WhichCamper — Find Your Perfect Camper Van
21 questions — base vehicle, model, layout, facilities, compromises and running costs
Step 1 of 21
👥 Who & How
step 1 — travellers
Who will be using the van?
Sets the minimum sleeping capacity you need
👨👩👦
Family + 1 child
3 people
👨👩👧👦
Family + 2 kids
4 or more people
👥 Who & How
step 2 — belted seats
How many seats needed while driving?
Everyone must be belted by law. Some conversions remove rear seats for fixed beds or garages
👤👤
2 seats only
Cab only — maximises conversion space
👤👤👤
3 seats
Cab plus 1 rear for occasional passengers
👨👩👦
4 seats
Family or two couples — rear seat essential
👨👩👧👦
5+ seats
Large family — people carrier style seating
👥 Who & How
step 3 — usage
How will you mainly use the van?
Be honest — this shapes everything downstream
🌤️
Weekend breaks
Occasional, stored at home
☀️
Holidays 1–3 weeks
A few longer trips per year
🗺️
Extended touring
Months at a time, Europe too
Full-time living
My permanent home on wheels
💰 Budget
step 4 — purchase budget
What is your total purchase budget?
Base vehicle plus conversion — new or used
💰
Under £20k
Used or DIY conversion
💰💰
£20k–£40k
Used professional conversion
💰💰💰
£40k–£70k
New or nearly new
✨
£70k+
Premium or bespoke build
💰 Budget
step 5 — running costs
How important are low running costs?
Bigger vans cost more to fuel and insure. Hybrid options now emerging on Ford Transit Custom
🎯
Very important
Low fuel, insurance and servicing costs are a priority
⚖️
Moderate
Reasonable costs but will pay more for the right van
🤷
Not a priority
Happy to pay for quality — running costs are not a concern
⚡
Want hybrid or PHEV
Wellhouse Misano 5 now available as Ford Transit Custom PHEV
📏 Size & Roads
step 6 — roads
Where will you mostly be driving?
Vans over 2.0m wide cause real problems on single-track country lanes. Width matters more than most people realise
🌿
Country lanes and rural UK
Narrow lanes, passing places. Under 2.0m wide strongly preferred
🛣️
Mixed — towns and countryside
Mostly A-roads with some rural driving. Moderate width is fine
🏙️
Mainly motorways and cities
Motorway touring, cities, campsites. Width less of an issue
🌍
Europe and long distance
Autoroutes, autobahns, European campsites. Wider roads
📏 Size & Roads
step 7 — van length
How long can your van be?
A standard UK parking space is 4.8m. Ferry decks and campsites sometimes charge more over 6m
📏
Short — under 5m
Parks like a large car. VW T6, Bongo, Transit Custom
📏📏
Medium — 5 to 5.5m
Good balance. Slightly over a parking space but very manageable
📏📏📏
Long — 5.5 to 6.5m
Serious living space. Sprinter, Ducato, Crafter LWB
🚌
Extra long — 6.5m plus
Maximum interior. Plan all parking in advance. Iveco, Sprinter XLWB
📏 Size & Roads
step 8 — licence and weight
What is your driving licence situation?
Standard UK licence covers up to 3,500kg. A fully fitted LWB conversion with solar, water and kit can push close to that limit
🪪
Standard licence only
Must stay under 3,500kg. Covers most campervans — VW, Ford, Trafic
🪪✅
I have Cat C1
Full flexibility — heavy Sprinters, Iveco 4.25t plus, anything goes
📚
Willing to get Cat C1
Happy to take the test for the right van
🤔
Not sure — flag issues
We will highlight any licence concerns clearly on your results
⛰️ Terrain
step 9 — terrain and 4wd
What terrain do you need to handle?
You can select two options here if both apply — e.g. roads and campsites plus light off-road
Select one or two that apply
🏕️
Roads and campsites only
Tarmac, site tracks, the odd muddy field. 2WD is perfectly fine
🌾
Light off-road
Gravel tracks, forest roads, farm fields. Ground clearance helps
⛰️
Wild camping — rough tracks
Remote locations, rough ground, beach access. AWD preferred
🏔️
Serious off-road
Mountain tracks, extreme routes. Must have proper 4WD
☀️ Off-Grid
step 10 — off-grid capability
How long do you need to be fully off-grid?
Off-grid means no hookup, no water top-up, no waste dump. Drives solar size, battery bank, water tank and heating choices
🔌
Always on hookup
Happy to stay on sites with electric. Minimal solar needed
🌙
1 to 3 nights off-grid
Occasional wild stops. Small solar and leisure battery works
🌤️
Up to a week off-grid
200W plus solar, 100Ah plus battery, larger water tank needed
🌍
Fully off-grid long term
400W plus solar, 200Ah plus lithium, diesel heater essential
🚛 Towing
step 11 — towing
Do you need to tow anything?
Towing reduces available payload. A bike rack is very different to towing a boat or horsebox
🚫
No towing needed
No towbar required at all
🚲
Bike rack or light trailer
Towbar for bikes or a small trailer. Most vans do this easily
🛖
Medium trailer or boat
Up to 2,000kg — small boat, horsebox, gear trailer
⚓
Heavy towing 2,000kg plus
Large boat or horsebox. Need a large van with a good tow rating
🚛 Payload
step 12 — payload and kit
How much kit and gear do you carry?
Payload is everything you are allowed to carry — people, water, food, bikes, kit. Each person is roughly 75 to 80kg
🎒
Travel light
Minimal gear. Standard payload fine on any van
🧳
Moderate kit
Normal luggage, camping gear, food stores
🏄
Heavy kit
Surfboards, kayaks, bikes, tools, full water tanks
🏋️
Maximum payload
Large family plus all gear plus full water plus equipment
🚛 Storage
step 13 — garage storage
Do you need under-bed garage storage?
A garage lives beneath a fixed bed — essential for surfers, cyclists and adventure sports fans. Needs LWB minimum to work well
🚫
No garage needed
No large items to store — maximise living space instead
🎿
Small garage
Boots, bags, camping chairs. A modest under-bed area
🚵
Bikes or surfboards
Full-size garage for 1 to 2 bikes or surfboards. Needs LWB
🏍️
Maximum garage
Motorbike, kayak, multiple bikes. Needs XLWB or Iveco
🛏️ Living
step 14 — roof height
What roof height suits you?
Most multi-storey car parks are 2.0 to 2.1m. High roof vans at 2.5 to 2.8m are blocked from many car parks
🥷
Low or stealth roof
Under 2.0m. Looks like a normal van. Fits everywhere. Cannot stand up inside
🧱
Fixed high roof
2.5 to 2.8m. Stand up inside. Multi-storey car parks often blocked
🏕️
Pop-up or elevating roof
Low when driving, raises at camp. Best of both worlds
Luton or overcab
Maximum headroom and sleeping space over the cab
🛏️ Living
step 15 — sleeping setup
How do you want your bed to work?
You can choose two options — for example a drop-down bed plus rock and roll for daytime seating, or fixed bed plus porta potti
Select one or two that apply
🛏️
Fixed permanent bed
Always made up. Garage underneath. Needs LWB
⬇️
Drop-down bed
Raises to ceiling during day, drops at night — electric or manual
🔄
Rock and roll bed
Rear seat converts to bed. Maximises daytime seating. Great for smaller vans
🛠️
Make-up bed
Cushions rearrange each night. Most daytime space
⚖️ Compromises
step 16 — what can you live with
Every van involves compromises — what are you most willing to accept?
There is no perfect van. Being honest here means we can match you to the right one rather than the one that sounds best on paper. Select all that you can live with
Select all that apply
📏
Shorter van — harder to stand up or stretch out
Happy to trade living space for easier driving and parking
🥷
Low roof — cannot stand up inside
Happy to keep low profile even if it means getting changed while crouching
🛏️
Make-up or fold-away bed — not always ready
Happy to spend a few minutes converting the bed each night to gain more daytime space
☀️
Limited off-grid — need sites with hookup
Happy to stay on campsites rather than wild camping to keep weight and cost down
💰
Lower spec finish to save money
Happy with a simpler interior finish if it means staying in budget
⚙️ Gearbox
step 17 — transmission
Automatic or manual gearbox?
A significant choice — especially for first-time van drivers or anyone who will be towing. Automatic adds £2,000–£4,000 to the price but many owners say it is worth every penny on long trips
🕹️
Manual gearbox
Lower purchase price. More control on tricky terrain. Preferred by experienced drivers. Standard on most base vehicles
🤖
Automatic — torque converter
Relaxed driving on long tours. Better for heavy towing. Available on Sprinter, Ducato, Transit and most large vans
⚡
DSG or twin-clutch auto
Smooth and fast-shifting. VW T6.1 DSG option adds £2,000–£3,000. Very popular on VW campervans
🤷
No preference
Happy with either — will not affect van or model recommendations
🚿 Bathroom
step 18 — bathroom facilities
What bathroom do you need onboard?
Be realistic — a full shower room in a van takes up a lot of space and adds significant weight. Think about how often you will actually use it
🏕️
No shower or toilet
Use campsite facilities. Maximum living space. Most popular for weekenders
🪣
Cassette toilet only — no shower
Compact porta potti tucked away. For emergencies. Fits any van
🚿
Compact wet room — toilet and shower combined
Shower and toilet in one space. Needs LWB minimum. Popular for touring
🛁
Full size separate shower room
Proper shower cubicle and fixed toilet in separate rooms. Needs XLWB or Iveco Daily
🍳 Kitchen & Living
step 19 — kitchen and living facilities
Which kitchen and living features do you need?
Select everything that matters to you — the more you need the larger the van will need to be
Select all that apply
🔥
Oven and grill
Proper gas or electric oven. Needs LWB minimum. Essential for full-time living
📡
Microwave
Needs 240V hookup or large inverter. Common in larger builds
🍽️
Dishwasher
Very rare in vans. Only practical in XLWB or Iveco Daily builds
🧊
Separate fridge and freezer
Compressor fridge plus separate freezer drawer. Needs LWB and good battery bank
❄️
Air conditioning
Essential for hot summers or Europe touring. Needs large electrical system
🌡️
Underfloor heating
Rare in vans. Available on premium Sprinter and Iveco builds. Alde wet system
☀️
Solar and lithium battery bank built in
200W plus solar and 100Ah plus lithium. True off-grid capability
📺
TV and entertainment system
Mounted TV, aerial or satellite connection, sound system
🚪
Garage with external door
Under-bed storage accessible from outside. Needs fixed bed and LWB minimum
🫙
Gas LPG cooking
Traditional gas hob from LPG cylinder. Cheaper running costs than induction
⚡
Induction hob — no gas onboard
All-electric cooking. Safer, cleaner. Needs large battery bank or always on hookup
🪑
Swivel cab seats
Front seats rotate to face the living area. Creates a proper lounge feel
🌿 Emissions
step 20 — euro 6 and ulez
Do you need a Euro 6 compliant engine?
Euro 6 matters if you drive into London, Birmingham, Bath or other UK Clean Air Zones. Non-compliant vehicles face daily charges of £8–£100. Most vans from 2016 onwards are Euro 6 but always check before buying
🌿
Yes — essential
I drive into London or other Clean Air Zones regularly. Must be Euro 6 compliant. No exceptions
✅
Preferred but not critical
Occasionally drive into cities. Euro 6 preferred for future-proofing but not a dealbreaker
🌄
Not needed
Rural and motorway driving only. Clean Air Zones are not relevant to how I will use it
⚡
Electric or hybrid only
I only want zero or ultra-low emission options. Currently very limited for campervans
🛋️ Interior Quality
step 21 — interior finish
What level of interior finish do you want?
Interior quality varies enormously — from budget laminate and basic upholstery to handcrafted hardwood, leather seating and Nolte kitchens. Higher spec means higher price but also better resale value and a better daily experience
🎒
Functional — does the job
Clean, practical, durable. Laminate surfaces, standard upholstery. Happy to prioritise budget over finish
🛋️
Good quality — comfortable
Solid materials, good upholstery, feels well made. The sweet spot most buyers choose
⭐
Premium — high spec throughout
Hardwood or real wood veneer, quality upholstery, solid worktops. Jerba, Murvi, top Danbury spec level
👑
Luxury — bespoke and handcrafted
Nolte kitchen, leather upholstery, bespoke joinery. Full custom build. Expect to pay £70k plus