Ownership Diary - Knaus Boxdrive 600XL

Hi @Simon5705 - thanks for your input.

Fully agree with your sentiment on the blinds; particularly yesterday when I was also drilling holes in the a-pillar trim to fit the thing! Squeaky bum time! But they look superb and have no qualms at all about their fitment.

Like you, I bought my first motorhome in my mid-30's and really can't imagine living without one now. I sold my first Rimor Superbrig within 3months of buying it after learning the hard way that it was a dud. But even after that terrifying experience, the call to a motorhome came quickly and 15months later I was back in one with a Hymer S640. That then gave way to the Concorde when I was full-timing, although if space hadn't been an issue and all-round winterisation for fulltiming, I may still have had that (at least until my little boy came along - it was only a 3 berth).

That same pull to owning a leisure vehicle came again once the Concorde was sold, which is why the time with the (brilliant) X5 was so short. But yes, the Cali was too much of a compromise, particularly being used to full size motorhomes.

I do think this one is just right. At least for now! ;)

I'm almost there with the lights too - hopefully another update later today (fingers crossed)

 

Should've kept my mouth shut.

Auto Electrician managed to find why top markers were getting confused with the new headlights and stripped that wiring out (to be redone once we've sorted headlights). But upon installing the headlights (which look amazing BTW ), the nearside kept playing up. DRLs kept kicking out on the nearside when the headlights were turned on. Allegedly they're supposed to work without fault codes, but kept pinging, so I've sent an email to TransporterHQ to get more details on their wiring and whether they've experienced anything like this before.

Shame as, as I said, the new headlights look very close to factory LEDs and make a massive difference over the halogens.

Anyway - we'll get there in the end!

 

Quick update on the headlight situation…



TransporterHQ finally agreed that the nearside light was faulty. They sent out a new set which arrived this week. I decided I couldn’t wait for my Auto Electrician to fit them, in spite of the fact I’ve not really done anything too involved on a vehicle before.

This afternoon I set about removing the c 25 torx screws from around the bumper and wheel arches. Then disconnected sensors & foglights. Once I’d done that, the bumper pulled off in one piece and I waddled over to the garage to store it on the rubber floor.



At that point there was no going back! #squirtybum

Then it was down to four torx screws around the headlights, disconnect and then carefully remove. New ones in, again, carefully position, align and tighten and then connect up.

Before I refitted the bumper, a quick check and in spite of all the warning lights for disconnected sensors, the lights worked perfectly.

Hardest bit was then aligning the bumper and clicking it all back in place before screwing it all back together. Took a bit of team work with the wife to do the first bit but just being methodical with all the screws.

Loving the aesthetics of the new lights, whether on or off. Looks much classier and more expensive and I have no doubt the LEDs in the projectors will give superior performance compared with the candle like halogens from factory.


And here we go side by side



Overall delighted with the result. Even more delighted and proud of myself for giving it a go and succeeding.

Just have to now get my Auto Electrician back to rewire the LED top markers which weren’t wired properly from factory (no fuse or relay. Still trying to work out whether I want them on as DRLs or to come on with the headlights. Think I’ll go for the former.

But for now, much improved!

 

Indeed! The taking apart bit was easy......putting back together and entirely different kettle of fish! That said, now I've done it once, I'd be less worried about the next time. The engineering seems very good in the way it comes apart and goes back together again.

I did wonder about the headlight alignment. I may just take it into a friendly local garage in the next few days for them to take a look at. Have a long roadtrip to Normandy planned in 4wks. Want everything tip-top before then (even though I'll need the deflector stickers).

Haha! Not quite. Got chappy coming around today to wire in the top markers and dash cam.

I know, right! I looked at a late T5 (may have even been the Berghaus Edition) around 2013/14 and thought they were a lot of cash then. Can't believe that you can spec an Ocean to within £10k of this beast. Personally feel like the California prices have got totally overblown. But then again everything is. This is a lot more cash than I set out to spend, but at least it feels there's some value there when pitched against a new T6.1 Ocean.

I'm really impressed with the build quality, ride & refinement of the Crafter/TGE. I can see what it's got so many accolades in its class.

 

So a bit of an update here, particularly in light of the fact the Spuff brood is due to increase from 4-5 in 2024 and the Motorhome can only accommodate 4 seatbelts (although 5 berths, oddly).

Prior to summer hols, I had an indulgent 3days away to relax on a solo tour in the Lakes to my favourite site (Quiet Site) near Penrith.



Then the whole family spent 14days away in Normandy during August. We split the holiday 4nights in the van on the way down, 7 nights in an AirBnB villa and then 3nights on the return journey with the van used as main vehicle for day trips to museums/beaches/attractions etc. It performed the job faultlessly.

Both kids (and Mum & Dad) enjoyed the trip, except for the usual washing up which has to be done whether in a Villa or van. But the van provided us with campsite experiences on the edge of cliffs with private beaches that we’d never otherwise have experienced.

We ended up doing c 1,500miles at an average 26.2mpg fully ladend (nearly 4t all up) and on grass pitches which were very wet at times and needed other vans towing out. The confidence with the 4Motion drivetrain increased with every “interesting” experience off tarmac.




So France trip over and done with, we had a small hiatus where the van was used as my Covid isolation zone - coming back from a business trip with Covid and my pregnant wife at home, I isolated in the van for a week on the drive, which was both good and bad!

Fast forward to last week, we decided a pre-half term trip was in order. We have ended up heading up to the Peak District (so far undiscovered for me) and spent time at Hayfield, Bakewell & Matlock over 5 days. Staying at various campsites along the way. Absolutely loved the flexibility the van offered for the three of us and now trying to find ways to justify keep the van for the next year or two.




We’re now nearly 4k miles under its tyres and nearly 30nights away over 5months. I absolutely love it and it makes me feel a sense of achievement and freedom which is hard to describe. I would love to keep it forever but the reality is we’ll have to juggle 3kids well to achieve it. We’ll see. For now it’s staying and we’ll enjoy everything it has to offer until selling it becomes an imperative.

 

That sounds like a fab Father Son project.
Fully agree that the Sprinters are well able for it and I’d far rather one of those than a lightly used old example which had sat around a bit. My old Merc based Concorde had really suffered from sitting around in the 40k miles over 12yrs it had done previous to my ownership.

Good luck with the search! Can’t beat a Campervan IMO

 

Some big news for the van..........IT'S STAYING!

Had a long heart-to-heart with Mrs Spuff and we've decided to keep the van for the time being. In fairness to her, she'd been keen initially not to do anything drastic with it until next year in any event. However, with her not working now and me having to support the household for the foreseeable, I thought the van was a bit of an indulgence and started to look at downsiding and buying something with the cash tied up in it rather than having a big HP direct debit each month.

The reality is though, the more I thought about it, the more I realised it was actually quite a painful thought. I know it's an indulgence and money could be better spent elsewhere (or saved), but it's never been about the money. It's been about the experiences - both jointly with the family as well as independently. I don't like to jump on the mental health bandwagon, but one thing is for sure, knowing that I can escape for an indulgent weekend away hiking or have a base for some mountainbiking to get some downtime from work (and sometimes the kids) is really important. Even if I don't actually end up getting away. It's the knowledge that I can.

My Wife is wonderful and she knows this. She sees how hard I work for all of us and sees the non-financial value in the van rather than just looking at the monthlies.

As a result, I'm now planning my next solo trip in the coming fortnight. Either to Wasdale National Trust campsite for a bit of hiking around Scafell or over to Snowdonia to one of the many bike parks in the area for a long weekend.

I'm excited to see how the van copes with the much colder conditions - I have no doubts it will do well, but intrigued as to the comfort levels with blown air heating rather than wet central heating which I was used to in the Concorde. And will be good to have some well needed downtime as the stresses of a year in the new job, leading a cross-border team for the first time, young kids and impending new baby have taken their toll.

 

So a bit of an update - took myself away on a solo jaunt last week. I'd had the long weekend booked for a few weeks, but the venue was left unknown. I always tend to head North and fancied another trip to the Lake District, but this time to Wasdale. Then came eBay.....! I had listed lots of bits from the California for sale and one chap up in Northumberland bought the lot. At that point, I offered him the option of me delivering them to him given I was heading in the general northerly direction. He jumped at the chance.

Never having been to Northumberland and never really having had it on my radar, I was intrigued. I asked the chap if he had any recommendations, but most of his camping was done at campsites given the non-self-contained nature of the California. What he did, however, mention was that the council were trialling overnighting schemes in some of their touristy car parks to control the epidemic of motorhomes lining the lanes of the county since Covid. Intrigued, as this mirrors the Aires & Stellplaetze concepts I'm so fond of abroad, I looked it up online. Just around the corner from him, at Bamburgh was exactly one of these facilities. So, I left Essex at 8:30am, having dropped my daughter at school then hit the M11, A1, A19, A1 to drop off the parcels.


5.5hrs of driving, I got there, had a lovely natter with the fella, jumped back in the van and I rocked up at the car park in the shadow of Bamburgh Castle just as dusk was hitting and the car park was emptying out. £12 for the night in one of the 6 specially marked out (and flat) bays - delighted. As the evening went on, I was joined by two other vans (safety in numbers is always nice).



I made a few calls then set out to explore the village and grab a bite to eat. As luck would have it, I had already sussed out there was a Michelin awarded restaurant - the Potted Lobster in the village. I chanced my arm (it was early!) and blagged a table. Set about feasting on the most beautiful and fresh mussels I've ever eaten, washed down with a couple of glasses of Sauvignon Blanc and salted up with some chips!



Had a super nights sleep. Having done some research overnight, I realised that Holy Island was only 20mins away and I fancied the excitement of driving across a tidal causeway and a day exploring a very remote island. I woke at 0700 whilst still very dark and left the car park as quietly and discreetly as possible so as not to overly awake anyone. Got to the causeway having done my due diligence on the tidal patterns. All was clear - I basically had until 1000 to get over, but would then be prevented from returning until 1430. I drove over the causeway and pulled into a small carpark at the westerly end called the Snook. There I watched the sun come up from North Bay beach and retired to the van for a well deserved breakfast at first light. Once breakfasted, I drove the short distance to Lindesfarne village and then set out on what became a 10km hike around the vast majority of the island. What a beautiful place - I genuinely felt like I was a million miles from anywhere. So very relaxing, in spite of the driving wind & rain!

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Hike done, back to the van for a well deserved hot shower and change of clothes. Unfortunately my wet weather gear had really taken a hammering and after packing away the shower, the room then got used for hanging up all my gear to dry. With some lunch inside me, the tide was out and it was time to head south to the next overnight - another Council sponsored overnight stop at Beadnell the other side of the sand dune lined bay. One other motorhome in attendance, I parked up on my own patch (flat again) and got myself comfy with a good book, some music on through the Bose Revolve+ bluetooth speaker before pouring some wine and indulging in a bit of Strictly to while away the last hours of the day!



Another wonderful night sleep and a short walk along the beach before breakfast and departing, I decided to get a big chunk of the drive over and done with so that I didn't have another 5.5hr trip on Monday. This time I was headed for Robin Hoods Bay. Sadly though, the weather en route made me think twice and I diverted to Salburn-on-Sea. I've heard about this place a lot courtesy of my motorhoming Uncle & Aunt. Their recommendation was parking up on the clifftop overlooking the pier and enjoying fish & chips at the Seaview Restaurant (famous courtesy of Nadia from BakeOff doing a BBC show there recently).

I wasn’t disappointed. What a lovely little Victorian sea side resort, which (unlike a lot of other English seaside towns) has not descended into a den of inequity and poverty. I parked up in the long stay carpark at the foot of the cliffs where I was pleased to find more bays designated for motorhomes overnight. This time only £6 and on top of this - a chemical toilet disposal point in the corner of the car park, which was super given I’d already brimmed one cassette and using my spare. I parked up, headed straight over to the Seaview Restaurant (wasn’t disappointed with their haddock & chips) and then spent the next 4hrs until dusk walking around the town, its gardens and watching the surfers on the beach.



Once night fell, it was time to indulge in the Sunday papers, some music, YouTube videos and an early night.



Whilst missing the family, I didn’t want the trip to end. But I got up early at 0700, put on my running gear and then took a 5.5km run around the beach and up the cliffs, through the town and back through the park. What a way to watch the sun come up and rewarded myself with another warm shower, change of clothes and breakfast before reluctantly hitting the road and heading back south.

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The drive back took me just 3.5hrs and ended a wonderful four days away. In total I’d done nearly 750miles, averaging 27mpg across the trip. I used about 80L of water, two toilet cassettes, 12 Nespresso capsules, ;) and just £30 on overnight accommodation!



Very grateful to my wife for allowing me these kinds of getaways. They serve us both well. She’s very happy at home with our Son and happy for me to get some time away given work can be pretty intense. She doesn’t care overly for winter campervanning whereas I love it (if you time the day right around short periods of daylight). There’s no resentment and she encourages me to take time out for myself as she sees how good it is for me.

With baby number 3 coming in early April, I can’t see me doing this kind of trip again solo until this time next year at the earliest. But I am sure we’ll get the van used with differing combos of me and kids or day trips out as a foursome. It’s again cemented its place in the fleet and I swear I get far more enjoyment out of my man cave on wheels than I’d ever get from a 911!