Lizzie Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Hi I met some lovely motorhomers at the Kent show on Saturday and did hear this being said a few times but surely some folks do get it right??? I would love to hear from anyone who felt they got it spot on and why it worked so well. It would also be really good to know why the motor home didn't work and what they went for the second time as a result. I am enjoying looking around for a motorhome and finding there is so much more to it than I first thought - just as well we don't absolutely need it until next spring! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 We got it quite "right" (for us) first time, with our 2003 Duetto...unfortunately, being "newbies" we soon got tempted by "bigger is better" etc.....and only realised 2 vans later! :-S So as well as getting it right, it's sometimes also a case of realising when you have... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Yep ! :-D I think the secret is to take a long time choosing, browse plenty of vans at the shows - all makes, not just the best known. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 pepe63 - 2015-06-08 12:04 PM We got it quite "right" (for us) first time, with our 2003 Duetto...unfortunately, being "newbies" we soon got tempted by "bigger is better" etc.....and only realised 2 vans later! :-S SNAP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Had 3 vans, and we have 'Adapted' to each one, ALL being a compromise in some direction, our present van is VERY comfortable, but we miss the compactness of our Autocruise starlet 2. AND we miss the Eberspacher heating/hot water system, Plus a shame it has a DPF and all the other 'Gubbins' that makes our Euro 5 Fiat so unreliable as a Motorhome Hack. Comments ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydney1 Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Good question.A nd no we didn;t Having used a vintage VW type 2 for many years both home and abroad, we wanted something to supplement the VW with something more modern and luxurious for the longer trips and to use throughout the winter months. We wanted a fixed bed (as a luxury) and a garage (to take all the wet bikes and walking gear in the winter) and spent a long time looking at the options. We went for a Burstner with a transverse bed over the garage which was great to start with but the lost space during the long winter afternoons/evenings and the hassle of climbing over my beloved to go to the loo forced a rethink. We now have an AT Scout with a large rear lounge which only takes 5 mins to make up a massive comfy bed), loads of external storage for the wet stuff and a tow bar and carrier for the bikes. Can't image a better layout now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Yes right frst time, with 2009 pre reg u shaped lounge bought for a bargain £24500. Bought it after being caught in a traffic jam outside the dealership on way to viewing a house in maidenhead. Didn't buy the house spent the stamp duty and moving fees on the motorhome instead. After a very enjoyable 2 1/2 years snapped up a brand new fixed bed, price negotiated over the phone on the way back from Scotland. 3 1/2 years later still delighted with our fixed bed. Guess the problem with using forums is no matter what motorhome you express an interest in somebody will slag it off and put you off buying it. Life is too short, if you see one you like, buy it and enjoy it !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 AndyB - 2015-06-08 2:25 PM Guess the problem with using forums is no matter what motorhome you express an interest in somebody will slag it off and put you off buying it. Very true. It's a good idea to get opinions from others, but in the end make up your own mind what suits you - don't let anyone else tell you what to buy ! ( As for any " slaggers " - well you will know whose posts to ignore in future ). ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheer lunar-see Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 No, but 3rd time lucky, still had to compromise on some things but thats half the fun. Can now spend more on travelling as we don't have the cost of ferry too and fro from England, off to-morrow as it happens, don't know where, or for how long. After looking at loads of vans at shows and dealers, you will soon realise what you want at the right price, GO FOR IT !!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgie823 Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 No, afraid we (or I) got it wrong even after spending an eternity researching the right model. My story is much the same as Sydney's as I went for a Hobby with a fixed bed and garage - build quality excellent but not practical for us. Now waiting to collect our new Autotrail Apache 634 in a couple of weeks and hoping we've got it right this time! Take your time choosing and the very best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gocro Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Were on our seventh, so not quite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliB Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 We are on our first motorhome and have had it for 7 years. I wanted a model with a garage, wife liked the models a U-shape lounge. Guess which one we have. Whichever model you choose is a compromise, it is all about being able to live with the bits you do not like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Yes. We go through a formal decision making process an all six purchases have been spot on. I don't see why anyone should get it wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 AliB - 2015-06-08 4:28 PM Whichever model you choose is a compromise, it is all about being able to live with the bits you do not like. Not sure I agree with that. Bought ours in 2003 and still got it - haven't had to "put up with " anything. Might have bought a later version of the same model but it was on the longer ( X250 ? ) Ducato vans - and we wanted to stay within 6 metres. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Yes to perfection. Hired twice. Worked out what worked well and what did not. Took 2 years looking at many types. Engine size and make was the most important. Talked to as many owners as possible. Most important to always ask … what are the faults. As large as possible that will sit on the drive way 6.5 Mtrs. Decided auto transmission. Decided right-hand drive. Decided long wheel base for ride comfort. Toured France etc. Read which make has the most adverse comments on forums and magazines. Look to see which makes are not advertised frequently. Must have two personal spaces. must have a bed for afternoon snoozing. Never involved the wife. They never see life the same as the male. (Apologies MelB) Bought new. German chassis. French body. I paid for. I Drove it. I cleaned it. I mapped all routes. I'm Chef and housemaid. I sold it when our life changed. It was great. It was a practical object for use with no additions. No extra locks. No sentimentality. No fancy names. It was wonderful while it served us and that is what it did serve us. Neither of us miss it and we regret nothing. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 Thanks for all the replies. It is interesting to hear what makes it the right choice or wrong choice as it helps us decide. As far as I can see the issues seem to be: length/ storage/ fixed bed Vs U shape lounge. And these are all the things we have been thinking about. Ideally we would like to keep the van to 6m or 6.5 but also want some storage. We will keep looking and try the Stratford show in a couple of weeks. But keep replying as it is all food for thought! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombies Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 We have had 3 camper vans / motorhomes, the first being a bit of a whim, an 86 A class Peugeot TD I wasn't clued up on them, the turbo didnt work very often. Our fist outing (without a service) we headed off to Greece! Red warning light on going through the Frejus tunnel, temp up to max! stopped for a while in Turin, then broke down in Asti, rented a new transit based C class for a week while ours had a new pump, never went to Greece but into Corsica and back into Mainland France where we lived. It was then that then next van I buy will be Transit based as I liked the engine etc although couldnt afford the new one we had rented. The next we got on an ebay whim! (flew from La Rochelle to Southampton then to Frankfurt) drove a Transit based C class 18 hours back home without checking for a spare tyre (there wasn't one!), sold that in 2008. Now have another Transit based C Class TD and 2 weeks in, oils changed, all seems ok, under the bonnet everything I have looked for is within easy reach should it need repairing. The van is a little noisy, but its 18 years old, no where near as noisy as the A class we had though, couldn't hear the radio! I bought the first because I thought it looked coach like (the front) but all were based on price and the recent one due to being Transit based and TD. Ideally, maybe a Merc Hymer with U lounge although not sure of having the toilet in the middle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 No. But in retrospect not surprising, though it was a surprise at the time! These are small spaces for living in, and we all have slightly differing preferences. The result is a series of compromises, some of which only become apparent once you start to use your van, and some of which become irritating. They are the embodiment of "one man's meat" etc! We researched, and we hired the exact model we had decided upon, and it was great. It was a 6.0 metre long, LHD, 2005 Burstner, with fixed "French" bed, half dinette, and a forward sited kitchen block, bought in France and exported back to UK. It was an excellent little van. But, what I had not realised during the hire trip (in NE France), was that the places that we would want to visit once we had a van of our own, involved relatively narrow roads, and the Burstner was 2.3 metres wide, with additionally extended mirrors. Once we set off to France, Spain, Portugal, and southern Italy, I found driving it became sheer penury. Big decision! Swap the van after only 18 months (at not inconsiderable cost!), or change where we wanted to go. The van went, not without some regrets, and was replaced with a Hobby Van, which was only 2.07 metres wide. Transverse rear bed over garage, still 6.0 metres long, still front half dinette. The result was that we kept it for six years, and travelled 32,000 miles around France, Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Croatia. The difference in width was only 230mm (about 9" for the non-metric :-)), but it made a huge difference. The Hobby also had a shorter wheelbase, which greatly aided manouverability compared to the longer wheelbase Burstner. Apart from the age of the van, we were finding the rear transverse bed a bit of a bind, and decided two years ago to replace it with a van with single beds. So, after six years, we sold the Hobby in favour of the present van, which is about 50mm wider at 2.120 Metres wide, but 6.75 metres long. As the rear view mirrors fit close to the sides of the body, the actual difference in overall width is negligible, and in driving it is just as easy to take down minor roads without drama. The extra length, which many think will cause problems in practice, has proven not to do so, and has hardly ever (only 12,000 miles so far! :-)) caused difficulty. But, that is us, and our experience in getting to the places we like to visit. You will inevitably be different, and will probably want to visit different places to us. That, despite our initial slip over vehicle width, is the advantage of hiring before you buy anything, as many find their perceptions of what they want change after using a van - rather then trying to imagine using one. Had I been able to travel further with that hire van, I might have discovered what I subsequently realised. So, although hiring isn't a panacea, I still think it makes an awful lot of sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 The best way I can put it is to say that we got it right three times, but things keep changing. We are older, we are doing different things, we have a bit more money etc etc. So we are looking (only looking) for number 4. Not sure what we want, we will know when we see it, and it will be perfect, for now! H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 hallii - 2015-06-08 7:11 PM The best way I can put it is to say that we got it right three times, but things keep changing. We are older, we are doing different things, we have a bit more money etc etc. H Well put.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 My FIL got it right after 4 vans ;-) ...........and Horace has worked out to be the perfect compromise between size and comfort B-) ........... As for reliability and build quality that still appears to be luck of the draw ;-) .............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 One thing that is hard to quantify is the ' feel ' of a van. When we first started looking some were immediately rejected because they felt claustrophobic - maybe because they just had too much furniture packed in. Also a lot of vans had very upright seat backs, or the backs of the seats were too low - and the idea of sitting on them for very long did not appeal. Imagine yourselves stuck inside for a day or two - how easy is it to move around each other - and can you ' lounge ' around in acceptable comfort ? ( .... and if you can't imagine being stuck inside for a day or two - it can happen - as we found out when the snow was horizontal in a bitterly cold wind the north of Norway ). ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 So far, nearly 2 years down the line, yes. Largely, I think, down to lots of compromises. Eg, we would prefer fixed beds, but would rather have the shorter van. Would have liked rotating cab seats, but over time came to prefer treating the cab as a big storage area. Also, as a slightly older van (2006), we're not too precious about wet dog/grass cuttings etc. I've enjoyed tinkering, adding things like an extra battery, refillable gas bottle etc. We thought we would regret not having cab aircon, but actually, not so far. One thing we would like are airbags, I didn't even bother to check that when we bought the van, just assumed they would be standard. I still can't believe that even now, a passenger airbag is often an optional extra. So, by luck, we have the van we're happy with. Probably change it soon then. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Yep we got it right first time, we had been towing caravans for over twenty years, so we new we didn't want to mess about making up beds and putting up tables (last caravan had a fixed bed), therefore a fixed bed and table were a must. We did hire twice couldn't get the exact model but it did teach us what we could not live with. First van a Hymer T654 SL (fixed French bed 6.8m long) was great for 5 years then we decided (me actually) decided we wanted an A-Class, a garage & auto transmission. Having been impressed with Hymer build quality & their response to any problems so we ordered another Hymer (wouldn't have a British van at any cost). Current van has single beds & a garage kitchen a bit smaller than the last van we miss the draining board apart from that it's suits us. A bit longer than the last one at 7.2m and narrower 2.21m (against 2.35), had it just over a year now and still very pleased with it, even thought it is longer & has a longer wheel base,but being slightly narrower I find it far easier to manouver in tight situations also surprised at how much easier an A-Class is to reverse the flat sides help a lot, also the cab is so quiet after a van with a standard cab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 lennyhb - 2015-06-08 9:21 PM First van a Hymer T654 SL (fixed French bed 6.8m long) That is a hell of a long bed. How long was the whole van? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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