Citroen dispatch combi

[Kimmihu]

Good afternoon fellow Citroen fans,
I bought a Citroen dispatch 2.0 mwb combi 2017 today. Im super excited about it and will be using it as my work/life van.
I asked the dealership to take the plastic bulkhead out so I can fit a fold out base for a bed... unfortunately I assumed the rear seats would fold, I did check this and they don't. Does anyone know which seats I would be able to get that would fit and fold?
Any advice is greatly appreciated...I'm so looking forward to my French van adventures.

[Dormouse]

Hi and welcome to the Forum. Unfortunately you are right - in the van based Dispatch the second row seats don't fold and in the 9 str the middle row folds a bit but not enough to either completely fold forward or the backrests to recline. Obviously, an aftermarket rock and roll bed/seat could be fitted but it might be prudent to see if someone comes along with some ideas to adapt a complete folding rear seat from another suitable vehicle. What ever happens don't just drill holes willy nilly in your floor. Have you googled "campers based on Dispatch" yet? cheers

[Dormouse]

Try this video

[Dormouse]

A quick look on the net reveals lots of van rear seat solutions. Depends what you want to achieve - a work van for occasional weekend use or a dual purpose van or a full blown camper.

[Kimmihu]

Thanks so much for this info. I have spent a bit of time on the net (although I'm terrible at using the internet ...eeek)looking for possible seat options that fold and would fit either two or three seats but it seems unclear to me which ones might be suitable.
I want to use the van for work and camping holidays.
Ideally I'd be able to fold out a bed over the back of the folded down seats making it long enough. There are some built in narrow shelves above the wheel arch on one side which makes the overall width for a potential bed a bit less but still enough I think.
Do you think that any seat I found would have to be adapted? And some kind of reinforcement put in?
I really appreciate the opportunity to ask questions in a place where lots of folk know mountains more than me. Thank you

[Dormouse]

What do you need to carry for your work and would you remove it for your trips? I ask this as there are solutions that would allow work gear to remain on board. Write a list of what you need and what you would like. For instance, do you want to take bikes with you? Do you need cooking or toilet facilities? How many people will the van need to carry and when? Will any be small children? There is no single perfect solution, a best fit compromise is what you will end up with. Needs and Wants list will help clarify it for you.

[Kimmihu]

You're right, this is a great idea, thanks Dormouse.
I'm a painter and decorator so I want to leave the shelving that's already in there as it's perfect storage.
I need my small step ladder to slide in on the floor and to be able to put trays and scuttles under the bed too.
I made a bed in my old transit connect that folder out over the folded seats and was planning to adapt this as it's made out of 15mm birch ply.
It need to sleep me and my 7 year old but still be able to carry 5 passengers as we often go out with her friends.
I would take my work stuff out for longer trips but might leave most of it in if it was for a night or two as I could just chuck in the mattress.
I have a portable stove but it would be good if I was able to have it on some sort of pull out table from the back of the van.
I suppose I'm hoping to do the conversation cleverly so the van holds value.
I don't need much other than an easy to fold out bed, passenger seats and good storage.

[Dormouse]

You might want to look at either a side awning and/or a rear tent/awning for longer breaks - they greatly increase your useable space for relaxing/storing. Most are shown for T5/6s but there are a lot of variations (and prices). It might be beneficial to consider a sealed rear floor locker accessible via the rear doors for your paint stuff and use the top of it as a bed/cupboard/kitchen base or a back to front rear facing lounge with rear facing taxi type seats behind the front ones. The taxi seats could make the basis a single bed and another bed could be arranged further back. There are countless options. Plan it out now and it will be easier to add features later.

[Dormouse]

VanGear are selling their VW Caddy. Have a look at the minimalist layout they use.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224550720906 ... SwSnJhAZH9
not exactly as yours but it might spur a few ideas.