Short list - Which one?

[Shell181]

Hi everyone, after loads of help and advice from you all, we have at last got a short list of the MH's that tick all the boxes for us (we will be buying a used one), just wandered which make and model you would go for if you were in our position for instance, best manufacturers, any good or bad points from anyone who has any of the below:-

 

 

Benimar Europe 6000ST

Benimar Anthus

Hymer B Classic 595

Swift Kon-Tiki 640

Elddis Autostratus EB

Elddis Autoquest 145

Lunar Champ A670R

Swift Gazelle F63

 

Shell

 

[mondo]

Having owned a similar one previously (we had the Elddis Autoquest140) I would be tempted to go for the Elddis 145..it's an updated version of the 140..cracking little van!!I think they have changed the layout round the kitchen and the toilet/shower have swapped sides and differing logos etc..and the U shaped lounge turns into a massive double bed if nocturnal visits to the loo are needed it's some what of a prob climbing over each other but hey ho you are together anyway :-D

 

Try this link to the Elddis website on http://www.elddis.co.uk and follow the links for the 145..obviously other posters may say different..but we are all different!

[Shell181]

Thanks for your reply Mondo, I think I should change it to first, second, third actually cos I know the Hymer is very very popular but the model we want we may not be able to find one for sale. The Elddis does look good, I suppose a lot of people would say buy a european one especially german cos they are good solid built vans but we are trying to keep an open mind........

 

Shell

 

[Brock]

Good list. I've owned three of the makes, an Elddis (lovely until it fell to bits suddenly), 2 Swifts (both rotten but both still going after more than 10 years), and I have a Hymer.

 

For a first motorhome, I'd be tempted to rule out the Benimars and Lunar because parts may be a problem. Should be cheap though.

 

Swift have had quality of build problems over the years, particularly damp, but a dry one in good condition will be a good buy. I've always liked the Gazelle (short lived model) and the long lived Kontiki but not enough to buy one.

 

Elddis produce value for money vans with practical layouts. Again build quality needs to be checked out but a good one will serve you well. Plenty of dealers for Elddis and Swift.

 

Hymer are rock solid and hold their value better but you don't get much else for your money.

 

Depending on the age and condition, I would go for the Hymer, then the Kontiki. But I would certainly look closely at the Elldis.

[bigal]

Hi Shell, I haven't owned any of those vans you are considering, but what I would say is, if you like them all, Choose the one with the dealer who you would most like to deal with if problems should arise later. Also consider which of the dealers concerned would be easiest to reach from where you live as you don't want to be travelling long distances for servicing or repairs. In short make things as easy as you can for yourself from the outset.

[Shell181]

Thanks for the info Brock and Bigal, looking at buying a second hand one be it from a dealer or private. Prefer to buy from a dealer as with private there is no come back but have noticed that private sales obviously are a lot cheaper. We are looking at anything from year 1990.........

[Brian Kirby]

They all have a great deal in common.  They will be likely to have the same (or nearly so), makes of heaters, water heaters, toilets, fridges and, to a lesser extent, cookers/hobs.  Most will be aluminium skinned on a wood frame, some may use flat GRP sheet, and most will have complex mouldings formed from GRP, ABS, or PVC, or a mix.  Furniture is quite likely to come from Techniform in Italy, though some make their own.  12V electrical systems will vary more widely, but will include an on-board mains powered charger unit for the habitation battery, some of which will also trickle charge the starter battery. 

The differences will mainly lie in the quality of the detailed design, the quality of the furnishings and fabrics, and the care with which they are assembled.  Most of these things only become apparent in older vans, where the lower quality ones will begin to look "tired" earlier.  The amount the van has been used, the care with which it has been maintained, and the way it has been stored, will all play a role.  However, quality has its premium, so whereas the Hymer may well be better built than the others, it will be older for the same cost, or cost more for the same age.  You pays your money.

You have your, reasonably broad spectrum, shortlist.  I think all you can do is to start sniffing out examples for sale on the web, and charting mileages, against prices, against age, to see what looks the best value, and then select a few examples nearest where you live, and go to look at them.  Only then will you really be able to see whether the reputations are deserved, and whether you see things that cause you concern.  You may find that the Hymers seem overpriced against other offerings, or that the reason for their reputation for solidity is amply illustrated.

The comments regarding availability of spares should be heeded: all will be older vans and spares availability is not a strong point of motorhome manufacturers.  In this respect I would expect Hymers to be best, but none will be "over the counter" and all will take time to arrive.  For some makes "time" can mean months.

Final point is that the older vans are unlikely to have power steering, or turbocharged engines.  You'll need the arms of a sumo wrestler for the former, and the latter will be thirsty, noisy and slow, though virtually indestructible!  As before, you pays your money!!  :-)

[rolandrat]

Sound reply bigal, buying from a dealer that goes the extra mile is very important also spare parts availability is as well. Hymer used to be able to obtain parts from Germany within 10 days if what you wanted was out of stock. Auto Trail take some beating for spare parts delivery, they use DHL overnight and being a UK manufacturer as well you are in good hands. They also have a service centre attached to their factory so you can book your motorhome in and get first class service. THey also provide electric hookups for overnight arrivals. Can a foreign manufacturer offer that sort of service, I doubt it.

[Shell181]

Thanks for the advice Brian and rolandrat, will take everything into consideration :-D

[mondo]

Just wondering where abouts in the UK you are??.. as I don't remember you saying... it may help other posters on here with their input (ie) Dealer links and websites etc!!

 

You may have seen adverts for Brownhills..there is a lot of controversy over them!! some say no..some say yes..however reading between the lines it may be better to give them a wide berth as after sales service leaves a lot to be desired..(ALLEGEDLY)

 

I personally am following your posts with gusto as it takes me back to when myself and Dawn (My Partner) were looking for a suitable van!!..Have fun choosing and DO post when you find your van!!

[Shell181]

Hi Mondo

 

We live in Lincoln, we have had a couple of trips to Brownhills in Newark the last couple of weekends, they all seem really nice but yes I've read some not very good things about them as well.

 

I can't seem to stop posting on here lol so will deffo keep you updated some people most be so fed up of me posting and when I have a question I do cringe a bit thinking am I going to get someone saying 'we are so fed up of reading your posts' lol, hopefully nobody will cos everyone seems so nice on here and willing to give all their advice and opinions which is what we want of course seen as this is our first venture into buying a MH. I feel that this bit is easier now cos it was really hard work finding the right model/make with the layout that we wanted and also it made it worse with it having to be under 3500kg as hubby a diabetic and I can't drive!

 

Will start comparing some prices now, taking into account mileage and year etc etc. Hubby just gone away with work now for 3 weeks so will be having a rest from going around dealers.

 

Hopefully when he comes back we will be able to go and look at each one and see it in the flesh rather than just the photos on the internet, think the Hymer we are after will be quite difficult though as there is not too many on sale. Real shame he is away this weekend otherwise we would have been going to the show. Never mind, we don't want to rush into anything which is why I am doing a lot of research on the internet and have found the best layout for us, but if the right MH comes up for sale at the right price we would like to buy sooner rather than later.

 

Saw a post on here the other day that it is best to buy when its not the 'motorhoming season' as the prices go up in the season, don't know if this is true or not, and what would you call the 'season'?

:-D

 

Shell

 

[mondo]

Yes I saw your area on 'tother website you are on...as for your hubby's diabetes I too am a diabetic type 2 but I still hold my HGV licence C+E entitlement...what used to be HGV Class1 in the old days..like I say have fun Shell

[teflon2]

We have had an Eldiss autostratus E.B. SE for the last 6years it's so good that instead of updating it we had it totaly reupholstered and new curtains fitted. I f you go to this motorhome try to get the special edition (SE) edition as the extras make it outstanding. Good luck in whatever you choose John B-)

[Shell181]

 

Mondo - Hubby has been a type 2 since his twenties and he is now 48 and its only the last couple of months that hes had to go on insulin and as you can imagine after managing it for years with tablets he is very upset that its come to this and also that he can only drive up to 3500 kgs now :'(

[Shell181]

Thanks Teflon2, someone suggested this one and it does look good, will take you advice :-D

[flicka]

Hi Shell

Living in Lincoln, have a look at Camper UK. Station Road, North Hykeham,

Lincoln LN6 3QY 7ES

Tel: 01522 69 7070

Fax: 01522 69 8555

Email: info@camperukhire.co.uk

 

Opening times

Mon-Sat 8.30am-5pm

Sun 11am-4pm can be extended by prior arrangement

 

They appear to get good press, although I have not dealt with them personnally.

http://www.camperuk.co.uk/

[Shell181]

Hi Flicka, thankyou for the info but I probably should have said, so far we have been to Brownhills in Newark and CamperUK in Hykeham a couple of times, have not heard all great things about Brownhills but haven't heard anything about the Hykeham one so good to know :)

 

Every spare minute I get now I am on my netbook looking at MH's lol, I am even dreaming about them lol

[747]

It is an absolute joy to have a m/home that performs the way it hould.

 

They are quite complex vehicles and can go wrong at times. Hands up anyone who has never had a problem. Thought so, not many hands in the air!

 

European brands have a reputation for being quality but even a Rolls Royce can break down. Ease of maintenance and availabilty of spares and service has to be considered. British brands score on this but the dealer can let you down if they want to. One dealer has already been mentioned on this thread but there are others who might not live up to their promises. It is just like buying a used car, so my advice would be the following:

 

If you are new to motorhomes, take someone with you who has some experience. Do not rely on them completely (as it is unfair on them). They may spot errors in the spiel of the salesman. Most warranties offer little after the first year, so get as much as you can in writing from the dealer. Do not get carried away by the sight of the m/home, as they are presented very well on the forecourt. Be practical and have a test drive. Ask for a look at the log book and memorise the name and address of the former owner. Before you commit, find their phone number and call them..

 

I do not want to come across as a prophet of doom but a hasty decision can be expensive on the pocket.

 

Motorhomers are a certain breed of people and if you are a half decent judge of character, then do not rule out a private sale. If you need to take out a loan for the purchase then you can get a better rate than that offered by a dealer. If the dealer offers cheap finance then he has a very good reason for it.

 

The majority of us have good experiences but it pays to be careful.

 

The very best of luck.

[Shell181]

Thanks for the advice 747 x

[RogP]

Cant really offer any advice on these models , however make sure that their facilities are what you need.

 

I noticed when looking at some Elddis (for instance) their fresh and waste water tanks seemed very small (40lts). Now that may be plenty for you but make sure it is as you could find yourself filling / emptying the tanks ever day or 2 and this could soon become a chore.

 

Also spend as much time as you can in each MH you view , dont be scared to literally just sit their for 1/2hour or more just looking at the van and thinking about how you will use it where you will put your belongings etc etc etc. Look at how you need to use the kitchen or washroom

 

Finally have you considered going to one of the shows , Peterborough is this weekend and is a huge event so you may get to see a lot of MHs in one place to help (or may confuse even more!!!). You may also come across owners you could talk to as well.

 

Lastly , keep an open mind you may find a MH thats not on your short list but fits the bill better , test your assumptions occassionally just to make sure you have got your list as good as it can be.

 

Good look and enjoy looking and hopefully fairly soon the enjoyment of you very own MH.

[rolandrat]

one area some people miss when considering buying a motorhome is underneath. The service pipework, electric cables and insulation need checking out thoroughly. One guy who I was talking to recently was wandering where to fit a spare wheel so I had a look under his brand new motorhome and was far from happy with what I saw. First of all it was impossible to fit a spare wheel carrier as there was heater trunking in the way and then I noticed that it wasn't even connected to the heater body. I asked him if he had had any problems with the blow heater system and he said he had had it back to the dealer who had found road grit in the trunking and cleaned it out. He was now complaining that it wasn't working properly and was very noisy. No wander I said. What sort of a dealer would send a motorhome out without reconnecting the trunking beggers belief, so now the guy knows why his heater doesn't work properly, no doubt he will be bending his ear a little when he takes it back again. The heater is the latest Webasto.

[Shell181]

Thanks RoqP and Rolandrat, would have been going to Peterborough this weekend but hubby away and I can't drive. There is so much to think about isn't there, not just checking things out inside the van but underneath as well........... I think while hubbys is away I will compile a list of every tip that everyone has given us so we can take it with us to any MH's that we might want to buy :-D

[nowtelse2do]

 

Hello Shell, Firstly keep on posting, that's what the forum is all about, asking for advice and giving advice, that said, I think you have missed one of the best makes on the market in your short list (at least up until the late 90's & early 2000's) and that is Autosleeper's especially their monaquoc bodied M/H's. I have missed a couple of Executives with the 2.8 ltr engine but have now found a T reg Pollenza, I know it is not a monaquoc construction but I could not find anything better for the part ex and cash that I was willing to give, (I never buy new). So good luck with your search. :-D

Dave

Ps. If you are going with cash, there are some good deals out there at the moment, be strong with the sales man. 

[flicka]

Two Books that can help you finding a Van & using it are:-

The Motorcaravan Manual: Choosing, Using and Maintaining Your Motorcaravan (Board book)

by John Wickersham (Author)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcaravan-Manual-Choosing-Using-Maintaining/dp/1844250474

or Halford's usually have it.

Motorcaravanning Handbook (Paperback)

also by John Wickersham

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcaravanning-Handbook-John-Wickersham/dp/1844254283/ref=pd_sim_b_1

 

IF you are not in a rush to buy, pencil in the last show of the season at the Lincolnshire Showground, 24, 25 & 26 September 2010. As it is the end of season, there are usually bargains to be had, but bear in mind there may not be the exact model you want.

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/exhibitions/exhibition.asp?exhib=5

 

[PJay]

shell

One piece of advice given to us, when we were looking to buy first time. Make sure there is room to "pass"one another. ie, when at the cooker or sink, for instance. also I would make sure that the washroom, was,a good size. (mind you, if you are a size zero, (which i am defineatly not) it is not a problem), good luck on your purchase, you,ll get there in the end.

Pauline