StuartO Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 I have been looking at getting a bigger, more comodious MH. Out current Hymer B674 ticks many boxes and when we've looked at newer models we've not seen anything so far to attract us from it., despite owning for over eight years. The only boxes our B674 does not tick perfectly for us is the kitchen/lounge area, which is a bit awkward and sometimes feels a bit cramped. Not compared with smaller MHs of course, but by absolute standards that's where the limitations of our otherwise excellent layout lie. Our previous motorhome was a B694 which was longer and more spacious in the kitchen/lounge area, but it didn't have single beds, which for us work extremely well in the B674. We spent an evening on a campsite with a couple who were recently retired and recent owners of a standard-sized van conversion and they were quite happy living in their little mobie home and, although they were too tactful to suggest it, they clearly could understand why we would want to cart our great big thing around with us. Once upon a time I was very happy in a split-screen VW Caravanette but I was younger and much more flexible in those days. I don't mind driving our 7 metre long B674 around at all, quite the opposite I enjoy it. Although it won't go into an ordinary-sized parking bay, size has never really been an issue and parking has never really been a problem. But would I start to mind anything bigger, especially now that I am getting close to 70? I have always fancied a Hymer S830 of the 2004-2006 variety and that's 8.5 metres long, significantly wider at 2.38 metres and also over 3 metres tall. Nearly six tons gross weight, so half as much again as our B674. So I've been looking around for a good one, now that they have depreciated down from their stratospheric original cost. One of those would give us both single beds and more spacious kitchen/lounge, especially the kitchen. We came close to going to see one in Germany but used MH prices over there seem to be firmer than in UK and I ended up deciding is what too dear for what we would gain. There were distinct advantages in terms of habitability but also some disadvantages compared with our B674 - mostly size but curiously enough also towing capacity, which is lower. I also looked at Amerocan RVs, which depreciated rapidly to become affiordable after eight years or so, but decided they were definitely too big for me on European roads - and of course on lots of UK campsites. So I've discovered that our B674 is as big as we want to go, even if we did have pots of money to waste. What's your idea of the maximum comfortable size for a MH? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muswell Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 If I were to upsize I wouldn' t go above 6m :-D . But I value mobility over space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 StuartO - 2014-08-22 3:15 PM So I've discovered that our B674 is as big as we want to go, even if we did have pots of money to waste. What's your idea of the maximum comfortable size for a MH? Depends how you view your motorhome.- and how you use it. I regard mine as simply somewhere to stay while travelling - mainly somewhere to sleep -and cook a meal - and with "essential facilities " The smaller the better, but I reckon 6 metres is about right for us. I don't need a lot of space - what would | use all the extra space for when we are out most of the time ? Of course, if I planned to live in a motorhome full time - that would be another matter. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Depends on your perception of how much space you need? Every van is a compromise no matter how big, small, cheap or expensive and if you have a good 'un that works for everything, albeit not perfectly for all things, and is dependable and you get a good night's sleep my inclination based on a lifetime of changing vans is to no longer seek the holy grail which probably does not exist but keep the van you have and enjoy spending the loot on something that will not cause you nightmares if it does not work as expected nor depreciate at an alarming rate! There is no right or wrong - just different - and we are all different it seems? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Ditto We are rarely in the motorhome, sitting in the sun, walking the dogs, eating alfresco. More manoeuvrable the better. In the UK it might be more suitable to have space inside. But then I've got a big house with a big garden that takes all my time, We don't sit in a motorhome looking at the rain, just head off to somewhere when the mood takes us. Just off to tell one of the under-gardeners to weed the middle lake. You can't get the staff nowadays! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Our 636 campervan is as big as we want, it's a discussion I have with gf's father nearly every week, (he has short term memory loss), "no I don't want a tag axle van", I'm happy in north america to drive a RV, until a couple of years ago I sometimes drove a road crane, but our van does us fine in europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Having driven buses in a previous life the size thing would not put me off ;-)..............But knowing that every vehicle is a compromise.........and to change a perfectly comfortable camper would require me to go back to working fulltime 8-).......................Now that is a compromise to far :D............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pampam Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Because we only had short breaks in england ,therefore suffered the english weather our vans got bigger and bigger as we seemed to spend more and more time in them we ended up with a 28.7tag axle but for us it was the perfect van the large lounge converted v quickly to two singles with the duvalays ....i loved that van! Incidentally the waistlines got larger too ,as we always had plenty of "treats" to make up for lousy weather it was ideal for us as we would drive and park up then ,walk or tootle about on public transport ,but then when we went back to our gaff it felt very homely and we had plenty of personal space to chill out and not get on each others nerves because there were two lounge areas ,for me it was the perfect van (i do realise that everyone has different needs and ideas ) they are just mine :) pp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Pampam - 2014-08-22 9:34 PM we had plenty of personal space to chill out and not get on each others nerves because there were two lounge areas With a separate dinette and bed area, and (if wanted) a door in between, so has or campervan. Even on our old VW there was a bulkhead (with door) between cab and rear so we had our separate areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmaggott Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Isn't it interesting how different we all are? I was interested to read that some of you value the bulkhead door giving seperate space for each. I generally 'retire' earlier than my OH, I like to read for a while whilst he watches TV or reads magazines etc but what I didn't like in our previous van was that we were in seperate areas. I felt cut off and we couldn't talk to each other. Now we have the cab drop-down bed so can still keep to our usual habits but are still near to each other, me in bed and him sitting in the lounge, perfect. We always felt that whilst we were living in the front 6m of van we still had to drag the bed and garage around. Yes, the huge bed was great but our current bed is a good double and most of the stuff in the garage was actually never needed, it was nice to have the bikes inside but in practise made it difficult for me to just take my bike out and use it whereas now, with a towbar mounted bike rack, I can easily reach my bike and use it. We had thought, however, that at 6m length we would be in Cat 2 for french tolls but in fact our sat dome takes it above the height limit so are Cat 3 (very expensive) but it was transferred from the old van so not worth changing to a 'flappy' one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Madmaggott - 2014-08-22 11:16 PM.............. We had thought, however, that at 6m length we would be in Cat 2 for french tolls but in fact our sat dome takes it above the height limit so are Cat 3 (very expensive) but it was transferred from the old van so not worth changing to a 'flappy' one.Height counts, weight counts, and number of axles counts - not length.I seem to remember that it is the overall height of the vehicle that should be taken into account, and items such as sat domes and A/C units should not inluence the cost. I believe Patricia, for one, knows the answer, and what to do to get the toll reduced back to Cat 2. If no-one else has the info, why not PM her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 We have a Sat Dome and Air con on our roof Our height now 3.2 mtrs, but we only get charged cat 2 PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 PJay - 2014-08-23 12:30 AM We have a Sat Dome and Air con on our roof Our height now 3.2 mtrs, but we only get charged cat 2 PJay I very much doubt you will on an automatic (non maned toll route),. Like I said previously our roof a/c unit used to throw us into class 3 on auto toll routes. we had to press the button and talk to someone at gate and they always changed it back to class 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Our current van is 7.2m but only 2.2m wide so makes just as easy to manover as our last one that was a bit shorter. I don't think I would want to o much longer. Now having experanced the A Class cab I don't think I would want any other style of van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmaggott Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 We tried to get it reclassed on an automatic one but the voice at the end of the intercom flatly refused to come out to us! It is horrendously expensive to be charged at this level making it, for us, better to meander the long way around and not risk having to shell out again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 We've had three motorhomes at around 6.3m and three at 6m. We've motorhomed with two boys and a dog in two of the 6m vans. Three have been lutons and three A-classes so we save a metre or so of length that way. We've also had two caravans, the longest having a 7m shipping length. Never seen the point of us getting anything longer although because of work commitments, we've never been away for more than 3 weeks at a time. If we toured for longer periods, the extra space might be useful. If we spent more time in one place, then we'd go back to caravanning. Big beasts attract us when we visit dealers but the practicalities of our life mean that 6m is long enough. Easy on the road and big enough for the time we spend parked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 Looking at bigger and/or more luxurious motorhomes when the oppotunity arises seems to appeal to most of us but for purposes of buying a replacement motorhome we all seem to have found our optimum size/configuration in something more modest, whether for budgetary and/or practicality/purpose reasons. Motorhomes sizes and layouts involve compromises, so we choose which particular permutation of features and compromises suits us best. As Tracker said, there is no one "right" answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 We like to 'Take off' for upto 3 months at a time, AND we have 2 dogs (labradors) so our present van is 'just right' for us at 7.6m,. I often think about downsizing. But sanity(OH) dictates we stay as we are. Our 'Mobility' is our car on an A-Frame. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I've been watching qualifying for the Belgium F1 GP. I don't need the space and I couldn't drive one but I just love to see what the wardens made of it if we turned up on a caravan club site with one of those giant 3 story jobs the teams all have! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 In Valencia a year or so ago, we stopped at service station on Motor way, just after the GP. Parked up were 4 Red Bull Vans, massive things when you get close up. Dont think ones neighbours would like that parked on the street!! Seriously though you would have to have HGV licence, that would rule out most of us who travel longer times, as we are (mostly) OAP's PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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