Demand for camper vans has grown hugel
More look at these vehicles for extra freedom when it comes to holidays. Though there are plenty of camper vans that you can buy ‘off the shelf’, this can often be a pricey way to buy a camper van, and it might mean you don’t have the vehicle exactly as you would choose to – something you have the flexibility of if you convert it to yourself.
Volkswagen Transporter
The Volkswagen Transporter is a hugely popular choice to convert into a campervan, and though you can pay VW to do it for you with the California, if you’d rather do it your own way, the Transporter is a great option.
Because of its popularity, there are plenty of converters that specialise in the Transporter or there’s a good supply of parts and accessories to convert it into a camper if you’d rather do the work yourself.
This VW is refined on the move and ideal for longer trips thanks to its smooth diesel engines, while is brilliantly built too.
Peugeot Expert
Peugeot’s Expert is a forgotten gem in the new van market, and really stands out thanks to its generous equipment and technology, fuel efficiency and great comfort.
A sibling model to the Citroen Dispatch and Vauxhall Vivaro, it’s also a great choice to convert to a camper.
Especially if you go for a longer-wheelbase model, it offers ample space inside and allows a good degree of flexibility when adapting it to be suitable as a camper van. Higher-spec models also bring features like alloy wheels for additional street cred on the camping site.
Ford Transit Custom
Ford’s Transit Custom is the UK’s most popular van, and it’s unsurprising that plenty have been converted into campers.
The Transit Custom is good to drive, well made and if you splash out to a higher-spec Limited or Sport model, gets plenty of additional equipment and stylish features.
Ford will sell you its own converted camper – amusingly called the Nugget – but due to its popularity, there are plenty of parts out there that can help you convert the vehicle yourself, as well as many companies that can do it for you.
Volkswagen Crafter
If you want a camper van that offers quite a lot more space than others on this list, it’s hard to go wrong with the Volkswagen Crafter.
It’s the largest brand from the German firm, and is one of the most comfortable vans on the market – and would be a great companion on longer distances.
Though you do need to factor in its sheer size (such as if it will fit on your drive when not in use), if you want a camper that can be easily converted to sleep five people in comfort and with space, it’s a very desirable choice.
Renault Trafic
The Trafic is Renault’s mid-size van that fits between the Kangoo and Master in the brand’s line-up, and is an ideal camper that’s the right size to still offer plenty of space, but easy and compact enough to use on a day-to-day basis.
The advantage to the Trafic is that all versions produced since 2001 have identical interior dimensions, meaning there are plenty of fixtures, fittings and designs that are available to make converting this campervan much simpler.