I'm retired and there's no way I'm giving up my van. If I get really old and decrepit I may but a little step stool to help me get in. I've spent 30 of the last 40 days camping in the van and we're just deciding where we're going to spend fri, sat & Sunday this w'end. We both sleep really well in the van, everything's where it needs to be and the seats are lovely and comfy. We've got really good at the awning now and we can have it rolled up and put away in about a minute. Lots of you lot arrived at motorhomes from VW's whereas I came the other way and find motorhomes a bit boring and soulless.
If it gets you both out camping more then it's a win, especially if you can see out of the windscreen on a winters morning without resorting to miles of kitchen roll then it's a win/win.
move to france ,then import a bus from England ,but it is in France ,then explaine why it is still on the german system ,then take it for a gas check (twice) after changing everything again,on route to the second one you have an engine fire,buy a certificate of confomity off VW only to find out it is only a partcial one, then another harder mot ,then explain why it only has four seats on the English log book and six on the german,then register it as a camper ,not delivery van and explain that away,then take it for another test and explain you want it classic vehicle ,go try and make it classic ,then take it for another test two week later ,to find the mot chump only nicked you mot sticker out of the window... Then give the French system 1000's of euros for the pleasure... Trust me you would want to keep the bus...
Having just caught up with this thread.... There are only two of us, which probably helps! full width bed quite a bit of space to move around inside, even with the table up enough height to walk around without banging my head Camping was more hassle when I had a big awning to put up and a big fridge etc Now I try to bring as little as possible.
Take the Paradox route. Imagine an upgrade that you cannot just buy. Start collecting parts for it amd slowly make it while you use the bus. This burns up your changing things enthisiasm.. Like mine is K-Jet mechanical FI that before I fit it is already mutating into a homebrew custom EFI....
I saw a motorhome where the permanent bed was stored in the roof above the table in the day, at night it came down electrically. You could leave the bed completely made, but out of the way There are some cool motorhomes out there, I understand why people like them for camping
http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread.php?t=1462538 I like the Jurgens and the Gypsies, If i was going to go around europe and live in one for a few months A more modern diesel one with heating would probably be more practical for that though
or you tow a small vehicle behind it..................such as a short wheel based landrover, a splitty, a bay or a beach buggy, or whatever floats your boat or an actual boat, but that is only any use if going off for the day at sea!
You can leave bed down in t2 , sit outside on chair or lay on bed and read or have breakfast in bed , afternoon snooze, no need to keep putting it up and down , you can drive if you make stuff safe . we need a thicker mattress now though and a bath