Nissan nv200 mini-van conversion platform?

[mumkin]

I know that we have a few people on here who are interested in the idea of a conversion on a mini-van. I happened onto a link to this new small cargo van from Nissan. While it is actually shorter and narrower than my Sienna that I converted in 2008, it has a nice square cargo area... lack of windows... and quite a bit more headroom. It says 24 mpg "city and combined." I'm not quite sure what that means. But it would beat my Sienna by a bit...

Nissan nv200

Now all that is needed is for someone to develop a pop-top for it. :B

I haven't seen one... has anyone?

[mumkin]

RobertRyan wrote:

mumkin wrote:
Personally I prefer my 25 ft C for comfort... and the dog agrees.

Same here. My wife was looking at one of these and you have to be "svelte' to get the back after wandering past the Cupboards.

Not to mention that my travels often have me camping in temperatures down to -6C. That would cramp one's desire to pop that top up.

[RobertRyan]

mumkin wrote:
Personally I prefer my 25 ft C for comfort... and the dog agrees.

Same here. My wife was looking at one of these and you have to be "svelte' to get the back after wandering past the Cupboards.

[mumkin]

RobertRyan wrote:
It would be very small even for a Camper Van. Maybe a large dog? Pretty cramped.

Oh yeah... never said it would be roomy Robert. :B But there are a few people in this niche market who are truly minimalists and this looks like a better option than the usual Toyota, Honda, or Chrysler products that they are using.

I ran into an Aussie couple who had purchased a Chrysler mini-van... put in a sleeping platform and spent a year traveling Mexico. When the weather was good they pitched a tent. They were heading north from Mazatlan to sell the van back in the US and head home.

Personally I prefer my 25 ft C for comfort... and the dog agrees.

[RobertRyan]

Mumkin wrote:
This is NOT the large unit that Sportsmobile and Pleasureway have converted. This is equivalent to a mini van - smaller than my Toyota Sienna. Perhaps a bit bigger than the little Ford Transit Connect.

It would be very small even for a Camper Van. Maybe a large dog? Pretty cramped.

[mumkin]

bobojay5 wrote:
This NV200 van is the one that the New York City taxi authority had named their new "required" standardized taxi to replace the Crown Vic, but most of the drivers and company owners rebelled and said no way! basically.
So now I think they've went back to the drawing board to find something more agreeable to all.

Now back to the regularly scheduled topic here......

According to the Nissan websites, the NV200 only comes with two seats (driver and one passenger) and no side windows, so I expect that it is not the NV200 that they were considering... unless they plan to toss the passengers in the cargo section and tie them down. LOL

What makes it interesting as a little RV makes it not much of a choice for a taxi...

[bobojay5]

This NV200 van is the one that the New York City taxi authority had named their new "required" standardized taxi to replace the Crown Vic, but most of the drivers and company owners rebelled and said no way! basically.
So now I think they've went back to the drawing board to find something more agreeable to all.

Now back to the regularly scheduled topic here......

[stan909]

No. They do Astro vans also but call them. They are very responsive. They have gone through a lot with the road to their town being washed out in those terrible floods.

[mumkin]

Thanks for the Colorado Camper Vans suggestion. Here's a clicky for them. It would surely be a company like this that might try a pop top option. But I note that all of the tops pictured on their site are for full-sized vans.

[stan909]

My bad. I am guilty of not scrolling down. Just looked at the big ones. There are people who even convert those funny little Ford Transit connects. Videos on Youtube.Colorado Camper Vans may be able to do a poptop but your lookind at $6k to start.

[mumkin]

Some of you are looking at the wrong Nissan van!!!

This is NOT the large unit that Sportsmobile and Pleasureway have converted. This is equivalent to a mini van - smaller than my Toyota Sienna. Perhaps a bit bigger than the little Ford Transit Connect.

As I said, this is for those interested in a mini-van conversion - minimalist types. Most likely either do-it-yourselfers or one can go to companies like Waldoch in Minnesota or perhaps GTRV and there are likely some other ones around the country.

I had my Sienna converted at Waldoch, just added a sleeping platform, 100 amp hours of battery power - with 2 available plugs... and a Fantastic Fan. This Nissan would get rid of the need for covering windows and allow a bit more headroom, which is an issue in most mini-vans as the roofs tend to taper down in the rear.

I too wondered if it could support a pop-top. When I was doing my Sienna, there were only tops to be found for Chrysler and Sienna vans at GTRV, but they were too pricey for what I wanted to do.

[stan909]

The NV is a truck like the Titan. Click on the second link I posted for info.

[SkiMore]

The nv200 is based on the Sentra platform. I saw it at an RV show. It doesn't have a lot of weight capacity. It starts out empty and if I remember correctly there were lots of interior mounting points to attach your stuff.

[stan909]

Alaska in a Sportsmobile Nissan. Or Spotsmobile Nissan

[stan909]

Go to sportsmobile.com. they make a poptop the kicks the snot out of that Roadtrek for the same bread. No restroom but there is a portapotti. They also have a very extensive Youtube video. The Sportsmobile is sold at Nissan dealers. There is a member on the Sportsmobile forum that bought one last year and took it to Alaska. He likes his but never saw anything near 24 mpg. I should add that I saw both rigs at the Pomona show last year. The roadtrek seats more people but is not as roomy or substantial in terms of an actual rv.