Keith Gooden
In today’s episode of the Motorhome Matt podcast…
Matt Sims
We discover a new resource for people looking to convert their own campervan.
Keith Gooden
And we answer your questions on making your motorhome gas free, driving with a New Zealand licence and carrying a spare wheel. Welcome to the Motorhome Matt podcast. I’m Keith Gooden.
Matt Sims
And I’m Motorhome Matt.
Keith Gooden
Industry insights and expert advice for the world of motorhomes, campervans and caravans – and it’s brought to you with www.thatleisureshop.com.
Matt Sims
Please do remember to follow on your favourite podcast app and subscribe if you watch on YouTube. Brought to you by our friends at www.arobasecreative.co.uk.
Product of the week
Keith Gooden
Let’s go into our product of the week straight away. Well, you know, it’s flexible. It’s a waste pipe set, and it’s got a cleaning brush in it. What could it be for?
Matt Sims
Here we go… it’s stuck. Here we are. Look at this. Play one of these, Keith. I’ve brought out a black bag from under the desk. Here it goes.
Keith Gooden
No, I can’t do much with it. Is it to play the trombone?
Matt Sims
Just extend it.
Keith Gooden
Said the actress to the bishop. Sorry. I certainly could have done with one of these the other night.
Matt Sims
I’m not going to ask what you would have done with it.
Keith Gooden
Suck up your beer.
Matt Sims
There’s a special little brush they come with. So they are waste water pipes. You join the four of them together. They extend each to a meter long.
Keith Gooden
I see. One fits inside the other.
Matt Sims
Yeah, you can have four meters of waste water pipe joy.
Keith Gooden
You put one end into the motor home or campervan.
Matt Sims
That’s right, onto the waste outlet.
Keith Gooden
And the other end, into the drain or the bucket.
Matt Sims
That’s right, yeah. And it will turn corners, go up and down. Obviously water is less keen to go up. And then when you’re done with it, take them apart, clean them out with a brush, pack them back in your bag.
Keith Gooden
They sell these brushes that come with it in that funny shop with blacked out windows. I don’t think they use them for waste pipes.
Matt Sims
The door’s always shut.
Keith Gooden
We know what it is. We know what it’s for. How much does it cost?
Matt Sims
They are just £17.99 at www.thatleisureshop.com. Use the code MOTORHOMEMATT to get 10% off.
Keith Gooden
Fantastic. And it all breaks down and goes into your little black bag. Make sure it’s clean. You don’t want you know what in your little black bag! 10% off with the code MOTORHOMEMATT.
Learn how to safely convert a campervan
Keith Gooden
It’s the Motorhome Matt podcast. I’m Keith Gooden.
Matt Sims
And I’m Motorhome Matt.
Keith Gooden
It’s brought to you with www.thatleisureshop.com. So who are we speaking to today then, Matt?
Matt Sims
I’m speaking with the lovely John from Bear Hug Campers. They have created a product in response to climbing screen prices. And we were asking people, what do you think of the new screen prices?
Keith Gooden
Which are high.
Matt Sims
£100,000 plus. Loads of money.
Keith Gooden
Some of them, when you buy them, you can’t get insurance because the value is so high.
Matt Sims
Well, that’s a weird thing, isn’t it? I mean, if it’s over £150,000… we spoke to that chap. I met him at a recent show, and I think his motorhome’s valued at £180,000. Couldn’t insure it. Not for the full value. He got it insured. You know, the exposure was £150,000. I’m sure that’s right. So where’s the £30,000 going?
Anyway, what John at Bear Hug has done, very cleverly, is in response to people coming away from shows like that and saying, “You know what, I’m going to build my own. I’m going to make my own campervan.”
John has created an entire library of videos and guides and an ability to speak to him regularly whilst you build your own conversion, because there’s loads of questions when you’re making a van conversion.
And I have to say, I’m very passionate that if you’re going to build your own you must do it safely, and you must do it compliant to keeping you alive. So the gas install and electric install has to be done correctly. And I saw John’s product. I thought, this is genius.
Bear Hug Campers
Matt Sims
John, you know that my biggest concern with self conversions is safety and best practice, but I am intrigued. What’s the most naive installation you’ve ever seen?
John Stuckey
As you can imagine, we’ve seen probably the full spectrum of things. In the workshop, we generally do full builds from an empty box, but when we help people do their own, we do see some quite interesting things.
One of them that comes to mind is somebody who had installed a window on their side door and just got the measurements slightly out, and they ended up having to replace the entire side door. So that’s obviously hassle and money.
But one of the things that’s tricky is when you see kits online that you can buy the kit and install. They haven’t got the best instructions, or something like that. So although somebody might install something thinking it’s a kit, so it must be okay, something fundamental might be wrong with it.
And where it really gets a bit dangerous is when you’re working with the mains electric side. So with an inverter with the standard three pin plug sockets and stuff. So we’ve had to rectify a few of those things. And also, yeah, just get some people with some proper safety checking from some qualified engineers and things like that.
Matt Sims
So you’ve built this product. It’s a training program that enables people to get all this good advice from you as a respected converter. What exactly is it that you’ve built?
John Stuckey
It is called the Van Conversion Training School, so hopefully it does what it says on the tin. And it is a way to formalise all the advice and training that we had been doing anyway with people into one package.
So it is formed out of three parts. And the first part is a huge bank of content, which is video content, where we’ve documented how we convert one of our vans from start to finish. Every single stage is laid out and explained and it’s explained why you’re doing it, so you can understand the reasoning behind it to make your own decisions on your van.
The second part is weekly group video calls with me. So just like this on Zoom. There are a couple of times that the members can jump onto a call and ask me any questions. Quite often they’re in the van with their laptop or their phone and they’re pointing something out, and they ask me things there and then. So that works quite well.
And then the third part is to help in between times of the calls, which is just a private board, so you can post questions and photos and videos and things, and then other people answer. And I also keep an eye on it every day and answer questions. So those three things together make up the Van Conversion Training School to help people convert their own vans to a good level, learn all the skills needed and do it safely.
Matt Sims
And how many videos are in the library?
John Stuckey
There are maybe about 80 or so. We’re constantly tweaking it, adding more. So maybe there’s something really specific that’s not in there. For example, somebody asked how to do a very specific lining on the door.
So we went away and just recorded that video and added that to it. So yeah, I’d say around about 80, some of them a bit more meaty than others. There’s maybe seven or eight on electrics alone, because it’s quite a big subject.
Matt Sims
Membership lasts for how long?
John Stuckey
All the content and the group board is a one-off payment of £480, and you get that forever. So for as long as it’s around, as long as I’m around, you get that. And then the bit that’s on a more timed basis is access to me via the group video calls.
So you initially get four months of that within that price, and then if you want to extend that, it’s £90 a month, and it’s just rolling monthly. And then you just get that full attention from me, just to give you that extra helping hand.
Matt Sims
That’s quite clever, because I can imagine most people set out with the best intentions. They’ve got the van. They probably make a start, hit a brick wall pretty quickly, as it were, a virtual one. They sign up to you, and then life gets in the way, and six months goes by before they do anything more on the van. So that means they can come back and rejoin or just extend their membership and continue getting your expertise, I presume.
John Stuckey
That’s exactly why we did it that way. So we did start off with the whole thing being a year, but when we were speaking to people, they said, “Oh no, I want to do it within five months,” or something like that, or, “I’m going away for a couple of months in summer.”
So we’ve done it like that, so that they’re always in that group, so they’re always in the world once they’ve joined. And if they want to take a break from the payment to access the support they can do. And four or five months later, they can pick up tools again and get back involved, which is definitely something people do.
Matt Sims
So what made you launch this, John? Why did you start this member program?
John Stuckey
We’d been converting vans professionally in the workshop, and we just ended up finding that we’re answering questions from self builders, probably hundreds a week, and we’ve spoken to thousands of people over the years, and we’re still happy to do that.
You know, it’s a really nice community, and we like chatting to people and answering questions. And it was just that so many of the same questions were coming up that we get asked over and over again.
So it just kind of sparked the idea, and I’ve seen this work in other industries as well, sparked the idea to basically formalise that, to give people a space to ask all those questions. And then we thought, well, why don’t we document how we do everything, so that in between those questions, people can just work through things in their own time and dip in and out, you know, if they’ve got a specific bit they’re trying to tackle.
So we spent a year filming all this, writing all this, putting all this together and launched and have just been tweaking it ever since. You know, we started off with a few test clients to help build it out with us.
And currently it’s still only small, so we can give people a good amount of attention. There are 11 people on there at the moment, I believe, people coming and going, but we’re now trying to give it a bit of a kick, bit of a push, just to help out as many people as possible.
Matt Sims
Well done. I think it’s a brilliant idea. And if it keeps people safe and on the right side of an electric shock, i.e. away from it, and carbon monoxide poisoning, then it has to be a good thing! Now, you have very kindly offered a great deal for people listening to this who are interested in signing up. You say that membership is £480 for four months. The video content is evergreen, so it lasts forever.
But they can extend that month if they use the code MOTORHOMEMATT when they sign up, and you’ll give them an extra month for free, worth £90. That’s fantastic. John, thank you for offering that. Where do people find out more?
John Stuckey
If you just go to www.bearhugcampers.co.uk, there is an info pack where you can just put in your name and email, and you get sent all the information in a nice looking PDF. And then from there, you just drop us a line and we’ll have a quick chat to make sure we’re all on the same page and hopefully get you going.
Matt Sims
So if people quote Motorhome Matt, you’ll give them a five month membership rather than the four.
John Stuckey
I will, absolutely.
Matt Sims
John, that’s brilliant. I wish you every success with the project. I’m certainly following it with interest, and thank you for sharing more with me about it today. Good luck.
John Stuckey
Thanks so much. Thanks for having me.
Keith Gooden
That’s John Stuckey. He’s the director at Bear Hug Campers. A great idea, Matt. I must admit, I love YouTube how to do it videos that people put up, tradespeople put up. And this is the same sort of thing, but with the expertise, and, as you say, ticking all those boxes that you’ve got to tick to comply with the law and safety.
Matt Sims
That’s right. And safety is the big one for me. I see conversions, and sometimes I start getting in them and have a look at them and think, oh my goodness, this is terrible. Gas bottles floating around loose in a cupboard under the kitchen sink. You know, I’ve seen lots of terrible faux pas.
So what John is doing is keeping people on the straight and narrow, keeping them safe, keeping them alive, free from CO poisoning, for example. And I think it’s admirable, and I take my hat off to him.
It’s a very clever marketing idea, which I love as a marketeer myself. If you’re in the market to build your own van and you’ve seen those screen prices at the shows or in dealerships and you think, “I can’t afford that, I’m going to buy a van and I’m going to convert it myself,” please do it safely.
Do it responsibly, and make sure you do consult an expert like John who will build it for you, of course. Or you can gain from his knowledge and expertise by subscribing to his new conversion service.
Keith Gooden
And the great thing with the subscription is you get one to one time with him as well, don’t you?
Matt Sims
You do absolutely, yeah, and the videos are available forever. So I think he said there’s 80 videos to watch, so you can entertain yourself for years to come.
Audience Q&A
Keith Gooden
It’s the Motorhome Matt podcast. I’m Keith Gooden.
Matt Sims
And I’m Motorhome Matt.
Keith Gooden
Let’s go in for our audience Q and A. We love this bit. If you’re a brand new listener, what happens is listeners to the podcast get in touch with us and ask questions. And Motorhome Matt, he’s the expert who will answer those questions on the podcast, and if he doesn’t know, he’ll find somebody that does! First of all, Kath Singleton sent us this question.
Kath Singleton
We’re looking to upgrade our campervan to one that is gas free and its appliances only run on electricity. I’m just wondering how this would happen if you’re not hooking up to an electric point each evening or each day.
Keith Gooden
Gas free. Can it be done?
Matt Sims
Yes, it can be done. Of course, yes. So many of the appliances now that use electricity in a motorhome or campervan are either 12 volt or 240 volt. Both, of course, can be run from batteries using inverters, so you convert the 12 volt up to 240 volt, but you would need a significant amount of battery power to do that if you’re not hooking up. Or solar power on the roof. So solar panels – installs like this usually come with a significant amount of solar panels on the roof. You’re a big fan of those, aren’t you?
Keith Gooden
Big fan of solar panels. Had them about the house for years, love them. You save loads of money.
Matt Sims
They do. It’s true. So a big lithium battery installation is probably going to be what you need to look at if you’re going to go for lengths of time without hooking up. Starting the engine, of course, will recharge your batteries, but it can be done. My question is, why would you want to? I’m intrigued by this, because there is a big boom, it seems, and a trend for people making…
Keith Gooden
Should you be using that phrase? We’re talking about gas. A big boom?
Matt Sims
We’re talking about gas free, boomless! So I wonder why you want to. And I understand there could be an environmental impact by not using a fossil fuel. But then where does your electricity come from? Is that clean and green? I’m intrigued. If you are looking at going to a gas free, fossil fuel free campervan or motorhome, why are you doing it? Would you let us know? I’d love to know.
Keith Gooden
Cheers, Kath.
Keith Gooden
John Peat is in New Zealand.
John Peat
I’m a retiree looking to come over to the UK and Europe and travel around in a motorhome for a few months. Now, I have a full licence here in New Zealand that allows me to drive heavy vehicles, but on a normal car licence here, we can drive up to 6,000 kilograms.
I believe in the UK, if I was to hire or buy a vehicle over there that would only take me up to 3,500 kilos on a normal car licence, yet I can drive a vehicle here up to 6,000 kilo on a normal car licence. Is that applicable in the UK, or would I have to get my C1 license?
As I said, I’m a retiree. I’ve had my licence for an awful long time. I don’t know if that counts for anything over there, or whether the limit of 3,500 kilos would apply to me. Looking forward to your answer.
Keith Gooden
This has come up before, hasn’t it, Matt? So John wants to know if the licence he holds in New Zealand and the things he can do on that licence in New Zealand will apply when he comes over here. Give us the definitive answer.
Matt Sims
I did definitively obtain this answer. I thought I knew the answer, and I was right. I checked the gov.uk website, John, which you can do as well if you Google this. On there it says if your licence was not issued in the EU or a designated country, the DVLA states – so that’s the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority – you can drive any category of small vehicle.
So they class small vehicles as motorcycles, cars or vehicles up to three and a half tonnes, such as vans or with eight passenger seats – so let’s assume van means motorhome – in the UK on your original, full valid licence for 12 months.
So you can drive here on your New Zealand licence, up to three and a half tonnes. Over 12 months, you would then have to apply for a UK driving licence or an international driving permit, an IDP. It goes on to say, if you want to carry on driving in the UK after this point, you’ll need to apply for a UK provisional licence and pass the UK practical test.
You’re not required to take any driving lessons in the UK before taking the test, but you might find it helpful to get familiar with the Highway Code and brush up on your driving skills, which is good advice. So that is from the gov.uk website.
Many people get this wrong because they assume they can drive here on their New Zealand licence, for example, under the same terms as you can drive in New Zealand. That is not the case.
Keith Gooden
That’s the definitive one. John, sorry if that disappoints you, but it’s the right answer.
Keith Gooden
Paul Knox Johnston is in Whiteley. He says, “Hi, both. Quick question for you. What are the current rules for carrying a spare wheel on a campervan in the UK or abroad?” Because in your car you get these kits now which put some sort of cement into the tyre. Does the same apply to motorhomes?
Matt Sims
They increasingly don’t have a spare wheel to save weight, so keeping the payload high so you can carry more stuff, more shoes, more of Keith’s pants and socks. So the gel kits are really lightweight. There was a state of affairs that I understood – I think it was in Italy.
Keith Gooden
Was there a state of affairs? Was it in Italy?
Matt Sims
I believe so.
Keith Gooden
There was a state of affairs in Italy.
Matt Sims
It was a right mess. But you had to have means of continuing your journey if you had a flat tyre. We were asked the question. It was Colin, wasn’t it? He said, “Do I need to carry the jack if I haven’t got a spare wheel?” And it’s a really good question, because why do you need a jack if you’ve got the tyre gel or you haven’t got a spare wheel or tyre?
But in Italy, you have to carry a spare wheel and tyre and the means of changing it. But I would contend that because all these new cars that are being made across Europe, you name the brand, none of them have a spare wheel. They only have tyre inflator kits. So some of them used to have the little really thin tyre, you know, like a temporary tyre.
Keith Gooden
The sort that’s restricted to up to 50 kilometers.
Matt Sims
That’s the one. But they don’t even have that anymore, because the boots are so small, and they want the car really light so the engine can be smaller and more efficient. So they only have the tyre gel. So if you have a blowout, you can’t carry your journey because the gel is not going to fix the blowout. So Google gives up this answer that I think is incorrect. It can’t be right. And I have struggled to find a definitive answer on this. Yeah, it’s a tricky one.
Keith Gooden
So what’s the answer?
Matt Sims
I don’t know. What’s the question?
Keith Gooden
We never thought we’d hear that on the Motorhome Matt Q and A! But if you buy a campervan, do they still have the bit where you can slide the spare into, even though they’re not providing the spares? Can you buy one? Do you put it underneath?
Matt Sims
No, because that’s the carry frame you mean underneath. So that’s often taken off and there’s a waste water tank put there. That’s why there’s no spare wheel underneath. So often the spare wheel goes in the garage. So there is no rule that I can see that says you have to carry one.
Of course, if you’ve got the payload and the space, carrying one I think is a very sensible idea going around Europe. I would be very cautious about doing a trip like that without one. You know, I’d want the means to be able to replace my tyre. I’d probably take the tyre gel. Well, I would take tyre gel as well, in case I had a puncture.
But even then, once I’d used it, I’d still want to be replacing the tyre as soon as I could. So rules to do it, laws to do it, no, not to my knowledge. Just given the way cars are manufactured these days, I think it’ll be a very sensible thing to take if you can.
Keith Gooden
But in Italy, you need to have the means to change.
Matt Sims
That’s what Google says. But all these cars driving around these Italian roads don’t have that, and they’re new.
Keith Gooden
You know what they have in Italy to put on the side of your motorhome. Go pasta stripes! There you go.
Keith Gooden
All right, then – if you want to get in touch, Matt?
Matt Sims
Please do. If you’ve got a good joke for Keith, then we’d love to hear it. Go to mhmp.info/askmatt. Hit the orange button and record your question. We’ll play it in or fill out the form. We’ll read it for you.
Keith Gooden
And if you’re looking for trusted brands and services, make sure you visit the Motorhome Matt Approved directory at mhmp.info/approved.
Matt Sims
And if you’re watching on YouTube, please make sure you subscribe and hit the little bell – brought to you by www.arobasecreative.co.uk.
