Undecided

[Comet]

I don't know if it's an age thing, but I have a sudden need to own a camper van. I seem to be spending a lot of time reading about all the different options and I am currently undecided about which way to go. I have looked at some converted vans and also the Ford Terrier (which I class as a converted van), but the California certainly looks the best in terms of quality of the finish, and there is helpful info on this forum.

The one thing I am unsure about is the offside sliding door. It's not an issue for me in terms of dropping off passengers as I wouldn't use it for that. It's more a question of when you pull up at the side of the road, perhaps next to the beach, and ideally you would want the van to open onto the pavement. I guess you can always park it the other way round.

My plan is to visit the NEC show in October to get a good overview of what is available and then I will decide. Any other suggestions are welcome.

 

[WelshGas]

Do you ever plan to go to the Continent? If so the sliding door is on the correct side.

To be really honest I, along with many others, do not find it a problem and in some instances useful.
In fact I've not come across many beach locations where you can park parallel to the pavement.

 

[RedCali]

We never give the door any thought, we only have our Cali and use it every day with no problems. We unload our Labradors through the sliding door all the time and just get them out onto the road or pavement. Save yourself a trip to Birmingham and just buy a Cali!!

 

[motacyclist]

I have a sudden need to own a camper van

That's how we all started, this is going to cost you a lot of money!

It's inevitable, you will buy a Cali in the end.

Don't worry about the sliding door, just as often it works out it's on the more convenient side.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[2into1]

Which side the sliding door is on is the least of your worries if you've yet to actually try a campervan rather than just think about it.
It's a great time and season to rent one and see if the life / scale of a Cali suits you.
If you enjoy an brief holiday in Autumn showers then you'll be straight on your way to order your own.
Far too many small campers get sold after 3 months from folks falling for the romance of the idea rather than the practicalities.

 

[Comet]

Good point about the continent. The side door definitely isn't a deal breaker.

I'm quite looking forward to the NEC. I tend to spend hours researching anything I'm going to buy, drives my wife mad

I get the point about the "romance" of owning a camper which is why I'm giving it serious thought. I'm coming up to retirement so it's a life-changing time anyway and I need something to occupy myself.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[2into1]

There is only so much that 'research' can tell you.
It can't let you experience one of you standing in the rain whilst the other curses at the seat sticking on the runners whilst making the bed, then trying to swat the knats that filled the cabin (attracted by the light) whilst you made the bed. Then taking a pee on a portaloo inches from your bed.
All this is the real research. Once you have a yes to the above, then buy a Cali.

 

[motacyclist]

Don't tell him, Pike!

 

[Hotel California]

Welcome,
If you need that last push,
Rent one for a few days , next day you'r placing an order.....
Take the big jump!

 

[LowMan]

Welcome Comet.

+1 for the try before you buy idea if you're able. Don't think it will prevent you purchasing, but it may save you a fortune in buying all those extras you THINK you need and help identify those you really DO

Good luck with the shopping!

 

[rippers]

I never think about the sliding door being on the wrong side although itst he same side as my LHD Splitty and my previous LHD bay was the same so it 'seems' right to me. The only time I notice is when other people point it out to me lol
Regardless as its a walk through they can just get out through the front passenger door it need be

 

[WelshGas]

Also, having the sliding door on the "wrong" side means it's much easier to spot and wave to other California owners!

 

[Rippin]

Hi Comet, we have all bean through this, have fun looking around, it took us nearly 5years to decide we hired large motorhomes, the California and looked at caravans, and ended up with a lwb convention from threebridgecampers, have a look at their web site.
What ever you do take your time and enjoy it, I'm thinking of hiring out the one we have, if you live near the Midlands come and have a look
Rippin

 

[LadyOfTheLakes]

I'm a very new Cali owner and loving every second, in fact I drove the normal car tonight and it felt so wrong!
Do your research, it's a lot of £££'s not to, but the Cali won both my heart & my head.
The offside door has been been great, for the dogs, shopping and dropping/picking up kids so certainly not found an issue on that yet and as rippers said it's a walkthrough.
The only issue has been work getting in the way of me buggering off to enjoy it every day

 

[MattBW]

I never thought about the Cali offside door thing being good for spotting them on the road. I wonder how many i have missed because I didn't think to look. Does the caravelle also have an offside door?

 

[GrannyJen]

I woke up this morning ... always a relief to find out that I am not dead, but then I digress...

I woke up, a bit cold, fumbled with one arm out of my snuggly duvet, found the remote, click, arm back under the covers, heater on, van all warm in five minutes,

yawn, kettle on.. "Where am I?" .... oh yes, campsite in the middle of Romney Marsh.

How odd, I was in Norfolk last week, then took mum home from sussex to Manchester, now in Romney Marsh .. oh well, nice cup of tea...

not going back to bed, fold bedding up, fold bed up, push bed back, another cup of tea, "Why am I in Romney Marsh"?

Oh well, never mind, who cares, can toodle off somewhere else today, anywhere really,

"so what's the plan"?

Plan? What plan, think I'll nip up to Chatham, visit the dockyard, if it's really interesting can stop the night, two britstops and 5 CL's within three miles, ..

Life with a Cali. It's called freedom.

 

[Flood51]

I woke up this morning ... always a relief to find out that I am not dead, but then I digress...

I woke up, a bit cold, fumbled with one arm out of my snuggly duvet, found the remote, click, arm back under the covers, heater on, van all warm in five minutes,

yawn, kettle on.. "Where am I?" .... oh yes, campsite in the middle of Romney Marsh.

How odd, I was in Norfolk last week, then took mum home from sussex to Manchester, now in Romney Marsh .. oh well, nice cup of tea...

not going back to bed, fold bedding up, fold bed up, push bed back, another cup of tea, "Why am I in Romney Marsh"?

Oh well, never mind, who cares, can toodle off somewhere else today, anywhere really,

"so what's the plan"?

Plan? What plan, think I'll nip up to Chatham, visit the dockyard, if it's really interesting can stop the night, two britstops and 5 CL's within three miles, ..

Life with a Cali. It's called freedom.

What is a CL ? C must stand for camper, camping or caravan but what is the L layover ?

 

[GrannyJen]

A "CL" is a certificated location .... a 5 unit maximum site offering basic facilities as a minimum of water and waste disposal, but sometimes a lot more.

Normally quiet rural locations. Listed by the Caravan club, about 2,500 in total available only to members of the club. A similar 5 unit maximum site is also listed by the camping and caravan club called certificated sites "CS's".

Advantages are relaxed, small, limited numbers, varied nature, one almost anywhere that you want to be.

 

[robo]

Enjoy Chatham. Well worth a visit.
I assume you will visit the dockyard.
Needs a long day to see it all.
Great day out for grandchildren.
Did you get to DungeneS's?

Rob

 

[GrannyJen]

Enjoy Chatham. Well worth a visit.
I assume you will visit the dockyard.
Needs a long day to see it all.
Great day out for grandchildren.
Did you get to DungeneS's?

Rob

Good morning Rob,

Chatham will fulfil a great hole in my life.

Having been a volunteer on HMS Belfast and HMS Victory I have never been to Chatham.

Now that my odyssey of travelling the full circumference of the coast has finally reached Kent so I can fulfill my dream.

I was actually going in reverse direction, anti-clockwise instead of clockwise. I finished at Dartford last trip, but as I live on the Sussex coast I decided to travel my home coastline back, hence why I stopped over at Romney., on my way to thanet having just been to Dungeness.

 

[Bigted]

Door is on the right side for our narrow drive! We have 3 small kids and the door is not an issuse in fact a whole lot easier that the MPV the van replaced.

 

[2into1]

Agree ^
The fact that the drivers door is on the same side as the siding door is a real big benefit for folk who have to part tight up against a wall. Driver can exit, and side door is available for kids / loading. A normal RHD van would see one or the other blocked.
My parking set-up is like that.
Pity my van is LHD so I have to shuffle across or between the seats to exit

 

[Huey]

Having had a twin slider for well over a decade, I can attest to the fact that the sliding door most often used was the one behind the driver. So easy to access for large items, coats, etc. especially if not accompanied. Having said that, we always arranged the camping side of things to be along in front of the O/S door keeping the N/S one as the 'camping door' as per a 'traditional' camper layout even though both captains seats swivelled.

 

[Aidy P]

I don't know if it's an age thing, but I have a sudden need to own a camper van.

You only live once Comet (unless you're a Budhist)

 

[Bigted]

You only live once Comet (unless you're a Budhist)

Or a cat!!