Mycallhill Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Hi folks;i have sold my wife on the idea of touring Spain/France/Italy next year for 2/3 months so im after some guidance on which type of vehicle to buy;just the two of us but i want enough room so we are not too couped up;4/5 berth????;i have no experience of driving a motorhome but intend to buy immenently so should gain valuable time behind the wheel;looking for suggestions regarding everything relating to my proposed trip;budget is £15-20 k ish;thanks Michael;ps read several reviews but the dield is so diverse im confused;a class;coachbuilt;hightop!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 There are so many threads on here about exactly this, if you read them all your brain will explode and you'll be no further forward. You'll be advised to hire first, maybe a few times, to try to find out what you want. My advice would be, don't bother, just buy something. Think of it like this - if you have say £20,000 to spend on a MH, you are very lucky. If you hate it, then as long as you've not trashed the thing, you should be able to sell it on for not a lot less. If you like the experience, you'll find out as you go along what things would make it better, in terms of size, layout, facilities, manouevaribility etc etc. You can then change your one for something else. So, pick some things that you MUST have in a MH, forget the rest, buy one, use it, and take it from there. Good luck. PS - I got my first one a year ago, loving it, but will hopefully change van shortly - would like something very slightly longer, very slightly different layout. Just working up to presenting a case to OH :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 If you are confused now there is every risk that you will buy what turns out to be the wrong van and lose a lot of money changing it shortly after. Unless you buy an older van privately and have a good chance of selling it on or trading it in when you find what you do think you want. However that course is time consuming and potentially risky financially so my advice would be to pick a medium sized coachbuilt and hire one for either a week or a long weekend. Some firms will refund all or part of the hire if you buy a van from them so I would be inclined to research hire or hire and sales firms looking for an attractive offer. Like all things mechanical - simples to buy - not quite so simples to sell on. Always remember - caveat emptor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerC Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Get yourself along to a number of dealers and 'shows' and take a loooooong look at what is available and take your time looking at layouts. Don't be tempted to buy a 'show' deal because it says 'special show price' or whatever. The 'show special' price is usually more than the 'forecourt' price to cover the costs of the show. If not sold at the show and there is a MH you fancy hold out, take a gamble on it not selling and see what it is priced at on the forecourt afterwrds. Whatever you do if buying off a dealer get a damp report and if buying privately get your own damp check done before agreeing to buy. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Sorry Roger but my experience of buying at shows is that you can often get a better deal than afterwards as they have targets to meet to cover the show costs? Damp checks is a good point. When looking at a van make the beds up, put the table in place and see how much room there is left and whether it impedes access to the loo - and whilst in the loo go through the pretend motions of sitting, doing the deed, and the paperwork, followed by an arm waving pretend shower and shave and see just how practical the space is, as some are very poorly designed to look good at a show but less practical when used in the real world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Mycallhill - 2014-07-12 5:12 PM Hi folks;i have sold my wife on the idea of touring Spain/France/Italy next year for 2/3 months so im after some guidance on which type of vehicle to buy;just the two of us but i want enough room so we are not too couped up;4/5 berth????;i have no experience of driving a motorhome but intend to buy immenently so should gain valuable time behind the wheel;looking for suggestions regarding everything relating to my proposed trip;budget is £15-20 k ish;thanks Michael;ps read several reviews but the dield is so diverse im confused;a class;coachbuilt;hightop!!! Do your homework first. To start with, buy this book: http://tinyurl.com/8973u2p Then sit down and read it. Second thought, you need to allow yourself more time before you buy, so I would suggest you hire for your first trip. Final thought, to do Italy, France and Spain in 2/3 months will be an exhausting whirlwind tour so I'd take just one country at a time, and slow down. The book is written by motorhomers for would-be motorhomers, and will answer most of your questions, and a few you haven't yet thought of! :-) I have no connection with the publishers, but have found my copy invaluable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Mycallhill - 2014-07-12 5:12 PM Hi folks;i have sold my wife Brilliant - I had no idea you could do that. Ebay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 75% of motorhomes are on the fiat base, usually called "sevel" from where they are built but sometimes badged as Renault or Citroen as well. Your budget could stretch to an early, 2007, MH of the latest x250 model which is a vast improvement on the earlier model. It should have had a cam belt change by now. If you are staying for a while an overhead bed will give you space to store the extras, but watch out for your weight, many are 3.5 T, which doesn't give much of a payload, but you can go into towns which have a weight limit. If over 3 metres high you will pay more on French toll roads unless you press the help button and argue your case. There are a lot of awnings on eBay, as folk buy them but rarely use them. This gives you space but defeats the nomadic nature of motorhomes as against the caravan lifestyle. In Spain you will probably live outside more, so comfy lounges won't be as necessary as in the UK. Dealers will give a warranty, but the price will reflect that. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerC Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Tracker - 2014-07-12 8:27 PMSorry Roger but my experience of buying at shows is that you can often get a better deal than afterwards as they have targets to meet to cover the show costs?Damp checks is a good point.When looking at a van make the beds up, put the table in place and see how much room there is left and whether it impedes access to the loo - and whilst in the loo go through the pretend motions of sitting, doing the deed, and the paperwork, followed by an arm waving pretend shower and shave and see just how practical the space is, as some are very poorly designed to look good at a show but less practical when used in the real world. Regarding the price I can only write from experience. At Malvern a coupe of years back (2012 IIRC) we saw a second hand MH the same as ours, same spec, same year for more than we paid for ours new in 2010. Looking around after the show we did find one new for less than the dealership was offering this 'second hand' one as a 'special' at the show..............special price for the dealership I presume. It is possible I suppose to get a 'deal' towards the end of the show if the dealership is chasing sales but market research is paramount to overcome the 'oh it's nice and shiny let's buy it' that can cloud peoples judgement after viewing such a vast array of MH on display at shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Mycallhill - 2014-07-12 5:12 PM Hi folks;i have sold my wife on the idea of touring Spain/France/Italy next year for 2/3 months so im after some guidance on which type of vehicle to buy;just the two of us but i want enough room so we are not too couped up;4/5 berth???? /QUOTE] If you are touring in Spain / France and Italy I doubt if you will find yourself " couped up " in your van very often. You're more likely to be outside enjoying the weather. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread24800 Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 I notice that in one breath you are talking about you and your (replacement) wife touring France and Spain and in the next you are asking whether you should buy a 5/6 berth camper.In my experience you should not equate number of births with live-ability all you get is extra beds often at the expense of a decent (160l) fridge and washroom space. Look at the number of sleeping places that you need, the size of dining space you expect to use and the number of seat belts you must have.If you are thinking that perhaps , some time , maybe you will be trotting round with Grandkids then suggest that its a great adventure to sleep outside under canvas away from Grandads' snores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnSue1664232222 Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 malc d - 2014-07-12 11:28 PM Mycallhill - 2014-07-12 5:12 PM Hi folks;i have sold my wife on the idea of touring Spain/France/Italy next year for 2/3 months so im after some guidance on which type of vehicle to buy;just the two of us but i want enough room so we are not too couped up;4/5 berth???? /QUOTE] If you are touring in Spain / France and Italy I doubt if you will find yourself " couped up " in your van very often. You're more likely to be outside enjoying the weather. ;-) Initially I read that as coupled up. :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 It was Renault and Peugeot, not Citroen, on the fiat chassis, I blame the red wine. You can get the ford 2.2 diesel in the Renault, most have the 2.3 fiat iveco engine. Some don't like the judder when reversing up a hill, but the six speed gears are smooth and things like cruise control and cab air conditioning are common extras. Extra bunks are useful for a long trip, just look at a lot, narrow it down and then find the one that ticks most boxes, it won't be perfect, and you will have niggles, but prices drop at the end of the season. Like convertibles, the best time to buy is January. Which isn't much help I know, but you can make an offer, they can only say no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 Billggski - 2014-07-13 11:20 AM It was Renault and Peugeot, not Citroen, on the fiat chassis, I blame the red wine. You can get the ford 2.2 diesel in the Renault, most have the 2.3 fiat iveco engine. Some don't like the judder when reversing up a hill, but the six speed gears are smooth and things like cruise control and cab air conditioning are common extras. Extra bunks are useful for a long trip, just look at a lot, narrow it down and then find the one that ticks most boxes, it won't be perfect, and you will have niggles, but prices drop at the end of the season. Like convertibles, the best time to buy is January. Which isn't much help I know, but you can make an offer, they can only say no. I think you have been on the vino again. Sevel bases are Fiat, Citroen and Peugeot. Renault are a base on their own. We have a Pilote P716fj with a Renault engine, with 2 single beds and a very small double but as there are only 2 of us most of the time the 3rd bed isn't used but it gives us plenty of room for lounging. Our previous 2 vans, a Rapido and a Laika, both excellent vans but both with fixed beds so it was 3rd time lucky with this van as it is perfect for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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