Tony Jones Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 How do you all do it? How do so many of you manage to drive vans from the Sevel stable, and still apparently enjoy your trips? I don't know if the latest ones are any better (couldn't face the look of them - more like a Virgin train!) but yesterday afternoon I had my first ever test-drive in a Sevel wagon: a 2004 Romahome Dimension. Regular readers may recall that in spite of being a Ford fan I was trying to keep an open mind, and had this model (and a couple of other Sevels) firmly in the frame as a strong contender to replace "Hannibal" (our ageing Transit). Note "HAD." Did no-one tell the Sevel designers that most human beings are built more or less symetrically? I'd noticed an occasional comment in mag tests about the slightly odd driving position, but since the same testers invariably gave the vans the thumbs-up I assumed this was nothing to worry about. By the time I'd been in the driving seat for a couple of minutes my whole body felt twisted (I know - like my mind!), and after a test run of about twenty minutes I was longing to get it back to the forecourt. Earlier the same day I'd visited Roy Woods and tested one of their Transit campers, and the contrast was startling. I wanted the Transit test to last all day, and would cheerfully have shot off into the sunset if Steve Woods hadn't inconsiderately insisted on coming along for the ride. Not so the Citroen - I found myself glad to get back to my old banger, with all its faults and foibles, just to be able to sit cpomfortably in the driving seat again. Which brings me to my question: how do these manufacturers manage to overlook something as basic as the shape of the human hody, and STILL MANAGE TO SELL SO MANY VANS? Am I just more fussy than most? Or is it me that's the wrong shape? Maybe everyone else IS built with a slight anticlockwise (or clockwise in the rest of the world) twist to their spine? Is that why the Sevel is seen as the "default mode" base for motorhomes, with everything else being "a bit different?" Anyway, the experience has made our choice so much eaiser, as we can now safely eliminate everything wearing Fiat Peugeot or Citroen badges from our enquiries. No wonder Mel B and Judgemental have changed to Fords! Anyone gone the other way? What were YOUR experiences? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Hi Tony, you are absolutely correct about the Sevel vans requiring a twist to drive. The pedals are offset from the centre line of the drivers seat and this does give lots of people back problems when driving them. The new version is much, much better I have to say. I think the situation is quite simply that as the majority of motorhomes are European built and the Sevel is probably the cheaper option most converters used it. Add to that the fact that it has been traditionally more suited to camper conversion being front drive with virtually everything mounted inside the dimensions of the cab with alternative chassis easily available from ALKO and you might begin to understand why so many have used the sevel chassis. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Our Sun Ti on the Renault Master is a revelation - much better driving position, ride and handling than any of the Peugeot/Ducato models we have had previously- and their platform chassis cab doesn't need an ALKO bolt on to lower it either! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted May 30, 2007 Author Share Posted May 30, 2007 davenewell@home - 2007-05-30 9:02 PM The pedals are offset from the centre line of the drivers seat and this does give lots of people back problems when driving them. On the one I drove, it was the steering wheel which seemed to be seriously out of line with the driving seat - but that may just mean Romahome's seat is positioned differently from the original one. Certainly, if the seat had been moved to line up with the wheel, the pedals would then have felt wrong instead. Regardless of where the seat goes, not bothering to make sure the pedals and wheel line up still seems very odd. I think you're probably right about the cost aspect. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolh Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Well I must be 'twisted'! I don't have a problem with our Fiat, and the Peugeot before that seemed ok too. hey ho Carol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 My Peugeot 05 is great to drive covered 6500miles so far, and the driving seat adjusted and steering wheel also adjusted for arm length makes driving long distances a doddle. I normally suffer from a bad back, not in this van. chas :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted May 30, 2007 Author Share Posted May 30, 2007 Just goes to show how different weall are, doesn't it? Never mind, life would be pretty boring otherwise! Goodnight all Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemoss Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Mr only experience has been with a Ducato (our own MH) and the latest twin rear-wheel Transit (hired MH in Australia). To be honest I've never had a problem with the Ducato driving position as I'm not massively tall (about 5' 7") and our van doesn't have seat swivels. In fact I enjoy the high driving position, and hadn't even noticed the offset pedals until somebody mentioned them. Find it more comfortable to drive over long distances than my Merc estate, so no problems at all. The new Transit was also fine, obviously much, much newer (500 miles playes 75,000) and the driving position was also fine. I did find the six-speed gearbox a mixed delight, however - you're out of first gear almost as soon as you've started rolling, yet second gear just a touch to high for starting from scratch. Overall then, in terms of performance not a lot to choose between them. Driving position/comfort, both fine. The one area where the Sevel really scores over earlier transits though is the dash-mounted gearchange and the handbrake mounted on the right hand side. Both of these make it so much easier to move from cab to habitation area, although the Sevel handbrake is a fair old stretch to reach. Obviously it's a case of whatever suits you best, but I wouldn't discount all Sevel-based vans without a much longer test drive. All the rest of us can't be that wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Well Both me and my wife son and our four lots of friends who also own Peugeot motorhomes must all be of the 'twisted' variety none of us have any problems driving our vans over very long continuous distances! Speaking for myself, I find our Boxer very comfortable to drive and have no complaints at all, though I agree that you have to move the armrest to its stowed position if you want to regularly use the handbrake as it does make it awkward to reach down to get to it. We have covered over 75000 miles inours now and I regularly drive 600 miles in a day abroad, obviously with occasional comfort breaks and have never felt stiff or uncomfortable (cruise control helps here though). My only experience with Transits have been as commercial vans for which I find them adequate but uninspiring, including the latest one with the large engine that I have just used in Luton form which when loaded felt like it couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding though was a little better empty. Everything in life is a choice and not all choices suit everyone else so you must go in the direction that you feel best for you and accept that others feel content with their choices, it doesn't mean anyone is wrong just of a different opinion. Incidently you see a lot of brand loyalty with cars, particularly with journalists, but it doesn't mean that they are right for you. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted May 31, 2007 Author Share Posted May 31, 2007 Thanks again folks - maybe it IS just me, or maybe the real problem was the seat fitted by Romahome. And no offence meant to any of you by the way I let off steam in my original post, probably in the immediate aftermath of that one drive. Enjoy your vans, whatever they are! And if I see a van that looks a real possibility in other ways, I won't rule it out just because it's a Sevel, until I've tried it. Incidentally, our "must have" list is: Use as main vehicle, so van conv (pref SWB) and four travel seats. 2 berth, double bed Washroom, pref with shower 3-burners & grill Cab air-con, or roof unit which will operate while driving Any bright ideas (even if they're Sevels!)? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davoscar Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Have a look at a La Strada Trento - if you can find one! They are LWB but sit on your beloved Transit (in its new guise with the dash mounted gear stick and the hand brake on the right!) All you other boxes are ticked - not cheap though at around £33k - there is a cheaper Pronto but not sure if that has three or four forward belted seats... David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tp002c784tp002c784tp Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Hi Tony After 16 years of driving a Talbot Express we have found the our new van a Renault Master is a delight to drive, I was a bit doubtfull after paying the deposit then reading the test report ( a bit late ) in the MMM on the Lunar Telstar, the tester indicated that for the shorter driver ( me at 5-7 ) may struggle to reach the pedals, but thankfully I found know trouble driving it at all,and I would recommend any one try the Renault. I must admit that I used to say I could drive the Talbot for many miles and not feel tired but this was after changing the seats and getting used to the akward gearbox. I have always liked Ford and many years ago I had a mark one Transit long wheel base with an elavating roof and drove thosands of miles in this vehicle. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Haven't driven a rhd Fiat, Tony, but our lhd doesn't present the problems you describe. Maybe that's the solution? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 We recently looked at a Romahome on a Sevel. My only resevation was the flat backed seat that had been fitted , to assist the bed making. I didn't check the offset wheel or pedals. We have a Fiat 2005 model at the moment. I havn't had a problem, but will be looking out for your observations. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza454 Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 I wonder if the problem is because the Sevel vans are primarily designed as LHD vehicles and if there have been any compromises in design when building the RHD version.I remember a few years ago a number of major truck manufacturers having serious problems when redesigning a LHD vehicle to RHD for the UK market. Scania in particular took a major hit with sales in the UK when they redesigned a RHD on an original LHD vehicle and didn't take into account where the driver could rest his left foot when not using the clutch. This led to a number of major commercial fleets moving to other manufacturers who had spent more time designing a cab environment where the driver would have an acceptable level of comfort.How many Scania trucks do you see in the UK today compared with 7 or 8 years ago, their market share has plummeted.I drove an Autocruise on a Peugeot for a couple of years and although I never experienced any major issues, I never felt really comfortable and relaxed when driving. More recently I have been driving a Knaus on a Renault Master and it's obvious that Renault have put a lot more thought and effort into the design of the RHD vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernon B Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 Driving a Fiat does give you at least one benefit Tony - your not associated with Transit Man. Vernon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith T Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 All our 4 previous motorhomes have been of the Peugeot/Fiat variety, and apart from the notorious gearchange on the first one (1991 dated) have enjoyed driving each of them. We're now changing to the 2007 version, and had a test drive some months ago, whcih I found very good - once I'd come to terms with 6 gears not 5! I'm sure once the new motorhome arrives I shall adjust the drivers seat rather more than on a test drive, but I'm really looking forward to it. I also like the style of the new Fiat front end, although I do feel a lot of the - particularly Uk built - motorhomes have not properly matched a streamlined enough body, and it does the streamlining of the cab no justice. A lot of them seem to have just taken the old square body and stuck it on the back of the new chassis. I also notice that quite a few - again UK - are not in fact using the new Motorhome Chassis, but the commerical vehicle version and smaller engine , presumably to save costs and make it appear 'cheaper' on teh forecourt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 I'm sure you're right Barry.Another thought on Sevel base vehicles. How long, really, do we spend driving? Most of us aren't using the vans like delivery drivers, so on the whole only spend a few hours per day at the wheel. On that basis, and with great respect to Tony (as they say!), I do wonder if shunning a whole slew of motorhomes on the basis of their base vehicle really is sensible. It's the conversion we live, sleep, and cook etc in. The base merely transports us from place to place and if the conversion is good, and does what is required; it is surely not so sage to adopt an inferior conversion merely to have a base that feels better for those few hours. I think this even more true when it comes to appearances: after all, none of them is actually pretty, are they? This seems to be borne out when one looks at the number of vans based on Sevels, compared to any of the other bases. The choice is just so much greater that one must be far easier able to find what one wants if they are included, than if looking only among the others. This is not to say there aren't good conversions on non-Sevel bases, of course there are: it is just to say there is a greater likelihood of success if the Sevels are included in the search, than if they are excluded. By almost universal consent the VW Transporter provides the best drive of the lot. However, if one restricts one's self to looking for T4/T5 bases, the pickings are going to be pretty thin on any given day.Have another go, Tony, in a different van, before you write them off completely. There's lots around, and you may just have been suffering from the Sevel feeling different to the Ford, rather than from it having quite the shortcoming there seemed at the time. One odd feature is the handbrake, for which you do seem to need gorilla arms at first. However, after a while, it seems in quite a natural place, and anyhow, one only uses it a few times on each trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted May 31, 2007 Share Posted May 31, 2007 On the latest Sevel 07 design I wonder what great thinker thought it would be great to stick the indicator lights on the end of the driving mirrors. One of the most vunerable places going ! So there you have a unit with heated mirror/ electrical adjustment/ and now a light cluster which when bashed against something will cost an arm and a leg to replace. Well thought out... I dont think so. chas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted June 1, 2007 Author Share Posted June 1, 2007 Thanks for your reflections in this Brian - I'll give it some more thought. One or two immediate responses though: Brian Kirby - 2007-05-31 3:03 PM How long, really, do we spend driving? Most of us aren't using the vans like delivery drivers, so on the whole only spend a few hours per day at the wheel. .... It's the conversion we live, sleep, and cook etc in. The base merely transports us from place to place and if the conversion is good, and does what is required. I can see that for those who mainly use their vans as leisure vehicles, but mine will have to be my main car - hence the need for a van conv type, with 4 proper seats. This also means that I'll spend more hours per year driving it than either of us will spend eating, sleeping, lounging or showering in it! Have another go, Tony, in a different van, before you write them off completely. There's lots around, and you may just have been suffering from the Sevel feeling different to the Ford, rather than from it having quite the shortcoming there seemed at the time. One odd feature is the handbrake, for which you do seem to need gorilla arms at first. However, after a while, it seems in quite a natural place, and anyhow, one only uses it a few times on each trip. I might well have another go if another Sevel van seems right, but the handbrake wasn't a problem. I quite liked it, but then I DO have the necessary non-human arms, as I discover every time I try to buy a jacket!! Still, at the moment, the Roy Wood van (Cavarno 2) looks favourite, IF we can afford it when the time comes. Thanks again Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 The new one seems better 'twist' wise, but for me not as ergonomic as just about any other van I have driven, I just can't get the seat/pedal/steeringwheel distances right, if only the rake could be adjusted up/down instead of just for reach it would work for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.