diff --git a/docs/parsers.md b/docs/parsers.md
index eb58ef8..f23c1fb 100644
--- a/docs/parsers.md
+++ b/docs/parsers.md
@@ -51,3 +51,52 @@ If you are considering using `XML` for your API, you may want to consider implem
 Requires the `defusedxml` package to be installed.
 
 **.media_type**: `application/xml`
+
+
+# Converting values to native Python data types
+
+N.B. This section describes behavior that has changed from version 2 upwards.
+
+Values are *not* converted to native Python, which means that you'll get strings from the default parser. You can implement your own conversion to native data types with a custom Parser that implements a `type_convert(value)` method. This method accepts a single value and returns the converted value.
+
+In version 1.x and earlier, conversions were done for you. To retain the original behavior, implement a Parser like below and enable this Parser in `DEFAULT_PARSER_CLASSES`:
+
+    import datetime
+    import decimal
+
+    from rest_framework_xml.parsers import XMLParser
+
+    class MyXMLParser(XMLParser):
+
+        def type_convert(self, value):
+            if value is None:
+                return value
+
+            try:
+                return datetime.datetime.strptime(value, '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')
+            except ValueError:
+                pass
+
+            try:
+                return int(value)
+            except ValueError:
+                pass
+
+            try:
+                return decimal.Decimal(value)
+            except decimal.InvalidOperation:
+                pass
+
+             return value
+
+Enable this in your settings:
+
+    REST_FRAMEWORK = {
+        'DEFAULT_PARSER_CLASSES': (
+            'path.to.MyXMLParser',
+        )
+    }
+
+Or use it in `parser_classes` or the decorator for individual class based or function based views.
+
+    import path.to.MyXMLParser as XMLParser
diff --git a/rest_framework_xml/parsers.py b/rest_framework_xml/parsers.py
index 5454356..bd67aa7 100644
--- a/rest_framework_xml/parsers.py
+++ b/rest_framework_xml/parsers.py
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 Provides XML parsing support.
 """
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
-import datetime
-import decimal
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.utils import six
@@ -45,7 +43,7 @@ def _xml_convert(self, element):
         children = list(element)
 
         if len(children) == 0:
-            return self._type_convert(element.text)
+            return self.type_convert(element.text)
         else:
             # if the fist child tag is list-item means all children are list-item
             if children[0].tag == "list-item":
@@ -59,27 +57,9 @@ def _xml_convert(self, element):
 
             return data
 
-    def _type_convert(self, value):
+    def type_convert(self, value):
         """
-        Converts the value returned by the XMl parse into the equivalent
-        Python type
+        Converts the value returned by the XMl parse into the equivalent Python
+        type. Override this method in your own Parser to do the conversion.
         """
-        if value is None:
-            return value
-
-        try:
-            return datetime.datetime.strptime(value, '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')
-        except ValueError:
-            pass
-
-        try:
-            return int(value)
-        except ValueError:
-            pass
-
-        try:
-            return decimal.Decimal(value)
-        except decimal.InvalidOperation:
-            pass
-
         return value
diff --git a/tests/test_parsers.py b/tests/test_parsers.py
index 38618a8..df32ff0 100644
--- a/tests/test_parsers.py
+++ b/tests/test_parsers.py
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
-import datetime
-
 
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.test.utils import skipUnless
@@ -22,10 +20,10 @@ def setUp(self):
             '</root>'
         )
         self._data = {
-            'field_a': 121,
+            'field_a': '121.0',
             'field_b': 'dasd',
             'field_c': None,
-            'field_d': datetime.datetime(2011, 12, 25, 12, 45, 00)
+            'field_d': '2011-12-25 12:45:00'
         }
         self._complex_data_input = StringIO(
             '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>'
@@ -39,15 +37,15 @@ def setUp(self):
             '</root>'
         )
         self._complex_data = {
-            "creation_date": datetime.datetime(2011, 12, 25, 12, 45, 00),
+            "creation_date": "2011-12-25 12:45:00",
             "name": "name",
             "sub_data_list": [
                 {
-                    "sub_id": 1,
+                    "sub_id": "1",
                     "sub_name": "first"
                 },
                 {
-                    "sub_id": 2,
+                    "sub_id": "2",
                     "sub_name": "second"
                 }
             ]
diff --git a/tests/test_renderers.py b/tests/test_renderers.py
index 4168868..57ecd5c 100644
--- a/tests/test_renderers.py
+++ b/tests/test_renderers.py
@@ -32,6 +32,20 @@ class XMLRendererTestCase(TestCase):
             }
         ]
     }
+    _complex_data_out = {
+        "creation_date": "2011-12-25 12:45:00",
+        "name": "name",
+        "sub_data_list": [
+            {
+                "sub_id": "1",
+                "sub_name": "first"
+            },
+            {
+                "sub_id": "2",
+                "sub_name": "second"
+            }
+        ]
+    }
 
     def test_render_string(self):
         """
@@ -114,8 +128,9 @@ def test_render_and_parse_complex_data(self):
 
         parser = XMLParser()
         complex_data_out = parser.parse(content)
-        error_msg = "complex data differs!IN:\n %s \n\n OUT:\n %s" % (repr(self._complex_data), repr(complex_data_out))
-        self.assertEqual(self._complex_data, complex_data_out, error_msg)
+        error_msg = "complex data differs!IN:\n %s \n\n OUT:\n %s" % (
+            repr(complex_data_out), repr(self._complex_data_out))
+        self.assertEqual(complex_data_out, self._complex_data_out, error_msg)
 
     def assertXMLContains(self, xml, string):
         self.assertTrue(xml.startswith('<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>\n<root>'))