Did you get it right first time?

[alan k]

I think one of the issues is that as your motorhoming evolves, as you do more and more and eventually change from 2 or 3 weeks at a time to 6 -12 weeks at a time your needs with the motorhome change as well. So what you bought at first may not be suitable later.

 

In the 1970's we had a VW type 2 Holdsworth with elevating roof and 2 young children. For 3 or 4 years it was great and then the kids got too big and we changed to a trailer tent.

Then when they'd left home we bought a type 4 VW elevating roof. Then just the two of us wanted more space and had got fed up with making up beds everynight and moving bags from the rear to the front to make up the bed.

So after another 4 or 5 years we bought another PVC but a La Strada with a roof bed and could transport bikes with us on the rear, it was great for the 2-3 weeks in Italy and the dash across Europe. We were still having to holiday in the school holidays and campsites are expensive in Italy and we started to spend some nights on Sostas or Aires.

So we needed a better bathroom and after about 8 years with the La Strada, we bought a much bigger Geist with a proper bathroom and a garage for the bikes, and unfortunately with the sprintshift gearbox. My wife felt it was too big for her to drive, so she wouldn't go any further than France or northern Italy and I really wanted to go to Croatia (after reading andy Stotherts account) and Morocco and then the sprintshift started to play up. The transverse bed became an issue, both of us need to visit the facilities in the night, and in the transverse bed both are disturbed. The width of the van was also an issue trying to get past a bus in the Devon Lanes and cars in Italian villages.

So after only 2 years we bought our Hobby, single beds, garage for the bikes, enough space in the shower, electric option heating, awning and narrow. So 32000 miles and 5 years later, we've now got grandkids who want to camp with us in the van (its only a 3 berth).

So........ I think I'd like to change again, to a narrow A class to give us 4 berths, but otherwise the same layout and there's one I really really like and my current dealer (who's been excellent for lots of stuff) sells them, there's another I like and its quite a bit cheaper.

But SWMBO isn't so sure. But she's been happy with all the other decisions.

 

So as I say things change, the only wrong decision with hindsight was the Geist but that was a function of the vehicle's size, me wanting to go further afield (Morocco and Croatia) and the eventually iffy Mercedes Sprintshift gearbo,, when it worked it was brill but we had 6 months when it worked or didnt work.

 

So really, can you decide what your wants will be in 2-3 or 5-6 years or will you expect to change in that timescale

 

Good Hunting

 

alan

[tabitha]

Archiesgrandad - 2015-06-10 6:51 PM We think we got it right every time with our 4 motorhomes and 3 caravans, and we buy with our hearts.

So pleased I am not the only one. 

Every time I climb up into the seat of my van I get a wave of "arriving home". I chose it in much the same way as I have chosen every house I have lived in... it felt right. The thing about "right" is that it varies so much for each of us, that we're probably not even speaking the same language. My "right" has nothing to do with layout, fixtures or fittings... it's about the pleasure of coming home. Every time. It's a space I want to be in because it always feels restful and brings me cheer. I don't think anyone can ever criticise any van for the 'benefit' of someone else... who am I to say what someone else's "right" might be. 

But yes, my little 2004 Elddis Autoquest 100 is just right for me. Even if I am the only person in the world every likely to say that. ;-)

[ShoelessSmith]

LordThornber - 2015-06-08 9:34 PM

 

Took 2 years to decide??????

 

Bugger that for a lark, I'd rather get it wrong to the tune of £20k than fart about losing 2 years of life.

 

Folk have dropped off the proverbial perch in that time.

 

Each to their own though 8-)

 

Martyn

 

That's basically what we did. We decided the other month to move our plans a few years forward due to medical issues for the memsahib looked around one dealer and bought one the following week.

 

We decided that we wanted one with two areas if we needed so that meant a lounge at the back which could be converted. I could work in one area and my wife in the other if we needed. And we found an Ace Firenza.

 

It's big enough for the daughter and boyfriend to meet us somewhere but for the two of us it's more than enough. Yes, we are finding faults with it that the Swift Escape 686 seem to have improved on. For example the bathroom layout is daft but the 868 has the sink over the wheel arch which means that someone with more than one half of a foot on only one leg can now have a shower.

 

Yes there are compromises; there always will be but we feel that we have it more or less right. So much so that we're planning on giving up this rented cottage after selling our chattels and then hitting the road for as long as my wife's health is good enough. She's lived on canal boats before so is used to moving and even though I am new to motorhoming I have camped before many a time mostly with tent on back. And as we have 240W of solar panels I can carry on working on board.

 

The only issues that I have is that I am trying to work out how to get network storage on the motorhome and it may not be feasible but I am looking into it. Anyway, we aim to be wandering around the UK and perhaps the continent for years to come and then when it's time for the better half to decide that she can't move any more then we'll rent someplace again near a decent hospital.