Quick summary

Complete Campers Southwest is a Dormobile agent for Devon, Cornwall and Somerset. We help people view, source and buy new and used Dormobile campervans, with finance and part exchange where it suits.

Riptide is the VW and Ford range, sized by the Rib seat bed: 112, 130 or 150. Freeway is the four-berth Ford Transit Custom pop-top. Renaissance is the extra-long Peugeot Boxer with a washroom. Ohana is the family layout on the MAN TGE.

Stock changes. Tell us the base van, berths and budget and we will say what is in Paignton, what is incoming, and what we can source.

1. Why the name still carries weight

The Dormobile name goes back to 1952, when Martin Walter put a "bedroom on wheels" on the Bedford CA. In 1957 the side-elevating roof arrived, and that roof is still the company logo. Volkswagen conversions followed in 1961. Dormobile Ltd was formed in 1969, and the Freeway became one of the best-known Ford and Bedford campers of the 1970s.

The Folkestone factory closed in 1994. Since 1997 the company has carried the name on as a converter and parts supplier, building modern campers in the UK and looking after the classics. That mix is why people still ask for a Dormobile by name: a long record, a recognisable roof, and conversions that are built to be used, not just admired.

2. Riptide: pick the bed width first

Riptide is the practical pop-top range on the Volkswagen Transporter and, for the 112 and 130, the Ford Transit Custom. The number is the width of the Rib seat bed. A wider bed means a more open lounge. A narrower bed leaves room for deeper furniture.

The 112 Riptide uses Dormobile's deepest full-length furniture. It suits couples who would rather carry kit than stretch the bed. The 130 is the middle layout. The 150 is the one to look at when the lounge matters more than extra lockers. All three can be built on a VW Transporter. See the VW Riptide guide for the three widths side by side.

Typical Riptide equipment includes a pop-top with a scenic canvas and roof bed, a sink and hob, a fridge freezer, blown-air heating, a leisure battery, mains hook-up and solar. Roofs are often Skyline or Austops, and the Rib seat can be on rails or fixed. Confirm the exact spec on the van you are viewing. Two Riptides with the same number can still differ.

3. Freeway: the Ford four berth

The Freeway brings a classic Dormobile name onto the Ford Transit Custom. It is a four-berth pop-top, with a bed in the roof and a railed dual passenger seat bed downstairs. The cab seats swivel, so the front of the van becomes a sitting area when you stop.

Touring kit on a typical Freeway includes a double hob, fridge freezer, underslung fresh and waste water, off-grid electrics, an inverter, mains hook-up and a night heater. It is the Ford to choose when you want four berths and a layout that is separate from the Rib-based Riptide range. The original Freeway goes back to Ford Transit Mark 1 conversions. Today's van keeps the name and uses current Transit Custom equipment.

4. Renaissance: space, and a washroom

The Renaissance is the step up in size. It is a luxury four-berth on the extra-long Peugeot Boxer, with a proper galley and a combined shower and toilet.

• Four belted seats, including a double travel seat
• Swivel captain's seats and a front dining area
• Rear lounge that makes a double bed, plus a stowable double bunk
• Three-burner hob, combination microwave, sink and a fridge of about 90 litres with a freezer compartment
• Thetford cassette toilet with an electric flush, and a wash basin
• Truma Combi heating and hot water, mains hook-up, leisure batteries and solar

Choose it when a Transporter or Transit Custom feels too small for the trips you actually take. It is a motor caravan for longer tours, not a compact daily driver.

5. Ohana, and the larger bases

Ohana, from the Hawaiian for family, is Dormobile's MAN TGE conversion. It is built in the UK on the standard-wheelbase TGE, type approved, and registered as a motor caravan. The layout sleeps four or five: a fixed rear bed over six feet, a Rib seat that makes another double, and a cab bunk if you need a fifth berth. There is a garage, a galley and blown-air heating.

We also get asked about Dormobile conversions on the VW Crafter, and about other current names such as Portrush and Ballintrae. Those change with what Dormobile is building, so the useful step is to tell us the berths, belts and base van you want. We will match that to stock or a vehicle we can source.

6. Why buyers trust them

• A traceable history. The elevating roof, the VW split-screen campers and the original Freeway are part of British camping history, not a badge invented for a brochure.
• Layouts with a job. Riptide widths, the Freeway's four berths and the Renaissance washroom are easy to explain before you travel to see one.
• Crash-tested travel seats. Riptide Rib seats are M1 tested. That matters if children or extra passengers are part of the plan.
• UK conversions, with parts still available. Dormobile still supplies genuine parts and works on older vans as well as new ones.
• A local agent. You can talk the spec through in Paignton, compare it with what is actually for sale, and arrange finance or a part exchange without dealing only with a factory at the other end of the country.

7. How we can help

Start with how you travel. Two people and a lot of kit points to a 112. Three rear belts points to a 130 or 150. A Ford four-berth points to a Freeway. A shower on board points to a Renaissance or another large base.

General showroom visits do not need an appointment. If you are coming for one vehicle, call first so we can confirm it is still here.

Ask about a Dormobile

See the Dormobile range