Blakey's Van: For Sale

It's finally time to sell the van. I've had it for just over two superb years. I've toured Europe in it, camped in it, I've gone surfing in it, gone mountain biking in it, taken rubble and rubbish to the tip in it, helped a friend move house in it and enjoyed every mile I've driven in it. But now me and Mrs Blakey are looking to upgrade to a full blown campervan. Not just any old camper, but a T5 California in fact! But to do that we need to make some money out of our current T5 Kombi. I'll be sad to see it go.

So, here are some details if you're interested in buying it:

Overview
The van is a VW T5 Kombi. I've taken that base model and added a raising roof which enables you to stand up in the van and you can sleep up there in the roof. I've added a 240v electical hook up and leisure battery so that you can power all necessary goodies in the van. I've built in a rear cabinet in which lives the 12v coolbox (included in the sale) and the leisure battery. I've also built a removable kitchen pod which bolts into the side panel of the van. So you can have a 5 seater, 3 seater or 2 seater, depending on your needs. You can throw surfboards (I can fit my 9' longboard inside), mountain bikes, motor bikes, etc in there if you want to, with or without the seats. The front seats swivel enabling the back to be used as a camper. The original rubber kombi floor means you can easily clean all the sand and mud from the van. It's insulated and carpetted on the inside meaning it's comfortable and warm. It's designed as a machine to let you go surfing or biking or any similar activity, plus to be used for camping when wanted. It will take 5 if desired, but is perhaps best designed for 2 to sleep, cook, eat, drink and live inside, plus having space for storing all the stuff you might need.

We've taken it on many weekends camping and even a 3 week long tour of Europe. It's a great van. You can read all about the adventures we've had in it here.

Basics

PRICE: £19,950 ono
LOCATION: West Sussex.
VW T5 Transporter, 57 plate.
2.5 TDi engine, 130 bhp.
Tiptronic gear box.
38,000 miles at present.
T30 model (3 tonnes payload).
MOT vaild till the end of November 2011, although I think I'll almost certainly service and MOT the van before I sell it so it will probably have a year's MOT.
Tax is due end of March 2012.

Exterior

Black pearlescent paint.
Caravelle appearance pack (inc spoiler front and rear).
Front and rear fogs.
16” alloys
Side and rear chrome rails
Limo tinted side and rear windows.
Barn doors to rear (limo tinted)

Interior

Kombi set up – i.e. windows in middle and rear doors, panels in rear section. 5 seater combination.
5 seats:

2 leather upholstered “captains” chairs up front, with swivel bases for 360 degree rotation;
Double seat bench and tipping single seat in the rear, all easily removable. All covered with vinyl which means they are water resistant and super easy to clean.

Kombi rear seats

Seatbelts to all 5 seats.
All original VW seats which were with the van at construction so 100% crash tested safe.
Kombi floor – soft rubber, easy clean surface.

Electricals

T5 Electrical pack (inc electric windows, heated electrical mirrors)
Air conditioning
Cruise control
Rear parking sensors

Campervan Modifications

Reimo Raising Roof with bed (£4500 modification done by CMC of Hythe, Kent).

The van with the roof up

Insulated throughout.
Carpeted throughout (on the walls for comfort and warmth – not on the floor for practical cleaning)
2 x LED 12v lights, powered off internal Leisure battery.
12v Leisure Battery, built in.
12v 28 litre cool box built in - runs off leisure battery.
Split relay charger (charges Leisure battery from alternator when you are driving along).
240v mains hook up (allows you to plug the van into the mains when on a campsite – enabling 3 x 240v plugs inside the van for use with computers, hairdryers, kettles etc). The 240v hook up was also done by CMC of Kent – wanted a professional VW electrician to do this as it’s too important to get wrong.

240v electrical cut off with split relay charge - built into rear cabinet

Lockable safe under front passenger seat.
Rear cabinet (home-made) – which houses Leisure battery, 12v coolbox and 240v hookup and trip switch. Removable (screwed into rear panel).

Rear cabinet

Kitchen pod (home-made) – contains camping gas cooker and gas bottles, plus space for camping plates, cutlery etc and food. Bolted into side wall, removable. Note: this can’t be in place when the rear bench is in place – they go in the same location.