Tag: Campervans

Item: Gear Review: Kampa Touring Air VW Awning
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Pros and Cons of Campervans and Motorhomes: Which Should You Buy?

Post author By Own The Outdoors
Post date 1st December 2020

In this article, we look at the pros and cons of both campervans and motorhomes. What advantages do campervans have over motorhomes and vice versa? We help you to decide which type of camping vehicle will suit you.

Touring, camping and day trips in a campervan or motorhome is a great way to enjoy holidays, weekends, and leisure time. Owning a camping vehicle has become more popular over the last few years and this has accelerated through the Covid-19 crisis.

Choosing between buying a motorhome or a campervan is often not so obvious, as both are brilliant vehicles to own and each has their particular merits.

In this article, we consider the benefits of each, as well as the drawbacks, to help you decide whether you will become a campervanner or a motorhomer.

Contents

Choosing between a campervan and a motorhome

Having our own home-away-from-home on wheels was a dream of ours for a long time. We finally decided on a VW California campervan and haven’t looked back.

There were loads of things that we considered in making our final choice.

In the future, we may move to a bigger van or a motorhome as our situation changes and we have more time to travel further for longer. But, we were selecting for what works for us right now and for the next few years.

We have two primary school-aged children so needed something that seated and slept four comfortably. We also wanted a vehicle which we could use day-to-day so parking at home was important.

Although a VW pop-top campervan was ultimately the right choice for us, it wasn’t clear-cut at the beginning. Just like buying a home, some compromises had to be made.

Whether you should get a campervan or a motorhome will depend of course on your personal circumstances and what you want to get out of your van ownership.

What are the main differences?

If you want to take a deep dive into what exactly defines a campervan and a motorhome, take a look at our article What is the Difference Between a Campervan and a Motorhome?

Campervan advantages and disadvantages

Campervans are generally smaller and have fewer home comforts than their motorhome cousins. They are built within a van body either as a conversion from a commercial van, or factory-built by the van manufacturer.

Smaller campervans, known as micro-campers, use a car or small delivery van as a base vehicle and sleep two. These are easy to park and have lower fuel consumption but may not suit longer touring holidays.

Van conversions are the type of vehicle most people associate with the term campervan.

They typically have enough comforts to use on camping trips and touring with the benefit of easier parking and day-to-day use than bigger motorhome counterparts. However, limited gear storage and the lack of inbuilt toilet and shower facilities will not suit everyone.

Motorhome advantages and disadvantages

Motorhomes are longer and often wider and are designed to provide a comfortable and spacious environment including built-in washing and toilet facilities.

Motorhomes range in size from 2-4 berth long panel van conversions to American RVs with slideout sides and separate rooms. The typical type of motorhome you’ll see in the UK has a coach-built body mounted on a truck chassis and cab, with berths for 2-6 people.

They are more spacious with a finish and facilities aimed at comfortable living for longer touring and campsite stays. Their larger size brings less flexibility with driving and parking and may require a driving licence for heavier vehicles.

Let’s look at these pros and cons of campervans and motorhomes in more detail.

Driving

If you are not used to driving a larger vehicle, driving a motorhome or campervan can take some getting used to.

Road handling

These vehicles are heavier than cars and this affects their handling on the road, steering, accelerating, and braking.

Motorhomes, being larger than campervans, can often be a less finessed drive in built-up areas but comfortable on the open road. Campervans will often handle well in traffic, similar to driving a large SUV or estate car, and are often suitable as a daily drive vehicle.

Power steering can make a big difference for both types. Without it, each vehicle can feel, unsurprisingly, like the truck or commercial van it is built on. Similarly, an automatic transmission can make for a smoother ride at lower speeds. Some motoring purists (not me) will always prefer a manual gearshift.

Take as many test drives as you can get away with to really appreciate what each vehicle is likely to feel like.

Visibility

Visibility is more limited than a car with windows all around, so mirrors become even more important. On the other hand, a high driving position on the road allows you a much better view of the traffic and the scenery.

Arguably campervans often have better visibility than motorhomes, as they often have a rear window which can be seen through the rear-view mirror. Some coach-built motorhome designs have a body which is wider than the cab, reducing visibility further.

Driving licence

The standard UK driving license category B lets you drive a vehicle up to 3,500kg in MAM (maximum authorised mass), and tow a trailer up to 750kg (provided the combined MAM is under 3,500kg).

Most campervans and many motorhomes are under 3,500kg so you are covered. Even so, it is important to check the specifics of the vehicle and your driving licence before you buy.

To drive a vehicle between 3,500kg and 7,500kg you will need to have a C1 licence. The good news is for UK drivers who passed their driving test before 1997, the C1 category is automatically included.

If you passed your test from 1997 onwards you will have been given category B licence only. To drive larger motorhomes you will need to pass the theory and practical category C1 driving tests.

Parking

When considering the pros and cons of motorhomes and campervans, parking is an obvious issue.

Motorhomes are generally larger vehicles than campervans, and parking them is a distinct disadvantage.

On a campsite, no problem. Campsite pitches are designed with motorhomes in mind, and all but the largest RVs are able to be comfortably parked.

The footprint of a regular short-wheelbase campervan is similar to a large car and will fit standard parking spaces, albeit sometimes a little snugly. Van conversions of medium and long-wheelbase panel vans are a different matter. You may find yourself parking in the outer reaches of supermarkets car parks across two spaces.

Visiting the supermarket or town centre in a motorhome can cause parking issues. You may have to find generous street parking spaces nearby and walk to your intended destination rather than stubbornly squeezing in.

Height restrictions

Remember there are three dimensions that matter with any campervan or motorhome. As well as length and width, the height is critical when parking. Many a leisure vehicle driver has fallen foul of an overhead height restriction barrier.

Speaking from personal experience, I once forgot that using the bike rack on the back of our van increased the height, and hit a height barrier at an outdoor car park in Staffordshire. Luckily there was no damage to the van, only superficial damage to the bikes, and a mildly bruised ego.

Motorhomes will very often exceed the common two-metre height limit in outdoor and multi-storey car parks, further reducing your parking options.

Camping

These vehicles are, obviously, designed for camping. Let’s look at the pros and cons of campervans and motorhomes when setting up and staying at campsites.

Getting set up

Setting up camp in a motorhome is easy.

After parking and levelling, you need only plug into the electric hookup and perhaps water supply, and you’re done. You may want to set up an awning or annexe for extra space, but these are very much optional.

Campervans are a little more work to get set up at a campsite.

They will commonly have a day mode and night mode setup. Day mode for using the living space as a sitting room and kitchen, and night mode converting seating into beds. Longer wheelbase vans often have a fixed bed which makes things a little easier.

If you have a lot of gear or more than two people you will likely have to use a drive-away awning to store excess gear so that you can set up beds. Pop-top roofs give more head height for living and cooking, and very often have a pull-down bed too.

Sleeping

Of critical importance is how many berths your need.

Campervans are usually designed to sleep 2-4 people. Motorhomes can range from 2-6 berths, depending on the particular design. Giant RVs can often sleep up to 8.

Motorhome beds are designed for home-from-home comfort. They will usually have a fixed double bed or two singles towards the rear, with sprung mattresses.

Additional beds can be above the cab or in the living area, requiring some setting up. Beds made up from seat cushions in the living area are not always comfortable for adults, but for small children they are cosy.

Campervan beds can range from rudimentary ones where you might feel a seatbelt buckle in the wrong place, to sprung bases and super-soft mattresses with memory foam mattress toppers.

Washing and toilet facilities

Inbuilt washrooms typically contain a shower, mini washbasin, and a toilet that can be turned out of the way. They save the need for a late evening dash to the campsite ablution block and are handy when travelling too.

The downside of built-in toilets is that they need to be emptied. The more they are used, the more often a trip to the waste disposal is necessary.

Campervans without toilet/shower arrangements don’t have the waste disposal problem but require a toileting solution when not on a campsite with facilities.

We pack a portable chemical toilet (Porta Potti 335 portable toilet) for longer stays and always carry our fold-up camping toilet (Carplife Bivvy Loo) for on-the-road and overnight use.

To some, campervans feel like camping in a metal tent contrasting with motorhomes that seem like a posh caravan with a motor.

The type of camping experience that suits you will ultimately guide your decision.

Motorhome storage

As with parking when in use, storage is an important factor in the pros and cons of campervans versus motorhomes.

Security

An important consideration when we purchased our campervan was parking at home.

Our previous house did not have a driveway and we weren’t keen to leave an expensive motorhome parked on the street. This put us off buying a van until we moved to a house with a suitable driveway.

Although the van is parked on our property we have taken various security precautions to protect it from theft (not telling which).

Winter months

Motorhomes which are not used over the colder months are vulnerable to damage from moisture and freezing. Many motorhome owners will winterise their motorhome to keep it safe while it is not in use.

If your campervan is your daily drive and used regularly then winter storage is less of a problem. Emptying fresh and grey water tanks is still essential to avoid expensive damage from freezing.

Offsite storage

Larger motorhomes may simply not fit inside the property or a garage. Many motorhome owners store their vehicles in offsite storage facilities. These can usually be found in rural areas where the farmer has dedicated open storage or undercover storage for caravans and motorhomes.

Money

At last, we come to the big one – how much is all of this going to cost you?

Purchase price

Motorhomes and campervans are expensive assets.

A recent model used motorhome will set you back a minimum of £20-£25,000, and the price goes up to well over £100,000. Large American RVs can be as much as £250,000, but to be fair they are like a proper house on wheels.

Campervans are usually a cheaper option. A new conversion on a recent model or new base van will not give much change out of £30,000, but older vans can be picked up more cheaply.

Factory-built campervans such as the VW California and Mercedes Marco Polo start from around the £60,000 price point and go up depending on the options selected.

You also have the option of creating your own campervan. Buy a base van and pay a converter to fit it out or do it yourself and get specialists to do the tricky bits.

A DIY campervan means that you get to select just how much you are prepared to spend. You can even improve the van in stages, spreading out the cost.

Insurance

Oddly enough, insuring a motorhome or campervan is often cheaper than insuring a normal car. Like all insurance, it pays to shop around. Always pay close attention to the level of cover, exclusions, and excesses involved.

Service and repairs

The cost of servicing, repairs, and spare parts can be more expensive than regular cars.

Servicing costs can be higher as you are servicing a commercial vehicle. On the repairs and maintenance side, there is a lot more to break or wear out. Just consider the facilities for cooking, sleeping, bathroom, water, gas, electrics, and so on.

Campervans will often have lower servicing and repair costs than motorhomes. They are smaller vehicles with fewer additions, but it will depend on your vehicle including any warranty requirements.

Fuel costs

Motorhomes are heavier and will generally cost more to run than campervans.

All this depends on the fuel type, engine efficiency, and load that you are carrying. Pay close attention to the manufacturers’ figures and add at least 20% for real-world conditions.

Tax and MOT

Road tax, or VED (Vehicle Excise Duty), applies to motorhomes and campervans just as it does with cars.

The VED system has had several changes over the last decade. Costs will vary depending on the age of the vehicle, fuel type, and emissions. Additionally, a vehicle with an original list price over £40,000 will attract an additional £325 per year for five years.

VED rates were due to change from March 2020 to be in line with commercial vehicle rates. This would have been a very expensive change. Fortunately, this proposal has now been scrapped.

Try before you buy

I highly recommend hiring both a motorhome and a campervan to properly experience what will suit you. We did this on numerous holidays over several years and learned a lot.

How easy was it to drive? Did you sleep well? How was cooking a meal on a two-burner stove? What was it like to drive? What were the best and worst aspects?

Hiring first before you make a very expensive purchase may just save you from making a costly mistake.

You can hire campervans and motorhomes from commercial hire companies, or from private owners. Read about this in more detail in our Guide to Campervan Hire in the UK.

Should you buy a campervan or motorhome?

Now that you’ve gone through the major pros and cons of campervans and motorhomes, there’s a good chance that you know which way you’ll go.

Whether you choose a campervan or motorhome for your camping life, we hope that you’ll enjoy the freedom and flexibility as much as we do.

Tags Campervans, Money, Motorhomes, Security

Camping

What is the Difference Between a Campervan and a Motorhome?

Post author By Own The Outdoors
Post date 23rd November 2020

What exactly is the difference between a campervan and a motorhome? Seems obvious, or is it? We take a detailed look to try and answer the question once and for all.

The terms campervan and motorhome seem to be often used interchangeably. They are after all both leisure vehicles that provide transport and accommodation in one.

We’ve been to motorhome dealers and hire firms that refer to all of their vehicles as “motorhomes”, but go on to talk about the features of their amazing “campers” or “campervans”.

Let’s get down to it and have a red-hot go at nailing down the issue of how to tell the difference between a campervan and a motorhome.

Contents

Definitions of campervan and motorhome

A sleek modern motorhome (by Brent Mikkelsen on Unsplash)

Let’s start with some definitions.

Before we examine their differences in more detail, we’ll set out a formal description of the terms “campervan” and “motorhome” as they are generally used in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and various other countries.

What is a Campervan?

A campervan is a van that has been fitted out to be a camping vehicle. Campervans are built using a panel van body as a base, not only the chassis. They typically contain one or more fold-out or pop-up beds, gear storage areas, and often have basic kitchen facilities like a gas stove, sink, and fridge.

There is usually no separation between the driving cab and the living area, and most campervans do not have a built-in shower or toilet.

What is a Motorhome?

A motorhome is designed to be a fully self-contained travelling and living vehicle. They are usually manufactured using a truck or bus chassis as a base with a custom-made body attached (coach-built). Some motorhomes keep the cab intact, and others do not.

Motorhomes have kitchen and bathroom facilities, and some have fixed beds. A motorhome is usually longer than a campervan and is more likely to contain home comforts such as airconditioning and television.

Motorhome and Campervan differences

Now we’ve defined them, let’s compare the features that are typical of each type of leisure vehicle.

Feature	Campervan	Motorhome
Base vehicle	Van or MPV car	Van, truck, or bus
Body type	Panel van or car body	Custom-made body
Length	Up to 6 metres	5 to 12 metres
Separate cab	No	Sometimes
Side door	Usually sliding	Usually hinged
Berths	2-4	2-8
Pop-top roof	Yes, but not always	No
Folding bed	Usually	Sometimes
Fixed bed	Sometimes	Often
Storage cupboards	Yes	Yes
Cooking facilities	Usually	Yes
Gas tank	Usually	Yes
Fridge	Often	Yes
Sink	Often	Yes
Water tank	Often	Yes
Waste-water tank	Often	Yes
Storage cupboards	Yes	Yes
Shower/toilet	Not usually	Yes
Electric hookup	Often	Yes
Airconditioning	No	Often
TV/DVD	Sometimes	Often

Using this table will help you decide the campervan versus motorhome question for most vehicles. But, there is some overlap so it’s a question of looking at the whole picture.

Are we there yet?

No, we’re not quite there yet.

Like most rules, there are exceptions. Our definition isn’t perfect by any means, so let’s take a look at what some of those exceptions are.

Low-profile motorhomes

In recent years a very popular type of motorhome in the UK and Europe is what is known as a “low-profile coach-built motorhome”.

These have a slimline roof and sleek proportions which resemble a long-wheelbase campervan.

In our humble opinion, these vehicles have a foot in both camps. They have a custom-built body but the proportions of a larger campervan.

Long-wheelbase panel van conversions

Similarly, some campers are built using a long-wheelbase panel van body, but with motorhome comforts such as a shower/toilet room and fixed bed.

They could be a campervan but also a motorhome. Maybe both?

Other examples

A few more examples of hard-to-categorise campervans/motorhomes:

A short wheelbase van with a washroom. Does that make it a motorhome?

A bus kitted out with beds, kitchen, bathroom, storage, and so on, uses the original bus body. Is it therefore considered a motorhome?

A long wheelbase, high roof panel van with the kitchen installed laterally, blocking access to the driving cab. Campervan or motorhome?

What about an old ambulance carefully converted to a very comfortable camping vehicle?

A four-wheel drive with a kitchen in the back and a pop-up roof bed on top. Is that a campervan, motorhome, or just a car?

A fifth-wheeler motorhome that detaches from the cab. Is it even a motorhome?

Exactly how each of these vehicles fits the category of motorhome or campervan is debatable.

What are Class A, B, and C motorhomes?

The description and differences we’ve set out above relate to the types of motorhomes and campervans commonly found in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe (albeit by local names).

The motorhome classes A, B, and C are derived from the North American RV market.

RV stands for Recreational Vehicle, and is a generic term that includes motorhomes of all types and sizes. It is most associated with the very large bus-size vehicles which often have slide-out sections to widen the interior space when camped.

In the US and Canada the motorhome world is quite different, with very large and often luxurious motorhomes up to 45 feet long a much more common sight.

The best known of these is the Winnebago brand, although they also make a range of smaller vans too and started out making campervans.

The US motorhome classification system

Class A: The largest and longest RVs, with the most comforts and highest price.
Class B: What we would refer to as a campervan in the UK or a camper in the US/Canada.
Class B+: A larger version of Class B, often with a shower/toilet room.
Class C: Motorhomes larger than classes B/B+ with a coach-built body and a semi-integrated cab.

These class descriptions are sometimes referred to by UK dealers, but inconsistently.

The exception to this is Class A or A-Class motorhomes, which is the term used for the large and long end of the market.

Does the campervan/motorhome difference matter?

No, not really.

In this article, we are just talking about terminology. The terms are frequently used interchangeably, or a campervans are simply seen as small motorhomes.

Some motorhome owners would be horrified to have their vehicle called a campervan, and similarly, some campervanners see themselves as driving something very distinctive from (and way cooler than) motorhomes.

Exactly what your holiday-home-on-wheels is referred to doesn’t make any practical difference, however, there are definite advantages and disadvantages of owning a campervan over a motorhome and vice versa. We discuss this in detail in our article Pros and Cons of Campervans and Motorhomes: Which Should You Buy?

Where the difference between motorhomes and campervans may be thought to matter are for DVLA road tax, driving licence, and insurance purposes.

(But they don’t really).

DVLA – road tax

Road tax, or its proper name Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), is charged to the vehicle owner.

The terms motorhome and campervan are not used by the DVLA. Instead, these vehicles are called “motor caravans”.

To be a motor caravan a vehicle must meet certain criteria which include sleeping accommodation, sleeping, cooking, storage, and seating facilities. As such, some more basic campervans don’t qualify.

The VED rates are set according to weight and engine size, and when the vehicle was first registered. It doesn’t matter whether the vehicle is considered to be a campervan or a motorhome.

Driving licences

Again, the motorhome/campervan distinction is not directly related to driving licences.

The type of driving license you need to drive a motorhome or campervan depends on the vehicle’s Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM).

You can drive a campervan or motorhome up to 3,500kg on a standard Category B licence. Larger motorhomes will require a Category C1 (3.5-7.5 tonnes) or Category C (over 7.5 tonnes) licence.

Insurance

Insurance on campervans and motorhomes is generally cheaper than standard car and commercial van insurance. If you convert a van into a campervan you need to register as a motor caravan to qualify for motorhome insurance.

Ferry and train transport

Fares are generally cheaper for personal use vehicles such as campervans and motorhomes than for commercial vehicles. As with insurance, it is important to have a change in status registered with the DVLA.

Tags Campervans, Motorhomes, Security

Camping

How to Winterise a Motorhome: Store Your Campervan Safely for Winter

Post author By Own The Outdoors
Post date 18th November 2020

Many Canadians and Americans in colder states winterise (or winterize) their motorhome, car, boat, or swimming pool routinely every year. In the UK we tend to think about it less, but there are good reasons to give your motorhome some TLC before winter sets in.

Winter is coming. What does that mean for you and your motorhome? Are you still going to be going away or will you be storing it away for the winter season?

Whether or not you want to store your motorhome or campervan away for winter will depend upon how much of a fair weather camper you are and if you only use your van for trips away.

In our case, our campervan is our family car and gets used on a daily basis. Not for trips away sadly, mostly just like a regular car.

Unlike a regular car though, our campervan has features we want to make sure we take care of, to make sure it stays in tip top condition.

Many of us will have sunk a lot of money into our home away from home and want to be sure we are following the right steps to look after it over the harsh winter months.

Contents

Winterising your motorhome

If you are planning to hang up your keys for a few months and leave the trips until the warmer weather returns, there are some steps you can take to ensure your campervan or motorhome stays safe and in excellent condition until the spring.

The main winter threats to your motorhome or campervan are:

Condensation
Water pipe damage
Vermin damage
Theft

Condensation

Condensation occurs when warm air cools and becomes liquid. This liquid is usually only small droplets but they will find the coldest place they can and form a film or pool there.

Condensation can cause damp if left unchecked and will make upholstery musty.

Ventilation

Some easy steps to take to keep good ventilation in your campervan or motorhome and to avoid condensation:

Make sure your fridge is off and propped open.
Open all cupboards to allow air flow.
Move any fabric items away from the glass windows. Having these propped up in the middle of the van is best. Consider removing fabric items altogether and keeping them nice and dry in the house.

Heat

Some campervan and motorhome owners opt to gently heat their motorhomes instead. If you have access to electricity you can purchase a small oil heater and leave it running on a low heat, just to keep the temperature from becoming too cold on the inside.

These heaters are typically low wattage, so cheap to run and have a thermostatic cut off for safety.

Moisture absorption

This approach removes moisture from the air before it settles as condensation.

An easy method is to use a tray of cat litter. It works a treat at absorbing any damp in the air.

Cat litter can also be used in a sock placed in cupboards for the same effect.

Water pipe damage

A critical issue in winterising your motorhome is to remove any water.

This one is pretty straightforward. If you have left your fresh or grey water tanks containing water then the water is liable to freeze if the weather is cold enough.

Before you put your campervan or motorhome away for the winter double check the water tanks are empty.

If you miss this step and the water does freeze and expand, you could be looking at an expensive repair bill to fix your water pipes or tanks.

Empty all clean and waste water tanks.
Leave taps open to allow for expansion.

Go for a short drive with drainage points still open to move along all the excess water and make sure the tanks are completely empty.

Vermin damage

It wasn’t winter-related for our van, but vermin are a real problem for campervans and motorhomes.

When the temperature drops, these little pests will be looking for shelter and food.

For us it seemed, “food” was the cable housing on several sensor wires on the underside of our van. Some type of vermin – rat, mouse or squirrel – went to town and caused no end of expensive damage.

This threat is greater in winter as vermin will double down on finding the essentials. Don’t let your campervan or motorhome become a home for rodents! Include pest control in your plans to winterise your motorhome.

You may also have the same nasty surprise we did, that this damage wasn’t covered by our campervan insurance.

Tips to keep vermin at bay

Here are our top tips to prevent pests from making themselves comfortable in your motorhome over the winter:

Soak some sponges or cotton wool pads with peppermint oil and leave in various spots around the campervan or motorhome. Make sure to include the engine bay.
Buy and set some mouse traps or baits just in case. These ones from the Big Cheese have worked a treat for us.
Pestbye Sonic Repellent. This set of two means you can have one in the habitation area and one in the engine bay. They are battery operated so you can set and forget.
Protect exposed wiring. We have since used this anti-rodent insulation tape and The Big Cheese Anti-Rodent Lacquer anti-rodent spray to stop future damage.

Don’t underestimate how destructive vermin can be, and how they can squeeze through tiny spaces. The more preventive measures you take, the better.

It is also worth noting that vermin such as rats and mice, like warm, cosy places. If you heat your van to stop it from freezing then it becomes more inviting for pests so vermin protection is even more critical.

Theft

Sadly campervans and motorhome theft is up year on year. You have to do what you can to keep your vehicle safe.

If it is sitting immobile and untouched for many months on end, it could become more of a target for thieves.

Campervan security is a year-round issue, but worth taking stock when you take steps to winterise your motorhome or campervan.

Here are our tips on how to deter thieves from stealing your motorhome or campervan while it’s sitting idle on your drive:

Make sure you have a decent Thatcham alarm fitted.
Consider fitting a tracker.
Install security lights on the driveway or storage area.
Install a security camera like the Ring Spotlight Cam near the campervan or motorhome.
Disconnect the batteries.
If you have a campervan which has seats that spin round, consider leaving them in the backwards position to make driving away difficult.

There are various security devices you can use on your vehicle to make it immobile or at least will delay a thief and deter them from having a go at stealing it.

Types of immobilising security devices

Wheel clamps
Steering wheel locks
Clamp claws
Ghost immobilisers
Campervan or motorhome covers

Campervan winter covers

If you don’t plan to use your motorhome or campervan at all over the winter months, consider buying a cover to protect it.

Using a cover on your motorhome or camper will stop damaging frost from getting to the vehicle. An additional benefit is that it acts as an anti-theft measure by making it harder for opportunists to get inside.

If you’ve read other posts on Own The Outdoors, you’ll know we love Kampa as a brand. Kampa manufactures this excellent motorhome cover which is breathable (to avoid condensation), lightweight and easy to use.

Insurance pitfalls

We’ve already mentioned vermin as a key exclusion clause on many campervan insurance policies, but there are some other traps to be aware of.

Some campervan insurance policies will not pay out for damage caused by water freezing in any fixed heating appliance or loss or damage caused by water escaping when the campervan or motorhome is not in use.

This does not apply to all policies, check your small print for details.

Be careful that you don’t invalidate your insurance policy by keeping the campervan or motorhome anywhere other than where you stated when you took out the policy.

If you plan to store your campervan or motorhome at an alternative storage location for the winter, make sure you inform your insurance company so they can update their records. This may mean an additional cost if the new location is considered higher risk than your usual storage location.

Campervan winter driving top tips

If you are planning on going out and about in your campervan or motorhome this winter, follow these top tips to help keep you safe on the road:

Make sure you check the engine oil and the levels are correct.
Check the windscreen washer fluid has enough antifreeze content.
Consider getting winter tyres for greater protection on ice and snow. Always check the pressure tyres are set correctly.
Make sure you always carry extra warm layers just in case of a breakdown or road closure.
Always have some water available on board, and a few snacks.
Make sure the motorhome or campervan is warm enough to open the doors and windows. Damage can occur if a door or window is frozen shut. Allow thawing a little before opening.
Same as above with windscreen wipers. Make sure they have thawed enough to use and are not frozen to the windscreen. Never use hot water to thaw your windscreen as it can crack.
Make sure you keep the fuel topped up, just in case.
Turn the engine over every couple of weeks if you can.
If you can move the campervan or motorhome slightly it means it is not always resting on the same circle of tyre and will save on wear and tear.

Tags Campervans, Motorhomes

Camping

Kampa Touring Air: Is This The Best VW Campervan Awning?

Post author By Own The Outdoors
Post date 16th November 2020

The Kampa Touring Air is a drive-away awning designed for VW campervans. We review this popular choice and what we like about it, as well as a few niggles.

When we chose a VW campervan as our motorhome of choice, we knew we would we weren’t buying an all-in-one solution.

This may not be the case for everyone but for us, as a family of four, we were aware we would need dry space outside of the campervan if we were all sleeping in it overnight.

We battled with the question of how big an awning to buy. Would a four-berth drive-away awning be too big? Should we get something that just adds a small room to our van? Which is the best drive-away campervan awning? There are so many to choose from.

In the end, we chose to get a full-size four-berth drive-away awning as we felt it would offer us the most value overall.

There is a good range of drive-away awnings on the market, but after much consideration, we settled on the Kampa Touring Air drive-away awning. Also known by the unwieldy name Kampa Travel Pod Touring Air, it is made specifically for VW campervans and comes in two models – standard and Classic.

Read on to learn why we choose this specific drive-away awning over and above other market leaders and what we think of it now having used it for a couple of years. Was it the right choice?

Contents

What is a drive-away awning?

A drive-away awning is essentially a tent, but one with an additional cowl which attaches to your vehicle.

In our case, we have a VW California Ocean and we connect the cowl or tunnel area of the awning to our wind-out awning rail above the side sliding door.

The most secure and weatherproof way to connect the awning is with a drive-away awning fixing kit. This includes figure 8 plastic strips which slide on to the kador strip – the thick edge along the edge of the tunnel opening, and a separate kador strip which connects between the figure 8 pieces and the awning rail on the vehicle.

If you have unwound the wind out awning a little to help with accessing the rail, it can be wound back in until the tunnel or cowl is taut.

Once attached, you now have a handy walkthrough straight into your vehicle. Keeps the rain off, the wind out and offers privacy

If you want to leave for the day, it is easy to pull the plastic figure of 8 strips out of the awning rail and store inside the awning until you return. The cowl can be toggled away so it doesn’t flap in the wind all day.

There are other methods to create the tunnel walkthrough to your vehicle. These include guying the cowl over the van and pegging to the ground on the other side, using magnetic attachment points on the van body, and a pole and clamp kit.

The benefits of a drive-away awning

Like it or not, when you are away for a trip you are going to be carrying a lot of gear. If you are touring then it is a huge advantage to be able to leave the equipment you don’t need behind for the day.

This means bedding, clothes and excess shoes can be left at camp rather than touring the countryside with you.

Having somewhere to stash excess equipment is also handy at night if you are sleeping in your vehicle.

If you have children you’ll know car seats are bulky and take up precious room and there’s only so much space left in the boot once the bed is down.

It’s also preferable to leave shoes and beach gear out of the campervan if you are sleeping in there at night.

In our case, we are a family of four and the gear we take stacks up quickly. If we are sleeping overnight in the campervan we have to use an awning to put our extra gear. Either our Comfortz Awning Kit (adds sides on to the wind-out awning), or for longer stays the Kampa Touring Air Driveaway awning.

Kampa Touring Air vs Vango Galli III

Having decided we would like to buy a four-berth awning, we managed to whittle the choice down to two. It was either the Kampa Touring Air or the Vango Galli 3.

Both of these four-berth drive-away awnings are considered “low” for small motorhomes and campervans. The “low” spec offers a connection height to the vehicle of 180-210cm.

The table below compares the specifications and dimensions of both of these drive-away awnings:

	Kampa Touring Air	Vango Galli III Low
Height	210cm	210cm
Width	320cm	320cm
Length	540cm	465cm
Tunnel width	90cm	120cm
External doors	3	2
Pack weight	26.67kg	28.95kg
Pack size	L80 x H41 x H41cm	L78 x H39 x W44cm
Number of airbeams	4	4
Fabric	150 denier polyester	420 denier polyester
RRP	£1,125	£1,000
Typical price	£899.99	£899.99

Both the Kampa Touring Air and the Vango Galli III drive away awnings had their merits. Our previous family tent, pre-campervan ownership, had been a Vango and we loved it.

We were tempted by the Vango Galli III as for us, Vango was already tried and tested as a brand. We knew the build quality and design would be excellent.

Porch vs porch

What swung it for the Kampa Touring Air was the porch space.

We spent a very damp holiday camping in Wales years ago in our Vango six-berth dome tent. We had a little Coleman cooker and a couple of camping chairs and we parked ourselves in the porch area of the tent.

It was a godsend. We had space to cook in safety and we were sheltered from the poor weather. It was windy and wet but we got to enjoy the views in (relative) comfort. It was also spacious enough to leave wet gear and muddy shoes.

The porch space on the Vango Galli III is too shallow to fit our camping kitchen stand which holds our cadac cooking two ring stove. We wanted enough depth in the porch to have the stand sideways on, so it could be tucked against the wall of the awning and the chef stays dry.

It was too short to fit our Outwell table and bench set too, which was a shame. If we were to eat in the porch, then we would be quite exposed to the elements.

Although not deal breakers, the Kampa Touring Air had a few other benefits over the Galli III.

Groundsheet

We also liked the sewn-in bathtub groundsheet. Nice to have a fitted groundsheet rather than a loose one. Some would disagree with this as some campsites ask for a breathable groundsheet to be used, but we have never had that problem.

Having a sewn-in groundsheet means it stays in place and we find it easy to sweep and keep clean.

With the Kampa Touring Air, the bathtub groundsheet has velcro sewn on along the length of the doors.

This means when all the doors are closed you can velcro yourself into the main body of the tent and keep the draughts out. It’s really clever and very effective.

Entrance doors

One of these key differences was door access. The Kampa touring air has two entrances into the awning AND the tunnel into the campervan. There is also a door from the tunnel to the outside as well.

You can also velcro the living room floor of the Kampa to the groundsheet in the porch too which makes accessing a breeze and trip hazard-free. The Vango entrances require you to step over them, or trip over if you’re not paying attention.

We have found the ground-level velcro strips collect grass but this comes out easily enough when cleaning up the awning at home after a trip.

Fabric weight

If you have a keen eye you will have noticed in the table above that the Vango Galli III is manufactured from thicker polyester than the Kampa Touring Air. This accounts for the extra nearly 3kg in weight that pack comprises.

We thought hard whether the lesser thickness of fabric would be a compromise for us. On balance we decided we could live with the thinner material. It was worth the lighter pack weight.

Our Vango six-berth tent had been 32kgs in packed weight and was a behemoth to move. The 26kg weight of the Kampa Touring Air made the decision an easy one.

The Vango Galli III is noticeably shorter than the Kampa Touring Air driveaway awning. Most of this length is accounted for by the increased porch size in the Kampa.

Kampa Touring Air vs Kampa Touring Air Classic

Once we had settled on the Kampa Touring Air as our drive away awning of choice, we then had to decide which version we would like to buy. The Kampa Touring Air or the Kampa Touring Air Classic?

The drive-away awnings are the same all but for the fabric used in their construction. The Kampa Touring Air Classic is made from breathable poly-cotton, the benefit of which is it has better thermal qualities. It keeps you cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

The downsides are the weight and the price. The Kampa Touring Air Classic will set you back £1,250 (RRP £1,562.50) and it is over 34kgs in weight.

Given the frequency with which we would use the awning, we decided we couldn’t justify the extra cost, over the Kampa Touring Air, neither were we keen on the extra 8kgs in weight.

Thermal quality

We have found that the 150 denier polyester of the Kampa Touring Air does affect the thermal quality of the drive-away awning. It can be cold at night, even in summer and quite hot inside when the weather is comfortably warm outside.

To combat the cold we have a little Kampa Cuboid camping heater we bring with us which we’ll use late in the evening or early in the morning, and it works a treat.

If the sun is making the awning too hot, the awning design with doors on three sides means we can always get a comfortable cross breeze through the awning to keep us cool.

Layout of the Kampa Touring Air

The space offered inside the Kampa Touring Air Drive Away Awning is exceptional.

Porch

At the front is the porch is a generous 3m x 130cm in area, which is enough space for a camping kitchen stand, cooker, gas bottle, food crates, dining table and chairs.

The inner body of the tent is in two parts: the main living area in the centre of the awning and the detachable four-berth sleeping compartment at the rear.

Living area

The living area is a generous 3m x 2m and is big enough for the table and chairs should you wish to eat inside, or relax playing cards of an evening.

A vertical set of storage pockets is in the living area between the sleeping chamber doors, and single storage pockets are provided within each sleeping chamber. These are very handy and can be used to hold phones, chargers, maps, etc, and helps to keep the awning tidy.

Inner tent

Included in the price is the inner sleeping tent, which is great value. Other similar brands sell this sleeping compartment as an optional extra.

Blackout fabric is used for the sleeping chamber so the early sunrise doesn’t disturb. The two sleeping chambers can be unzipped to form one larger sleeping chamber, and the central door between the two chambers toggles away tidily.

The length and width of this area is plenty to fit inflatable beds and not feel you are on top of each other.

Tunnel

The tunnel area created by the attachment cowl connecting to the campervan is a useful space. We keep our Porta Potti at the rear end overnight and leave our footwear there when entering the van or awning.

There is a zipped exit door from the tunnel at the front of the awning, providing a “dirty” entrance for muddy booted feet.

Accessories for the Kampa Touring Air Drive Away Awning

There are several bits of extra kit you can buy for the Kampa Air drive away awning. The awning is based on the Kampa Dometic Hayling 4 tent and so Kampa Dometic makes accessories to fit both models.

Lighting

The awning has a velcro strip and velcro tabs sewn on to the inside of the two central air beams to attach lighting. Kampa Dometic makes a lighting system called SabreLink which fits neatly and works very well.

We have a SabreLink Flex set and fix it to one of the air beams. It comes with a remote control to set the dimming level and switch on/off.

It all plugs into either a 12V point or a standard UK power point.

Vestibule

In addition to the driveway awning, we have also purchased the Kampa Dometic Hayling 4 Air Pro Vestibule.

This is a clever zip on attachment to the porch area on the front of the awning. This, in effect, gives us a whole extra room as when it is zipped on, it makes the porch area into a weatherproof space.

This gives our already excellent porch another boost. We take it every time we use the drive-away awning.

It comes with an additional bit of groundsheet too which is nice when you’re padding around the awning in socks.

Carpet

For an added bit of luxury, we also purchased the Kampa Hayling 4 carpet. We use this in the main living space in the awning. Adds a nice cosy feel. We have a shoes-off policy in the awning to stop mud and grass getting everywhere.

Footprint

Lastly, we also opted for the Hayling 4 Footprint. This looks like an extra bit of groundsheet. By putting this down underneath your awning, you protect the underside from the damp of the grass or any stony or rocky ground. We have found it works a treat and after a couple of years use, our awning still looks like new.

We give all the groundsheets a hosing and stiff brushing once we’re back from our trip and they always come up a treat.

Pros and Cons of the Kampa Touring Air

Pros

Here are the features we love best about the Kampa Touring Air:

Porch space – plenty for food preparation and seating under cover.
Door access – three non-trip entrances.
Velcro system – cosy at night, eliminates trip hazards when doors open.
Plenty of mesh doors to keep the critters out but the breeze in.
Natural light – lots of widows but they all have blinds if you want privacy.
Generous space for living and sleeping.
The two built-in inner tents.
Velcro attachment points for lights.
“Bathtub” high-sided sewn-in groundsheet
High visibility guy ropes. These are foolproof to use, easy to adjust. Trip hazards are (almost) a thing of the past.

Cons

There are a few minor annoyances worth noting.

The porch groundsheet has two elasticated corners which are supposed to attach to toggles, but we have yet to manage this on both corners.
Attaching the vestibule groundsheet creates a trip hazard with the porch groundsheet. We had to tape them together to overcome this, which isn’t ideal.
It gets quite hot in warm weather and very uncomfortably hot in hot weather. This would be better with the Classic model with heavier material.
Grass gets stuck in the velcro strips on the external entrances, requiring some effort and ingenuity to remove.
Rain can collect on the tunnel roof, depending on tightness and angles. May require a push from underneath to clear during heavy rain.

Are we happy with the Kampa Touring Air drive-away awning?

Did we make the right choice buying the Kampa Touring Air Drive Away Awning?

You bet we did. We have been thrilled with it and love it as much as our actual home. Our van and this awning really is a home away from home.

This awning is a fantastic purchase and worth every penny.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Kampa Touring Air cost?

The RRP of the Kampa Travel Pod Dometic Touring Air is £1,125. Outdoors retailers often seem to discount the price to around £899. We managed to find one listed on sale at £799. It pays to shop around.

What does it include?

The Kampa Touring Air Drive-Away Awning comes with:

Awning with four AirFrame inflatable poles.
4-berth inner tent.
AirFrame 2-litre hand pump.
Peg set, with additional storm straps.
Manual with set up instructions.
Zipped carry Bag.

Is it durable?

Yes. The Weathershield™ 150D polyester material is weather resistant and will keep you dry in the heaviest rainstorm. It is rated UPF 50+ for sunnier weather conditions.

Designed for touring and short-term stays. The manufacturer states that it is not suitable for long-term (ie, seasonal) pitching.

What are the dimensions?

The dimensions of the Kampa Touring Air are as follows:

Length: 540 cm
Height: 210 cm
Width: 320 cm
Connection height: min 180 cm, max 210 cm
Connection width: 280 cm
Weight when packed: 26.64 kg

How long does it take to pitch?

As it is inflatable the Kampa Touring Air is easy and quick to pitch. It typically takes 10-20 minutes to set up with two people involved but can be pitched by one person.

Is it stable in poor weather?

The Kampa Travel Pod Touring Air copes well in windy conditions, and has storm straps included for extra stability. It is important to use all the available pegging points and guy ropes, especially if windier weather is expected.

Is the porch waterproof?

The roof and walls of the porch are waterproof, however, in windy weather rain can blow straight into the porch area. The additional vestibule adds a transparent front wall with zipped doors, making the area weatherproof.

Gear Review: Kampa Touring Air VW Awning

Quality

Ease of use

Ease of assembly

Features

Value for money

Summary

The Kampa Touring Air Drive-Away Awning for VW Campervans is well designed and spacious. It will suit a family of 3-5 that need the extra space for living, gear storage, and overflow sleeping.

4.6

Tags Campervans, Gear

Camping

Campervan Food Essentials: What Food to Take and How to Store It

Post author By Own The Outdoors
Post date 13th November 2020

In this article, we open up our campervan pantry cupboard to discuss our campervan trip food essentials. It is said that an army marches on its stomach – our family certainly does, so food is key to a great trip.

Say the words “campervan trip” and I think flexibility and freedom. There is something magical about a trip away in the campervan that can’t be topped.

Best of all it’s fun and convenient to be able to park up somewhere and put together a snack or a meal. You might well be wondering what food you should keep your campervan stocked with to aid a quick and easy meal on the fly.

Read on to learn what food we bring and how we keep it safely stored.

Contents

Campervan food packing list

Our family enjoys eating, that’s a fact. The kids complain when they’re hungry, that’s another fact.

The food we take in our campervan is a big deal for us. Just winging it isn’t an option.

We also like to have plenty to eat on board so we aren’t forced to have to visit shops all the time. It’s nice if you’re camped up somewhere and hungry that you can just set to and whip something up.

So, we’ve developed a food packing list for our campervan adventures. To make life easy when we’re on a trip we always stock the following items in the campervan.

Pantry items

Our pantry items can be assembled and packed in the days ahead of the trip. As you’ll see below this also involved some measuring and repackaging, so early preparation is important.

Basic ingredients

Stock cubes, mixture of chicken, beef and vegetable.
Cooking oil – small quantity in well-sealed bottle.
Flour – small amount (some pre-measured for pancakes).
Sugar – granulated, and sometimes sugar sticks for hot drinks.

Tins, packets, and jars

Tins of soup.
Super noodles.
Crackerbread.
Batchelors Pasta n Sauce mix.
Dry pasta.
Jar of pasta sauce.
Jar of pesto.
Breakfast cereals.
Jam and/or marmalade.
Vegemite – we are Aussie after all (no Marmite, thanks).

Hot drinks

Teabags.
Herbal tea bags.
Coffee – granulated, decanted into small sealed container.
Hot Chocolate – small jar or sachets.
Mini marshmallows.

Treats and snacks

Crisps – we love crips and always have a massive range.
Biscuits – ditto above comment for biscuits.
Tuc/Cheddars/Ritz – or in our case all of them. We also love crackers.
Chocolate and sweets – yes very naughty.
Cereal bars.
Fruit string/Bear Yoyos.
Red wine (handy as doesn’t take up space in the fridge).

Condiments

Ketchup.
Soy sauce.
Maple syrup.
Salt and pepper.

Perishable food

In addition to the pantry food, some perishable food is necessary too. We always bring the following when starting our journey.

Bread.
Eggs.
pikelets/crumpets/pancakes.
Potatoes.
Carrots.
Tomatoes.
Apples.
Bananas.

We don’t store a lot of fruit and vegetables in the campervan or our awning as we find it doesn’t keep for more than a couple of days at best. Our fridge runs extremely cold so anything with a high water content like fruit or vegetables are easily spoiled.

We tend to buy fruit and eat on the day, or use it as part of a pudding. We’ll pick up vegetables or a pre-made salad pack and use that on the day.

The interior of the van does stay nice and cool so any food keeps well for a few hours from shop to plate, even if not kept inside the fridge.

Fridge items

Luckily for us, we have a large 42L capacity chest fridge built into our campervan. Because it’s a chest fridge it means it can be fully loaded to the top. A more conventional front-loading fridge is more restrictive to pack and items easily move about in transit and fall out when you open the door.

The following items are our campervan fridge essentials:

Single pints of milk – they are smaller so more versatile. We usually take at least four.
Cheese – regular mousetrap, plus one or two more interesting varieties.
Butter – always the spreadable variety even though we have blocks of butter at home. This is because the fridge is very efficient and regular butter turns to stone.
Yoghurts – individual serves rather than bigger tubs.
Ham, chorizo, other cold meats.
Bacon – nothing like a cooked breakfast when camping.
Two cooked meals for 4 people (to see us through the first couple of days to take the pressure off).
Chilled wine and beer – depending on the fridge space left.

We also use a fridge deodoriser, to help soak up smells. We’ve tried out a few, but charcoal bags have been the most effective. We currently use these Jorlyen Air Purifying Bags and keep one in the empty fridge all of the time.

Campervan food storage

To get the longest life out of your food it is best it is stored correctly. How to store your food in a campervan is a personal choice but this is how we do it.

We use Tupperware and lots of it! Tupperware or other plastic food storage containers is fab. It’s stackable, versatile, reusable and unbreakable.

As we like to carry plenty of food on board our campervan, we need to be clever with how we store it.

Pre-bagged portions

Before we leave for a trip we will usually calculate how much of any one item we are likely to need and measure out the required amount in advance.

For example sugar. Rather than taking a whole bag, we’ll measure X amount of teaspoons of sugar into a container or sealable plastic bag. Ditto with the flour, coffee, hot chocolate, and tea bags.

We all like different types of cereal in the morning. To allow for that variety without the volume we will measure the amount we need to save on taking four different cereal boxes.

Yes, I will admit it seems hardcore but I measure out portions according to the packet guidance and individually store each one. That means if someone wants Shreddies, they grab a pre-measured portion and they’re good to go.

These fab reusable sandwich bags are just the ticket for the job and save on plastic waste.

Pre-measuring portions is quite labour intensive pre-trip, I’ll admit, but it does save on space and simplifies things at the campsite. When there are four of you to feed, these little space-saving tips do make a difference.

Cupboard organisation

In our VW California Ocean we have the luxury of kitchen cupboards and an under-bench seat.

We keep the pots, pans and crockery on the left-hand side of the kitchen, top and bottom shelves. If the rear bench seat is pushed far forwards (to allow for maximum boot space) this cupboard is often inaccessible in transit.

The right-hand side is where we keep most of our food. The cupboards are nice and deep and the shelf dividing the cupboard unit is high enough that you can stack two tins on top of each other.

As we don’t usually need tins when in transit, they are stacked at the bottom of the cupboard and at the back. Anything I may want to access in transit is at the front of each shelf.

We use anti-slip matting to make everything stay where it should be during transit.

Snacks drawer

The under-bench seat drawer is used to house our goodies. I tend to travel in the back when we’re on a trip and I can open the drawer and whip out the snacks.

There is enough room to fully open the drawer even if the bench seat is pushed all the way forward.

This storage space is actually huge and can be used for more than in-transit snacks and goodies. It is also good for kit you might want to get your hands on asap once you’ve arrived on site.

How to store food in a drive-away awning or tent

We’ve learned these lessons the hard way!

We tend to empty the campervan of a lot of food if we are bringing the driveaway awning.

This is because if we are on a longer stay we use our Cadac stove for cooking in the porch area of the awning instead of using the campervan stove.

This is a personal choice but because we have two small children in and out of the campervan it feels safer to keep the cooking outside.

As we are likely to be sleeping in the campervan it keeps the cooking smells at bay too.

It makes sense for us to keep the food we’ll be cooking, near the stove so we keep it in the porch area with the cooking equipment.

Crates are great

If you have food in your tent or awning it is best kept in a sealed crate like this one. These are the perfect size and stackable if you have more than one.

Rather than bring a crate specifically for food, we tend to use the crates for something else in transit and empty it and use the contents when we are camped.

It leaves the crate available for other uses such as food storage. Having a lid means the food is kept fresh and no critters are able to get in and have a munch. It’s also handy for keeping the awning nice and tidy.

If you are keeping food in the porch area of your tent or awning, you’ll find the air in the area becomes very damp overnight with dew. Keeping your food items in a sealed crate will mean your food stays dry and crisp.

Tags Campervans, Planning, Recipes

Camping

Campervan Hire in the UK: The Ultimate Guide

Post author By Own The Outdoors
Post date 12th November 2020

There is nothing better than enjoying the outdoors in a campervan. Hiring one is a great way to get out and appreciate landscapes, activities, and people in the UK and further afield.

I remember the first time we hired a campervan. It was in Perth, Western Australia.

The van was a long wheel-base Mercedes Sprinter van conversion. Containing an internal toilet and shower, it was more of a motorhome than a traditional camper.

There was an abundance of similarly-equipped vans for rent there, and they were designed to suit the terrain in that part of the world. The more adventurous could choose the off-road 4 wheel drive versions, but we were comfy campers, happy to stick to the sealed roads.

From that first trip, we were hooked. We loved the freedom of the open road – turning up at some random site for the night in the middle of nowhere, just adventuring.

Over time we have become campervan owners ourselves. We can’t stress enough though the importance of hiring a campervan first before rushing off to purchase one. We have hired many vehicles over the years to really double down on what vehicle suits our family needs best.

It’s easy to become seduced by pictures online of beautiful landscapes and the ability to tour where you like, but first, try before you buy. You might just surprise yourself with what you discover are must-haves and no-ways.

Contents

Campervan hire – needs and options

The first step in hiring a campervan is identifying what your requirements are.

Answer these questions to help you decide what vehicle to hire.

Budget and timescale: Flexibility on either or both will give you more choices.
Seatbelted seats: How many people need to travel in the vehicle with you? Most vehicles will offer 5 seatbelted positions but there are vehicles like the VW California Ocean that only have 4 seatbelted positions.
Berths: How many people will be sleeping in the vehicle? Campervans typically berth two to four people but larger motorhomes can accommodate anything from four to eight.
Kitchen: Do you need to have cooking facilities and a fridge on board? Most campervans offer this built-in but specialist vehicles such as the VW California Beach or a Landrover with an ikamper do not.
Bathroom: Do you need a shower and toilet available or will you be camping at a site with an amenities block?
Parking: Will you need to park at supermarkets or town centres? Bear in mind the limitations of parking a longer and wider vehicle.
Equipment: Many hire vehicles with a kitchen come with basic food prep and dining equipment, but you may have to hire or take bedding, an awning, and any other camping equipment.
Off-road: Do you plan to do any wild camping or drive on remote beaches? A 4WD camper may be what you need.
The UK or Europe: Taking a vehicle across the Channel or the Irish Sea may incur extra hire and insurance costs.

What’s the difference between a campervan and a motorhome?

There is a certain amount of overlap between campervans and motorhomes, but it is useful as a hirer to understand the basic differences.

In brief, a campervan is typically a 4/5-seater, 2/4-berth vehicle which has been built from a commercial van body. Campervans can have a short- or long-wheelbase and can come in different heights too. A short-wheelbase van is about the same length as a standard estate car.

Campervans often have a pop-up roof bed, and there is no divide between the cab and the living quarters.

A motorhome is usually a wider and longer vehicle than a campervan, and is built on a bus or truck chassis.

Motorhomes are designed to be completely self-contained with all facilities on board including a kitchen, shower, and toilet. There is usually a clear separation between the driving cab and living quarters.

How to hire a campervan or motorhome

There are a couple of ways you can hire a campervan. You can either hire from a campervan or motorhome hire company with their own fleet, or from a private owner.

The best way to hire privately is by using a peer-to-peer private campervan hire website.

We have done both and so can offer insights on the pros and cons of each.

Campervan hire companies

This would be the usual starting point for someone looking to hire a campervan or motorhome. A quick Google search will help find companies local to where you live or where you want to hire from.

Pros

High-quality modern vehicle.
Well maintained.
Help on hand if required on the road.
Replacement vehicle supplied should it be necessary.
Choice of campervans available.

Cons

More expensive per night than private campervan hire.
Stricter rules for collection and drop off.
High liability threshold unless excess insurance taken out.
Often have minimum hire periods.
Less gear supplied with the vehicle.

Peer-to-peer private hire websites

These are a new breed of websites which allow a campervan or motorhome owner to list their vehicle for hire. The platforms act in much the same way as Airbnb does for holiday properties.

Pros

Often cheaper daily hire fee than a traditional hire company.
More camping equipment supplied with the hire.
Often more accessories available to hire additionally.
Often more flexible with minimum hire periods.
Wide range of unique campervans to appeal to all tastes.

Cons

No back-up vehicle should yours break down or you encounter problems.
You may be reliant on your own breakdown company should you need help.
A big responsibility in using someone’s personal property.

Campervan Hire Costs in the UK

Typical costs you can expect to pay when hiring a campervan are:

Per night fee – there is often a two or three-night minimum.
Additional driver fee.
Damage deposit – refundable when the van is returned in good condition.
European travel surcharge.
Motorhome hire excess insurance (optional).
Additional equipment hire.
Pet surcharge.

Sample costs for hiring a VW campervan

Here are some sample costs as a guide as to what it will cost to hire a similar VW campervan from a hire company and privately.

The prices shown are a guide only, and will vary according to the campervan model, additional requirements, and time of year.

Cost	Campervan Hire Company	Private Campervan Rental
Per-night hire	£120	£100
Non-refundable booking deposit	50% of total booking	50% of total booking
European surcharge	£184	European travel often included
Additional Driver (one off fee)	£66	Usually included
Pet surcharge (one off fee)	£50	Included at owner’s discretion
Excess	£1,000	£1,000

What do you need to hire a campervan?

Typical requirements for hiring a campervan are:

A UK driving license, held for a minimum of 2 years. You’ll likely be asked to share your license information from the DVLA.
Another form of ID which proves your address.
Aged from 25-70 years of age.
A credit/debit card to pay the booking deposit to reserve the vehicle (often 30-50% of total booking cost).
A credit/debit card to secure the refundable damage deposit – an imprint of typically £750-£1,000.

Hiring a campervan through a campervan hire company

Luckily for us, there are a few reputable campervan hire companies locally to where we live. We made an appointment with a well-known one, to have a look at their fleet.

Having hired vans before, we knew what sort of vehicle we were looking for. Their campervans were only a couple of years old at most. All were beautifully clean and maintained. We made our selection and got our booking confirmed.

Hire period considerations

When hiring a campervan, one practical consideration is deciding exactly how long you are going to need it for. This isn’t just how long your trip away is going to be. You also need to factor in getting your van packed and unpacked again.

Packing and unpacking

With our first UK campervan hire, we filled our family car to the brim and drove the 20 minutes to the hire location. From there it took a good hour to get everything in, kids and all and get away.

The hire company we used offered secured parking for our family car so we could leave it at their premises for the duration of our holiday which meant we could pack and unpack the van on site.

It did mean we were limited to what we could bring with us to what we could ram into our family car. It would have been preferable to have driven the campervan back to our home and packed it there.

That would have meant the hire period would need to be longer though at both ends of the trip to achieve this. The cost overall would be an extra day as we would have wanted to pack the van and get away early in the morning.

Cleaning

Also, make sure you understand whether you are to clean the campervan on return as well, as this will take extra time.

Office hours

Most hires commence and end during office hours which limits how many miles can you get in on your first and last day of travel. This isn’t important to everyone but to us, with two small children, it did.

Hiring from a private campervan website

We found a private van owner close to our home on a private hire rental company website.

They had a VW conversion, very similar in spec to what we had been thinking about buying for ourselves. A perfect try-before-you-buy scenario. Better still it was available for a 10-day hire over the school holidays.

The hirer was very flexible about allowing us to view the van in advance, he offered to deliver it to our house for us and offered us extra equipment we could hire in addition to the inventory that came with the van.

We weren’t charged for the extra time we had the van to allow us to comprehensively pack and be ready for our grand tour.

As there wasn’t a rental booked directly after ours, he was also generous on the return time which was helpful as we needed time to unpack and clean the van before returning it.

The key benefits we experienced were; a more reasonable cost per night for the hire than through the campervan hire company, an opportunity to hire equipment we didn’t own ourselves, to improve the experience and greater flexibility with timings.

It definitely helped us with the decision on what campervan we should ultimately buy.

Campervan and Motorhome Insurance

You might be wondering how the insurance works when hiring a campervan or motorhome.

Hire companies cover the first-named driver with a fully comprehensive insurance policy for the duration of the hire. This is included in the per-night hire cost.

If you add an additional driver to the hire agreement, then this is extended to them too but costs and additional fee.

The security deposit you pay on hiring a campervan or motorhome is usually anything from £500-£1000. The hire company will take an imprint of your credit card to ensure against loss or damage.

Extent of cover

You need to be aware though that the insurance often only covers damage to the hire vehicle and third parties, but not your property or passengers. Make sure you read the small print when you receive the rental agreement.

Just in case, it is worth having your own travel insurance to ensure medical and personal belonging costs are covered.

You are liable for any damage which occurs to the campervan whilst you are hiring it. This is true if someone backs into you in a car park or opens their car door into the side of the vehicle and leaves a dent. Not your fault but the liability falls with you as the hirer of the vehicle.

One way to protect yourself is to take out motorhome hire excess insurance which reduces your liability down to as little as £150 should the worst happen.

Always double-check the clauses and make sure you are aware of what is covered and what exclusions apply.

Private campervan hire insurance

If you hire a campervan or motorhome through a private hire website, you can rest assured insurance is part of the arrangement.

Depending on which platform and even which campervan or motorhome you hire will depend on the individual insurance conditions. There is always insurance available or included so you can hire away, worry-free.

Are you licensed to drive a campervan?

An ordinary UK drivers license permits the holder to drive a vehicle up to 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass with up to 8 passenger seats and driver. You can tow a trailer of up to 750kg in addition to this.

Many campervans and motorhomes are “plated down” to 3,500kg to allow for the vehicle to be driven with an ordinary car driving licence.

Should you hire a SWB or LWB campervan?

The first time we hired a campervan in the UK we hired a converted VW transporter from a local hire company. We opted for a long-wheelbase vehicle as that mirrored what we had hired previously and felt that, as a family of four, we would need the extra space.

It was a bonus to have the extra internal space (around 30cm more than a SWB van) but we had to weigh up whether the extra space on the inside was worth the limitations of being in a long-wheelbase vehicle.

The first thing we found was parking in any car park was a potential problem. Most spaces allow for 5m vehicle length only.

A VW Transporter SWB base van is 4,892cm and a VW Transporter LWB 5,292cm

Standard parking bays in the UK are 2.8m wide by 4.8m long.

This is true whether you find yourself in a supermarket car park, a multi-storey car park, or a town-centre council car park.

The only place we found we might get lucky was parked on the street but the chances of finding a parking space big enough to fit a long wheel base in high season in a tourist town are slim.

Whether you hire a motorhome, long-wheelbase or short-wheelbase campervan comes down to your own needs; how many passengers, berths, facilities on board and parking limitations.

I’m pleased we hired that long-wheelbase vehicle as our first campervan hire in the UK.

The UK isn’t the same as Australia in terms of roads, parking spaces, or campsites and so it highlighted to us the limitations of driving and parking a larger vehicle and how that was something that in the end was not negotiable. Short-wheelbase all the way for us.

What additional equipment do you need for your campervan hire?

Each campervan hire company will provide you with an inventory list of equipment they provide. This will vary from company to company.

They will usually provide electric hook up cables, a full gas bottle and full, clean water tank.

Typically you will need to provide:

Bedding.
Kitchen equipment, plates, pots and pans, cutlery.
Basic food items.
Clothing.
Towels.

Some hirers do offer some of these items for an extra fee.

Do you need to take an awning/tent?

For us as a family of four, it’s a yes every time. Kids come with plenty of clobber, including car seats which need to be stashed somewhere when you’re sleeping in the van.

If you are using the van as a touring vehicle during the day, it is handy to offload the equipment you don’t need during the day, so you have more space to eat lunch, get changed for the beach or play games.

It doesn’t need to be a “proper” awning that connects to the van; any extra tent space is handy. It can also double as an emergency location for your portable toilet so you don’t need to stumble to the amenities block in the night or if you have little kids who just can’t wait.

Having extra sleeping options is no bad thing as you never know what the great British weather will throw at you.

On a recent trip to Cornwall, we were faced with gale force winds over two days which meant we were worried about having the roof up. Following a rainy midnight effort to get the pop-top roof down safely, two of us needed somewhere else to sleep. Thank goodness for our extra tent space!

Tags Campervans, Hire, Motorhomes

Camping

Campervan Kitchen Essentials: The Best Cooking Gadgets for Your Van

Post author By Own The Outdoors
Post date 11th November 2020

In this article, we look at what we consider to be our campervan’s kitchen essentials. The campervan kitchen gadgets and cooking equipment that we always pack or live permanently in our van.

One of the absolute best things to do as campervan or motorhome owner is to have the freedom and flexibility to make a cup of tea or even a full-blown meal out in the wild should you want to.

For camping trips or day trips, having access to a couple of gas rings and a fridge is a game-changer.

But what are the kitchen essentials you need in your campervan to really own the outdoors?

We’ve listed below from our own experience and research, exactly what are must-haves in your campervan kitchen cupboards.

Contents

Campervan cooking equipment – what to carry?

Space is at a premium in a campervan or motorhome.

On the other hand, you’ve chosen this style or camping because – let’s face it – camping on wheels is way more comfortable and easy than camping in tents.

So there is always that trade-off between having options to make your travel comfortable and easy, against having to store and carry yet more gear.

What exactly should you be packing? Let’s take a look at the six main types of campervan kitchen equipment that we recommend every van owner considers as essential gear.

Kitchen essential #1 – pots and pans

Ideally the pots and pans you choose for your campervan or motorhome should be stackable and not too big or heavy.

We recommend a set of three, four, of five pans, depending how much cooking you’re likely to do.

We have these Tefal Ingenio pans, a set of three saucepans and one frying pan with one removable handle for everything. They tick all the boxes for us:

Affordable price.
Made from stainless steel.
Contain a durable non-stick coating.
Stackable for easy campervan storage.
Oven safe.
Can be used on all hob types excluding induction.
Dishwasher safe (if you want to put them in the dishwasher for a thorough washing when you get home).

Note that this pan set doesn’t come with any lids, however, Tefal does sell one specific to this set. We haven’t found this to be a big problem as we use a melamine plate as a lid and this works very well.

RidgeMonkey XL

Not exactly a pot or pan, but can act as a quasi frying pan, omelette maker, or sandwich toaster. It’s our favourite campervan kitchen gadget.

The RidgeMonkey XL comprises two hinged square pans of diecast aluminium with two magnetic handles. They come apart and can be used separately. Very clever and versatile.

Can be used on all hob types except for induction.

Kitchen essential #2 – Kettle

According to the UK Tea and Infusions Association, we Brits drink approximately 100 million cups of tea each day between us. Wow, we sure do like a hot beverage!

No surprise then that having a kettle in some form or another is an essential item in our campervan kitchen.

The choice of kettles to supply your campervan with comes down to the following:

A whistling kettle – used on the hob or camping stove.

A travel electric kettle – either with a 12V plug or UK power plug and used via an inverter or when connected to EHU.

Deciding which of these you choose hangs on whether speed is an issue. For a speedy cup of tea, you’ll be hard pressed to outperform a standard travel electric kettle. A 12V electric kettle will keep you waiting the longest with a reported 20 minutes time length to reach boiling point.

Whistling kettle

We have opted for a whistling kettle to stock our campervan, as we didn’t want to risk draining the leisure batteries too much if not on EHU and the wait time for a cup of tea is a shorter 6-8 minutes.

We can also use the kettle on our separate camping stove or a campfire.

Camping electric kettle

A standard travel electric kettle whilst smaller than a regular kettle is still quite chunky and we felt it seemed a bit cheaty for camping. We like to keep the experience a bit more camping-like in feel.

That said, I can see why people use a travel kettle and we might well make the change one day. The key benefits we can see for a travel kettle over a whistling kettle are:

Having hot water available for a hand wash, washing up or to be used as an ingredient in something you’re cooking is very handy.

Using up a whole gas ring to get that hot water isn’t always convenient and then you need a clear surface to move the hot kettle onto.

Electricity is easier to source and replenish than gas.

Best whistling kettles for campervans

We have this Kampa Billy Whistling Kettle. We love it because it is:

Small.
Lightweight.
1l capacity.
Takes 6-8 minutes to boil from cold on our campervan gas stove.

We are big fans of Kampa Dometic as a brand and highly rate the Kampa products we use. Brilliant design and innovation at an affordable price.

If the Kampa whistling kettle is a bit chunky for your campervan or motorhome kitchen cupboard, then this Outwell collapsible kettle is a fantastic alternative.

The Outwell collapsible kettle features:

Silicone and stainless steel body.
14.5 x 16.5cm in size.
Tiny pack size when collapsed – 4.5 x 16.5cm.
1.5L volume capacity.
Collapsible (obviously).
Can be used on any hob (except induction).
BPA free.
Dishwasher safe.

Outwell is another camping brand we love, again brilliant design and manufacture. It is a little more expensive than the Kampa Billy Whistling Kettle but does have the benefits of larger volume capacity and small pack size.

Best travel electric kettle

If speed is your game, we recommend the Kampa Squash Collapsible Electric Kettle. It’s a travel kettle and runs on a lean 1000W.

Features:

Silicon body (food grade, high temperature resistant).
17 x 13 x 17.5cm when in use.
17 x 13 x 13 when folded.
800ml capacity.
1000W.
3-4 minute boil time.

Tips:

Boil this kettle four or five times before you plan to make a cup of tea with it, to remove the silicon taste.
Rinse with cold water once finished with it before collapsing. Should be cool enough to pack away after five minutes.

Kitchen essential #3 – cooking utensils

I don’t know about you, but there is a fine line between saving space and not having the tools you need to make the job easy and efficiently.

I’d rather come well armed than be left floundering.

Our inventory could no doubt be slimmed down but we do use everything in this list:

This Sabatier knife set makes easy work of any food prep task. We personally make decent knives a must-have, it makes life so much easier.
It’s not safe to leave sharp knives un-sheathed in a drawer. We got these knife guards to protect us from nasty knife/drawer related accidents.
A good old fashioned three wooden spoon set.
Oxo Good Grips Silicone Utensil Set – Great to keep your pans looking their best.
Oxo Good Grips swivel peeler and can opener – we love the OXO Good Grips products, can’t get enough of them.
Heavy-duty kitchen scissors with a guard.
Joseph Joseph ‘Chop2Pot’ folding chopping board.
Corkscrew – vital!
Joseph Joseph space-saving grater – could they BE any cleverer?
Wine stoppers. Keep that wine fresh and safe from spilling.

Kitchen essential #4 – crockery

Best crockery to use in a campervan

There are a few types of material to consider in selecting crockery for campervan use.

These are:

Ceramic/Earthenware/Bone China.
Melamine – Plastic composite.
Corelle – Glass composite.
Enamel.
Bamboo.

We have chosen melamine to furnish our campervan with crockery. Our set has dinner and side plates, and small and large bowls so we have plenty to go round and not constantly washing up!

We selected melamine because it is:

Lightweight.
Durable and virtually unbreakable.
Easy to clean and dishwasher safe.

I should specify and say we don’t use melamine for our mugs. We stick with ceramic as tea always tastes better out of a proper ceramic or china mug.

This melamine dinner set mimics our kitchen dinner set and adds a touch of class to the campervan kitchen.

Corelle dinner wear

Corelle is made of vitrelle tempered glass. This is created by bonding three glass layers.

Corelle, like Melamine, is very suitable for campervans due to its durability.

The main benefits of Corelle are:

Won’t fade, stain, or chip.
Lightweight.
Slimline.
Microwave, oven and dishwasher safe.
BPA free.
Feels like bone china.

Corelle ticks all the boxes. You get the durability of plastic, without the BPA and without the breakage. Brilliant.

It’s a little more expensive than melamine but worth investing the extra cost given all the benefits.

We’re adding this funky set to our wish list.

Enamel crockery

I have to admit, enamel plates are not my first choice, they do feel very basic. That said, they are extremely durable, practical and affordable so should not be overlooked as an option.

These ones from Falcon are a good buy.

Ceramic/bone china crockery

Not the most practical choice as a crockery solution for a campervan but still an option.

Ceramic or bone china is heavy and very likely to chip or break completely. Unless you have your crockery firmly wedged, there is a chance it could fall out when opening the door if there has been movement during transit. For the feel of bone china, consider using Corelle instead.

Bamboo crockery

Bamboo is another lightweight durable option which has the added benefit of being sustainable and eco friendly too. Also BPA free, dishwasher safe and affordable, bamboo crockery is a definite consideration for a kitchen cupboard.

This set from Vango adds a nice splash of colour to the kitchen cupboards.

Kitchen essential #5 – cutlery set

There’s no magic in selecting a cutlery set. We like to have one that is suitably dissimilar to the set we keep in the house so it is easily identifiable.

We don’t go cheap on cutlery as we want our alfresco dining experience to be as enjoyable as possible. We’re not fans of easily bendable forks and sharp edged spoons.

We would recommend a 24 piece set at least (6x 4-piece) otherwise you’re constantly washing up.

We’ve also added a few extra teaspoons as they are constantly used for cups of tea!

Kitchen essential #6 – glassware

Much like drinking tea out of plastic, we’re really also not keen on drinking wine or any other drink out of plastic.

We keep a few short glass tumblers for cold drinks. We don’t bother keeping actual wine glasses in the van, they take up too much room and are liable to break.

Stubby Holders

This is the Aussie influence in us. We love a good stubby holder – keeps the beer cold and your hand warm. We keep a ready supply of stubby holders in our campervan.

Our glass tumblers also fit inside the stubby holder meaning we can have a hot toddy without our hands getting scalded.

Other handy bits to keep in your campervan kitchen

Cork or silicone mats. Have a stash. They are lightweight and easily transportable. If you’ve got hot pans needing to put down, have a couple within reach
Tea towels. Pack ideally four. It can be hard to get wet linens dry again and you are washing up probably three times a day.
Pot holders. A must-have to handle boiling pots and pans from the camping stove.
Non-slip matting – I can’t stress how much of this stuff we use around the campervan. It’s brilliant. Stops the contents of the cupboards moving and great for when the campervan is in motion too, means you can leave things out on the kitchen top and they won’t slide. We also layer it between plates/glassware to stop rattling and movement.

Even more kitchen essentials?

We’ve enjoyed digging through our campervan kitchen to find the equipment that we’ve found to be indispensable. We hope this list is useful for you too.

If you have any other gear that you consider to be essential in your campervan kitchen then do let us know – we’d love to hear from you.

Tags Campervans, Motorhomes, Planning

Camping

Campervan and Motorhome Insurance: Best Providers for 2020/21

Post author By Own The Outdoors
Post date 10th November 2020

Insurance for your campervan or motorhome is not as straightforward as car insurance. We compare the UK’s leading specialist leisure vehicle insurers, and what makes each of them different.

One of the key questions we had to consider when deciding whether we would invest in a campervan was how much it would cost to insure.

How much more expensive would it be to insure a campervan compared to our standard family car?

As it turned out, we were paying more for our standard family car insurance than we have ended up paying per year for our more valuable VW campervan.

Why is this? Our campervan was considerably more expensive to buy than our previous family car and it has loads of really cool kit built in to it. Wouldn’t that lend it to being more expensive to insure?

Apparently not. The reason seems to be that because a campervan or motorhome is used as a leisure vehicle it falls into a lower risk category.

I can’t speak for all campervan and motorhome owners, but our campervan is like another member of the family and we are extremely careful with it. These vehicles aren’t built for speed, but for practicality and comfort.

Not many boy racers are going to invest the tens of thousands it costs to buy one.

This is all good news for insurance companies, and van owners too.

Contents

Campervan insurance: best price or best cover?

Every campervan owner’s particular requirements for insurance is going to differ.

For us, it isn’t just about the best price. Price comes into it but really we are looking for the best overall cover.

How much risk a person is prepared to leave themselves open to is a purely personal choice. We are fairly risk averse and would rather be well covered rather than skimp on the details.

For the previous 12 months we have been insured with Comfort Insurance. We chose them as the cover seemed quite robust and it came in at a palatable £314.71. They were recommended by other campervan owners too which was reassuring.

Rats, squirrels, and other vermin

We did have a reason to claim on the insurance during this last 12 months which it turned out fell under an exclusion clause. That was a very unhappy and expensive discovery.

Our lovely VW California Ocean suffered damage to the wiring due to rats or squirrels having a good chew on some vital components. That damage cost us a lot unfortunately and it has left us mindful of policy exclusions so we don’t fall foul of coverage again.

Our vermin experience might never happen again, especially after we took extra measures to protect us, but it has left us with an appetite to shop around and find the best campervan insurance we can get in the UK.

We called the UK’s most popular campervan insurance providers to drill down and learn what their campervan insurance cover includes and what it will cost us to buy. Read on to see what we found out.

How much is campervan insurance?

The table below compares eight of the most popular campervan insurance providers in the UK.

We asked for quotes based on a 2018 VW California Ocean.

Insurance Company	Premium Cost	Accidental Damage Excess	Underwriter
Comfort Insurance	£297.09	£200	Aviva
LV	£320.55	£400	LV
Lifesure	£305.01	£300	AXA
Saga	£328.99	£300	Acromas
Adrian Flux	£386.81	£550	Markerstudy
AIB	£352.10	£200	Aviva
Caravan & Motorhome Club	£303.93	£250	AXA
NFU	£442.48	£250	NFU

The criteria we provided for these quotes was:

VW California Ocean 2018 (199cc diesel engine)
Vehicle value – £55,000
2 drivers, each with 20+ years driving experience
One low-value claim in the last 5 years (not related to this vehicle)
9+ years no claims bonus
Social, Domestic and Pleasure use only (no commuting or business use)
8,000 miles per year mileage
No tracker
Thatcham category 1 alarm
Includes no claims protection, where offered

These prices are specific to our quotation criteria but give you a guide of what you can expect to pay.

Campervan insurers in detail

So which insurer offers the best campervan insurance in the UK?

The answer will vary, depending on your own requirements.

Here we look in further detail at what each of the eight top campervan insurers offers in their campervan insurance policy wording.

Comfort Insurance

Excess: £200.

Internal accidental damage: Yes, as long as not caused by an electrical fault.

Personal belongings: £5,000 maximum. £400 per single item (no excess).

European travel: Nine months, max 180 days of consecutive travel.

Courtesy car: Seven days included as long as vehicle in for repairs. No replacement in the event of a total loss.

Death/Serious Injury: £15,000.

Third party property, injury or death: Maximum of £20,000,000.

Legal cover: Yes, up to £100,000 included.

Vermin exclusion: Yes.

LV Campervan Insurance

Excess: £400

Internal accidental damage: Yes, but only up to £1,000 to include personal belongings.

Personal belongings: Up to £1,000. Cutlery and clothing are included. Very restrictive on what they will cover. No camping equipment cover or effects that could be covered under home insurance.

European travel: 180 days.

Courtesy car: No, can add this feature for £19.90 or £29.90 extra depending on vehicle size.

Death/Serious Injury: £10,000.

Third party property, injury or death: Maximum of £20,000,000.

Legal cover: Not included. £100,000 of cover costs £25.99 extra.

Vermin exclusion: Yes.

Lifesure Campervan Insurance

Excess: £300.

Internal accidental damage: Yes.

Personal belongings: £3,500 maximum. £25 excess to claim for tents and awnings – no maximum value set. Single item claims £500 max aside from this.

European travel: 270 days per year.

Courtesy car: Yes, subject to availability.

Death/Serious Injury: £15,000 / £10,000.

Third party property, injury or death: Maximum of £20,000,000.

Legal cover: Not included. Can be added for £28.00 extra.

Vermin exclusion: Yes.

Note that Lifesure are an insurance broker and add a £27.50 brokers fee to the price.

Saga Motorhome Insurance

Excess: £300 accidental damage / £100 fire and theft.

Internal accidental damage: Yes.

Personal belongings: £1,500 maximum. £1,500 tents and awnings. Camping equipment £500 maximum, £100 per single item.

European travel: 12 months.

Courtesy car: Yes, if in for repair.

Death/Serious Injury: £5,000 or increase to £50,000 for £13 extra.

Third party property, injury or death: Maximum of £20,000,000.

Legal cover: Not included. £100,000 cover £27.99 extra.

Vermin exclusion: No.

Adrian Flux Campervan Insurance

Excess: £550. Excess reimbursement to £1,000 per annum for £52 extra.

Internal accidental damage: Yes.

Personal belongings: £2,000, with no single item maximum. £1,000 awning and gas bottle cover.

European travel: 180 days total.

Courtesy car: After an accident, but not theft or write-off.

Death/Serious Injury: £2,000 death/serious injury, or increase to £22,000 for £17 extra.

Third party property, injury or death: Maximum of £20,000,000.

Legal cover: Includes up to £100,000.

Vermin exclusion: Yes.

All vehicles over £45,000 value must have a tracker fitted.

AIB Campervan Insurance

Excess: £200.

Internal accidental damage: Yes, up to the value of the personal belongings cover.

Personal belongings: Up to a maximum of £5,000. £400-£500 per one item.

European travel: 270 days total but maximum 180 days consecutive.

Courtesy car: No, but can add on for £35 extra.

Death/Serious Injury: £5,000.

Third party property, injury or death: Maximum of £20,000,000.

Legal cover: Yes, cover for up to £100,000 included.

Vermin exclusion: Yes.

The premium quoted in the above table has been discounted by 12%, for membership to various camping clubs. These include the VW California Club, Wild Camping, Camping & Caravan Club, and Caravan and Motorhome Club.

Caravan and Motorhome Club Insurance

Excess: £250

Internal accidental damage: No.

Personal belongings: £5,000 contents cover, £1,500 awning and toilet tent (£25 excess) and £500 per single item after that.

European travel: 12 months.

Courtesy car: Yes.

Death/Serious Injury: £15,000 / £10,000

Third party property, injury or death: Maximum of £20,000,000.

Legal cover: Up to £10,000 included, or can extend this to £100,000 for £29.99 extra.

Vermin exclusion: Yes.

Membership of the Caravan and Motorhome Club carries a 5% extra discount (not applied in the example above).

The Caravan and Motorhome Club state that they will offer new customers a quote £25 cheaper than any renewal policy – excluding additional legal cover.

NFU Campervan Insurance

Excess: £250 damage / £150 theft.

Internal accidental damage: Covered up to a maximum of the personal belongings cover.

Personal belongings: £250 included, can extend this to £1,000 for an extra £10.

European travel: Unlimited.

Courtesy car: Yes.

Death/Serious Injury: £15,000 / £5,000.

Third party property, injury or death: Maximum of £20,000,000.

Legal cover: Up to £100,000 included.

Vermin exclusion: Yes.

NFU offers Mutual Assist RAC Cover as standard with this policy. This can be upgraded to a higher level of cover for an additional fee should it be needed.

The included Mutual Assist cover gives you roadside assistance a quarter of a mile or more from your home, one hour of roadside assistance and recovery to a garage within 20 miles if the campervan is not repairable.

Exclusions – when campervan insurance might leave you out of pocket

With any insurance policy it is always prudent to read the small print. Looking at the price and your excess payment is not enough.

Be aware of what the maximum cover is for personal belongings and injury and when you are not covered, even though you thought you might be.

Typical campervan insurance exclusions

You are responsible for the first part of the claim (the excess).
Loss or damage of your motorhome if it has been left unattended with the keys in the ignition.
Loss or damage resulting from any window, roof opening or removable roof panel being left open or unlocked.
Any loss or damage to your motorhome if it is being used for a purpose not described on your Certificate of Motor Insurance.
Loss or damage arising from your motorhome being driven by someone other than the named driver(s) on the Certificate of Motor Insurance.
Damage arising from wear and tear.
Any consequence as a result of war or terrorism – except where cover must be provided under the Road Traffic Act.
Loss of vehicle value following a repair
Loss or damage to the motorhome caused by an Earthquake, riot or civil commotion outside of Great Britain, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands.
Damage due to radioactive contamination, pollution, or contamination.
Loss or damage deliberately caused to your car by anyone insured under your policy.
Loss or damage to the motorhome caused by insects, pets, or vermin. Vermin and insects are defined as rats, mice, squirrels, owls, pigeons, foxes, bees, wasps, and hornets.

Related article: Campervan Security – The Ultimate Guide

Extra charges made by campervan insurance providers

Be aware that some insurers charge for amendments. For example you could expect to pay:

Policy cancellation – £40 (although there is usually a 14 day cooling-off period from date of purchase).
Change vehicle or driver – £15.
Incorrect information amendment – £15.

Car insurance legal cover, is it worth it?

Typically the extra legal cover will set you back between £25-30 on top of your annual policy cost. Is this extra cost worth paying for?

What is car insurance legal cover?

In a nutshell, car insurance legal cover will pay for legal expenses you may incur in the event of an accident that wasn’t your fault.

This cover pays out for legal costs involved in for claiming compensation for losses you have suffered that aren’t covered by your insurance. These are referred to as uninsured losses.

Uninsured losses can include personal injury (to yourself or passengers), damage to your vehicle or possessions if you don’t have a comprehensive insurance policy, loss of earnings, and any insurance excess you’ve had to pay out.

It is important to understand that legal cover only covers solicitors fees and costs, typically up to £100,000, not the compensation payments for the losses.

Just as a side note, some insurers will only allow a claim to be made under their motor legal protection policy if there is a 50% chance or better likelihood of success of the recovery of those losses, so once again do read the small print and be aware of what you’re actually entitled to.

A nice perk is many of the legal cover policies offer access to a helpline which you can call for any legal issue, not necessarily motor-related. Check with your insurer if this is included.

Alternative protection from uninsured losses

What if you decide to pocket the £25-£30 extra fee for legal cover? Are you completely without protection?

This needs consideration, especially as it has been estimated that there are over on e million uninsured drivers on our roads in the UK.

The good news is that in the UK there exists an organisation called the MIB. They are a non-profit organisation set up by motor insurers to protect motorists in the UK from financial losses resulting from an accident with an uninsured or untraced driver.

The Road Traffic Act 1988 requires that every insurer that underwrites compulsory motor Insurance must be a member of the MIB and must contribute to their funding. Every car insurance premium, therefore, contains a contribution to MIB.

Claiming under MIB

If you are hit by an uninsured driver, or an untraced driver you can claim through the MIB. There is no guarantee that they will refund your losses but they have a claims process any victim is entitled to apply to.

Without legal cover, however, you’ll be doing the MIB paperwork and follow-ups yourself unless you pay for a solicitor yourself.

The process they follow is:

establishing the facts
confirming the identity of those involved
obtaining independent reports from motor engineers or witnesses
obtaining a police report
contacting other bodies such as the DVLA, your insurer or a foreign bureau.

If there is a claim for personal injury they will need to see any copies of medical records from your GP and any hospital you attended after the accident or any other independent medical report.

They undertake to resolve claims within a three month time period.

If you would like to have more certainty about your protection, it’s best to fork out the £25-30 and take out the legal cover that campervan insurers offer. Belts and braces.

Campervan and motorhome insurance FAQ

What are the different types of campervan insurance?

Campervan or motorhome insurance is similar in nature to car insurance but you do legally need specific campervan or motorhome insurance to cover your motorhome.

There are three types of cover you can buy – fully comprehensive, third-party fire and theft, and third-party only.

Fully comprehensive

A fully comprehensive policy covers you against accidental damage. These policies always cover for external damage and depending on the policy, internal damage. Also included is damage from fire (though not always from using your cooker), theft, and malicious damage (vandalism). It also covers you for damage or injury you cause to a third party.

Third-party fire and theft

With this type of policy, you lose the accidental damage cover and the malicious damage cover. You are still covered for fire and theft of your own vehicle and damage or injury to another person.

Third-party only

A third-party only insurance policy offers cover for damage or injury to a third party only. Not all insurers will offer this lesser level of insurance.

Given that motorhomes are usually high-value vehicles it makes the most sense to stick with fully comprehensive insurance. Repairs are often expensive and there is always a risk of accidents.

Will campervan insurance cover all models of campervan?

Yes, most insurers will cover all types of campervan. Factory-built camper vans tend to come in cheaper than conversions.

There has also been an increase in the theft of Ford campervans meaning some insurers will not offer insurance for those makes or may charge a higher premium.

Campervan insurance – are your belongings covered?

The main differences between car and campervan or motorhome insurance is all the gear you have on board. Some of it removable, some of it fixed.

As this is motorhome and camping equipment and awnings are usually packed in the van for a trip you would want to find cover that will protect you for the loss or damage of all that kit.

Check your home contents insurance: portable items such as mobile phones, iPads, documents, jewellery and wallets are often included in that policy.

For this reason, campervan insurance will often not cover these items and will instead focus on the personal belongings which make this a campervan or motorhome.

Some insurers do not include tools and equipment and you may find that camping equipment falls under this category, so you have no cover for your kit at all.

It is definitely worth asking all the questions and understanding what exactly is covered.

Is your campervan insured inside and out?

It’s a yes and no answer to this question.

If you have fully comprehensive insurance, which you most likely will, then external damage to your vehicle or a third party is always covered.

What is murkier though is whether internal damage is also covered. This comes down to the individual insurance policy and what they offer. We have explored the pros and cons cover of each of the eight insurers contacted by us in more detail above.

Internal damage, even if covered, often has exclusions or limitations. Always check the policy details carefully.

Can you travel to Europe on your campervan insurance?

Nearly all insurers extend their cover to Europe for several months of the year and in some cases, the whole 12 months of the policy period.

There is often a maximum consecutive number of days requirement, for example 180 days.

How do campervan insurers decide how much to pay out for a total loss?

The loss adjusters appointed by the campervan insurers will refer to the Glass’s Guide – which is a real-time guide of vehicle values used throughout the motor industry.

If your policy is for a new motorhome or campervan, many insurers will offer a new motorhome replacement clause to their policy for the first 24 months from the vehicle’s registration date.

This means you receive a brand new motorhome in the event of a total loss.

Conclusion – which campervan insurance will we buy?

I started this article feeling a bit anti-Comfort Insurance based on our rat/squirrel damage and Comfort’s vermin exclusion clause.

Having spoken to so many other insurers, however, I’ve come round to favouring them again. As I said at the start, our decision is not based on price alone – the overall cover has got to be good.

Comfort Insurance and AIB are both underwritten by Aviva yet the cover offered differs slightly and there is a big difference in the price of each policy.

Both Lifesure and the Caravan and Motorhome Club insurance are underwritten by AXA but their cover differs slightly with Lifesure offering internal damage cover but no legal cover and the CAMC offering the opposite. Both are similarly priced but Lifesure has an additional broker’s fee to pay.

In an ideal scenario, we would like:

Low policy premium price
Excess £300 or lower
Internal and external damage included
European travel included
Vermin/Pet/Insect damage included
Legal cover included

This is asking a lot, I appreciate. If you look through the details of what the various insurers offer though you can see Comfort Insurance ticks the boxes on five out of six of these points.

We can concede the 6th point as we have taken measures to prevent us from being attacked again.

Coming in second would be Saga. They do have a requirement that one of the named drivers has to be over 50, but we meet that criteria.

They also offer five out of the six ideal scenario points, they don’t include legal cover which is what has swung it for us. Adding the extra amount the Saga policy costs on top of the extra legal cover, in total we are looking at an additional £59.89 over going with Comfort Insurance.

Conclusion – It’ll be a renewal with Comfort Insurance for us!

Related article: Excess Insurance for Campervan Hire

Tags Campervans, Insurance, Money, Motorhomes

Camping

Where to Hire a VW California Campervan in the UK

Post author By Own The Outdoors
Post date 9th November 2020

Thinking about hiring a VW California for the ultimate staycation holiday? Our VW California hire directory is what you need.

Whether you’re considering buying one of these brilliant campervans or just want to enjoy a camping holiday in comfort and style, you’re in the right place.

We’ve put together this handy directory of VW California rental companies by UK region, and listed which vehicle models they hire. We hope you find it useful.

Contents

VW California Hire – Scotland

Hire Company	Locations	Postcode Area	California Models
California Scotland	Leadburn nr Edinburgh	EH46	VW California Ocean
Cheeky CooCampervans	Hamilton	ML3	VW California Ocean
Clarkies Campers	Edinburgh, Aberdeen	EH25 9SL AB21 7GQ	VW California Ocean
Cool Campervan Hire Scotland	Cumbernauld (other collection options)	G67 2XX	VW California Ocean
Easi Campervan Hire	Edinburgh	EH28 8PJ	VW California Ocean
Four Seasons Campers	Loch Lomond	G83 9LX	VW California Ocean, VW California Coast
Kombi Campers	Paisley	PA3 1QT	VW California Ocean
Mountain Campers	Inverness	IV2 6YP	VW California Ocean
Stoney Campers	Aberdeen	AB39	VW California Ocean
VW Camperhire Scotland	Edinburgh		VW California Ocean

VW California Hire – Yorkshire and North-West UK

Hire Company	Locations	Postcode Area	California Models
Easi Campervan Hire	Manchester, Liverpool, Wigan, Preston, Blackburn		VW California Ocean
EV Motorhome Hire	Penrith		VW California Ocean
Hiders Seekers	Doncaster		VW California Ocean
Leighton Camper Hire	Rotherham nr Sheffield	S60 1BX	VW California Ocean
Liberty Campers	Ilkley nr Leeds/Bradford		VW California Coast

VW California Hire – East and West Midlands, UK

Hire Company	Locations	Postcode Areas	California Models
Easi Campervan Hire	Wolverhampton, Birmingham		VW California Ocean
Fernwhe Campervan Hire	Woodhouse Eaves, Loughborough	LE12	VW California Ocean
My California	Leicester, Kettering	LE1 3EA NN15 6XY	VW California SE, VW California Beach
VanGlorious	Redmile, Leicestershire	NG13	VW California Ocean

VW California Hire – South East UK

Hire Company	Locations	Postcode Area	California Models
Aktive Kampers	Wilmington	BN26	VW California Ocean
BMVS	Bognor Regis, Chichester	PO22 9RT, PO19 7TF	VW California Ocean
Campervantastic	Forest Hill, London	SE23 1BX	VW California Ocean, VW California Beach, VW Grand California
Explore Campervans	Tingewick, Buckingham	MK18 4BD	VW California Ocean
Kamperhire	Bishops Waltham (other collection options)	SO32 1FB	VW California Ocean, VW California Coast
LandCruise	Chichester	PO20 2BX	VW California Ocean
Loko Campers	Guildford	GU2 7RZ	VW California Ocean, VW California Beach
Ocean Mist Campers	Liss	GU33 6HA	VW California Ocean
Southampton Campers	Southampton	SO16 8LS	VW California Ocean, VW Grand California
Turtle Vans	Milton Keynes	MK1 1DB	VW California Ocean
VW California 4 Hire	Brighton, Bexley Heath		VW California Ocean

VW California Hire – South West UK & Wales

Hire Company	Locations	Postcode Area	California Models
Bathwick Car and Van Hire	Chippenham	SN14 0AB	VW California Ocean
California Camper	Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol	BS9 3JT	VW California Ocean
Chief Motorhome Hire	Paignton	TQ4 5EF	VW California Ocean
Call Campervan Hire	Ringwood	BH24 3SB	VW California Ocean
Crawford Motorhome Hire	Maidenhead	SL6 3TE	VW California Ocean
Go Mushroom	Ardudwy, Gwynedd	LL44 2EA	VW California Ocean
Heritage Automotive	Salisbury	SP2 7QD	VW California Ocean
North Devon Camper Hire	East Budleigh	EX9 7DT	VW California Ocean
O’Connors Campers	Okehampton	EX20 1SP	VW California Ocean
Sunkissed Campervan Hire	Bristol	BS31 2ED	VW California Ocean
VW Kamperhire	Sidmouth	EX10 0NJ	VW California Ocean

Why hire a VW California?

The VW California campervan is Volkswagen’s answer to a factory-built motorhome.

Actually, VW have made the California (affectionately known as the Cali) in various forms for over 30 years.

VW California models – comparison

The VW California is produced in four models to suit needs and budget. This table outlines their key differences:

Model	Berths	Seats	Built in Kitchen	Toilet & Shower
Ocean	4	4	Y	N
Beach	4	4 or 5	N*	N
Coast	4	4	Y	N
Grand California **	2	4	Y	Y

* The 4-seater California Beach T6.1 model has a pop-out kitchen.

** The Grand California 600 has two adult-sized berths and above cab sleeping for two small children. The rear seats for two extra people are narrow but suitable for children.

VW California benefits

Hiring a genuine VW California will give you luxury and attention to detail you won’t find in a campervan conversion.

The key benefits are:

Not too big, not too small. The VW California is similar in size to a standard large family car. No restrictions when parking. Big enough to carry gear for four people for a trip away.
Innovative design. The VW California delivers the very best ways to maximise space, comfort and practicality.
Highest safety standards.
A campervan that drives like a car. You’ll notice little difference between the handling of a VW California and a standard car. It’s effortless to drive.
Latest Bluemotion technology for great fuel economy.
Leisure batteries to keep you powered for several days off electric hook up.
240V sockets for electric hook up.
On-board heating, so the VW California can be used year-round.
Cleverly built-in outdoor table and chairs.

VW California Ocean v Coast v Beach

VW California Ocean kitchen hob and sink

Aside from the berths and seatbelted positions, what are the main differences between the VW California Ocean, Coast and Beach?

As you might imagine, they are the Gold, Silver, and Bronze offering of the Volkswagen California campervan fleet. Actually, make that Platinum, Gold, and Silver – they are all great vehicles.

The VW California Ocean has the most to offer, followed by the Coast and then the Beach.

Outside of seats, storage and kitchen detailed above, these are the main differences:

California Model	Elevating Roof Mechanism	Wheel Size	Engine Size	Discover Media Package
Ocean	Electronic	17”	150 or 204bhp	Included
Coast	Manual	16”	150bhp	Extra
Beach	Manual	17”	148bhp	Extra

The VW California Ocean and the Coast have the same kitchen and wardrobe storage options. The Beach has no kitchen or rear storage options, although the T6.1 Beach four-seat option does have a pop-out kitchen in the living area.

It should be noted that the VW California Beach has a fixed built-in shelf in the tailgate of the campervan, which comprises part of the rock n roll bed. This can be removed in the other VW California models to have a large boot space. This makes the rear boot space of the Beach slightly more restrictive.

This same shelf in the VW California Coast can tilt upwards to provide you with a reclined seated position. Great if you want to sit up in bed and have a coffee with your legs extended. The VW California Ocean and Beach do not have this feature.

The VW California Beach has the widest bed of the range – 150cm wide by 200cm long. It is the same size as a UK King bed (although the VW Grand California 680 model has an even wider 167cm lower bed).

Campervan hire companies who supply a VW California Beach model without the pop-out kitchen, may well offer a portable kitchen unit as part of the hire, to be used outside of the van.

VW Grand California

The VW Grand California is the true motorhome of the fleet. That is to say, it has all the facilities on board for you to be self-sufficient.

The VW Grand California 600 model officially berths four but is limited. The over-cab bed is short and can’t take a lot of weight so is only suitable for small children.

The same is true of the rear two seatbelted seats. They are narrow and would be uncomfortable on a long journey for two adults.

Like the Ocean and the Coast, the Grand California has a built-in kitchen, comprising two gas rings, a fridge and a sink. It is the only vehicle in the VW California fleet to have a wet room on board with a shower and toilet inside.

As can be seen in our VW California hire directory, there are only two hiring companies that currently offer Grand California hire, both in the South East UK region.

Try before you buy

If you are thinking about purchasing a VW California, it is a great idea to try before you buy.

Spending a few nights in a campervan might help you decide exactly what model you need, potentially saving you thousands of pounds or regrets in the long run. Or it may convince you that a VW California is the way to go, as it did for us.

Other VW California rental firms?

We’ve tried to be as comprehensive as possible but may have overlooked some companies that rent out VW California campervans.

If you know any other VW California hirers we should showcase in our directory, please do contact us with the details.

Tags Campervans, Hire

Camping

VW California Ocean: Why This Campervan is Truly Awesome

Post author By Own The Outdoors
Post date 6th November 2020

The popular California campervan has been produced by Volkswagen for over 30 years. Its ultimate form is the VW California Ocean with inbuilt fridge, gas stove, and generous storage. Is it right for you?

We didn’t decide to become campervan owners lightly. It took years and numerous hired campervans to cement our choice – a VW California Ocean.

It’s an expensive purchase, probably second to buying your home, so needs to be looked at from all angles.

We found we had all sorts of questions before we purchased our campervan. So if you’re in that decision-making moment now, read on to learn more in detail about the VW California Ocean campervan.

Contents

How much is a VW California Ocean?

The price of a VW California Ocean depends on whether you want to buy new or used.

Buying a new California means that you can make it exactly yours. You can select the engine size, transmission, colour, wheels and tyres, entertainment system, and so on.

The down side is you will (usually) have to wait for the vehicle to be made at VW’s factory in Germany, and you will pay full price on a not-inexpensive vehicle.

Selecting a used California may be the way to go if you want to pay less than new price. You may not quite get the combination of optional extras you would ideally like, but you’ll get it immediately.

The demand for Californias has been very high over the last few years, so as a buyer it is worth seriously considering both routes to ownership.

Buying a new VW California Ocean

The cost of a new California depends on the base model specifications and any optional extras. There will also be on-road costs such as delivery and registration.

Although the VW California is a passenger car, it is built on a VW commercial van body. Because of this you need to visit a commercial van dealer to order one. Many VW dealers are both regular car and commercial van dealers, but check before you go van shopping.

California Ocean T6.1 base prices

At time of writing, these are the base guide prices you can expect to pay for a new VW California Ocean T6.1

150PS 2.0TDI 7-speed DSG Diesel – £62,724
199pS 2.0TDI 7-speed DSG Diesel – £65,550
199PS 2.0TDI 4MOTION 7-speed DSG Diesel £68,796

On-road costs

In addition to the base price you can expect to pay the following on-road costs:

Delivery to Van Centre £620
Number plates £20
VAT £128
First registration fee £55
Vehicle excise duty (VED) 1st year £270

Total on-the-road price is therefore in the neighbourhood of £1,093.

Optional extras for the VW California Ocean

Not to be forgotten are the optional extras. Here is a selection of the main options available for a new VW T6.1 California Ocean.

Optional Extra	Description	Guide Price*
Paint	Candy White	£300
Paint – metallics	Indium Grey, Mojave Beige, Reflex Silver, Starlight Blue, Fortana Red,Copper Bronze, Bay Leaf Green and Pearl Effect Deep Black.	£762
Paint – Two Tone	Candy White/Ascot Grey, Candy White/Copper Bronze metallic, Candy White/Bay Leaf Green metallic.	£2880
Kitchen Trim	Kitchen cupboard in Graphite Grey slate-effect with outdoor shower connection.	£348
Bellows Canvas Sides Glacier Blue	Available with Candy White/Copper Bronze metallic, Candy White/Ascot Grey, Reflex Silver,Indium Grey, Starlight Blue, Mojave Beige, Copper Bronze, Ascot Grey, Candy and Deep Black.	£312
Bellows Canvas Sides Strawberry Red	Available with Candy White/Ascot Grey, Reflex Silver, Indium Grey, Fortana Red,Candy White, Ascot Grey, Cherry Red and Deep Black.	£312
Wheels	18″ ‘Teresina’ Black, diamond-turned surface alloy wheels. 8J x 18.	£936
	18″ ‘Palmerston’ Black, diamond-turned surface alloy wheels. 8J x 18.	£1254
Tyres	All-weather tyres	£162
	Alloy spare wheel with original equipment tyre.	£276
Audio and Communications	Discover Pro navigation system including ‘Streaming & Internet’. Only in combination with We Connect Plus, 3 years Z23 at no additional cost.	£678
Safe	Lockable storage compartment. Located in the wardrobe.	£132
Comfort Mattress	Comfort sleeping mat, for the “downstairs” bed in the living area.	£318
Additional Storage	Storage compartment package. Includes net pocket in roof and additional drawer in two-seater rear bench seat.	£210
Flooring	Wood effect floor covering.	£498
Driver Assistance	High Beam Assist.	£162
Trailer Assist	Including Park Assist, front and rear parking sensors, rear-view camera and Side protection. Only in combination with 1D2 tow bar; removable/lockable (including trailer stabilisation) or tow bar preparation 1D7 (including trailer stabilisation) at an additional cost.	£576
Traffic Sign Recognition	Only in combination with Discover Media navigation system ZIE or Discover Pro navigation system ZI8 at an additional cost.	£282
Hill Descent Control	4MOTION base vehicles only.	£120
Active Lane Assist with Side Assist	Includes Rear Traffic Alert.	£474
Magnetic flashlight	Plugs into 12V cigarette lighter socket.	£84
Chrome package	Includes additional chrome strips on the lower air intake, sides and rear tailgate.	£462
Sports package	Includes 18″ ‘Springfield’ Black, diamond-turned surface alloy wheels, LED rear tail lights, front and rear underbody guard, privacy glass and front fog lights with cornering function.	£2640
Style package	Includes 17″ Devonport alloy wheels, Silver, darkened rear LED tail lights, stainless steel front and rearunderbody guard with contrast finish on the front and rear bumper in ‘Black Frost’ metallic paint.	£960
Driver Assistance package plus	Includes Discover Media navigation system including ‘Streaming & Internet’, Traffic Sign Recognition, Active Lane Assist with Side Assist and High Beam Assist.	£780
Fuel	Fuel tank with a volume of 80 litres.	£78
Towbar	Removable and lockable. Includes trailer stabilisation.	£768
	Towbar preparation. Includes trailer stabilisation.	£264
Mechanical rear differential lock	4MOTION base vehicles only.	£750
Electric Sliding Door	On the right in the passenger compartment.	£378
Mudflaps	Front and rear.	£162
Awning Rail Housing and Rail	In silver colour.	£228
Driving profile selection	‘Drive Select’ and Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) with dynamic chassis.	£1458
First aid kit	With warning triangle and safety vest.	£60
Tyre pressure monitoring system	Showing individual tyre pressures.	£174
Four remote control folding keys	Base vehicles comes with just two keys.	£120
Windows	Heated front windscreen.	£498
Stronger AGM battery	Includes increased alternator capacity.	£258

* All prices inclusive of VAT

Note that these guide prices are correct at the time of publishing. These RRPs are subject to change so check with an authorised van centre for up-to-date pricing.

Experience the joys of a VW California by hiring one first:
Where to Hire a VW California Campervan in the UK

Buying a used VW California Ocean

This is the route we took. There is no right answer as to whether buying new or used it better, it comes down to individual preference and budget.

If you buy new, you can spec the campervan exactly as you want it and you have the added benefit of being the first owner of the vehicle, so there is no wear and tear.

You will often pay a premium for buying a new car with a percentage given up to depreciation as soon as you leave the car dealer’s forecourt.

The VW California Ocean is renowned for retaining its value, so this is less of an issue with buying a new California Ocean than with typical car models.

Used VW California Oceans can be purchased privately or through a dealer. We found our ideal vehicle on the Volkswagen used vans website, and bought it from a VW dealer about 90 minutes from where we live.

We were happy to buy used but we had exact specifications of what vehicle we would like.

Our specifications in a used VW California Ocean

We had a list of ideal options when we were buying a California.

12 months old or less
Less than 10,000 miles on the clock
204bhp diesel engine
Discover Pro navigation system
Ideally the Comfort Mattress

We did compromise on the mileage and our chosen van didn’t have the Discover Pro system but managed to tick the rest of the boxes. As we were buying through a van centre, they offered a decent part exchange rate on our existing car.

We paid about £8,000 less than buying a new VW California Ocean, before the part exchange.

As we have children, nothing stays pristine for long, so we were happy to buy used and pocket the difference. Well, pocket some of it and spend a fair bit on van gear.

Used California Ocean websites

Should you wish to buy a used VW California Ocean privately there are many websites with used VW California Oceans for sale. Here are a few places to try.

Website	URL
VW Approved Used Vans	https://used.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/en/vw/california
Autotrader	https://www.autotrader.co.uk/vans/used-vans/volkswagen/california#
The AA	https://www.theaa.com/used-vans/used-volkswagen-california
VW California Club	https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/classifieds/
TheVWCalifornia.com	https://thevwcalifornia.com/classifieds/

How many seats are there in a VW California Ocean?

There are four seatbelted positions in the VW California Ocean. This was one of the major stumbling points for us in deciding to buy the campervan.

We have always had cars which will carry five seatbelted passengers and had to think hard whether having only four seatbelted positions would be problematic.

On balance, it has rarely been an issue. We have a second car so if the occasion arises that we need to carry more passengers then we take a second vehicle. It happens so infrequently that it’s not a major bugbear.

Volkswagen manufactures a removable fifth seat to get around this problem.

VW California fifth seat

The main living area of the VW California Ocean has rails installed to allow the rear bench seat to move backwards and forwards to allow more boot space/more living space or to put the bed down.

The fifth seat is cleverly designed to attach to the rear rails for easy installation and removal.

In practice though, the campervan is not geared up for five berths. Your passenger would need alternative sleeping accommodation. Not an issue if the van is being used for transportation purposes only.

Another practical consideration with the VW California Ocean fifth seat is legroom. The rear bench seats will need to be slid back quite a bit to allow space for everyone’s legs.

This impacts how much boot space you have available. Again, not a problem if there is minimal equipment being transported but something to consider.

Lastly, the seat is quite large and unwieldy. When not installed in the California Ocean, it will need to live somewhere clean and dry at home. Ask yourself if you really need one as it could be just another bit of (heavy) kit cluttering up your garage.

What are the dimensions of T6/T6.1 California Ocean?

You think “campervan” and you think “big vehicle”. Actually, the size of the VW California Ocean doesn’t differ much to other luxury family cars on the market. In fact, it’s less wide and not as long than the models featured below:

Car	Length cm	Width cm	Height cm
VW California Ocean	4904	1904	1990
Audi Q7	5052	1968	1740
Volvo XC90	4953	2008	1776
Landrover Discovery	4956	2000	1888

It makes the VW California a viable option for tight driveways, narrow lanes and less than generous parking spaces.

Another bonus with parking the VW California is the side sliding door. If you find yourself parked up in a tight spot, you can always exit out of the sliding door rather than having to open the front doors which require more space to swing outwards.

Interior dimensions of a VW California Ocean

VW states that the living space in the VW California Ocean is 4 square metres.

We have always found the space to feel airy and generous, especially if you can put the roof up and push the rear seats back.

For day-to-day use, this spacious living area is very comfortable and useful. If time is spent in the Cali – for example in our case with school pickups – having usable living space is a huge bonus.

Layout of the VW California Ocean

The VW California Ocean has a familiar campervan layout, which has been tweaked and perfected over 30 years.

Kitchen/living area

The VW California Ocean kitchen has a two-ring gas stove, sink with cold tap, and top-loading fridge. These features sit below a hinged glass worktop with two sliding-door storage cupboards below and next to a wardrobe cupboard.

As this is a European-made vehicle the whole camping unit is on the UK passenger (left) side, as the side sliding door is located on the UK drivers’ (right) side.

The driver and passenger seats can be turned around, and together with the clever slide-out table, create a cosy and surprisingly spacious living area with plenty of room for four people.

Storage

The VW California Ocean has plenty of storage. As well as the kitchen cupboards and wardrobe cupboard, there is a large storage drawer under the rear seat, an overhead locker above the passenger seat, and a useful cupboard with shelves in the boot area.

Pop-top roof bed

The Cali Ocean has an electrically-operated pop-top which gives additional headroom for the living space, and at night turns into a comfortable “upstairs” bed.

The upstairs bed has a mattress on top of a sprung base and is quite comfortable. There is LED lighting provided and a 12V socket for charging appliances.

Downstairs bed

The downstairs bed is created by sliding the rear seat forwards and pushing the seat backrest flat using a release catch. A sleeping mat, or comfort mattress, then unfolds from the boot area creating a 2-metre long narrow double bed.

With the motorhomes we’ve hired in the past, one of the things we have loved the most is turning the entire back end of the vehicle into a giant bed and being surrounded by windows.

You get this benefit with the VW California Beach. We considered buying a Beach rather than the Ocean because of the sleeping area sizes but the Ocean won out in the end.

For us, one downside of buying the VW California Ocean was the downstairs bed width.

What are the bed sizes in the VW California Ocean?

The bed sizes in the VW California Ocean T6 and T6.1 models are as follows:

VW California Bed	Width cm	Length cm
Downstairs bed	115	200
Pop-top roof bed	120	200

Compare this to standard domestic bed sizes:

Bed Type (UK)	Width cm	Length cm
Single	90	200
Double	135	200
King	150	200

Considering two people sleep on each bed, they are quite tight for width space, especially the downstairs bed.

Depending who sleeps where on a particular night, it is possible for the two people sleeping downstairs to top-and-tail to get more head and breathing space.

It should be noted that VW suggests 300kgs as the maximum load for the pop-top roof bed.

What size is the VW California fridge?

The fridge built into the VW California Ocean is a 42-litre compressor top-loading fridge.

We have found a chest fridge is far better than a front-loading fridge. Items can move about when you’re driving and can fall out when you open the fridge door on a traditional camper fridge with a side door.

A chest fridge can be packed more efficiently than a front-loader, giving more usable space as you can load it right to the top.

To make the most of the space, we bring multiples of one-pint milks rather than have one large four-pint container as this offers more flexibility with the space available.

Fresh water tank

The VW California has a 25-litre capacity fresh water tank for drinking and washing.

It feeds the tap in the kitchen sink, and also the rear shower if you have this optional extra fitted.

The fresh water tank can be filled via the external water filling point. This has a key-locked cap. It is emptied for cleaning and/or refilling by turning a lever in the boot area cupboard.

Waste water tank

The VW California has approximately a 30-litre capacity waste water tank. This can be emptied by rotating the lever in the kitchen cupboard below the gas stove.

If the waste tank is quite full, it may take a few minutes to empty. This “grey water” is best emptied on grass or somewhere it can soak or drain away easily.

Does the VW California have a toilet or a shower?

No, the VW California Ocean does not have a toilet built in.

Unlike motorhomes, campervans generally do not have toilets built-in. The exception in the Volkswagen fleet is the Grand California, which is their answer to a coach built motorhome. This has a full wet room installed.

As a family of four with young children, we find it wholly necessary to have a toilet on board. We own two portable toilets, which we have to suit longer or shorter trips away.

VW California shower option

The optional extra shower is cold water only and is fed from the on-board 25-litre capacity fresh water tank.

The pump and motor to power the shower are installed just inside the boot of the VW California Ocean on the left-hand side, below the storage cupboard.

Although it’s cold water only, it is a handy option to clean the sand off if you’ve been on the beach, rinse off your bike, or de-mud the dog.

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