History
The VW Campervan dates back to 1947 when the idea for the VW Type 2 was designed by the dutch importer Ben Pon. His design was based on the motorised trolleys used in the VW factory to carry parts in Wolfsburg, these were made from stripped bettle chasis. Volkswagen took on the idea and launched it at the Geneva Motor Show in November 1949 and then started producing it in 1950. In 1951 Westfalia, a coach building company created the first VW conversion and was the first to have official VW approval. The first generation of Type 2s can be recognised by their split windscreen. These were soon replaced with the bay window camper in 1968. This was then superseded by the Type 3 (also known as Type 25) in 1969 which was air-cooled and then water cooled in 1981. VW replaced the T3 with the T4 in 1990 and this was a front engine version. In 2003 this was then replaced by the T5 and the T5 facelift saw the addition of an upgraded 180bhp engine.
Today, Volkswagen are now onto their sixth generation of VW Transporter, the T6, which replaced the T5 in 2015. The T6 is available in short wheel base (SWB) or Long Wheel Base (LWB). Here at Jerba Campervans we are official registered VW T6 body builders. The T6 we have today differs from the T5 through its Euro 6 diesel engine, where Blue Motion is standard in order to improve fuel efficiency and drastically reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions by the addition of Ad Blue. All new T6’s also now include standard features such as DAB radio, handsfree Bluetooth technology, emergency automatic city & post collision braking, hill hold assist, driver alert, tyre pressure monitoring and much more!
Campervan or Tent?
A question people may ask themselves is should I stick with my tent or get a campervan? Unsurprisingly, our answer would be get a campervan!!
Our answer isn’t just because we are a campervan conversion company but because we are also campers and we can assure you a campervan camping experience greatly surpasses that of camping in a tent. When you arrive at your chosen spot you don’t need to spend time trying to get your tent set up and when it is time to leave you don’t need to struggle with putting the tent back into the bag, with the tent now seeming much bigger and the bag much smaller than when you first arrived!
You are much better protected against that typical British weather of rain and wind; you definitely won’t wake up in a puddle of water and you don’t need to be on constant edge that your next movement will result in touching the side of the tent. Our Ventile canvas means you also don’t have that irritating sound of rustling nylon and all our camper vans also have insulation and heating- providing a much better night’s sleep!
Plus, if the weather does suddenly get really bad you can get out of there quick, simply pull down the roof and drive away, no need to go outside at all!
You have power meaning you have; heating, a cold fridge and charged mobiles. Plus, you can lock your camper both when you are inside and when you are out which stops any unwanted visitors making it much safer.
Campervan or Motorhome?
Another consideration that people make is whether they should get a campervan or a motorhome?
A motorhome is bigger than a campervan and has been defined by the Collins dictionary as “a large motor vehicle with living quarters behind the driver’s compartment”. The smaller size of the campervan makes it better for getting off the beaten track, this is perfect for going hiking, cycling, surfing and just for general adventure.
Economically a campervan is better as larger vehicles use more fuel, and cost more for ferries and tolls. A motorhome is also more difficult to drive due to its larger size. Some may want a motorhome for increased facilities such as toilets and showers on board, however, our Jura and Sanna layout both come with an inbuilt toilet and the option to have a shower and all layouts have the option of a cassette toilet. Therefore, your campervan can provide you with all the facilities you need while still providing you flexibility in your adventure.
A campervan’s smaller size means that it can also be used as a second car making it practical every day. Its size also means that it can easily be parked on the drive outside your house instead of having to be stored away somewhere. That makes the opportunity for last minute adventures much easier and more likely than if you have a motorhome that needs to be stored elsewhere.
