KA16RYN Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Hi All, Was forwarded to this Forum by a Motorsport friend who said that it was a very friendly, enthusiastic and helpful site. So here goes.. We are both (Kathryn & Steve) new to Motorhoming, and have just ordered a new Auto-Trail Apache 700 with 6 Berths. Due to be delivered in March 16. We have camped many times and both love driving. We intend to get out and about quite alot, and have made plans for a number of trips from the middle of next year onwards. Just a couple of questions please to those far more experienced than us. When looking around for things to get for the Motorhome, do people wait until they get their new vehicle, then buy ? or do you get beforehand assuming everything will be fine ? What are the best things that we should consider first, ie : A Motorhome type Sat Nav, or a specific type of awning ? etc... Any help would be gratefully recieved and appreciated. What things should we definitely not do or buy before we recieve our vehicle. I apologise in advance, if these questions have been asked a thousand times by other new folk when initially starting up :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Hello and welcome to the forum. If you have bought the Media Pack with your new Autotrail, (most folk seem to) it comes with a SatNav. Some folk like it, some don't, but I wouldn't buy another one until you've tried it out. The Apache range also includes a roll out awning. Personally, I wouldn't buy anything until I had the van and used it a few times. It's only then you'll know if you need any extras. Keep a note of all the times you say "what we need is a ....." You can be sure you'll want folding chairs for sitting outside, but if you're not certain about storage in the van, you might want to wait for them as well. Good luck and enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Hi and welcome to our madhouse! There is a lot to be said for spending your very first night in the van at home on your own driveway. That way not only can you make sure that all mains, 12 volt, water and gas systems work properly but anything you need from home will be close at hand. The shopping list for the things you think you need or just prefer to leave in the van full time to ease the loading and unloading process can be compiled at leisure and any tools needed to fix the things the dealer should have prior to delivery will also be handy. We make a point of spending our first night in a 'new' van at or very close to the supplying dealer then when something fails or does not work we don't have far to go back to get it soerted. We only ever buy recent used rather than new but the principle still applies, however it is not so easy with your first van as you don't know what you will need until it's too late to supplement it which is why I suggest your first night at home. Views on what to take with you or not and on sat navs are many and varied and the search facility on here will throw up much reading if you enter emotive words like, 'caravan club', 'sites', 'sat nav', 'battery', 'payload','electric', 'water', 'duvalay', or anything else that you would like to know more about. Be aware that clutter expands to fill the available spaces, and that payload can be a huge issue on modern vans so it is worth visiting a weighbridge when fully laden in holiday mode to see whether you are still legal. Happy reading! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 I agree with all of the above :-D hang fire until you suss out what storage space you have. I would just make a list of things you know you will need like bedding, we now use a duvet and we started off by buying sleeping bags ! you know you will need crockery you just have to decide what you prefer! we use melamine as you can get some lovely patterns now and you dont have to worry about breakages!! but it is a personal thing , some people take china! cutlery , you want a set that you leave in the van and I found a lighter set for there. You know how long you want to stay on site once you get the van! so if you are like us the longest 3 days, you wont want the hassle of an awning! we have a Thule roll out and that suits us fine, we do have a front piece that we can thread through and peg down if we want shade or privacy . Just get the basics and then make notes of the things you need as has already been said. :-D you will love it so enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KA16RYN Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 Thank you all for replying. We thought as much that it would be best to wait until the MH arrives before doing any hasty purchases. I will take the vehicle to a weighbridge, just to make sure that it is indeed near the Manufacturers weights. I didn’t think we’d get near it’s 850kgs payload but always best to be sure it’s "holiday mode” weight. With regard staying in the vehicle overnight on the drive. The dealer we bought the vehicle from is putting us up in a Caravan Club Camping Site, just a few miles down the road FOC on the day of collection and has assured us that any issues can be sorted out fairly quickly. Thank you all again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 850 kgs is indeed a very healthy payload but an 'extras' fitted both by the converter and added by yourselves will eat into that and as the converters are allowed a '5% tolerance' the actual payload that you have might well be a lot less. Nevertheless for two people even we would have trouble finding 700 kgs worth of clutter to take with us - whereas I don't doubt a family of 6 would easily fill it to capacity! The use of a CC site night from the dealer is a very nice gesture - if only all dealers were that thoughtful - and it bodes well so lets just hope that all goes to plan! A small bottle of toilet fluid usually comes with a new van to get you going! Have you got a gas bottle or is that too part of the deal? If you have not got gas bottles and will need to buy them car boot sales are chaeper than paying the Calor 'rental' fee but you might also consider refillable gas bottles - again using the search facilty will throw up lots of differing view points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 If your first night is at a campsite, you'll need water, gas and electric hookup cable to test all the equipment. Might be worth asking the dealer if the van comes with a spare wheel. Happy camping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willy Wonka Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Congratulations on your new purchase. I haven't a clue whether your new vehicle has a spare wheel or not but if it hasn't I'd ask the Dealer to supply one – the blow-up gunge kit supplied with many new MHs, in my opinion, is neither use nor ornament. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KA16RYN Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 Looking in the brochure and the details we discussed with the dealer, it is in fact an 895kg payload. Agreed one has to manage the number of people coming and their weights, mostly ours will be 4 (kids) in total, but the occasional 6 with the older kids. We also thought that the dealers offer to put us up was a nice “customer service” touch. How it will continue is another thing but we were indeed grateful for them offering this. I suppose the biggest issue we will find is the driving of a nearly 4 Ton Vehicle that you own, and it's size. All part of the challenges that we are looking forward to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KA16RYN Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 Robbo - 2015-11-23 1:06 PM If your first night is at a campsite, you'll need water, gas and electric hookup cable to test all the equipment. Might be worth asking the dealer if the van comes with a spare wheel. Happy camping. Yes it does.. I have already ticked and checked that a spare wheel is supplied and attached to the vehicle. I’ll check the your first points your raise. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 No criticism here....just a question. Have you got the correct licence to drive it. C1 licence up to 3.5t gross, C1E licence for up to 7.5t gross which you will need. Welcome to the forum and to motorhoming. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KA16RYN Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 nowtelse2do - 2015-11-23 3:59 PM No criticism here....just a question. Have you got the correct licence to drive it. C1 licence up to 3.5t gross, C1E licence for up to 7.5t gross which you will need. Welcome to the forum and to motorhoming. Dave Hi Dave, Being born in the 60’s I would hope so. But a quick check of my licence says i’m fine till 2032.. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 KA16RYN - 2015-11-23 4:12 PM nowtelse2do - 2015-11-23 3:59 PM No criticism here....just a question. Have you got the correct licence to drive it. C1 licence up to 3.5t gross, C1E licence for up to 7.5t gross which you will need. Welcome to the forum and to motorhoming. Dave Hi Dave, Being born in the 60’s I would hope so. But a quick check of my licence says i’m fine till 2032.. Thank you. Keith pointed out to me on another thread that I had made a mistake. The correct licence for vehicles up to 3.5t is a group B one and 'NOT' a C1. Hope this clarifies my mistake. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geeco Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Hi Kathryn & Steve, Congrats on your new purchase, If you are as happy with your AT as we are you will have a lot of good adventures. We collected our first MH last January. The second bedroom was awash with all the bits & pieces we had purchased for the "new arrival". My Sister and Hubby have a caravan so we had a head start on what was needed. First thing to buy is a kettle that works on you gas hobs so you can use it off grid to make a nice cuppa. After you have spent a few days with the awning out you will be aware that they are not so happy when the wind blows more than a light breeze. I guess they are light to save weight. Four tie ropes, an antiflap kit and a centre rafter will fix that nicely. We purchased two fold up comfortable chairs and a Webber Baby Q BBQ to connect into the external gas fitting standard on the AT. Oh yes you will need a small lightweight fold away table for the barby & a bottle of good French bubbly to "wet the baby's head". Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 Hi KA16RYN There are a few "essentials" you can pre-purchase as they normally will not be included & you (as a first timer) would not necessarily have access to at home. Electric Hook-up Lead, Gas Bottle(s), Fresh Water Hose, Levelling Ramps, come to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted November 25, 2015 Share Posted November 25, 2015 flicka - 2015-11-25 10:37 PM Hi KA16RYN There are a few "essentials" you can pre-purchase as they normally will not be included & you (as a first timer) would not necessarily have access to at home. Electric Hook-up Lead, Gas Bottle(s), Fresh Water Hose, Levelling Ramps, come to mind. As far as I know every new van comes with a mains hook up lead in it, some vans have been known to include a filling hose and you might well be able to blag some other bits from the supplying dealers accessory shop if they have one, or from their store of bits removed from trade ins, or at least a worthwile discount, given the amount of money you are spending with them. It's gotta be worth the asking before you spend your own cash on these 'essentials'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pampam Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Theres also an autotrail owners club thats very usefull too hope you enjoy your 700 i still miss my arapaho good luck in your travels pp:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted November 26, 2015 Share Posted November 26, 2015 Congratulations on your purchase, we too have an Autotrail and have been very pleased with our Dealer and the 'no quibble' way any problems were sorted out, A Good Dealer is worth their weight, Hope yours is the same. Ours is 'Continental' at Crosshands Wales, Recommend them. Agree with a lot of the above 'needs' a reasonable length of hose, (at least 20ft),to fill the fresh water tank, plus a set of plastic tap fittings/attachments. You will need gas, recommend you get 'Propane Gas' (red bottle) rather than Butane (blue bottle) as it 'gasses off' (ie. Flows) at very low tempratures, whereas Butane freezes and stops flowing. Unless you go for 'Self fill' of course. If you intend to use it in the winter ? I would recommend getting 'tank heaters' fitted (they are an Autotrail 'extra' on the Apache, I think ?) to stop the water freezing in the tanks. The other thing that I didn't have fitted from new, is rear corner steadies, and I wish I had. As I now have to faff around with seperate corner jacks. These stop the rear of the van moving about on its suspension, when you are parked up. Hope you enjoy your new van ! Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 Rayjsj - 2015-11-26 9:09 PM Congratulations on your purchase, we too have an Autotrail and have been very pleased with our Dealer and the 'no quibble' way any problems were sorted out, A Good Dealer is worth their weight, Hope yours is the same. Ours is 'Continental' at Crosshands Wales, Recommend them. Agree with a lot of the above 'needs' a reasonable length of hose, (at least 20ft),to fill the fresh water tank, plus a set of plastic tap fittings/attachments. You will need gas, recommend you get 'Propane Gas' (red bottle) rather than Butane (blue bottle) as it 'gasses off' (ie. Flows) at very low tempratures, whereas Butane freezes and stops flowing. Unless you go for 'Self fill' of course. If you intend to use it in the winter ? I would recommend getting 'tank heaters' fitted (they are an Autotrail 'extra' on the Apache, I think ?) to stop the water freezing in the tanks. The other thing that I didn't have fitted from new, is rear corner steadies, and I wish I had. As I now have to faff around with seperate corner jacks. These stop the rear of the van moving about on its suspension, when you are parked up. Hope you enjoy your new van ! Ray Doubt if same dealer as you , as she lives in East Sussex Ray But a good dealer in that area is Johns Cross, we have found them very helpful with spares and accessories PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinlizzie Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 A bottle of fizz to christen it with is a must. Keith and I were newbies this year. Things we have bought are: Wine goblets(polycarbonate) Leveling ramps A bike A BBQ - but are on the lookout for an outdoor electric one now A Satnav -(Garmin) Table and chairs and a windbreak(but you probably have them from camping) Of course it can all wait till you have a few trips under your belt as others advise - but buying bits is all part of the fun for me Enjoy Lizzie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugga Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 I bet your so excited KA16RYN that all you can think about is holidays. I wish you luck with your purchase and many, many miles of wonderful travel. Its a lovely way of life, we wouldn't be without our Carol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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