Verdict
Although this is quite a basic VW campervan specification and features some rudimentary conversion work, the 2016 VW T6-based Danbury Surf is on sale for a low price, and it packs a grill as standard kit. Danbury is the emerging force in VW campers in the UK and does things its own way. It seems to have found a niche that it’s happy to keep growing.
Pros
Good value for money
Plenty of options available
Choice of upholstery designs
Choice of engines
Cons
Fairly basic conversion work
No toilet or washroom
The Danbury name goes nearly all the way back to the first generation of VW campervan makers here in the UK. The name of the subsequently defunct company was bought up and the people behind the current incarnation set about re-making its name by importing and converting VW T2 Transporters from Brazil.
Danbury’s manufacturing and retailing premises at Yate, near Bristol, represents something of a VW campervan heaven. You’ll see absolutely loads of campers of all ages here – mainly Danbury campers, of course, but pre-owned models from quite a few other Volkswagen camper specialist marques, too, going back over the years.
Although it’s easy to be wowed by the Grape Yellow paintwork, note that the bumpers and mirrors are left in their original black finish
Living
What you do get with the Surf is a traditional side furniture rear seat/bed arrangement, with the latter set further back than some to optimise floor space – the counterweight to this is there’s not a lot of luggage carrying space when you open the tailgate.
Kitchen
That offside furniture unit exemplifies how Danbury likes to do things a bit differently.
Its shape allows for a triangular sink, and there are some neat storage points, plus the cooker is a two-ring-plus grill LP Talisman unit. There’s also a nifty slide-out section just above the fridge that’s always going to be a handy ledge – whether for placing cuppas or when it comes to full meal preparations when you need any work surface you can get.
Washroom
As is the case with most VW campers, there’s no washroom on board. Many owners will buy a portable toilet, so they can stay on low- as well as full-facility sites.
Beds
The rear seat pulls out to make a comfortable and generous enough 1.98m x 1.09m double bed. It’s a Danbury design and has been fully safety tested.
Technical Specifications
Payload | 861 kg |
MTPLM | 1939 kg |
Shipping Length | 4.89 m |
Width | 1.9 m |
Engine Size | 2000 cc |