# What would you leave out?



## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Recently I met up with a self build owner who had converted a panel van. His design technique was to listen to everyone who moaned about this or that feature on forums like MHF or campsites and he just did without that particular feature. So for example he didn't have a waste tank or a roof vent and his toilet was a porta potty. His wife seemed very happy with their van. He only had one sink but it was house sized and used for washing up washing clothes and washing themselves. His batteries were huge but he didn't have any bells and whistles that would drain them so they were good for five days EHU free camping. So what one item would you do without? I managed 4 years without a fridge - now I see people don't manage without a freezer.


----------



## suffolkian (Jul 25, 2007)

Nothing - doing without is called a tent.


----------



## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

I would leave the oven out, as there are pleny of work arounds.

Richard...


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

In our first caravan- after a succession of tents- we had no bathroom and had to pitch a toilet tent. We had one sink, and all gas lighting with no hook up option. It didn't have a heater and safariboy fitted an underfloor one ( externally vented) We had a top loading fridge that had to be left outside but it did turn into a freezer sometimes though when this happened was unpredictable.

We had many happy holidays in it both in UK and as far afield as Germany and Denmark and all over France and there were 4 of us and a labrador.

I have to say however that, with increasing age, I regard an inside loo as essential and would not camp if we did not have it.

G


----------



## TinaGlenn (Jul 7, 2006)

The one thing in our van I could do without are the fitted carpets, but they were in it when we got it. 

Couldn't do without the fitted loo or fitted waste tank, and 1 sink is fine if it's only the 2 of you in the van but if you have kids or friends staying with you then it could get a little tricky. After our first van with no skylights or roof vents the amount of light the heki lets in is wonderfull so would keep that too. An oven was an essential when looking at vans, ours gets used a lot.

We like our comforts :lol: 

Tina


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

*leave out*

It really surprised me that the oven is 2nd in this poll.
I was going to buy a new oven, as there are better ones on the market, When Im away I do cook but they are so dear and now going by this poll I would be wasting my money.
I have bought a skillet at Peterborough Show but it has become so usefull in doors that I forget each weekend to load it into the van, so will buy another one when I get to a show.
So should I just keep the oven I have and use it as a cupboard. :lol:


----------



## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

RichardnGill said:


> I would leave the oven out, as there are pleny of work arounds.
> 
> Richard...


Yes I`ll ditto that .  Thats what I voted for anyhow. 

steve


----------



## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

The television cupboard. We now use ours as a place to store all those other bits we don't need!


----------



## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi

I voted "other" and the thing we could do without is the onboard water heater... I know this will not apply to many of you but we rarely use it in ours... and that is because we spend so much time without a hook up...so if we want to use it then it has to be on gas which is not very efficient or economical ...heating and keeping hot a gallon or so of water hot just for the few pints that we need to wash or wash up with is not on ... so we mostly use the kettle on the hob... no waste and much faster to heat up from cold. The secondary reason for not using it is that it takes an age to get the hot water up to the sink from the heater ( the heater is well forward the sink is in the rear :roll: poor design :evil: ) ...so in doing so it wastes loads of cold water that has to be replenished some time later :roll: ... in my sons old AS camper van he had an instantaneous water heater close to the sink , it was a "Valliant" which seemed to me to be a much better idea.

I just thought I had better add ...we do use it when we want a shower...which we have on a Friday whether we need one or not :lol: 


Mike


----------



## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

Hi Frank,why leave anything out ? 
You can leave the lot out and just put in a bed and camping cooker with a washing up bowl :lol: All of the things on your list are desirable and with a little thought can be fitted easily into a mwb and lwb panel van. 
Mine is 12 ft from rear of front seats and I have more than you list in there.I could fit it all in a 11 ft'er at a push or even 10 ft if I used the front seats as part of the bed !! Including a decent sized loo / shower.Water tanks are underneath so should not cause any problems.I only have 1 x 135 amphr battery that lasts 3/4 days without moving,but that rarely happens :lol: and if the tv goes off (never has)I can live without it for a night :lol: 
IF you are going to do a S / B do one you want and don't compromise,but think about it why would you want to leave out the luxury bits that perhaps the big boys don't fit.I can send you the pics of ours (but they are already on here somewhere) to give you more ideas,if you want. 
BTW heiki roof is one of the best bits fitted,and I would not consider leaving it out for one second --- go for it Frank you know you want to do one
terry :lol:
EDIT-- did not vote as there is nothing I would leave out.The oven !! never :lol:


----------



## framptoncottrell (Jan 6, 2006)

Since buying the Murvi, 90% of my trips have been without my wife.........
Who is showing that they don't need whom?

Dr (musical, not medical) Roy


----------



## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

maddie said:


> Hi Frank,why leave anything out ?
> You can leave the lot out and just put in a bed and camping cooker with a washing up bowl :lol: All of the things on your list are desirable and with a little thought can be fitted easily into a mwb and lwb panel van.
> Mine is 12 ft from rear of front seats and I have more than you list in there.I could fit it all in a 11 ft'er at a push or even 10 ft if I used the front seats as part of the bed !! Including a decent sized loo / shower.Water tanks are underneath so should not cause any problems.I only have 1 x 135 amphr battery that lasts 3/4 days without moving,but that rarely happens :lol: and if the tv goes off (never has)I can live without it for a night :lol:
> IF you are going to do a S / B do one you want and don't compromise,but think about it why would you want to leave out the luxury bits that perhaps the big boys don't fit.I can send you the pics of ours (but they are already on here somewhere) to give you more ideas,if you want.
> ...


Hey did I say I was going to leave anything out?

Actually I don't have a fitted waste tank, so I ignore all posts about how to get rid of smells etc. This winter I am (probably) removing my cheap oven/grill/hob and replacing it with a decent hob and some shelving.


----------



## maddie (Jan 4, 2006)

:lol: ok Frank I have now cast my vote :lol: 
if I could I would leave out the wife :lol: :lol: :lol: no chance on that one either :wink: :lol: 
terry


----------



## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

I voted to leave out the oven, sincce I've never had one, and really, never missed one.


----------



## relay (May 9, 2005)

I voted for the waste tank. We didn't have one on our Relay, so waste water drained into a black container and it was so much easier to walk to the waste point and empty it than worrying about finding somewhere suitable & easy to park for a whole tankful. Yes, I know we could put a black container under our tank now but... then it seems like a waste of the tank we've got :roll: :lol: 

Second would be the fitted loo - I wouldn't want to be without a loo but a porta potti is fine.

-H


----------



## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi

That will teach me to read the title ...I answered the question posed in the Poll " What could you do without" and for us it is hot water on tap.

No way I would not put anything into a motorhome that may at some time help make life more pleasant ...
but you don't have to use it do you :roll: 

The TV falls into that category .... 

and now that quite a bit of decent wine comes in screw top bottles the corkscrew may go too :lol: 

mike


----------



## tincan (Jul 31, 2006)

Frank, I voted other and as instructed am specifying wot we think. TV in our view is a waste when in Tincan, wot with music, books etc., not to mention actually talking to each other

Noel


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Doing without.*



suffolkian said:


> Nothing - doing without is called a tent.


Agreed!

Russell


----------



## moblee (Dec 31, 2006)

I voted for two sinks :roll: The wife only needs one :!: :lol:


----------



## Pollydoodle (Aug 18, 2005)

I have voted for oven. We had one in the last van but hardly ever used it and stored stuff in it. We dont have one in the Adria and rely on double skillet and/or Remoska. Have cooked a roast dinner for six using both of these together (meat in one spuds in t'other) and a steamer (on gas) for the veg. Washed down with lots of 'caravan juice' of course :lol:


----------



## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

I voted for the oven as well. We specified no oven in both the new MHs we have bought and the 2 previous to that did not have an oven. I love cooking and find the Remoska quite sufficient and easy to store.

I must admit I did wonder at the 2 sinks option - until I remembered we had the other one in the shower/toilet  

Sue


----------

