m.h. types

[mikejkay]

I tagged this on to another thread but haven't had any response so I'm posting the question as a separate thred.

 

Manufacturers seem to have inserted a new class of motorhomes between panel vans and coach builts, or is it just a change in terminology? I've been looking to trade in my S2, which, like most coach builts is about 2.3m wide. Van conversions seem to be about 2 or 2.1m wide but there is a group of m.h.s which are about 2.2m wide and which generally have a V (for van?) in the model number. Is this a new phenomena and should these "vans" be considered as slimline coachbuilts? Are the construction standards the same as the fat versions?

[colin]

Must be V for very slim coachbuilt :D

I'll get me coat.

[Guest Had Enough]

There have been slimmer coach-builts for ages I suspect. My Hobby Van Exclusive, purchased four and half years ago, was only 2.18 metres wide and I believe that included the mirrors. The Hymer Exsis T is only 2.12 metres body width.

 

I'm just about to get an A Class and, whilst I'll enjoy the space, I'll miss the narrowness of my Hobby, which allowed me to enter European hill villages knowing that if a car could navigate the streets, I could as well.

 

As for construction, it was no different from the wider models and was well made.

 

 

[mikejkay]

Did you not feel any restriction having the Hobby van? It's not just the width, there is a significant difference in price between the Hobby V series and the coachbuilts. I can't see why this should be the case unless the manufacturer cut corners in unseen places.Glad to hear that you're happy with your Hobby van thought.

[Guest Had Enough]

mikejkay - 2014-09-26 5:41 PM

 

Did you not feel any restriction having the Hobby van? It's not just the width, there is a significant difference in price between the Hobby V series and the coachbuilts. I can't see why this should be the case unless the manufacturer cut corners in unseen places.Glad to hear that you're happy with your Hobby van thought.

 

The two places in which we spent the most time were unaffected by the slightly narrower width. The swivel seats in which we relaxed, watched TV and dined are in the cab, the width of which is constant of course, however wide the manufacturer makes the added coach-built section.

 

The sleeping area, two single beds (which can make a very wide double) was very comfortable with beds about 2' 6" wide.

 

The narrowness only affected the passage between the beds and the cab area, so if one of us was standing in front of the hob/sink unit it was a bit of a squeeze for the other to pass. Whoever was in the way usually just stepped into the wide section opposite the door.

 

 

 

 

 

[mikejkay]

Thanks for the feedback, maybe a slim coachbuilt is the way to go. Only losing about 100mm after all. Sound less in inches!

[Derek Uzzell]

mikejkay

 

I think the instigator of the “Van” name was Hymer, marketing the Van 522 range (and equivalent Eriba models) in 2005 based on a Ford Transit platform-cab chassis, with Hobby introducing “vans” the following year. The Hymer/Eribas had an unusually narrow body-width for a coachbuilt low-profile design (2.07m) but Dethleffs weren’t far behind with their “Globebus” range (2.10m).

 

Hymer/Eriba Vans were very constricted inside and gained girth in subsequent model-years. Ford-based Hobby Vans were slightly wider to begin with (2.10m) and also expanded over time, eventually ending up with the 2.18m body-width Had Enough mentions.

 

I assume the “van” designator was used originally to indicate a coachbuilt motorhome with the narrowness of a panel-van conversion (PVC), but this did not prevent Hobby from producing 2.24m-wide Fiat-based coachbuilt ‘vans’.

 

Other than the Hymer/Hobby ‘van’ thing, I’m wary of the idea that a “V” in a motorhome model (or range) name indicates it’s an ultra-narrow coachbuilt design. For example, Auto-Trail’s “V-Line”, Hobby’s “Vantara” and Rapido’s “V” models are all PVCs.

 

I think the narrowest Continental European-built 2015-model-year low-profile coachbuilt designs are Burstner’s “Brevio” (2.10m) (Hymer appear to have discontinued their “Compact” Brevio-clone for 2015), with Dethleff’s “Globebus” and La Strada’s “Nova” at 2.15m. All the rest - including Hymer’s “Exsis-t” - seem to have a body-width (ie. the width excluding extended rear-view mirrors) of 2.20m or above.

 

It should be apparent from Had Enough’s photos that there is a very definite pinch-point between the kitchen-unit and (compact) bathroom. Remember too, that this version of the Hobby Van is quite long (6.75m) to allow the twin single-bed layout to be employed. I think you’d find it cramped, not least because your present Chausson Flash S2 is an unusual design that maximises the interior space available in a 5.99m-long low-profile motorhome via a combination fixed-bed/dinette.

 

I don’t believe stepping down in body-width from 2.30m to (say) around 2.20m transforms a motorhome’s manoeuvrability (I never found it disadvantageous going up from about 2.20m to 2.30m), but it will impact on interior space. If you decide that a PVC’s living-area is likely to be too restrictive for you, it’s likely this would also be true if you opted for an ultra-narrow low-profile coachbuilt.

[mikejkay]

I have to say that my "knee jerk" response was to avoid the narrow (V) coachbuilts, obviously they will be less spacious. Being 6ft 2in and 17 stone doesn't help Also I have a very narrow entrance to my driveway and I have noticed that the new "full width" coachbuilts seem to have expanded a few centimetres and are now about 2.32 or 2.33m in width. Things are getting tight. I have to choose parking spots with care when parking my S2 so a wider van might cause a problem.(with our local friendly white van men :-D ).

[lennyhb]

Our Exsis is only 2.2m wide (body width2.1) not noticed the lack of width other the last van which was 2.35m, but the Exsis is an A Class so more cab room and Hymer have a cleaver trick in A Class's of off setting the passenger seat on the base giving more room between the seats.

 

Carthago also have their C - Tourer & T- Tourer (A Class & CB) at 2.2m and the Compactline AClass at 2.1m.

 

Surprising how much easier it makes driving when you take the wrong turning in a medieval French village that 6 inches made a hell of a difference getting the van through unscathed.