New Van - but which one?

[JRM]

Hi all, just about to embark on a new van conversion, and have a few questions.

We are looking at a SWB T28 panel van highline 150DSG. Two options at the moment:
1) Single Driver seat with double passenger - neither rotate. Panel Van with tailgate, and rubber floor in cab
2) Two Captains chairs. Panel van with tailgate, and carpet in cab. Other options are soft close doors (not fussed about these)

1) is 33k and 2) is 36k

So firstly, is it worth the extra 3k for the rotating chairs? There are three of us (two adult and one 5year old) so having three seats in the front is a bonus - i can, however, borrow a double seat in the short term if needs be.

Secondly - regarding the conversion. I'm unsure about the pop top roof, so I was thinking of a 150 rib bed, with cassette toilet underneath and storage under as well. Then having one pod behind the drivers seat for storage.
Would this give the three of us enough room - is 150 big enough for a few years? Once the little one is a bit older i was considering a roof top tent, or drive away awning for him. Or possibly, something on the front seats.
Would this be enough storage too!? Appreciate that's a tricky one to answer - since you don't know what we travel with, but I'm used to a Volvo 240 in terms of luggage space.
We're not fussed about cooking equipment, as long as we can have a table with this setup?

I also like the idea of a U shaped seating area. Would this give us a 150 bed in the same way? And can a U shaped layout also provide rear seats for travelling?

Thanks for any help, appreciate it.

 

[Lukavell]

I'm not sure about pop top or rib beds, but you can fit swivels under single and double seats for a lot less than 3k! Also beware that the double seats are not adjustable in anyway, at least from the factory, so can become rather uncomfortable on long journeys

I'm sure someone will be able to answer your other questions soon.

 

[Bav]

I also like the idea of a U shaped seating area. Would this give us a 150 bed in the same way? And can a U shaped layout also provide rear seats for travelling?

@CJW, I think you've got a u-shaped seating with travel seats?

 

[CJW]

@CJW, I think you've got a u-shaped seating with travel seats?

I do @Bav, well remembered. Made by Cascade Conversions in Wales. Full size, full width bed, U-shaped seat and two legal passenger seats. In the LWB van, it’s just a case of lifting out the central panel on a morning and putting up the table. We really like it. Works well for both long-term camping with the awning and also touring.

 

[Bav]

I do @Bav, well remembered.

Not just a pretty face

 

[t6blo]

My two pence - if they are factory swivels then, assuming the rest of the van checks out, I’d go for that one.

A single non swivel passenger captains chair will set you back around £1000 to retrofit and factory swivels are far superior to any aftermarket swivel plus, they are Uber rare to find secondhand. You might get £50 selling the double if you’re lucky. The carpet is also a nice extra - yes you can fit aftermarket cab carpet but it’s not the same.

I’m not fussed about soft close either but is that the only other thing that sets them apart? What about mileage, number of owners, colour, condition?

 

[CJW]

Would this give the three of us enough room - is 150 big enough for a few years?

Morning @JRM, further to my photos above, I had chance to read your post in detail. The situation you’re in now (couple with 5-year old) is the same situation we were in 3 years ago and wondered if our thought process and experience would be helpful to you:

We changed vehicles a year ago after we found we had outgrown our beloved SWB (swivel double bench, kitchen pod, rock and roll bed) because our son was clearly going to be a ‘long-un’ like me. He was 6 when we made the decision. We also added a black Labrador to the family. We had also moved into the ‘burbs and had a good-sized driveway.

Based on our experience, we decided the new vehicle should be LWB, u-shaped seat/bed with seatbelts, and we hated our swivel so much that we wanted a fold-forward bench.

To this day, we travel 3-up at the front 90% of the time, and we enjoy the experience. He”s eight now and doesn’t even need a booster.

We’ve never looked back and tour with no probs in the spring and autumn months, all sleeping in the van. In the summer we take our (big) awning and our son sleeps in there with his mum. I have offered to switch but he enjoys the tent feel.

A LWB van is not significantly harder to drive or park than a SWB. I see a lot comments saying things like ‘wouldn’t be able to park at a supermarket’ and that’s simply not true. Our camper is our only and main vehicle.

For us, LWB is working way better than the SWB did.

Each to their own, I hope this is useful for you.

 

[JRM]

Thanks for all the info so far, and thanks for those pictures. I suppose i want to know whether it would work like that in a SWB? I chose SWB really due to the budget, rather than practicalities, though i did consider that too.

The only difference in the price is the colour (cheaper is white, other ascot grey). Other than that they are the same, both brand new so about 10 miles on them. Different sellers obviously too.

Thanks

 

[CJW]

I suppose i want to know whether it would work like that in a SWB?

There are some photos here of it in a SWB. If you have a kitchen unit, you lose some important length off the third sleeping position from the door. This is what our old camper was like, and our son outgrew that space by the time he was 5 / 6. With a LWB, the bed can be full and you can have a kitchen unit too. You've said you're not bothered about a kitchen unit though, so maybe it will work in a SWB if that's the case. By the way, I have no affiliation to Cascade - I'm just pleased with what they did for us.

 

[JRM]

Thanks for the link - looks good. Probably really obvious, but, I cant see where the third bed would be/is?

we hated our swivel so much that we wanted a fold-forward bench

Not sure i quite follow - you had a double swivel seat, and now have a factory double seat that doesnt swivel, but does fold flat? If thats the case, does it bother you that you cant get to the back of the van from the front - or can you if you fold the seat?

Thanks

 

[JRM]

Should probably also mention, this will be my regular use vehicle as well - possibly daily but depends on whether i sell the Volvo too.

You've said you're not bothered about a kitchen unit though, so maybe it will work in a SWB if that's the case

Would there still be room for a small pod though, and space somewhere for a toilet?

Thanks

 

[CJW]

I cant see where the third bed would be/is?

We sleep three side by side in the LWB - so in the SWB there would be two full length thirds of bed, and one third is shortened because of the kitchen unit. Hope I’m making sense!

does it bother you that you cant get to the back of the van from the front - or can you if you fold the seat?

Never bothered us - we just hop from front to back via the doors. The swivel plate we had couldn’t be operated without there being nobody on the bench double, so it was never possible. Others with more expensive / more up to date double bench swivels may have something to add here. If it’s raining, me and my wife get out, son hops into the driver’s seat, then we fold the bench forward. He doesn’t have to go outside.

I can’t tell you how much less faff it is when it’s time to go out for the day that it’s one cord pull, lift the bench back up and you’re off. My wife got stuck one time camping without me - the swivel got jammed and she had to ask for help. The swivel was the weak point of the last van.

Single swivels seem to be far better BTW.

Would there still be room for a small pod though, and space somewhere for a toilet?

I’ve got a drawing somewhere that I could dig out if you want but it will be *very* tight in a SWB. In the LWB we have about 780mm from the foot of the bed when extended to the back of the driver’s seat. I think the SWB is 400mm shorter? So there’s a strip of real estate about 380 x 1500mm free, and half of that would be necessary for getting in and out of the vehicle by the side door. Borderline even possible, never mind comfortable.

In the LWB, we often leave the full bed up all day in the summer. Saves the faff of folding / sliding the bed away and is a great place to crash.

Most SWBs I’ve seen that are designed for three birth upwards have a poptop or front seat rigid hammock thing. Not sure what the proper term is, or how comfortable the hammock is.

 

[JRM]

We sleep three side by side in the LWB - so in the SWB there would be two120? full length thirds of bed, and one third is shortened because of the kitchen unit. Hope I’m making sense!

Yes, i think it does. Your all in a line - feet pointing to the windscreen/tailgate? In a SWB there would be two 200cm long beds, and one shorter, say 120cm or so? Is it a bit narrow if thats the case? Is it 150cm wide?

i think for me, the only 'problem' in your set up is you lose the boot area at the tailgate, unless i'm mistaken?

Thanks for all the info, definitely helpful... though still no closer to deciding which of the two vans to go for! Then of course, thinking if i want LWB, if i can afford it

 

[CJW]

Yes, i think it does. Your all in a line - feet pointing to the windscreen/tailgate? In a SWB there would be two 200cm long beds, and one shorter, say 120cm or so? Is it a bit narrow if thats the case? Is it 150cm wide?

i think for me, the only 'problem' in your set up is you lose the boot area at the tailgate, unless i'm mistaken?

Thanks for all the info, definitely helpful... though still no closer to deciding which of the two vans to go for! Then of course, thinking if i want LWB, if i can afford it

Yes, that’s the direction. I can’t remember the width - think it is almost exactly 1.5m.

Regarding losing the tailgate space - every layout is a compromise. For us the U-shape gives more benefits than costs. I didn’t like out rock and roller - but that’s a personal opinion.

Considering what you’re trying to get fitted in to the van, I would definitely hunt down a LWB just to have a look at and compare with SWB. Maybe you should also have a look at a Crafter? Good luck with the decision.

 

[JRM]

Thanks, all true enough - sometimes it's good to talk these things through, as someone else will have thought of something that is a problem for me, but that i wouldn't have considered!

Crafter would be good, but not the nicest for a daily drive really, so will probably discount that one. LWB could work though.

Thanks again