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22ft motorhome with big garage

jonmar

By jonmar
in Motorhome Matters

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jonmar Contributor

jonmar

Posted
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I wonder if any of you helpful people can give me any guidance in my search for a 'van, no more than 22ft, but with a garage big enough to take my mobility scooter, chairs, table, tent etc. There are 2 additional requirements in the form of a bench seat long enough to act as a bed (small double might not make for peaceful holidays) and a good sized fridge. At present my scooter is stored in bits - chassis in a bag on the bicycle rack, seat, motor, basket in locker under the long bench. Unfortunately the external access to the latter isn't quite big enough, so everything has to be lugged inside by long suffering husband.

 

The only nearly suitable 'van I have seen so far was a 2009 Auto Trail Excel 640G. A lovely 'van, but with an inadequate fridge for those of us who take 4 week trips in France. The new version doesn't look as if it has the same large acces to the garage, but I have only seen it on line. Our prsent 'van is a Hymer B584 so we are used to lots of room even at only 6m.

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flicka Grand Master

flicka

Posted
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Hi Jonmar & welcome to the forum.

We have a 2009 Autocruise Sportstar low profile @ 20ft long (which unfortunately has been dropped from the 2011 madel range, but there are still on forecourts)

We can get my wife's Mobility Scooter & Wheelchair in it's Garage.

It will form a narrow single bed across the front with the 1/2 dinette& nearside "dickie" seat, but (depending on your height) we use the 1/2 dinette seat (along the offside) with the Driver's seat swivelled as this give a lot more width.

Garage Payload is not a problem, her Mobility Scooter splits down into 4 parts & I can reassemble in in the Garage for travel (much more secure than in it's individual parts)

From memory when we were looking alternatives on this theme were the Chausson Flash 4, (see MelB's post above) Dethleffs Eurostyle T58 ? (Lowdams, Nottingham) West Van (Roy Wood Transits, but I think this model is no longer available) & the Adria Sport (can't remember the Model No.)

 

There was also another previous Autocruise (Starspirit ?) available with a low Garage around 22ft long, which had a rear lounge with 2 singles or a large double bed option.

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Clive Grand Master

Clive

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Chausson flash 11 may suit you

Transit based with twin rears. Up-rateable by a paperwork excercise only and very competitevely priced. £41,450 new

 

This rear-wheel drive Ford Transit-based vehicle with twin rear wheels offers a great deal for your money. The 140 hp 2.4 litre diesel 350L chassis is rated for the UK market at 3500 kg but it’s just a paperwork job to have it plated at 3850 kg which will give you nearly a tonne of payload (if your driving license allows.) Transmission is manual, through a six- speed gearbox. The vehicle comes as standard with ABS, power steering, heated mirrors, electric windows, central-cab locking, adjustable height, swivelling, cab seats with double armrests, air bags and cruise control. The wiring is already in place for a radio, but the radio itself is an optional extra. The generous payload is useful, because the copious rear garage will take your motorscooter and still have room for some pedal cycles, folding chairs and other clutter. The large, permanent rear double bed is on adjustable fixings so that the garage height can be set to be just enough for your supplementary ‘steeds’ and thus maximise headroom in the bedroom. Another large double bed rests in the over-cab Luton and no doubt the bench seats could also be used for a small single bed for a toddler.

 

The central ‘galley’ includes a large fridge-freezer, a small Smev oven/grill and a three-burner hob. It also boasts a sink with lid but like the majority of continental type vans, no draining board. However the central dining area is cleverly laid out to give a feeling of space. So, four, belted, forward-facing seats, two double beds and six seats for socialising. Oodles of grip on wet grass thanks to those four driven tyres on the back plus good performance, cheap spares, with no cam belt to fail as this engine has a timing chain.

 

Is that enough of my waffle?

 

C.

1613668622_CHAUSONFLASH11.jpg.e578bcbb4ec8039e51f6a4fa3e2c9831.jpg

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Guest JudgeMental

Guest JudgeMental

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Dixie - 2010-12-18 12:05 PM

 

- we plan to put the electric coldbox in the garage when necessary.

 

John and Anne

 

That is what we do and use it for all the drinks.....

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Colin Leake Veteran

Colin Leake

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We had the same requirements although in our case it was our old dogs All Terrain Buggy, which does not fold very flat, that made the garage necessary. We finished up ordering an Auto-Trail Apache 632. Very well made, loaded with extras, very good value and British. The fridge is large but not as large as the fridge/freezer in our present Rapido and as such was the one area where we had to compromise. Well worth a look but check the sizes of the entry hatches into the garage.
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jonmar Contributor

jonmar

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thank you all so much for your many suggestions. I shall now have to do some serious study on line. The Dethleff Sunlight T66 sounds great, but I've not seen it. I had already thought of the possible weight problems behind the back axle. My scooter weighs 45kg which is pretty light for a fairly tough model - luckily I'm light and it tackles most terrain. Non of this just using pavements nonsense - not that one can in France and Spain most of the time. I have to find the perfect 'van and then convince husband how much easier it would be than the present arrangements. We are stuck with a 6.750 max length because of the length of our drive.
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PJay Grand Master

PJay

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Hi Jonmar

We have the same problem re length of drive. We bought a 6.2 mtr MH, which just fitted on drive. We then added a Bike rack with a box on it , so it now sticks over the footpath by maybe 12/18 inches !! We do not keep on drive, as with a small drive who wants a MH on it all the time. We keep our van on a site, more secure anyway. i also think that keeping a Mh or Caravan on drive , lets the burglers know when you are away,(with the help of Google Earth) (when it dissapears.) We just put ours on drive to load and unload, maybe just one night

.As for the fridge size, we go away for three months at one time, and don't have a problem with size. They do have shops in France/Spain. We find it much better shopping in the MH, than we did when we had a boat. It was S*** law that the shops, were always at the top of a hill, and a long walk from the marina. You can also use a cool box plugged in, as has already been sugested

Go for the right van, for your needs don't worry about fridge size

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  • 4 weeks later...
jonmar Contributor

jonmar

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The update on our search for a suitable 'van has now got as far as liking the Chausson Welcome 75 and nearly arranging to go and drive it - only to have it sell under our noses. However, Highbridge (thanks Mel B) have one if only husband had time to devote a day to going to Somerset, but the day will come. He did have a good look at the Shepton Mallet show. My next query is does anyone have any experience of Chaussons and in particular the Welcome 75? We also looked at the Flash 04, but it does not have a flat garage floor which we need. The Welcome 75 garage has tons of space for mobility scooter, chairs et al and handy storage boxes at the side for cables etc. Will have to compromise on fridge size.
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