Choosing Your Van Base
- info2092900
- Aug 5, 2025
- 2 min read
When it comes to choosing the actual model of your van you need to take a few things into account, and this post is going to go into what you need to think about before you commit to a model.
Chris' Go-To's
At Pine Campers, Chris has a few vans he'll choose over other models because of their ability to handle varied terrain and the space you get inside.
Citroen Relay L3 H2
First up is the Citroen Relay. This van is spacious inside, and great for going on all sorts of roads. With a huge side door and big back doors there's lots of space for working on the actual conversion, allowing for more manoeuvrebility and the addition of larger elements.
As a van it's been built for being optimal in terms of running costs; the body has been made specifically so that if parts are damaged they are easy to replace. This even includes the tyres.
According to Vanwise: The Relay is one of the best vans in its class to drive – the ride is comfortable and handling is smooth, and it feels particularly composed in corners. The steering is light and accurate, and the turning circle is reasonably tight for the van's size, making it easy to park and maneuver.
Fiat Ducato Maxi Professional
The Ducato is great in terms of choice - you can get different heights, lengths, body styles... basically whatever you want for making you feel comfortable on the road, you can get.
Something to also be aware of is that there is an electric version available.
Similar to the Citroen Relay, the Ducato is spacious and has a great amount of door space for putting fittings in. It is a two seater van rather than the Relay's three seater but this allows for extra space inside.
Peugeot Boxer L3H2
A large panel van that shares parts with the Citroen Relay and the Fiat Ducato - there is an e version available and the motor is one of the parts shared with other models so it's easy to fix and find replacements.
The Peugeot Boxer is a great all-terrain van with huge potential when it comes to a conversion.
Of course all vans have pros and cons, both from a conversion and a customer point of view - and when it comes to the choice of which one you go for you will need to have a conversation with whoever is doing your conversion in case they have a preferred model to work with.
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