Lizzie Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Anyone know of any motorhomes with beds like this that are not too difficult to access? Think this might give a bigger fixed bed. Also do people like them in practice? Thanks in advance for any ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverback Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 we have one autotrail mohawk we love it, only thing is climbing over each other for the loo in the night, but no hassel really, usually have a massive garage underneath jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 We hired a couple with that layout before we brought our first van, it told us that we didn't get on with them. Inner person has to climb over the other to get out, found it claustrophobic. There is one van now with a fixed transverse bed we would consider, nearly ended up with one when buying the current van. Carthago C-Tourer i142 QB, there is a low profile version as well the T 142QB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Many people have fixed transverse beds in PVC's, but we hired a WildAx with one and gf got claustrophobic in bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Lizzie - 2014-11-11 7:13 PM Anyone know of any motorhomes with beds like this that are not too difficult to access? Think this might give a bigger fixed bed. Also do people like them in practice? Thanks in advance for any ideas. If you want the large volume "garage" beneath for storage you will have to compromise over the height above floor of the bed. From memory, both Hobby and Hymer Van variants were produced with a lower set bed. For a high set bed, the Knaus Van provided (I believe still does) proper steps up, rather than a ladder, and I think the Adria Compact, was similar, though it wasn't imported to UK for very long. You could also try looking at the Dethleffs Globebus variants, as I think one of those may have had a lower set bed. Otherwise, again from memory, almost, if not all, the others with higher set beds provided various kinds of ladder to get up to the higher set beds. OK in principle, but they were often aluminium with rounded rungs that were very uncomfortable for bare feet. We had a Hobby Van so equipped, and I made a timber ladder with flat steps to replace the original, which was much better. However, the amount of space gained in a compact van with a fixed bed is impressive, and we found the layout excellent for the six years that we owned it. As ever, yer pays yer money...................... :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Lizzie hi We have one in our Benima Perseo 710 CCX & we think it's great. I made some wide, hollow, "box steps" with removable carpet covered tops, so it's easy to get in & out & we have the benefit of some useful extra storage space ( - as Brian says, ladders are useless). The garage underneath houses my 125cc motorbike plus other bits & bobs so it's all safely stored indoors & we still find we have enough headroom - being a sailor, I can tell you that there is more room than in the aft cabin of an average size yacht for example. The best thing is being able to pull up have a meal around the table & then be able to go to bed without moving anything. The height of the bed can be adjusted very easily to suit, depending on what you have in the garage. Horses for courses of course - but we would'nt change ours. Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caddies104 Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Hi Our Autotrail Apache 632 has a fixed bed with a very large garage beneath, enough to house our 2 electric bikes and much more, Did gave the same model with the higher bed and larger garage but then need a ladder which is a pain...so changed last year to the lower bed, love it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Hi Lizzie Usual requirement for transverse fixed bed is to keep overall length to a minimum. Access to the bed depends if you want garage below or not. There are numerous vans with lengthways rear single beds over garage, that can also be used as large transverse doubles & the majority have step access as opposed to ladders. Brian mentioned the Adria Compact range there is a new model @6.6m with this layout (look for SL in their model designation) http://www.adria-mobil.com/at-at/2015/motorhomes/specialist/compact/ They also do a budget range (Sun Living Lido, see MMM Roadtest April 2014) Others that come quickly to mind are the Burstner Travelvan 620 (similar length) & Geist (model ?) but it is longer. Another alternative may be the new Swift Rio @ 6.4m, The 340 has a dropdown double over rear lounge http://www.swiftgroup.co.uk/motorhomes/swift/rio/layouts (& click on the "night" layout Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve928 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 lennyhb - 2014-11-11 9:08 PM There is one van now with a fixed transverse bed we would consider, nearly ended up with one when buying the current van. Carthago C-Tourer i142 QB, there is a low profile version as well the T 142QB I like that layout too - just that small change to allow access to the foot of the bed makes it so much easier to use, like a cross between a transverse fixed bed and a transverse queen bed. Adria do it too in the Matrix Supreme 667, complete with adjustable bed height and a big garage. Only available in LHD though for some reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Lizzie - 2014-11-11 7:13 PM Anyone know of any motorhomes with beds like this that are not too difficult to access? Think this might give a bigger fixed bed. Also do people like them in practice? Thanks in advance for any ideas. It would help if you could indicate whether you are looking for new, or used, and roughly what budget. Since Dethleffs first introduced the "Bus" in about 2004, there have been numerous variations on the compact transverse rear bed with front half dinette layout. For 2014, of the continental manufacturers, Chausson (and Challenger), Dethleffs, Burstner, Knaus, Hymer, Hobby, Laika, Benimar, Bavaria, Carado, CI, Carthago, Elnagh, Eura Mobil, Fleurette, Frankia, Itineo, McLouis, Mobilvetta, Pilote, Rapido, Roller Team, Rimor, Sunlight, and TEC all have transverse bed layouts. Not sure whether they all offer lower set beds, but quite a list to research. Not sure on UK made vans, except Autotrial, but there are not so many UK makes to research. Then, there are all those PVCs from a wide variety of makers, again mainly continental. The pro, is that you get a lot of accommodation (including storage) in a compact van, the main con is that one person is, effectively, trapped behind the other, so night-time trips will either involve some "synchronisation" or, if the trapped sleeper has to make the trip, climbing over the one on the outside - which will inevitably result in both being disturbed. A secondary con is that quite a few of these vans have longish rear overhangs, and most place the bulk of the load to the rear. This can result in grounding problems on ferry ramps and tight uphill hairpin bends, in rear axle overload, and in reduced traction at the front, making starting off on grass, and uphill, tricky, especially when wet. Not all such vans are especially compact, not all are especially narrow, though many are both. All vans involve compromise, and the smaller the footprint, the greater, in principle, the compromise is likely to be. The shorter, narrower, vans are better for getting to "out of the way" places with minimal stress, but with the longer and wider vans more internal space is available. In the end, most of the layouts are very similar, with a bit more here, and a bit less there. You just have to look, and assess what you think will suit your needs and preferences. My personal view is that it is width, not length (within reason!), that is the greatest determinant of ease of driving. However, transverse beds in narrower vans are inevitably shorter, so taller people should definitely try the bed for length before buying. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Our previous MH was a Hymer B694, which had a transverse rear double and because it was built before garages became popular, it was low down too, so easy to get in and out of. Except that when one of us felt the call in the small hours both of us were inevitable disturbed by what was also inevitable a gymnastic procedure. Since we slept heads to the off side and because I always slept on the left, I got the outside position and, especially as we got older and gymnastics were more of a challenge, I had to get out first in order to make way. Hey ho there are compromises in all MH layouts so I put up with it without complaint. But single beds would clealry make life a lot easier, so we got ourselves a B674. Within the first few nights in our new van it became clear that only one of us actually needed to get up in the night, so had we simply slept in the double bed of the B694 with our heads to the nearside, I could have stayed tucked up in bed and there would have been no need to change the MH at all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted November 12, 2014 Author Share Posted November 12, 2014 Hi Thanks for the ideas. Our budget is around £30k for a used van. It would only usually be two of us using the van but an occasional visitor is possible (daughter) plus a dog. I just thought it looked like the bed might be a touch bigger in these as some of the longitudinal beds seem a bit on the small side. Because we are new to motorhoming, I am not certain how much we would want to take with us but am assuming two bikes and if they didn't need to go on the back it would be a bonus but not a necessity. So it was the bed size rather than garage size that I was thinking about though not seen them in the flesh yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Then, if you are looking for used, Lizzie, you can only get what the market offers. You have sufficient budget to get a reasonably good van, so the only thing to do is start looking and, as the bed size is important for you, take measurements as you go, and note them for future reference. Even where a manufacturer offers several variants of vans with transverse rear beds, it is quite likely each variant will have differing bed widths. So, if you see a van with a decent sized bed, but don't like its condition, make a note and look for a better specimen. It's probably going to take you some time, but there are a lot of them around. The biggest problem will be nailing down which model/s from which manufacturer/s give/s you what you want. Once you have your shortlist of suitable candidates, you can go shopping in earnest. If you aren't in a rush, visiting one or more of the shows will probably allow you to view more vans in one place than trailing around loads of dealers, but if you have large dealerships near to where you live, they would be worth visiting until next years shows kick off. That way you can hit the shows with a few possibles in mind. You never know, you may get lucky first time! Good luck with your search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Ours is the full width of the van over the garage. Lovely long bed so you can stretch out. We have 2 steps up from the floor so not a problem for us. Nice having the large garage for all the extras easily accessable too-besides the large doors it also has a smallish hatch through from the van. Have thought about changing the van a few times but neve found one that suits us better than ours Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Lizzie - 2014-11-12 5:28 PM Hi Thanks for the ideas. Our budget is around £30k for a used van. It would only usually be two of us using the van but an occasional visitor is possible (daughter) plus a dog. I just thought it looked like the bed might be a touch bigger in these as some of the longitudinal beds seem a bit on the small side. Because we are new to motorhoming, I am not certain how much we would want to take with us but am assuming two bikes and if they didn't need to go on the back it would be a bonus but not a necessity. So it was the bed size rather than garage size that I was thinking about though not seen them in the flesh yet. Hi Lizzie Don't know where you're based but if you are anywhere near us, you are welcome to have a look inside ours to get an idea of how they are We are in West Yorkshire (until January) Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Lizzie - 2014-11-12 5:28 PM Hi Thanks for the ideas. Our budget is around £30k for a used van. It would only usually be two of us using the van but an occasional visitor is possible (daughter) plus a dog. I just thought it looked like the bed might be a touch bigger in these as some of the longitudinal beds seem a bit on the small side. Because we are new to motorhoming, I am not certain how much we would want to take with us but am assuming two bikes and if they didn't need to go on the back it would be a bonus but not a necessity. So it was the bed size rather than garage size that I was thinking about though not seen them in the flesh yet. You need to look very carefully at the 3rd berth, most of this layout compact vans have 1/2 dinette at the front & where they do provide the required 3rd berth almost all are only suitable for a child, or at best only occasional use by an adult, i.e. weekends not extended tours / holidays IMHO. Some (Hymer comes to mind) are restricted by wardrobe or cabinet opposite so restrict bed length to only 3/4 width of the van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody. Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Ive had a van with transverse bed , our problem was the getting up in the night syndrome having to climb over the wife , the best van for me was the autotrail savannah lowline which had a brilliantly planned bedroom /bathroom , youve got 2 longtitudel singles big enough for my 6 foot frame which are at a really well thought out height , anyone could just slide into them from a sitting position no probs with climbing over your partner , you also had quite a large garage space as well both sides . The shower cubicle is across from the toilet compartment and the wardrobe is at the end of the 2 beds , this can all be shut off with a solid door , leaving a bedroom with ensuite , the rest of the van has 2 reasonable size sofas which pull together making a double bed for extra people , if you were to get the high line model youd have extra space in the overcab bed , only thing is your talking about a 25 foot coach built van could you manage the length ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted November 13, 2014 Author Share Posted November 13, 2014 Hi Mike - thanks for the offer of seeing your van but we are in Surrey. What make/model of van do you have? It sounds ideal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Caddies104 - 2014-11-11 11:11 PM Hi Our Autotrail Apache 632 has a fixed bed with a very large garage beneath, enough to house our 2 electric bikes and much more, Did gave the same model with the higher bed and larger garage but then need a ladder which is a pain...so changed last year to the lower bed, love it.... We had one of these for four years and loved it. The bed was a little high to get on to but we solved the problem using an old Harrods presentation wine box (very impressed with the box but not the wine) with a bit of carpet stuck on top which we used as a step and as a box to store assorted chargers and leads etc. it also came in handy to stand on when winding the awning out. During the day to,keep,it out of the way we simply lifted it up and stored it on the bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matrix Meanderer Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Hi Lizzie We have an Adria Matrrix 680SP which has a large transverse bed across the full width and good height garage. The vehicle is 7.37 metres long. Even in our mid 60s we have no problem getting up the two well designed steps to the bed. There is also a stout vertical pole - not for dancing but to aid getting up and down. The top step has a hinged lid giving access to a good sized store area and there is further open storage below the bottom step. Both steps have custom shaped carpet fixed on to them. Interior light and heating system controls are all reacheable without getting out of bed - a handy feature in the winter. We've had the vehicle for over three years and are very pleased with the set up. The bed is one of the largest we have seen and has reading lights on the blank side wall so sitting up in bed reading is easy. There is the smallest of cut outs for the shower/loo room but otherwise it's excellent for us, almost as wide as our bed at home and definitiely longer. The wall lockers overhang one side ot the bed (mine) but there is plenty of clearance for sleeping and generqlly moving around. The large garage is another winner for us - it takes two full sized bikes, tables, chairs, spare wheel, BBQ, water and electric connectors, ramps etc... Hope this helps your choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Lizzie - 2014-11-13 1:49 PM Hi Mike - thanks for the offer of seeing your van but we are in Surrey. What make/model of van do you have? It sounds ideal! Hi Lizzie It's a Fiat Elnagh Slim 6 (made by SEA) but it's discontinued now so only used available. Can't fault it though-it's been a great van Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.