New Conversion - Things to ask for...

[Mooglet]

So we are finalising the details of a purchase and conversion this weekend. The type of van and roof are sorted.
We know we want a mid kitchen, 2 burner hob and no sink (we will be camping at sites with facilities and don't want to waste the room on sink or water storage) and we plan to keep the crash tested rear seats and belts. However... from my reading there are lots of other things we need to decide on or ask about - lights, leisure battery, radio re-tuning (its a fresh import), flip down TV (we have kids and plan some long journeys ) etc.

Can I call on your wealth of experience to give me a few pointers / lists of other things we need to ask the conversion company about?

Mods: I had a quick check and didn't see one but if there is already a thread for this please redirect me!

Thanks!

[g8dhe]

Radio, simple one replace with modern one from any dealer or Halfords, it really isn't worth trying to use or add band expanders etc. more trouble than there worth, plus you can get radio's with remotes for when your in the back of the van and can't reach the front!

[Mooglet]

Thanks Geoff, thats useful info, I'd assumed we had to stick with what was built in.

[dave_aber]

Re Sink - I understand where you are coming from, the size you typically end up with are not much use, and you can use bottled water for making a brew etc.

However - one aspect you may have overlooked. Are you planning to re-register it as a campervan? You don't need to, but some insurers prefer it, some insist on it and some give a discount. If you are planning to re-register, you will need "water storage", along with some other mandatory features for DVLA to accept it as a bona-fide campervan.

DVLA Rules here

Note - Equally, if you don't want to re-register, then by not fitting a water tank then you fail to meet the requirements so don't need to re-register.

I think that 2012 the rules changed in that if you now meet the requirements, you must by law re-register, whereas before it was optional

DA

[sotal]

We find the sink useful, we don't use it 'that' much but it is useful for washing hands quickly (instead of having to go across to wash them and back, and for brushing teeth etc). We don't use it for drinking water - just have a 5L bottle for that, and we try not to use it for washing up.


For the radio/tv etc we haven't done it yet but I want to get a double din android radio. The ones I'm looking at won't do TV, but will play avi/mp4/dvd etc which is more useful for me - we can take a usb drive full of videos to watch (and music to listen to). It also then doubles up as a Satnav unit for when we are driving with a decent sized screen. I'm hoping that the 7" screen on this will be big enough for us for general use, but if it isn't it has a video out lead to connect to another screen - plain screens with just a 'video-in' are dirt cheap on ebay - don't need to worry about sound as it will come through the car speakers.

The Android double din units are a couple of hundred pounds which is part of the reason I don't have one yet! Also trying to research which would be best.

Lights - there is enough light in the bongo as standard. (Cab lights, rear main light, rear corner light, roof light). I have ordered COB panels to upgrade them to LED in mine (waiting for them to come from the other side of the world) - I have purchased too many for the bongo as I wasn't sure on a couple of sizes but they only cost about £8 in total - these should be a little brighter than the originals and should use less power when on.

Every Bongo I saw had a leisure battery as well as a starter battery so I presume most will have. The dealer we purchased from kindly added a charger so that the LB is kept topped up when on Electric Hookup.

I may in the future go down the lines of a 100w solar panel to remove the need for EHU as I reckon we could do without EHU providing we don't need a heater.

[g8dhe]

Got to agree about the sink, but it also forms very handy storage, for the pots and pans, egg box, etc. all handy to reach quickly without diving into cupboards or under seats. It can also be used for its intended purpose as well of course

[Mooglet]

Dave - I had no idea about the regs on water - that info is really helpful. I'd seen some conflicting info over on Campervan life which is out of date.

Sotal - The brushing teeth comment gave us food for thought - we don't want to wash up in the bongo but last time we went camping the youngest missed brushing her teeth twice as she was really tired and kicked up a fuss about walking to the shower block (if you have kids you might know that point when they are refusing to go bed/sleep but are so sleepy they are crying, cranky and nodding off while standing up). Also great info on the lights. Thanks.

g8dhe - I hadn't thought of actually using it to hold things (I was picturing it as a waste of space) - perhaps for washbags or stuff like shampoo minitures etc. Great idea, cheers.

We'll have a chat about the sink now. You may have changed our minds! Anything else you guys REALLY wish you'd had?
One of my friends went back to have straps to hold safe a wicker picnic basket (holds their crockery etc and can be unhooked and taken away for walks, beach etc).
I've also seen those bungee nets used as holders near the rear seats for kids bottles etc. At a bugjam we saw one van with retractable washing line fitted!