If you could do it all again...what would you do different?

[EAN]

If you cook for 30 mins using 30ah, then based on an average 100w from your 200w panel, you'll need 360watt-hours to replenish your 30ah, so 3.6 hours at 100w. That's if you've got sun, of course!

Each boil of the kettle 7ah, running the fridge (estimate 45ah per 24hrs), cooking each meal on average takes 45ah.
Then there’s the Diesel heater. Reckon I’m going to need the biggest panel I can possibly get on the pop top, when it comes to it!!
The 200W might be enough just to slow the consumption to see me through a long weekend. Just need it to be dry enough to go away.

 

[TallPaul_S]

What fridge is that? A CRX50 should be about 1-1.5Ah per hour, so 24-36Ah per day.

In all though you might be looking at 100Ah usage per day, worst case. Which is a lot to replenish with just solar!

 

[Captain Quick]

You'd have had fun finding one! VW only built LHD 4mo TSI

I'd have LOVED one!!! Had to settle for a 4mo TDI....

Me too. I would have so enjoyed having it remapped. For that very reason, I explored buying a new 4Motion TSI van from a Düsseldorf VW Commercial dealer but hesitated because they quoted a delivery time of around 6 months. Then COVID arrived, Brexit happened, and it proved too difficult and uncertain to deal with a Continental supplier. In the end, I played safe and ordered from a UK converter. And then the Russians invaded Ukraine and bombed the factories where VW’s looms were made, so I waited 2 years.

 

[EAN]

What fridge is that? A CRX50 should be about 1-1.5Ah per hour, so 24-36Ah per day.

In all though you might be looking at 100Ah usage per day, worst case. Which is a lot to replenish with just solar!

It’s an Indel Webasto Isotherm, but not sure what model exactly.
I’ve haven't measured the consumption properly yet , so it’s a pessimistic assumption.

 

[Drive Wayne]

We stayed last year at an interesting campsite, Brig's Farm near Lyme Regis. 4 nights only thank goodness. A real back to nature field on a slope, featuring 'long drop' toilets and open air showers. We certainly wouldn't go back! We are ones for porcelain and plumbing that works!
Anyway, that was the trip that we discovered our 180 watt PU panel was dead. Fortunately the 200Ah battery was at 100%, after 4 days we were down to 20% with zero solar. That's the lowest I've ever taken it!
Fridge on, webasto on, lighting on, induction occasional, and coffee machine twice a day. One run out to the beach at Lyme Regis to help the LB was all we did. 15 miles round-trip.
Last year at Busfest it was so sunny, the lowest the Roamer went was 85% over 3 days, the sun kept giving! Took the Mickey with the power there, SDS drill a useful addition for planting the flagpole in rock hard ground!
If you wonder what battery to get, make it a biggun! No power anxiety!

 

[BuilderJay]

Marry a cheaper bird

 

[Lubrown]

The only ‘mistake’ I made was buying an already converted van. It is absolutely fantastic (although we don’t use the microwave which only works with EHU), I just feel I missed out on the fun of planning, parts shopping then building.
It can be a retirement project, if I ever get there (need to borrow some French rioters)!

 

[CAB]

I would get a high top.

Fed up of packing it with a crick in my neck cos I can't be bothered to lift the roof or it's raining. And when stopping at car parks, services etc. for short periods.

And Auto if I could afford it.

 

[rod_vw]

I would get a high top.

Fed up of packing it with a crick in my neck cos I can't be bothered to lift the roof or it's raining. And when stopping at car parks, services etc. for short periods.

And Auto if I could afford it.

We've never regretted having a high top for a moment, we've been using VW campers equipped like that for almost thirty years.

 

[Stay Frosty]

Big batteries, big PV panels, not an hook up in sight and nobody running out of electric, T6 Forum camping at Busfest last year, no range anxiety here!

 

[Cuffy]

I mentioned something similar to this in the welcome to new members thread.
Purchased a fully converted van for alot of £££ thinking it had everything we would need.
Spent a further £3k+ on suspension, wheels, tyres and headlights and a few other cosmetic bits n pieces, then another £2k after the steering rack went it's up and pear shaped.
Never used the hob, the R&R bed is too narrow for any prolonged period away. Wardrobe space is handy but limited to what I can squeeze in due to the size of the apertures.
The storage under the rear seats are again handy but again limiting.
Convector heater never used.
If I could start again? I'd go for the day van option, full width bed. Keep the pop top and some form of bespoke storage.
Whenever we go away we always use the awning and use the van as a dumping ground.

 

[Stay Frosty]

Going back to Busfest above and that surely has to be several thousand owners who are just getting on with seeing how far you can adapt a tin box to be a holiday home combined with the sexy or utilititarian transport to that destination.
It's no secret that I'm a Lowdown Transporters fan but those bad boys don't moan about buying curtains instead of custom blinds or their swivel base making the seat too high, they're just getting on with making the Transporter cool!

 

[ChrisBell]

Aye @Stay Frosty . You keep on licking your windows mate and worrying about the state of inside of your van.... That's dead cool

 

[Wayne01]

In hindsight I would definitely not have gone for Euro 6 van ! I should have gone for an early T6 with a Euro 5 engine!

Hi, can you explain why, we are at the start of the whole buying stage and so keen to understand pro's & cons
Thanks

 

[topcat203]

Hi, can you explain why, we are at the start of the whole buying stage and so keen to understand pro's & cons
Thanks

Hi There Wayne
In a nutshell its all to do with the Adblue system which while supposedly better for the environment has been an almighty pain in the back side, Euro 5 did not have this! It was the cause of numerous visits to the agents to cure error messages and faults that only became less of a problem when I got (insisted) on a software upgrade which was recommended by a great guy on this forum (MMI) who seems to be a fount of tech knowledge about T6's! There are a great many threads on this site concerning Adblue if you have the patience have a read through some of them. Other than that its a good van we bought ours at about 14 months old and had it converted to a camper in 2018.
I would strongly suggest if that is your intent then hire a couple with different layouts you will quickly learn what you don't want in a conversion.
This year we ahve had 3 or 4 holidays most recently 1500 miles around Scotland and its been running well so we live in hope that it continues to do so, but saying that a Euro 5 van would have had none of the issues with adblue cos it dosen' t have it!! Good luck in the future and enjoy your van whatever one you end up with!

 

[DXX]

Hi, can you explain why, we are at the start of the whole buying stage and so keen to understand pro's & cons
Thanks

The Euro 5 engine doesn’t have Adblue injection into the SCAT to reduce NOX emissions.
Dis-advantage; this means that Euro 5 owners pay a environmental charge when entering certain city zones.
Advantages; no Adblue costs and much improved reliability as the system is problematic.

I have a Euro 5, 2016 180PS, it has been very reliable.

 

[JOG]

The Euro 5 engine doesn’t have Adblue injection into the SCAT to reduce NOX emissions.
Dis-advantage; this means that Euro 5 owners pay a environmental charge when entering certain city zones.
Advantages; no Adblue costs and much improved reliability as the system is problematic.

I have a Euro 5, 2016 180PS, it has been very reliable.

Brilliant summary

 

[ChrisBell]

Buy a VW T6

 

[Insert Coin]

Conversely, Euro 6 engines running premium diesel and a squirt of Millers/Hydra, 12 monthly oil/filter changes and you’ll be fine

 

[Drive Wayne]

Conversely, Euro 6 engines running premium diesel and a squirt of Millers/Hydra, 12 monthly oil/filter changes and you’ll be fine

And not have to pay £8 to come into Birmingham to buy a piano or guitar from me!