A campervan based on a Japanese import is an affordable way to get into vanlife, as our Editor discovered
Words & pictures ❚ Iain Duff
VAN LIFE
When Covid struck, like thousands of other families, we decided it was time to sign ourselves up for vanlife.
I handed back the company car and replaced it with a campervan… not just for holidays, but for day-to-day use as well.
Except it wasn’t quite as simple as that; it took months of research before we were ready to take the plunge. And during that process, despite being a knowledgeable camper for three decades, I realised how much I still had to learn about campervans.
For example, when I started the process, I’d no idea there was such a thriving market in imported Japanese MPVs, converted into campervans. But I quickly decided this was the route I wanted to follow.
EASTERN PROMISE
The trend began 20 years ago with the arrival of Bongos on these shores and, since then we’ve seen the little Mazda joined by various Toyotas (Granvia, Hiace Regius and Alphard), Nissan Elgrands and Mitsubishi Delicas. There are now numerous converters around the UK where you can pick up one of these campers, originally imported from Japan on the grey market.
Of course, they are popular for camper conversions because they are right-hand drive, making them perfect for the UK market. But they also tend to come with a relatively low mileage and are in a far better state of repair than their UK equivalents – mainly due to the fact that in Japan they don't salt the roads, and, to be frank, the owners take more care of their vehicles.
The clincher for many buyers, though, is the fact that these imports are an affordable alternative to the VW, especially at a time when the cost of new campervans has risen so dramatically.
For as little as £15,000 you can get a new conversion on a used vehicle, with even the most expensive coming in at less than £35,000.
That opens the campervan market up to so many more people.
THE WAITING GAME
In the spring of 2021, I placed an order through Japanese Auto Locators (JAL), a Midlands-based importer and converter. We had plumped for a 2001 Toyota Hiace Regius – choosing the exact model from a gallery of vehicles photographed as they sat on the docks in Tokyo, waiting to be shipped over to the UK.
For the conversion we were able to specify the exact layout and spec we wanted, from flooring and upholstery to the type of pop-top roof. After a visit to the J
