Hello, and questions on 2-berth/travel-5 !

[BillF]

Hi, I've been researching on and off for a couple of years and have decided the best thing is to sign up and seek the wisdom of those who have been there and done that Our requirements don't seem to align very well with what generally seems to be out there. I think we are after a 2-berth (only) van that can also double up as a family car for 2 adults and 3 university age students when we're all at home together. So I think a built-in kitchen is a non-starter and we won't need a bed in the pop up roof. Not sure if the roof needs to pop-up at all provided we have an awning ? Anyway ..... if anyone else has experience of that basic need of a 2-berth but ability to travel 5 I'd be really interested to know how you got it to work for you.

Cheers !

 

[BeagleMum]

Hi, I've been researching on and off for a couple of years and have decided the best thing is to sign up and seek the wisdom of those who have been there and done that Our requirements don't seem to align very well with what generally seems to be out there. I think we are after a 2-berth (only) van that can also double up as a family car for 2 adults and 3 university age students when we're all at home together. So I think a built-in kitchen is a non-starter and we won't need a bed in the pop up roof. Not sure if the roof needs to pop-up at all provided we have an awning ? Anyway ..... if anyone else has experience of that basic need of a 2-berth but ability to travel 5 I'd be really interested to know how you got it to work for you.

Cheers !

You could consider a 5 seater Beach. You would need to pop the roof for comfortable head height when camping but obviously don’t need to use the top bed.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Beach seats 5 in comfort.

Roof bed is very comfy so you could sleep up top and leave downstairs free with table set up.

Get some attachable sides for the roller awning and then you have a large enclosed area.

If you take your children camping then just put your larger awning up next to the van.

 

[Drpps]

Or an Ocean/SE with the 5th seat and 3rd rail.

The Ocean 5th seat comfortably seats an adult but not with the rear/bed shelf in as there isn't really enough leg room for at least one of the 2 on the bench seat behind it, but with the shelf out there is plenty of room for 5. That would work as you family wagon at home. Then you have a full 2 berth camper when you are away.
If you are only ever going to realistically camp with 2 of you and the University age ones driving to meet you, they can sleep in a tent. If you need to transport all 5 while camping then it isn't really practical to be taking the seat in and out on site as it is quite heavy.

Think about how you are going to use the van for camping. If you are mainly away in the warm dry summer months then you might not need the kitchen. If you are away all year and want somewhere warm and dry to prepare a meal with the heating on then the Ocean does that better. Don't compromise on the van for transporting the children!

You don't need to sleep in the roof bed, although it is a little bigger and some find it more comfortable, but putting the roof up makes a massive difference to how the van feels during the day and makes cooking much easier. If you do sleep up top then you can leave downstairs as the sitting room and not have to make up the bed each time. There is a ladder that you can use to get in the roof if that is an issue.

Again if there are just 2 of you and you can travel light with only the wind out casette awning and/or a PUP tent then that is the best way to go.

If you don't need the pop up and a kitchen then you could buy a Caravelle with an aux heater?

However you will find many differing opinions on here as this is a perennial Beach/Ocean discussion!

 

[BillF]

Magic - this has been really useful already ! It would only be us two "camping", the three children would only need to be accommodated in a "regular family car" scenario and I think what is being described is to purchase an extra seat, remove the rear bed/shelf in order to slide the standard two rear seats back and hence have bags of space for three adult-sized children in the back when regular family-car-mode is needed.
It's handy to know that the pop-up really is needed for comfort and the roof bed is also a good option - yes, that's a great idea to just use the roof bed and leave downstairs as is when we turn in for the night.

And I think I'm hearing that the 5 seat option will also work with a kitchen (provided that the rear bed/shelf is removed when go into family-car-mode.

And reassuring to hear I'm not the only one mulling this over.

Many thanks.

 

[Drpps]

Magic - this has been really useful already ! It would only be us two "camping", the three children would only need to be accommodated in a "regular family car" scenario and I think what is being described is to purchase an extra seat, remove the rear bed/shelf in order to slide the standard two rear seats back and hence have bags of space for three adult-sized children in the back when regular family-car-mode is needed.
It's handy to know that the pop-up really is needed for comfort and the roof bed is also a good option - yes, that's a great idea to just use the roof bed and leave downstairs as is when we turn in for the night.

And I think I'm hearing that the 5 seat option will also work with a kitchen (provided that the rear bed/shelf is removed when go into family-car-mode.

And reassuring to hear I'm not the only one mulling this over.

Many thanks.

glad that is helpful.
Be aware that the 4 motion doesn't have the 3rd rail, and also the 3rd rail was mostly an optional extra.

 

[Drpps]

A current thread with some points you might also find helpful. https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/regret-going-for-beach-over-ocean-or-vice-versa.39377/

 

[clarinetbcn]

An example of cooking in a Beach set up as a 5 seater:

 

[BillF]

Thanks for those further replies, and the link to the Beach/Ocean thread. Useful and appreciated, ta.

 

[Calimili]

If you want to stand inside the van because you are cooking , you need a pop up roof.
If you just want to sit to eat something, or sleep, you don't need a California at all, you just need a VW Multivan. It also has seats converting to a bed, but with no pop up roof.