Coach build with slide outs?

[judderi]

Hi. Im in the market for a motorhome for my family 2 adults 2 children. Ive been looking for a long time now at various makes/models and designs and recently came across the auto-trek range which really impressed me. Up until now ive not seen any other coach build other than american RV's with slide outs. Does anyone know of any other makes and models with slide outs?

[Keithl]

Hi and welcome to the forum,

 

First I think you mean Moto-Trek and not auto-trek.

 

http://www.moto-trek.co.uk/products/x-cite-eb1

 

They claim to build the only slide out MH in the UK with a GVW of 3,500 kg meaning you can drive it on a 'Normal' car driving licence (without requiring Class C1).

 

BUT, and it is a big BUT, they quote payload as 481 kg. This will have to cater for all passengers (driver should already have been included but check). If your passengers weigh say 80 kg each then that is HALF your payload gone before you add any clothes or food, etc.

 

It is also only quoted as a 2/3 berth so where are you all going to sleep? And does it have 4 travel seats? It does not appear to have any rear belted seats by what I can see on-line so it will not be legal to carry any passengers in the rear.

 

Food for thought? I get the impression it is aimed at retired couples rather than young families looking at the website but I may be wrong.

 

HTH,

Keith.

[rolandrat]

Getting involved with slide outs needs careful consideration because what ever you see on the outside has to travel on the inside so this will limit internal space until the unit is sited. I once had a very large trailer with 3 slide outs which everyone admired when it was sited but once ready for the road was a very different ball game. The slide outs worked electro-hydraulic by push button and were fairly trouble free but on one occasion in particular an electronic wiz kid was needed to solve a problem as they refused to retract. Also consider that there could be some extra draughts because of the slide out apertures.

[PeteH]

Hi

 

The Americans have been building with slide-outs for 25 years or more. I have had 3 R-V`s (none with a slide-out). However having been in that "Family" I have some experience of what folk say about them.

 

The concept appears to be brilliant, and I too was initially enamoured. But it must be considered from the point of view of "horses for Courses".

 

Most owners are overall in favour, however drawbacks seen to be along the lines of. Draughty. especially in the more "northern" Climes, requiring MORE heating and gas/power consumption, Technical issues, especially (but not confined to) older units, Space restrictions when travelling. (what is outside on site has to come inside on the road).

 

I owned 2 in the UK (non Slide) at different times. And enjoyed the extra space and facilities. So when we where researching the purchase of one IN America for use travelling the USA. we initially looked ONLY at R-V`s with slides. Having looked, we quickly changed tack, Our intention was to Travel. NOT sit on sites for weeks on end, having slides meant more work setting up and breaking camp, having less room inside if we wished to overnight, or break for lunch on route. (without deploying a Slide). For example we made a lot of use of Walmart, where you can overnight for free, get your groceries etc, but where deploying a slide out (and some did) could cause issues.

 

I have no knowledge of the unit the OP is contemplating, but would "advise" that a lot of thought needs to go into any decision, and the primary concern would be that it SUITS the life style "you" envisage.

 

Pete

 

[ken the kontiki]

I sincerely hope Moto Trek have improved on their delivery times http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/moto-trek-delivery-schedule-a-word-of-warning-for-any-prospective-purchasers.91726/

[PeteH]

HI Following my Earlier post. May I suggest a look at this?.

 

 

 

http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/moto-trek-a-few-observations.111740/

 

 

Pete

[Derek Uzzell]

Regarding Europe-made motorhome constructors (other than Moto-Trek) that have produced vehicles with slide-outs, the UK manufacturer Manhattan Motorcoaches marketed the “Tardis” in the early 2000s

 

https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/reviews/motorhomes/details/motorhome-review-manhattan-tardis-on-fiat-ducato-28jtd/899171

 

Frankia has offered rear or side slide-outs as an option on their larger models and I think still does

 

http://www.caraworld.de/wohnmobile/frankia/holiday-class/4120845/frankia-holiday-class-t-650-ta-slide-out.html

 

http://suchen.mobile.de/wohnwagen-inserat/frankia-710-fd-vs-slide-out-automatik-erker-tandem-wolfhagen-niederelsungen/207434795.html

 

Adria recently announced the “Compact SLS”

 

 

and IH Motorhomes has a panel-van conversion with a side slide-out

 

http://www.ihmotorhomes.com/new-motorhomes/n-class/N630-SL

 

A slide-out adds cost and weight. There’s the very real (and obvious) potential for water ingress, and safe, easy and long-term reliable operation of the extension/retraction system needs careful engineering. I’d expect Frankia and Adria to be able to achieve the latter objectives with coachbuilt models given those companies' size and excellent build-quality reputation. I’d be more wary where a small converter is concerned.

[Geeco]

The Australian MH manufacturers seen to use a combination of Euro designs with a small amount of US design input. The obvious US input is the slide out. Now most of the locals offer a slide out option. If you are interested the brands to google are Jayco, Avan, Paradise,Wirraway Avida, Sunliner to name some.Putting aside the weight issue if you can make a bedroom easier to navigate in the middle of the night I think it does make sense. The US designs appear to have been pretty much "debugged" over the years. I have spoken to several owners of MH's fitted with slide outs and none complained of serious problems. Similarly there does not appear to be any chatter on the local forums I read.

Cheers,