auch, I'm sorry to hear that. I like the T5 very much, and they suite very well for my needs, but I don't know which engine should I choose.

[@kateanddavelacey2267]

Good advice

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Thanks. Hope it helps.

[@project-overland]

The t6 is euro6 compliant which is good and bad news. Good news, take it in the city without charge, bad news, engine more complicated against the wishes of the manufacturer and forced by legislation. Bad news also - compromises on build quality to offset increased cost of manufacturing

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Thanks for really interesting comments. Appreciated

[@zaneenaz4962]

The older vans have more room ------> kzbin.info/www/bejne/nn3Rq36jqcdgbrM

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Currently in Albania.... and a surprising number of T3 campers! Good tastes!

[@Remmie1977]

Engine end automatic gearbox ar not the best from VW.

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Yes! I was a bit surprised when our dual mass flywheel needed replacing at avout 50,000 miles!

[@StevenVanLoven]

Designed for half a million miles ? The old T4 , yes ... but the modern Volkswagens ? ...

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Come on folks.... what's your experience of the modern ones ?

[@gregroles69]

Transporters outside warranty ( and even inside ) are money pits somehow. Do lots of research and get your head around the common problems, and do your best to solve them ahead of them failing, or at least know what to keep an eye on. I've a 2009 T5 2.5 auto diesel and it had pretty much every engine problem there is, so it's cost me a small fortune, but I'm now a world class expert in fixing them, and half a basket case. I watch this notorious auto like a hawk....

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Good advice. Thanks. My dual mass flywheel went on DSG at around 50,000 miles. Just outside warranty. If anyone knows common issues... would be good to hear them. Thanks agai

[@greigallan1973]

What the hell is a roove mate? 😂

[@Thecampervanchannel]

I know! Sorry

[@greigallan1973]

@@Thecampervanchannel lol I'm just kidding. Good video btw 😎👍

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Glad you enjoyed. and in my defence....it seems "rooves" is not incorrect....just an out-dated plural of roof. (Apart from in USA where its not accepted at all). I just need to start living in the 21st century!

[@allanb52]

DON'T CHOOSE VW, all the other makes are better. Vivaro/Trafic the best.

[@Bobtheguilder]

Having had a T4 for 20 years looked to modernise in 2017. Was quoted £29K for a T6 with 25000 on clock. Joke! Looked at alternatives checked out reviews from Fleet companies on performance and reliability. Got a pre registered Trafic 125 LWB with 17 miles on clock for £17K with aircon. No brained. Paid £4,800 for poptop fitting by ccc campers in Kidderminster, £680 for side windows that don't leak (unlike T6 factory fitted) as I couldn't bring myself to cutting holes in new van. (DIY would've saved 1.5K) Did rest of fit out completely for £3500 including a bog you can use in the night, a necessity at my age. Drives like dream loads of space all for less than a T6 that had done 25K in 13 months.

[@allanb52]

@@Bobtheguilder When it gets older you will save a fortune on parts/labour too. Mine is an 08 (timing chain model Vivaro) drives so well with 150k miles. Not a sign of any rust and they never do, why they are number 1. Be nice to see your fit-out if possible.

[@stefanfoster9384]

Most unreliable car ever

[@Thecampervanchannel]

Tell us more! What problems did you have?