California Dreaming: Hit the road in style with Kamper Hire's exclusive fleet of brand new T5 Volkswagen 'California' camper vans.

Taking to the open road in a motorhome is to enter a world populated by snowy-haired enthusiasts, where man-made fibres and photo-sensitive spectacles are de rigeur, and hours are dedicated to sanitising the chemical toilet.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Forget the SAGA set, in 2008 the hip way to hit the highway is in a camper, and they don’t come much cooler than the new Volkswagen ‘California’ camper vans.

Specialist VW camper van hire company Kamper Hire has invested over £300,000 to upgrade its entire rental fleet from the surfers’ favourite vintage Type 2 (T2) combi vans to the latest Volkswagen ‘California’ and ‘Bilbo’s’ T5s. The brand new vans drive more like a car than a motorhome, yet can sleep four people in comfort and are equipped with everything intrepid travellers need for a week on the road.

“The old T2 combi vans were hard to beat for style, but after a few hours the novelty of driving at 55mph and spending half your holiday waiting in a layby for the AA to turn up wears pretty thin,” said Kamper Hire founder Mark Daysh.

“Our new T5s are a different animal - behind the wheel they feel like a car, and they still have some of the VW cool. The Californias have all the kit you would expect in a big motorhome, but they’re so much nicer to drive, and now for the first time customers are able to take our vans to Europe.”

The T5s have all the driving features you would expect from a modern car, including power steering, airbags, ABS, and traction control. Rear parking sensors make manoeuvring the vehicle stress-free, and the campers are fitted with alarms and central locking.

Inside, the vans are equipped to a very high level of specification. The kitchen boasts a two burner gas hob, sink and fridge; the seating in the back converts to a double bed, while the electrically powered roof raises to make room for a second double bed. Sadly, there isn’t room for the chemical loo.

An auxiliary system provides heating without the need to run the engine, as well as generating power for the fridge. The campers can be hired with European satellite navigation, as well as racks for surfboards and cycles.

“Our vans have always been popular with surfers, but we’re definitely noticing a huge demand from working couples and young families who want to get away from it all,” said Mark Daysh.

“Lots of people take the vans to the West Country, and the summer music festivals are a very popular reason for people to hire a camper - many of the festivals sell tickets for dedicated camper van areas, and lots of our customers then go on to chill out for a few days in the vans and make an extended holiday of it.”

The arrival of the new fleet also allows Kamper Hire’s customers to take their vans to Europe for the first time. Reliability problems prevented the old T2s from leaving the UK, but the brand new Californias are backed with the manufacturer’s European breakdown cover.

Located only 30 minutes drive from the ferry port at Portsmouth, Kamper Hire is well-placed for travelling to Europe, and customers can leave their car at Kamper Hire’s depot while on holiday. Portsmouth has the largest choice of ferry destinations in the UK, with routes to France, Spain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Wight.

“When you add up the cost of flights, accommodation and car hire, camper van rental makes for a very affordable family holiday. Lots of our renters are keen to take advantage of cheaper ferry fares outside school holidays, while the weather in southern France in May or September can often be far warmer than the good old British summer,” said Mark Daysh.

Weekly rental rates for the T5s start at £550 inclusive of VAT, unlimited mileage in the UK, insurance for one named driver, roadside recovery and a welcome pack. Optional extras include cycle and surfboard racks, awnings and sun canopies, and European satellite navigation systems.

More information can be found at the website, www.kamperhire.co.uk, or by contacting Kamper Hire on 0845 226 7869.

ENDS

Images
High resolution images for print use can be downloaded here.

Notes For Editors

Kamper Hire specialise in hiring the new Type 5 Volkswagen camper vans. Their fleet of new California and Bilbo camper vans sleep up to four people, while the powerful 2.5 litre turbo-diesel engine means the T5s drive more like a large car than a motorhome. Established in 2004, Kamper Hire was one of the first companies to hire Volkswagen’s classic Type 2 camper vans - the company now has an exclusive fleet of Type 5s allowing customers the use of new, high spec vehicles and the chance to travel to Europe.

Journalist trips
Kamper Hire welcome requests from journalists to experience their campers first hand. If you or your publication would be interested in taking a T5 on the road please contact Jim Michell at Barefoot Media on 01208 895089 or email jim@barefootmedia.co.uk.