Do you really need a pop top? How useful is yours?

[aquanuke]

Im considering purchasing an JDM Alphard really as my first actual specific camper car. Im not overly wowed at whats available from VW on a budget mostly rotten ones and Ive owned in the past a Lexus SC430 and Landcruiser Prado so appreciated the Toyota build quality. 

 

There will be 3 of us, me wifey and our 4 year old we are not that tall 5,8 ish. I know we would never actually sleep in the pop top but just thought it would be very small even claustrophobic feeling without the pop top. It seems a big expense plus could also be an expense maintaining. If you have a pop top whats your thoughts on them?  

 

Also without a pop top means we could carry stuff on the roof. We are planning longer trips in Europe and its would we be better with a pop top or not.

 

Also I can't find this info on the net, how high is the standing room inside at the middle or by where a side kitchen sink area is. Can you stand there ok?

[Rojie]

7 hours ago, aquanuke said:

Im considering purchasing an JDM Alphard really as my first actual specific camper car. Im not overly wowed at whats available from VW on a budget mostly rotten ones and Ive owned in the past a Lexus SC430 and Landcruiser Prado so appreciated the Toyota build quality. 

 

There will be 3 of us, me wifey and our 4 year old we are not that tall 5,8 ish. I know we would never actually sleep in the pop top but just thought it would be very small even claustrophobic feeling without the pop top. It seems a big expense plus could also be an expense maintaining. If you have a pop top whats your thoughts on them?  

 

Also without a pop top means we could carry stuff on the roof. We are planning longer trips in Europe and its would we be better with a pop top or not.

 

Also I can't find this info on the net, how high is the standing room inside at the middle or by where a side kitchen sink area is. Can you stand there ok?

 

Hello Chris,

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

I don't have a pop top, but did consider one once.

 

I decided against it on the basis of access to car parks.

Where I live many car parks are height restricted to 2 metres.

Many coastal car parks are the same.

 

As an ex-Spanish resident, I don't recall there being any height restrictions in Spanish coastal areas.

 

Food for thought

[ThuMentaliss]

IF your going to be a frequent user of camping sites then you should seriously consider a inflatable drive away awning much better than a pop-up especially when the issue of hight restriction comes into the equation if your going to be a 'one-nighter' then a pop-top would suit,  remember that most types of camper van's lack storage space

[Charlie Brown]

Hello Chris

We would not be without our pop top. It gives ample headroom in the whole standing area when the bed is away. It makes cooking, changing clothes and just moving around so much more convenient. We also use some of the space for storage when we are camped up. When the pop top is stowed away our van is 1970 mm high at its highest point.

hope this helps.

[Rojie]

14 hours ago, Charlie Brown said:

Hello Chris

We would not be without our pop top. It gives ample headroom in the whole standing area when the bed is away. It makes cooking, changing clothes and just moving around so much more convenient. We also use some of the space for storage when we are camped up. When the pop top is stowed away our van is 1970 mm high at its highest point.

hope this helps.

 

While walking my dog  yesterday I  inspected the barrier more closely, and checked the height of the local beach car park entrance.

 

In large lettering it was written 2 Meters, and in much smaller lettering 1.98m !

That would leave you only 1 cm !

Too close for me.

 

Then, you notice all the damage to the barrier, and wonder how accurate the dimension remains.

 

I recall the first time I took my Alphie through and peering very nervously through the moon roof.

[aquanuke]

Thanks for your comments, out of interest those that have the pop top do you sleep in it and how much weight can you put up there

[Charlie Brown]

On 2/22/2023 at 1:13 AM, aquanuke said:

Thanks for your comments, out of interest those that have the pop top do you sleep in it and how much weight can you put up there

Hello Chris

We don't sleep in our pop top. We have a very comfortable rock and roll bed. Personally I think sleeping in the pop top is for young agile people. As for weight, on our conversion there is a large almost full width area, about half a metre deep at the front, where the roof of the original vehicle is still in place; that holds a lot. Also on our conversion the 'upstairs' is made of four or five 30 mm thick blocks. We leave one of these in place which makes for another storage area as big as the front. When we roll up for the night, the pop top goes up first thing and all our stuff is moved up to these two areas. It only takes a minute as it is all in boxes.