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How did the Van do?

Lets be honest – no one really expects a 4.8m panel van conversion to be up to a 6 week tour – let alone multiple 6-8 week tours we’ve got planned!  In truth, if we had these plans before we bought we’d probably have bought something bigger.  But, we own our little Horizons-Unlimited Cavarno 2 – so how did it do?

Well – in truth – remarkably well!  If we gave it a clean, it would be in virtually showroom condition!  That’s not withstanding the fact it was three years old (with c. 40 away days a year) before our long trip.  It is incredibly well made and has been a good home for us.  We are constantly surprised by it – and we don’t think we’d have gained anything in a van twice the size.

OK – yes there are compromises – we may need to fill up with water more frequently (3 -4 days) and empty waste every 2-3 days, but thats hardly a chore.  And yes, we’re active and slim which means we can move around easily and climb over things or each othe.  This does help actually...! J

So what has gone wrong?  Considering how much it was used; how many tight/bumpy roads it flew down; and how many times we went too fast round corners – nothing really!

  • Minor water leak – due to jubilee clip coming loose – simple fix
  • Cupboard door sticking – oil applied to catch.
  • Horrible noise from skylight – turned out to be a leaf caught in it
  • Heating packed in – think dodgy air flow sensor – easily bodged!
  • Wet spot under van at front.  Almost certainly not habitation related – but currently unresolved.

Prior to our trip we made some modifications which made each trip better, and this first major trip really pushed them.  Some mods, in our opinion of course, should be applied by the makers as in real hard usage they have been essential for us:-

  • Changing all halogen lights to directional LED
  • Cover (matting) for cooker glass, and including drainer and plate holder – makes washing up much easier
  • China/Pan/Cutlery drawer – far better and more space efficient than the original solution
  • Converting wardrobe to full shelves – its not like you carry formal wear when camping!
  • Bigger and better batteries cabled well – much better camping when away from base.
  • Vehicle stereo cleverly wired to habitation battery, (with AUX adapter), behaving like vehicle yet “always on” bypass – makes music and films much better.
  • Secondary “black out” curtain for the cab – makes wild camping a bit more stealthy J  Will upgrade this to “seal” the cab to help insulation
  • Gadget racking in a cupboard – simple racking for all spares, cables, adapters and the like necessary to keep everything working when away.

We also have a big back-box (20 cubic feet) attached to the tow hook – but is this essential?  We over did the clothes we needed by far; we also carried keep-fit kit; spares; outdoor gear; kites; helmets; running kit; etc.  Without the box we would have had to cut down, and be inconvenienced with stuff inside (like outdoor chairs hidden in toilet etc) but apart from that the storage inside would have been just about sufficient.

The benefits we gained by having a small van far outweigh the size limitations – we were able to park anywhere, drive like a car (never held anyone up), and use tight roads without fear. 

We were absolutely truly impressed with the capabilities of the van – it earned its keep well!