Want to buy a van

[KathyJ]

For some time now I have been researching buying a motorhome,I have visited showsand I have read all the MMM magazines noting the advice.I did a taster twenty minutes reversing a coachbuilt Bailey.At the taster the guy from the caravan club advised not to buy too small !. .Well I thought a conversion and I liked the rear lounge fancied relaxing during the day, Then I started to think about storage folding chairs and we also have a couple of folding bikes and looked at an Adria Twin SLX also a Globestar campsite. I would love to know what others think with those two models v having garage storage and 4 travelling seats making dinette , will it feel crowded and cramped.There are just the two of us and I want to be able to go off on my own.It is so hard it is impossible to have every convenience available so it's compromise time, also I have recently read about fiat gearbox problems since the 2007 models. I need to get a move on I keep overthinking and talk myself out of a purchase.I would prefer a low mileage pre owned no older than 5 years up to maximum £40,0000.would be a one and only purchase unless I won the lottery

Would love to hear from other contributors oh and what do people think of LPG tanks ?

 

[Brock]

Hi Kathy. Good to see you have done plenty of research already.

 

Adria and Globestar are both reputable makes with Adria probably being the better known in the UK because it has a range of motorhomes going up to A-class. The choice will come down to personal preference. I would take into account the dealer support you might get if buying from one.

 

To help sort out your compromises, make a list of things you can't have; such as costing over £40k, any size constraints wherever you will the park the van when not in use, how far you will travel to a dealer to sort out any issues - I have a limit of 2 hours travel. This will help you discount some vans.

 

Then make a list of things you must have, for me these would include 4 travel seats, single beds, good reputation for being damp-proof. Then a list of things you would like to have, for me these include Grade 3 insulation, gas/electric heater, 2-ringed hob, seatbelts for driver and front seat passenger, large size of water tanks and decent battery. You have to try and reflect what is suitable for you style of motorhoming. In effect, being specific in the compromises you are willing to make.

 

The guides in the Motorhome section of the Out&AboutLive website might be easier to follow than rummaging through back copies of magazines.

 

I don't use enough gas to justify LPG tanks so I'll pass on that question.

 

My wife and I motorhome in a 6mx2.34m motorhome with a single and double bed [drop down]. Suits us for the 'three weeks at any one time motorhoming' we do. Not sure whether it would be suitable for longer trips. My missus finds narrow vans claustrophobic so that rules out anything narrower than 2.2m. I do motorhome in the van on my own from time to time. If I had my way, a 6.3m long PVC would be what I'd buy especially if the dealer took my wife as part exchange!

 

Give us a bigger clue as to the type of motorhoming you will be doing.

[colin]

I'm a bit puzzled by your model naming, do you mean a Globecar Campscout?

This is what we have had for past 5 years, and I've penciled in another 5 years before we start looking for a new van. But what suits us might not suit you, I can tell you that gf suffers from claustrophobia and the slightly smaller vans with transverse bed are a no no for her, as we found out when hiring a WildAx Aurora.

We are soon to set of on the 'family holiday', the van will serve as base for 5 of us with tent for the surplus to sleep in (other years it has been 6), normally for just the two of us of an evening you will find me sitting in dinette reading a book or doing sudoku's whilst gf is sitting up on bed watching tv or reading kindle, anything but cramped in these conditions.

[KathyJ]

John thank you for your message very helpful damp would be awful I have smelt problems in some second hand caravans.I have made lists.whilst both my husband and I should be retired I work half a week my hubby is full time having a van might make us retire.I was planning to spend a week away every month.we live in Birmingham (there is an Adria agent in Redditch) and I have always wanted to stop and visit the places of interest on all those brown signs.

The last couple of years we have bought vouchers for special offers in hotels we took up one in Brighton the hotel £49 but it cost £30 a day to park the car,I have since found there is a camp site just outside Brighton with a bus stop near the entrance. One of my neighbours takes his caravan to a site just outside London then buses in and gets last minute theatre tickets.Also I have a friend who owns a caravan park near Alnwick whilst I have driven to see her I would prefer to break the journey and look up some more brown signs.My next step is to hire a couple of different vans for driving and looking better parked on our drive I would prefer a smallish van however for comfort on our travels we need a 6.3 m length van.

I'm sure you wouldn't part exchange your wife.

[flicka]

Hi KathyJ

With a £40k budget you should be able to buy the Adria Twin SLX as new or ex demonstrator, as you do not have a van to P/x.

There is also the Adria Sun Living Flexo models which are basically the same but a slightly cheaper range.

There is a Dealer just NE of Derby which isn't too far for you to travel. Geoff Cox Motorhomes @ Denby.

We have had our Adria Sport (coachbuilt) for 4 years & although a "budget range" model we have not experienced any problems relating to the Fiat base or the Adria conversion.

 

[Brock]

Kathy a few points.

 

Birmingham should be great for motorhoming because it is so central and the motorway ring sort of works so I'm guessing you can get anywhere pretty quickly. We lived in Kidderminster with Wales on one side and the M6/M5/M42 on the other. We had so many weekends away within an hour's drive. Our current house is just over a mile from a motorway slip road.

 

We bought our current van when I retired so I could use it alone and we could still go on holiday together outside term time as the missus worked at a school. It seems I was having too good a time and she quit work a year later.

 

Damp is less of an issue on Panel Vans although they can leak where the metal has been cut e.g. for windows, the door seals can leak, and the plumbing can leak. However, they are generally sound and trouble free. Storage will be tight in a Panel Van but others manage. Our 6m A-class has a garage and it would store bikes out of sight if we had them plus a bit more clutter. You might want to look at the narrow A-class models such as the Hymer ExsisI [shouldn't suffer from damp] which have garages and should be OK for a lone wolf - you can add a reversing camera.

 

And no, I wouldn't trade in my wife. She's fault free now and not suffering from damp!

 

 

[mikebeaches]

We have a Rapidly V68, which is a 6.4 m panel van conversion. It has twin fixed beds at the back and front dinette for 4 at the front, much like the Adria SLX and Globecar Campscout, both of which we considered.

 

We find the van comfortable with a surprisingly generous amount of storage. Previously had a low profile coachbuilt(see avatar) but the PVC feels much better at high speed on the motorway ( think white van man, and how fast they appear to go). The van conversion is more composed on the road, and of course drives OK in town and down interesting little country lanes. Good luck whatever you decide to buy.

 

By the way, if you want a similar layout but only 6 m long, check out the Dreamer D58, also by Rapido. You can see them on the Highbridge Caravans Website and are available new for about £38k.

[veletron]

Another vote for the Rapido PVC range, have had mine (Campereve variant, same as Rapido v55) for over a year and cant really fault it. That said, we dont tend to lounge in the van too much perfering to be outdoors! If you find the standard PVC too small, take a look at the CAMPEREVE Neo PVC with drop down bed and bigger lounge or the Dreamer/Campereve family van if you can cope with bunk beds + drop down bed up front, If you are wanting lots of lounging space in a PVC then perhaps a rear lounge that converts quickly to a bed would suit better?

 

Some narrower than normal coachbuilts from the likes of Swift, and the Benimar range worth a look too.

 

Nigel

[KathyJ]

Thank you Flicka I have noted your recommendations and will check them out.So far on my must have I have storage, fixed beds and don't laugh a place/ shelf for a glass when we are lounging on the beds quite a few others I think I could add after purchasing

[KathyJ]

Thank you Flicka I have noted your recommendations and will check them out.So far on my must have I have storage, fixed beds and don't laugh a place/ shelf for a glass when we are lounging on the beds quite a few others I think I could add after purchasing

[Guest pelmetman]

Buggered if I know why folk will blow 40k on a first van having never tried the hobby? 8-) ......

 

Especially when they can get a perfectly usable van for 10k to 15k or less......

 

Try it then sell and get most of your money back, or time it right and make a profit ;-) .......

 

This must be why there's so many hardly used vans on the moho dealers forecourts :D......

 

 

[KathyJ]

Thank you John , I will be looking at all recommendations especially as buying second hand this will give me more choice.I reckon Meriden site is closest to me as I have to learn motorhome etiquette I will also sign up for a manoeuvring course.

Ps Glad to hear your wife is faultless.

[KathyJ]

Dave I do know what you mean ,hence the research I am not saying we will be spending £40,000 however a little like buying a second hand car I don't want one to old.I have seen lots of barely used vans and whilst we were on holiday a fellow traveller told us his friend had made millions out of people/mugs like us.

My husband fancies a Volkswagen T5 a rep at his works has two , not sure why perhaps he and his wife holiday one each.Whilst I like the brand, the manoeuverilbily a portapotty and a rock and roll bed I will find testing. Look at it this way if after all my efforts I fail then some one will get a bargain.

[KathyJ]

Dave I do know what you mean ,hence the research I am not saying we will be spending £40,000 however a little like buying a second hand car I don't want one to old.I have seen lots of barely used vans and whilst we were on holiday a fellow traveller told us his friend had made millions out of people/mugs like us.

My husband fancies a Volkswagen T5 a rep at his works has two , not sure why perhaps he and his wife holiday one each.Whilst I like the brand, the manoeuverilbily a portapotty and a rock and roll bed I will find testing. Look at it this way if after all my efforts I fail then some one will get a bargain.

[KathyJ]

Thanks Nigel for all your ideas,I was thinking of an Auto cruise rear lounge with no dinette but storage too narrow for bromptons.Reading MMM I see there are lots of innovative mod les for 2017

[Guest pelmetman]

KathyJ - 2016-08-22 10:37 PM

 

Dave I do know what you mean ,hence the research I am not saying we will be spending £40,000 however a little like buying a second hand car I don't want one to old.I have seen lots of barely used vans and whilst we were on holiday a fellow traveller told us his friend had made millions out of people/mugs like us.

My husband fancies a Volkswagen T5 a rep at his works has two , not sure why perhaps he and his wife holiday one each.Whilst I like the brand, the manoeuverilbily a portapotty and a rock and roll bed I will find testing. Look at it this way if after all my efforts I fail then some one will get a bargain.

 

The thing is, the best research you will ever do is by doing it ;-) ........ie what you think is essential now, will soon change after you've done a season or two.........

I'm just trying to preserve the bulk of your 40k capital for the right van :-> .......

 

BTW you'll find most problems posted on this forum are for vans that are in the age range your looking at :D ............

 

 

[Mike88]

If you are a reasonably flexible person you can adapt to most layouts. There is a limit to the amount of research you can do because you don't really know what you might want until you actually experience it. Settle on the number of berths you require and just get on with it. You won't regret it.

[henrypartridge]

We've been living in our Globestar Camoscout for the last two months whole new home being built. The twin beds are fantastic, the cab seats and dinette are nit too cramped though not as super comfy as previous coachbuilt. The compromise is the shower which is a bit rubbish, but suffices if not on a site with shower. On the whole we're delighted with it.

[geordy paul]

I would sell you my Autocruise Accent for a bit less(but not much) than your budget.

Same layout you say you are looking for.

64reg, 11000(rising as is used often)

150bhp engine upgrade, tow bar, 100w solar panel.

I love it, perfect layout for us, lots of storage etc.

My wife is not happy driving it and wants to go back to a VW California.

Paul.

[goldi]

Good evening,

 

We had an Adria twin from 2008 to 2014 which was very good and we would still have but Mrs Goldi wanted more lounge space so we got a Globecar family scout L to give feet up relaxing. The globecar is 1 foot longer. Both are equally well built with pretty much the same kind of equipment. You must check the equipment levels as the Globecar like many German vehicle manufacturers have a long options list which might be standard fitting on the Adria, for example pay attention to the heating system as there are different specifications such as heating water whilst on hook up. also thigs like drip channel over the sliding door and cupholders in the bathroom.

 

norm