Greetings from Poland. Now I know why you bought a Toyota. Makes sense! From the previous videos that I've watched, you are more than satisfied with your purchase. A real home from home, made even more comfortable with the different awnings you've bought. There appear to be no limits where you can go in Maggie. I can't wait for our next adventure. See you soon
we have an 68 bay window and recently bought a T25 California which we love. Though I might in the future look to buy a more modern camper for longer trips abroad though the Bay might have to go to fund it...
Very late to this but interested from an Australian perspective because here Toyota sell the made in Japan Hiace and its very popular as the base for a camper where in the UK the Toyota Proace is essentially the same vehicle as the latest Citroen Dispatch, Peugeot Expert and Vauxhall van.
Thanks again for this vlog, it’s actually helped us decide not to go for a pop top van (we currently hire different setups before we decide to buy) as I’m a very big beefy bloke and the wife is a bit claustrophobic, so a it’s high top LWB van as a minimum for us. Keep your excellent content coming, I love your format and conversational style 👍😊
Luv the post their my man, great back drop of Wallace monument their :-), considering in investing in a van,been doing a lot of research into what to buy as you have, and you are bang on with your views, this is the second video i have seen about this lerina, looks and sounds a fantastic little van at a fraction of the price of the VW, certainly sounds value for money, could you comment if western toyota supply these. thanks, great informative vid.
We first saw the camper at Western Toyota and it was being marketed as Toyota in partnership with Wellhouse Leisure and Lunar Campers. Shortly after, Toyota dumped Wellhouse and went solely with Lunar. Then soon after Lunar went bust and Toyota stopped selling them. We went direct to Wellhouse and got exact same spec for a couple of grand less. Toyota said they would be looking for another partner, but Wellhouse then declined, preferring to go it alone, I guess Toyota wanted the lions share.
Have loved watching your adventures on here, and we already feel like we've learned plenty of tips. We've currently agreed to buy a Lerina from a Toyota Dealer, but I'm struggling to find insurance quotes for the make and model. May I ask which company you're with and do you have any advice?
Hi Lesley, we went with the motorhome and caravan club, but we had to wait until it was registered with the DVLA which Toyota should do for you. This is because its a conversion. For us it was £458 and that included driving in Europe. Hope that helps.
Love your videos. I have seen so many conversion videos on RU-vid, but yours are certainly the best. Very informative and most helpful. I have 1 question, the pop top, in respect of head room. Is it essential? Or can you get away without having a pop top? Keep the videos going, you are a great couple. Thank you
Hi Paul, appreciate your feedback. Some people are happy not having the pop top, but imagine never being able to stand up for dressing, cooking, making up the bed etc. For us, its an essential.
Thanks Mike, Tricia, Kiera - and Maggie, of course! Many thanks for your informative and helpful videos. We used to have a Ford Transit motor caravan in the late 1970s - we lived in Germany at the time and our children were young. The van was ideal both for planned holidays and impromptu (weather dependant) weekend trips. We are long since retired now and 'need to get our more', so after lots of research into different options, your videos have convinced me and I am visiting Wellhouse next week!
Philip, thanks for your comments and so pleased you have enjoyed our videos. We shopped around for a while and got the best deal at Wellhouse. The beds on the track system are good but a bit awkward to manoeuvre into place so check that you are happy doing that, also the beds are very firm and need a decent mattress which we have covered in one of our videos. Wellhouse also do some very good Ford Transit conversions.
@@MikeandTriciaOotnAboot Thanks Mike - we live in Norn Irn and have to collect relatives from the airport, normally travelling in 4s, so the Ford with 3 back seats looks an attractive alternative - I already have a Toyota estate with the same 2.0ltr and auto gearbox, hence initially looking at Proace.....
Nice video. You are very good at speaking to camera 👍. I think you made a very good choice with your van. We have owned Toyotas and they remain the best vehicles we have had and the best customer service from dealers. VW are beautiful but command a premium way beyond there worth. If you have the money then go for it but if you don’t the change you get from buying other options will cover years and years of happy camping and thats what counts, the things you see and do with it 👍
Thanks and totally agree the Toyota is a good choice. This vid was first filmed with Osmo Action which has front facing screen and that helped me when speaking to camera.
Great video. Agree with you on price of VWs. You could stay in a lot of nice hotels for that money! I came across your channel as I’ve been looking for a cheaper option and was looking for a Toyota as I drove a Previa for years. Loved it and so reliable. Do you drive this as your every day car? That’s what I want.
I've just found you and very enjoyable it was will be catching up with some more. Quite a few VW fan boys on here, only to be expected, but a very blinkered approach from the VW or nothing brigade. My own experience with a VW 2 ltr TDI a few years ago they would certainly not be my first choice as a base vehicle and certainly not long term and high mileage as my son is currently finding out with his VW camper, the fit out is good though but I thought the Wellhouse I looked at last year was on a par with the VW. You pays your money you takes your choice After dealing with the so called '' service '' at VW dealers I would strongly urge owners to find an independent specialist. Keep the posts coming very enjoyable thanks. ( I await the derogatory remarks).
Hi. I bought a Toyota Agyo car new just over 9 years ago and still have it. Not so much as a light bulb gone in all those years, plus after my 5 year Warranty ran out they offered me an extra 2 year warranty for about £350 which I duly paid so you may also get that option when you warranty expires. I own a Fiat CV20 Elddis Campervan 18 months now and never a thing wrong with it, I must add and all the extras you can think of that came with it. I was looking at a Wellhouse Toyota like yours as I'm now thinking of going smaller and want to use it as my car also. I think Toyota's are excellent especially the service and reliability I've had from them over the years. Before I bought my camper I did a lot of research I wanted a VW Ocean so badly but the price was the deciding factor when there are cheaper options out there but still good quality and finish. Good luck on your travels I shall be following and happy camping guys :) PS: Nice videos!
Hey Roadie Guy, thanks for that. The Toyota Proace is serving us well and no issues so far but early days, only had it for a year and a half. Extra warranty a good option. We mean to keep Maggi for many years and feels like our adventures are just beginning. All the best 👍🥃
Hi, watched your vlogs and enjoyed. Picked up our new VW California Ocean Sep 19. We have the same awning as you. Noted your comments on the cold from the pop top. We have bought Cali topper and screen cover from Rainbow Screens, they may be able to supply for your van too as they are tailor made.
I know this is an odd question but would you have run for 3 standard poodles when traveling, what is the distance from back seats to back of front seats. Love this channel, great job
Thank you for your fab videos. They are really helpful. In this one you start with the sliding seats well forward. Might I please ask what the maximum length for storage would be when the seats are in the forward portion ? Thanks in advance
Wee Broon Van thank you for that.. Would you get more space in front of the bench seat if it was moved right back? Sorry to ask. We can’t go and view one for a few weeks and are very interested. Many thanks
Great info ...We have a VW California Ocean same year as you van and I love it ....as you said it’s what you want and budget...we also have a VW 5 year warranty...win win
We will be going to Barnsley for the habitation check, not been there yet, its been Pickering up till now, but they have moved to Barnsley. For the van servicing we get that done at the Toyota garage at Newbridge in Edinburgh.
I have an old 1996 Toyota Granvia and dream of having a new one like yours. Do you use the upper bed? I find the lower bed (only3'4") rather small for two of us (non slimcea folks). However I have new cushions arriving today - 5" thick which might at least make it comfortable. Also how often and how far do you have to drive it to keep the vehicle battery charged? I keep getting flat battery.
Hi Juanita, we sleep in lower bed and it is 3ft 6 at widest point. We got a made-to-measure memory foam mattress which is 3 inches thick but still allows it to be rolled up. Got online from Jonic Ltd, quite expensive but we'll worth it. We should be doing a video on how we sleep some time soon.
We have had no problems with keeping battery charged, it has always started first time, but had problems with our car recently and breakdown recovery said drive for half an hour on the motorway to recharge battery.
I think you made the correct choice to go with Toyota no problem with service or parts and runs and runs. Here in Oz Toyota Hi Ace seem to be very popular. Good choice. Regards from Oz.
Hi Guys, I just caught up with 'Wee Broon Van' and have subscribed to your channel. The Toyota Proace Campervan looks very nice and I wondered if the driving seat and bed has enough legroom for me being 6'3" tall and also whether I can put my road bicycle in the back behind the seats if I take the wheels off when travelling? I suppose I'll have to bring it in when sleeping at night. I will usually be a solo traveller and wanted a campervan with a small footprint like yours. Any advice welcome, kind regards and keep up the helpful videos.
Hi Peter, the driver seat is fine for me at 5'11" but the seat can't go any further back because of the kitchen unit right behind the driver seat. The steering wheel can rise up but you would really need to try it, as it could be tight. The seats are on rails and can be pushed far forward so no problem getting bike in while travelling but when bed down it could not go under bed. You might need to take one wheel off and bring it in but it would be tight for room to stand also.
@@MikeandTriciaOotnAboot Hi Mike, thanks for prompt reply. You're quite right about trying it out which I will do and thanks for the comment about the bike, I will try to find a conversion and give it a try. What do you think about the length of the bed being 6" taller than you? Cheers, Peter
@@petert9465 The bed is 6'2" x 3'10" so if you tuck up an inch you would be 🙂 👌. We got the van from Wellhouse Leisure. Some Toyota dealers do them under their own branding but exactly the same conversion and more expensive.
Did you have a problem with the DVLA registration - we're having trouble with our insurance as it can't be registered as a campervan, Wellhouse have registered it as a commercial van?
Our registration with DVLA was held up due to extra delay with DVLA as we were the registered owners I had to phone DVLA to speak with them. Wellhouse had completed the "Completed Vehicles EC Certificate of Conformity" and sent it to DVLA this confirms the van has been altered into a motor caravan. Ask Wellhouse if they have a copy of this as they send it direct to DVLA. Hope this helps, Tricia
Hi Mike, Tricia and Keira, looking back at your video before making our decision on Toyota or VW. After 3 years are you still happy with your Toyota ? Elizabeth and Luc 😃
Hi Elizabeth, yes we still believe we made the right choice, it has been so reliable and is just a pleasure to drive and we are glad that we went for the automatic 👍💕🐾
Thanks, will check, but was thinking maybe a mirror one would be better for us to use as an (always on) rear view as we can't see anything in it at the moment.
No, it does not make it wider because the van is wider in the seating area and narrower at the top. It does make it higher however by around 8cm but we get it in the garage (also roll up door) and under 2.1m barriers which most are these days.
The reason I'd plump for a VW over anything else is the re-sale value. You know without doubt it will hold it's money when the time comes to move it on. With everything else it will depreciate in value so much the moment you've driven it away. Saying that, I do really like your Toyota it's a lovely looking camper. Keep up the great video's, love watching your journey!
Spot on strong tea. We could sell our vw T4 pop top for more than we payed for it 12 years ago. And the 2.5tdi diesel pulls like a train and bullet proof.
@@eddt430 that is the beauty of owning a vw bus. Though nothing against most others, I actually like the Toyota and has a lot of mod cons, prob more than a T5/6, though for the money you're spending it would pain me to scratch 25% off the value the moment you drive it away.
Who buys a campervan to sell it? Surely you buy one because you like it and have the opportunities to use it when ever you can and as often as you can so therefore you keep it as long as you can.
@@TimmysFavs yes and no. I buy all my cars or campervans with a resale in the back of my mind. I have things I won't ever sell because I love them, but 99% of things I do own I know deep down they will be sold at some point. Why buy a £60k camper and in 2 years it be worth £30k at most. I'd rather pay £60k knowing in 5 or 10 years it'll still hold that value.
We have a VW California, quite old now but super to drive DSG gearbox, all wheel drive etc. Did the NC 500 last October, doing it again in a couple of weeks, the other way round. But Toyota's have a great reputation for reliability. I like your van, apart from the short bed upstairs.
We went with VW slow mileage 2020 van which is in the shop being converted as we speak. We felt around our area there was not much choice and saw this van and loved it. We actually liked the Ford custom but this one will do. Won’t tell you the cost though !
David Wang in that case there should be no second thoughts, you should get the ocean. It’s the PERFECT van! I bought a transporter a couple of months ago. So happy with it
Just for transparency this van is actually made by my old company of Vauxhall in Luton and is based on a Peugeot platform and uses Peugeot engines. Very, very good van base but only the badges are Toyota.
Wee Broon Van thanks, it’s a tough decision! But at the end of the day it comes down to the penny’s and value for money. I like the idea of the Toyota auto, a lot cheaper then the DSG on the VW.
Yep its a tough decision and value for money is key, they say VW's hold value better but Toyota has got to be more reliable and if you intend to hold on to it for a long time then residual value is a lesser consideration to me.
Wee Broon Van exactly how I was thinking, resale value is irrelevant if your going to keep it for several years. Also if selling it after 4 years one year Toyota warranty must be appealing!
The reason I’ll be going for a Toyota Proace is because there’s an all-electric version!! I’ve been driving electric for 7 years and just can’t bring myself to go back to diesel!! Electric all the way with a 250-300km range!!
My only worry with this van is its not really a Toyota its a rebadged citreon/Peugeot and they are built in France with french engines. Not sure why Toyota have got involved with the French but I hope they have supplied the reliably in the deal lol
Sorry about the Toyota looks like something an old age pensioner I would drive. I wanted a VWT6 because of the look I like couldn’t be happier. Yes it cost me more but so be it. Don’t get me wrong there is plenty of room for all types of camper vans just get out there and enjoy yourselves 😊
I bought a brand new fiat talento long wheel base onyx edition van to fully professionally convert. The result is a vastly less expensive campervan to buy than manufacturer bought complete, particularly a VW, 170 bhp as well, fit and finish as good as pre bought, taste and requirements to my needs, as well as this, no £335 luxury car tax because it was bought as a commercial vehicle from new. Win win win !
@@MikeandTriciaOotnAboot we didn't have the skills to do the conversion ourselves lol. It actually all fitted in with serendipity. We went through exactly the same process as you through the process of elimination and fortunately when we looked for a van, the Fiat Talento 6 seater onyx edition lwb was on offer for £25k new including vat, right at the height of the pandemic, when these vans ( probably aimed at the hospitality / airport Market) had no natural buyers. They are now on sale at £31 k and upwards new ). We then looked around for a converter who would do a none VW van and found that there are very few and with an extremely long wait by those who would convert it. In the end we put a deposit down for a time slot about 4 months in the future. The full van conversion has just been completed with a wider rib altair bed (120 cm ) and drivelodge pop top roof, cupboards in carbon fibre with red counter and splash back etc. etc. and what an excellent job done by lee at T4 campers in Osset near leeds. All in, the van a previous double passenger swivel seat fitted and the conversion by Lee came in at £43500 but compared to what is for sale now, i think we saved about £10 k or just under for what we now have on a top quality full spec conversion. Very happy now but a long long wait. Not only that, we have the old rear bench 3 seat to sell on e Bay with the bulkhead and fittings for around £500 to get some of the conversion costs back.
@@stevezodiac491 definitely worth doing then if it has saved you all that cash, not just that, but you also got exactly the spec that you wanted. I don't think that many people think about doing it that way.
@@MikeandTriciaOotnAboot even with an expensive £60 plus vw california, you still get a narrow bed, a single burner in some and no high cupboards and from what I also saw the canopies and solar panels are extra over and above the already exorbitant base price. Yes, I think for none badge snobs like us we did the right thing. We even have reversing sensors, rear view camera, dab radio, I play and android auto as well as 170 horses to get up the Bealach na ba.
@@stevezodiac491 yep 170 horses will do the job for that, we have 180 and don't use them all that often, but great to know they are under the bonnet if you do.
We’ve driven Toyota cars for 30+ years, still own a Toyota. We looked at a new Toyota Campervan it was nice enough but in our opinion it and other makes didn’t come close to the standard of the VW California which we bought last year.
I agree its a lovely little van but its not a VW. Lidl and Aldi are great shops but they are not M&S. You get what you pay for at the end of the day. A VW will hold its price better. The construction inside and out is better. At the end of the day, no matter what you like, just get one and have fun.
The Toyota Proace base vehicle will match or exceed the T6 any day of the week. Both will hold value well, but we plan to keep this for a long time so that does not really matter, and often it comes down to budget and VW is very expensive compared to other comparable vans
I'm a VW Camper owner and wouldn't buy anything else. There's just a style about them that makes them unique. Yours is a very nice van but it is boring. No style. We spend months & loads of money upgrading our VW's and that's the fun. Every VW Camper is different, whereas yours are all the same. VW owners want to be different and a bit quirky. Yes mine is noisy, a bit old, slow on the acceleration but I like all that, what's the rush, getting there is part of the fun. Just MHO, thanks for taking the time making the video.
Antony Rowley You have proved that ancient saying once again. .. "a fool and his money are easily parted" which could easily be amended to a "VW owner"!!
@@Warriorant1 Says the man who calls the Toyotas are boring and thinks over spending on a rusty VW is fun. Did you even consider that you can upgrade and pimp up any vehicle? If you listen to any ex Mazda Bongo owner who has seen the light they will tell you that driving these motors are like driving a luxury Mercedes saloon but with much better reliability. it is really hilarious that people like you think they are special because of a badge that basically rips them off for their misguided loyalty!!
Toyota had no new vehicle to fill the gap of the old proace , emissions and cost etc so chose the Citroen Peugeot product . maybe on value only as apposed to marque I think Toyota took the easy route
There’s a bit of van snobbery 😁. Yes the VW Ocean is nice but £70k ur having a larf. Even at £60k it’s highway robbery. My last car was a top end BMW which after only 2 years needed a total wiring loom replacement which took weeks due to waiting for parts then fitting. Got rid at end of warranty (3 years) and now have an all singing dancing Audi Q7. Broke down after 350 motorway miles and had to be recovered to an Audi garage. It too is going at the end of the warranty (3 years). No more over rated German rubbish for me and just check the reliability ratings, all the German marques join Land Rover at the bottom of the rankings. I like the look of yours and a five year warranty plus the well house 5 year warranty seems a no brainier. Try asking VW for a 5 year warranty 😂😂. Audi will want nearly £600 for a 1 year warranty extension on my Q7 so they can go do one. Lots more choice these days😁😁
Absolutely, the Toyota 5 year warranty is great, it means they are super confident there will be no major issues in that time and so far nothing gone wrong for us fingers crossed 👍
@@MikeandTriciaOotnAboot May I ask if you did any research into the Wellhouse Ford conversions? I’ve now watched lots of videos of their different models primarily the Toyota and Ford Misanos and was wondering if you had any firm views. I have been in contact with them and when all this covid palaver comes to an end I intend visiting and hopefully will place an order😁😁
@@blacklablover2982 we didnt consider the Ford purely because we fell in live with the Toyota before we even visited Wellhouse. We saw the campervan at our local Toyota dealer and at that time, Wellhouse were doing the conversion in conjunction with Lunar campers for Toyota. However Wellhouse left that arrangement because Toyota wanted too much of a cut. Anyway, we went direct to Wellhouse and saved abut £5k on whatToyota were charging for exactly the same van and conversion.
@@MikeandTriciaOotnAboot thank you very much for the reply. I’m grateful. I’m very impressed with the Wellhouse product as it is more than apparent that safety is a main priority in their conversions. I’m looking forward to visiting them when conditions permit even though they have offered a live webcam walk through the factory. Kind regards. Martin
With a choice between a reliable Toyota and an unreliable VW the answer is clear... Wise couple you are.... Search around and you'll find someone to retrofit a rearview camera for you.. Shouldn't cost more than £100 max..
VW vans are so overrated it's got to the stage were they have a cult following and people are Blinkered. A friend of mine had a VW then changed to Mercedes Vito three years later changed back to a VW, and this is the best bit I asked why? His answer yes the merc was far better but all my mate have a VW and I wanted to have the same. What can you say. These were all work vans but top of the line you could buy i had a Vito travelline AMG I have driven the Toyota auto and it is a very good van.
