Micro Campervan for everyday use too!

Cuttlefish

Just like to hear people's views...i have always toyed with the idea of campervan similar but would prefer something that I could use for everyday use too

Ideally a two berth vehicle for weekend away etc

No I have seen companIes that kit out cars such a fiat doblo

Had anyone tried them?

Anyone used a Ford Connect or Fiat Scudo van??

autumnalcore

Problem is getting it registered and insured as a camper. Smallest ive seen is a nissan serena but that was registered years ago.

Buford T Justice

Expect to pay a high insurance premium for it if you don't have a car as a primary driver. This is deliberate to prevent people taking advantage of cheap leisure insurance to avoid the cost of a regular policy

Buford T Justice

Buford T Justice wrote: »

This is deliberate to prevent people taking advantage of cheap leisure insurance to avoid the cost of a regular policy

I do 10k miles a year in my camper. If I wasn't a cynic I'd say it reflects a higher liability.

Dobloman

I have converted a doblo to a micro camper.From a wheelchair accessible to a camper.

dory

Dobloman wrote: »

I have converted a doblo to a micro camper.From a wheelchair accessible to a camper.

Do you have it registered as a camper?

I was thinking of finding something with a small enough tax that I wouldn't mind paying normal tax and insurance on it. I saw a Honda Freed with reasonable tax (compared to a Hyundai Montana that was €1200 tax).

I wouldn't mind if it were still a car officially. As long as campsites wouldn't mind me arriving and sleeping it in. There would possibly be an issue with insurance there.

spaceHopper

Look at https://errigalcampers.ie/ they do some nice kits

Dobloman

dory wrote: »

Do you have it registered as a camper?

I was thinking of finding something with a small enough tax that I wouldn't mind paying normal tax and insurance on it. I saw a Honda Freed with reasonable tax (compared to a Hyundai Montana that was €1200 tax).

I wouldn't mind if it were still a car officially. As long as campsites wouldn't mind me arriving and sleeping it in. There would possibly be an issue with insurance there.

I changed it from a car to a van before I converted it and it's commercial insurance and tax now.Turned out lovely .

Hoof_Hearted

Dobloman wrote: »

I changed it from a car to a van before I converted it and it's commercial insurance and tax now.Turned out lovely .

Hello again! I remembered you from a conversation last year about taxing your Doblo commercialy, I'd an old Volvo I'd converted. I couldn't get insurance on the Volvo (due to its age) so have a Kangoo now that I'm working on. Broke my heart to let the Volvo go but the Kangoo's much better in fairness. Bed built, counter under construction and making an awning for over the open doors.

Delighted to see you got yours done, I'd love to see pics if you had any.

Dobloman

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

Hello again! I remembered you from a conversation last year about taxing your Doblo commercialy, I'd an old Volvo I'd converted. I couldn't get insurance on the Volvo (due to its age) so have a Kangoo now that I'm working on. Broke my heart to let the Volvo go but the Kangoo's much better in fairness. Bed built, counter under construction and making an awning for over the open doors.

Delighted to see you got yours done, I'd love to see pics if you had any.

Hello again.
I am thinking of selling it and will be taking some photos at weekend so I will send some on.

elperello

dory wrote: »

Do you have it registered as a camper?

I was thinking of finding something with a small enough tax that I wouldn't mind paying normal tax and insurance on it. I saw a Honda Freed with reasonable tax (compared to a Hyundai Montana that was €1200 tax).

I wouldn't mind if it were still a car officially. As long as campsites wouldn't mind me arriving and sleeping it in. There would possibly be an issue with insurance there.

A couple of years ago I saw a VW Tiguan with a tent on the roof on a site in Kerry so I don't think you need worry about being allowed on a site.

A lot of sites accept ground erected tents carried in cars too.

dory

elperello wrote: »

A couple of years ago I saw a VW Tiguan with a tent on the roof on a site in Kerry so I don't think you need worry about being allowed on a site.

A lot of sites accept ground erected tents carried in cars too.

It's more the cooking side of things. That's where insurance companies have issues with low roofs. If you cook in a regular tent, have a fire, that's covered by the camp site insurance. If you cook inside your own car you're not. Insurance company would see that as unusual use of a car and not covered etc. So a site could be slow to let someone on. In France a lot of sites have rules saying you can only come in and sleep in your camper if it's a properly registered camper.

elperello

dory wrote: »

It's more the cooking side of things. That's where insurance companies have issues with low roofs. If you cook in a regular tent, have a fire, that's covered by the camp site insurance. If you cook inside your own car you're not. Insurance company would see that as unusual use of a car and not covered etc. So a site could be slow to let someone on. In France a lot of sites have rules saying you can only come in and sleep in your camper if it's a properly registered camper.

Thanks, I see the issue now.

Funnily enough the German guy I saw with the Tiguan had a little kitchen fitting built in plywood just inside the boot. He just opened the tailgate and put the kettle on!

Must have been just a once off !

Casati

dory wrote: »

It's more the cooking side of things. That's where insurance companies have issues with low roofs. If you cook in a regular tent, have a fire, that's covered by the camp site insurance. If you cook inside your own car you're not. Insurance company would see that as unusual use of a car and not covered etc. So a site could be slow to let someone on. In France a lot of sites have rules saying you can only come in and sleep in your camper if it's a properly registered camper.

Why don't they insure vans with the slide out kitchens then- you'd think they would be safer as your cooking outside of the van?

dory

Casati wrote: »

Why don't they insure vans with the slide out kitchens then- you'd think they would be safer as your cooking outside of the van?

I know. I wish they would. I'd love for there to be an inbetween category. Like for Berlingos with enough space to sit in and then cook out the back. I'd happily pay €333 tax for that. Just won't pay the €1000+ rate.

Casati

dory wrote: »

I know. I wish they would. I'd love for there to be an inbetween category. Like for Berlingos with enough space to sit in and then cook out the back. I'd happily pay €333 tax for that. Just won't pay the €1000+ rate.

Tax in a Berlingo registered as a car shouldn’t be that high though- I would have presumed unless very old and high emissions most of them would be 390 a year max?

elperello

A 1.4 petrol Berlingo is €385 pa on the old cc rate.
A 1.9 diesel is €710 pa.

https://www.mywheels.ie/motor-tax-rates-ireland

Casati

elperello wrote: »

A 1.4 petrol Berlingo is €385 pa on the old cc rate.
A 1.9 diesel is €710 pa.

https://www.mywheels.ie/motor-tax-rates-ireland

Anything on old rate is 14 years old now, almost half way to vintage!

elperello

Casati wrote: »

Anything on old rate is 14 years old now, almost half way to vintage!

Hang in there for the Holy Grail of Motor Tax, the €56

Of course they are still charging the cc rate on more modern vans if you want to tax private.