Frequently Asked Questions about Greenline

How long would it take for you to build our van?

This used to be a straight forward answer of 6 to 8 weeks! However, the effects of the pandemic are still having an effect on the supply of some components and we can left be waiting for parts. This can be mitigated by giving us plenty of notice of your intentions, so we can order stock well in advance of the build. We are experiencing considerable delays with the supply of new vans, this is mainly down to the well publicised restricted supply of semiconductors. In normal times we would receive a new van 3 to 4 months from the date of order, at the moment it is at least 9 months! Our conversions to new vans are built to order so the customer can chose the exact specification and colour, etc they require. When they are available, new vans in stock on a dealer's forecourt are unlikely to have some of the equipment required for the conversion such as a passenger airbag and single seat.

Can you convert a VW T5/6 with your rear galley conversion?

Unfortunately the answer to this is no. We have tried in the past but we had to make so many compromises to the layout it simply was not as successful as it is in the Renault or Ford. This is due to the markedly sloping sides and back of the VW (the tumblehome) and the position where the original roof can be cut away. We expect things to change with the next generation of Transporter as this is understood to be a design shared with Ford and based on the replacement Transit Custom which is due to be launched in 2023. Watch this space!

Can you carry out partial conversions, fit an elevating roof or rock and roll bed or heater etc?

As a general rule our workshop is usually busy carrying out our full conversions. It would be worth enquiring to see if we can fit an elevating roof but this must be to an empty van - no converter would welcome this job if the van is already full of cabinetwork! Spare time allowing, we may also be able to fit a Webasto or MV Airo heater or carry out other work.

Do you offer other types of conversions or conversions to other makes of van?

Not at the moment. We used to offer a side galley conversion with a rock and roll bed but we found this to be a well trodden path and we couldn't bring much innovation to this layout. There are very many businesses offering side galley conversions so if that is what you want, you will be well catered for. In addition to the SWB and LWB elevating roof and SWB High Roof layouts, we are working on a LWB High Roof version of the rear galley which will have a washroom area separate to the galley. Details of this will appear on this website in due course but please feel free to enquire!

We like the design of your seats, can we buy these from you as a separate item?

Sorry, we cannot sell individual parts from our design. Most of the individual parts of the conversion have been designed to work hand in hand with their neighbouring parts. The seats, for instance are designed to fit with the floor panel, floor re-enforcements and the cabinet work directly behind them which supports the head restraints. Another example is the cabinet work which, on the elevating roof vans, will only fit with our own design of roof strengthening frame. It is a condition of our liability insurance that we fit the seats ourselves.

Can an electric van be used as base vehicle?

We are of course happy to build on a base vehicle whatever its power source! At the time of writing we are still waiting for fully electric versions of the Trafic and Transit Custom, although they are on the horizon. The main question is over the potential range of these vehicles, would a van with a range of 150 miles be suitable as a camper? There is also the question of by how much the increased weight of the batteries would reduce the payload of the converted vehicle. Are campsites upgrading their electricity supplies to allow vehicle charging? It should also be noted that at present, fully electric versions of the larger Renault Master and Ford Transit cost almost twice as much as the diesel powered equivalent! Although vans fuelled solely by diesel cannot be sold in Britain after 2030, there is no suggestion that diesel itself will disappear on or shortly after this date. Hybrid vehicles can be sold until 2035 and diesel lorries until 2040, It is generally accepted that vehicles have a life of up to 15 years which will maintain a demand for fossil fuels and looking much further ahead there will still be an increasingly large classic vehicle sector that will require fuel.

Although it may seem a contradictory position for company called Greenline to hold, at the present time we can't see there is a realistic alternative to a diesel van and therefore recommend this in the knowledge that diesel will be readily available beyond the expected 20 year life of the average campervan. We feel unable to recommend current electric van solutions which are developed primarily for short journeys to address the immediate problem of urban pollution and not for the longer ranges required for leisure vehicles. We have very great concerns over the decommissioning of lithium batteries which does not seem to be being addressed. Currently we would recommend a diesel van (assuming a relatively low annual mileage and that its use would mostly be outside of urban areas), at least until the time there is a breakthrough in EV technology or perhaps Hydrogen powered vehicles are developed.

What's Green about Greenline?

The reason we chose the name Greenline originates from the first conversions we built. These were based on the Renault Trafic and featured a Slide-out pod in place of the rear doors. The theory being that our conversion could provide the space and features of a larger conversion in a smaller and therefore more fuel efficient van. Although this was a successful design it became clear that our more conventional rear galley design was more popular and our manufacturing has focused on this for the last few years, we may return to the slide out van in the future! We still pride ourselves that with thoughtful design we can get more clever features in our vans than other manufacturers but we strive to be green in other areas, these include:

• The electricity supply to our workshop is entirely from renewables.
• We drive fuel efficient vehicles
• We use a carbon offset scheme for our vehicle fuel consumption and heating.
• We work from modern, insulated premises.
• We use modern production methods such as CNC cutting of our cabinetwork and laser cutting of metal parts to optimise material use and reduce waste.
• We recycle as much of our waste as possible, re-use packaging, and encourage our suppliers to reduce their plastic packaging.

This philosophy translates into our conversions themselves, we realise that to justify the not inconsiderable cost of a motorhome then it must have a lifespan of at least 20 years. To help achieve this, it is essential that we take care with the build and therefore only fit quality components that will go the distance and that can be serviced and repaired if necessary. When purchasing items, primarily we consider the quality of the item, also if it has been manufactured in a region where environmental and health and safety legislation is in place. Cost, of course, is a factor but does not supplant the above.

Many of the parts we use are made or assembled in Britain. Parts such as the electrical control system, the hob/cooker, the cabinetwork and the upholstery. Most of the other parts are sourced from within the EU, with a few items from Turkey. Unavoidably, one or two minor items are manufactured in China, this is very much a last resort and we continue to seek alternatives where this is the case. Renault vans are built in France along with their Nissan and Fiat siblings. Ford Transits are now built in Turkey.