Hi, really enjoying your videos. We are owners of a T6 for the last 6 years and our favourite road trip was to Norway. When we specified our Van we spent a lot of time thinking about how we would use it. We saw a lot of vans with side kitchens and therefore small beds. To us the priority was space. We went with a LWB and a full width caravelle bed on rails. We added a small kitchen pod, diesel heater and lights. The VW caravelle seats are also the correct height so you don’t feel like your head is touching the ceiling when the roof is down. In retrospect, the sink is probably not used much and the hob is nearly never used inside to keep smells and moisture out of the van. However, it’s good for a cuppa now and again. We have loads of storage space in the back for our portable fridge, toilet and gear and never had any issue with space. (2 adults & 2 kids with booster seats) For us the decision to not have a built-in kitchen and cupboards was the correct one and something we would recommend thinking about to everyone. We remove our kitchen pod when not camping saving loads of weight. 😊
We use an elasticated band around the middle of our pop top, this pulls the top away from the rear hinges when lowering, but we still treat it as a 2 person job. We have had so many issues with the adblue system but we absolutely love our T6 and have driven it 88000miles around the UK in all weather conditions. We fitted a victron 175w panel and all the other victron controls that go with it. Our diesel heater is great but the pump clicks and we use a low wattage fan heater and a slow cooker when plugged into the site 240v system we use a single induction hob instead of gas to cook on.😊
"Don't use the sink" Same here, and that is why with our bespoke new build we are not having a sink put in. We are relying on a collapsible sink and saving on the space.
The main gripe with the (my) T6 in five years of ownership is that it seems guaranteed either an emissions warning light and/or engine management light will pop up at least once a year necessitating a call to VW to get it booked in to be looked at! In fact, it has just been in today for an engine management light that appeared briefly a few weeks ago… in this instance it turned out to be a software glitch! Earlier this year it was glow plug no3 sensor that failed. Haven’t had annual issues with any other vehicle I’ve owned in nearly forty years of driving. That said, I couldn’t be without my T6 campervan.
Hi Bill- thanks for this- absolutely agree! There is a strong feeling across a lot campervan owners that technology in the base vans perhaps has gone a little too far, with the modern engines being too complex for their own good and the computer control system throwing up too many fault lights. This is definitely the case with VW owners, with lots of people harking back to the good old days of the T5''s and T4's. Obviously, they had their own issues, but nothing that local garages couldn't sort out with out the associated software analytics. We do however agree with you, that Nelson has brought us more joy in ownership than any of the other motors we have owned in the past. Thanks again🙏
The problem with the windows opening when your key fob is in your pocket can be rectified in the settings on your multi function display (on your dashboard). I had a similar experience with my Skoda Yeti (very damp bum after a wet night) until I reset the windows so that NONE of them open when I unlock the car!
If I had the bike rack and the hatch weight issue I would just get a telescopic tent/awning pole to support it. I should be receiving an Eco flow power bank in the next few days and I will run a short lead from the power bank inside to the EHU socket so all the electrics for the rear of the van work as if connected to an EHU. If I want to use the induction hob (slim portable one van comes with twin gas) or use the electric kettle I could jut use that straight from the power bank as well. I have a 6.1 I and will check if that rust issue is happening in that version. I have seen suggestions to use dehumidifier bags to help with moisture, probably a good idea as a general practice as boiling water or even breathing will be adding moisture all the time, high humidity outside and it’s going to be difficult to stop moisture building up in certain areas. Good video and helpful for a newbie to van camping (we have been tent camping for many years)
Thanks for these tips- always appreciated. It is amazing what you can pick up from others in the community. We do think that the power bank could be a solution for next summer- the irony being that the solar keeps the 12v system fully powered all of the time, but we just cannot charge the laptop when we are off grid for long periods of time. Have a good one👍
Interesting video and valid points. RE charging your laptop, you can normally get a 12v adapter that plus into the “cigarette lighter” socket and charge while driving - not sure if there is one available for your model of laptop.
Thanks for this - when we asked our sons partner who works at apple about that she said it could damage the MacBook. It's a small problem that is easily solved with a pint or a coffee in a pub 🙂
Thanks for the ad blue advice. I guess there will always be issues with complex vehicles, and the more complex they become the more likelihood there will be issues to resolve. Have a great week ❤️🚐😀 xxx
Thanks Janet- just hope that it saves people the pain of trial and error! There are so many things with the VWT6 being too complicated, but TBF its the same with all modern vehicles. Every mechanic we know harps back to the good old days before all the computer controlled systems. In some ways, the earlier transporters are so much easier to maintain. Have a good one👍
great vid, you can get the key coded via VCDS so it wont do the auto up/down , i can do it for free if your ever up in Norfolk. Also you can get 12v laptop charging cables. i use a tiny cigarette lighter inverter.
Thanks for this Jay- we hoped that there would be a hack somewhere out there! Interestingly we have just seen that ANKER have released a 12v cigarette lighter charger specifically for the Mac Book Pro that we use. We were really reluctant to try out any 3rd party solutions, but if they are marketing it as suitable, it should be ok. Thanks for the comment👍
I don’t think it’s a negative video at all. It’s honest and I’d much rather watch a “warts and all” video to get a balanced view. You raised some interesting and useful points, like the adblue issue, which you don’t always get on other channels.
Thanks - we certainly could have done with knowing how to fill the AdBlue properly from the beginning 😂 I remember over filling it the first time in France and the warning light would not go off - luckily we called in at a VW garage in Poitier that helped us.
Great vlog , thanks guys , definitely not negative, I’m getting my T25 back soon, can’t wait to be getting away in her, she definitely needed/ needs lots of TLC, a definite money Pit and on going project, look out for her round settle , 💛 she’s bright yellow , you won’t miss her 😂🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼
Ah nice - we will definitely keep a look out for her, I bet she is worth it, Richard loves the old T25's but has no skills to look after it and the TLC they must need!
Not negative at all. Decent feedback. But, a couple of things. The window thing has been VWs at least since 1990 when I had a new Passat. I like it. The pop top water issue can, but not always (it depends on the pop top), be cured by fitting an awning rail which can channel the water away. I’ve had three, worked on two (t4 and caddy lwb). Having said that I tried to remember and always park so the passenger gets wet. This has two benefits, I’m dry, it’s funny. Love the channel.
Thanks James, glad that you got where we were coming from. Such a simple way to look at the wetness issue...I guess I just need to reframe my thinking and do as you do😂 Problem solved! Like you say, two great outcomes😂😂😂 (hope Jackie doesn't read this!) Have a good one👍 R
Hi. Enjoy your channel. We have had our t5.1 campervan for 11 years now holidaying to 13 countries in that time. I just think simplicity is the key to travelling around. Minimalism is key. I would just say that vw fitted really poor performance headlamp bulbs as standard, they were almost orange. Why I don’t know? We upgraded ours with some better performance halogen lamps for very little cost. Much better now. Also the rust you mention is the metal within the rubber door seal. Easy to replace the seal at not much cost. Also you mention about not having a sink because you don’t use it. I’m not 100% sure, but I think you might need to have a sink to register as a campervan with DVLA as a motor home rather than a van. You have cheaper insurance as a campervan. Just a thought worth checking. I agree it would be great to have double glazing to avoid the condensation though . Maybe time for the next size up campervan. Hope you continue enjoying your travels.
Thanks for this Paul- so informative and very much appreciated. We know that there are solutions to the problems we raised, it's probably just us being technically inept and also to live with the status-quo as Nelson really does bring so much to our lives. Nelson was one of the last vans to get through the DVLA reclassification, and you are right, one of the main factors is having a sink- so it has to be there, but in an ideal world, we wouldn't choose it. A few people have mentioned the double glazing as an option to look into with future vans, and we have added it to the wish list for consideration. Thanks again for all the info. 👍
Great video guys, I'm glad we are not the only ones to get a soaking when we open the doors !! I didn't realise it was due to the pop top just thought it was a quirk with the actual van !! I had the problem only yesterday with the opening of the windows when the fob is pressed for to long, I used to have the same when I had a VW Golf guess VW like the added quirk !!!
A great vid as usual thanks. Some common "gripes" but I wouldn't change our VW T6 for any of those white monsters, we absolutely love the agility of a smaller campervan to get into car parks and places the bigger pieces can't. We opted for a Hi-Lo pop-top which comes with elastic straps resolving the tent side rips - but creates another, its higher and heavier to bring down! So I made a "seat" out of karabiners and fabric tape that my wife clips to the straps in the pop-top and then gravity does the rest. All part of the fun of a VW van!
Thanks for this Brian- we love your pop-top solution of a seat. That defiantly needs marketing for the single van lifer. We genuinely don't know how we would do it on our own. The parking was a serious consideration for us both as we both don't really like parking. You should have seen me in an American RV in massive US parking bays...and I still made a hash of it😂😂😂 TBH, it is a bit of a mute point going any bigger as we wouldn't be able to park it at home. Thanks for the comment👍
I’ve just replaced the seals on my doors as the passenger one was the same as yours so you’ll be appeased to know it is just the seal and not the van. It was about £35 as an aftermarket part. I’ve managed to keep condensation at bay by fitting those window deflectors and cranking open the window an inch or so. That said I’ve also not used the van to the extent or in the more extreme temps you guys have so maybe just been lucky. Great vid as always 👍🏻
Thanks for the info- we are having a few small jobs done on the van over the next few weeks with the gas and electrics so might get them to have a look at the door seals while Nelson is with them. We have started using a dehumidifier when we get back after our trips just to give the van a bit of a dry out which has really helped - it is amazing how much water is collected after 6 hours!
Hi both, great channel. I feel the same as you about the lights. Really poor. I have upgraded the bulbs on my T6.1 to - Osram Night Breaker 200 - H7 Halogen about £30 pair. well worth it. Make a big difference.
Thanks for this Peter- will defiantly look into this as our country roads in the Dales are pretty dark in the depths of winter. Anything will help to upgrade from candles😂 Thanks for the tip👍
Hi, we have lithium batteries in our campervan and find Anker 12v car chargers (with 2 x usb-c ports) to be really good at quickly charging everything from iPads to Bluetooth speakers. Should charge your laptop ok I believe if it accepts usb-c charging. Saying that - not sure if your alternator charges your leisure battery. We have a B2B charger which, together with rooftop solar keeps the leisure batteries topped up. Love the channel.
Thanks for this Robert. Yep- the Anker stuff looks really good and I am currently looking into their new range that is just out that we saw at the NEC. We are really happy with our 12v system that perfectly meets our off grid needs, with the exception of charging the laptops. We need to be able to ramp it up to 230v, for the laptop charger only then to reduce it! Hey ho, all modern day problems really😂 Have a good one👍
Thank you for another great video Richard & Jackie… you’re not being negative - it’s very useful to know the quirks of our lovely Transporter campervans. Oh yes, that key and windows problem really annoys me too… it always happens when I put my keys in my trouser pocket and then accidentally lean on something (usually the work surface) while I’m the van. It also happened when I was inside the house and within range of the van… like you, I didn’t discover that the windows had come down and were open all night. It was only the next morning after torrential rain (and on one occasion snow!) which had drenched the front seats! It took me a while before I discovered the reason! Keep up the great work with your channel… I really enjoy the variety of videos! All the best, Jan xx
Thanks as ever Jan for you support and watching our channel 😊 It took us about a week to dry out the van last time it happened!! It did it once when we were in the van on our skiing trip and we couldn't work out why it was so cold in the van when we woke up on a frosty morning! All a part of the fun and games of owning a van.
Great advice, just wish we’d seen this 2 years ago when we had a nightmare with Ad Blue sensors on our Ford Transit Mk8 I think Ad blue had been added at a service so when we did it the first time warning lights would not go away. I think we must have done the reset totally by accident as same again the next time and eventually we found out about not letting it go below 800 miles and the 30 sec reset trick. Great tips and tricks for everyone, not just VW owners. Not negative at all but positive problem solving and sharing knowledge. Thank you. 🎉
The first Time we topped up with AdBlue was in France and the warning light really freaked us out - luckily we popped into a VW dealership who helped us and the warning light disappeared. But it took quite a few times before the nice VW assist lad told us what we were doing wrong (we had to laugh as it was actually one of Richards old boys he had taught!!)
Hi folks, great video…the window opening thing is possibly a control module issue, water ingress. I had exactly same with an Audi A6, turns out that the drains infront of the windscreen were blocked by leaves, this caused water to get into the cabin & settle in the passenger side footwell which, under which the window control module was located. Unblocked the drains, several litres of water release….carpet dried out, no more window opening problem. Happy travels!
Thanks Charlie, we think you are right, some of our subscribers have said that it can be written out of the control module. We will look into that the next time Nelson is in the Garage. Thanks for the help. Have a good one👍
Interesting. You cover so many different aspects of owning a campervan. In our experience it’s rare to find a poptop campervan which hasn’t got rips in the tent from the hinges. It seems to be a lesson most owners learn too late. Very annoying. The joys of hindsight! Enjoy your Sunday 😃
How exciting - I still remember picking Nelson up after he had been converted and getting away for our first trip which was actually to the Dales only a few miles down the road from where we now live! Hope some of our other videos have given you some ideas and tips - for us we tried to make sure we used the van as much as possible all year round after making such a big investment. hope you have some amazing adventures - any idea where your trip will be? 🚐
Hi both, would suggest an Anker power bank 737 for laptop charging. It puts out more than enough watts for a laptop and through usbc cable. So just charge it while you drive or from your leisure battery and then use to power laptop.
Thanks for this Matthew. We had the opportunity to see the full ANKER range at the NEC last week and they did look really good. I have used one of their products when I am trekking and it works really well. This looks a seriously good solution- although it only holds 1 and a bit full laptop charge. ANKER have got a new range of products that they have just released that are a bit bigger (but not the size of a full power station). There is one that is only £30 more expensive than the 737. It's obviously not as portable for trekking, but it holds just over 3 full charges. Thanks for the tip- I think you may have prompted a solution to my problem. Have a good one
@@earlyretirementwanderlust I’m house and dog sitting near Hampton Court for a couple of weeks - so I made the pilgrimage to Bushy park parkrun which is where parkrun started 20 years ago
maybe it is just an AdBlue thing - the VW assist bloke said that the sensors are particularly sensitive and once triggered they do not like to reset! 😂
Haha I feel your pain, quite literally with some of the gripes. I found the headlights so bad that I splashed out and bought a pair of Transporter HQ Version 3’s and they have transformed the drive and well worth the £600 ish cost. I still get nervous about the AdBlue, same as you wait until the message actually pops up on the display and go to a pump which most allow you to set a quantity which seems to work for us. I have found that the awning rail similar to yours stops the dribble of water,one thing I noticed with yours is the very front section is a plastic material which is stuck on with a sticky pad. The water looked to run under that front section on yours which it did on mine, I bought a tube of black automotive sealant called Tigerseal and ran some along the top edge which fixed mine. A great tip about the sun visors and something I will look out for. After a trip away in winter we pop a dehumidifier in the van for a day to give it a dry out. As you say these are minor problems and there are far more positives to these vehicles.
Thanks for this- really glad to hear that the Transporter HQ solution has worked for you. They seem to get great press and have a good reputation. We have never used the adblu from the pumps, but have always been tempted. I guess you just fill up to the lower advised limit. I think that the reason the 800mile/10l works is that the 10l equates to the advised minimum fill of 2gal? Thanks again for the comment. Have a good one👍
Morning both- I thought you might be interested to know I have just come back from holiday and met a n 84 YO lady who told me she had been travelling in her campervan for 17 years (permanently) until her husband died. I don’t actually own a campervan but watch with interest - trying to convince myself it’s for me but not quite there yet 😂
Hi guys loving your videos, such honesty reviews and information that's actually relevant to real life campers ,I have had my new t6.1 transporter for just over 2 years now ,I knew about the reviews on the stock head lights so I ordered factory LED lights. I also had Lazer lamps fitted to the front grille and in addition to that I had a 52 in light bar fitted to the roof . I also have Lazer utility 25 lamps fitted to the roof at the rear of the van to flood light the area behind my van when reversing at night. I too have issues with the front door seals, I've yet to have them go rusty but when it's absolutely tipping down I do get water dripping in and these have already been replaced under warranty and they still leak . Also my rear sliding windows have been back in for leaks and still when it's tipping down the guttering cannot coup and water comes into the van .I'm seriously contemplating having them removed and having safari windows fitted instead. Keep up the great work and enjoy your retirement you lucky people 👍 🤟
Thanks for this Shane- much appreciated! We have seen the lazer lights in action and they are amazing. A lot of the farmers in the Dales have them on their 4x4 trucks- it's like seeing UFO's from miles away😂 The door seals are a real pain...and everyone knows about it...even VW. What is frustrating is that some dealerships are happy to sort it under warranty...and others simply deny that it is a warranty issue😬 We think that we have a developing problem with one of our windows, but only when the rain is driving in a set direction. We have not had any problems with them up to this point...I guess it is now just an age thing. Thanks for the support. Have a good one👍
@earlyretirementwanderlust I noticed mine leaking while in Wales last year ,it had been none stop raining for 3 days ,and I noticed them weeping in corner closest to the front seats on both sides. I will get it sorted but apart from that it's been pretty much plane sailing. Our van is away at the moment having lots more work done so should have it back home next week 🤟👍
Thanks so much! 😊 We do love our van - but I think we would love any van that lets us travel so freely 🚐 We leave this week for Thailand so are just packing and getting last few jobs done ✈️
We named him after staying in the lovely town of Nelson in Canada where we had such an amazing time with our children and we hoped Nelson would give us memories as good as those form the Canadian trip 😊 Richard would like to say it is also after admiral Nelson... but its not! 😂
Hi, the window issue is not an issue it’s a feature that can be turned off. You turn it off in the cars menu or if not in the menu find somebody with obd11 or something similar and turn it off that way.
Thanks John- a few others have mentioned it. As I have no skills in this area, we will get the garage to look into doing it when Nelson is next in for a service. Why are modern cars so complicated? Thanks for the comment. Have a good one👍
It might be worth looking at a cigarette lighter DC charger for your laptop? It's like a standard AC normal power supply, but plugs into the cigarette lighter in your vehicle. Best to double check when buying as lorries have 12v and 24v outlets, plus making sure that it supplies enough power for your laptop. Some are also like cigarette lighter to USBs but with a higher power outlet for some lower power laptops. You'll find a bunch of them on places like Amazon, eBay etc. You can also get a small inverter that plugs into a cigarette lighter, but that means inverting from DC to AC, and then transforming back to DC, which is not exactly efficient use of power.
Since we filmed this we have been to the motorhome show at the NEC and have seen some very reasonably priced solutions, we thought the power pack stations would be mega money but actually for our needs we have seen a couple of cheap potentials and as Richard says any excuse to go to the pub and charge his laptop there... Thanks for the recommendations 🚐
We put down a second lino on our motorhome kitchen and bathroom floor, to stop the one it came with from wearing out in case we ever sell it, only to discover yesterday that it’s been sweating and it’s all wet in between. We now realise that the carpet that was there breathes so that it doesn’t get damp… we live and learn 😂
Oh no! Hope the original carpet has survived ok! We do use a small bath mat style rug in the van on the Lino but luckily the Lino has stood up well to the test of time with just a few scratches 🚐
We've watched your vlogs for about 18 months so feel as though we should know the answer to this question but wondered why the van is called Nelson? Hope you have a great time in Asia. Cheers 😀
Hi Graham- we made the decision to buy a van when we were in Nelson- British Columbia on holiday. It was a really chilled, vanlife friendly town that encouraged us to finally make a purchase when we returned home. I also like to think that it is a nice link to Lord Nelson, one of our greatest explorers of the high seas. Have a good one👍
Many people put an elastic around the pop-up tent to ensure the tent is pulled inward and doesn’t get stuck in the mechanism or the side in particular when windy
Yes I have seen that on loads of campsites which does make sense 😊 The California seem to come with something like in their factory fitting? We just have a little patchwork quilt of duck tape and a lesson learnt for the future 😬
@@earlyretirementwanderlust the dealer suggested it when buying , it’s not a factory element. Of course the Cali ocean is power roof so damage can be worse. Often interfering during roof coming down often caused problems. ( and very high winds)
You can get a pop top bellows bungee for less than a tenner from online sellers like CamperVanbits and CamperVantastic. Amazon also sell them. They fit all pop tops, not just VW. I use one on my Wellhouse Ford camper and it’s brilliant. I can easily put the pop top up and down single handed with no risk of fabric getting caught in the scissor hinge. The bungee also reduces that annoying canvas flap in high winds.
Hi we have had the badge for so long I can't remember where we got it from but I have seen recently a company on Facebook called dub design works that do them- it was on the VW owners Facebook group. 🚐 Thanks for watching the channel ☺️
Upgraded my headlight bulbs, not sure it made that much difference though. But … who knew the whole window opening thing was a thing!! Just tried it at home 🤯
Be careful where you keep your car keys! I think it has only happened when they are in my pocket and I have knelt down or bumped into something. Not the best when it rains all night😬 Thanks for the comment. Have a good one👍
Had the bulbs changed to LED for $300 AUD. Now not a problem at all but we don’t usually drive at night because of the risks of hitting kangaroos emus and wombats in the evening.
I have a 300W inverter in my van, it is very small and cost about £40, it's under the driver's seat with extended cables out to a dedicated single socket and on/off switch on the cabinet. It's more than enough to charge a laptop, and even charges my electric mountain bike. Coupled with a 100Ah Lithium battery and solar panel it is very useful. I've had my van for 18 months, never turned the fridge off, and the battery hasn't dropped below 80%. The battery has Bluetooth and an app to monitor.
It seems from lots of the comments that there are so many more cheaper solutions than when we last looked into it! We don't have lithium batteries and at this point as we will be changing our van in the next 15 months it doesn't seem worth the expense however, it is something we will look to have in the new van 😊 Hope you are loving van life as much as we do 🚐 Thanks for the recommendation.
Hi Both Regarding charging your laptop, I've found a 12v charger for mine that plugs into the usb ports. I have a Microsoft surface pro . I would imagine 12 chargers exist for other laptops too try searching you know what!! Best wishes Paul
Thanks for this Paul- we have seen these chargers on Amazon- but are really reluctant to risk a 3rd party solution on our Mac Book. Apple are not keen to offer any advice on this, and also give loads of health warnings about 3rd party kit (of course they do!). I guess we just need to look a little bit deeper into it. We have seen a small power station that only gives out 200W- which is touted as a solution for laptops. Maybe temped for a little purchase😉 Thanks for the comment. Have a good one👍
Hi Andrew, sadly not, I think it is just wear and tear as we use the van so much, it could be to do with the extreme heat in the summers in Europe maybe. The front 2 seats went first about three years ago and the back seat has got really bad this last year. The wet probably didn't help though 😂
Thanks for the kind offer- but we are pretty simple people and like the understated look of the factory standard transporter. We haven't made any mods to the external of the van and he is factory standard. Thanks again🙏
Crazy stuff! Interestingly, we are currently sitting on an Ad blue warning in France- we had about 3500 miles when we set off, but as soon as we crossed the border- the 1200 mile warning pinged up😂 It has happened to us on every trip!
Some of these issues are to do with the 'conversion choices' some are to do with 'operator error' some basically from not actually knowing your van or reading the handbook even after having it for 7 years! Not really right to blame Vw. Usually sort of enjoy your videos but feel youre being a bit unfair to Nelson in this one, he might hear you and give you something worth grumbling about.
I’ve got a 12v cigarette lighter to USB c laptop charger that can charge my laptop, hopefully there’s the same for your laptop? No need for an inverter 😅
@@Lilrom2003 I run a 100ah lithium battery with solar and b2b so not an issue for me, you can also use the van cigarette lighter socket when driving to charge the laptop, lots of options for minimal expense.
We have seen these chargers on Amazon, and presumably you just connect it when the engine is running. The problem is that we are scared to trust our (expensive) Mac Book Pro with a third party charger. Apple are very reluctant to give out any specific advice on this....probably for business reasons😂 Thanks for the tip. Have a good one👍
Great info for newbie owners of a T6 regarding adblue 👍 Also like to thank you for introducing us to the Cadac too, which we should have mentioned 😊 🚐 Jules & Marion x
I hope you manage to get away to Scotland mid week once this weather has moved off and that you had a great day on Saturday in the Lakes. The Cadac system is great, quick and keeps the van from smelling of food as much although we don't use it in the winter as it is not good in the wind.
Hi, really enjoying your videos. We are owners of a T6 for the last 6 years and our favourite road trip was to Norway. When we specified our Van we spent a lot of time thinking about how we would use it. We saw a lot of vans with side kitchens and therefore small beds. To us the priority was space. We went with a LWB and a full width caravelle bed on rails. We added a small kitchen pod, diesel heater and lights. The VW caravelle seats are also the correct height so you don’t feel like your head is touching the ceiling when the roof is down. In retrospect, the sink is probably not used much and the hob is nearly never used inside to keep smells and moisture out of the van. However, it’s good for a cuppa now and again. We have loads of storage space in the back for our portable fridge, toilet and gear and never had any issue with space. (2 adults & 2 kids with booster seats) For us the decision to not have a built-in kitchen and cupboards was the correct one and something we would recommend thinking about to everyone. We remove our kitchen pod when not camping saving loads of weight. 😊
We use an elasticated band around the middle of our pop top, this pulls the top away from the rear hinges when lowering, but we still treat it as a 2 person job. We have had so many issues with the adblue system but we absolutely love our T6 and have driven it 88000miles around the UK in all weather conditions. We fitted a victron 175w panel and all the other victron controls that go with it. Our diesel heater is great but the pump clicks and we use a low wattage fan heater and a slow cooker when plugged into the site 240v system we use a single induction hob instead of gas to cook on.😊
Top tip re the pop-top, we have seen a number of people using them on our travels👍
Don't you just love Adblue😂
Thanks for the top tips🙏
"Don't use the sink"
Same here, and that is why with our bespoke new build we are not having a sink put in. We are relying on a collapsible sink and saving on the space.
Definitely - the extra worktop space would have been so much better to have - you live and learn!
The main gripe with the (my) T6 in five years of ownership is that it seems guaranteed either an emissions warning light and/or engine management light will pop up at least once a year necessitating a call to VW to get it booked in to be looked at! In fact, it has just been in today for an engine management light that appeared briefly a few weeks ago… in this instance it turned out to be a software glitch! Earlier this year it was glow plug no3 sensor that failed. Haven’t had annual issues with any other vehicle I’ve owned in nearly forty years of driving. That said, I couldn’t be without my T6 campervan.
Hi Bill- thanks for this- absolutely agree! There is a strong feeling across a lot campervan owners that technology in the base vans perhaps has gone a little too far, with the modern engines being too complex for their own good and the computer control system throwing up too many fault lights.
This is definitely the case with VW owners, with lots of people harking back to the good old days of the T5''s and T4's. Obviously, they had their own issues, but nothing that local garages couldn't sort out with out the associated software analytics.
We do however agree with you, that Nelson has brought us more joy in ownership than any of the other motors we have owned in the past.
Thanks again🙏
The problem with the windows opening when your key fob is in your pocket can be rectified in the settings on your multi function display (on your dashboard). I had a similar experience with my Skoda Yeti (very damp bum after a wet night) until I reset the windows so that NONE of them open when I unlock the car!
Yes - it is probably something we should look into as it always happens at the most inopportune times weather wise!!!
I had problem with bolts making holes in canvas. Turns out bracket holding roof up was bent in. I just bent bracket, no more problems.
Quite a common problem I am sure! Luckily our have never got any worse 🚐
If I had the bike rack and the hatch weight issue I would just get a telescopic tent/awning pole to support it. I should be receiving an Eco flow power bank in the next few days and I will run a short lead from the power bank inside to the EHU socket so all the electrics for the rear of the van work as if connected to an EHU. If I want to use the induction hob (slim portable one van comes with twin gas) or use the electric kettle I could jut use that straight from the power bank as well. I have a 6.1 I and will check if that rust issue is happening in that version. I have seen suggestions to use dehumidifier bags to help with moisture, probably a good idea as a general practice as boiling water or even breathing will be adding moisture all the time, high humidity outside and it’s going to be difficult to stop moisture building up in certain areas.
Good video and helpful for a newbie to van camping (we have been tent camping for many years)
Thanks for these tips- always appreciated. It is amazing what you can pick up from others in the community. We do think that the power bank could be a solution for next summer- the irony being that the solar keeps the 12v system fully powered all of the time, but we just cannot charge the laptop when we are off grid for long periods of time.
Have a good one👍
Rather than an inverter you can also get a 12v to 24v converter then a special adapter to charge the laptop.
Thanks Dan- I am about to try a 12v solution from Anker that is specifically marketed at the Mac Book🤞
It’s not negative, it’s informative. Thanks.
Thanks you 😊
I recommend the dry robe seat covers, we love ours.
I think something like that will be our solution in the front of the van and a blanket on the back seat - thanks for the suggestion 😊
Interesting video and valid points. RE charging your laptop, you can normally get a 12v adapter that plus into the “cigarette lighter” socket and charge while driving - not sure if there is one available for your model of laptop.
Thanks for this - when we asked our sons partner who works at apple about that she said it could damage the MacBook. It's a small problem that is easily solved with a pint or a coffee in a pub 🙂
Thanks for the ad blue advice. I guess there will always be issues with complex vehicles, and the more complex they become the more likelihood there will be issues to resolve. Have a great week ❤️🚐😀 xxx
Thanks Janet- just hope that it saves people the pain of trial and error! There are so many things with the VWT6 being too complicated, but TBF its the same with all modern vehicles. Every mechanic we know harps back to the good old days before all the computer controlled systems. In some ways, the earlier transporters are so much easier to maintain.
Have a good one👍
great vid, you can get the key coded via VCDS so it wont do the auto up/down , i can do it for free if your ever up in Norfolk. Also you can get 12v laptop charging cables. i use a tiny cigarette lighter inverter.
Thanks for this Jay- we hoped that there would be a hack somewhere out there!
Interestingly we have just seen that ANKER have released a 12v cigarette lighter charger specifically for the Mac Book Pro that we use. We were really reluctant to try out any 3rd party solutions, but if they are marketing it as suitable, it should be ok.
Thanks for the comment👍
I don’t think it’s a negative video at all. It’s honest and I’d much rather watch a “warts and all” video to get a balanced view. You raised some interesting and useful points, like the adblue issue, which you don’t always get on other channels.
Thanks - we certainly could have done with knowing how to fill the AdBlue properly from the beginning 😂 I remember over filling it the first time in France and the warning light would not go off - luckily we called in at a VW garage in Poitier that helped us.
Great vlog , thanks guys , definitely not negative, I’m getting my T25 back soon, can’t wait to be getting away in her, she definitely needed/ needs lots of TLC, a definite money Pit and on going project,
look out for her round settle , 💛 she’s bright yellow , you won’t miss her 😂🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼
Ah nice - we will definitely keep a look out for her, I bet she is worth it, Richard loves the old T25's but has no skills to look after it and the TLC they must need!
Not negative at all. Decent feedback.
But, a couple of things. The window thing has been VWs at least since 1990 when I had a new Passat. I like it.
The pop top water issue can, but not always (it depends on the pop top), be cured by fitting an awning rail which can channel the water away.
I’ve had three, worked on two (t4 and caddy lwb).
Having said that I tried to remember and always park so the passenger gets wet. This has two benefits, I’m dry, it’s funny.
Love the channel.
Thanks James, glad that you got where we were coming from. Such a simple way to look at the wetness issue...I guess I just need to reframe my thinking and do as you do😂 Problem solved! Like you say, two great outcomes😂😂😂 (hope Jackie doesn't read this!)
Have a good one👍 R
Hi. Enjoy your channel. We have had our t5.1 campervan for 11 years now holidaying to 13 countries in that time. I just think simplicity is the key to travelling around. Minimalism is key. I would just say that vw fitted really poor performance headlamp bulbs as standard, they were almost orange. Why I don’t know? We upgraded ours with some better performance halogen lamps for very little cost. Much better now. Also the rust you mention is the metal within the rubber door seal. Easy to replace the seal at not much cost. Also you mention about not having a sink because you don’t use it. I’m not 100% sure, but I think you might need to have a sink to register as a campervan with DVLA as a motor home rather than a van. You have cheaper insurance as a campervan. Just a thought worth checking. I agree it would be great to have double glazing to avoid the condensation though . Maybe time for the next size up campervan. Hope you continue enjoying your travels.
Thanks for this Paul- so informative and very much appreciated. We know that there are solutions to the problems we raised, it's probably just us being technically inept and also to live with the status-quo as Nelson really does bring so much to our lives.
Nelson was one of the last vans to get through the DVLA reclassification, and you are right, one of the main factors is having a sink- so it has to be there, but in an ideal world, we wouldn't choose it. A few people have mentioned the double glazing as an option to look into with future vans, and we have added it to the wish list for consideration.
Thanks again for all the info. 👍
Great video guys, I'm glad we are not the only ones to get a soaking when we open the doors !! I didn't realise it was due to the pop top just thought it was a quirk with the actual van !! I had the problem only yesterday with the opening of the windows when the fob is pressed for to long, I used to have the same when I had a VW Golf guess VW like the added quirk !!!
Thanks - I am sure the window opening is something we have all experienced at some point - and its sods law that it happens when it is raining!
A great vid as usual thanks. Some common "gripes" but I wouldn't change our VW T6 for any of those white monsters, we absolutely love the agility of a smaller campervan to get into car parks and places the bigger pieces can't. We opted for a Hi-Lo pop-top which comes with elastic straps resolving the tent side rips - but creates another, its higher and heavier to bring down! So I made a "seat" out of karabiners and fabric tape that my wife clips to the straps in the pop-top and then gravity does the rest. All part of the fun of a VW van!
Thanks for this Brian- we love your pop-top solution of a seat. That defiantly needs marketing for the single van lifer. We genuinely don't know how we would do it on our own.
The parking was a serious consideration for us both as we both don't really like parking. You should have seen me in an American RV in massive US parking bays...and I still made a hash of it😂😂😂 TBH, it is a bit of a mute point going any bigger as we wouldn't be able to park it at home.
Thanks for the comment👍
I’ve just replaced the seals on my doors as the passenger one was the same as yours so you’ll be appeased to know it is just the seal and not the van. It was about £35 as an aftermarket part.
I’ve managed to keep condensation at bay by fitting those window deflectors and cranking open the window an inch or so. That said I’ve also not used the van to the extent or in the more extreme temps you guys have so maybe just been lucky.
Great vid as always 👍🏻
Thanks for the info- we are having a few small jobs done on the van over the next few weeks with the gas and electrics so might get them to have a look at the door seals while Nelson is with them. We have started using a dehumidifier when we get back after our trips just to give the van a bit of a dry out which has really helped - it is amazing how much water is collected after 6 hours!
Hi both, great channel. I feel the same as you about the lights. Really poor. I have upgraded the bulbs on my T6.1 to - Osram Night Breaker 200 - H7 Halogen about £30 pair. well worth it. Make a big difference.
Thanks for this Peter- will defiantly look into this as our country roads in the Dales are pretty dark in the depths of winter. Anything will help to upgrade from candles😂
Thanks for the tip👍
Hi, we have lithium batteries in our campervan and find Anker 12v car chargers (with 2 x usb-c ports) to be really good at quickly charging everything from iPads to Bluetooth speakers. Should charge your laptop ok I believe if it accepts usb-c charging. Saying that - not sure if your alternator charges your leisure battery. We have a B2B charger which, together with rooftop solar keeps the leisure batteries topped up. Love the channel.
Thanks for this Robert. Yep- the Anker stuff looks really good and I am currently looking into their new range that is just out that we saw at the NEC. We are really happy with our 12v system that perfectly meets our off grid needs, with the exception of charging the laptops. We need to be able to ramp it up to 230v, for the laptop charger only then to reduce it! Hey ho, all modern day problems really😂
Have a good one👍
Thank you for another great video Richard & Jackie… you’re not being negative - it’s very useful to know the quirks of our lovely Transporter campervans.
Oh yes, that key and windows problem really annoys me too… it always happens when I put my keys in my trouser pocket and then accidentally lean on something (usually the work surface) while I’m the van. It also happened when I was inside the house and within range of the van… like you, I didn’t discover that the windows had come down and were open all night. It was only the next morning after torrential rain (and on one occasion snow!) which had drenched the front seats! It took me a while before I discovered the reason!
Keep up the great work with your channel… I really enjoy the variety of videos! All the best, Jan xx
Thanks as ever Jan for you support and watching our channel 😊 It took us about a week to dry out the van last time it happened!! It did it once when we were in the van on our skiing trip and we couldn't work out why it was so cold in the van when we woke up on a frosty morning! All a part of the fun and games of owning a van.
Great advice, just wish we’d seen this 2 years ago when we had a nightmare with Ad Blue sensors on our Ford Transit Mk8 I think Ad blue had been added at a service so when we did it the first time warning lights would not go away. I think we must have done the reset totally by accident as same again the next time and eventually we found out about not letting it go below 800 miles and the 30 sec reset trick. Great tips and tricks for everyone, not just VW owners. Not negative at all but positive problem solving and sharing knowledge. Thank you. 🎉
The first Time we topped up with AdBlue was in France and the warning light really freaked us out - luckily we popped into a VW dealership who helped us and the warning light disappeared. But it took quite a few times before the nice VW assist lad told us what we were doing wrong (we had to laugh as it was actually one of Richards old boys he had taught!!)
Hi folks, great video…the window opening thing is possibly a control module issue, water ingress. I had exactly same with an Audi A6, turns out that the drains infront of the windscreen were blocked by leaves, this caused water to get into the cabin & settle in the passenger side footwell which, under which the window control module was located. Unblocked the drains, several litres of water release….carpet dried out, no more window opening problem. Happy travels!
Thanks Charlie, we think you are right, some of our subscribers have said that it can be written out of the control module. We will look into that the next time Nelson is in the Garage.
Thanks for the help. Have a good one👍
Thank you so much for another very informative video, presented witha smile and fine humour!
Our pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it 😊
Interesting. You cover so many different aspects of owning a campervan. In our experience it’s rare to find a poptop campervan which hasn’t got rips in the tent from the hinges. It seems to be a lesson most owners learn too late. Very annoying. The joys of hindsight! Enjoy your Sunday 😃
Very true! our little patches of duck tape are like modern art work on the roof top canvas 😂 Thanks for watching our channel 🚐
Loved this. Get my van this week and would appreciate any tips or.tricks
How exciting - I still remember picking Nelson up after he had been converted and getting away for our first trip which was actually to the Dales only a few miles down the road from where we now live! Hope some of our other videos have given you some ideas and tips - for us we tried to make sure we used the van as much as possible all year round after making such a big investment. hope you have some amazing adventures - any idea where your trip will be? 🚐
Hi both, would suggest an Anker power bank 737 for laptop charging. It puts out more than enough watts for a laptop and through usbc cable. So just charge it while you drive or from your leisure battery and then use to power laptop.
Thanks for this Matthew. We had the opportunity to see the full ANKER range at the NEC last week and they did look really good. I have used one of their products when I am trekking and it works really well.
This looks a seriously good solution- although it only holds 1 and a bit full laptop charge. ANKER have got a new range of products that they have just released that are a bit bigger (but not the size of a full power station). There is one that is only £30 more expensive than the 737. It's obviously not as portable for trekking, but it holds just over 3 full charges.
Thanks for the tip- I think you may have prompted a solution to my problem.
Have a good one
I'm surprised you haven't upgraded the headlight bulbs? It does make a difference.
Whenever we thought about it - it was a choice of headlights or another trip away and travel always won 😂
@@earlyretirementwanderlust I'm just talking about a 25 quid on new bulbs and 10 mins to fit!
@david1519 oh we thought it was several hundreds to have them upgraded! Will have another look 👀 cheers!
Lots of helpful information in this video - especially the Adblue advice. Thanks, Andrew
It took us quite a few attempts and call outs to VW assist to learn about the Ad Blue 😂 Where is this weekends trip in the van and park run?
@@earlyretirementwanderlust I’m house and dog sitting near Hampton Court for a couple of weeks - so I made the pilgrimage to Bushy park parkrun which is where parkrun started 20 years ago
@@earlyretirementwanderlustthe T6.1 is no better and the adblue sensor issue is the only real issue I have with my VW.
Excellent advice on adblue - thanks. The key issue must be a VW group one as I’ve experienced it with my Skoda as well - not our VW van yet 🤞
@@gcsScotland We’ve had it with our Ford Transit just the same.
maybe it is just an AdBlue thing - the VW assist bloke said that the sensors are particularly sensitive and once triggered they do not like to reset! 😂
Haha I feel your pain, quite literally with some of the gripes. I found the headlights so bad that I splashed out and bought a pair of Transporter HQ Version 3’s and they have transformed the drive and well worth the £600 ish cost. I still get nervous about the AdBlue, same as you wait until the message actually pops up on the display and go to a pump which most allow you to set a quantity which seems to work for us. I have found that the awning rail similar to yours stops the dribble of water,one thing I noticed with yours is the very front section is a plastic material which is stuck on with a sticky pad. The water looked to run under that front section on yours which it did on mine, I bought a tube of black automotive sealant called Tigerseal and ran some along the top edge which fixed mine. A great tip about the sun visors and something I will look out for. After a trip away in winter we pop a dehumidifier in the van for a day to give it a dry out.
As you say these are minor problems and there are far more positives to these vehicles.
Thanks for this- really glad to hear that the Transporter HQ solution has worked for you. They seem to get great press and have a good reputation. We have never used the adblu from the pumps, but have always been tempted. I guess you just fill up to the lower advised limit. I think that the reason the 800mile/10l works is that the 10l equates to the advised minimum fill of 2gal?
Thanks again for the comment. Have a good one👍
Morning both- I thought you might be interested to know I have just come back from holiday and met a n 84 YO lady who told me she had been travelling in her campervan for 17 years (permanently) until her husband died. I don’t actually own a campervan but watch with interest - trying to convince myself it’s for me but not quite there yet 😂
Oh wow 84 years and still has the travelling bug! I hope we are still getting out there in our 80's 😊 🚐
Corrosion at lower part of door is probably related to the gutter issue at the top as moisture that drips down get stuck in the rubber door seal ….
very probably - there are times if it has rained heavily like it is going under a waterfall!
Hi guys loving your videos, such honesty reviews and information that's actually relevant to real life campers ,I have had my new t6.1 transporter for just over 2 years now ,I knew about the reviews on the stock head lights so I ordered factory LED lights. I also had Lazer lamps fitted to the front grille and in addition to that I had a 52 in light bar fitted to the roof . I also have Lazer utility 25 lamps fitted to the roof at the rear of the van to flood light the area behind my van when reversing at night. I too have issues with the front door seals, I've yet to have them go rusty but when it's absolutely tipping down I do get water dripping in and these have already been replaced under warranty and they still leak . Also my rear sliding windows have been back in for leaks and still when it's tipping down the guttering cannot coup and water comes into the van .I'm seriously contemplating having them removed and having safari windows fitted instead. Keep up the great work and enjoy your retirement you lucky people 👍 🤟
Thanks for this Shane- much appreciated! We have seen the lazer lights in action and they are amazing. A lot of the farmers in the Dales have them on their 4x4 trucks- it's like seeing UFO's from miles away😂
The door seals are a real pain...and everyone knows about it...even VW. What is frustrating is that some dealerships are happy to sort it under warranty...and others simply deny that it is a warranty issue😬
We think that we have a developing problem with one of our windows, but only when the rain is driving in a set direction. We have not had any problems with them up to this point...I guess it is now just an age thing.
Thanks for the support. Have a good one👍
@earlyretirementwanderlust I noticed mine leaking while in Wales last year ,it had been none stop raining for 3 days ,and I noticed them weeping in corner closest to the front seats on both sides. I will get it sorted but apart from that it's been pretty much plane sailing. Our van is away at the moment having lots more work done so should have it back home next week 🤟👍
Interesting video guys. I don't own a T6 but they do look great vans. Hope you're enjoying Thailand at the min ! 😊 x
Thanks so much! 😊 We do love our van - but I think we would love any van that lets us travel so freely 🚐 We leave this week for Thailand so are just packing and getting last few jobs done ✈️
Again: practical content, well worth watching. I am.left eithe one burning qiestion: why does your van is called NELSON??
We named him after staying in the lovely town of Nelson in Canada where we had such an amazing time with our children and we hoped Nelson would give us memories as good as those form the Canadian trip 😊 Richard would like to say it is also after admiral Nelson... but its not! 😂
Hi Jackie,could I ask where you got your jumper from please. I think its lovely
Hi - I got it for Cotswolds outdoor shop last year in the sale - it is a FJÄLLRÄVEN jumper and is so warm and cosy!
Hi, the window issue is not an issue it’s a feature that can be turned off. You turn it off in the cars menu or if not in the menu find somebody with obd11 or something similar and turn it off that way.
Thanks John- a few others have mentioned it. As I have no skills in this area, we will get the garage to look into doing it when Nelson is next in for a service. Why are modern cars so complicated?
Thanks for the comment. Have a good one👍
It might be worth looking at a cigarette lighter DC charger for your laptop? It's like a standard AC normal power supply, but plugs into the cigarette lighter in your vehicle. Best to double check when buying as lorries have 12v and 24v outlets, plus making sure that it supplies enough power for your laptop. Some are also like cigarette lighter to USBs but with a higher power outlet for some lower power laptops. You'll find a bunch of them on places like Amazon, eBay etc.
You can also get a small inverter that plugs into a cigarette lighter, but that means inverting from DC to AC, and then transforming back to DC, which is not exactly efficient use of power.
Since we filmed this we have been to the motorhome show at the NEC and have seen some very reasonably priced solutions, we thought the power pack stations would be mega money but actually for our needs we have seen a couple of cheap potentials and as Richard says any excuse to go to the pub and charge his laptop there... Thanks for the recommendations 🚐
We put down a second lino on our motorhome kitchen and bathroom floor, to stop the one it came with from wearing out in case we ever sell it, only to discover yesterday that it’s been sweating and it’s all wet in between. We now realise that the carpet that was there breathes so that it doesn’t get damp… we live and learn 😂
Oh no! Hope the original carpet has survived ok! We do use a small bath mat style rug in the van on the Lino but luckily the Lino has stood up well to the test of time with just a few scratches 🚐
We've watched your vlogs for about 18 months so feel as though we should know the answer to this question but wondered why the van is called Nelson? Hope you have a great time in Asia. Cheers 😀
Hi Graham- we made the decision to buy a van when we were in Nelson- British Columbia on holiday. It was a really chilled, vanlife friendly town that encouraged us to finally make a purchase when we returned home.
I also like to think that it is a nice link to Lord Nelson, one of our greatest explorers of the high seas.
Have a good one👍
Many people put an elastic around the pop-up tent to ensure the tent is pulled inward and doesn’t get stuck in the mechanism or the side in particular when windy
Yes I have seen that on loads of campsites which does make sense 😊 The California seem to come with something like in their factory fitting? We just have a little patchwork quilt of duck tape and a lesson learnt for the future 😬
@@earlyretirementwanderlust the dealer suggested it when buying , it’s not a factory element. Of course the Cali ocean is power roof so damage can be worse. Often interfering during roof coming down often caused problems. ( and very high winds)
You can get a pop top bellows bungee for less than a tenner from online sellers like CamperVanbits and CamperVantastic. Amazon also sell them. They fit all pop tops, not just VW. I use one on my Wellhouse Ford camper and it’s brilliant. I can easily put the pop top up and down single handed with no risk of fabric getting caught in the scissor hinge. The bungee also reduces that annoying canvas flap in high winds.
@peterjohnson653 fantastic recommendation we will have a look thanks 😊
Great channel, very helpful and informative 👍
A quick question my wife was enquiring where you got your Nelson badge on your tailgate?😁👍
Hi we have had the badge for so long I can't remember where we got it from but I have seen recently a company on Facebook called dub design works that do them- it was on the VW owners Facebook group. 🚐 Thanks for watching the channel ☺️
Place I bought campervan couldn’t work out why hole appeared, I sorted in 15 minutes.
Upgraded my headlight bulbs, not sure it made that much difference though. But … who knew the whole window opening thing was a thing!! Just tried it at home 🤯
Be careful where you keep your car keys! I think it has only happened when they are in my pocket and I have knelt down or bumped into something. Not the best when it rains all night😬
Thanks for the comment. Have a good one👍
Had the bulbs changed to LED for $300 AUD. Now not a problem at all but we don’t usually drive at night because of the risks of hitting kangaroos emus and wombats in the evening.
😂 You wouldn't want to hit any of them - image the dent they would make on your lovely van! Poor things 😢
I have a 300W inverter in my van, it is very small and cost about £40, it's under the driver's seat with extended cables out to a dedicated single socket and on/off switch on the cabinet. It's more than enough to charge a laptop, and even charges my electric mountain bike. Coupled with a 100Ah Lithium battery and solar panel it is very useful. I've had my van for 18 months, never turned the fridge off, and the battery hasn't dropped below 80%. The battery has Bluetooth and an app to monitor.
It seems from lots of the comments that there are so many more cheaper solutions than when we last looked into it! We don't have lithium batteries and at this point as we will be changing our van in the next 15 months it doesn't seem worth the expense however, it is something we will look to have in the new van 😊 Hope you are loving van life as much as we do 🚐 Thanks for the recommendation.
Hi Both
Regarding charging your laptop, I've found a 12v charger for mine that plugs into the usb ports. I have a Microsoft surface pro . I would imagine 12 chargers exist for other laptops too try searching you know what!!
Best wishes Paul
Thanks for this Paul- we have seen these chargers on Amazon- but are really reluctant to risk a 3rd party solution on our Mac Book. Apple are not keen to offer any advice on this, and also give loads of health warnings about 3rd party kit (of course they do!).
I guess we just need to look a little bit deeper into it. We have seen a small power station that only gives out 200W- which is touted as a solution for laptops. Maybe temped for a little purchase😉
Thanks for the comment. Have a good one👍
I just put a litre of ad blue in every now and again
Thanks Liz- if it works and you don't get any warning lights, keep it going👍
That window unlock lock thing is a feature on most cars
Ah - it is not something we had come across before 🚐 We have definitely learnt the hard way a couple of times 😂
With the seat wear is that anything to do with you leaving windows open by mistake and them getting wet ?
Hi Andrew, sadly not, I think it is just wear and tear as we use the van so much, it could be to do with the extreme heat in the summers in Europe maybe. The front 2 seats went first about three years ago and the back seat has got really bad this last year. The wet probably didn't help though 😂
@@earlyretirementwanderlust ok love your videos
@andrewthornhill4229 thank you ☺️
👍
😊 🚐
Hi Do you interested in adding some LED upgrade to your Van? We hope to do some sponsorship with you!
Thanks for the kind offer- but we are pretty simple people and like the understated look of the factory standard transporter. We haven't made any mods to the external of the van and he is factory standard.
Thanks again🙏
If or when you get a newer apple laptop they charge via usbc to MagSafe cable so as you upgrade its problem solved
ah ok - it sounds like the tech world is moving on and catching up for van lifers finally - which was not the case 7 years ago when we got the van 😊
Don't think there's a single ad blue solution in existence that actually works. Even the mercs struggle.
Crazy stuff! Interestingly, we are currently sitting on an Ad blue warning in France- we had about 3500 miles when we set off, but as soon as we crossed the border- the 1200 mile warning pinged up😂 It has happened to us on every trip!
Some of these issues are to do with the 'conversion choices' some are to do with 'operator error' some basically from not actually knowing your van or reading the handbook even after having it for 7 years! Not really right to blame Vw. Usually sort of enjoy your videos but feel youre being a bit unfair to Nelson in this one, he might hear you and give you something worth grumbling about.
I hope he doesn't! Definitely some 'user errors and choices' but as we said, only minor grumbles of a van we have loved over the years 🚐
I’ve got a 12v cigarette lighter to USB c laptop charger that can charge my laptop, hopefully there’s the same for your laptop? No need for an inverter 😅
Probably want to combine it with a battery protector to not completely empty the battery
@@Lilrom2003 I run a 100ah lithium battery with solar and b2b so not an issue for me, you can also use the van cigarette lighter socket when driving to charge the laptop, lots of options for minimal expense.
We have seen these chargers on Amazon, and presumably you just connect it when the engine is running. The problem is that we are scared to trust our (expensive) Mac Book Pro with a third party charger. Apple are very reluctant to give out any specific advice on this....probably for business reasons😂
Thanks for the tip. Have a good one👍
Great info for newbie owners of a T6 regarding adblue 👍
Also like to thank you for introducing us to the Cadac too, which we should have mentioned 😊 🚐 Jules & Marion x
I hope you manage to get away to Scotland mid week once this weather has moved off and that you had a great day on Saturday in the Lakes. The Cadac system is great, quick and keeps the van from smelling of food as much although we don't use it in the winter as it is not good in the wind.