Which motorhome do I buy???

[halfmanhalfcake]

Hi folks,

 

I'm looking to buy my first motorhome and only have a budget of £12,000 this may turn in to £13,000 (the mrs doesn't know this yet) for the right home.

 

Looking for a 4 berth coachbuilt van preferably with an 'L' shape rear lounge as I think they are better suited for relaxing, just wondering if anyone has any experience of different layouts and their opinions.

 

I spoke to a dealer today (always the most honest of people I know) and he swore blind that the Swifts are a better build quality than the likes of CI, Lunar, Cheyennes and so on.......is this true? As it's mainly the latter that I have been looking at :(

 

Any opinions and advice would be a huge help, especially regarding build quality e.g. joins and seals!!

 

Many Thanks

[Brian Kirby]

On layout, you will get as many opinions as there are layouts. It is a very personal choice that is difficult to recommend to anyone else.

 

On brand reliability the answers are likely to be that those who have had problems with this or that make will tend to say they are not good, and those who have had no problems at all will generally say the make is fine. This will apply equally for the same make as for different makes, so tends to be confusing. The only truth is that most are not problemmatic, but all manufacturers have their bad days, and some have bad vans. It is very difficult to tell if one make is, actually, any better than another because, if one assumes that problems arise in a fixed percentage of vans, the wide variation in numbers sold of one make compared to another means that he who sells the most, will also get the most reports of faults.

 

Your problem will be that most of the vans that will fit your budget will pre-date the introduction of the more recent (though mostly not yet time-tested) wood free construction techniques. Those that avoid wood will mainly be German or French, will tend to be the more upmarket makes, and will not have rear lounges.

 

Bear in mind that few motorhomers have wide experience of a large number of different makes/models (most buy only a few, most during their retirement), and even for those who have owned more, much of their experience will inevitably relate to relatively short periods of ownership, some of which will now have become out of date. The magazine reviews, on the other hand, are written by people who continually climb from one new van to another, but because of their work committments have little time to really put any van through its paces in the longer term.

 

It is, in truth, a bit of a lottery whatever one gets, and it is wise to hang on to some cash as an emergency fund in case things go expensively wrong. I would also suggest you consider that you may not like your first van after a year or two, and want to change for something different. Some get it right first time, many don't. The problem is that one's needs change, one's preferences change, and the way one begins to use the van changes, so that what was right in the beginning, no longer is.

 

I think it will help if you say which makes/models you are considering, when more specific comments can be offered. The above caveats will still apply, but the comments will be much more focused, and so likely to be of much greater use. I would also add take your time, and ask and read as much as you can before you take the plunge. They are expensive toys, and it pays not to rush into buying the first.

 

All this probably sounds a bit off-putting, but it is not intended to do so. Once you get the right van the possibilities are huge, and the pleasures immense. It is just that the first step is the most fraught, and the perfectly logical and sensible questions you have asked are difficult to answer with certainty. Hence my advice to take the time to research and learn as much as possible before jumping in.

 

My final suggestion is to hire a van of the type you think is what you want, and take it off for a week or so touring, before you buy. You may find you love it, you may hate it, you may want to live in it foerver, or you may decide a motorhome is not for you! But, whatever you decide, you will make your next decisions knowing what you really like and want, which is the thing that no-one else can tell you. Good luck with your search, and do come back with questions as you progress.

[Keithl]

And with a budget of circa £12,000 you will be looking at probably a 15+ year old MH so its condition and how well it has been looked after will be far more important than its make or model.

 

At this sort of age you really need to go over any potential purchase carefully and see what has been changed, altered, modified or even butchered by previous owners. If you have no experience with MH's or caravans it would pay you to find a friend or acquaintance who has to help you inspect before buying.

 

Keith.

[pepe63xnotuse]

Hi Chris..

 

What ever you look at(and look at loads!),check for damp..and then check again! because many(but not all) MHs in that price range(age), will only be constructed along similar lines to your garden shed! .....

 

As boring as it sounds also carefully check the payload.( old style, wood based construction, can equal poor payload and/or rear axle allowance.)

This is important, especially if you want to travel 4 up, as you may find yourself being unable to legally carry any kit/clobber.

(...and if you're restricted to 3500kg by your license, then you may even struggle to just carry 4, in some!) :-S

 

 

 

 

 

[HymerVan]

As has been said any mistake in the choice of van is likely to be expensive. A 4 berth van with a rear lounge will tend to be at the bigger end size wise and that has implications for driveability parking access to remoter places and fuel consumption.

If you really do need four berths does that mean that you need four travel seats ?

That again has layout and size implications. Personally I would not carry passengers on anything other than a properly belted (not sideways facing) seat.

 

Of course you may be clear that four berths (with or without four travel seats) is definitely what you need but think carefully if you REALLY need that. To put it another way think small or at any rate think about small.

Enjoy your search and visit as many dealers as you can manage as this will help you refine your choices.

Best of luck with your quest.

[chello]

I think Brian has summed up the situation perfectly,the final choice is your own however long you deliberate. I bought my bessaccar E425 new in 2000, we find the L shaped suits our needs,making the bed and stowing away is less than 5 minutes. I have never had problems with damp or water ingress,if you ask enough owners you could different stories. You should find an example with less than 50,000 miles,for your money I would look private and judge the owner,good luck,we all need that however experienced.

[StuartO]

In order to stick to your budget, you will need to buy an older motorhome and larger older motorhomes can sometimes offer remarkable value.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1993-HYMER-S700-AUTOMATIC-A-CLASS-motor-home-caravan-camper-/181615685341?pt=UK_Campers_Caravans_Motorhomes&hash=item2a49236edd

 

This one was the absolute top of the range in its day and by 1993 Hymer had changed from dull brown interiors to a much more airey and pleasant lighter scheme. It has done a fairly high mileage but this can also be an advantage because motohomes are built on commercial-type chassis and rarely war out - low mileage vehicles have often suffered by spending too much time in storage.

 

This series of the S Class is underpowered by modern standards but they were built to last and to a very robust standard. Hymer used to advertise their strength by show a photo of one standing on top of another! If you have the room to park it at home, these grand MHs are certainly worth considering.