Auto-Sleepers is this country’s longest established volume motorhome manufacturer, with a pedigree stretching back to the very early 1960s. It has a long association with Peugeot, and before them with Talbot and Commer.
A-S panel van conversions in general – and high-top variants in particular – have sold well, are highly regarded and have strong residuals. Take the more recent Auto-Sleeper M-Star, which we reviewed in 2023; it impressed us enough to get a 4.5/5 when we put it to the test. Hardly surprising then that Boxer-based examples have many serial purchasers.
In the early 2010s they decided to use the variant featuring OEM factory fitted bonded glass side windows and infill panels for a better integrated, more fluid, automotive, look.
Then 2013 saw another first, when the firm decided to convert the ‘new’ XL version of the LWB van as part of the 2014 model year line-up. Kingham featured an unusual layout for a PVC, with a permanent rear corner double bed. The only other Auto-Sleepers with a similar bed were the Palermo and Cotswold… both bulkier (see what I have to say about buying a used Auto-Sleeper coachbuilt).
Commencing with that bed – it’s an adult-sized double and is very comfortable in sleeping mode, although don’t miss our guide to how to make van beds more comfortable if you are looking for a better night’s sleep. But it’s not just a one trick pony: the head-end rises for comfortable feet-up reading during the day. The whole frame and mattress lifts on gas-assisted struts to reveal a storage area, although this is compromised by the inclusion of the Truma Combi boiler in all but the more recent models, where there’s a switch to Whale underfloor heating units.
The washroom can be an important feature when you’re thinking of buying a used motorhome. Here, alongside the bed and at the rear is a longitudinal washroom with a shower, fixed vanity basin and a swivel-bowl cassette toilet. Although the nearside rear wheelarch intrudes slightly, there is ample manoeuvring space within the compartment. Further forward from the comfort station is a dressing area with a worktop at a sensible height and storage both above and below.
The well-equipped galley is located further forward on the nearside, lying adjacent to the side sliding door.
Although it’s up on the kit count, it also has that most valuable ingredient in any motorcaravan kitchen… plenty of work surface, something which could be a dealbreaker when choosing the best used campervan.
Across the aisle from the kitchen is an inward-facing lounge settee. Additional seating is available courtesy of the swivelled cab pews. A step up to the cab from the main salon causes the occupiers of the cab pews to sit higher than the settee dwellers.
Kingham’s layout has remained unchanged since its inception. First purchasers could upgrade by opting for the extra-cost option packs.
Premium Pack added alloy wheels, cab air con, a Thule wind-out awning, a rear vision camera and monitor, LED running lights and Al-Ko Air-Top adjustable rear suspension assistance.
The Winter Pack provided fresh and wastewater tank heaters, an upgraded space heater and wheelarch insulation blankets. In 2015, the X/290 Boxer/Ducato was introduced, which was really a heavy refresh of the X/250, rather than a totally new model.
That said, the newbie did provide some useful improvements over its predecessor. One assumes Peugeot’s refusal to provide a two-pedal drive was the main catalyst in Auto-Sleepers offering the Ducato/ComfortMatic combo for the first time. Later, new power units to Euro 6 emissions standard arrived, with Peugeot reverting to manufacturing its engines in-house, rather than using Ford ones.
Further upgrades added a Truma iNet control box and a vehicle tracker in 2018, plus all-new fabrics for 2020.
More recently, Harmony – a utility systems’ management system – gained favour, along with the Truma Drive Safe LPG regulator, 5G Wi-Fi, and as a cost option, lithium leisure batteries.
What to look out for in a used Auto-Sleeper Kingham
Base vehicle
Do not buy (unless it’s a dagger-sharp price) any example with ‘running’ warning lights that fail to extinguish after start-up.
An illuminated engine management light may indicate a problem with the throttle body, and a frequently reported fault concerns the airbag/s. Neither is tragic; both usually require a reduction in the bank balance!
Routine servicing should be just that and not sporadic. If it hasn’t had a new timing belt in the past seven years, get it and associated ancillaries changed, regardless of mileage.
Conversion
Auto-Sleeper PVCs in general, and especially those similar to the Kingham with bonded-in side windows, are far less prone to water ingress than many.
Still check, though, especially around skylights and in the vicinity of retrofit accessories. Auto-Sleepers have been leaders in offering a helpful ‘direct to the customer’ spares service, which many A-S owners have gratefully availed themselves of over the years – including me.
Our pick
Out of the single available layout?
I prefer the (Euro 6 onwards) Peugeot engines but would like Fiat’s automatic transmission. Provided that my left knee continues to hold up, I’d go for a Pug, but I would be happy in a Fiat.
What to pay for a used Auto-Sleeper Kingham
Strong residuals mean that buttons won’t buy one… even if it is 10 years old. Currently, examples for sale privately have asking prices from £39,000, and from £42,000 (trade), though most are north of £55,000.
What we like about the Auto-Sleeper Kingham
- Permanent longitudinal bed
- Practical layout for two
- Classy cabinetwork
- Automotive exterior look
- Auto-Sleepers spares back-up
What we dislike about the Auto-Sleeper Kingham
- Different floor levels in front seating area (Not a deal breaker!)
Auto-Sleeper Kingham essentials
- Auto-Sleeper Kingham on XLWB Peugeot Boxer and Fiat Ducato (both among the best vans to convert to a campervan)
- Built: 2014-present at Willersey, Broadway, Worcestershire, UK
- Five-door all steel high-top panel van conversion
- Overall length: 6.36m (20’ 10.5”)
Alternatives to consider
Swift Select 184 or Elddis Autoquest CV60. The Auto-Sleeper Fairford is similar, but not the same. Its rear seating area can be made up as a ‘permanent’ bed.
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