Choosing a Van

RossandTrenna · Newbie

Choosing a Van

villatranquilla · Guru

Firstly RossandTrenna welcome to the forum.
You don't have to travel 'remotely' to appreciate the value of a shower and toilet. We have been travelling for 5 yrs and could not afford to stay in caravan parks all the time. We love the outback and bush camping of which neither are necessarily considered remote.
Bush camping usually gives you more space and less restrictions and often allows you to have a campfire.
There is nothing quite like setting up near a lake or river and enjoying the surrounds. With your own toilet and shower and solar power you are not driving around looking for those things.
And lastly the convenience of the on-board toilet saves that late night or early morning dash to the loo especially if its wet under foot or raining

As an after thought we have stayed in a few parks that have poor or not very clean showers/toilets so it is nice to have our own

-- Edited by villatranquilla on Thursday 28th of July 2016 03:51:19 PM

-- Edited by villatranquilla on Thursday 28th of July 2016 03:54:36 PM

Ron-D · Guru

We started out with a basic pop top caravan and that's all you really need, if finances are putting a modern van with a bathroom out of your price range.

you will need a portable solar panel, shower tent,porta potti,and you will need to Carry probably a couple of 20ltr containers of fresh water in the car to supplement what's in the caravan tank,

fitt Led bulbs to your lights and you have a pretty good set up for free camping..

but having a modern van with a bathroom with plenty of water on board is a nice step when your ready for it...

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Welcome to the gang RossandTrenna, enjoy here and out in the playground.

When I first started out on my GN life style I just a Avan Camper that was great but no toilet or shower fitted. I had a 20lt bucket with toilet seat and lid that due to being solo used inside at night. All good.

When I decided to go full time GN and still solo I upgraded to a full caravan with full ensuite, shower one side and toilet the other down back of van. I find now I am getting older, having to toilet on board is great, also the shower is used when free camping and even occasionally in a caravan park when busy.

If ever I have to replace the van for whatever reason it will definitely have a on board toilet and shower. I also opted for a instantaneous hot water service and works well. Is that better than a storage hot water service? Don't really know as I have never had one in a van. The only thing I don't like about the instantaneous is it is a little noisy inside van and out.

Keep safe on the roads.

Gaylehere · Guru

Welcome. We have a third hand motorhome and we are happy with that. Price was a big factor. It has a toilet and shower. Never have used the shower but we normally spend a couple nights free camping (just a wash down) then a night in a caravan park and use their facilities. As we are getting older we need to go to the loo in the small hours and it can be very dark at a free camp even if it has toilets. Plus it's a safety thing. No need to get out of a locked van. Add cold and wet weather, so we are happy to have an inside loo.

Don't know anything about vans so someone else will have to advise you on those. Once again though, welcome here.

macka17 · Guru

If you going to spend time in any mobile. Van.Camper but etcetc.

DO NOT go without both a tut. and shower.
Either built in older van that you can afford and tow.
or as I did with this 18fter.

New Porta potti. $185.
Ext instant HWS with pump.tap and shower head to line on outside.
with an external shower tent to van.
It Gave hot water to kitchen tap and hot shower to outside.
All up New. $650 and a packet of rivets. some wiring for small pump and a sw.

You can go the ext shower unit that fits into skin of van and fit a tent around it. with HWS/pump to suit
elsewhere.

Or like mine. incorporate sink and shower hot water. and cold. with heater unit mounted either inside or outside van.
Mine outside in front of door.

ALternatively. if bush camping.
Coupla lengths of 6in sewer pipe on top of car with caps on ends. One painted mattblack and an outlet tap.hose and rose fitted to one end.
just test temp b4 use.
They can get real hot.

Plastic shower bag sit on roof of car if nobody around. or wear jocks.

I've used then all, they all work.

But this current system you can fit to ANY van/camper to give HWS and shower to several taps.

Have fun.

And if you only want a small/er van. Evernew especially.

There are a lot of good units down in Vict at very good prices.

RossandTrenna · Newbie

Thanks all, certainly a strong support for the inbuilt facilities. We may have to reconsider our thoughts on the facilities.

Grumpytoo · Senior Member

Most new vans have separate shower and toilet cubicles. If the money doesn't stretch to a new van then a lot of older vans have a combo, where the toilet is in the shower unit. Uses less space in the van so usually this allows more living space in the same sized van.

Pondy · Senior Member

We started with a small 15ft poptop to see if we liked caravaning no hot water system only pump up water at sink tap.
We now have a 20ft poptop with toilet and shower combo hot water system a/c and all the mod cons. Having the toilet allows you to go in the middle of the night without leaving your van.
We also free camp alot so having our own amenities is great.

Eaglemax · Guru

We built our own 11ft van last January with a toilet shower combo . After 13 weeks on the road it proved a godsend. Shower area handy to store buckets, wet muddy shoes towels etc. Our foxy's water bowl. I had installed a large square hatch for easy access to empty to potti. Hot water. ..camping solar bag in basket on drawbar. Or hot kettle of water. In bucket place on portapotti use submersible camp shower pump $30 and enjoy a great shower. Towing a 650kg loaded caravan with toilet and shower amazes many. Everyone has different budgets. We've met many fine folk on our travels. Enjoy it. And this site has been great for info. Top people

JackieP · Senior Member

our first 2 caravans didnt have bathrooms. The first van was not a prob as we always stayed in caravan parks. By the time we purchased our 2nd van we had been introduced to free camping so got a porta potty and solar shower for each, with ensuite tents( as hubby and i are both ex ARMY and used to roughing it this wasnt a problem ) Then we did the big lap and after trying to put those bloody ensuite tents up a couple of times in rain or a strong breeze and trying to master the right angle for the body while the breeze was blowing the tent sideways while we were inside or having to go outside at night in the rain we decided a caravan with ensuite was a must so have now purchased on with all mod cons.