Arthur

1 hour ago, Reiver0112 said:

Hi Fiona

just wondered how you connected the awning to the van. I have a pop up too and was looking for an awning. Appreciate yours is now sold but am grateful for any advice 

thanks

david

Hi David

Awnings are one of the most debated subjects on the forum.  I’ve used the same awning as Fiona was selling for the last couple of years. Started using it with the over the top, tie down straps, then had a rail fitted (glued not drilled) and have also used magnetic lengths (from Lidl) to secure the tunnel ends to the vehicle. It’s really what suits you personally and works best for you.

On 1/17/2024 at 2:58 PM, Charlie Brown said:

My insurance with AXA with Lifesure as the broker has just come up for renewal. For our 2008 Alphard converted to a camper van the premium has gone from £323 to £423. I have full no clams discount and my cover includes fairly normal excesses. I have legal and NCD protection. I had to put in a claim for a broken window this year. I am 71.

 

Looking on the forum, there doesn't seem to much about very recent insurance premiums. So would anyone like to comment as to whether they think this is in line with current insurance costs for an Alphard camper.

 

Any comments appreciated. Thanks.

Just renewed our 2007 3.0 AWD full side conversion and pop-top with Caravanguard.co.uk who specialise in insuring campervans - underwritten by RSA.
 

Premium has gone from £320 to £349 pa (Comprehensive) but still competitive in my opinion - includes recovery within the UK.  Vehicle is kept on driveway on the Wirral with protected full NCD and assured value of £30K.

57 minutes ago, Lian said:

Thanks for the info Arthur. I've gone for 101V Michelin's so hopefully the ride will be firmer.

I wanted Michelin ‘All Seasons’ but couldn’t find any in R16.  You should be good with the Michelins which have always been my first choice tyres in 50 years of motoring.

Hi Lian

I changed all 4 tyres on my 2007 3.0 AWD - cost £480 incl VAT. Went for Hankook 205/65 R16 107T. I know you’re running 17” wheels whilst I’m on 16” but as I have had the full side conversion with pop-top I went for the higher load and speed rating. The originals were rated 95Q and the ride is definitely much firmer/tighter now.

You may want to see if SC Conversions can do a powered lift pop up and if so for how much.  The pop top goes up relatively easily but if anyone is vertically challenged (short in my day!) they may struggle to overcome the power of the gas lifting struts.  Well worth trying out physically - rather than just looking - before you sign on the dotted line.  Before you ask - no, we don’t have a powered top but I wish we did ☹️

50 minutes ago, WideCharlie said:

Thank you for those comments, Arthur. Interesting. Ours is a rear conversion so there would be different pros and cons, no doubt. And whilst I am anything but small and lightweight, my wife certainly fits that particular bill. But we are both used to bouncing around the high seas in yachts so I suspect a little discomfort and a great deal of squirming in a campervan won’t go amiss for either of us. Not keen on caving, though, nor entombment. There’s plenty of time for the latter in not too many years, I suspect 😱. Oh, and we’ll be looking at a pop topped Alphard in a couple of weeks when SC Conversions get their next one to sort. Standing room is important so I suspect we will go for the pop top. Maybe an awning as well in due course is a reasonable suggestion. It’s all a question, in truth, of how best to avoid night-time torture by snoring! There are compromises and then there are compromises. 

 

Thanks once again for your observations. 

Seperate Alphards perhaps 😂

Hi Charlie.  We have a side conversion with pop top.  The roof lining consists of 3 boards which when in place leave a 10 cm gap at the front to allow for the roof straps.  The top space is really only suitable for children (or very small and light weight adults).  To access the roof space it is necessary to slide the first board back over the top of the second.  If you are an experienced caver 😀 this gives you sufficient space to squirm up and then lean down into (because of the sloping roof) before entombing oneself in the roof space by moving the first board back to its original position.  Personally, we don’t use the top space for sleeping but simply slide all the boards back to give us standing space to use the kitchen properly - they do provide good storage however.  In fact, when we go away for longer than a weekend we find it preferable to leave all the boards behind in our garage.  It is however markedly noisier when driving without the roof boards.  I suggest that you look at an Alphie which already has a pop top to see how it all fits together and whether it suits your envisaged needs - after all , they are expensive and if its sleeping room only that you’re wanting, an awning may be a better (and cheaper) choice.

Hi Denis

You could try Calder Campers. They used to rent campers (I don’t know whether they still do) but they do import / convert Alphards. We bought our 3.0 litre AWD Alphard with only 15k miles on the clock from them in February 2022 and have been very pleased with our purchase.

So… disconnected the negative terminal on the car battery and left for 15 minutes to ensure all capacitors drained. Reconnected, and left ignition in position 1 for another 15 minutes then started the engine and took the car for a 30 minute blast up the motorway. Got back and turned off. No alarm sounding. No idea what the alarm was nor original cause for the battery to drain but everything seems to be ok 🤞

Hi. The room lights were off when power was restored and I don’t have non-factory fitted driving lights.  Something had drained the ignition battery entirely as nothing worked for about 20 minutes after I jump started and the charge level improved through the alternator.

I have a battery condition meter in the camper conversion which showed that the ignition battery was on zero whilst the leisure battery was on max. We’d been to Anglesey and back twice the previous week so everything should have been tickety boo and I had a new battery fitted by Calder Campers when we got the vehicle 18 months ago.

Whether the ‘alarm’ is being generated by the current drainer or whether there is something else causing the drain I don’t know but nothing had been accidentally left on. The car came with an after market ‘remote auto starter’ (20 page instruction booklet in Japanese 🤷‍♂️) which I have never used but is obviously still connected and whether this is the guilty party only the auto electrician will be able to tell me. I’ll check to see if the car starts today and update the forum with investigation results.

Went to start up our 2007 3.0 Alphie today but the battery was completely flat. ☹️ Thankfully the jump start pack which I’d purchased for such an eventuality worked impeccably. 👍However, there is now a beep, beep, beep, pause sound emanating from the right hand side of the driver’s footwell.
 

The ‘alarm’ stops when the ignition is started but starts again as soon as the engine is turned off. I’ve had the car since February 2022 and have not encountered this problem previously (but the battery has never been flat before).

Before I seek the services of an auto electrician can anyone advise whether they have encountered a similar problem or suggest what the problem maybe - something that needs to be reset perhaps following reconnection of a re charged battery?
 

I’m hoping someone can prove just how smart our fellow forum members are.

Hi Mark. Depends what you want from your awning and how you plan to fix it to your vehicle. Plenty of posts on this forum if you search for awnings. Ours is a Vango Faros Airbeam which is an inflatable driveaway awning and is secured by a roofrail on a pop-top camper with side conversion.

On 1/17/2022 at 1:00 PM, insideright said:

Hi.

Recently acquired 2005 2.4l Alphard, with camper van conversion by Calder Campers nr. Livingston, W. Lothian.

As part of the conversion, they have fitted a Pioneer SPH-DA160DAB head unit, which is fine as it allows me to connect my phone, stream playlists, connect android auto as well as play the usual range of FM or DAB radio stations. However, I have been informed that it is not possible to connect the unit in a way that ensures that the steering wheel volume controls are functional. This struck me as a bit strange as it has been possible to connect in such a way that the rear reversing camera works. 
Can anyone advise whether it is actually possible to get the steering wheel volume controls to work ?

Hi

Think I picked up my AWD 3.0 2007 Alphie from Calder a week or two after you. They initially told me that the Pioneer wouldn’t work with the steering controls but after I pressed them on the subject they managed to work out how to do it. The camera was replaced but everything else works as it should.

Hi. You say you’re on a campsite so I’ve assumed your Alphard has been converted to a campervan. If so, I’ve also assumed it’s a side conversion. Our campervan has it’s water storage tank in a compartment above and to the rear of the driver’s side rear wheel. Check to see if any of the hoses have become detached or if the tank was full it hasn’t slopped over during the journey. At least the fuel tank is on the passenger side so it shouldn’t be that. 

Hi Syl.  The glued awning rail hasn’t moved since it was fitted last year. We’ve had the awning up 17 nights this year in all sorts of weather and it’s never given any cause for concern.  We use a Vango Airbeam Faros II and it fits well.  Haven’t experienced any problems with the sliding door rubbing against the awning roof either.  Just about mastered re-connecting the awning after we’ve done ‘driveaway’ exploring.

Hi Syl.  I note that you’re in Wigan (I’m on the Wirral).  H L Campers in Liverpool glued a rail to my pop-top campervan for less than £100 and I’m sure they’d be happy to advise you on your options.  They do a lot of work with Gaz Tech who are Alphard specialists based in Warrington.

You need to get a rail fitted. The pop-top may prove a hindrance but it can be overcome. Search the forum for ‘awnings’ - there’s plenty of postings.

The jack and associated tools should normally be found in the storage compartment above the nearside rear wheel near the tail lights.

That’s why its worth the time and trouble to research the importers and converters before buying. We got a 2007 3.0 AWD with only 15k miles on the clock and had the cambelt and water pump changed at the same time as conversion to a campervan. Calder Campers are more than 250 miles away from our home and we visited 3 times in all to oversee the purchase/conversion but think the effort was worthwhile.

Just changed all 4 tyres on my 3.0 AWD - cost £480 incl VAT. Went for Hankook 205/65 R16 107T. As I have had the full side conversion with pop-top I went for the higher load and speed rating. The originals were rated 95Q and the ride is definitely much firmer/tighter.

Think you’re offering a bargain there. My spare is 15 years old (no sign of deterioration) but I’ve been quoted £300 upwards for a replacement. You might want to hang on to it afterall.

Hi Stevo

Hope you got fixed up with your tyres.

I have a 2007 3.0 AWD which has been converted to a campervan. With the additional weight I’ve gone for Hankook 205/65 R16 107T.

The car came with Yokohama winter tyres with a 95Q rating but I’ve found the new tyres give a much firmer/tighter ride.  

Incidentally, check your spare tyre. Mine is 15 years old but isn’t showing any signs of sidewall cracking or other deterioration and my local garage say that it would be extremely difficult to source a new one in the UK (it has a 60 psi).  I’m hoping I don’t get a puncture and have to use it 🤔

Don’t know what happened with the photos but yes the rail is flat bottomed  and is made of aluminium. There are 2 sections with a small cut-out for the base of the pop-top hinge mechanism.

Hi Peter.  HL Campers fitted a rail to my pop-top Alphie. It’s not in the gutter but between that and the pop-top struts and is hidden from view when the top is down. Like Phillix, mine is bonded to the roof.

IMG_7389.heic IMG_7388.heic IMG_7552.heic

We joined the Caravan and Motorhome Club primarily because our insurer offered an extra discount on premium if we were members of a ‘recognised’ club. Costs £59 per year but that pays for itself after 5 nights stay on Club sites (compared to non-member site fees). The monthly magazine also provides interesting insights into other members activities/trips/ recommended sites.