Essential Knowledge

Hi All

We are due to pick our new camper up towards the end of June from Danbury and was wondering about the handover, more specifically having never owned a camper before wondering what we need to know to stop blowing up, setting fire to and otherwise causing damage to our new camper! I've done a few searches and can't seem to find a list of instructions and do'd and don'ts so can anyone out there point us in the right direction?

Cheers

First of all welcome to the forum

The main thing to do it enjoy your camper. There's the normal Health and Safety things to remember like no fires of BBQs in the Awning (if you have one), don't drive off with the hookup lead attached (Been there myself ), make sure the gas bottle is turned off when your not using it. Common sense is you best bet, don't do things that are likely to cause damage

All you have to remember is the Kombi Design is 40+ years old so don't expect it to drive like a modern vehicle. As for Dos and Don'ts

Do
Enjoy Yourself

Don't
Set fire to things in and around your Kombi

Cheers ...how about stuff like how to use the hook up, never done it and no clue what needs to be switched pulled or pulled to prevent electrical melt down !

Welcome to the forum you've found the right place for everything you need to know.

The guys at Danbury will do a full handover when you pick up the van and will issue you with a few do's and don'ts  regarding the ownership of your new Kombi.

Like Kiteman says we've all made mistakes with our vans but its a learning curve and we share any woes here on the forum to avoid others making the same mistakes.

You'll be fine , once you've left Danbury just fuel up and enjoy the ride home with a smile on your face.

We have our annual club event near Banbury next weekend if you fancy popping along and meeting 40+ likewise owners. Failing that there are a number of events that many forum members will attend that you might want to consider as the year progresses.

Hope to see you out and about soon. Good Luck and Enjoy!

We are definitely planning to visit the Banbury sleepover next Saturday for a stroll and a chat

Gmsuk wrote:

We are definitely planning to visit the Banbury sleepover next Saturday for a stroll and a chat

Will be more than happy to talk you through Electrical hook up etc. next Saturday. I'll be helping to run the coffee and cake stall , pop by and say hello.. Steve
Look forward to seeing you then..

Welcome to the forum!

We're a friendly bunch so by all means ask all the questions you an think of either on here or at the sleepover. You'll do well to find a question that at least one of us can't answer!

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your van purchase. Everything they tell you during the van handover will go straight out the other side, but dont worry, it is all quite simple. If it is a watercooled van then unleaded goes in the right hand tank, and as kiteman says turn off the gas, and whether putting roof up or down its front end first. Thats about it.
You'll be fine, untill you stop at the petrol station and think, now which side did they say I have to fill up?

You'll find all the advice you need on here. Look forward to meeting you next Saturday. Look out for the Donut Stand.

I've just been reading Martin Dorey's latest blog.

http://campervanliving.blogspot.co.uk

He's just begun to write a new book called 'The Campervan Bible' which will cover all the essential pieces of knowledge he's collected over the years.
He's actually looking for volunteers that can help with stories and photos so keep an eye out.

Hi & Welcome to the Forum
See you next Saturday
Roo b Roo

We were similar to you Gmsuk with limited knowledge.

In the month leading up to delivery I must have read every thread on this forum! It was well worth the time and effort. Some of it was a bit worrying, in relation to mechanical issues, but many of the early threads had problems that have mostly been resolved via improvements.(gearsticks etc!)
I really do recommend trying to read all the threads. Some of it may not sink in, but at least you know where to look if you have an issue in the future.

And welcome to the club!

Tim aka Primrose

OK, got the list of questions ...we will be desending on you all tomorrow

Great to see everyone on Saturday, lots of friendly advice and left feeling chilled and even more excited about picking our van Nev up later this month.

Having just got back from a bracing ....read windy walk with the dog I got to wondering how much wind will the popped up roof take before the sensible option is to lower it !!

Great to see you guys at the weekend , hope you enjoyed yourselves....
Can't see that question has been raised before , Danbury I'm sure will answer it specifically for you but I'd go on gut instinct, if you feel it's too windy to put the roof up then don't. Can't say we've ever experienced any problems with the roof up in what I'd class as relatively high winds, others may well have...

I remember 2 years ago whilst on holiday in Cornwall we were hit by the tale end of a hurricane. The wind during the night was storm force and I could here the roof moving around. I didn't sleep a wink but my son, who was sleeping in the roof, didn't notice a thing.

cheers chaps.....the next question is to chock or not to chock.... Just been looking at the ones on jk

You should always have a set of chocks under your seat. The golden rule of a decent night's sleep in your Kombi is to keep it level. They're are also great markers when you want to line back up to a driveway awning.

Bought a set of chocks but never used them in 3years of ownership.

How many do you need, they seem to be sold in packs of 2?

Gmsuk wrote:

How many do you need, they seem to be sold in packs of 2?

Two!

Either at the back wheels, or I have seen some people putting them under one side only.

P.

Chocks: Two is good. If you need more than two then something's wrong and it will be easier to move the kombi!

As for the roof, at the point at which you think "how fast does the wind need to be....." then it's time to pull it down. You won't sleep again after that anyway so better safe than sorry - losing the roof would make a big mess.

On two occasions we have felt it was 'windy enough' to drag our son down and un pop the pop top.

The first was in mid Wales 3 years ago during the storm that also flooded various campsites in Aberystwyth 40 miles away - we were in a valley (that's unusual for Wales I hear you say...) that was acting like a funnel and the whole van was being moved by the wind.

The second was last year while at Golden Cap in Seatown nr Chideock, a few days after arriving back from the Kombi Kaper in France. It was the night that the tail end of ex-hurricane Bertha made land.... at Seatown....

We hadn't seen any news so weren't really expecting it. Our wind break lived up to its name at approx 4am and broke throwing a peg at Tallulah, had one end not been tied to our trailer I think Tallulah would have been wearing the lot!

The tent field was completely evacuated at 3am and we found seaweed on and around Tallulah when we got up, despite being some 250-300 yards from the sea!

One piece of essential info is that if the radio wont work it is because your 40amp fuse has blown and means your leisure battery isnt charging and has gone flat. Nothing to worry about, it happens every so often. Best to buy a pack of spares 40amp fuses. If you search the forum you'll find advise on changing the fuse.

Ok. So avoid hurricanes and always carry a 40amp fuse ...