Commercial vans are the perfect base vehicle for a motor home or campervan conversion. Motor homes are made with the chassis of a van such as a Ford Transit and built into a motor home – the difference between this and a campervan conversion is rather than building from the chassis, we build from the van itself. From the compact Citroen Berlingo right to a long wheel based Mercedes Sprinter, any can have a conversion – it’s how you plan on using the campervan that will help you find the right starting base vehicle.

The most popular by far for campervan conversions are Volkswagens Transporter vans, the most popular to date is the 2003-2015 T5 model, however the older T4 (1990-2003) has been a very popular choice in the past too, plus there is a rising popularity in the latest VW T6 as a brand new conversion or a 12-24 month old van conversion. The reason for the high popularity of the Transporter vans is its relationship to the iconic VW campers of the 1960’s and it’s versatile, spacious yet compact size. The low roof T6 has a height limited to 1990mm which means this van is great not just for camping, but day to day driving and conforms to car park height restrictions. On top of all this, the VW Transporter vans are elegant and stylish; they are available in a variety of colours, trims and styles which can be modified and adapted for a unique look.

The T6 has been named Auto Express Van of the year, based on the T6’s MPG and running costs, load space and practicality, reliability and safety, driving and performance and finally it’s’ cab and interior – all of which were rated a minimum of 4.5 stars out of 5. As a standalone mid-sized van, the T6 rivals other commercial classics like the Ford Transit Custom, Mercedes Vito and Vauxhall Vivaro. But in the campervan world, they rule the road.

As mentioned, there are other mid-sized vans that rival the VW T6, which can all be converted into a beautiful home on the road to the same calibre. New mid-sized vans start from around £18,500 (OTR ex VAT price – standard single cab L1/H1) with the Vauxhall Vivaro (£18,858*) and Mercedes Sprinter (£18,415*) standard vans coming in as the cheapest, closely followed by VW T6 at £19,790* and the Ford Transit Custom standard van at £20,045*. As with any vehicle, these prices can rocket to sky high prices with features, engine sizes and actual physical sizing of the van have configured. Any of these vans would make perfect campervan conversions – if you are looking for a bespoke conversion and would like to source the van yourself, we recommend buying panel vans which we can fully convert from scratch. If you are looking to knock the overall price down of your campervan conversion, look into buying 12 month old base vehicles as appose to brand new, the interior itself will be completely brand new.

(* Prices quoted on pricelists for the vehicles correct at time published)

A rising star for popular campervans is a converted Mercedes Sprinter. This large van has heaps of space and can sleep a family of 4 (plus luggage) with ease. A Sprinter conversion balances on the line between campervan and motor home, the benefits of having a converted Sprinter first of all is cost – converting a 2^nd hand Sprinter  means you get a brand new motor home at a fraction of the cost.

Another popular vehicle base for both motor homes and campervans is the Ford Transit. This van by far the most popular commercial vehicle on the road for the last 50 years,  and although they come in all different shapes and sizes now such as the Connect and Courier, the standard Transit van is perfect for converting into a large campervan. The spacious interior means you can have walled room areas for privacy or a full open plan layout.

Any of these vans can be converted into your ideal campervan, enquire today and we’ll do our best to accommodate.