Camper Engine - Size Matters?

[RK15]

I'm currently looking at a T6 camper conversion, the conversion work is good, everything I'd want but.... it's 84 bhp. My last van was 102 bhp and I had no difficulties with it but wondering what other's experiences of the 84 are. Day to day use, several miles in town back and forward to work shouldn't be any issue but how will it cope with a weekly run of 250 miles and more to the Highlands?
The van normally only carries me and my gear for a day or two, I'm up the A82 or A9 and beyond. Having had my fill of speeding points over the years I've no desire to go above the limit really but will the van cope with say, the Devils Elbow at Glenshee, or such like. I don't want that first gear slowing no more gears left feeling!
I take it that a remap to 102 would be fairly safe?

Lastly, but still speed related, once I hit those dualled sections of the A9 is a panel van with windows restricted to 60mph ?
Bloody DVLA!

 

[Fish]

IMO. 150 is the smallest output I would look at, alot of potenial weight to lug around.

 

[Stigofthedub]

Agree with @Fish. 150 min for me. I had a 102 which was fine empty and with some load, but towing a caravan was awful. That's the only reason I swapped for a 150. I can't imagine what an 85 would be like in my circumstances. Yes restricted speed limit, same on kombi, absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Keeff]

You could get a remap to Up the power if the van is what you want.you won’t have 6 gears but if not cruising on the motorway at high speed you will be ok.

 

[Lukavell]

That 6th cog (or DSG) on the 150 is what I'd want as a minimum. The extra hp is an added bonus. That said, I've just done 1500 miles in mine and thought it could with a bit more grunt a couple of times.

You're right on the speed limit.

 

[Stay Frosty]

@RK15 If you haven't pulled the trigger on the 84hp van I would go for at least the 102hp you do have experience of.

I've got a 102hp Redline camper conversion and realistically with just the two of us and no intention of towing anything that 102hp and five gears are easily enough to hold the campers 70 mph limit on any motorway.

Sure 204hp would carry more cudos in the playground bragging stakes and in the race to the next traffic lights but with 102hp there's no headache sub 20mpg averages while touring, as for that 6th gear you'll be pinging off the rev counter in fifth with whatever hp output as soon as the hills get steeper.

At this point in time I've spent/wasted my cash on suspension mods, wheels and bling, a remap is in there somewhere too but after sparkly headlights and a better stereo so a very distant fifth or sixth in line.

 

[superchargedpolo]

I have a 102 kombi and live in a similar area to you.
I got it remapped by EcoTune in Glasgow. I got them to limit the torque and power potential of this engine as it’s only a 5 speed box.
They did exactly that and the van is now a perfect blend of torque and sensible performance.
Their work is second to none.

That would be the route I’d take

 

[KR.]

Thanks for replies, I've spoken with a mate at work as well, he had an 84 for 3 years before recently remapping to 130 or something like that. He said it wasn't a racing machine but he wanted a bit more oomph in the end so went for the remap on his T6 camper conversion. I think I'm going to go for the van I've seen - it has some warranty time left and then I can remap if I feel the need, although I've no need to push the remap much above what I was used to. The majority of the time it'll be me on my tod and I've never towed anything yet, my 102 which had been all over Scotland was allegedly more than able to get up past 90 on a quiet motorway in the past.

To be honest I think the new DVLA classifcation rules are more of a pain than this, I hadn't realised that as well as 60 on a dual carriageway it was 50 on A roads.....

 

[Skyliner33]

I wouldn't worry too much about the different speed limits. Where I am lots of the A roads are being reclassified from National speed limit down to 50mph limit and the dual carriageways are also being dropped. Im pretty sure in the not too distant future national speed limit will have disappeared so it wont matter about the classification of the van.

 

[Pete C]

Thanks for replies, I've spoken with a mate at work as well, he had an 84 for 3 years before recently remapping to 130 or something like that. He said it wasn't a racing machine but he wanted a bit more oomph in the end so went for the remap on his T6 camper conversion. I think I'm going to go for the van I've seen - it has some warranty time left and then I can remap if I feel the need, although I've no need to push the remap much above what I was used to. The majority of the time it'll be me on my tod and I've never towed anything yet, my 102 which had been all over Scotland was allegedly more than able to get up past 90 on a quiet motorway in the past.

To be honest I think the new DVLA classifcation rules are more of a pain than this, I hadn't realised that as well as 60 on a dual carriageway it was 50 on A roads.....

I think you have made the right decision. Mapping a 84hp engine is easy. Modifying a camper isn’t.

Pete

 

[P20]

We test drove a 102. It felt ok, better low down than our old 115 vivaro. We went for the 150 for the 6spd box. It’s not converted yet, but it’s great to drive

 

[Grainfoot]

Ours is a converted 150 six speed. Power is perfect.

 

[Phil_G]

I think I'm the only one here with a fully converted 84ps, its a Hillside Birchover and I've had it nearly two years from new.
My hobby is slope soaring and so I do a lot of steep hills, probably way more than an average drive. I just thought I'd add a bit of balance as you're getting a lot of advice from higher-power users and none from actual 84ps users. My lad Roo also has an 84ps T5 full camper. All I can say is that for us, they're fine, motorways are no problem, economy is good, and on the steep bits its no worse than my car. On a long, steady uphill gradient you may need a heavier foot, but a mile later its all flat or downhill again, so whats the problem? Often I tow two race bikes on a steel trailer, easy peasy. My first T4 camper, an Autosleeper Trophy, was a 2.6L petrol - it was faster than most kids hot-hatches but there were pots & pans flying everywhere, this one is much more pleasant!
Another way of looking at it, 84ps is almost three times the power of a ford Anglia!
Cheers
Phil

 

[KR.]

Thanks for that Phil, that's reassuring. I'm not sure that 3x the power of a Ford Anglia can actually be a postive though
I'm happy to buy this and remap later if required. Now has anyone got a hightop roof they can lend me for a few photographs then I'll return it .....

 

[Spaghetti]

I have read that the 84BHP and 102BHP are mechanically the same and therefore the 84 should map up to 102 no problems.

I’ve got a 102BHP camper and don’t find it an issue.

 

[Lord Mfwic]

204. POWERRRRRRRRRRR

 

[Lukavell]

I've got a 5 speed startline courtesy vehicle for the day and whilst I'm not sure if its 84 or 102 I'm quite impressed with how sprightly it is. Mind you it's an empty PV.

 

[Spaghetti]

I've got a 5 speed startline courtesy vehicle for the day and whilst I'm not sure if its 84 or 102 I'm quite impressed with how sprightly it is. Mind you it's an empty PV.

You can check the output on the ident sticker or something like the mycarcheck application

 

[Karl]

I have the 84ps kombi and find that it’s absolute fine for what I need, which is mainly town, dual carriageway driving for work and tbh when we do venture further afield, trips from Brighton to Liverpool a few times a year to see family it wouldn’t matter if I had 204ps or 400+ as we spend most of the journey crawling along in traffic .

If I want a blast I jump in the GTI .....

 

[Ian28]

I have the 84ps kombi and find that it’s absolute fine for what I need, which is mainly town, dual carriageway driving for work and tbh when we do venture further afield, trips from Brighton to Liverpool a few times a year to see family it wouldn’t matter if I had 204ps or 400+ as we spend most of the journey crawling along in traffic .

If I want a blast I jump in the GTI .....

Agreed. It’s a van after all. If I want to go fast I’ll hop onto my motorcycle.