Off to Europe - advice sought

[davidrelph]

I am off to Europe in a 2.1 Syncro Camper (not a factory conversion but basically a Westfalia set up) and am looking for any top tips about upgrading or useful kit prior to departure.

My plan is to try and go 2-3 days between hook-ups so I am looking to improve the electrics, at least by upgrading the leisure battery and potentially with fitting an inverter to run 3 pin plugs off the leisure Battery and PV cells to charge the leisure battery. Any advice on this will be gratefully received - particularly any recommendations regarding a good Battery to buy and a decent PV set up.

I am also considering either a drive away awning or a vehicle fitted Fiamma type set up. Any advice on the relative merits?

I would also welcome advice regarding tools and spares packs, plus any routine maintenance requirements...

Thanks in advance, David

[mwheatley]

Hi David,

I can't give you much advice on the technical stuff apart from telling you that we have a major service done on the van before departing on our european trips every July/August (we go for about 4 to 5 weeks). We also get the full belt and braces RAC cover just in case, but luckily have never had to use it so far. I did take various eniginy type bits (pipe, fanbelts etc) on our first trip, but as a local mechanic said to me "if you don't know what to do with them why take them"! He was right, hence the RAC cover.

On the subject of awnings, we've tried the lot and found that a large drive away awning was too cumbersome, especially if stopping off for short periods. In fact, when you get to the sun an awning becomes pointless. So, then we bought a Quechua II pop up just to store kids car seats & odd clothes bags when we did stop off, a "quick camp" we called it. This year I have gone for the Fiamma roll out & Quechua pop up for sunnier climes and a four zip sided gazebo for northern France that takes minutes to put up.

Get the All Aires France book & the France Passion book (free vinyard stops) from Vicarious books.com & you shouldn't go far wrong.

Hope this helps.

Matt

[billy739]

take the spares with you!

rac man can fix the van if he wants too.

but getting the parts may mean you come home instead.

i take some of the parts that arent easily available
on a petrol i would take thinks like ignition amp , make sure your jack/wheel brace is all in good working condition.

] make sure you can undo the weel nuts- a garage just doing a service will prob way over tighten your nuts and the standad brace wont be able to loosen them!

make sure you have the legal stuff like warning triangles/ bulb kits / fire extinguishers/ reflective jackets ect.

check the small print on your breakdown cove- make sure its ok for 10year old plus vehicles. also if the breakdown company think the cost of recovery is more than the worth of the van they can refuse to recover you.

[Mr Bean]

check the small print on your breakdown cove- make sure its ok for 10year old plus vehicles. also if the breakdown company think the cost of recovery is more than the worth of the van they can refuse to recover you.[/quote]

Yes I had this problem with ADAC a couple of years ago and had to work a flanker to get the van back by another means. ADAC wanted to scrap my camper in France as they said it was without value and refused to discuss any possibility of me contributing towards the repatriation costs. I found the three days wrangling with them on my mobile while stuck on a very depressing industrial estate very depressing if not frightening. Damned woman phoned me three times on my way home suggesting I allow them to collect the vehicle for scrapping! I subsequently went with the AA - No Eurocover over 10 years and haven't ventured over the water since. Now SAGA my current insurers have offered European cover with no age limit but I notice in the cover booklet they say they will not cover "Any amount to repatriate the vehicle that exceeds the market value of the insured vehicle in the United Kingdom". OK no problem but how do we decide the value of he insured vehicle in the United Kingdom? I don't know how much it costs the breakdown insurers to get our vans home but when you consider T25 campers sell for up to £K5 in the UK depending on condition etc. then surely there must be some way of knowing the score without trying it out for real. I mean I maybe wouldn't mind contributing if it seemed fair but how to find out? I must get a definitive answer before I sign up to it and will be giving the SAGA chap a proper grilling when we talk again. Just a single line in a cover booklet could mean a whole lot of hassle and maybe a lot of dosh. Any experts out there?
Cheers
Wolfie

[barsocial]

see my post in spain and portugal topic for mwheatley

Some tips on kit there.

as for awning try getting fiamma type thing. easy to put up and take down and you don't have to store it in the van..

[Louey]

Get the All Aires France book & the France Passion book (free vinyard stops) from Vicarious books.com & you shouldn't go far wrong.

As Matt stated - essential for the traveller who is on a budget and also doesn't like big campsites. The Municipal ones are sometimes pretty good for their lower prices. Don't overpack food as you can buy most of what you get at home in the Hypermarches. Check your battery split charge system works.

Fill in your profile (in your User Control Panel) - add where you are from, you might have some one local who can help or a recommended garage nearby.

[jed the spread]

I am off to Europe in a 2.1 Syncro Camper (not a factory conversion but basically a Westfalia set up) and am looking for any top tips about upgrading or useful kit prior to departure.

My plan is to try and go 2-3 days between hook-ups so I am looking to improve the electrics, at least by upgrading the leisure battery and potentially with fitting an inverter to run 3 pin plugs off the leisure Battery and PV cells to charge the leisure battery. Any advice on this will be gratefully received - particularly any recommendations regarding a good Battery to buy and a decent PV set up.

I am also considering either a drive away awning or a vehicle fitted Fiamma type set up. Any advice on the relative merits?

I would also welcome advice regarding tools and spares packs, plus any routine maintenance requirements...

Thanks in advance, David

This might be of interest, http://campervanculture.com/?p=41

jed

[syncroand101]

This might be of interest, http://campervanculture.com/?p=41

jed

Oy, I hadn't finished writing that yet!

[Louey]

This might be of interest, http://campervanculture.com/?p=41

jed

Oy, I hadn't finished writing that yet!

Talk about taking any opportunity to advertise

[jed the spread]

This might be of interest, http://campervanculture.com/?p=41

jed

Oy, I hadn't finished writing that yet!

Best get a move on then Sorry hadnt realized (slacker)

jed

[Louey]

potentially with fitting an inverter to run 3 pin plugs off the leisure Battery and PV cells to charge the leisure battery. Any advice on this will be gratefully received - particularly any recommendations regarding a good Battery to buy and a decent PV set up.

What do you intend to run using the inverter? If its a laptop, dvd player or phone charger then youy're better off getting 12v cigar lighter leads for them. I believe it will be more efficient to power direct from the battery than charging/powering up an inverter.

Ask on the http://www.sbmcc.co.uk (The Self Build Motor Caravanners Club) about Solar power or discodave if he has time.

I am also considering either a drive away awning or a vehicle fitted Fiamma type set up. Any advice on the relative merits?

Fiamma wind out or caravanstore: + stored on outside of van, easy to erect, - expensive, doesn't cover you from all sides (though you can buy expensive sides panels for the Fiammas)