Full review

The external graphics are subtle on this secondhand VW T5 base vehicle, but this van didn't have the optional colour coded bumpers.The non-VW alloy wheels look smart though and the SCA low-lie roof blends into the body seamlessly. The fridge is a compressor model, requiring no external vents.

There are few driver extras, but you do have a radio/CD-player, driver’s airbag and lockable glovebox. There are lap belts for the rear passengers, rather than three-point belts. If you wish to have a full set of three-pointers then you can go for the optional RIB seat, which comes with these built-in.



The upholstery, which is branded with the company name and logo on the head restraints, is mirrored in both the cab and the rear bench/bed cushions, and the walls are part grey velour/part cream carpet.

There are two 230V sockets at the back of the kitchen unit, where there’s enough room to site a small TV or DVD-player – although height here is limited due to the much-appreciated narrow cupboard above. There’s also a 12V socket here, as well as the controls for the Eberspächer diesel heater which blows hot air from a vent behind the driver’s seat base.

The combined two-burner hob and sink in this Birchover is ideal, as the hob can be used as a draining board. Below the hob there’s an unexpected fitting – a Smev grill above the Waeco 50-litre compressor fridge. Surprisingly for a VW camper, you also get a hot water boiler, although it only works on 12V and 230V (not gas).



The bed is very easily made by sliding the bench base forward and it’s just as easy to turn it back into a bench seat. The roof bed pulls down from the roof on gas struts and the gap at the front can be closed using an extra sliding section. The mattress is much firmer up here, adequate for a small adult or two smaller children.

There is no bathroom, but there is a shower. Open the tailgate and there’s an attachment point for a showerhead so, with the privacy of an awning, you can have a handheld shower, complete with hot water.

You get a lot of kit for your money. The conversion itself costs £16,800 – on top of that you have to buy the secondhand base vehicle, in this case a T5 from 2008 that has done just over 52,000 miles. At a total price of just under £27,000, this Birchover shows a remarkable saving in comparison with an all-new T5.

Middlesex also build on secondhand T5s (and T4s) in the same way with a choice of elevating roof or a high-top, although the former is far more popular. Middlesex also offers the SCA roof as standard, with an alternative Reimo roof that, similarly, is just below the 2-metre mark for getting under height barriers.

This vehicle didn't have alloys, but this is an easy retro-fit if you require. The Middlesex Maxim graphics are just a small, casual script on each side. Even the windows are standard VW single-glazed units, although you can change them for double-glazed windows, if you prefer, for £350.

Two rear three-point seatbelts are standard. The seat isn't crashed-tested, but the seatbelts are mounted directly onto the D-posts for extra strength in a worst-case scenario.



The passenger seat swivels to face the swivelling table mount that pulls out from the bench base. There’s adequate lighting, including a wall light above the kitchen, another behind the sliding door and one more above the tailgate. The light blue/grey cupboards are more modern-looking than the Birchover’s wood – similar to a Bilbo’s camper but at a lower price.

The Maxim’s low price means you’ll have to tick a few more options on the list to bring it up to the Hillside’s spec. Many will opt for the front seats to be re-upholstered, at a cost of £180. The heating system is also extra; at £950 for a Webasto (diesel-fired) or £650 for a gas-powered Propex.

The kitchen looks bare compared with the Birchover having simply hot water, a grill and a compressor fridge. Below the hob is the three-way fridge, but you can opt for a compressor for £180 extra (including an upgraded battery to cope with the extra drain).



The bed is on a simple rock ’n’ roll mechanism, so lift the bench base up and swing it forwards (having removed the head restraints) and you have a flat mattress. With the kitchen unit narrowing towards the back of the camper you’ve got an extra-wide mattress too – a full 1.35m wide (4ft 5in). A roof bed is extra.

The Porta-Potti is stored beneath the bench seat and so is easily accessible – as long as you remember to get it out before you put the bed down. With no hot water on board, however, you will need to rely on campsite facilities for showering and washing.

This is an abbreviated version of a motorhome review that features the Hillside Birchover and the Middlesex Maxim. It was first published in the May 2012 issue of Which Motorhome, which you can download by clicking HERE