starvin marvin Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I'm looking to change my panel van for a 2 berth low profile coachbuilt , I will not touch a Fiat X250 or its clones with a very long barge pole. The problem I'm having is finding/sourcing a vehicle approx 6m long without a fixed bed. Nearly all the continental vans in this format seem to have fixed beds and Brit vans are just about all Sevel. Looks like I might have to become a Hymerroid! Any suggestions would be very welcome I'm looking for something no more that 5 years old, with a decent size engine. Currently mine is a 2003 Fiat 2.8 JTD which goes really well, no hanging about necessary. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 If I had my chance to buy all over again I would definitely go for something based on a VW Transporter platform, Ive had three VW transporter Caravanettes, and enjoyed all three, found the last one, a water cooled 2 litre petrol ,Av autostrada thirsty on petrol, but no mechanical problems, I tried to find a coach built on a Transporter long wheel base but every time I did it was too far to travel for it. wish I had of Traveled now, my Car VW Bora TDI is 10 year old this month, never let me down once, never failed a Mot, just think VW have got it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hymer1942 Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Must agree, when I downsize from my Hymer it will be to a V.W. base, reliable, and most of all very car like to drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 starvin marvin - 2009-04-30 12:04 PM I'm looking to change my panel van for a 2 berth low profile coachbuilt , I will not touch a Fiat X250 or its clones with a very long barge pole. The problem I'm having is finding/sourcing a vehicle approx 6m long without a fixed bed. Nearly all the continental vans in this format seem to have fixed beds and Brit vans are just about all Sevel. Looks like I might have to become a Hymerroid! Any suggestions would be very welcome I'm looking for something no more that 5 years old, with a decent size engine. Currently mine is a 2003 Fiat 2.8 JTD which goes really well, no hanging about necessary. Regards Hi Marvin A couple of points to bear in mind:- If you are looking at a Fiat base pre-late 2006 /2007, the X250 problem is not applicable. The water ingress & reversing problems identified relate to the new model. Any prior to that will be the same base model as your current M/H , with the choice of that series of engines. The pre-2007 Transit, I think, were all floor gear change and have the associated problem with cab to rear access. Other possible alternatives could be the Knaus & Dethleffs , on the Renault chassis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted April 30, 2009 Author Share Posted April 30, 2009 Hi ya Flicka, The reason I said 5 years was to specifically avoid the dreaded, no blighted X250, I don't like VW's too expensive for what they offer which in my view is overated, the Golf/polo aren't great. Every van I've ever driven still drives like a van. I think the "car like" drive, which is often claimed is a dream. In a dream I sometimes see the Japanese offering a solution to both realiability and best use of internal space. Back to the thread, who converts at a max of 6m a low profile coachbuilt with a decent sized engine without a fixed bed? Any help would be appreaciated. Its increasingly looking like a Hymer solution and kick the low profile idea into touch. Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwaviation Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Fendt K500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Don't rule out a pre-2007 Transit - we have one and, despite our previous 2 vans having the dash mounted gear-change (Fiats), we haven't had any problems with getting form the cab to the rear as the floor mounted gear lever is well placed to the drivers side and fairly far forward so as to allow easy movement round it. You could look at Auto Sleepers as some of these were built on the Transit, there are also such things as the Hymer Van (despite the name it is a LP coachbuilt!) - rear lounge, less than 6m in length, generally on the Transit. I think another was called the Fortero?? There are also Rimor/Kentucky motorhomes too which tend to be on the Transit (old and new version) and some of their layouts may suit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share Posted May 1, 2009 dwaviation - 2009-04-30 9:32 PM Fendt K500 Thanks I'll take a look at that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share Posted May 1, 2009 Mel B - 2009-04-30 10:14 PM Don't rule out a pre-2007 Transit - we have one and, despite our previous 2 vans having the dash mounted gear-change (Fiats), we haven't had any problems with getting form the cab to the rear as the floor mounted gear lever is well placed to the drivers side and fairly far forward so as to allow easy movement round it. You could look at Auto Sleepers as some of these were built on the Transit, there are also such things as the Hymer Van (despite the name it is a LP coachbuilt!) - rear lounge, less than 6m in length, generally on the Transit. I think another was called the Fortero?? There are also Rimor/Kentucky motorhomes too which tend to be on the Transit (old and new version) and some of their layouts may suit. Thanks Mel, I'd be happy with a Ford or Renault, but I think the Ford has the edge. The Hymer Van is something I've looked at and thought it could be a possibility. The Fortero is one that I looked a long time ago at Lowdham. Nice bright colours built by Dethleffs if I remember, so could have the dreaded fixed bed. I'd forgotten about this thanks for the reminder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 Not sure how small you want to go but Nu Venture do some small coachbuilts: http://www.nuventure.co.uk/ and so do Romahome: http://www.romahome.com/r40.html David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted May 2, 2009 Author Share Posted May 2, 2009 david lloyd - 2009-05-01 10:53 AM Not sure how small you want to go but Nu Venture do some small coachbuilts: http://www.nuventure.co.uk/ and so do Romahome: http://www.romahome.com/r40.html David Thanks Dave, But , I'm not looking for small I've got small. I think for practical long term touring a 6m van is about right. I don't want a luton or a fixed bed, and under no circumstances on a X250!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Grumpy Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Have a look at Devon, they use Sevel but also Renault, Mercedes and Iveco with many different layouts. Another plus is you deal with the factory for a new van not dealers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mendipman Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 (?) (?) Would a CI Autoroller 200 fit your needs.....New at £24995.... (?....Ford based.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 Thanks to all who have taken the time to reply. Some useful pointers there. Many Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 starvin marvin - 2009-05-03 7:27 PM Thanks to all who have taken the time to reply. Some useful pointers there. Many Thanks Let us all know what you go for. Marv :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmbeedee Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 We have the Autoroller 200 & so far very pleased with it. Just got back from East Anglia, did 450 miles approx, 30.3 MPG according to the dashboard meter. Will check properly when I fill up, always brim tank so easy to check. Only done 1000 miles so far so will probably improve when frees up with more mileage. Wasn't hanging about either, cruising at 70 when possible, on cruise control. Very good payload on this model, had it weighed last week, we have lots of spare capacity. Off to Scotland on Thursday so will have more info. after that trip. Worst minor niggle, for some unknown reason Roller team, CI or whatever, order them without central locking. So you have to manually lock both cab doors & have no deadlocks. Crazy, considering that even the most basic Transit van comes with central locking. Another niggle, they supply a huge heavy table. Why? It is only a two berth after all. Maybe they just buy one size of table for the whole range, two berth to six berth. Like you, I wouldn't touch a Sevel product with a bargepole. Thanks to Andy & Co. for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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