Show us your gear (tents to motorhomes)

[ehonda]

E31Shrew said:

Another Bongo fan! 2.5 V6 Petrol Auto Electric everything and half the price of a VW. OK not quite as trendy but fine for us.
R&R bed downstairs, plus you could, at a push, sleep 2 in the roof. Sink, cooker and fridge plus acres of storage.
MPG a tad dire but we only do about 200 miles a month on average so no real issue.
Insurance via Admiral Multicar thingy £130.00

Edited by E31Shrew on Sunday 24th June 08:20

Nice. Similar setup to mine.
Re insurance, when I got the bongo I spoke to admiral as they insure my other cars but they told me they don't insure imports. This was about 3 years ago. Is yours an import (I thought they all were)?

[E31Shrew]

ehonda said:

E31Shrew said:

Another Bongo fan! 2.5 V6 Petrol Auto Electric everything and half the price of a VW. OK not quite as trendy but fine for us.
R&R bed downstairs, plus you could, at a push, sleep 2 in the roof. Sink, cooker and fridge plus acres of storage.
MPG a tad dire but we only do about 200 miles a month on average so no real issue.
Insurance via Admiral Multicar thingy £130.00

Edited by E31Shrew on Sunday 24th June 08:20

Nice. Similar setup to mine.
Re insurance, when I got the bongo I spoke to admiral as they insure my other cars but they told me they don't insure imports. This was about 3 years ago. Is yours an import (I thought they all were)?

Yup. As you say, they all are. Perhaps they're being a bit more flexible these days with the increase in Multicar policies.
Only thing I can't bear is the goppy graphics on the side so must get round to taking them off.
Have you had any issues with yours yet? None here so far, but we've only had it for 18 months.

[Agoogy]

Outwell Oregon 3 vs Isle of Wight Festival 2012...

[gingerpaul]

Looks like you could have done with a life raft to me!

[ehonda]

E31Shrew said:

Yup. As you say, they all are. Perhaps they're being a bit more flexible these days with the increase in Multicar policies.
Only thing I can't bear is the goppy graphics on the side so must get round to taking them off.
Have you had any issues with yours yet? None here so far, but we've only had it for 18 months.

Ta - I'll speak to them next time it's due.
It's been good as gold mostly, couldn't get the roof up once, did a lot of fiddling, went for a walk, came back and it was OK. Never did find out what the problem was.
I do like my Bongo, it'll be my longest owned vehicle by the end of this year which in 20+ years of driving and riding motorbikes says something about it (or me).

[E31Shrew]

ehonda said:

Ta - I'll speak to them next time it's due.
It's been good as gold mostly, couldn't get the roof up once, did a lot of fiddling, went for a walk, came back and it was OK. Never did find out what the problem was.
I do like my Bongo, it'll be my longest owned vehicle by the end of this year which in 20+ years of driving and riding motorbikes says something about it (or me).

Must admit I have been quite taken by it too! I spray copious amounts of WD40 in the roof sliders and so far, touch wood, it's been OK. Do you go to www.bongofury.co.uk ? Interesting bunch!!!!
Out of interest, which awning do you have?

[ehonda]

E31Shrew said:

Must admit I have been quite taken by it too! I spray copious amounts of WD40 in the roof sliders and so far, touch wood, it's been OK. Do you go to www.bongofury.co.uk ? Interesting bunch!!!!
Out of interest, which awning do you have?

Haven't been on there for a while, but it's a great resource.
I've an easycamp Sebring, which is the big awning I use for campsites and a smaller one (can't remember what though) which is saved for festivals. What are you using?
Think I'm going to get a towbar fitted box this year for some extra capacity as we've gone from 1 nipper, to 2 and a dog in the last few months. I think we'll be pushing at the limits of the bongo's space now.

[E31Shrew]

ehonda said:

E31Shrew said:

Must admit I have been quite taken by it too! I spray copious amounts of WD40 in the roof sliders and so far, touch wood, it's been OK. Do you go to www.bongofury.co.uk ? Interesting bunch!!!!
Out of interest, which awning do you have?

Haven't been on there for a while, but it's a great resource.
I've an easycamp Sebring, which is the big awning I use for campsites and a smaller one (can't remember what though) which is saved for festivals. What are you using?
Think I'm going to get a towbar fitted box this year for some extra capacity as we've gone from 1 nipper, to 2 and a dog in the last few months. I think we'll be pushing at the limits of the bongo's space now.

Havent got one yet! Wifey uses it for diving trips so normally it's just her in it. I did go away to Abersoch last year with one of my daughters and we just took a pop up gazebo thingy to store the kit in when the van was being used.
I did look at the Fiamma things but defeats the simplicity of being able to drive off and leave the awning in situ.
I'll have a gander at the Sebring as really should get hold of one.
Towbar box looks like a good idea too. Only issue with small vans like this, is being able to move around with the thing full of kit to the roof.
Sometimes I dream of a larger camper with a full size double bed that you can just leave down. Then again wifey wouldn't drive it plus I don't think I could justify the best part of £25000!

[Marvindodgers]

I keep looking at Bongo's and like the idea of them as a slightly smaller van. Thanks for all the info, it's all good research hearing other peoples experiences.

[NNK]

Blimey, I never thought I'd see caravans and motorhomes on PH !
I'd better find the pics of ours (new pc, not transferred everything over yet).

Mitsubishi FM, 10m with all mod cons and a Suzuki Vitara on an A frame behind.

[crikey]

2003 Conway Classic Trio trailer tent, without doubt the best thing we have ever spent money on.

[CHIEF]

crikey said:

2003 Conway Classic Trio trailer tent, without doubt the best thing we have ever spent money on.

Now that's a tent!!!

[crikey]

CHIEF said:

Now that's a tent!!!

Set up / pack away in about 45 minutes, 2 king sized beds, 4m x 4.4m awning, kitchen unit attached, less than 500kg towing weight, bike rack, storage box

[redgriff500]

I have 4 kids and went camping for one night last year and didn't like the hassle of setting up / packing up whilst dodging rain showers.

I was looking for a pickup on Ebay (as I'm building a house) when I stumbled onto this pair.

I showed my wife expecting her to tell me to "stop being stupid" but she loved the idea.

Bought in Autumn and I'm slightly ashamed to say it wasn't used until last weekend.

I was a smidge apprehensive about the size (never had a caravan before, only towed a car trailer 5 times and never towed a 5th wheel) but it all went well.

Here it is in all it's shabby glory.





27' Dutchman 5th wheel with slide out, 6 berth (4 permanent and 2 on the pull out sofa bed) air con, blown hot air, fridge / freezer, gas / elec hot water, shower, toilet etc

Towed (as far as I can tell) legally by a custom Isuzu TF 3.1 turbo diesel which has had it's wheelbase lengthened and a single cab back fitted, body lift, big wheels and tyres fitted.

I've fitted an IC and turned up the fuelling but it still drops to 45mph on the steep hills.

The 5th wheel unclips from the back in seconds so it's completely usable as a truck when it's not towing the caravan.

Edited by redgriff500 on Monday 2nd July 20:33

[volks al]

Now that's the ph camping way!

[Petemate]

redgriff500 said:

I have 4 kids and went camping for one night last year and didn't like the hassle of setting up / packing up whilst dodging rain showers.

I was looking for a pickup on Ebay (as I'm building a house) when I stumbled onto this pair.

I showed my wife expecting her to tell me to "stop being stupid" but she loved the idea.

Bought in Autumn and I'm slightly ashamed to say it wasn't used until last weekend.

I was a smidge apprehensive about the size (never had a caravan before, only towed a car trailer 5 times and never towed a 5th wheel) but it all went well.

Here it is in all it's shabby glory.





27' Dutchman 5th wheel with slide out, 6 berth (4 permanent and 2 on the pull out sofa bed) air con, blown hot air, fridge / freezer, gas / elec hot water, shower, toilet etc

Towed (as far as I can tell) legally by a custom Isuzu TF 3.1 turbo diesel which has had it's wheelbase lengthened and a single cab back fitted, body lift, big wheels and tyres fitted.

I've fitted an IC and turned up the fuelling but it still drops to 45mph on the steep hills.

The 5th wheel unclips from the back in seconds so it's completely usable as a truck when it's not towing the caravan.

Edited by redgriff500 on Monday 2nd July 20:33

Man - you GOTTA fit a bigger engine - that looks like it's crying out to be able to cruise uphill at over the legal limit. Seriously, nice outfit - I love those 5th wheelers (ever since watching Lethal Weapon!) Seen them close-up a couple of years ago at a caravan show and they are the biz.

[fivetenben]

So, Pistonheads + camping...

As this is the camping section of a performance cars website, I feel this belongs here. My old '944, complete with an overlanding roof tent - a Mountain Hardwear Annapurna mounted on a plywood platform - parked next to the Dead Sea:



...and here's its awning:



My current 'car camping' tent - a 4m diameter bell tent, complete with woodburning stove, chandelier and double bed. Yep, it all fits in the Chim...:





And my current 'hardcore' tent, a Mountain Hardwear Trango 2. Not the lightest thing around, but better built than most buildings...

[Marvindodgers]

fivetenben said:

So, Pistonheads + camping...

As this is the camping section of a performance cars website, I feel this belongs here. My old '944, complete with an overlanding roof tent - a Mountain Hardwear Annapurna mounted on a plywood platform - parked next to the Dead Sea:



...and here's its awning:



My current 'car camping' tent - a 4m diameter bell tent, complete with woodburning stove, chandelier and double bed. Yep, it all fits in the Chim...:





And my current 'hardcore' tent, a Mountain Hardwear Trango 2. Not the lightest thing around, but better built than most buildings...

Loving the 944 roof tent! However, after experiencing the total lack of ventilation in a 944, there is no way in hell you'd get me driving one to the Middle East!!

[village idiot]

here is mine...

[Fastpedeller]

My "Quantumsleep" homemade GRP folding caravan to accompany my Quantum Kit!