In May 2018, I went for a used (6month old, 4k miles) vehicle as the spec was so close to what I wanted and I believe I got it for a superb price. According to the dealer – the previous owner had bought x6 Transporters last year for his business and this vehicle was his – he returned it after 6months and swapped for a Crafter.


He had chosen loads of options but key things missing: DSG and LED lamps and lights.


From the configurator:

Model = Transporter Kombi Highline (chosen for high spec, wanted 4Motion and felt like best value. I was tempted by the Edition, particularly used, but T30, no 4M and limited colour palette)

Engine = 2.0 T32 TDI SWB 4Motion manual (chosen for payload, wanted it to fit in parking spaces (LWB is a bit more challenging), 4Motion for muddy fields and manual as my wife is less keen on automatic [I would have liked the DSG])

Colour = Acapulco Blue Metallic (chosen by my wife. Original plan was to buy Candy White and go two tone with a classic VW colour bottom half. It is a shame that the more interesting/on trend colours aren’t on the highline – i.e. Bright Orange, Grape Yellow, Pure Grey)

Interior = Titanium Black, seat trim in Simora (intention to recover in leather/GTE fabric)

Options =

- Seating options = single seats, heated seats (did not choose swivel seats as aftermarket allow height adjustment).

- Wheels and tyres = all weather tyres (good value and good for 4Motion as I don’t want the hassle of changing for seasonal tyres – if it’s snowing, I will not travel/use our other car).

- Audio and communications = Discover Media Radio with 6.33” touch screen, Voice control (though rarely use it!), App Connect. (App connect is great. Did not choose Media Navigation system as will always use Google Maps through Android Auto – I am always frustrated by OEM navigations that require updates. Google or Waze are much better. I would have liked the 2 USB interfaces).

- Driver assistance = Lights and Vision package plus, front and rear parking sensors with rear-view camera. (the sensors and camera are super. The Halogen lights are ok but I wish I had the LED lights front and rear – such a miss :()

- Equipment packages = Folding wing mirrors, body coloured, power adjustable and power folding, comfort dash (love the comfort dash - looks so stylish and it's practical)

- Body and chassis = Towbar - removable/lockable, Electric sliding door, Power latching for tailgate, without model and engine designation badges, mudflaps front and rear. (happy with this selection – towbar is excellent, though hard to remove(!) and doesn’t interfere with parking sensors, electric sliding door is noisy with the beeping but handy, power latching is fantastic).

- Cargo area = carpet flooring in cab (required option with comfort dash)

- Heating and ventilation = (no options chosen here – just standard AC, I chose not to have passenger compartment AC as read it is challenging with channels for converting to camper (elevating roof and floor). I do wish it had Programmable parking heater (air) with radio remote control, aux heater (coolant) and second battery – it is £2k and would be similar cost, perhaps less, to retrofit)

- Safety and security = 4 remote folding keys (did not choose side and curtain airbags as read that this can cause problems in fitting elevating roof)

- Windows = (I am sure there used to be an option to add in rear windows? I would have done that at factory if possible)

From the VW Accessories list:

- Heavy duty rubber floor mats

- Loading lip protection – carbon fibre

- Angled side bars – polished stainless steel
 
Fibreboard panels off. Silentcoat, dodo thermal liner closed cell foam and dodo thermal insulation.

Had lots of help from chief assistants. Their small hands and fingers very handy for the fiddly jobs...

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After lots of great reviews on here, I booked in to @VWVC in March this year. Colin did a great job fitting caravelle rails.

The nappa leather triple seat is from t5 cotswold parts.

Looked at all the options and caravelle seat fitted our needs as have x3 little ones, all in car seats.

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After visiting VWVC, we then finalised our decision for @Exploria Ltd to continue our conversion journey. For ~12months I'd been considering the usual companies and, after a visit to Brighouse (which is ~180miles away!), decided that they would do a fantastic job with our long list of jobs...

- Painted Reimo slim-line SWB elevating roof with poweder coated Reimo active rails for roof bars
- Elevating roof trimmed in Alcantara and Exploria roof bed trimmed in GTE fabric
- LED colour changing surround lighting in elevating roof strengthening frame
- VW rear-quarter windows, all rear windows tinted 20% and VanX blackout curtains to all rear windows
- Ply line all walls/door cards and line out in J Brownd McKenzie Indigo herringbone fabric
- x6 LED warm white dimmable spotlights on 2-way switch in to elevating roof bed and x2 LED warm white spotlights in to tailgate
- One piece, 12mm ply floor with Karndean flooring
- Multivan/caravelle side step
- Multivan sleeper pack and 2" mattress topper
- Sterling DC to DC charger and Sterling 30amp 240v battery charger
- x2 underseat 110AH low level leisure batteries
- Fuseboxes, battery level indicators, breaker, underbody 240v inlet socket, x5 12v sockets and x3 240v sockets
- 250w Photonic Universe semi flexible solar panel and Victron 100/20 solar regulator
- Webasto diesel heater (underslung) with OEM ducts to B post pillar and 7 day timer
- x2 Reimo Multirails
 
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After visiting VWVC, we then finalised our decision for @Exploria Ltd to continue our conversion journey. For ~12months I'd been considering the usual companies and, after a visit to Brighouse (which is ~180miles away!), decided that they would do a fantastic job with our long list of jobs...

- Painted Reimo slim-line SWB elevating roof with poweder coated Reimo active rails for roof bars
- Elevating roof trimmed in Alcantara and Exploria roof bed trimmed in GTE fabric
- LED colour changing surround lighting in elevating roof strengthening frame
- VW rear-quarter windows, all rear windows tinted 20% and VanX blackout curtains to all rear windows
- Ply line all walls/door cards and line out in J Brownd McKenzie Indigo herringbone fabric
- x6 LED warm white dimmable spotlights on 2-way switch in to elevating roof bed and x2 LED warm white spotlights in to tailgate
- One piece, 12mm ply floor with Karndean flooring
- Multivan/caravelle side step
- Multivan sleeper pack and 2" mattress topper
- Sterling DC to DC charger and Sterling 30amp 240v battery charger
- x2 underseat 110AH low level leisure batteries
- Fuseboxes, battery level indicators, breaker, underbody 240v inlet socket, x5 12v sockets and x3 240v sockets
- 250w Photonic Universe semi flexible solar panel and Victron 100/20 solar regulator
- Webasto diesel heater (underslung) with OEM ducts to B post pillar and 7 day timer
- x2 Reimo Multirails

What a very informative thread and thank you very much for posting (keep it coming)

I am looking for something very similar and have looked at the Reimo rail system but my local convertor is a bit vague and hasn't got back to me as yet on this particular item. I haven't seen the Reimo rail system but it looks very good quality and likewise haven't seen the Caravelle closeup either. How have you found it, the Reimo I was looking at is about 1200mm wide but the Caravelle I believe is full width which wouldn't be an issue as I don't want a full blown camper anyway so a pod type of unit would suffice me on the rails as can take out as and when required. The Reimo bed is all in one unit when folded out but see the Caravelle has to have an extended piece fitted to achieve full length bed, again is this much hassle or pretty convenient, also Reimo bed entails sleeping on back of seats so nice and flat, how do you find the Caravelle setup. I want pop roof, lights, heater etc also putting in so would you advise to have that work done prior to seat rail system or it doesn't make a difference - sorry for so many questions but when you think your getting somewhere suddenly your back to square one

On a finishing note I called Colin (VWVC) this morning and had a great chat and really liked the way he put himself and his company across

Thanks in advance
Tommy
 
What a very informative thread and thank you very much for posting (keep it coming)

I am looking for something very similar and have looked at the Reimo rail system but my local convertor is a bit vague and hasn't got back to me as yet on this particular item. I haven't seen the Reimo rail system but it looks very good quality and likewise haven't seen the Caravelle closeup either. How have you found it, the Reimo I was looking at is about 1200mm wide but the Caravelle I believe is full width which wouldn't be an issue as I don't want a full blown camper anyway so a pod type of unit would suffice me on the rails as can take out as and when required. The Reimo bed is all in one unit when folded out but see the Caravelle has to have an extended piece fitted to achieve full length bed, again is this much hassle or pretty convenient, also Reimo bed entails sleeping on back of seats so nice and flat, how do you find the Caravelle setup. I want pop roof, lights, heater etc also putting in so would you advise to have that work done prior to seat rail system or it doesn't make a difference - sorry for so many questions but when you think your getting somewhere suddenly your back to square one

On a finishing note I called Colin (VWVC) this morning and had a great chat and really liked the way he put himself and his company across

Thanks in advance
Tommy

I seriously considered (i.e. almost installed!) the Reimo 3000 system with bonded rails (many positions) but found that the 2/3 or 3/4 width triples were just too slim for three children in car seats. My children are 2yo, 4yo and 6yo and the slimmer car seats (non ISO fix) tend to be less comfortable - we do long distances in to Europe. Moreover, I found the Reimo good for lying on but not so great for sitting on for long periods - so, again, thinking of the kids, felt that the Caravelle seats were superior. cost-wise, it is pretty similar doing Reimo or Caravelle - one advantage is Caravelle seats and rails regularl available 2nd hand, Reimo very, very rarely 2nd hand.

Like you, i intend to go down the pod route - not quite decided on what we need. we have had campers for the last 14yrs and almost always cook on a cadac/hob and wash up outside. we will put a rear storage overhead locker at the back in the near future.

i like that our van is truly a multivan --- 1) take everything out and it's a commercial van, 2) push the 'velle seats forward and it's a Kombi, 3) put x2 'velle singles in and it's a people carrier/cali beach... 4) put in the sleeper pack and a couple of pods for kitchen and it's a camper.

I would recommend doing the rail system before your other jobs. I recommend Colin and got similar recommendations from folks on here before i took the plunge...
 
I had kids of similar ages (a couple of years older all around), all on a 130cm Reimo seat. I thought it worked quite well
 
Many thanks alged, Colin said he could do rails/seats and turn front seats into swivels in a day which is good for me as would be travelling from Kendal way

One thing I 'm not sure about is condition of seats etc as he said they would be 2nd hand albeit some were taken from vehicles prior to putting on the road, also leather seats, are they worth the extra uplift and would they be ok for sleeping on. Also understand now where your coming from regards kids on seats, the Reimo does looked cramped in pictures
 
I was looking at Reimo 1200 size, thats what convertor near me was quoting so guess 1300 size is better for 3 persons
 
I agree that the 1300 is doable with the Reimo with three kids in car seats - there are some decent seats ~4100-430mm wide. 1200 is near impossible. Finding any child seat less than 40omm (that is not a temporary/travel booster) is a challenge.

I think if you're determined to have a run of furniture (albeit very slim) then Reimo 1300mm is the best option. If you're going for pods, then Caravelle full width seems to work really well.
 
I agree that the 1300 is doable with the Reimo with three kids in car seats - there are some decent seats ~4100-430mm wide. 1200 is near impossible. Finding any child seat less than 40omm (that is not a temporary/travel booster) is a challenge.

I think if you're determined to have a run of furniture (albeit very slim) then Reimo 1300mm is the best option. If you're going for pods, then Caravelle full width seems to work really well.

Pods is the direction I'd like, van is going into garage for side window repair Friday so am going to look closely at the California bed setup whilst dropping van off, if it feels quality and looks good then Oxford T5 here we come
 
Pods is the direction I'd like, van is going into garage for side window repair Friday so am going to look closely at the California bed setup whilst dropping van off, if it feels quality and looks good then Oxford T5 here we come

I have a California bed in my camper, it has folding topper mattress and is very comfortable. Wide enough for two average adults without feeling like sardines.
 
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