chausson 630

[tazdog6007]

Hi all,taken delivery of a new 630.with two single dropdown beds.solving the hassle with the transverse in the 610 flash which we traded in.being a welcome model it came with a lot more good features.with the great storage and bathroom from the 610. awning.solar,and gaslow system added,completes the picture.HOWEVER......the positions of the electric power outlets is a madness.only one in the kitchen area,the others put in odd places,except the garage,which is useful.so spent a couple of hours wiring in an extra double socket in kitchen area .all now seems o.k. first run out next week, will post again after this livin test.

[Shadowhood]

Hi tazdog6007

How are you getting on with your 630? It'd be great to hear how people are getting on with it after living with it for a few months.

We're newbies after only hiring a couple of vans and got the serious bug for it and going to have a demo of one of the 630 tonight at Knowepark, Livingston. We've narrowed our search down to 2 models that suit us - the 6.99m Chausson 630 or the 5.99m Adria Compact SLS slide-out.

[mgnbuk]

I have a 2017 Welcome 610 - similar in most regards to the 630 apart from the bed arrangement IIRC.

 

So far only 9 nights away, but a couple of points you may wish to investigate when you go for a look :

 

The bathroom sink - all but useless to have a good wash, as it is small, shallow & obstructed by a large square tap that doesn't swivel.

 

The Webasto heating - belts out the heat, but difficult to get even heat distribution, is noisey in operation (internal fan howls at high settings + external fuel pump "ticking" constantly when operating). The bathroom heat outlet position gives a very warm toilet base & not much else - had to revert to a fan heater earlier in the year to get warmth near the shower. Seems to use quite a bit of diesel as well, though difficult to check accurately.

 

The (very useable) wardrobe is unheated - noticed condensation in there (presumably from using the shower) after a couple of nights earlier in the year. Clothes came out cold & feeling damp.

 

Rear axle - I am running at around 1970kg, which is not a problem on the Ford chassis I have (2250 max) but is a bit close to the Fiat's 2000kg max. Pretty well all the storage (wardrobe & garage) is behind the rear axle - it would be very easy to be tempted to use the space & find yourself overweight.

 

Talking of overweight - I would take the quoted payload with a pinch of salt. I seem to have "lost" around 100kg from the published value somewhere & am having to work hard to stay under 3500kg - can't travel with anything more than around 1/3 of a tank of fresh water & still right on the limit. Be wary of adding "toys" like awnings etc. I have a towbar & a solar panel and nothing else (no TV even) & use a lot of the lightweight cooking utensils etc. from motorcycle touring days, so thought I packed light ! I have gone from a van that had a surplus of payload & not enough space to use it (Roller Team T-Line 670) to one that has vast amounts of space & not enough payload to be able to use it.

 

If you are thinking of getting the Euro 6 Transit version, I strongly recommend a good test drive on the types of roads you expect to use, at the speeds you normally travel at. I find the 170 Transit to be very overgeared & am stirring the gearshift far more than I did on a 130 hp Ducato. The cab isn't great from a habitation point of view either, compared to the X250 I had before - the floor isn't flat, the roofline stowage bins are a "headbanging" annoyance moving from cab to hab, the swivel seats require the steering wheel to be collapsed to get clearance on the driver's side & rub on the B post trims. The cab seats are also 2 - 3 " lower than the hab seats - an issue if you want to use the table from them. Economy so far is no better than my Ducato was + it now needs Adblue (which it seems to be using at more than twice the rate Ford's publicity blurb suggests - 8 litres for the first 1000 miles). Still early days, but it has also used a litre of oil in the first 1000 miles (the Fiat used none).

 

If it doesn't grow on me during our upcoming Continental trips, I can see the NEC show being an expensive day out.

 

Nigel B

[PJay]

Have to agree re payloads. We found out after 10 years of using van , that we where over weigh when loaded The weigh stated does not include things like awnings, gas bottles water, etc So if you are restricted to 3500, be very careful . Fortunately in the ten years we never got stopped and weighed !! We have taken of the roof air con , which was very heavy, and reduced what we carry. OH used to have lots of tools. Now just have the odd screwdriver, pliers .

Salesmen do not warn you about weight, they just want a sale SO be aware

 

PJay

[Derek Uzzell]

Shadowhood - 2017-06-21 12:08 PM

 

...We've narrowed our search down to 2 models that suit us - the 6.99m Chausson 630 or the 5.99m Adria Compact SLS slide-out.

 

Welcome to the Out&AboutLive forums, Hugh.

 

You haven’t said whether you are interested in a Ford or Fiat-based Chausson 630 model (like Nigel, tazdog6007 has the former variant) as the on-road performance will differ between the two.

 

The Chausson and Adria are both ‘unconventional’, with the Chausson having ceiling-mounted drop-down single beds and the Adria having single beds in a rear slide-out. I hesitate to say this, but do you really NEED the extra complication as, if single beds are a priority, you should be able to identify a ’traditional’, simpler twin-single-bed design with a length under 7 metres (eg. Adria’s Compact Plus SL or Compact Axess SL.) Innovation is fine, but not if it results in unreliability...

[Shadowhood]

Hi Nigel

 

Thank you for your input. It sounds like you aren't pleased with the quality of build from Chausson. I've been to the NEC show last year and Yorkshire show this year and going by what a few non-Chausson dealers are saying it was like Chausson was leading the field in innovations and layouts. The 630 layout appealed to us. But your comments have really opened my eyes now and I'm now going in to tonights demo with a very open mind instead of being blinkered by just the layout. I'll definitely check on the things you mentioned with a wee list of my own.

 

Thanks again mate.

[Shadowhood]

Derek Uzzell - 2017-06-21 1:47 PM

 

Welcome to the Out&AboutLive forums, Hugh.

 

You haven’t said whether you are interested in a Ford or Fiat-based Chausson 630 model (like Nigel, tazdog6007 has the former variant) as the on-road performance will differ between the two.

 

The Chausson and Adria are both ‘unconventional’, with the Chausson having ceiling-mounted drop-down single beds and the Adria having single beds in a rear slide-out. I hesitate to say this, but do you really NEED the extra complication as, if single beds are a priority, you should be able to identify a ’traditional’, simpler twin-single-bed design with a length under 7 metres (eg. Adria’s Compact Plus SL or Compact Axess SL.) Innovation is fine, but not if it results in unreliability...

 

I've just noticed the quote button.

 

Thanks Derek. It was the Ford chassis we were looking at. We rented two Fiat based vans and found them a bit noisy so was looking at the Ford. We haven't tested it yet so will definitely have to try it first. As I've previously stated we are Newbies to this.

 

How unreliable are the drop down beds? I haven't heard anything about people having difficulty with them, but then again this is just the first MH forum I've joined. I thought the technology on the Adria slide out looked good, as it was a smooth and tight movement along with an awning above it to catch debris etc.

 

My wife likes the space that the Chausson 630 has, however I like the length of the Adria for quick weekend getaway's, ferries and parking etc. We've been to the NEC last year (for 8 hours!) and the Northern show in Harrogate this year and tried almost every layout we could think of. For us, the priority is the bed and the rear garage. The bed would have to be 160cm or larger on a double which so far for our budget of £50-£60k is either in a Chausson or an Adria or two singles (70cm+ each). But as you said, the single twins above a raised garage that converts to a large double would also be fine, however, at 6'2" I found myself hitting my head on the roof on any raised garage when sitting up in bed.

 

So if anyone has any recommendations, please help!

 

Needs;

Rear garage

400kg+ payload

Large bed configuration either 160cm+ on a double or single's that can join together to make large bed but be low enough not hit head on roof.

 

We're heading to the show again on the Friday this October so I'm willing to wait until the new 2018 models are out.

 

Never knew buying a new van would be this hard.

[Shadowhood]

PJay - 2017-06-21 1:04 PM

 

Have to agree re payloads. We found out after 10 years of using van , that we where over weigh when loaded The weigh stated does not include things like awnings, gas bottles water, etc So if you are restricted to 3500, be very careful . Fortunately in the ten years we never got stopped and weighed !! We have taken of the roof air con , which was very heavy, and reduced what we carry. OH used to have lots of tools. Now just have the odd screwdriver, pliers .

Salesmen do not warn you about weight, they just want a sale SO be aware

 

PJay

 

Thanks PJ.

 

Can the new RV chassis be uprated? I've a pre-92 license so I can drive heavier. How much do you think the manufacturer would charge for this. Probably better to just cut some "stuff" down. I'll have to sit my wife down to tell her this - she thinks we'll move the house in to it.

[PJay]

Shadowhood - 2017-06-21 3:35 PM

 

PJay - 2017-06-21 1:04 PM

 

Have to agree re payloads. We found out after 10 years of using van , that we where over weigh when loaded The weigh stated does not include things like awnings, gas bottles water, etc So if you are restricted to 3500, be very careful . Fortunately in the ten years we never got stopped and weighed !! We have taken of the roof air con , which was very heavy, and reduced what we carry. OH used to have lots of tools. Now just have the odd screwdriver, pliers .

Salesmen do not warn you about weight, they just want a sale SO be aware

 

PJay

 

Thanks PJ.

 

Can the new RV chassis be uprated? I've a pre-92 license so I can drive heavier. How much do you think the manufacturer would charge for this. Probably better to just cut some "stuff" down. I'll have to sit my wife down to tell her this - she thinks we'll move the house in to it.

 

We upgraded to 3500, Which is the maximum we can drive (over 70)

You could contact SV Tec re upgrading

PJay

 

PS we only use our van abroad , and they do have shops if you NEED anything It's surprising how little you can manage with, we go away for 2/3 months at a time, and manage with care

PJay

[mgnbuk]

" It sounds like you aren't pleased with the quality of build from Chausson."

 

Build quality seems fine, it is the attention to detail that rankles. Some things appear to be done the way they are to look good in the brochure (the sink, for example) or tick certain boxes (two rear travel seats - which impacts payload & robs locker space) rather than be designed to work by someone who has used a motorhome.

 

The sink defies description & I don't know how I missed it when we were looking (Mrs B thinks the older model we looked round may have had a different sink or tap (or both)) - just putting a swivel spout tap at the wall end of the sink (instead of a fixed tap in the middle) would have made things so much better.

 

I can't see the point of the two belted rear travel seats - the van has barely enough payload for two, let alone four. The steel seatbelt support structure must be quite heavy & the side locker is abreviated to get leg room for the seat nearest the wall. The abreviated locker is just big enough for an Ultrastore water heater & I suspect the reason for the diesel heating is the lack of locker space to fit a Combi 4. Leaving out the belted seats that many (or maybe most ?) will never use would give additional payload & allow a larger locker to be fitted, with enough room for a Combi.

 

The heating outlets seem to have been placed for convenience of manufacture, rather than the optimum position for effective heating.

 

On the "good things" side, the drop down bed is roomy & comfortable, the shower roomy and (despite initial misgivings about the shower head design) works well. The habitation area travels without too many rattles (the ceiling mounted TV bracket is the main culprit, with a supporting cast of the hob cover, drop-down bed cable drum & side window blinds). The walls, floor & roof are well insulated (for both heat & sound) & it is a pleasant place to be from a decor point of view. Fit & finish are generally pretty good.

 

The Ford is noticably quieter than my former X250, wind & road noise isn't intrusive & the ride is more compliant (though it doesn't tow my bike trailer as well as a result - bumps set the chassis pitching, which the firmer Fiat didn't). Cab heating, aircon & ventilation are good. The Ford dash is easy to read in conditions encountered up to now & the cruise control is easier to use (set point speed displayed & it holds speed better on hills). The speedo appears to be a constant 2 mph optimistic (the Fiat was 8% or so - both compared against sat-nav). Underbonnet access is easier (ignition key used to open the bonnet from outside), with more room for topping up fluids.

 

Overall, the attention to detail issues are disappointing & spoil what is so nearly what we were looking for. For me, this layout on a Fiat camper chassis, built as a pure 2 berth to give 200kg more payload & with a Combi 4 would be near perfect - but they don't make one of those !

 

Nigel B

[Shadowhood]

Some more great input Nigel, thanks again.

We went for our 'demo' tonight, which consisted of the salesman operating the drop down beds and then leaving us to get to know the unit. He didn't show us any heating etc. How does the diesel heating system work in this then? The 2 vans we've hired have been Truman electric/gas heating but I'm not sure about the diesel heating. Does that mean that it uses engine diesel instead of bottled gas? Does it then switch to electric after a while like the Truman?

I see what you meant about the bathroom sink. Probably fine for washing your hands but nothing else. Like you said I could not see any heating in the wardrobe either. Also we saw only one 240v socket under the sink!

I thought the unit we would see was a Ford chassis but instead it was a Fiat 130bhp so the cab seat heights were ok.

The space inside was fantastic though.

I asked the salesman for a test drive of a Ford based Chausson, so he's going to phone me tomorrow to arrange one.

I'm looking forward to seeing the Adria Compact in a week or so time. Positively cramped compared to the Chausson but a huge payload and Truma heating.

 

[mgnbuk]

"How does the diesel heating system work in this then?"

 

Yes, it takes diesel from the vehicle tank. Control is by the black & red circular dial next to the main control panel. It uses 12V to start up and run (quite a large current draw to start - even on hookup the lights flash/flicker while the glow pin is heating up and again when it is about to turn off), but has no mains element - all the time it is providing heat it is burning diesel & using 12V. The unit you viewed may not have had a habitation battery fitted, so couldn't be demonstrated ?

 

Ascertaining the actual amount of fuel used is difficult & the nearest estimate I came up with (comparing calculated mpg difference after a fill-up with the van on-board computer estimate) was that I used 9 litres over 6 nights at the Easter & May Day holidays. Webasto quote usage being between 0.18 & 0.6 litres an hour, which sounds a lot but it works by blowing very hard to start off to get up to temperature (the sensor is near the control panel light switches), then ramps down as the van warms up. Given the good insulation, the warmth is retained well. I don't think the thermostat is as responsive as the Truma though - a much wider range between knocking off when warm & starting up again when cooler.

 

Ours has 3 x 240v sockets - one under the kitchen worktop, one next to the TV point & one at the end of the base unit behind the front passenger seat. Only one 12v socket (by the TV point), though there is a dual USB charging point in the trim panel above the front passenger seat.

 

Inside space is good & it is also very light - the big front vent + Midi Heki over the kitchen + door window give an even light in daylight despite the bed covering the ceiling over the middle of the van & the all Led lighting is good as well. With mine being the Welcome spec. it has additional "ambient" lighting that looks good - a bit too bright if all the lights are on if anything. Only "iffy" parts to the lighting are the "reading lights" in the cab area that point into the footwells & don't illuminate where you sit in the swivelled cab seats (useful as a nightlight when using the bed at it's lowest setting, though - the light over the bed is on the ceiling & inaccessible without standing on the bed when it is set low) & the wardrobe light. In the earlier van we looked at, the wardrobe light was run from the 12v supply & switched by the wardrobe doors. It gave good, even, illumination of the wardrobe all the time either door was open. The 2017 model came with a tiny battery operated Led light that supposedly operates by detecting movement. To get it to come on requires much arm waving in it's gereal direction & when it does come on, illumination is limited & it turns off too quickly on a timer (to save the batteries ?). Definately a backwards step from the earlier model here.

 

Good luck with your search !

 

Nigel B

[Derek Uzzell]

Shadowhood - 2017-06-21 3:35 PM

 

PJay - 2017-06-21 1:04 PM

 

Have to agree re payloads. We found out after 10 years of using van , that we where over weigh when loaded The weigh stated does not include things like awnings, gas bottles water, etc So if you are restricted to 3500, be very careful . Fortunately in the ten years we never got stopped and weighed !! We have taken of the roof air con , which was very heavy, and reduced what we carry. OH used to have lots of tools. Now just have the odd screwdriver, pliers .

Salesmen do not warn you about weight, they just want a sale SO be aware

 

PJay

 

Thanks PJ.

 

Can the new RV chassis be uprated? I've a pre-92 license so I can drive heavier. How much do you think the manufacturer would charge for this. Probably better to just cut some "stuff" down. I'll have to sit my wife down to tell her this - she thinks we'll move the house in to it.

 

I think Pauline (P Jay) is referring to ‘uprating’ a motorhome’s maximum authorised overall weight retrospectively, rather than when a new vehicle is to be bought. This approach is understandable if a motorhome proves to be low on useable payload after it has been purchased, but it would be highly inadvisable (“daft" is probably a better word) to deliberately choose to buy a new motorhome believing that its payload will probably be inadequate but it could later be uprated.

 

Identifying a new motorhome’s usable payload can be far from easy - there’s no rigid standardisation regarding the criteria motorhome manufacturers will use to define a model’s Mass In Running Order (MIRO) and cataloques/brochures often don’t help. Chausson isn’t too bad in this respect - though one needs to dig a bit to find the data.

 

A 2017 630 model can constructed on a Ford or Fiat base and be in “Flash” or “Welcome” trim.

 

Chausson’s documentation indicates that the Ford version can be specified on a 3500kg or a 4100kg Transit chassis with 130hp or 170hp 2.0litre motor. The MIRO is given as 3014kg (Flash) or 3100kg (Welcome).

 

The Fiat version can be specified on a 3500kg, a 3650kg, or a 4250kg Ducato chassis with 130hp, 150hp, or 180hp 2.3litre motor. The MIRO is given as 2988kg (Flash) or 3074kg (Welcome).

 

Chausson defines the MIRO as follows:

 

“Weight ready for use: empty weight ready for use includes the driver’s weight (75 kg) and the maximum reserve of water in circulation, 90% of fuel and 100% of gas. The empty weights ready for use on the list take into account only standard equipment upon shipment from the factory. European regulations tolerate a difference of +/- 5% on empty weight ready for use. The vehicle maker reserves the right to modify. Accessories and equipments fitted as an option are not included when determining the weight. Their weight should therefore be deducted from the available payload.”

 

For a motorhome with a MIRO of around 3000kg "a difference of +/- 5% on empty weight ready for use” equates to around 150kg, so it’s not difficult to see how Nigel’s Chausson could be some 100kg heavier than the quoted MIRO datum.

 

I’ve not driven a Euro 6 Transit, but a a driver’s view of a vehicle’s gearing can be very subjective. My 2015 Ducato-based Rapido’s overall gearing is relatively low and this was immediately evident when I first drove it. It could usefully have a 7th gear for cruising at 70mph on flat motorways but, for a motorhome, I’d much rather have ‘under gearing’ rather than ‘over gearing’. My Rapido is able to retain speed well in 6th gear (at, say, 60mph) even up long inclines and it’s very docile at low speeds.

 

Despite being built to strict tolerances, modern motors do require a while to free up and Nigel may find that things improve with time. Although ‘only’ 2.0litre-capacity the 168bhp and 405Nm at 1750rpm of the Transit’s most powerful powerplant SHOULD equate to good on-road performance even when dragging along a 3.5tonne motorhome. It’s possible that Nigel’s Transit has an ‘overdrive’ 6th-gear ratio and 5th gear will be needed more than he likes or (Heaven forbid!) there’s something wrong with the motor that’s preventing it producing full power. (Even if the vehicle regularly needs a downshift from 6th gear, it should be apparent from how it accelerates in the lower gears whether it’s lacking oomph.)

 

Regarding Adria weights, I can’t find anything wonderfully helpful. The Fiat Ducato ‘light’ camping-car chassis is often offered with a 3500kg or 3650kg maximum overall weight, but Adria seems to stick to the 3500kg figure for Compact models. Personally, I’d choose Adria over Chausson, but I’d be wary of any design involving 'slide-outs’ simply because of this feature’s potential for water ingress.

 

Historically, the heating system used by Chausson has comprised a diesel-fuelled appliance (Webasto or Eberspacher) dedicated to air-heating and with no 230V capability, plus a separate Truma gas-fuelled boiler dedicated to water-heating (possibly a gas/230V water-boiler for the UK market). Nigel will be able to confirm if his Chausson’s Webasto applliance can heat water as well as air.

 

I don’t recall ever seeing a motorhome wardrobe that was specifically heated, though putting a heater in a wardrobe-base would plainly warm the space above the heater, while siting a wardrobe directly against a bathroom wall (or actually within the bathroom-area itself) could well invite condensation forming inside the wardrobe.

 

A number of 2018 motorhome ‘collections’ have already been announced - for example

 

https://www.practicalmotorhome.com/news/46112-new-for-2018-chausson-motorhomes

 

http://www.campingcarlesite.com/camping-car-neuf

 

so some worthwhile research on 2018 models should currently be practicable.

[mgnbuk]

Derek,

 

The Webasto is an Air Top Evo 55 & is only a space heater - water heating is by a gas + electric Truma Ultrastore.

 

I am mindful of the need to get some miles on to bed the engine in & also wonder if Ford have engineered-in a "running in" restriction in the engine management system, as the Owner's handbook specifically mentions not attempting to measure fuel consumption until a minimum of 2000 miles have been covered.

 

Re: the gearing. Both 5th and 6th appear to be "overdrive". There is a big gap between 4th & 5th & you need to be doing over 50 in 4th before shifting to 5th, where 50 mph indicated shows 1600 rpm. An indicated 60 in 6th also shows 1600 rpm - both being below the rated peak torque revs. It will sit at 50 in 5th & 60 in 6th on the level or down an incline, but doesn't like going up an incline without a downshift & acceleration from 1600 rpm on the flat is leisurely at best. It is happier at 70 in 6th (not a lot of good when I am towing) & I wonder if the gearing has been left the same as the panel vans, where "White van Man" would be keeping 70+ in normal operation. Emissions testing probably also plays a part - consumption does appear to increase dramatically running in 4th. I don't think I am down on power - starting off from standstill has to be accomplished with a degree of caution on the throttle if wheelspin (and pronounced torque-steer) is to be avoided. Once moving, it is noticably quicker accelerating than the 130 Fiat going up through the gears, but it may be that the EMS limits the torque in the higher gears at the moment to prevent overloading until the engine has some miles on it. I will find out on my next tour, which will add another 2000+ miles in the 3 weeks away.

 

With the 130 Fiat being quite low geared (2400 @ 60 IIRC), I found that I rarely had to drop out of 6th on motorways & had instant extra "go" if required with a nudge of the throttle. I was expecting the 170 Ford to be more forgiving, but current performance is far less so. Unfortunately, at the time I ordered there were no Euro 6 Ford demonstrators available & the local Chausson dealers had only forward-ordered the 610s on the Ford chassis, so I didn't have the option of getting a Welcome 610 on the Fiat chassis.

 

Nigel B

 

[Derek Uzzell]

Nigel

 

I doubt that the power output of the latest Transit’s motors is ‘governed’ until a predefined mileage has been reached (though I believe the torque of the Transit 140PS 2.4litre motor used to be restricted in 1st gear to protect the transmission).

 

50mph at 1600rpm equates to 31.25mph per 1000rpm, while 60mph at 1600rpm equates to 37.5mph per 1000rpm. My Rapido’s 6th gear produces about 26mph per 1000rpm, which explains why my Rapido (like your Ducato 130bhp motorhome) can romp up long motorway slopes in top gear but your Transit-based Chausson will not (and why I could make productive use of a 7th gear).

 

The Euro 6 Transit Mk 8 is marketed in FWD or RWD format and (if the preceding version is anything to go by) a limited range of final-drive ratios is provided for each configuration. I’m guessing that your Chausson will have the lowest final-drive ratio available for a FWD Transit Mk 8 but (as was certainly the case with my 2005 FWD Transit-based Hobby) this won't necessarily result in ’nice’ gearing for average motorcaravannng. (If you have the vehicle’s Type Approval Certificate of Conformity, this may reveal what its gear ratios are.)

 

You might try asking about the high gearing (and possible power output restriction) on the Ford Transit forum

 

http://fordtransit.org/forum/

 

as some of the members have good access to Ford technical data.

[Shadowhood]

Just got a phone call from Roseisle (Adria dealers) that they have had delivery of the SLS slide out, so going along to look at it tomorrow. Will follow on with a newbie report as soon as.

[Shadowhood]

Well, the saga of buying a first new motorhome continues. Went to see the slide out Adria, and I should have know better for us, it was small. I'm no shrinking violet at 6'2" and so banged my head several times at the bed slide out end. No way I could sit up on the bed anywhere, it was tight even turning over! It would be great for some folk though, what a great design and the slide out technology looks great. The rubber seals one the slide out guides and also the seal round the slide out section itself are really tight and with good maintenance should be leak tight for a long time. As usual in Scotland there was a 20+ mph wind hitting the back of the slide out so it was a perfect time to check for any wind ingress to which there was nothing. Noise was also quiet. If you want a compact van (5.99m) that extends to a big area bed while camping for the night then it's perfect - if you're not big.

Emmanuel decided to try us out with a Carado T447, wow, it was like a lot larger obviously at 7.49m but the room inside was amazing. For the same price as the Adria and also with the Perfect 10 pack it was great value for money, however, maybe a little too large for us.

Back to the drawing board, now looking at Pilote P650GJ and P700GJ. Will head to Dickson's of Perth next weekend to look at one.

Thanks for all your help and input folks and sorry for bombarding your post Tazdog6007 with my drivel. :-D

[tazdog6007]

hi shadowhood,,,just got back from a week in brighton,so playing catchup,,,,,.my 630. heating is noisy on startup.but settles down to a hum when temp. is achieved.this combined with a gaslow 11kg fixed gas supply makes for an economical energy supply,i also have a 150watt solar panel. and have yet to use the charger.the beds are a joy,only downside is one shuts off access to the hab door.the basin is useless i agree but a face cloth and a small amount of hot water does the job! the ford is the best i have driven in the ten m/homes i have had,and 5th gear is ideal for general speeds.6 is for motorways and non speed restricted roads.seats awkward height ? adjust the powered table ! also have had a towbar fitted(bloody expensive)for my road bikes,to free up the garage......now payload, hard one this ....drove fine ..pulled well,,,steering good. no swaying, felt all o.k so was o.k.on all road conditions....and the two chaussons i have owned, nothing has gone wrong...tempting fate here :-D couple of extra power points fitted (easy) and satisfaction all round ( but has been said before,no such thing as a perfect van) blog how you get on.

[Bop]

Shadowhood - 2017-06-26 8:54 AM

 

Back to the drawing board, now looking at Pilote P650GJ and P700GJ. Will head to Dickson's of Perth next weekend. :-D

 

Any Pilote P-GJ would be a very good choice IMO. We ordered a P740GJ in February and with a bit of luck we'll take delivery of it in July.

 

If it's just for the two of you then the P650GJ is a fantastic van to own in respect of its hefty payload allowance; general versatility, quality and good looks.

 

I've just checked their web page and the two P650GJ's which are currently for sale are all well specced albeit you should be able to secure a good deal as a first time buyer.

 

Good luck with your visit.

 

All the best,

 

Andrew

 

 

 

 

[crocs]

Shadowhood - 2017-06-26 8:54 AM

 

Well, the saga of buying a first new motorhome continues. Went to see the slide out Adria, and I should have know better for us, it was small. I'm no shrinking violet at 6'2" and so banged my head several times at the bed slide out end. No way I could sit up on the bed anywhere, it was tight even turning over! It would be great for some folk though, what a great design and the slide out technology looks great. The rubber seals one the slide out guides and also the seal round the slide out section itself are really tight and with good maintenance should be leak tight for a long time. As usual in Scotland there was a 20+ mph wind hitting the back of the slide out so it was a perfect time to check for any wind ingress to which there was nothing. Noise was also quiet. If you want a compact van (5.99m) that extends to a big area bed while camping for the night then it's perfect - if you're not big.

Emmanuel decided to try us out with a Carado T447, wow, it was like a lot larger obviously at 7.49m but the room inside was amazing. For the same price as the Adria and also with the Perfect 10 pack it was great value for money, however, maybe a little too large for us.

Back to the drawing board, now looking at Pilote P650GJ and P700GJ. Will head to Dickson's of Perth next weekend to look at one.

Thanks for all your help and input folks and sorry for bombarding your post Tazdog6007 with my drivel. :-D

 

If you're going to Dickson's of Perth, ask for Dave Millar. He'll not do a hard sell and will take the time to help you if you tell him you are a first timer.

[Shadowhood]

crocs - 2017-06-26 8:24 PM

 

If you're going to Dickson's of Perth, ask for Dave Millar. He'll not do a hard sell and will take the time to help you if you tell him you are a first timer.

 

Thanks for the info. I had provisionally booked a viewing through Chris, but he was great in taking his time with us. Definitely not a hard sell at all and spent time giving us a breakdown of prices/weights of options. Been to five motorhome dealers in Scotland now and this one and Roseisle left us heading back with piece of mind and more insight as they spent valuable time (to us) explaining things to us on a first time purchase. It'll be between these two I think, however Pilote GJ Sensation models are nudging closer now the front to be honest.

[monique.hubrechtsgm]

In our dog agility club i have seen two new pilote sensation models intregral ans semi fitted whit alko air top in the price and on fiat light chassis.Watch the miro Or go for fiat heavy if this suits you and avoid all the miserable matters of payload and the pain and agony running a overladed fiat light. Do not fall into the trap of weight upgrading that is a piece of cake matter. They look great.

[monique.hubrechtsgm]

Another example is a Niessmann-bischoff i have advised in our club which is a ARTO 7 mtr on fiat- AL- Ko chassis whit four large dogs in the garage. And two traverse beds on the end to suit this, whit a open view to the dogs on the rear from the inside by means of flap- step who acts also as a step in to the beds. Who goes first into and who goes out for peeepy.. The alko rear axle low frame is fiitted whit a alko rear ALC level contrtoller and a maintenance free axle. Their are no grease nipples. Very nice to see technical. Above that i advised AMPLO 4 corner hydraulic feets which are a beauty to see whit their individual punps on each corner. AL-KO copy cats has it too but the AMPLO looks the best i ever seen in the club. She has to wait a year for delivery since the production capacity is sold out out rapiidly. The shoud expand you can not enter a order till the next model year deleverid.

[Bop]

monique.hubrechts@gm - 2017-07-02 3:55 PM

 

In our dog agility club i have seen two new pilote sensation models intregral ans semi fitted whit alko air top in the price and on fiat light chassis.Watch the miro Or go for fiat heavy if this suits you and avoid all the miserable matters of payload and the pain and agony running a overladed fiat light. Do not fall into the trap of weight upgrading that is a piece of cake matter. They look great.

 

If he goes for the P650GJ then he'll get a fantastic payload without having to add an air top system. I think it's one of the best vans for the price but then again I'm a bit biased.

[flicka]

Hi Shadowhood

If looking at the Adria Compact SLS & I assume not due to length as you option is a metre longer.

 

Also look at the Compact SL @ 6.60m, as it gives much more garage space & 3 additional lockers over the rear beds. Plus a cost saving over the SLS.

 

(edit for spelling)