Motorhome Matt

A campervan conversion can look beautifully finished, but how do you know the seats are installed safely, the payload still works in the real world, the conversion meets the right standards, and the company will support you if something goes wrong? Motorhome Matt and Keith Gooden are joined at the Newark show by Tom Heeney from Landseer Campervans, Dan Douglass from Out and About Campers and Peter Vaughan. They examine the checks buyers should make before committing to a campervan conversion, including type approval, crash-tested seating, installation standards, usable payload, water ingress, warranty support and the reputation of the converter. They also tackle some of the mistakes buyers make before a conversion has even started, from choosing the wrong base van to assuming a familiar vehicle badge guarantees the quality of the conversion. The discussion finishes with electric and hybrid campervans, including the Kia PV5, range expectations and the practical challenges converters face as the market changes.    Our new Blokes Breakfast event takes place on Saturday 10 October at That Leisure Shop in Chelston, Wellington. It’s a free ticketed event, with Dan Trudgian joining Matt to talk about health, wellbeing and how buying a caravan changed his life. And in the Q&A, Matt answers your questions on: Where and how should you fit a safe in a Fiat Ducato campervan? What can you negotiate when buying a second-hand motorhome from a dealer?  If you’re choosing a campervan converter, sourcing a base van or considering a used conversion, this is the conversation to listen to before you commit your money. 🗓️ REGISTER FOR BLOKES BREAKFAST mhmp.info/events 🗣️ CHAT WITH MOTORHOME MATT mhmp.info/chat ✅ MOTORHOME MATT APPROVED mhmp.info/approved 🛡️ 15% OFF INSURANCE mhmp.info/ripeinsurance ❓ ASK MATT mhmp.info/askmatt The Motorhome Matt podcast is brought to you by That Leisure Shop, camping and leisure vehicle accessory specialists. 10% off your first order with the code MOTORHOMEMATT.

Are lithium leisure batteries about to become the norm in motorhomes rather than an expensive upgrade added later? With Swift moving its 2027 motorhome range to lithium, there are signs that one of the biggest changes in motorhome electrical systems is moving firmly into the mainstream. Motorhome Matt and Keith are joined by Steve Kennedy from Roamer, the UK lithium battery company supplying Swift. We look at what's driving manufacturers away from lead-acid, including weight, payload and usable battery capacity, and what factory-fit lithium could mean for the way future motorhomes are designed.  For existing motorhome and campervan owners, there are some important questions too. Can you really replace a lead-acid leisure battery with lithium without changing everything else? How much battery and inverter capacity do you need to run an air fryer, kettle or coffee machine off-grid? We also get into battery storage, charging in freezing temperatures, LiFePO4 safety and why Steve believes 48V systems could have a much bigger role in motorhomes of the future. We also hear about the upcoming Blokes, Bacon Baps and Banter morning at That Leisure Shop at Chelston, with breakfast, coffee, motorhome chat and a live Q&A. And in the Q&A, Matt answers your questions on: Can you safely use hydraulic levelling legs when your motorhome is parked on a steep slope? What could cause leaking rear shock absorbers on a relatively new Peugeot Boxer-based motorhome? How do you choose the right inverter to run a microwave from a 12V motorhome electrical system? If you've been considering lithium, wondering what you'll fit when your lead-acid battery eventually gives up, or simply want to understand where motorhome electrical systems are heading next, this conversation should give you plenty to think about. ✅ ROAMER MOTORHOME MATT APPROVED mhmp.info/roamer 💫 WIN A STARFLEX UK BIKE HOLDER mhmp.info/win 🛡️ 15% OFF INSURANCE mhmp.info/ripeinsurance ❓ ASK MATT mhmp.info/askmatt 🗓️ UPCOMING EVENTS mhmp.info/events The Motorhome Matt podcast is brought to you by That Leisure Shop, camping and leisure vehicle accessory specialists. 10% off your first order with the code MOTORHOMEMATT.

Leaving your motorhome keys in the ignition while you nip in to pay for fuel might seem harmless. But when it comes to insurance, small decisions like that can have much bigger consequences than owners realise. Matt and Keith are joined by Mel Savage, Head of Insurance Product at Ripe, to look at the motorhome and campervan insurance assumptions that can make a claim more difficult. We get into what “comprehensive” cover actually means, why documentation matters when you make a claim, and how theft, keyless entry, trackers and test drives are treated. We also look at some of the changes being made to motorhome and campervan cover, including older vehicles, commuting, lower-value vehicles and classic campers. There’s practical advice on European travel, lithium battery upgrades and off-grid use too, with a useful reminder that insurance is ultimately about assessing risk. Plus, a new event at That Leisure Shop: Blokes Breakfast, a relaxed Saturday morning get-together at Chelston for motorhome and campervan chat over breakfast. And in the Q&A, Matt answers your questions on: Can you tow a car on an A-frame in France or elsewhere in Europe and still be insured? Could removing the oven from a motorhome affect its insurance or classification? How does breakdown cover work for older vans travelling in Europe? What can you do to reduce your motorhome insurance premium? If you’ve ever wondered what your motorhome insurance really covers, what you need to declare, or what could make a claim more awkward than it needs to be, this is a useful conversation to hear before you need the policy. 🛡️ 15% OFF INSURANCE mhmp.info/ripeinsurance 🗓️ UPCOMING EVENTS mhmp.info/events ⛺️ RIVERSIDE CARAVAN PARK mhmp.info/riverside 🗣️ CHAT WITH MOTORHOME MATT mhmp.info/chat ✅ MOTORHOME MATT APPROVED mhmp.info/approved ❓ ASK MATT mhmp.info/askmatt The Motorhome Matt podcast is brought to you by That Leisure Shop, camping and leisure vehicle accessory specialists. 10% off your first order with the code MOTORHOMEMATT.

Can travelling in a motorhome or campervan really become a paying content business, or does life as a creator look rather easier from the other side of the screen? Motorhome Matt and Keith explore what it really takes to build a motorhome or van-life audience, in a live panel recorded at Vanlove 2026. Joining Matt are Steve and Lyndsay Radford from The Roaming Radfords, Mark Bonito from Vanlife Eats, TV presenter and campervan converter Max McMurdo, and Guy Robinson from Vanlove. They get candid about the money and the workload. There are 4am editing sessions on motorhome trips, the challenge of turning a hobby into a business, and the peculiar world of YouTube where a carefully produced project costing thousands can struggle for views while something much simpler takes off. Matt also shares what it costs to produce the Motorhome Matt Podcast, while Max explains why moving from television into YouTube feels rather like starting again. The conversation also gets into the less obvious side of putting yourself online: deciding how much of your private life to share, dealing with negative comments, building a recognisable brand and working out why you want to create content in the first place. The panel finishes with practical advice for anyone thinking of picking up a camera and starting their own motorhome or campervan channel. In Motorhome Finance Fact or Fiction, Matt is joined by Steve Blake to look at the assumption that financing a motorhome always requires a large deposit, and how affordability now influences the options available. And in the Q&A, Matt answers your questions on: Travelling with a full motorhome fresh-water tank, payload and the effect of water moving around in the tank Whether an £850 Diamondbrite ceramic coating is worth considering on a Bailey Adamo 75-4DL A campervan seller being asked by prospective buyers to purchase an EpicVIN vehicle-history report, and whether that should raise concerns If you have ever looked at a motorhome creator travelling the country and thought it looked like a rather agreeable way to earn a living, this conversation gives you the view from behind the camera, including the bits the algorithm tends not to mention. ⛺️ Riverside Caravan Park mhmp.info/riverside 💰 FINANCE YOUR MOTORHOME mhmp.info/motorhomefinance 🗣️ CHAT WITH MOTORHOME MATT mhmp.info/chat ✅ MOTORHOME MATT APPROVED mhmp.info/approved 🛡️ 15% OFF INSURANCE mhmp.info/ripeinsurance ❓ ASK MATT mhmp.info/askmatt 🗓️ UPCOMING EVENTS mhmp.info/events The Motorhome Matt podcast is brought to you by That Leisure Shop, camping and leisure vehicle accessory specialists. 10% off your first order with the code MOTORHOMEMATT.

What should you actually carry in a motorhome toolkit, and which bits are genuinely worth the space? Motorhome Matt and Keith work through the tools, spares and emergency kit Matt keeps onboard, from torque wrenches, tyre pressure kit and jump starter packs to fuses, plumbing fittings, cable ties, Wago connectors and a spare water pump. Along the way, Matt explains the real situations that have made some of these items earn a permanent place in the van. There are a few useful surprises too, including why Matt now carries a torque wrench, what he keeps for common water system problems, why a head torch is one of his favourite bits of kit, and why his laminated fuse diagrams have become so useful when other motorhome owners ask for help. We also look at the sensible limit to all this preparation: carrying the tools is one thing, knowing when not to use them is another. We also look ahead to The South West Motorhome & Campervan Show at the Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet, with camping, live entertainment, motorhomes for sale, trade stands and free talks across the weekend. And in the Q&A, Matt answers your questions on: Can standard motorhome wing mirrors be replaced with rear-view camera systems? Does a 2023 Fiat Ducato need reprogramming after changing the starter battery? How do you manage children’s car seats in a motorhome without them taking over the living space? If you’ve ever wondered what’s genuinely useful to keep in the van for those small problems that crop up on the road, this is a practical look at the kit Matt actually carries and why. Shop Matt’s Motorhome Toolkit at That Leisure Shop and get 10% off your first order with code MOTORHOMEMATT. 👉 thatleisureshop.com/collections/motorhome-matts-toolkit Matt’s Motorhome Toolkit: Full List Tools & gadgets Screwdrivers: flat-head and cross-head in different sizes, including PH and PZ General-purpose pliers Long-nose pliers Adjustable spanner Miniature socket set Torx bits Allen keys Torque wrench Multimeter Claw hammer Rubber mallet Miniature lump hammer Wheel brace Breaker bar Standard vehicle jack Bottle jack Craft knife Tyre pressure gauge TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring system) Portable tyre inflator Tyre puncture gel/sealant Jump starter/booster pack Spares & repair bits Spare fuses Spare bulbs Jubilee clips in a few sizes Hose repair connectors John Guest push-fit plumbing fittings 12 mm and 10 mm hard water pipe O-rings and seals Spare submersible water pump Useful extras Head torch Disposable gloves Hand-cleaning wipes Kneeling mat Cable ties in different sizes Metal cable ties Gaffer tape Electrical repair tape Corks or bungs for temporarily stopping leaks Silicone spray Small can of WD-40 Two-part plastic epoxy resin Bungee cords Wago electrical connectors Small reel of electrical wire 🗣️ CHAT WITH MOTORHOME MATT mhmp.info/chat ✅ MOTORHOME MATT APPROVED mhmp.info/approved 🛡️ 15% OFF INSURANCE mhmp.info/ripeinsurance ❓ ASK MATT mhmp.info/askmatt 🗓️ UPCOMING EVENTS mhmp.info/events 📹 WATCH ON YOUTUBE mhmp.info/watch The Motorhome Matt podcast is brought to you by That Leisure Shop, camping and leisure vehicle accessory specialists. 10% off your first order with the code MOTORHOMEMATT.