Shewolf55 Posted March 6, 2020 Author Share Posted March 6, 2020 Main family live in Worthing and Portsmouth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Shewolf55 - 2020-03-06 9:49 PM Hi Flyboy, we mainly live in France, but spend some time in Uk too. We have no idea how Brexit will affect us yet, but hopefully, it won't slow us down xx As you live mostly in France, wouldn’t it be better to buy a left-hand drive motorhome from a French dealership rather than a right-hand drive vehicle built by a UK manufacturer? As far as I’m aware there are no Auto-Trail dealerships outside the UK and, although a rear U-lounge layout for motorhomes is more popular in the UK than elsewhere, Continental-European motorhome manufacturers do make them. It’s certainly easier to drive a left-hand drive large-ish motorhome outside the UK than a right-hand drive one and (I would have thought) if you are living most of the time in France, buying a LHD motorhome there would be simpler and, should you subsequently decide to sell it, selling it in France should also be more straightforward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboyprowler Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Derek Uzzell - 2020-03-07 9:11 AM Shewolf55 - 2020-03-06 9:49 PM Hi Flyboy, we mainly live in France, but spend some time in Uk too. We have no idea how Brexit will affect us yet, but hopefully, it won't slow us down xx As you live mostly in France, wouldn’t it be better to buy a left-hand drive motorhome from a French dealership rather than a right-hand drive vehicle built by a UK manufacturer? As far as I’m aware there are no Auto-Trail dealerships outside the UK and, although a rear U-lounge layout for motorhomes is more popular in the UK than elsewhere, Continental-European motorhome manufacturers do make them. It’s certainly easier to drive a left-hand drive large-ish motorhome outside the UK than a right-hand drive one and (I would have thought) if you are living most of the time in France, buying a LHD motorhome there would be simpler and, should you subsequently decide to sell it, selling it in France should also be more straightforward. Absolutely agree, and the Pilote range, or the Iveco chassis RWD Le Voyageur would suit your needs. Rapido, I believe also French, and to be honest, LHD is so much easier if most of your time will be spent on the continent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Some images of motorhomes with a rear ‘U-lounge’ here https://tinyurl.com/tu3qaj9 Sarah has not said whether the intention is to buy new or secondhand, but size-wise the Auto-trail and Elddis models mentioned above are both around 7.5m long. Evidently four sleeping berths are a necessity, but opting for an A-class design with a drop-down bed above the driving seats would reduce the requirment to construct beds each evening. In fact, Autostar offers the I720 SUA Passion model https://www.autostar.fr/en/motorhomes/i720-sua that has two drop-down double beds - one over the driving seats and the other over the rear U-lounge. (It does need emphasising that (as with the Elddis 180 mentioned above) even quite large motorhomes like the I720 SUA are normally sold in France with a maximum overall weight of 3500kg and limited payload as a result. This is simply because most French drivers just have a basic ‘B’ car licence that restricts the weight-maximum of a vehicle they can legally drive to 3500kg. Motorhomes heavier than that (camping-cars poids lourd) are more difficult to sell new or secondhand in France as the driver must have a ‘C’ or ‘C1’ licence. Uprating a motorhome’s overall and/or axle weight-maxima - a commonplace practice in the UK to gain more payload - is rarely praticable in France.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboyprowler Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Derek Uzzell - 2020-03-08 8:14 AM Some images of motorhomes with a rear ‘U-lounge’ here https://tinyurl.com/tu3qaj9 Sarah has not said whether the intention is to buy new or secondhand, but size-wise the Auto-trail and Elddis models mentioned above are both around 7.5m long. Evidently four sleeping berths are a necessity, but opting for an A-class design with a drop-down bed above the driving seats would reduce the requirment to construct beds each evening. In fact, Autostar offers the I720 SUA Passion model https://www.autostar.fr/en/motorhomes/i720-sua that has two drop-down double beds - one over the driving seats and the other over the rear U-lounge. (It does need emphasising that (as with the Elddis 180 mentioned above) even quite large motorhomes like the I720 SUA are normally sold in France with a maximum overall weight of 3500kg and limited payload as a result. This is simply because most French drivers just have a basic ‘B’ car licence that restricts the weight-maximum of a vehicle they can legally drive to 3500kg. Motorhomes heavier than that (camping-cars poids lourd) are more difficult to sell new or secondhand in France as the driver must have a ‘C’ or ‘C1’ licence. Uprating a motorhome’s overall and/or axle weight-maxima - a commonplace practice in the UK to gain more payload - is rarely praticable in France.) Derek, does that also mean that the heavier and therefor less saleable motorhomes are a better (cheaper) buy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Don't know, and haven't checked, but is it possible that driving licence complications may arise once we leave Transition? Our current UK driving licence categories are harmonised with EU categories, so that a UK issued C1 licence must be accepted throughout the EU/EEA. Unless there is agreement on continued harmonisation of licences during the future relationship negotiations, I'm just wondering whether existing "grandfather rights" C1 licences will continue to be accepted (even if backed by an IDP) - especially if the licence holder is British, but the vehicle is French registered and insured. I know this is speculative, but it seems the kind of "small print" issue that could easily drop through a chink in the floorboards while other, more economically significant, issues are debated. Anyone know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboyprowler Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Brian Kirby - 2020-03-08 12:22 PM Don't know, and haven't checked, but is it possible that driving licence complications may arise once we leave Transition? Our current UK driving licence categories are harmonised with EU categories, so that a UK issued C1 licence must be accepted throughout the EU/EEA. Unless there is agreement on continued harmonisation of licences during the future relationship negotiations, I'm just wondering whether existing "grandfather rights" C1 licences will continue to be accepted (even if backed by an IDP) - especially if the licence holder is British, but the vehicle is French registered and insured. I know this is speculative, but it seems the kind of "small print" issue that could easily drop through a chink in the floorboards while other, more economically significant, issues are debated. Anyone know? In Spain certainly, anyone seeking residency will also need to change their driving licence. The C1 licence is also transferable, but only if the applicant requests it, it is not a given. A friend of ours recently did this, and felt that it was touch and go as to whether he got it. In his case he was OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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