If you can’t afford to buy brand-new, or you don’t want to risk as big an investment in your first ’van, there’s plenty of choice on the used market. Here’s half a dozen that caught our eye…
2014 AUTO-TRAIL V-LINE 600
The original V-Line was a bold undertaking from Auto-Trail, a company then better known for its coachbuilt motorhomes. It was a groundbreaking design, with its extra-high roof designed to allow a raised flat floor throughout the living area. It even had a recessed awning built into the high-top and, of course, everything is colour-coded in a dark metallic grey. There are five-spoke alloy wheels, too, and the habitation windows are double-glazed and flush-fitting, completing the automotive look.
Inside, it’s a bit more conventional, with side settees up front and a rear kitchen and washroom. It all looks very contemporary, though, for a campervan that’s nearly a decade old. The sofas are part-leather, while the galley includes a gas-on-glass hob. The former owners of this example obviously liked cooking, as a microwave has been added to compliment the gas oven/grill.
With only 27,500 miles recorded, this two-berth ’van has a premium feel to it.
BERTHS 2 TRAVEL SEATS 2 LENGTH 5.99m
BASE VEHICLE Fiat Ducato
ENGINE 2.3-litre turbo-diesel (130bhp)
DEALER Camper UK, Lincoln
camperuk.co.uk
2014 AUTOCRUISE ALTO
Fixed bed layouts can have a lot of appeal – no faffing about converting seats to beds, your duvet and pillows always in situ (no need to find storage for them), somewhere to grab forty winks after a long drive. And, of course, below the bed is room to stow your barbecue and outdoor chairs.
Most fixed bed campervans come from the big continental brands, and most double bed layouts place the mattress transverse, across the back of the ’van. This Autocruise (the defunct campervan brand from Swift Group) does things differently, with a lengthways French bed alongside the washroom.
Up front, it’s the usual half-dinette lounge with swivel cab seats and a wall-mounted table. There are four belted seats and you can make an occasional third berth here, adding to the vehicle’s versatility.
With an awning, reversing camera, roof rack and ladder and metallic blue paint, this smart-looking camper has only 24k miles on the clock.
BERTHS 3 TRAVEL SEATS 4 LENGTH 5.99m
BASE VEHICLE Peugeot Boxer
ENGINE 2.2-litre turbo-diesel (120bhp)
DEALER Choose Leisure, Canterbury
chooseleisure.co.uk
2021 FORD NUGGET
Ford’s in-house campervan, the Nugget, is a much rarer sight in the UK than its Volkswagen rival, the California, but it has been on sale here for a much shorter time. If you’re bored wi
