A Class

[Guest alanmac]

My wife and I are about to purchase our 4th 'van and are considering an A Class,ewither Hymer or Pilote (2nd hand). I would welcome any helpful comments from owners about the pros and cons of either vehicle. Additionally does the large 'screen make the 'van hot in the summer? Our current vehicle is an AS Duetto and this gets extremely hot in France in summer,A Classes have a larger area & presumably get hotter?. If so I assume it is conversely colder in the winter?

[Guest Docted]

Alan The pros include :-the additional space provided by the drop down bed; the ability to sit on seats which do not form the bed at night; the freedom from corrosion on the body. Cons might include overall size and the space between seat and windscreen. The large screen does not make the van hot in summer unlesss you are parked facing or driving south into the sun. If you are parked a net curtain makes a surprising difference to the amount of heat entering the van and air con/fans keep the air moving whilst driving. Conversely as you say in winter it can be cooler but speedy deployment of screens when parked overcome this; when motoring I find the van heater very effective in keeping the van warm. Good luck and let us know how you get on. Docted

[Guest Clive]

Pros as above. Con - also remember the forum postings from people trying to get replacement windscreens quickly. It can be very time consuming. I don,t relish the idea of spending the bulk of a summer vacation with a temporary windscreen held in place with tape etc.(you can get replacement screens for most commercial vans almost anywhere). AND The crash test. I would expect the full steel cab to provide better protection for the ocupants than a GRP moulding with a few steel struts inside. AND A class cost more!