Winter Campervan Vacation

With summer over, it's time to start planning for the winter months ahead. Long Haul breaks to find the sun are not the only option. Each year an increasing number of us head abroad, with Spain being the most popular destination. Why? Well, apart from the winter sunshine, the cost of living can be cheaper there and campsite fees are low. And, when you consider the cost of heating your home during the winter, it makes sense to spend time abroad, either on an organised rally or by going solo. 

Here is a simple Pre trip check list before you set out on your next trip.
Take a while to check out the following items. It could save you a lot of money and heartache.

1. Cab Chassis 

Check that that fluid levels are in operating range (oil, power steering, engine coolant, windshield washer, transmission, brake fluid etc.) 
Check starting battery for clean terminals and connections, top up with distilled water if necessary. 
Check the operation of all lights and flashers. 
Check horn and reversing beeper. 
Start engine and check all gauges and warning lights. 
Check foot brake and hand (parking) brake. 
Check all wheel nuts for tightness. 
Check all tyre pressures, including the spare 
3. Refrigerator

Operate refrigerator on gas and look at the burner to see if the flame is blue. If not, have repairs performed. 
Check and ensure that there are no obstructions in the ventilation system. 
do not pack so tightly as to shut off internal air flow. 
5. Inside the Motorhome. 

Close all windows and vents. 
Check that cupboard doors and drawers are closed. 
Check that the refrigerator door is fastened. 
Check that no heavy articles are stored in overhead cupboards. 
Check that counter tops, range top, table tops and shelves are clear of unsecured items. 
Where is the location of fire extinguisher(s) and are they fully charged? 
6. Items You May Want To Take With You

Adequate supply of prescription medicines and copies of prescriptions. 
Prescription sunglasses and prescription. 
Camera and film, VCR. 
Stationery and stamps. 
Address book and telephone list. 
Reading material. 
Spare parts - set of engine drive and accessory belts, coolant hoses, fuel, air and oil filters, oil, reflective emergency triangles, light bulbs, fuses and a 12volt trouble light with cord. 
Accurate tyre pressure gauge. 
Spare parts for generator - spark plugs, oil, air filter. 
Emergency items - first aid kit, heating pad, ice bag. 
Pet supplies. 
Extra toilet chemicals and toilet paper. 
Maps covering the areas that you are travelling to. 
7. Thoughts to Consider

Be sure that your Motorhome insurance is current and that you have a copy of your policy and emergency numbers with you 
Passports if needed 
Avoid carrying a great deal of cash while travelling. Use credit cards. Keep one credit card for emergencies. 
Confirm any reservations well in advance. 
Make a clothing checklist. 
Secure home and valuables before leaving. 
Discontinue appropriate home services, mail and newspaper deliveries. 
Notify neighbours of departure and return dates. 
8. If Towing a Trailer

Is the tow bar hooked up and checked? 
Are the safety chains crossed under the coupling and hooked? 
Are the trailer lights working? 
Is the trailer's braking system functioning? 
9. Just Before Driving Away

Disconnect and stow electrical cord, sewer hose and water hose. 
Check TV antenna to ensure that it is in the stowed position. 
For safety's sake, the gas should be turned off or have a device to shut off the supply should a rapid leak occur. 
Check that items inside compartments are secure and that compartments are properly secured/locked. 
Is the awning secured? 
Are the rear view mirrors and driver's seat properly adjusted? 
Is everyone Buckled up? 

Update:  March 2011 -

Many people applying to have vehicles re-registered as "Motor Caravans" with the DVLA having had them professionally converted are being refused, as their vehicle does "Not look like a motor caravan from the outside".  The DVLA are then
 re-classifying the vehicles as "Vans with windows".  Apparently this is a problem for the Police and other authorities, who cannot identify converted vehicles easily from the outside.  I will update this page when new information is confirmed.

If you are converting a van to a campervan or motorhome then you need to consider whether you want to re-register the vehicle with your vehicle authority.

In the UK

In the UK you have the option of re-registering your van as a "motor caravan" with the DVLA.  It is not a requirement to re-register the vehicle.  You can continue to use the vehicle as a campervan, even if it is still registered as a "panel van", assuming you have adequate (i.e. campervan) insurance. Here at Cascade Conversions we are recognised convertors with Sureterm Direct so your vehicles insurance will be cheaper because they are familiar with the quality of our work. Therefore Change of Vehicle Classification is not as crucial knowing that you have insurance to cover all your expenditure.

If you decide that you want to re-register your van as a campervan you should contact the DVLA.

What makes a 'Motor Caravan'?

All of our conversions at Cascade Conversions comply with the permanent fixtures that must be present in order to qualify as a 'Motor Caravan' in the UK in the eyes of the DVLA. However if you are considering a self build project or buying a ready made camper, the list is as follows:

1. Sleeping Accommodation

• There must be a bed with a minimum length of 6ft or 180cms
• The bed must be an integral part of the vehicle living accommodation area
• The bed must be permanent or converted from seats (the bed can fold away during the day)
• The bed fixtures must be secured directly to the vehicle floor and/or side walls, unless it is over the drivers cab compartment.

1. Door

• There must be a horizontal sliding door or an outward opening rear or side door.

1. Seats and Tables

• There must be a seating area for diners to sit around
• The table can be fixed or detachable
• The table must mount directly to the vehicle floor or side walls
• The table mounting must be secured as a permanent feature, either bolted screwed or welded.  The table itself can be detachable.
• Seats must be secured directly to the vehicle floor and/or side walls
• The seats must be secured as a permanent fixture, either bolted, riveted, screwed or welded
• Permanently secured seating must be available for use at a table

1. Water Container

• The vehicle must have an onboard or external (e,g, under the chassis) water container
• Note: The insurer Adrian Flux requires the water container to hold 6 gallons / 27 litres.

1. Storage

• The vehicle must have at least one cupboard, locker or wardrobe
• The cupboard must be an integral part of the living accommodation area
• The cupboard must be a permanent feature, either bolted, riveted, screwed or welded
• The cupboard must be secured directly to the vehicle floor and / or side walls

1. Cooking

• The vehicle must have cooking facilities powered by fixed gas, electric hob or microwave oven
• The cooking facilities must be secured directly to the vehicle floor or side wall
• The cooking facilities must be a permanent feature, either bolted, riveted, screwed or welded
• Gas and electric hobs must have a minimum or 2 cooking rings.  Microwave ovens must have a power source (don't just fit one that can't be used)
• Gas cooking facilities with remote fuel supplies must have the gas supply pipe permanently secured to the vehicle structure
• Gas cooking facilities with remote fuel supplies should have the gas bottle, fuel reservoir secured to the vehicle structure

1. Outside

• The vehicle must have at least one side window
• New! Since 2011 the DVLA are now asking that the vehicle look like a motor caravan from the outside.  The details are yet unclear what is required.  More information will appear in the blog when available.

Camping France (with or without children)

There is no doubt that France is the best country in Europe to take the family for a camping holiday, not least because most of the resorts are tailored to meet the demands of family groups, and some tour operators have children's clubs and child minding facilities as well. Camping is great fun for the whole family and France has so many varied regions and micro climates that it is often hard to make a decision as to where to go.

St Malo

If your children are young it may be as well to get away with as little driving as possible because they get bored as we know all too well, so Normandy, Brittany or perhaps the Vendee region of France spring to mind. Pop over to France via Caen, Cherbourg or St Malo and you don't have so far to drive in France at one go. Other than that just make the Dover/Calais crossing and potter about on the northern coast.

Older children and teenagers can travel far better so your driving doesn't have to be so limited, but there again Brittany, the Vendee or anywhere down the western coast of France will provide you with a most memorable family holiday.

You don't have to cart your ancient leaky old tent with you for a camping holiday these days. Our Cascade campervan has all the bits and pieces you need such as cooker, fridge, and sleeps upto 4 people. Basically, you and your family just move in and get on with your hols.

A Family camping holiday is all about having fun, relaxation for parents as well as children, staying out later than the usual bedtime, hitting the beach whenever possible and eating when you feel like it. 

If children become used to camping holidays with family early in their lives then the concept of camping can stay with them for life, and be passed on to their own children. 

Family camping is a great way having a fun holiday and is also a crafty way of making your kids a little bit independent by alloting them some responsibility for certain jobs around camp, putting tables and chairs out or fetching bread etc from the local shop. Even though camping holidays are self catering you can spread the workload so that everyone is involved from the start.

What is the best way to see a new country? There is no doubt that getting out of the big cities and exploring smaller towns and villages is going to give you a different and arguably more authentic experience than that which many tourists settle for.

Rural France

Just as London, Cardiff, Birmingham and Manchester aren’t fully representative of the UK, the same applies in countries like France and Italy. In fact, it could be said that in these countries the heart and soul of the nation is more rural than in the UK, and that the only way to truly appreciate them is by going out to the countryside.

Once you get out of the big city the only things you are really going to miss are the conveniences such as shops and restaurants on every corner. Even this can seem unimportant once you discover where to get hold of fresh, local produce. What you presumably won’t miss is the noise, the stress and traffic of the big cities.

Of course the people are different in the countryside too, just as they are everywhere in the world. In the modern world we can state with a fair degree of confidence that the gap between country folk and city dwellers is smaller than ever before thanks to better transport links and communications technology. However, it is still in the small villages and towns where most people will take time out to speak to you and make you feel at home.

This leads us on to an essential part of any trip to a rural location; the local language. While you would expect to find English speakers in places such as Paris and Rome you certainly shouldn’t expect to get things quite so comfortable once you leave the big centres behind.

This isn’t a bad thing in my opinion. It will force you to leave your comfort zone and speak to the people using their own language rather than yours. As a visitor in their country this is a reasonable thing to expect and if you make the effort you will find that the warmth and hospitality you receive makes the interaction with locals one of the real highlights of your time.

THINKING OF ADDING AN ELEVATING ROOF?

The Elevating Roof Panel Van is an improved version of the Fixed Roof Van, as it allows more headroom and can provide an additional 2 berths.

Early models designed by Volkswagen introduced the concept of the rising roof.

Today the elevating roof motor home is still as popular as ever and are available on a number of base vehicles. In most cases the elevating roof section deploys an attached fabric panel as it rises.

Originally designed to provide more headroom, some models have been modified to incorporate a bed in the rising roof. This can vary from a small bed for a young child to a larger adult double bed. There are many recent example of these type motor home in the UK in particular, where fuel cost can be a big factor in a vehicle popularity and where they are commonly used for everyday use as well as recreational use. 

Specialised Roof racks can be fitted to the elevating roof so that extra luggage, kayaks or bicycles may be carried if you wish.

The advantages to Elevating Roof Panel Van motor homes are multiple. These vehicles are generally easy to drive, easy to park and easy to garage. They fit where many coach built vehicles will not. Most of these type vehicles have large side sliding doors allowing good access to the interior. These are ideal vehicles to do your own motor home creation and often can be started at a minimal cost.

Make sure when making a purchase, or maybe designing your own bespoke project that you research the type of elevating roof, and make comparisons to the leading manufacturers who has the best reputation in the industry. After all getting this right is vital to use, functionality, longevity and resale.

If however, adding an elevating roof is not within your budget there are other options for you to consider. Please read our article on Sleeping solutions for travelling with children. Here you have alternative ideas to accomodate extra travelling passengers.

Sleeping Solutions for Travelling With Children

The affordability of converting and combining your everyday vehicle with a recreational vehicle has become increasingly popular.  More and more families are going back to basics for their holiday breaks and turning to camping, realising it is an ideal choice if you have a young family. Even a few hours in your van on the weekend and you could be in a different world.
You can stop where and when you want and carry all their essentials onboard, there really is nothing more exciting for children than the freedom of being outdoors.
But how can your van conversion accommodate 2 children and 2 adults without the expense of adding an elevating roof? 


Maybe your van has been ideal for you and your partner up until the point where children came along!
With this thought in mind we came up with some simple sleeping solutions to help you achieve your dream van without going over budget.


Adding an elevating roof is a great asset to maximise your internal space and provide additional berths, but it does come at a cost and maybe, at this point, not in your budget.
Most families preferred option is the Long Wheel Base van just for the convenience of additional storage and living space.
As you can see from the picture above we have adapted our conventional conversion slightly to accommodate a child’s bed behind the cab seats  giving the space for a child to sleep up to the age of approx 6yrs. We can also incorporate a removable safety rail at the side for smaller children. All covers are removable which is a must have for small children and underneath the bed is a storage facility. 


At night time, the cab space is unutilized and is a wasted space, but with the addition of our quick assembly cab bed, another berth is created instantly. This can sleep a child, but will hold the weight of up to 13st.
So rest assured there are answers to accommodating the whole family within your campervan and you can enjoy your vacations comfortably.

Bicycles and Campervan Life

Bicycles are a great addition to a camper van or motorhome. Bikes make exploring towns, cities, parks and lots of other areas much easier.

They are particularly useful for popping down to the shops when your vehicle is parked, or enjoying a leisurely ride out in the country or along the coastlines.

It’s never been easier to carry them along with you on your holiday with the all the options that are available.

Here are a few bicycle storage options.

Bike rack for camper vans with vertical style Barn doors

Camper vans with vertical style rear doors need a bike carrier that attaches to the main opening door only. When the first door is opened the bike rack swings open with the door. Fitting is simple. Only fit this type of rack if your rear doors and hinges and in good condition. Drill through the door outer, and then add some wood batten inside the door. Use long bolts and large washers through the door and the batten to add strength and spread the load and job done.

Camper van bike rack, up and over door Camper vans 

With up and over style doors need a bike carrier that bolts to the door, on all four corners of the bike rack. This spreads the weight evenly. When opening the door the bike rack swings up also.
Fitting again is relatively simple, before bolting to the door, hold the rack in position and ensure the door opens fully without the rack touching the van.

On the roof
If you have a roof rack you may want to store your bike on the roof rack, securing it with straps. Having a ladder is definitely recommended for climbing on the roof of a van. This option is handy alternative that can be used for various other things too.

Tips

1. Always chain your bike to the rack. Thieves may try and steal it!
2. Always check the bikes are secure before driving away.
3. If you are camping near the sea cover the bikes. They will rust quickly otherwise.
4. Remember to state if travelling by ferry that you are carrying bikes on a rack.
5. Failure to enter vehicle dimensions correctly may lead to problems at port, such as additional charges or not enough space being available for you to board the ferry.

A Brief Guide For The Confused !!!??

If you’re interested in VW campers but confused about the different models, here’s a quick tour.

Type 2 Bay window camper 1950-1967 

This was the VW first camper van, which was adapted from the VW bus (known as the Samba) – which itself was adapted from the VW panel van. The campers were fitted out by Westfalia, a coachwork company who worked in partnership with VW for many years. There were a huge number of configurations of the furniture, and other conversions too. The campers had the same air-cooled engines as the panel vans and 6-volt electrics.

Type 2 Bay Window Camper 1967-1980 

The taller and larger VW bay window camper van had 12-volt electrics, a sliding side door and larger engine. It still had the friendly, rounded shape but with better visibility and more space. Westfalia continued to do conversions, and a large number of other companies such as Devon, Danbury, Canterbury and Dormobile joined the market too.

There are also VW camper vans that have been converted by small companies and DIY conversions as well. Most were conversions from buses, but some companies did the conversion from vans. Versions of the VW bay window were still in production in Mexico and Brazil long after VW had stopped production in Wolfsburg. The bay window campers are often known as Kombi’s - particularly in Australia and South Africa, and, confusingly the California was a VW Camper Van conversion which didn’t come from California!

Type 25 VW – the Vanagon 1980-1991

The VW t25 was larger again and provides substantial space. The shape is much more blocky with very 80’s square styling. It was known as the Vanagon in the USA and is often referred to now as the VW t3.

Type 4 1991-2003 This is known as the Eurovan in the US with camper versions by Westfalia and by Winnebago. This big difference is where the engine is - in the front! So it has a pronounced bonnet. 

Type 5 2003- 2010 

This van is a direct successor to the T4 so it is a sizeable van. The Volkswagen T5 is remarkably well designed and constructed and demonstrates excellent engine performance.

Type 6 2010                                                    

Latest model, slightly different in its front end shape, a bit of a facelift from the T5 with a different interior dash. Again excellent engine performance.