UKC

Dear UKC Massif

I'd like to know people's thoughts and opinions on this

I currently work as a physiotherapist in Kent, and all my Uni friends and climbing partners still live up north
I'd love to go out climbing more at the weekends to see them, but don't want to shell out for somewhere to stay

So I looked at getting a small van to sleep in the back of, Berlingo-esque vehicles.
However, I'm now not sure it's what I want, as I want a vehicle to use every day driving to and from work etc, but also long distance for peak/Font trips away
However all the vans in my price range (~£2000) are 100,000+ mileage and worn in, so I started to wonder whether I should look for a car that I could just sleep in the back of that had fold-flat seats etc, yet still relatively fun to drive (I currently have an old banger of a 1995 suzuki swift, but it's ace fun to drive!)

Any thoughts on an alternative vehicle or whether I should continue on my quest to find a small van?

Thanks

In reply to gingerwolf:
i can comment on sleeping in a car - it gets very moist inside, so you end up opening the windows which can then let the rain in, difficult situation.
Ive slept in my astra estate a few times but probably wont bother again as it was dripping in the mornings, a tent is much easier to dry out and doesnt get as steamy.

In reply to gingerwolf:

I have slept in a car and got on fine, but I am tiny so could sleep in a shoe box!! I had a van for several years, and loved it. My husband is tall, so a berlingo would have been a bit of a squeeze, so we had a scudo. It was big enough for us and kit, but we didn't kit it out as a camper as we regularly uses it to transport bikes etc. We just put roll mats on the floor and used sleeping bags. Personally, I'd go with the van, its just so convenient.

In reply to girlymonkey:

sleeping in cars or vans, don't forget the courtesy call from the local police usually about 3 am to see what your upto.

I have a peugeot partner (same as belingo) and you don't have to be going as fast to have fun if you know what I mean!

In reply to gingerwolf:

Bivi bag, or small tent, mat and bag. Much,much,much more comfortable than sleeping in a car. Any car

In reply to gingerwolf:

Being a T4 owner and constantly using it for dossing down when climbing, I'd say don't go for a car. Van is much less hassle, you're less likely to get knocked up by the police and there's less windows to have to block up. Also, in general there's more space in the back (even if essentially the same chassis as a car model) due to lack of upholstery/folded seats, which means more gear space, and also less worrying about stuff chucked in the back in the back causing damage.

Having said this be mindful of the following if buying a van:
-your speed limits are lower on many roads
-many toll bridge and ferry costs will be higher
-fuel consumption is generally less (but not always)
-obviously you don't have the flexibility of rear seats
-if you're anything like me, you'll wait ages to get some decent crates in the back and spend years cursing as your shopping either flies around the front or back of the van due to less handy compartmentalised space

For these reasons, it may be worth going for a small people carrier or similar, but you'll possibly end up removing seats and having to fashion curtains (look for a van that looks right and there's probably a car version).

As for driving fun, if you go big, you get the different sensation of grandeur/power, or just get a VW caddy and map it up to 150+ bhp

I have a T4 Syncro, it's 4WD, does 35 mpg, and has a very basic raised floor/bed arrangement which is removed in minutes, but allows me to keep a mattress etc. set up on top and all the gear I'd ever need underneath (avoiding the nightly shuffle of stuff backwards and forward from eh front to the back to make space). I've spent many-a-night pulled up either at a crag, or on a random back-road to/from climbing trips. It beats a tent every time.

In reply to gingerwolf:

I'd buy a car. Unless you want to actually convert the van and regularly go camping in it you'll get less for your money, go slower, pay more in fuel and fares/tolls and they're not as nice/fun to drive as a car. Most of the time it'll be poor transport rather than reasonable accommodation, a car is good transport and poor-reasonable accommodation.

Stay with your friends or sleep in the car, a mid sized estate is plenty big enough for a 6ft chap to sleep in. Sorting rainproof ventilation is not beyond the wit of man, plastic wind deflectors that clip onto the door frames will allow windows cracked open without letting rain in. If it's really an issue then fit a fan, most cars have a big plastic vent in the rear arch or bumper area that's easy to mod.

jk

In reply to gingerwolf:

I'm in the same situation, I wouldn't bother with the van. The hospitality of your mates should run up to them giving you a bit of floor to sleep on. After all - you've made the effort to go all that way to see them and as long as you don't turn up empty handed you'll usually be welcome.

If they really live up north and you want to spend meaningful amounts of time with them then a proper van is going to be ruinous on fuel!

Vauxhall's astra van is a good compromise because it has the estate car form factor and hence efficiency, but with a bit of foam and a duvet is snug as. Its not luxurious but it makes layby camping very doable.

In reply to gingerwolf:

I Have a Vaxhall Combi. van 2007 and Very economical. Easily do 40mpg - 50 mpg and I think I've even managed 60mpg once. To drive it's the same as a car and just as quiet and comfortable.

I've insulated the inside with foil backed foam to avoid condensation and I've a collapsable foldaway shelf on once side.

I can, and do use it to overnights in. But comfortable it isn't. Fine for one or two nights. But the main complaint would be, its cramped !!!!!!!!!! You can't move around with any kind of ease and you can't sit up in the back either. It would be about the same size inside as a one man tent. On the plus side it doesn't blow about in the wind so its quiet.

If you are discrete you can doss just about anywhere - even in towns. But if you do so in some isolated spots in the countryside -think lay-bys - you sometimes get the police knocking nicely on the van to see what your up to. Always pleasant! "just checking Sir, enjoy your walk tomorrow", sort of thing.

There are of course a few small vans which are just a little bit bigger than mine - look on Van Monster or the van edition of auto trader on line to get an idea.

But I'd be pushed to recommend my van to anyone for anything other than the odd night.!!

In reply to gingerwolf: I have used our focus estate for the odd night. I am 6 foot 4 and I can sleep in it quite comfortably. The downside of a car is that it is only good for sleeping and the fuel consumption of our automatic focus might be as much as a van.

In reply to david100:

All good points made already.

I got two good bits of advice on vehicles in my youth.

In the early 70's, "the most useful piece of climbing gear is a car/van"

This was refined in the early 80's to " any vehicle is OK as long as it is reliable and can cruise at motorway speed"