Juliette
We had a great two-week trip with the van in Scotland, driving around 2000 miles, including parts of the NC500. The van drove really well and was a great size for exploring Scotland. Nick was friendly, helpful and easy to communicate with, and the handover was straightforward.
The van was also very well equipped, with lots of useful things provided, including camping chairs and table, awning, cutlery and cooking equipment, kettle, two gas bottles and a USB extension cable, which was particularly useful for long driving days.
There were, however, a few issues with the van during our trip. The front passenger seat should swivel, but Nick told us during the handover that the bolt was stuck and it therefore couldn't be used as intended.
We also discovered several holes in the pop-top roof material and mosquito nets during our trip. This was particularly problematic in Scotland with the midges, so we had to tape the holes as best we could. Unfortunately, the holes also meant the roof was no longer waterproof, and on rainy nights water came through, meaning we had to keep the roof closed to stay dry. We messaged Nick during the trip to check whether he was aware of the issue, and he confirmed that he was.
Some of the cupboard doors also didn't lock properly, so we had to wedge things inside to prevent them opening while driving.
We also tried using the diesel heater one evening, but it took too long to produce warm air (only cold air was coming out) and there was a strong diesel smell inside the van while it was running, so we decided not to use it. Nick explained that the smell was normal, although we would have preferred to have a heater that was more effective.
One other thing to be aware of is that, because the onboard water tank is disconnected, renters need to provide their own water containers.
Our main disappointment was that some of these issues were already known before we collected the van, but we weren't made aware of them in advance. In particular, knowing about the pop-top roof issues before the trip would have allowed us to make a more informed decision, especially when travelling in Scotland where rain and midges are very much part of the experience. Given the known issues, we would also have appreciated some consideration on the price or a small discount.
Nick did explain that we were the last renters of the summer and that he had already ordered materials to replace the pop-top roof and a new bolt for the passenger seat, so hopefully these issues will be resolved for future renters.
Overall, we really enjoyed the trip and the van drove brilliantly. With the issues above addressed, we think it would be a great camper for exploring Scotland and the UK.