"Phil was to the point but really knows…"

Phil was to the point but really knows his stuff.
We bought a Delica 8 weeks or so ago. We are fans of Mitsubishi already but. We have just come back from 18 days road trip to Scotland. 2000 miles all weathers. Lots of big hills etc. absolutely brilliant. Love it and can’t wait for next trip. She does exactly what Phil said she would .

"Nice direct and to the point."

Communication with Phil has been excellent. I sometimes struggle with communication as I have a stammer. However, Phil after some email communication suggested that I phone him. I am glad that I did as he clearly knows a great deal about Japanese vehicles and camper conversions.
I have been in contact with a number of companies. Some of them have been great in terms of communication but after contacting a number of people who have had vehicles from Phil they have all said that the camper conversions they have had from him have been really good but communication not always great. I guess we all have strengths and weaknesses but given the choice between a great campervan or a great experience, I know which I would choose!
I live up in Scotland but luckily have family in Redditch. I did think about visiting in mid September but it clearly said that they were shut. We are planning to visit in mid October and Phil has said just to phone him to make arrangements nearer the time. This was communicated to me today on the first day back from his holiday.

"Just returned from our maiden first…"

Just returned from our maiden first tour with our Nissan Elgrand, 1450 miles covered 6 countries visited and a fab time had, with the campervan being a brilliant drive and home for the trip.An excellent conversion. We would recommend to anyone, friends have already shown an interest.
Phil is very knowledgeable and has very quickly answered some of our very novice questions. Yes as people have said DVLA delays and other things caused our van to be ready a month or so after the original estimate, but definitely worth the wait. Phil has communicated when asked or if there are any updates.

"Decent product - horrendous attitude"

My wife and I are looking to buy a Nissan Elgrand from JAL - (following a lengthy market appraisal we placed one on order approx 4 years ago but due to personal circumstances we decided to cancel and a deposit refund was agreed.) I finally spoke to Phil this morning following a number of failed contact points, v/mail, phone, email, text to enquire on current lead times to order one this month. His response was fairly blunt and stated “oh you cancelled on me a few years back, how am I to know that you are serious and you wont do it again!”The conversation seemed to go no further, did not want the business it seemed.
Just amazed at his attitude as we were looking to pay the total in faith of a delivery date that suited both parties. I am sure they are successful in their own right but what could they be as a business who actually listens and cares for the customer.
Bit of a shame at such a short sited response.
*update - No spec chosen or colour scheme or visibility of any time scale whatsoever. The original order was definitely not WIP - ah well, always two sides to a story .

Regards - Bill

"Happy campers"

My Wife and I decided to move to a campervan after 40 years camping with tens.

After a very long wait, which others have experienced, we picked up our Elgrand conversion in December 2022. We have now used it on a couple of trips, and are very pleased with it. The base vehicle appears to be sound and performs as expected. As it was purchased based on photos taken in Japan we were very pleased with the Elgrand we finally picked up.

The conversion itself is sound, and works well for our needs, although a bubble in the floor has recently appeared. It is impressive how much gear you can get into what is essentially a small campervan.

If the motor assist for the roof was available when we specified the conversion we would have gone for it. The mushroom roof is heavy, my wife cannot lift it.

The solar panel has proven to be of major benefit, i would recommend for all conversions.

Communication with Phil is an issue, many months of silence in our case. Having said that the communications you do receive are relevant and informative. Phil clearly knows his stuff and it is worth listening to his advice.

Overall we are very happy campers, and we love our Elgrand.

"Van conversions that are worth the wait!"

We ordered a van from Phil and the JAL team back in Sept 2021 following research which confirmed JAL's vans and workmanship were excellent. It was delivered in 2022 and we had solar panels fitted this year in March.

Phil provided excellent advice on the choice of van and the conversion requirements. We went for a Nissan Elgrad and are very pleased with it. The conversion is done well and we have enjoyed using the van for short weekend trips. We have longer trips planned for later in the year!

As referenced by other reviews, it wasn't the smoothest process to finally get hold of the van. Supply chain delays and DLVA waiting lists meant that we received the keys a number of months after the original planned date. It also took me a while to work out how to best communicate with Phil (be brief and to the point!). However, it was definitely worth the wait. What's more, Phil provided access to an alternative van to cover for some trips we had planned last year, expecting we'd have our van. This really was above-and-beyond expectations, given the supply issues he was experiencing.

Phil loves what he does, is incredibly knowledgeable and very supportive. You can choose a van and conversion knowing you'll get something you'll love.

"First class vehicle, conversion and service."

We found JAL online and went to visit Inkberrow October 2022, in order to view a specific vehicle (Nissan Elgrand) which we had seen on the website. Phil very patiently explained everything that we needed to know and provided email and phone contact details and was extremely helpful in answering queries via texts etc., and provided a video of something operational re the campervan for me, when I was worried about how something worked. The visit to Inkberrow was valuable to us, as you gain awareness of the factory and operation and some of the conversions staff spoke to us about the process also.

The process of picking interiors, features and add ons was very straightforward and comprehensive and we completed this smoothly.

After selecting our options and paying the deposit, things naturally go quiet for a little while, while the process unfolds. Phil and I kept up to date with one another, either by email or text, so I knew where things were upto and when to expect delivery.

On vehicle being ready, we went again to Inkberrow and were completely bowled over by the quality of the conversion, JAL are the best out there, we did our research. Phil does a very comprehensive handover and provides a document to explain and remind you re all the various aspects. As first timers to campervans, we naturally had questions after collection and Phil has always been most accommodating at clarifying issues with us. I have to say that he has also communicated with me during his own personal time, on one occasion early Sunday morning, when I was having a problem, which turned out to be to do with the campsite electricity supply. He was helpful in the extreme and he was also correct - I was really impressed with how he quickly diagnosed what the problem was, which was nothing to do with our vehicle, despite what we first thought.

So, in summary, the process was simple and smooth, with good communication. Phil helped guide us through the process with patience and humour. He’s a great fella and I’d be absolutely delighted to deal with him and JAL again in the future.

You might find cheaper vans out there, but you won’t find better conversions or higher quality vehicles than those that Phil and JAL locate and supply. All our friends are amazed at what a wonderful vehicle we have and how beautiful the conversion is. Thank you, Phil and JAL.

"Absolutely in love with this van"

We collected our Nissan Elgrand yesterday and Wow - it is amazing!! Absolutely in love with this van. The workmanship is of an extremely high class and it really is a beautiful van. Cannot fault it.
We like most people have had to wait a bit longer due to shortages of raw materials and dvla but the wait is so so worth it. I would say to anyone waiting, be patient as you will love the end result.
Phil is a great guy who is incredibly knowledgeable and helped us at every step through the process. His emails and texts maybe short but they answer the questions and that’s what’s important. So so glad we chose this company and thank you so much to Phil and his team

"Nissan Elgrand"

Picked up my Nissan Elgrand camper from JAL on 5th May. It is a lovely conversion, with all of my first choices of colours etc and it is effortless to drive. I can't fault the workmanship and the van itself is in first class condition.
As was mentioned before be prepared that it most likely won't be ready when you were expecting it to be and even though this is frustrating, it is worth the wait!
I have tried it out on a couple of weekenders and everything works a treat. Being my first camper I could have done with a bit more explanation of the solar panel/leisure battery/control panels etc but have figured it out myself now.
All in all, a lovely camper. Thanks Phil!

"Extremely unpleasant and slightly traumatising experience"

The whole experience was extremely unpleasant and slightly traumatising.
I now have a van, which seems competently converted and is a pleasure to drive. However, I would never choose to encounter Phil or JAL Imports again.
I made an appointment to go to JAL towards the end of June 2022. Prior to my appointment I was asked to identify my top 3 van choices from the stockist for viewing. On arrival I was greeted by Phil with an accusatory "you're early". Despite intimations on the website, there is no showroom, only a workshop which one is not allowed to enter, and I had to follow him to a field a couple of miles away where I was shown my top choice van, although I was unable to see inside or drive it as Phil could not find the keys. He would not, or could not show me my other two choices. Despite this in early July I put down my deposit and was told that it would be ready September/October that year. I asked several times for a receipt for my deposit but got no response at all. In late September I got in touch to to try and find out about progress; it took several attempts via email, text and phone to get a response from Phil who could give no potential completion date or any reassurance that it would be done. Early in the New Year I got in touch again, and again had to try several times times before he responded. By this time, with such unresponsiveness, no receipt for my deposit and no potential delivery date I was feeling that I had been very foolish and naively trusting to order a van from JAL. At the beginning of March I had a couple of emails that suggested that some conversion work was happening to my van. Contacting Phil again I was told it would be ready by the end of the month. At the beginning of April, I was told 2 weeks. On the 24th April I received notification that it was ready. During this process Phil was unresponsive and unable to give any information or reassurance. His communication style in person, as well as by text, is snide, sarcastic and borderline rude. When I went to collect the van, no acknowledgement, explanation, or apology for the 9 month delay was forthcoming. I have asked several times for an invoice for the van and a receipt for my payment, but have had no response. It turns out that Phil is an old-fashioned misogynist; my brother drove me to Inkberrow to collect the van. During our time at the site, Phil addressed nearly all his comments to my brother despite me being the owner and user of the van. Finally, you should know that the warranty they offer is for 3 months, which is hardly useful or relevant given that it is quite possible that you may not have been able to plan a trip in your van during that period, especially if you had no prior idea when the van would be ready.