So...
Parents have a Mazda Bongo/Ford friendee which I've used, driven, borrowed etc... mostly for paddle boarding and surfing type stuff. So I have several very, very long boards, 14 foot to be precise. These traditionally live on the roof rack but in the bongo that means dropping it off and leaving it "somewhere" when raising the popup. My daily car is a volvo that's getting long in the tooth and only really plods up and down motorways as I live in London and work in an office doing IT.
As the Volvo is ageing the idea of replacing it with a van conversion grows in appeal, so here's my thinking...
1) Replace car with van or other vehicle like a VW or Bongo that can at least get around a town without being too huge like a caravan. I feel width is the important bit, don't mind extra length as such and most places I go don't have height bars (or I'm happy to walk a bit).
2) Don't care about badge or style, would prefer to save the money for the interior hence slightly -ve for the VWs perhaps. Also prefer the idea of being very stealth. This is likely to end up with a lot of computer gear, and very expensive boards, water equipment in. If it looks like a very boring trade vehicle from the outside that I can park around a town somewhere without being bothered that's a very big plus.
3) I very much like the idea of having an extra long wheel base so that I could actually fit boards inside the load area, don't laugh. I help run national level races and being able to keep my own race board inside (below raised floor?) plus however many more for short runs would be very, very, very handy.
4) Diesels worry me and is a big part of why I'm here asking really. All the big vans I could get converted, lets assume a Sprinter, are obviously diesel only. I'd be looking to buy this van either new or newish, so old or engined swapped vans aren't that attractive and this is a long-term investment. So if I buy this, convert it and then get screwed by some new tax in 4 years time I'm going to hate it.
Ideally, I want a petrol, new (or -ish), extra long wheel base (14ft load length by 30", extra height as well probably) panel/delivery style van... I can't find any. All diesel.
Anyone know of something that would fit that I've missed? I'm also welcome to other ideas, or just comments about the feasibility of such a situation/plan really.
Kind regards,
Phil
Parents have a Mazda Bongo/Ford friendee which I've used, driven, borrowed etc... mostly for paddle boarding and surfing type stuff. So I have several very, very long boards, 14 foot to be precise. These traditionally live on the roof rack but in the bongo that means dropping it off and leaving it "somewhere" when raising the popup. My daily car is a volvo that's getting long in the tooth and only really plods up and down motorways as I live in London and work in an office doing IT.
As the Volvo is ageing the idea of replacing it with a van conversion grows in appeal, so here's my thinking...
1) Replace car with van or other vehicle like a VW or Bongo that can at least get around a town without being too huge like a caravan. I feel width is the important bit, don't mind extra length as such and most places I go don't have height bars (or I'm happy to walk a bit).
2) Don't care about badge or style, would prefer to save the money for the interior hence slightly -ve for the VWs perhaps. Also prefer the idea of being very stealth. This is likely to end up with a lot of computer gear, and very expensive boards, water equipment in. If it looks like a very boring trade vehicle from the outside that I can park around a town somewhere without being bothered that's a very big plus.
3) I very much like the idea of having an extra long wheel base so that I could actually fit boards inside the load area, don't laugh. I help run national level races and being able to keep my own race board inside (below raised floor?) plus however many more for short runs would be very, very, very handy.
4) Diesels worry me and is a big part of why I'm here asking really. All the big vans I could get converted, lets assume a Sprinter, are obviously diesel only. I'd be looking to buy this van either new or newish, so old or engined swapped vans aren't that attractive and this is a long-term investment. So if I buy this, convert it and then get screwed by some new tax in 4 years time I'm going to hate it.
Ideally, I want a petrol, new (or -ish), extra long wheel base (14ft load length by 30", extra height as well probably) panel/delivery style van... I can't find any. All diesel.
Anyone know of something that would fit that I've missed? I'm also welcome to other ideas, or just comments about the feasibility of such a situation/plan really.Kind regards,
Phil