Touran DIY Camping conversion by Robert
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One of my readers was kind enough to share his 2019 VW Touran DIY camping conversion. The Touran is a smaller version of the Sharan, but still a well-sized MPV. You can compare both here or check their details: Touran camper – Sharan camper. Let’s dive into the conversion, shall we?
As per the author’s own words:
“Thank you for a very nice and complete compact camper website. I think in 2023, more than ever, people will stay away from big RV’s and just settle for the car they use daily. I’m attaching a few photos of my “camper car” (a 2019 VW Touran) which is a little bit smaller vehicle than most cars on your site. I’ve seen alot of builds where it is not possible to sit up in bed, or cook without getting mosquitoes inside. That’s not something I would encourage. If anyone is interested in the details or if somebody needs help building something simular, you are welcome to drop me a line!
Robert – VW Touran Camper
The reason Im sending this stuff now is that I’m changing cars soon (using your website as a very useful guide) and will have to take everything out.“
In this article:
What is included
- The shelf is made from aluminium 20×40 and 20×20 mm B-type profiles from dold-mechatronik.de. Don’t forget to mount screws on rubber feet to secure it sideways…
- Wire storage baskets are from Elfa (Hornbach have them, at least in Sweden). Some cutting and bending might be necessary if they don’t fit perfectly 🙂
- Cooler/freezer (16l) is made by Isothem (yachtshop.eu). Runs on 12V and has good holes for mounting.
- Battery (regular AGM 70 Ah) and (regular) battery box were purchased in Biltema (Like Wickes/Hornbach/Obi in other countries). Various electronics/sockets/cables mounted inside and outside the box are from Biltema (Like Wickes/Hornbach/Obi in other countries) and other sources.
- The solar charger/regulator is a Victron MPPT 100/20.
- The solar cell is a regular 310 W roof panel from LG.
- Regular roof rails (aluminium, slots should support M8 screws).
- Fans (4) are from Amazon (USB-powered, with a built-in lithium battery just in case). The author uses them just to cool himself and the passenger, much needed and makes all the difference for sleeping comfort in the summer months. 2 blow on the face and 2 blow from the feet and up.
- Window mosquito/sun screens are from carshades.co.uk.
- The weather station is a Hama EWS-Trio (external sensor mounted behind the grille).
- The hitch basket and box are from heck-pack.de. The table legs are from IKEA (and require a small modification below the box).
- The tent (not shown in photos) is a CLAM Traveller 180×180 cm (unfortunately not sold in Europe but better and faster than Decathlon tents).
- The levelling blocks and tent bed (not shown in photos) are from Biltema (Like Wickes/Hornbach/Obi in other countries).
What I like about this camping conversion
- sleeps two
- as per the author’s words above – he kept it low so that you can sit inside without hitting your head, which requires a different storage solution – a storage shelf above the bed (legs, when you sleep). Pretty clever as that space is not used much + when you sit, you have it all within your reach.
- everything is fixed and held in place, so you can drive with the setup as it is.
- an external storage case that also works as a table + kitchen top (I’m not sure about the safety restrictions here – each country might have different ones, make sure to check them)
- solar panel + battery + fridge and interior electrics
Have any questions or comments regarding this camping conversion? Write a comment below and the author will respond to you here 🙂

Lukas
Founder of NimbleCamper.com, avid traveler and outdoor enthusiast. Car camping and microcamping allows me to keep traveling and exploring with a much greater level of freedom & privacy – to go anywhere and sleep anywhere. I didn’t have 30K to buy a VW Multivan, so found my way to the world of everyday car camping conversions. Here I share my experiences and what I learn.
Check out my thoughts on a balanced life: sensimism.com
Hi. I think this is one of the cleverest car camping builds I’ve seen; and I’ve seen many.
I’m working on my own car camping conversion based on a similar idea. I was wondering how you sorted out the bed platform. Is it fixed? What do you use for your head support (i.e., to cover the space between the front seats and the folded down back seats)?
Hey G,
I agree! I didn’t do it, I’m just publishing it here, so not sure how the author built the bed platform. But I would definitely recommend fixing it somehow so that in case of an accident, it won’t fly around the car.
However – as you can see on this image: https://nimblecamper.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/touran-camper-by-Robert-8.webp – there is no bed platform, just folded down seats and a mattress on top of them. It’s quite a thick mattress, so it holds itself well, albeit reduces your headroom. I would suggest a thinner mattress or some kind of foam sheet with a self-inflatable sleeping mat (see https://nimblecamper.com/car-mattress-alternative/).
As for the head support – you could either find storage boxes that will fit the area behind the front seats with the exact height to support the mattress, or you could extend that area with a simple plywood sheet (2cm thick is enough) and wooden legs on one end of it. The other end will rest on the folded middle seats.
PS – just realised that the image gallery wasn’t clickable to show the larger versions, but now it is, so you can check the conversion in detail :).