New enthusiast

[Plumrose]

I am due to retire this year and hope to take up travelling in a Motorhome. I know which layout would suit us which is twin fixed beds at the back and swivel front seats. Apart from that I find it all a sea of confusion, which one should I choose, I don't need the top speck although they look fantastic but for the first time a model that is reliable because I want to travel through Europe. I am not being lazy putting the question out there it is just there is soooooo much information I have become confused. Any experiences or information from users would be much appreciated.

[Guest JudgeMental]

welcome!. you are making some sensible choices already, best to go to a show and have a good look around , read some mags, and visit some dealers..wear ear plugs to ignore the soft or hard sell! Consider hiring to see if you can live with your choice. We really can't do the homework for you, but can help with the learning curve due to a wealth of experience on here.

 

main considerations other than preferred layout, enough payload, is it damp proof, quality of build etc...etc.... But we need to know budget, new or old, how many people travelling, and CB or panel van. LHD or RHD, then you can get some focused advice

[Brock]

Suggest you start thinking about your five main 'must haves'. These are the things that your motorhome must have come what may. That will enable forum members to help sharpen your focus.

 

For example, you must have a budget and stick to it. Other thoughts include whether size is a an issue, whether you have any mobility issues and perhaps need an automatic, and what type of touring you will be doing. It might also be worth pondering whether a caravan is a better bet if you will be staying on sites for longer periods. You've already suggested you want twin fixed beds at the rear. Swivel front seats are found in almost every vehicle now.

 

As the advice from forum members flows in, you can expect several arguments to develop. One will be about whether a coachbuilt or A-class [integrated] is better than a PVC and another will be whether to buy in the UK or abroad. Worry not because the arguments will give you a much better insight and you will be able to sort the wheat from the chaff.

 

Remain open minded and flexible until decision time and you have a great chance of getting the right vehicle with help from forum members.

 

 

[malc d]

Good advice above.

 

Size is certainly important - once you go over six metres in length ferries can cost more - think of ease of parking etc.

 

Listen to all the advice you can get but beware of other people pushing THEIR preferences !

 

Good luck.

 

;-)

[docted]

Jayne we are now in the main season for shows so try to get to as many as possible so you can look at lots of different ideas from different manufacturers.

You have already got good advice and I am sure that more will follow from this Forum.

Good luck in the hunt and your future travels. :-D

[mildi]

malc d - 2014-05-01 10:58 AM

 

Good advice above.

 

Size is certainly important - once you go over six metres in length ferries can cost more - think of ease of parking etc.

 

Listen to all the advice you can get but beware of other people pushing THEIR preferences !

 

Good luck.

 

;-)

 

I'm not being picky but I drove a panel van for 30 years for work it maybe slightly easier to park than the coach built motorhome we have, but in the UK you may still have an issue when having to park within a marked bay and of course the barrier heights. I have spoken to a few people who have had their motorhome measured after they boarded the ferry then charged more as they were slightly over their stated length.

If you use the tunnel they just charge for a camper regardless of length.

Good luck with the search and if you are going to do long tours of Europe it may be an idea to factor in the cost of refillable gas cylinders and a fan kit for the fridge vents in the very hot weather.

Also check it has a spare wheel.

Mark.

 

[Poppy]

Buy yhe book Go motorhoming from Vicarious Books.Its invaluable.And payload payload payload.

[kelly58]

One advantage you have is you have no trade in so you will be in a good bargaining position . secondly you have come to the right place for " Help " we all had to start some where and no one was " Greener " than me , but with the patience and help from other forum members 7 years on we are still learning. Do not hesitate to ask no matter how trivial or mundane , some one will have the answer .Good luck with you search and hope you full fill your dreams its a wonderful  way of life.

[LordThornber]

Hi Jayne and welcome.

 

Some good advice already, having an idea of your budget would be helpful. My own other bit of wisdom would be to not get too far bogged down with choices.

 

Whilst I'm not advocating throwing caution to the wind, some, not all, would I'm sure be better off getting their feet wet and finding out that way.

 

Example, we'd always been tent campers and fancied a bit more comfort. Found a lovely VW camper, loved it, ascertained what we'd like better of and then went onto bigger and better a year later.

 

 

Cost? £200 or so for discovering a great lifestyle choice.

 

Flip side?

 

A colleague hired a van, and had an absolute nightmare with it. Went to Cornwall, narrow roads, terrified of damaging it, etc. Never again was the cry.

 

My way won't suit everyone but it sure worked for us.

 

Martyn,

[Will86]

I always suggest when going about the countryside or to events such as a M/H shows take a walk around the parking area and if you see a M/H you like (& already have) go knock on their door and pose a few questions, you will soon learn any faults and good points. People are very welcoming. How tall are you, are you sure the beds are long enough.

 

You've already decided on two beds great, then you're obviously people who like their own space, but can you both live very close for two weeks at a time.

 

Do you have different times of sleeping and wakening, you may be looking for a M/H that allows one to sleep and the other to read or write and therefore a more seperated space maybe required.

 

As said hire one first. Are you people who surround themselves with assessories and there are hundreds, not only do they add weight they can become cumbersome and often quite unneccesary.

 

Do you wish to eat out at all times or are you a snacks eater. Both have their benefits and will either add to the assessory list and weight or not.

 

Originally we went all over Europe in a simple van with no luggage for 20 years staying in hotels. Then we hired 3 times followed by buying a 6.5 Mtr Rapido. It was great we did everything we wanted to in 6 years. We now have a VW T5, its tight but it suits us for the odd day and a night away.

 

Think very seriously and calculate why you need to do it, then get on and do it !

[jocie]

I would like to add one piece of advice to the useful contributions above, Plumrose. My first three motorhomes were all 6 metre coachbuilts with a medium wheelbase. My current van (a Devon Aztec panel van conversion,with which we are well pleased) is also 6 metres long, but on a long wheelbase. This makes it handle really well on any kind of roads , but I was surprised how much more difficult the long wheelbase makes doing U turns , and also parking in normal parking bays .( My three coachbuilts although wider than the current PVC I could often park in a "normal" parking bay by reversing the overhanging rear end over e.g. a flower border or grass area without incurring the wrath of parking attendants etc...because of the shorter wheelbase ). Although I would not change my current van I wanted to flag up this issue for you to bear in mind when choosing. ;-)

[Cliffy]

 

Welcome to the forum. This is a great place to look for advice but as you will already have noticed everyone will have a different angle on what is the best van to go for.

 

I think we were lucky we got our first motorhome over 4 years ago and have still got it now. We have looked at changing it every year but can't find a van that gives more than we have now without paying ridiculous sums of money.

 

My advice for what it is worth is don't get bogged down with knowing what 'you must have' from a van. You won't actually know till you get one then it is too late. The van we got had none of the things we were looking for but as soon as we walked into it we knew it was the one for us.

 

It has already been said having a good payload is very important as we have found out now. We can't have an awning or carry a dinghy unless we leave the bikes behind. (You can't see payload).

 

You are better going for an older van that is better quality than a newer cheap van. Some cheaper vans don't have outside accessible lockers which would be a pain in the neck for me. Other nice to haves are solar pane with second battery and refillable gas cylinders. If you are buying from a dealer get them to fit them for you included in the price, they are more likely to do that than knock off the price what it would cost you to have them fitted later.

 

If you find a van you really fancy in a dealers, be a bit sneaky and see if you can find the name and contact details of the previous owner (Ask to see service records and make a mental note is one way) and contact them and ask if there were any problems with the van. It sounds a bit cheeky but I have done it with cars and got away with it. It also ensures it has not been a hire vehicle there are quite a few around these days..

 

As for hiring before you buy. Two weeks would not be long enough to evaluate the van properly there is so much to learn if you have nor MHd before.

 

Have a look at some private sales locally, you may come across someone who is packing up MHing and will sell the van with all the contents etc, the value of which is often under estimated. Think - ramps, hose pipe, water drum, watering can, screen cover pots and pans, crockery, cutlery, canopy strap/guy ropes and pegs, polarity tester. Plus you may want, outside chairs and table, BBQ/cadac, ground sheet satellite dish and receiver.

 

Hope I have not put you off, Motorhoming is not a cheap holidayan its an expensive hobby but we love it.

 

Good luck

 

Cliff

 

[Billggski]

Motor homes generally come close to the 3.5 tonnes weight limit. Under 3.5T MH's can be driven with a normal licence (you will have an extended licence if you passed your test a while ago, but need to apply to retain it at 70) and can legally access many villages, and if under 3 metres high, attract a lower toll on French motorways.

But, as has been said, this limits your possible payload, especially if it is all bunged in the rear garage behind the axle. You can overload the rear tyres.

[HymerVan]

Buy "Go Motorhoming and Campervanning" from Vicarious Books or on Amazon. Read it fully and carefully. This will open up new horizons for you especially about Europe.

Don't rush into any purchase and think carefully what your needs are. For example some newly retired people buy a big Van to take grandchildren around only to find quite quickly that grandchildren soon lose interest.

For us the right van is small, comparatively fast, basic in amenities but with the emphasis on build quality.

Best of luck and keep in touch with the forum to bounce ideas off the many knowledgeable people here.

[Derek Uzzell]

Towards the top of this webpage is a 'bar' showing various aspects of the website - "MOTORHOMES CARAVANS CAMPING LODGES..." etc.

 

Clicking on "MOTORHOMES" will reveal a section headed "Motorhome Advice" that contains 5 sub-sections that provide lots of useful advice.

 

This guide should also be worth reading

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/Information/Your-First-Motorhome