The experience with Carlos' van was very nice. A disclaimer beforehand: it is quite an old van, with some minor issues and need to be flexible and adapt and learn. The internal design is very efficient, although it could slightly be rethought of. This said, we had an incredible 2 weeks of travel, the van proved itself in multiple occasions, and everything that was needed was there. I would definitely do it all over again, as it is by far the best way to explore Madeira, allowing for a unique flexibility to discover the sea and mountainside all in one day, without worrying where to sleep, and with plenty of locations that offer quite some confort and privacy.
Carlos et sa femme on été top et nous on aidé lors de problème. Mais nous n'avons presque pas eu car le bus roule très bien, même pour les routes de Madère ! Il manque parfois un peu de puissance mais monte partout. Le bus est très bien équipé, nous avons passé un excellent séjour.
Carlos is an excellent communicator and really helpful for our amazing Madeira trip. The van is a beast! She handles excellently and, in 2nd gear, she manages the crazy mountain roads. We had her for 5 days and did a lot of exploring and only used about 20 euros worth of diesel so she is a good drive. The kitchen is really well kitted out: can't believe how well the freezer works... it actually makes ice! The bed wasn't super comfortable (2 people both under 6 feet tall and lightweight) but we did sleep well in the end. It was so nice to be able to explore the hot spots of Madeira on our own schedule (which is typically a lot earlier than the other tourists on coach tours make it to places). It's expensive but worth it when you factor in costs of travel, hotel and food (it's possible to eat very well and very cheap if you cook yourself in the lovely van. Thank you, Carlos!